Merry Christmas!

I began this year working with a life coach, and first of all wrote down my purpose and vision
My Purpose:
To Love and serve God.
To be a leader using my gifts and talents to positively impact people and the world.

My career vision is to create and lead adentures or innovations that empower people through motivation and teamwork to be beter and stronger people.

and the affirmation I live by is
I drive my life by
focusing on God,
organizing my life and
managing my time.

My passion to help others is bigger than the number of people I have the hours to physically work with in one locatin and through the internet I hope to impact many more.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to be aware of how blessed I am.

This year I realized a dream I've had for a while- to establish a website and blog
to help many people live a healthy and longer life.
Thank you to April Heyward and Cindy Witt for helping me grow and accomplish so much.

I am grateful for your interest in following this blog and your commitment
to living a healthy life. I am excited to see what 2009 holds.

Kathleen

Connected!

Recently I was the speaker for a business networking luncheon- my topic was "Being connected- the currency of today"
Currency is nothing more than an exchange of value

What something is worth to you is what you will exchange for what is precious to you.
We've gone through several currencies over the years:
Let's say you have a charity event and are looking for sponsors

1. In 1900, "I'll donate 1 jug of my cow's milk"- stuff became hard to work with so money was created to speed things up.
2. In 1950 "I'll volunteer my time"-eventually, our TIME was more valuable than our money
3. 1980 "I'll just send a check" - don't ask me to take time from my family!
4. Today "I will lend my influence- I"ll send to my list and recruit my network to the cause"

The currency today is CONNECTION- how well off you are is directly related to how connected you are- how many people can you stay in contact with . We build and work our network.

Don't believe me? Think about it-- when power goes out- what are you most frustrated at losing? the internet! When it comes on- the first thing you do is check your email!

To stay connected, there are social networking sites all over the place.

Take me for example, I have various segmented parts of my life- I have different ways to stay connected with each of them. Some are fun, some are personal, some are business, some are minstry related

I have a home phone, a cell phone with text, I have 8 email accounts, a website, a blog, I'm on Twitter (2 tagnames), facebook, Linked-In, Plaxo, Mychurch.

I may be alone in the room but turst me, I am CONNECTED! -If you can't find me you aren't looking very hard.

so here are all the ways you can find me if you are also on social media:

www.kathleenhwood.com

www.palmettofitnessfocus.blogspot.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenhwood

www.twitter.com/palmettofitness

www.twitter.com/fragilefitness

email: kathleen@kathleenhwood.com with your connection data and keep in touch!

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #19 crunch time!

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #19
During the holiday season there are those days when it is hard to get your regular complete workout, do something, do anything!!
Try crunches, climb the stairs or march in place etc.
It may not be the BEST but it will “hold the habit” in place and you'll find it easier to stay on track or get back on track, because you never GOT OFF TRACK!

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #17-Throw it!

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #17- which is worse, throwing away the leftover pie or gaining the pounds that result if you do not

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #16 Calorie-free Contentment

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #16
Calorie-free Contentment

As you appreciate the people you love and the aspects of your life that you are glad about -you'll discover a neat side effect:
it takes your mind off yourself and builds contentment without food being the center of that contentment.

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #15 eating choices

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #15-
You will have many opportunities for special meals in these next 6 weeks.
There are Good choices, there are better Choices and there are best choices
Here's an easy one:
Save 100+ calories by serving roasted red potatoes rather than mashed potatoes with gravy

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #18 Head's You win!

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #18
How to keep that focus in a very busy time of the year?

Read something about healthy living every day to keep your goal in the front of your thinking all day
This blog is one way: palmettofitnessfocus blog
if you haven't already, sign up for the weekly Palmetto Fitness Focus newsletter which is different than this blog- although the empahsis is still finding motivation to live a healthy life.
It contains an article, a recipe or nutritional thought and a hands-on project related to the article.
it's short and sweet- won't take 2 minutes to read but I think you would find it uplifting.

Holiday Survival tip #14 Thanks-living

Holiday Survival tip #14
Consider this the season of ThanksLIVING-
There are so many things in our lives that we take for granted. So this week- Open your eyes and your heart- live in a spirit of gratitude...
Make a list of what you are grateful for and review it often. You've be surprised how much happier you find you are.

btw- thank you for following me in this blog
I hope it lifts you up and keeps you motviated to live a healthy life.

I'm Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am one grateful woman!!

God has been good to me

I’m thankful for:

1. My family. This year my daughter and SIL drove 1200 miles to be here for Thanksgivingfor a week. What a blessing! The other daughter calls every week to have lunch- what another blessing that is.

2. My health. While I have Rh Arthritis, it is well controlled and for the most part does not control my life. but though this God has allowed me to have empathy for those with systemic illness.

3. My Clients- I have wonderful people who allow me into their lives and we work together to get healthier and stronger. I love what I do and I love who I do it with.

4. My friends, and their love and support. I have a renewed appreciation for the friends I've developed who build me up and turn me loose to bless others.

5. My readers. I love when I get comments /emails. truthfully, I’m just glad that someone reads what I write

6. My relationship with God. Knowing God's presence and forgivevness allows me to live securely and loved from the inside out.

Thanksgiving is the day to reflect on the good things in your life.

What are you thankful for?

Healthy Holiday Survival Tip #13-

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #13-
Holiday meal choices: white turkey leaner than dark or hams.
Most gravys are flour and fat, so avoid or at least minimize sauces.

Healthy Holiday Tip #12

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #12
Invest in ziplocks/ disposable containers-
That way you can be you can be generous giving away Thanksgiving leftovers
And you can get back on track nutritionally

Healthy Holiday Tip #11

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #11-
Reduce stress by doing your holiday gift shopping online.
For distance friends/ have gift box sent directly to them no postoffice!
Almost everyone appreciates gift cards.

Thanks-Living Newsletter

Palmetto Fitness Focus Newsletter on Thanks -Living
Click here for full newsletter
http://tinyurl.com/5wabbm

Healthy Holiday Tips #10

#10
Meet your own needs first!

1. Keep Stress at bay by getting your share of sleep each night
2. Eat the right foods
3. Keep exercising.

As you make health a priority, you will be able to deal with stress of added expectations/ responsibilites that come this time of year.

__________________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tips #9

#9
Identify the obstacles that pop up during the holidays

• The family events,
• the gifts of food,
• the parties,
• the big food events

We will look at each of these specifically over the coming weeks but right now start thinking

• which area do you regularly struggle with
• identify how you can best deal with this obstacle.
• Do you need help or support to get through any of these?

_____________________________________________________________

Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tips #8

#8
Buying a prebasted bird or using a gourmet recipe may cost you more than you realize
and I'm not talking about the premium price at the grocery.
Turkey is a naturally lean protein source, you don't need butter and fat to make it taste great and stay moist

Rather than a prebasted or butterbasted bird, Baste or inject your own turkey with chicken or vegetable broth, wine, apple juice- etc

Put spices, and an apple, celery, garlic and raisins and onion in the cavity and neck to add amazing flavor to the broth.

I'll share my mother's wonderful mix if you request it.
____________________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Thanks-LIVING

Thanksgiving is my hands-down favorite holiday.

You might think it because I am distantly related to William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth Colony, that I love turkey, or because I look especially good in ORANGE (especially Clemson orange).

I love Thanksgiving because it calls us to develop an attitude of GRATITUDE and it calls us to gather family together.

