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The
Girl and the Baton
by Bonnie Murphy
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Even
today, my attitude is that no one is irreparable. |
When my sister was 6 years old, she became interested in twirling a
baton. That is when I became fascinated as well—at the tender age of
2. I imitated my sister’s twirling with my own makeshift baton: a
broom. By the time I was
4, however, I had a real baton and marched in my very first parade.
I was mesmerized by the whole twirling scene.
When I was 6,
I marched in the Portland Rose Festival Parade.
I remember the outfit well: a short-skirted, puffy sleeved,
peppermint-striped, red and white affair with ruffles added around the
bottom. To top off this ensemble, I wore a red and white striped
pillbox hat with an elastic chin strap.
My curly hair stuck out all around. Picture
a great gathering of similarly clad girls, all twirling ourselves
through downtown Portland!
I took baton
lessons from two different instructors, one being an old man with the
unlikely name of Bliss Hiney. I
also got to go to a Baton Camp one summer. While there, well-meaning
counselors tried to get me to do the splits. I could get myself into a
semi-split and then they’d push on my shoulders, trying to make me
“rip” in half. Although
I never did master the splits, it’s funny that it’s the only thing
I remember about that camp. Perhaps being stretched like a wishbone is
something you don’t easily forget!
Over the
years, I marched in many parades.
Can you imagine marching on concrete or asphalt for miles in
Majorette Boots? Those boots were made of strictly stiff, leather soles.
There were no Reebok’s or Nike’s back in those days, and no
one knew that we weren’t supposed to torture our feet like that.
Of course, being young and tough, I was having a ball and never
once thought about my feet or knees!
During my
sophomore year in high school, I became a majorette at Medford Senior
High School. This was quite an honor, for I was the only sophomore on
the squad. Man, was that intimidating!
We practiced
hard for hours, going over routine after routine. I can still hear the
songs “Calendar Girl” and “Me
and My Shadow” as plain today as I heard them back then. In
fact, when I pick up my baton these days, I can still go right into
some of the routines that went to each song as I hear it play on the
radio.
I was
intrigued watching experienced twirlers work with fire and lighted
batons. I soon got a fire
baton and proceeded to practice on a nightly basis.
I can still smell the odor of the lighter fluid that was used
to soak the wicks. The
sound and beauty of fire twirling on the edges of my baton flying
through the night air was awesome.
I enjoyed experimenting with new moves until I accidentally
burned a spot on the inside of my thigh. When
my mother found out about my injury, she made me hang up my fire baton
for good. Although I was
not happy to relinquish my fun, I was an obedient child. From that day
forward, I was delegated to using a much safer version called a
lighted baton—no heat or fire involved—just batteries and light
bulbs!
I was elected
Head Majorette for my senior year. This meant teaching baton lessons
to kids during the summer between my junior and senior years. I loved
twirling, so it was natural for me to teach others.
My most
memorable student was a 7-year-old girl who had been kicked in the
head by a horse and had subsequent problems with the left side of her
body. Her momma came to
me and asked me if I’d be willing to work with her, to see if I
could get her left side to move anything like her right side.
Being young and naive, I said sure!
At first, it
was a big struggle. The girl couldn’t even grasp the baton.
I had to fold her fingers around it, and then put my hand on
top of hers and guide her through “Figure 8’s” and other moves. I don’t remember ever getting frustrated, though, because I
was so very happy when I’d see any kind of progress.
By the end of
the summer, my little friend was doing one thousand times better than
when she first came to me. Her
mother was ecstatic. I
didn’t see the big deal: I never had a doubt that she couldn’t be
fixed! Even today, my attitude is that no one is irreparable.
And I think my ability to work with older adults came from this
very rewarding experience that I first had in High School.
For
many years, I’ve been working with seniors. In all this time, I have
always found that there is really nothing that can’t be helped
through exercise and a positive attitude. Sometimes I think my whole fitness career has been like that
one summer in High School: full of people that I’ve been able to
help. Some of these folks
are seen by society (or themselves) as lost causes, incapable of
flexibility, movement, health or happiness. But all of these folks are
capable of much, much more. And sometimes all it takes is a little
encouragement—like a story about a girl and a baton.