Thanksgiving was about gratitude when the Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony stopped and looked up, thanking God for LIFE,what precious few actually survived the year.
It was about HOPE, and a belief that together we are better than we are individually.

Despite all efforts by Secular-humanists to water it down in our schools and history books by suggesting that the pilgrims were instead thanking the Indians, it has stayed true to it's theme, no mass marketing for profit. It is the one holiday that families seems to make the effort to get together and connect.

If there is a threat to the spirit of Thanksgiving, it would be how we have turned the gratitude into an excuse for self-indulgence. If we truly are thankful for Life, for faith and for family we should make Thanksgiving not as a single day but a lifestyle of THANKS-LIVING.

You can celebrate the LIFE you've been given by doing things that prolong and empower life: Things like filling it with foods that fuel the body rather than destroy it and doing exercise.

Thanksgiving officially launches the "Holiday Season" -Start now thanking God for your life by LIVING as if your body was important to you and is a gift from God.

Happy Thanks-LIVING!

If you need a Health Coach to get through the holiday season and establish a healthy new year, I'd consider it a privilege to work with you toward your goal. If you live In and around Columbia, SC, I work through Health Coach studio in the Forest Acres area. If that is inconvenient, I also do E-Coaching. Email me at palmettofitness@Yahoo.com

Just DO IT ALREADY! A hands on learning activity
Your assignment:
Say Thank You to at least 5 people each day for a week
Make a list of people to thank: Parents, kids, extended family, pastor, teachers, friends, coaches/mentors, trainer, clients, coworkers, postman, hair stylist, service men and women...

Healthy Holiday Tip #7

#7 I love the 12 days of Christmas, don't you?
So let's encorporate that as a fun way to add exercise
Do a 12 days of Christmas w/ various exercises
On the first day of Christmas my true love asked of me:
1 pushup,
2lunges,
3 jumps,
4 kicks
5 squats,
6 rows,
7 bicycles,
8 Tricep extensions,
9 bicep curls,
10 jumping jacks
11 burpees
12 shoulder rolls
Feel free to rearrange or substitute your favorite exercises!
Let me know if this is fun for you!
_____________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #6

#6
Tired of going to event s where there are no good choices?
Volunteer to be a part of the planning or hosting the event.
That will ensure you have SOME healthy food along with family favorites


_____________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #5

#5 Disquise Exercise as Shopping!

Shop in sneakers and take a lap around the mall or main street before or after you shop-
A word to the wise!
Eat before you go and avoid walking past the food court at all costs!

_____________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tips# 4

#4
Holidays are memorable because of traditional family favorites
Some are healthier than others

Take this time to review family favorite recipes- seek ways to adapt them to lower fat or sugar,
Can you introduce new recipes to become the NEW tradition?
If you rotate one recipe out and one recipe in each year, you'll ultimately enjoy healthier family functions and more of them as you lower the probablility of heart issues and disease in your family.


Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #3

#3 Balance Your High Calorie Events

For every party and high calorie event, PLAN to have 2-3 workouts of 30-34 minutes to counteract the calorie impact

Use the calendar from Tip#2 as well as your daytimer or blackberry to SCHEDULE workouts
Make it in INK, it is as an appt with yourself at the gym- as important as any Dr appt


Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #2

#2- Look ahead:
Know where the calorie pot-holes are and plan around them.
Get a calendar (many are available on line or the dollar store)
Mark all social events until Jan 2- church, business and neighborhood Christmas parties, cookie swaps, family functions, birthdays that fall in December, Theater productions, parades, Christmas productions, anything where food is involved.

Now that you know from where the calories are coming to get you- establish a plan for EACH event- how will you deal with the situation in order to minimize the impact and be victorious relative to your goals of either losing, maintaining or adding a few pounds.


Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Survival Skills #1

#1
Be Clear About Your Goal-
Will you settle for gaining 5 pounds?
Are you only wanting to hold our present weight
or are you trying to lose weight during the holidays?

Your answer to that question will determine your strategy for the next 6 weeks

If you are actively trying to lose weight, you will have to be extra vigilant about your workout and your eating plan.

If you know you have 10+ events, you need to continue the process of making wise choices in the midst of less than perfect options before you., but accept a realistic expectation that you will gain some weight in the process just due to the shear volume of events.

Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Health Coach Open House

My personal Invitation to those living in the midlands of SC:
You would honor me greatly if you would join me at the open house.
Kathleen




A T A S T E OF H E A L T H

O P E N H O U S E

We invite you and your friends to celebrate our one year
anniversary with good wine and healthy food.

When: Thursday, November 13th from 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Where: 10 Calendar Court, Suite 101
Bring: Your friends and family
RSVP by November 10 to palmettofitness@yahoo.com

RAFFLE • GIFTS • GREAT FOOD and….
Discounted Personal Training and Nutrition Coaching during this event!

Be our guest for dinner:
Lasagna: whole grain pasta layered with fresh veggies, free range beef
and low fat cheeses.
Broccoli and Red Grape Salad: organic broccoli florets, red grapes,
walnuts and our creamy heirloom dressing.
Whole Grain Artisan Bread: organic wheat and oat flours with a touch of
molasses. Served with a variety of healthy spreads.
Chocolate Mocha Cake: a low fat version of a high fat decadent cake
with mocha cream cheese icing.

Retreats are tough

I just got back from a wonderful weekend with several friends attending a Christian Conference called "Women of Faith" From a faith perspective it was a home run! From a healthy living perspective... well, a struggle.

I meant well. Just like I tell you to, I planned it out. I had my little pink insulated bag with oatmeal bran muffins, grapes, triscits, apple, fig newtons & water.

Started well: driving up, I passed on the cookies everyone brought to share. For dinner had grilled chicken, dry baked potato and brocolli, although I'll confess the portions might have been too big. Strike one... I ate that ginormous cookie the hotel gives you at check in. I may have to send an email suggestion to the hotel: please do not to hand free hot cookies to hungry women just before dinner. So technically, I was only partially to blame??? you're right, I shouldn't have taken possession
Breakfast I did eat my little muffins, ok...plus one piece of Betty's special poppyseed bread, only minor infraction, but, as you can tell, the slippery slope had begun.

Lunch was at the coliseum, the box lunch prepared by the event organizers- I think I may send another email suggestion to those women who organize box lunches for 13,000 women: What were you thinking, Ladies????: I about freaked when I opened it! (mayonnaise based) chicken salad on white roll, full fat potato chips, and orange and a cookie?? About all I can say for myself is that I did forgo the chips completely and was certainly glad I had my grapes and muffins with me. I thought about what other options were at the concession stand, and seeing hamburgers, fries and pizza, thought perhaps the chicken salad and orange may still be the best of the options available to me. Even so, the calories still count full value.

I will give myself extra credit that for the rest of the day I did NOT indulge the popcorn, ice cream, french fries, etc etc etc that were all around me. My little bag of goodies got me out the door with some reasonable sense of accomplishment.

But by then I was hungry, and hungry people are vulnerable people

We ate at Panera, I did order a salad and I did use half the dressing.
but I was not satisfied and when the group opened up the cookies on the way home:trouble!

I was having one of those out of body experiences- It's like you are watching tv, you see yourself eating cookies while another part of you says :No! No!! don't do it!! --- too late.

So when I counsel people here's what I tell them

• Plan in advance how you are going to be successful in the situation
• Don't let yourself get hungry
• Make as good a decision as possible in situations where best is not available.
• Expect every now and then to fall off the wagon but get back on ASAP.