Bonnie
Murphy, a certified fitness coach, has been in the fitness
business 27 years. She was chosen Fitness Ambassador to Alaska by the
50-Plus Lifelong Fitness organization. Contact: bonnie@bfitandwell.com;
907.229.7652; or visit
www.bfitandwell.com
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You
Are What You Drink
by Bonnie Murphy
“Water
is not only a mirror reflecting our mind—water is the
source
of life.”
|
If you don’t
drink enough water—and most Americans don’t—you can and will
compromise your health and body. How
long can a person stay alive without water? It’s fascinating that you
can live 30 days without food, but you can’t exist for over 72 hours
without water.
Our bodies are
made up of 70% water. Each day we lose up to 2% of that in our everyday
activities. If we do an hour of exercise, we lose even more.
It’s a proven fact that if you lose 2% or more of your body
water, you are de-hydrated. The
average adult loses
2½ to 3
liters of fluid a day through sweating, breathing, urinating, moving,
even sleeping. Thus, the body becomes dehydrated.
A survey done
for the
Nutrition
Information
Center
at
Cornell
Medical
Center
revealed that 10% of those polled admitted to drinking no water at all!
The average person gets only about 1 liter (approximately 35 ounces) of
liquid a day. Much of that liquid comes from acidic coffee, tea, and
soft drinks—many of which actually rob your body of water.
When we
exercise, especially outdoors in the winter, we need to really hydrate
your body. When I speak about hydration, I am talking about drinking
good water. Some of the
water that we drink is not good and I’ll cover that later.
However, if we don’t get enough water, our bodies will actually
retain water and then we’ll feel bloated and uncomfortable and will
appear fatter than we already are.
I’ve advised
many clients to drink water in order to help with leg cramps.
The reason this works is because water works to wash the acids
out of our bodies. When we
exercise, we stir up all kinds of toxins and acids. If they aren’t
washed out of the body, they will lodge in the muscles or joints and
cause cramping and aching. In
this sense, it’s obvious that water is a cell cleanser—and it is
clear that we already need to drink more!
Good
water and pH factors
Good water is
defined as water having a pH of greater than 7.365 (the natural pH of
the human body). Tests have been done on several popular brands of
bottled water and it’s shameful to see how we are wasting our money.
Most bottled water is nothing more than municipal water that has
been run through a filter. Take
the Coke product, Dasani, or the Pepsi product, Aquafina—both are
bottled from municipal water supplies; nothing else has been done!
Buying bottled water is no assurance that it is any safer or healthier
than tap water.
Not many bottled
water companies list their pH factor, but Evian has a pH of 7.53 and
Dannon Spring Water of 7.84—thus, both are “good” water. If in
doubt about the pH of your tap water, take it in for testing. To get
your water (whether bottled or tap) to an alkaline state of 7.365 or
higher, just add a teaspoon or two of baking soda to each 32 ounces of
water that you drink. Baking soda added to water not only increases the
pH, but also releases oxygen in the water, increasing its energy
potential. Dr. Robert O.
Young, in his book The
pH Miracle for Weight Loss, recommends that you drink water that
has a pH of 9.5 to 11.5. (There
are some machines available for purchase that will alkalize your water
right at your kitchen sink.)
It takes about
20 parts alkaline to cancel out 1 part acid. So, if you want to drink a
cup of acidic coffee and are concerned about your body’s pH balance,
you would have to drink 20 cups of “good” water to cancel out the
acid that is created in your body from drinking the one cup of coffee.
(It doesn’t matter if it’s caffeinated or decaf—it’s all
acid causing.)
Get
thin: drink water!
If you are one
of the 75% of Americans that don’t drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of
water daily, then I would suggest you work up to your recommended amount
of water. A good rule of
thumb would be to add 8 ounces of water a day for as many days as is
needed to get to your required amount.
If you weigh 210 lbs you’ll need at least 5 ½ liters; if you
exercise, the number goes up to 7 liters daily.
When you give
your body more water, you’ll crave more, and you’ll drink more.
The more you get the more you want.