As you can see, I do understand what you are going through as you struggle to make those principles work for you.
Sometimes you have good choices,
sometimes you have better choices,
sometimes you have best choices.
Sometimes you have no choices, the success plan is playing makeup for a couple days afterward.

Like I said, Retreats are tough.

Healing Principles

We've been doing renovations at our house. It is exciting to see the transformations take place. My husband and I have done some of the demolition to save some money. In carrying out the bathroom concrete and tile, I got all kind of cuts and bruises. Frankly, I looked like I got in a cat fight, and lost. The interesting thing to me was looking down a few days later and seeing the scrapes and bruises virtually gone. I realized anew the body is designed and created with the ability to heal itself. I know there are some bigger situations that the body may not be able to heal by itself, but you know what?- it sure tries.

Our job is to work with our bodies and give our system the components to do it's best to heal itself.

• Isolate and insulate: Obviously keeping a wound clean means more bacteria is not introduced which the body must deal with. Inflamation is not all bad, it is the body's natural defense mechanism to bring blood and nutrients into the area to promote recovery. But too much inflamation can hinder your life and produce pain. Icing the areas that are inflamed will minimize inflamation and pain.
• Rest: The body can only fight on so many fronts at the same time. Getting adequate rest allows the body to maximize it's efforts on the most important battle ground.
• Eating Antioxidant rich foods, especially fruits and vegetables which have phto-chemicals that help the body in recovery. Protein is an important nutrient but generally we eat many times the protein we need, and many times less vegetable sources.
• Exercise: Getting blood moving means nutrients and oxygen are getting to the areas needing them. Exercise keeps joint limber and burns excess fat that contributes to stress on the major organs and is correlated with many diseases. Dr. Henry Lodge in "Younger Next Year" says our bodies are either in a state of decay or they are in a state of growth, no plateau. Exercising reminds the body that we have need of staying young and vital so it must "get to work!"
  

Since you don't know what battles are going on within your skin at any one time,
Give you body a fighting chance to heal itself:

1. Eat healthy foods, more veggies, less processed, lots of water.
2. Get moving: fi you need help determining an appropriate exercise regime, contact me
3. Please get a good night's sleep, your body depends on it!

TWITTER HOW-TO TIP #76

For those using Twitter *a social networking application
Palmetto Fitness Focus is happy to partner with Dan Holling and twittinsecrets.com
to provide this tip on how to use Twitter more effectively.



TWITTER HOW-TO TIP #76



How To Feed your Blog to Twitter (and avoid indigestion)
NOTE: This Twitter How-to Tip is an authorized part of the "Twittin' Secrets" Series: 100 World's Greatest Twitter Tips and Twitter Secrets by Internet and Twitter Strategist, Dan Hollings.



TWITTER HOW-TO TIP #76
Feed your blog to Twitter: http://www.twitterfeed.com/


If you maintain a blog, there are many advantages to connecting the blog to Twitter. By synching the two, each time you post a new blog entry, all your Twitter followers get notified and are one click away from your latest blog post entry. TwitterFeed is an example of an easy method to automate Twitter posts so they synch with your blog posts.
in addition, many blogs offer built-in automation to achieve the same type of Twitter synching. If you are just starting a blog and desire this built-in Twitter automation plus the ultimate in blog simplification, try Posterous http://posterous.com/

WANT MORE TWITTER HELP?
100 Free Twitter Tips are at http://twittinsecrets.com/

To Bend or Not To Bend

I went to see the play, Fiddler on the Roof this week. So many amazing life lessons and points to ponder. Several times the lead character, Tevya, was presented a new reality. In his amusing and down to earth way, He would mull it over with "one one hand..." On the other hand..." Twice he did find a way to bridge his values and the new reality. Finally there was the point where this father had a decision to make about whether he could bend his core values (tradition) to accomodate this new reality presented to him. He concluded if he bent that far, he would break, and he painfully had to take a stand.

We all live a life that is filled with- call them traditions, or ruts- but ways we've ALWAYS done things. We are designed to try to be efficient. Traditions make life easier, because we don't have to work through painful decisions over and over.

If you are reading this blog, you are probably trying to make healthy life decisions. so let me ask you something personal:
Are your ruts unhealthy? Do you mindlessly reach for the snack as you turn on the tv, or do you hit the snooze three times every single morning? Does tailgaiting REQUIRE alcohol and fried chicken? Do you eat fast food EVERY workday for lunch?

As you try to establish a healthier lifestyle, you will find yourself confronting some of these "traditions"
Sometimes you can easily do a cost/ benefit analysis- "On one hand... , On the other hand.... "
Eventually you will come up against one or more that you are not READY to let go of, or perhaps not ready to embrace a new reality.

It's really all about emotion.
We are either drawn to feeling a new positive reality or fleeing from a painful old reality.
Review the reasons you want that healthy life.
Keep loading that value in your mind.
You will be successful if you see the desired end lightens the pain, or produces a clear better.
The greater the pain, or the clearer the positive, the quicker you will trade the new path for the old rut.

If you need a partner, a coach to help you- contact me at palmettofitness at Yahoo.com

Self- Efficacy- Say WHAT?

I learned a new word today: self-efficacy.
It means, the belief that one is capable achieving their stated goal.

Almost everyone has one or more area that they feel inadequate to the task. If you don't, perhaps you aren't reaching for high goals. But some goals will come to a screeching halt if you lack "Self-Efficacy." Feeling capable of being successful is critical to maintaining motivation, especially as it relates to weight managment and fitness.

We stare in the mirror, and staring back are 30, 50, 100 pounds. The goal of carving that away seems just too lofty to feel we will EVER be sucessful. Where do we start? How long will it take? What will I have to change? What if I hate yogurt? Suddenly the heart starts racing, and we start backpeddling and finding excuses on why we ought not start, lest we fail. We can give you 100 reasons why we need to and want to lose that weight and yet-we actually talk ourselves out of our goal-a goal that means the difference between health and illness.

If you are to reach your goal, you absolutely must believe it can be done, not by other people, but by YOU.

So how do we establish "self efficacy"?

1. Set realistic goals. You've heard it said "you didn't gain it in a week, don't expect it to come off in a week" What is realistic, do-able and sustainable over a year is 1 pound a week for women, 2 pounds for men. Some weeks you might see more, many weeks you will see less.
2. Concentrate on developing behaviors, not on the scale. How many days did you do cardio this week? Do you read labels now? Is fast-food infrequent? If you are consistently doing these and other healthy behaviors, the weight will come off and more importantly- STAY off.
3. Cut your goal into many pieces and concentrate on the smaller, more attainable subgoal. give yourself something to celebrate and feel successful at. Success breeds success. As you see yourself making strides, the next challenge becomes easier, WHY?

Because you.....

NOW BELIEVE YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL

Self Efficacy, How empowering is that!

You are the sum...

Name the five people you spend the most time with- NOT the people you admire the most, but who do you spend the majority of your time with?

Here's why I ask:

"You are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with"

• Your professional development, your income generally follows their pattern


• Your attitudes and beliefs will fall in line with these people.


• Even your health and weight will mirror those five people.

YIKES! I found myself peering obliquely at the people in my life, and pondering "Do I WANT to be like you?"

Look carefully at the people you just listed. Seriously, Do their lives reflect who you aspire to be?

• Are they dead-ends or business superstars?


• Do they pull your attitudes up or down?


• Are they callous and negative, or saints in skin?


• Are they healthy, or are they headed for a heart attack and taking you with them?