It’s so good for you because the job of good water is to
neutralize acids, dilute excess acid, and literally wash them (and all
the toxins) out of your body via urine, sweat and through the bowels.
Without enough water your body becomes too acidic and goes into a
preservation and fat-storing mode.
This is partly
why the answer to weight loss is to drink more water. Think about it. If
not drinking enough water causes bloating, and your body goes into
preservation mode, doesn’t it make sense that if you drank one liter
of good water for every 30 to 40 lbs of body weight, you could lose some
pounds?
Hydrate!
In
Alaska
(and especially in the dry winter time) we really need to think about
hydration. The definition of hydration is to supply water in order to
restore or maintain fluid balance.
A mere 2% drop
in body water has been shown to cause muddled thinking, short-term
memory problems, trouble with basic math, difficulty expressing oneself
verbally, and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or the printed
page. Light-headiness and
cold hands and feet can also result. The list goes on:
anxiety, irritability, depression, sugar cravings, and cramps.
If you are out
cross country skiing and become dehydrated, you could get so confused
that you won’t know how to get back to your car or house.
Always carry good
drinking water with you! Try
to drink one liter (approximately 35 ounces) for every 40 pounds of body
weight each day. If
you exercise, then you should be drinking one liter per every 30 pounds
of body weight daily.
When you are
participating in winter sports, use the formula of one liter to each 30
pounds of body weight and you will keep your body’s fluid balance in
check. (For example, if you
weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 5 liters of good water daily.)
Have a great winter: drink water!
For questions about hydration and other
health and wellness issues, call Bonnie
Murphy, fitness coach for mature women, 907.646.4076.
Website: www.bfitandwell.com;
e-mail: bonnie@bfitandwell.com
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Pro-Active
at Every Age
by Bonnie Murphy
Being
pro-active is taking responsibility for your own health and
fitness no matter what stage in life you happen to be in.
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Pro-active
is doing everything possible to establish and maintain good health.
Re-active is waiting until the body falls apart, then taking massive
desperate action through toxic drugs or other measures in an attempt to
reverse or cover up the problem. Which
way makes more sense to you?
The
answer, of course, is obvious. Most
people I work with are pro-active and want to work on preventive
maintenance. I have been
talking this talk and walking this walk for several years, and am
convinced that being pro-active is the way to go.
If
you are in good health now and want to stay that way for years to come,
you already know that exercise helps you maintain your fitness level. In
addition, exercise helps us feel great. Exercise is truly one of the
closest things to the “fountain of youth” we have.
When
you exercise you can expect lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood
sugar; increased bone density, muscle mass, energy and stamina;
elevation of mood; loss of inches and fat; a rise in basal metabolism
and a decrease in arthritic pain.
If
you are taking prescription drugs for any of the above ailments,
exercise can require your health care provider to reduce or even
eliminate some or all of those medications. Wow! Aren’t these benefits
enough to motivate you to start an exercise program?
The
human body was made to be active. If
you think you are too busy to exercise because of your kids, home and
spouse/partner, you’re wrong! We
all need to find a way to get at least 30 minutes of dedicated exercise
into our day, most days of the week. Additionally, you will find that
when you take time for yourself, you will be better for all those who
rely upon you.
No
one is ever too young to start an exercise program.
Don’t think that just because you are in your 20s you are safe
and protected. The obesity
rate is climbing and the 20 to 30 year age group is seeing the most
increase. In fact,
it’s currently reported that obesity is the number one killer of young
and old alike.
Obesity
brings on high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, joint
problems, and many more ailments.
Because of all the modern-day conveniences, it’s easy to get in
a rut of not moving. This is why we all need to set a plan, start a
program and remember that healthy exercise is something we can adopt for
life.
Now,
if looking at a lifetime is too much, then just take it one day at a
time. Get up and get moving
today! You’ll feel so much
better. Take a walk.
Walk the dog. Walk to
a friend’s house. Walk the
malls. Do something
intentional that will elevate your heart rate. Get in the habit of
getting out of your chair and moving.
Put on some music and start dancing.
Even
if it’s been years since you did anything physical, you can actually
regain your strength and stamina. It
is important, of course, to start out slowly and progress at a steady
rate. As you do this, you
will become addicted to exercise and it will become a part of your
lifestyle! So, enjoy your life. Remain independent.