This e-newsletter relates to healthy living so let me be more pointed:

• Do you surround yourself with exercisers or couch-potatoes?


• Do they overindulge or eat moderately?


• Is healthy living a non-negotiable value?


• Do they eat fast food and junk food more than occasionally?
  

Think through the lifestyle related diseases afflicting your inner circle

• Diabetes


• Heart disease


• Obesity


• High blood pressure


• High cholesterol
  

So what if you don't like what you see to your right and left?
It's time to evaluate what's are your non-negotiable values, and where you want to go. Seek out mentors and relationships that mirror your goals and adjust with whom you invest your life and time.

Some people you can't remove from influence- they are related to you, perhaps.
In that case, You need to see that for what it is and pay attention to the influence they could have and be intentional to seek out other mentors in your life.
Understand, you are also part of THEIR sum as well. Make it a positive influence!

I'm glad to say I hang with some people about whom I could actually say I am challenged to live up to them in one area or another.
Who are you the sum of?

What is the Focus of Palmetto Fitness Focus?

I have been there-done that and got the t-shirt (in varying sizes).

I've been a college athlete and a soccer-mom. I've been fit, I've been fat, I got fit again. Like many of you I have major health challenges. In the process, I became a personal trainer because I know what it is to struggle with the weight issue. I've trained hundreds and what I've concluded it is about HEALTH, not weight:

I chose not to compete with thousands of fitness programs available, thousands of diets available. What makes the difference is being successful has less to do with which one you follow, and more with the fact that you DO follow through with it. Motivation to press-through is critical.

Even if you choose the worst program, if you actually do it long
enough will produce more results than the best program left undone.

Realizing that, I can invest myself best in helping people keep their head in the game, their heart in the process and their body moving.

So, What is the Focus of Palmetto Fitness Focus?

Palmetto Fitness Focus is the culmination of my life-goal of empowering people to health and fitness beyond the area of influence I have in my physical community.

Palmetto Fitness Focus blog is a companion resource to a free weekly E-newsletter. The Blog is shorter, the weekly E-newsletters are more detailed,include recipes, motivational quotes and challenge activites for those of us who learn better by DOING rather than by simply reading. If you are not regularly receiving the Palmetto Fitness Focus newsletter, you can subscribe using the form on this blog.

Missed some? A copy of all the newsletters I've published are available at http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters



Head's UP! Next week I will finally launch my website, which will include more about Palmetto Fitness Focus but also many other aspects of my life purpose.
Kathleen

Inspiration to Press On!

• Are there times you "just don't feel like exercising"?
• Ever had a pity party that you turned xx age?
• Those aches and pains seem like a good excuse for not following through?
• Why bother, Life is not fair, it's too hard.

Here's an inspiring news note I just received:

Good luck to Jason Pipoly, who's going to attempt to swim an entire 40 miles
down the Hood Canal in Puget Sound this Saturday (August 30). That's
awesome in itself, but Jason is paralyzed from the chest down

Well, those excuses and poor self image comments just met their match in Jason Pipoly . This isn't the first time he's attempted the near impossible. At age 11 he attempted the English Channel and got within 4 miles of completing it, 16 years later, a car accident left him paralyzed. When most of us would shut down, he ramped up. Four years after his accident, he conquered the English channel, went on to swim 21 miles from Los Angeles Harbor to Catalina Island. Today he will attempt to be the first person to swim the Hood Canal, 40 miles and nearly twice the distance of Pipoly's Catalina crossing. Here is a youtube documentary by the film crew following him.

His goal: to encourage others who face similar challenges in life and show that they can move beyond whatever limitations they think may be in front of them to accomplish their dreams.
I'm inspired, and I don't have nearly the issues to work around.

Press on, Jason! And to everyone reading this- PRESS ON anyway!

follow his progress: twitter.com/jasonswims.

Fountain of Youth

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that 43% of the U.S. labor force will become eligible to retire between 2004 and 2012. Think of that. That's a lot of senior adults.

Retirement can be a hard transition. Some of the bigger challenges in retirement relate to health and well being. Just the time you have more time to do more fun things, you find that your body isn't up for those challenges. Boomers need to be ready for retirement from a health perspective. It has been said, growing old is not for sissies. So let's postpone growing old!- RIGHT! No, I'm serious.

There is a difference between your chronological age and your functional age.

One of my new favorite books is called Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge.
They show that if you give your body a reason to remain useful, it will stay vital, but if you don't, it will decay and grow old. You have only to look at the 41 year old olympic swimmer to see that age can be deferred.

Another resource: There is a wonderful site I discovered a number of years called www.realage.com. It has a quiz that you can take, and it helps you determine if you are younger or older than your chronological age, but more importantly it gives you some check list of what you can do to improve your score.

People who exercise regularly- whether vigerously or not, have stronger immune system, have stronger bone structure and more vital mental attitude. Exercise is the proverbial "Fountain of Youth"

Whether you retire shortly or you have a few years to work on it, you should make every effort to be at the best physical shape you can as you enter into your sixties.

Don't put off this incredibly important aspect. Begin TODAY eating healthier foods, and putting activity into your life. You will be shocked at the way your body responds- after all, you were made to move.

Empowering your Healthy Life

I want to live an empowered healthy Life! Who Doesn't?

Why is that so very hard? We do seem to be fighting against the norm to achieve it. Processed food and TV, computer jobs, overly busy with not so productive endeavors leave us tired and lethargic rather than empowered and alive!

It comes down to controlling a couple critical elements in your life: What you eat and how you move, the respect you show yourself and your body.

Easier said than done but here they are:

1. Eat a diet predominantly plant based. Plants have the phtyo-chemicals that give the body a fighting chance to heal itself and fend off free radical damage. American Institute for Cancer Research tell us that fruits and vegetables should be 50% of your meal. LEAN protein is one fourth and complex carbohydrates the other fourth.
2. Get Moving! Exercise is what keeps your body young! Chris Crowley in "Younger Next Year" says that your body does one of two things, it stays young and vital because it's needed or it decays and rots as you become more sedentary. I don't know about you but I'm growing old kicking and screaming.
3. Replenish your body with adequate sleep. Give your body a chance to recover from all that life and free radical damage.
4. Manage Stress - I know! Easier said than done perhaps but clearly stress will kill you. Your body determines it is in for a fight so it builds up fat stores, slows up, turns inward and turns the metabolic furnace to low in order to reserve all energy for the fight it is preparing for- a mild depression state has the same characteristics.
   

What's neat is that these four pillars feed and support each other:

Need ideas to manage stress? Sounds redundant but if you want to reduce your stress, reread the list above:

1. Eat food that is nutritious and empowering not sugary or fatty- both are sluggish.
2. Exercise or get moving some every day.
3. Get 6-8 hours of quality sleep.
4. Keeping your sight on your future goals and not your past.

Do you want to sleep more soundly? (does this list sound familiar?)

1. Eating sugary and fatty food will have you up and down all night
2. Exercising vigorously will aid your sleep
3. Stress will also ruin a good night's sleep- learn to manage it!

Want to get the most vigorous workout? (yes, I am repeating myself!)

1. Eat a clean, and lean meal plan- one that empowers and doesn't slow you down
2. Get a good night's rest
3. Leave your stress at the door when you exercise- I bet it won't be there when you leave!

Eating well tips? (you knew I was going to say this)

1. Stress makes us eat- managing stress will help you stay on a positive eating plan
2. Poor sleep patterns will also make your body compensate by eating more- go to bed on time.
3. Exercise will make your body crave what's good for it. If you want to be a "porche", plan ahead to have healthy complex carbs and lean protein after a workout. People who exercise are less likely to mess up thier hard work with junk food.