Invite friends to exercise with you.
If you are really determined and want to join a club or group,
don’t hesitate. You’ll
be surprised how many other people at the club or gathering are just
starting out and how it’s so much fun to work out with your peers!
I
am completely blown away when I watch three 90+ year old women complete
a 45-minute, non-stop Chair Aerobics class.
Now, perhaps you are laughing when you hear “Chair Aerobics,”
or thinking to yourself that sitting in a chair and moving is not much
of a challenge. Think again!
I invite anyone of any fitness level to attend a “Sittin’ and
Sweatin’” Chair Aerobics class and not feel challenged.
One
more thing: let’s remember that sweating is a very important part of
exercise. Our skin can actually be categorized as our third kidney, for
it is used to eliminate toxins out of your body.
If you don’t sweat, you are really stressing your kidneys by
making them do all the toxin elimination. Think of sweating as a way to
make your “inner terrain” healthy by getting rid of all the toxic
wastes that have accumulated over the years!
Being
pro-active is taking responsibility for your own health and fitness no
matter what stage in life you happen to be in.
It’s really quite basic: the simple task of incorporating more
movement and exercise into your life will put you on the road to a
healthy lifestyle and a feeling of happiness. Do it now!
For more information please
contact: Bonnie Murphy at
BFIT and Well. Fitness/Wellness Coaching for the “mature” woman.
Phone: 907.646.4076
Email bonnie@bfitandwell.com;
Website: www.bfitandwell.com
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Demise
of the Weekend Warrior
by Bonnie Murphy
Without
proper conditioning, an athlete is setting him or herself up
for injury!
|
Here’s
the scenario: All week long,
you work at your job. You’re so busy with family obligations and
wind-down time that there seems to be no time at all for fitness
activities. Then, one Monday morning at work, you see an announcement on
the bulletin board. A new softball team is being formed and everyone is
encouraged to sign up! You think of how you played competitive ball in
high-school. It shouldn’t be a problem, now, should it?
Of course, it’s been 16 years since graduation...
Still,
you sign up with all the enthusiasm of a child opening her Christmas
presents. You are so excited
when you get home that you immediately announce to the family your plans
to practice softball on Tuesday evenings and participate in games on
Saturday mornings. Everybody
is excited because they want to watch you play in the games each week.
You
go to bed that night and dream of the way you threw that last ‘out’
in the final game of your final season some 16 years ago.
The next morning you get up early and look for your old ball and glove
in the storage locker. Surprise—it still fits!!
You make enthusiastic plans to buy new shoes, for the team will
be provided with shirts and hats. You
imagine yourself in your new duds and envision your first time at bat.
H-e-l-l-o!
Aren’t you forgetting something?
Shouldn’t you get into some kind of physical conditioning
course? Why is it that that is
the last thing that you think of? After
all, just because you were a great or even fairly good softball player
16 years ago doesn’t mean that you can just pick up where you left
off!
In
my entire career, I’ve never heard of anyone having the ability to
store fitness. Without
proper conditioning, an athlete is setting him or herself up for injury!
But
I digress... On Tuesday, you
get your new shoes, your old glove, a well-worn hat and sunglasses and
you head down to the field. When
you get there, you see all your teammates are just as excited as you!
You talk about strategies for this practice and then you all take the
field.
You
are all going to have a chance to bat, pitch and field some balls.
You can’t wait until it’s your turn to bat.
Finally,
it’s time. As you step up to bat, your heart is racing, your body’s
tingling, and your mouth is dry. The pitch is slow and low; but you
swing anyway. You give it
all you have and then – whoops! What was that horrible feeling?
Youch! You can’t
straighten up. Did you rip
something? A torrent of questions floods your brain: What
have I done? Why didn’t I get some physical conditioning?
Who’s going to drive me home?
Should I go to the emergency room?
Should I call home? What
was I thinking?!
Next
day, you barely make it into the office.
Everyone is quite concerned about your health and wellbeing.
You made the decision last night to sleep it off and see what
happened by morning. Well,
it might be a little bit better; but it’s not going away. You make a
decision to go to the doctor and get a medical opinion (wise choice!).
Lo and behold, you actually did tear a few muscles in your back—and
maybe even some in the shoulder.
When
you told the doctor how you had injured yourself, he wasn’t too
sympathetic—was he? Maybe
he’s seen this all too often. Maybe
he was thinking that weekend warrior types like you are what keep local
emergency rooms in business.
You
make a mental reminder to yourself and to share with others: If you
decide to take up a summer or winter sport and you’ve been inactive
for quite a few years, plan ahead! Get some expert advice about
conditioning your body for the particular movements that you are going
to be involved in as this will help to alleviate any debilitating
injuries.
As
you move gingerly and take extra good care of yourself for the next week
or so, you realize that you’ve just learned an important lesson the
hard way. It’s summed up in the old saying: An ounce of prevention in
worth a pound of cure.
Bonnie
Murphy could have helped this person by putting her on an exercise
program that would strengthen and stretch muscles used during physical
activities. Prevent injuries by planning ahead! Contact Bonnie at www.bfitandwell.com;
907.646.4076; or bonnie@bfitandwell.com
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10 Things Fitness Can Do For You!
by Bonnie Murphy Remember, you are never too old or too sedentary to start an exercise program—you just have to be smart about it! | Exercise is the most widely prescribed "pill" today and there is ever-increasing research about the benefits of being fit. Don’t believe me? Well, here are just a few of the incredible benefits you'll receive when you make exercise a part of your daily life: Improve cardiovascular function Imagine being given the chance to improve the workings of your heart and lungs without drugs. You can easily improve their functions by challenging them with aerobic-type exercise. The definition of aerobic exercise is anything that elevates your heart rate moderately for a prolonged period of time. An example might be riding a bike for 7 or 8 miles at 65-70 revolutions per minute, or approximately 10 miles an hour. If you are more of a walker, then walking at about 4 miles an hour for 30 to 45 minutes will improve your cardiovascular system. The thing to remember is that consistency is the key to getting healthier! According to the Academy of Sports Medicine (ACSM), you can (and should!) do cardio-exercises most days of the week for 30 to 45 minutes. If you are just starting a fitness routine and have been inactive for a while, you may want to divide up your 30 minutes into three 10-minute sessions. This is just to get started, for you will eventually want to work up to doing the whole 30 to 45 minutes continuously. Remember, you are never too old or too sedentary to start an exercise program—you just have to be smart about it! Build and repair bones Osteoporosis is a serious disease that destroys bone mass. Exercise is always prescribed for the prevention and retardation of this life-threatening disease. When you impact your bones consistently, the stimulation makes them respond and rebuild. Jumping rope, for example, is an ideal way of impacting bone. Strength training helps retard osteoporosis by making your muscles stronger, which in turns makes your bones stronger to support the new strength of the muscles. Stabilize blood sugar Almost every doctor treating diabetes will recommend exercise. Why? Because the importance of movement and exercise in controlling blood sugar is very well documented. Each patient is different, however, and you should always listen to your doctor as to how much exercise and how often is appropriate for you. Increase strength Keeping strong can keep you independent. I just talked to a 35-year-old woman who is on disability due to a tremendous amount of weight gain. She became so large that she couldn’t do anything for herself. Luckily, she was stubborn enough to get herself turned around and she has lost about 160 pounds. Although she has a goal of another 200-pound loss, she is now discovering the benefits of exercise. This woman was telling me how great it is to carry groceries up to her apartment. She can actually climb the stairs now, while before she was unable to even move out of her apartment without assistance. Improve balance Balance is something that is lost over time, and it begins for most people as early as in our 30s. However, we can improve on that loss by challenging ourselves. For example, stand on one foot and count to 10. Simple exercises such as these can be done to tackle our losses. I think that we get too serious as we get older. It leads us to avoid walking on cement walls or curbs because we don’t want to embarrass ourselves. Maybe it happens because as we stop playing we just get old. So, have fun while you challenge and improve your own sense of balance! Elevate mood You probably notice that when you take care of yourself and exercise, you