Have a healthy day!

Answers to Quiz 2 on Digestion

How Much Do you know about Digestion- Quiz 2 answers

1.) Your body is approximately 55%:
Water
2.) All people process food in the exact same manner and speed:
False
3.) Chewing, swallowing and the muscular activity of the walls of the digestive tract itself are part of the:
Mechanical Phase
4.) The final breakdown of food particles is part of the:
Chemical Phase
5.) The process of digestion actually begins when food enters
The Mouth
6.) Which leaves the stomach most rapidly?
Carbohydrates
7.) After leaving the stomach, the liquefied mass, called chime passes into the:
Small Intestine
8.) The finger-like projections called “villi” help to:
Increase the intestinal absorption area by about 600-fold
9.) The digestion sequence:
Small Intestine
Mouth
Large Intestine
Esophagus
Stomach
10.) The lymphatic vessels (tiny vessels in each villus) accept
Digested fat

80-20 Rule- It Rules!

In this weekly E-newsletter you'll find tip and clips, winks and links to keep you focused on your goals of fitness and weight management.

This is a reprint of my August 17, 2008 issue of my weekly e-Newsletter- Please find the sign up form on the front page of this blog if you are not already receiving this valuable resource.

You can find past issues http://community.icontact.com/search?q=palmettofitnessfocus&in=all&age=all

_________________________________________________

Pareto was 80-20% correct- of course

You may not have known it had an official name, but it's called
Pareto's Principle - The 80-20 Rule
Here’s the short version: 80% of output gets done by 20% of input.

There are lots of applications for this principle- and while unproven- they all seem pretty accurate- probably 80% of them are accurate at least.

• 80% of work gets done by 20% of the people
• 80% of the money is given by 20% of the people
• 80% of your income is as a result of 20% of your effort
• 80% of your emails come from 20% of the people
  

What would Pareto say about your health and fitness?

Could 80% of your success/ failure come from 20% of your effort?

If 80-20 is reality, it would seem important to identify what makes the critical difference and find a way to maximize your effort to maximize your success.

In my experience, 80% of the time I can-“be good", and only "lapse" 20 % of the time and sure enough, my success just tanked. For weight loss, your calorie deficit is critical. I bet you could isolate and correct ONE thing that is hindering your success.

• Skipping meals
• Sodas/ alcohol
• Late night eating
• Sweet snacking
• Fast food
• Mayonnaise
  

Then there is your exercise effort. For every hour, 20 percent means around 12 minutes is most critical to your success

• Are you coasting those last minutes of cardio?
• Are you going wimpy on your resistance training?
• Are you avoiding working up a sweat?
• Are you doing the same old routine vs. alternating programs to get new stimulus?
• Could you try interval training to ramp up the intensity?

How wonderful that you don’t need to change everything, but by tweaking only 20% of your effort you can improve your ultimate success.

Your assignment this week is to find out those critical-to-success areas. Once you’ve identified what is making the 80% impact, laser-focus your behavior and priorities to succeed!

Quiz 2 How Much Do You Know about Digestion

1.) Your body is approximately 55%:(check one):
Carbohydrate
Protein
Water

2.) All people process food in the exact same manner and speed:
True
False

3.) Chewing, swallowing and the muscular activity of the walls of the digestive tract itself are part of the:
Chemical Phase
Mechanical Phase
Lunar Phase

4.) The final breakdown of food particles is part of the:
Chemical Phase
Mechanical Phase
Lunar Phase

5.) The process of digestion actually begins when food enters:
The mouth
The large intestine
The duodenum

6.) Which leaves the stomach most rapidly?
Carbohydrates
Fat
Protein

7.) After leaving the stomach, the liquefied mass, called chime passes into the:
Large intestine
Small intestine
Pancreas

8.) The finger-like projections called “villi” help to:
Increase the intestinal absorption area by about 600-fold
Convert fat into protein
Increase red blood cells

9.) Nuber 1-5 the digestion sequence:
Small Intestine
Mouth
Large Intestine
Esophagus
Stomach

10.) The lymphatic vessels (tiny vessels in each villus) accept:
Digested protein
Digested carbohydrates
Digested fat

How Much Do You Know? Quiz 1 ANSWERS

Weight Management Quiz 1 Answers

1.) The most accurate form of measurement for long-term health and weight-management is
Body Composition (lean mass vs. body-fat)

2.) The word “calorie” relates to:
Combustion (to produce energy)

3.) Make the following conversions:
Food Grams Calories

• Fat 5 45
• Carbohydrate 10 40
• Protein 20 80

4.) Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the:
Minimum amount of calories required for vital bodily functions during a relaxed, reclined and waking state

5.) The most healthy way to decrease body-fat is:
Through a slight negative energy balance where the caloric expenditure slightly exceeds the caloric intake

How Much Do You Know? Quiz 1

Just for fun.....For 12 Sundays I will issue a little quiz, with answers posted on Tuesdays

Weight Management Basics

1. The most accurate form of measurement for health and weight management is:

• Pounds on the scale
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Body Composition (lean mass vs. body-fat)

2. The word “calorie” relates to:

• Combustion (to produce energy)
• Fat on your body
• Carbohydrate

3. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the:

• Minimum amount of calories required for vital bodily functions during a relaxed, reclined and waking state
• Amount of calories required to heat a one (1) cup of water one (1) degree Celsius in one (1) minute
• Amount of energy used during an intense workout

4. The most healthy way to decrease body-fat is:

• Drop your caloric intake below 800 calories per day
• Through a slight negative energy balance where the caloric expenditure slightly exceeds the caloric intake
• Liposuction

5. The body’s first choice for fuel is:

• Stored fat
• Stored glycogen
• Stored protein

Time for a New Routine- school starts!

Ah, yes! School Starts in three weeks! This is a perfect time to establish a new routine.

You will be establishing a new routine whether you like it or not- it might as well be a routine you intentionally create based on your foundational goal of fitness, health and/or weight management.

Grab a pad, and a Monday-Friday Daytimer-like calendar, or on a sheet of paper, make your own with 7 columns.

On your pad, list every single piddly or big task that must get done to get out the door to school and work: Wake up, exercise, shower, choose clothes, get dressed, make coffee, make breakfast, eat breakfast, make lunches, write checks for lunch money and field trips, sign teacher notes, load bookbag/ briefcase, take vitamins/ medicines, say kind encouraging words to family so we start off with a good attitude... etc.

How often does the "good attitude" doesn't get spoiled by "We're LATE!- HURRY UP"? Of the above list, what can be done the night before? Here are a few that are easy! If it helps, make a checklist and laminate and leave it on your bathroom sink so you don't get sidetracked.

1. Write checks/ put lunch money in envelopes.
2. Loading briefcases and bookbags- set them by the door or in the car before bed.
3. Make lunches is another big one. On Sunday make a family project of putting the entire week's worth of fruit, carrots, crackers, cookies, bread slices and meat portions etc in ziplocks, buy singles of juice and string cheese. The night before, load all in your bag or box and put in the refridgerator. Then in the morning it is "Grab and GO"
4. Either pack and put your exercise clothes in your bag and in the car, or wear your exercise clothes and pack your work clothes/shoes in the car
5. Breakfast! Set your table and lay out your food, medicines/vitamins. If breakfast in on the go, plan to spend one weekend day making bran muffins, so you can grab and go. I've even made a huge omelet on Sunday and cut it into 3 pieces so all I had to do was knock off the chill in the microwave and slap inside an english muffin or mini-wwheat bagel.