also improve how you feel about yourself. So often, our whole day seems to go better when we do something positive to take control of our health and well being. Create flexibility Did you know that stretching at the end of each exercise session will improve your flexibility? It’s important to remember to stretch only when your muscles are warm. Flexibility is an important part of being fit. When you can easily bend down and tie your shoe (or even put your shoe on), it means that you are flexible. We all need to be able to bend and stoop—we all need to be flexible! Reduce body fat & increase lean body mass Fat loss and lean body gain are two of the main reasons that people exercise other than for general health benefits. When you engage in cardiovascular exercises most every day, you are actually using fat stores—especially if you do a long warm-up and stay at a moderate pace. When you do strength training, you are creating more lean body mass; consequently, you are making yourself smaller and stronger. (Did you know that a pound of muscle takes up a lot less space than a pound of fat?) When you have a lot of lean body mass you use a lot more calories just being you. Reduce stress levels Stress can kill. This has been proven time and again. When you exercise, stress begins to leave your body and is replaced with endorphins—wonderful chemicals that give you a sense of euphoria. What a pleasant thing to look forward to as you go to the gym or get ready for a run outside! On days when you don’t feel like exercising, make an agreement with yourself to just try 10 minutes of it. Quite often, you’ll feel so good that you’ll want to continue. I have just listed 10 things that being fit can do for you. And that’s just a beginning, for there are many, many more benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. Why not try it and see how many things you can find that it does for you? Remember, when you choose a program or regimen, be sure it’s something that you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, chances are you won’t stay with it for very long. There’s no reason exercise can’t be fun. So: enjoy yourself, exercise, and feel better every day!
This information comes from Bonnie Murphy, Chief Fitness Officer of BFIT and Well. Contact Bonnie at 907-646-4076 or e-mail: bonnie@bfitandwell.com Or, visit the BFIT and Well Website: www.bfitandwell.com | |
The
Importance of Knees—and Exercise
by Bonnie Murphy
|
Since
I’ve never been fond of anybody cutting into my body, I looked
for other options… |
About eight years ago I
thought I’d have to give up my fitness career—or at least the
group exercise classes that I loved to teach. My knees were hurting so
bad that I could hardly walk let alone teach three aerobic dance
classes every other day. Just to get into my condo, I had to climb 14
steps; to get to my loft bedroom I then had to climb another 14 steps.
I couldn’t give in to knee pain!
The
medical doctors all initially suggested knee replacement. However,
they also said that if I had joint replacements at such a young age
(52 years) I might wear them out and need to have another one
somewhere down the line. At
that time I was told that you could only have one total knee
replacement in a lifetime. You could do partial first—then you could
have total later on. None of these options impressed me.
Since
I’ve never been fond of anybody cutting into my body, I looked for
other options. I went to an alternative medicine doctor who suggested
Glucosamine/Chondroitin. Methylsulfonylmethane
(MSM) or dimethylsulfone, an organosulfur compound, was another
option. Some
pilot studies of MSM suggested benefits, particularly for treatment of
osteoarthritis.These three compounds (Glucosamine, Chondroitin,
and MSM) have been known to ease joint discomfort and even build
cartilage. This doctor muscle tested me and found that MSM was what I
needed. I started taking
it and felt an improvement almost immediately.
During
my research, I read that changing one’s diet could make a big
difference in joint problems. I specifically read about alkalizing my
body, thus eliminating the acids that cause pain. The standard
American diet produces a lot of acids in the body; the body then
attempts to store these acid wastes away from the vital
organs—often, in the joints. Acid can cause all sorts of pain. An
alkalizing diet is one in which you eat mainly fruits and veggies
while eliminating highly acid foods: meat, dairy, wheat, sugar, soda
pop, alcohol, corn and mushrooms. As I changed my diet and alkalized
my system—Voila!—I was
pain free. The whole process took less than two weeks for me to feel
the wonderful, pain-free effects. I threw away the MSM and never
looked back. To this day I am pain free and enjoying my alkalarian
lifestyle.
Not
everyone is as blessed as I’ve been regarding knees improving
through non-surgical means. If you’ve already scheduled your joint
replacement surgery, here’s one very important step that will help
you recover faster: exercise before the operation! Your surgeon will
give you a notebook full of great information. Don’t neglect the
pages that include exercises for pre-surgery.
These are very simple exercises but if you are diligent about doing
them everyday as recommended you’ll come out on the other end so
much better. In fact, your recovery time will be almost cut in half.
After
surgery there will be at least 6 weeks of physical therapy. Don’t
even think you can get away without this—it’s vital! After
physical therapy it is essential to exercise regularly and
consistently. You’ll want to use all the exercises that are included
in your manual for post-surgery
rehabilitation. Of course it is also wise to incorporate other
exercises for other parts of your body. For example, if you are having
knee replacement surgery then all the physical therapy will be on your
affected knee. But you can’t neglect your other leg—or the other
muscles in your body. Thus, it is very important that you find a
fitness program that encompasses all your major muscle groups.
Marie
is a client, who had double knee replacement surgery in July, 2006.
She is adamant about the fact that her surgery, rehab and recovery
were accelerated due to pre-surgery exercise. Indeed, the surgeon and
the physical therapist were very impressed with how quickly she
mended, especially since she was 70 years old at the time. The summer
of 2007 found Marie hiking as many trails as she could fit into her
schedule. She really feels like a new woman because for so long she
suffered with arthritic knees and walked with a cane. When Marie came
to see me about 8 weeks after her surgery I didn’t recognize her
immediately because she looked so much younger and alive.
She was walking upright without the aid of a cane. Marie is
sold on exercise and staying fit. She works out three times a week and
is getting stronger and younger every day.
Another
gal I know had a hip replacement in December, 2006. She started
working out in June of 2007. Her doctor was amazed at her progress and
how fast she got back to “normal”. She is so dedicated to exercise
that when she travels she is always looking for a gym or other place
to workout. She remarked that she’d never have pictured herself
looking for somewhere to exercise while on vacation—but that’s
exactly what happened.
Exercise
can be addictive—and that’s a good
thing. The endorphins that are released during cardio-exercise are
the body’s morphine. Strength training builds lean body mass and
that translates into your body using more calories just being you. It
also means that you’ll be losing inches, but maybe not pounds. So if
your clothes fit looser but the scale stays the same, it simply means
that you are replacing fat with lean body tissue—it weighs more but
takes up less space.
For
quality of life, energy in your step, and a vastly improved mood, just
remember: you can’t beat exercise!
Bonnie
Murphy
is the owner/trainer at BFIT and Well, a personalized fitness studio
in Anchorage. Call to schedule your free fitness assessment.
907.229.37652 or Email: bonnie@bfitandwell.com
Website: www.bfitandwell.com
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Inspiration—Motivation—Exasperation!
by Bonnie Murphy
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It
may be a sad commentary on our society that most everyone has a
pet-peeve, an axe to grind, or an annoyance list, but finds it
hard to know what really motivates or inspires them. |
To get at the
real core of change, we need to look at inspiration. I believe that
inspiration has to come from a deeper place in order to carry us
through the tough times. Deep inspiration comes from wanting something
that lasts; it comes to fruition as we begin to see ourselves
completing that task. Encouragement can come from others, but when it
gets right down to it, encouragement has to be from within and it has
to be believable. You need to trust your own instincts and listen to
your own heart. These two things will get you farther than any type of
peer or family approval.
Do you want to
know how you can actually believe in yourself? To begin, think back
over your years and really take a look at what you’ve accomplished.
Can you objectively view your past endeavors and see how each helped
you arrive at who you are today? Can you see every action—even your
‘mistakes’—as something other than trivial? As you contemplate
your vast undertakings, you need to see the value of everything
you’ve done to get you to this point in your life. When you actually
realize that you are special
and that you are worth
something, your attitude and demeanor will change.
One very
important step on your road to inspiring yourself to greatness is to
change your self-talk. How many times do you say things to yourself
that you’d never, ever say to another human being? How many times a
day do you call yourself an idiot? What about telling yourself how
stupid you are? Is ‘ugly’ another word you call yourself? How
about fat?