If kids have to be at school at 8, plan backwards. There is stress if you are pushing late every day so let's back that up to being on campus at 7:50. How much time needs to be set aside for travel? Let's say 15 minutes? So you have to be in the car by 7:35 ,Which means you have to be finished with breakfast and preparations by 7:30, you have to start breakfast by ____, you have to be dressed and cheerful by ____, you have to be in the shower by ___, you have to be finished exercising by ____, start exercising by _____, dressed/prepared to exercise by____ Awaken at ____.

My wise-council to you is to begin this week, getting up at that time, get your exercise in, etc. Also begin this week loading your personal effects the night before, etc. I

If you have 3 weeks of routine established before school starts, there will be no stress, and very little disruption to the progress for your goal.

My next post will take success planning to a longer time frame

Losing Weight or Body Fat-isn't it the same thing?

Isn't losing weight and losing fat the same thing?
Actually no. Your total WEIGHT is composed of the weight of your bones and muscles (which vary only slightly) but also your water, food, intestinal cargo (each varies drastically throughout the day) As you cut calories and "diet", you will lose water and disposables first. If you are only doing aerobic exercise you will lose fat but you are also losing muscle. Make your goal losing body fat rather than losing weight. Here's your assignment-step on the scale first thing in the morning, a couple times during the day and right before you go to bed. Your weight will vary up to 2 pounds during the course of any day.

How do I lose body fat and not muscle?
This is important because muscle is the engine of your metabolism. Every year over the age of 30 we lose 1/2 pound of muscle, which is a large part of the weight creep that happens as we age. Both men and women will preserve muscle by being sure that weight training is a part of your weight management system. This doesn't mean lifting super heavy, and no- women will not get bulky by using moderate resistance. You do need to work the muscle so it will remain strong. If you increase the amount of muscle even slightly, you will burn more calories even when you are sleeping.

Should I be watching the scale or the caliper?
Neither! The best gauge to watch is actually your clothes! The scale will lie to you, your clothes will not! If you are putting on muscle (heavier and denser but more compact) at the same time you are burning off fat, your scale may say you are not making progress, while your clothes are looser- (isn't that the actual goal anyway). I have personally dropped 3 clothing sizes while losing less than 10 pounds by the scale. You should see the scales go down as well, but the caliper will tell you if your body fat % is reducing.

But I don't want to look bulky!
Ladies, very few women have enough testosterone to get bulky. The few hard-body women you see on tv or in magazines work extraordiarily hard to build that degree of muscle, and you see it only because their body fat percentage is extremely low. Go ahead and challenge yourself- when you see the amount of muscle you want, lighten up.

So what is realistic?
On the 6-week strictly maintained plan of aerobic exercise,weight training and moderate calorie reduction, Women should expect to lose 10-12 pounds, and could put on 2-3 pounds of muscle, Men might expect to lose up to 20 pounds of body fat and gain 4 to 6 pounds of muscle. Sorry ladies! Seems unfair to us women, but that is the testosterone helping out men's muscle development which revs up the metabolism and burns fat more effectively.

Where can I find the perfect 6 week plan?
The specifics of your life and health will have to be considered in developing a plan that is right for you. Email me if you would like a plan developed for home or gym.
Kathleen.

Exercise Pill?

Check out the News story yesterday about What they described as exercise in pill form.

Their research with mice found that a substance made "sedentary mice" more active and derive benefit above their exertion by faking out the muscle into believing it had done more.
Hailed as a breakthrough for couch potatos everywhere- Who are they kidding? Replacing exercise with a pill?

Exercise has far more benefits than just weight management!
Exercise is the literal fountain of youth!

Among it's many benefits, exercise is proven to:

• Reduce body fat.
• Relieve tension
• Reduce depression by increasing endorphines
• Maintain/ build muscle strength
• Reduces blood pressure
• Reduces cholesterol
• Improve pulmonary function (breathing)
• Keep joints limber
• Improves coordination and balance
• Increase testosterone (yes, it does increases male and female sex drive)
• The thrill of victory (ok...say it with me...and the agony of defeat)

So go work up a sweat! Take a dip in that fountain of youth.
If you give your body a reason to be vital and alive, it will keep you young and strong.

I commend you to one of my favorite books- Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge

P.P.P.P.P, Seriously!

Proper Planning Prevents Poor
Performance

Seems simple enough
Do you believe it?
Planning is the single most effective technique to reach any goal but especially weight management.

1. Plan a perfect day, what would you eat, when would you eat it, what would you do for exercise,when would you do it.
2. Plan 3 versions of breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Rotate so you don't get bored but having a limited menu takes the stress out of decision making, and groceries needed.
3. Each week, look at your week coming up- what would happen to keep it from being the perfect day that you planned: a trip, a party, eating out, lunch meeting, company?
4. Plan specifically how you plan to be successful in light of that activity-

• Will you eat before you go?
• Will you plan what to order?
• Will you bring your own food?
• Will you get up early and walk before others are up?
• Does the hotel have a workout facilty or will your trip include activities that are exercise-able?
• What groceries do you need to stock in the refridgerator?
• What do you need to pack in your lunch/snack pack?

You can be successful.

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

Proper Planning & Persistence Provides Pleasure!

3 Everyday Things That Accelerate Weight Loss

Seems like everytime I turn on TV and there are advertisements for all kind of aides for weight loss. Like magic, they promise to melt fat with little to no effort. Even though we know better, we are somehow sucked in to hoping there is some quick fix to a long term problem. We could spend a fortune on gadgets and books etc to lose weight. You do need to spend calories in excess of what your eat

Did you know that you you have these three surprising weight loss aids right in your house?

1. Disposable Zipper Bags: This is one of my favorite tricks. It is an amazingly simple tool that makes your life easier, your planning more effective and maintains portion control. Let's say you buy a box of, triscuits, for example. Immediately empty the box into portions of 7 into snack sized bags and put the baggies back in the box. When you reach for the box, you won't be tempted to over eat because the portion has already been determined. This works for your mid meal "snacks", like almonds, I even divide and bag my lunch supplies like deli-sliced turkey and bread. Save time loading your lunch and snacks in the morning by already having everything in bags- it is just grab and go!
2. An Oven Timer: One of the hinderences people give about exercising is the impression that you must put in an hour or more or just skip it. Well 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there, a brisk walk, or walking up and down your staircase will all pay dividends. Setting a timer will relieve you of the inclination to skip it completely if you only have 10-15 minutes. Remember: Life by the inch- is a cinch!
3. Your Kitchen Counter: Doing multi-joint exercises are the fastest way to burn calories and two of my favorite utilize a sturdy surface like a kitchen counter. Push-ups are a fabulous exercise utilizing most of your upper body muscles simultaneously. When you begin, it may be a while before you are able to do floor push-ups. No problem! Do them against a counter, or your stairs. As you get stronger, look for lower surfaces that are sturdy. For lower body, do backward lunges. Use your finger tips on the counter for balance, put a kitchen towel under one toe and slide that leg behind you (10 per leg).

My advise: If you want to get the most out of your efforts, use multi-joint exercises and use portion control.
I am available for E-coaching if you want fitness program or nutrition assistance specific to your situation.
Kathleen

Tomorrow Not Promised

I went to a funeral today.
I haven't been to very many.
Her death was quick in coming once her illness set in.
She lived long enough for all the right words to transpire, but not long enough to see the third grandchild born, and she knew, and served God.

The thing about funerals is that you can't escape seeing yourself in the scenerio.
What would be said about my life? Would so many come to "pay respects" and support my loved ones. Will I have the luxury of time to say "I love you" to my beloved?

It isn't like any of us are getting around the fact that we WILL die.
It is just when, and how.

More importantly, are we LIVING well, the time we have on this earth, and do we know for a fact what happens when we leave this world?
She did.
I do.
Do you?

National Epidemic- Obesity

Top story on Fox news website this morning was the CDC rankings on obesity by state
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,385549,00.html

I was surprised that there were 10 states that ranked better than California,
I was looking with one eye closed to find where my beloved South Carolina ranked. I was actually pleased and yet chagrinned to find it #7. I anticipated it's statistics would have been worse, so actually seven was good. Then I had the reality check, that 28.4- almost 3/10 people are considered obese- having a body mass index of above 30. Body Mass index is your weight divided by your height. While not a perfect measurement, it helps put handles on whether a person is edging toward a plethora of lifestyle diseases that are correlated to carrying excessive fat, especially around the midline.

There is work to do!
If you are looking heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, oasteoarthritis in the mirror every day, let's talk.
There are a million "diets" on the market- most don't work because they are quick fixes to a life long issues- and they only work.....if you do! Palmettofitnessfocus blog, newsletter and e-coaching are about DAILY weight loss motivation. post a comment on this post or email me at palmettofitness at Yahoo for details on a program of daily emails, weekly check-ins and monthly teleconferences designed to keep you managing your weight.

Golf lessons on life

One of the big goals in life for more than a few years ahas been to learn to play the game of golf.

I have always marvelled at how consuming it can be for some people and others yawn at the very thought of it. I could easily become one of the obsessive compulsives as relates to this game. I've had a dozen lessons, and played only a couple times, but it is just, well, neat.

This women's golf league encourages the use of carts to facilitate the speed of play. When I had the privilege of playing with my father, we walked. I liked walking the course. We got a lot of good talking done in the slightly extended time it took to play nine holes. Secondly, golf courses are beautifully groomed as a rule and aside from frying in the sun, exercise is a good thing any way you can make an excuse for it.

Whether or not you like golf, find an excuse to enjoy a beautiful walk this week. Even better if you can walk with someone you care about.

Selecting the Right Weight Loss Plan

Selecting a Weight Loss Program

If your health care provider tells you that you should lose weight and you want to find a weight-loss program to help you, look for one that is based on regular physical activity and an eating plan that is balanced, healthy, and easy to follow.

Before You Sign Up For Any Weight Loss Program

Some people lose weight on their own; others like the support of a structured program. Overweight people who are successful at losing weight, and keeping it off, can reduce their risk factors for heart disease. If you decide to join any kind of weight control program, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health has provided some questions to ask before you join.- I've added Why Health Coach + for each point NIH addresses:

Q Does the program provide counseling to help you change your eating activity, and personal habits?The program should teach you how to change permanently those eating habits and lifestyle factors, such as lack of physical activity that have
contributed to weight gain.

A Health Coach Method is a comprehensive behavior modification program that is individually paced, yet progressively addresses how you eat and how you move.

Q Is the staff made up of a variety of qualified counselors and health professionals such as nutritionists, registered dietitians, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and exercise physiologists?You need to be evaluated by a physician if you have any health problems, are currently taking any
medicine, or plan on taking any medicine, or plan to lose more than 15 to 20 pounds. If your weight control plan uses a very low-calorie diet (a special liquid formula that replaces all food for 1 to 4 months), an exam and follow up visits by a doctor are also needed.

A Health Coach+ staff includes a physician, registered dietician, medical exercise specialists and nutrition coaches. Health Coach Method was reviewed and approved by registered dieticians and do not include low-calorie diets. We do encourage clients to begin with a physician exam and doctor approval for at-risk clients

Q Is training available on how to deal with times when you may feel stressed and slip back to old habits?The program should provide long-term strategies to deal with weight problems you may have in the future. These strategies might include things like setting up a support system and establishing a physical activity routine.

A During your weekly Health Coach Method coaching session, one essential component we emphasize is planning a success strategy for intended and unintended interruptions to your designed plan.

Q Is attention paid to keeping the weight off? How long is this phase?Choose a program that teaches skills and techniques to make permanent changes in eating habits and levels of physical activity to prevent weight gain.

A Health Coach Method develops life long healthy living and nutrition behaviors.

Q Are food choices flexible and suitable? Are weight goals set by the client and the health professional?The program should consider your food likes and dislikes and your lifestyle when your weight loss goals are planned.

A Health Coach Method has suggested menus based on three lifestyles but each person creates their own daily menus according to the principles of Health Coach Method, American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Heart Institute’s Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH)

Remember, quick weight loss methods don't provide lasting results. Weight loss methods that rely on diet aids like drinks, prepackaged foods, or diet pills don't work in the long run. Whether you lose weight on your own or with a group, remember that the most important changes are long term. No matter how much weight you have to lose, modest goals and a slow course will increase your chances of both losing the weight and keeping it off

A Health Coach+ does not require that you buy food or diet supplements. We do offer some foods as a courtesy for busy people, but clients always have these recipes as well. Our goal is to teach you how to live independent healthy lives. Slow and steady, consistently quality decisions on food and exercise, made over time is the formula for lasting weight management.

As a note: Health Coach Method can be done in three ways:

1. One-on-One or small groups at our studio at 10 Calendar Court, Columbia, SC, (in Forest Acres)
2. On-site of your workplace in groups of 15-25 people
3. We are developing the Webinar delivery to groups outside the midlands of SC. Call us if you are interested in this option.

Kathleen Wood,

Medical Exercise Specialist and Health Coach Method Facilitator

Fired for being Fat?

Saturday, I ran across an interesting debate on a morning news show.

Can Employers require you to lose weight as a condition of employment or health insurance benefits?

Whew! It got furocious!


One side actually invoking the bill of rights and the pursuit of happiness! Not sure a double whopper was what our founding fathers had in mind, but...


The other side making the case for employers shouldering the high cost of health care for employees with lifestyle related disease/illnesses that are preventable with exercise and appropriate diet.


Point well taken. We must be responsible for our personal health. Nobody is debating that healthy living is a good thing. The issue is whether exercise and weight management is enforcable as a condition of employment.

For 90% of people with coronary heart disease, their disease was caused by factors within their control:

• how you eat,


• how you move,


• how you manage stress,


• how much sleep

Is it an invasion in your personal rights to ask you to be responsible for the cost of health care premiums if you chose not to control the areas that you have the ability to control? Do you have the right to kill yourself on the installment plan at company expense?

Regardless of whether companies have the right, it is impractical to think lifestyle could be regulated effectively. Most people work better by putting a benefit in front of them rather than a fine if they do not.

Increasingly companies are realizing the value of incentivising exercise and weight loss, smoking cessation, etc. Rather than a cost, employers consider it a real investment in their employees and future cost containment.

I work with a company called Health Coach . As we have taken our weight management program into businesses to provides group weight loss coaching we've seen several neat asides. Yes, participants lost weight, but more importantly, they lowered their cholesterol, lowered their blood pressure, bonded as team members, and built positive self esteem.

How is your personal responsibility factor?

Tim Russert's heart attack was tragic and cut short a valued, and loved life. Make sure you are not on a similar surprise track. For the sake of people you care about and care for, Please, look at your lifestyle.

Mortality Check

For the second time in a few weeks we've learned about the death of someone whose face and presence we've come to appreciate. Tony Snow died of colon cancer.

Cancer is considered a lifestyle disease, meaning how we live, eat and move has a substantial impact on our predisposition toward the disease. That means that 66% of time cancer is correlated to our lifestyle, more than our genetics. Tony Snow was in the 33% of the population who have a genetic predisposition to cancer. He got screenings, he was active, he still got cancer.

There are no guarentees to eating healthy and exercising, but If it's proven that you hold the power to reduce it from probability to be meerly possibility of cancer, wouldn't you do it?

Then...
Eat Vegetables and fruits more.
Exercise at least a little most every day.
Know your risk factors and screen for everything you can.

Thanks for keeping us on-task Tony

Renovations Are Hard Work

We started some renovations in our home this week.
Sounds crazy but I'm thrilled to see the bathroom in total destruction mode! The more I scrapped off the wallpaper the more energized I got. I even got a thrill from scraping the popcorn off the ceiling and getting those crumbles from head to toe. I stood looking at my naked room, no tile, no wallpaper, no ceramics and I LOVED it- temporarily.

You see, once we started tearing out the old it was clear, there was no turning back. We were on a clear path to a new reality, one I've desired for a long.

It's not much different when you talk about losing weight.
It's amazing how long you can put up with something you've wanted to change for so long.
And then...one day... you start the demolition.

You peel away the ragtag, dated, stained excuses and habits. Every layer that comes off becomes more energizing than the last. Every step moves you closer to the new reality of a healthier, happier brand new- YOU!

• You set the alarm 15 minutes early and start to walk. Ahh. Man, the air feels refreshing!
• You pack an extra bottle of water. Amazing how good water tastes, you know?
• At the last minute, you change that order to grilled chicken. Umm. tastes great!
• I even savor the way my muscles feel when they talk back to me after a strong workout.

You and I are on a grand adventure, one of becoming who we have longed to be. Every decision is either removing the old or building the new.

Make every decision count this week!

Staying on Track: Good, Better, Best!

• Fitness is not perfection, it's PROGRESSION!
  

Everyone begins the journey to healthy living from different beginning points. What is hard for me may be easy for you, and what's no-sweat for me may be a mountain for you.

Trying to move too quickly is a recipe for failure and frustration. It's not uncommon to circle the same loop a few times as we figure out a thing or two. The important thing is to keep progressing. If you are doing better today than you did yesterday or last week, don't sweat the small fluctuations in motivation.

You want to take what is good and make it better, and when you are ready, make better into best. What does that look like?

1. Changing choices,
2. Changing frequency
3. Planning for success.
   

For Nutrition: You're used to eating burgers and fries at fast food 3-5 days a week

Good: Choose one

• Eating out only 2 days
• Changing burger to grilled chicken first once a week, then twice, etc.
• Dropping the fries
  

Better: Choose 2 or more

Best: A salad with lite dressing

For exercise: Watching sports on tv is a close to exercise as you've been lately:

Good:

• Strolling 10 minutes at lunch
• Parking further out in the parking lot
  

Better:

• taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator
• walking briskly to where your are breathing deeply, multiple times a week
• Weight training a couple days a week
  

Best:

• 30-40 minutes of challenging cardio, 5 days a week
• Weight training intensely 3-5 times a week.
  

Palmetto Fitness Focus is here to help you determine where your beginning point is, and how to find good to better, and better to best choices in your life.

Kathleen Wood

This is part 6 of a 10 part series on Staying on Track- Weight Management Series

Freedom to Eat Anything You Want!

It's July fourth.
I can almost smell the aroma of the grills.
There will be hamburgers, brats and hotdogs at cookouts, fried chicken at picnics and ice cream churned, watermelons cut across our great land. All enjoyed in the celebration of Freedom. Great cause. Good intention. But I wonder-

Is the freedom that we celebrate a freedom to do anything that we want- even to our detriment?
Our fore fathers fought and died for us to have a better life, to live unencumbered by tyranny imposed by British tyrants who subjugated us because it prospered them financially. It made them powerful while making us powerless.
Fast forward 232 years, to 2008. It’s “Independence Day”. Yet, as Americans we are subjugated again, not by a foreign tyrant, but by our own self centeredness. You can see it in any number of crises but none more critical and personal that our national health care and obesity crisis.

Is anyone unaware of the high cost of health care? That premium on our paycheck spits in our eye every month. We are waking up to the reality that there is a very high cost to being unhealthy. Politicians seize the platform to cry out that health care costs are somehow the fault of the government or the insurance company. It is neither.

“There are no victims, only volunteers”

Obesity in America is the fault of everyone of us who volunteers to make bad choices because we have the “freedom” to do so.

It’s not the one brat at the July 4th family picnic, it’s that you have a hamburger with mayo and cheese AND a brat AND potato salad AND Potato Chips with dip washed downed with a six pack of beer or soda AND topped of with a bowl of full cream-homemade ice cream with carmel topping and whipped cream.
It’s that hamburger with fries (biggie-sized) on your lunch hour 4 days this week. It’s that Double cheese, pepperoni and sausage pizza.
It’s the fact that walking enough to sweat is considered “uncomfortable” until it is compared to the level of discomfort of your heart attack and prescribed as cardiac rehabilitation.

So am I advocating that you cancel the family picnic? Hardly.
It will be afun time simply being with your loved ones, so could you alter the menu to include SOME healthy alternatives for that picnic?

• Fruit salad
• Vegetable tray
• Potato salad made with non-fat mayo.
• Salsa instead of ranch dip (which is simply mayo with spices)
• Angel food with strawberries and blueberries instead of ice cream
• Grill chicken instead of frying it or grilling hamburgers?
• Could you modify what you eat the week before and after in anticipation of the impact of this one celebration meal?

Don’t volunteer for an early death or a life constantly fighting preventable disease.
Instead of being captive to our freedom to self indulge, celebrate your freedom to LIVE, live longer and live more active healthy lives.
Make this your “Independence Day”

Compound Interest on Actions

I listen to professional development CD's all the time. I admit it I'm addicted.
I have a Life Coach (Some time I will write about this wonderful person and fabulous concept) This week she gave me a book on CD by Jeff Olson called "Slight Edge"

The preface alone was a WHOA experience. Stopped me dead in my tracks and I rewound it a couple times to take it all in.

Short version of first AHA moment:

Every action we take, good or bad doesn't change our life immediately but it is like compound interest, over time it's effect snowballs into life-altering concequences.
I thought about how we saved pitifully little in our IRAs when we were just out of college but over (and I'm not saying how many) years it has compounded and I'm amazed at where that little bit is today.

Jeff Olson says (loosely quoted) "Its easy to exercise 30 minutes a day. It's easy not to as well. But the NOT exercising decision compounded over 1 year, five years, thirty years and you have a really bad health outcome. Making the choice TO take a few minutes a day to exercise is not hard, but compounded over time produces a healthy body and life"

Think about that. You don't get unhealthy with the one cheeseburger, but that same poor food choice made repetitively over years is why we have an obese population in America. It isn't that we don't know that we should eat more healthy food, or that it is harder to make better choices. Just think what would happen if we compounded the positive effect of exercise and correct food choices!
I recommend this book "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson.

I'll post some other profound stuff he shares later.
When I do my motivation teleseminar series, I want to interview THIS guy.