I know someone
who is beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside, yet she
refuses to look at herself in the mirror. She tells me that she only
looks at herself long enough in the morning to put on her makeup and
then she only looks at her skin and eyes. She thinks she’s ugly.
Where did she get this feeling? I suppose someone a long time ago must
have said something to her—but she’s repeated that phrase over in
her head so many times that now she really and truly believes it.
It’s a bold-face lie. I told her so. Each time I see her, I try to
say something positive to her about herself. It takes a lot of
positive thoughts to undo one negative. Negatives are just easier to
accept and believe. Sad, but true.
Inspiration
really does need to come from within. Even as I was trying to write
this article, I just couldn’t find the inspiration, until today.
I’ve been thinking about it for over two weeks and I’ve actually
sat down several times to put something on paper and nothing came.
Sometimes inspiration takes patience. I’ve never thought of that
before—but I can see how that works.
Motivation is
another one of those things that comes from the inside. Although
motivation and inspiration are similar, I feel motivation is more
active. Incentive, driving force, enthusiasm, and inspiration are all
close synonyms for motivation. However, I believe that you can get
motivated because you’ve
become inspired. Whether it is divine inspiration or simply a passing
thought, this sense of inspiration needs to be acted on—and that
takes motivation.
So: what
motivates you? What gets you enthused? What’s driving you?
When I get up
in the morning, I hear a little voice in my head saying: “Gotta
go make the donuts!” (This may only be funny to those folks who
remember the old television commercial.) I guess you’d say that’s
my driving force.
After I get
out of bed, I start thinking about my day and then I get enthused. I
love what I do so I get excited about what each day will bring. If
someone I work with actually discovers that she’s stronger, more
flexible, or better balanced, then that’s a win in my book. If
someone tells me she was able to shop at Costco for two hours and
didn’t feel tired, that’s my motivation. If I see a woman change
from a shrinking violet to a self-assured, full-blooming iris, I get
enthused. What encourages you?
I put the word
exasperation in the title of
this article because many of us often relate to feelings of
exasperation rather than get excited about motivation and inspiration.
Ask yourself: what makes you mad? What gets you frustrated? What
irritates you? I bet you have a list of answers a mile long to these
questions. Now, ask yourself again: was it easier to answer these last
three questions than the earlier ones about motivation and enthusiasm?
It may be a sad commentary on our society that most everyone has a
pet-peeve, an axe to grind, or an annoyance list, but finds it hard to
know what really motivates or inspires them.
We all have
positive, pleasurable things that we’ve been blessed with; most
often the trick is simply to acknowledge those things so that we can
appreciate them. This may also inspire us to change the unpleasant
situations, environments, or attitudes we carry so that we can open
ourselves to have a little fun and be more enthusiastic in our lives.
You might also find that you can be a motivator to someone that needs
you. Helping someone to overcome a challenge can be terrifically
inspiring and motivating. You might even enjoy the outcome as much as
the person you were supporting!
If
you are still unsure about what inspires or motivates you, here is a
very simple yet incredibly powerful way to begin the process of
self-discovery. It may sound silly on the surface, but it is something
that will change your life. Now—right now—go to the mirror, look
yourself in the eyes, and say “I love you.” It’s amazing how
very hard this task is for some people. If it’s hard for you right
now, what does that tell you about your relationship with yourself?
Would you like that to change? If so, practice this simple act until
it becomes natural—until you really know that you mean it. See if
that doesn’t begin the deeper process of inspiration from within!
Bonnie
Murphy owns a Personalized Fitness Training Studio where she
transforms mature bodies through exercise and food coaching. She’s
located in Anchorage at 15th & C. Phone: 907.229.7652;
Web site: www.bfitandwell.com;
Email:
bonnie@bfitandwell.com
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What Can We
Do About Childhood Obesity?
by Bonnie Murphy
Why
are young people becoming fat?
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Have
you noticed that every time you open a newspaper or magazine these
days there are articles about obesity? What’s happening to our
society? What’s causing this epidemic? And—perhaps most
alarmingly—why are young people becoming fat?
One
big problem is that modern life does not initiate movement. We have
remotes for everything—from garage door openers to televisions,
radios and DVD players. Most all of us drive or ride a bus to our
destinations. Kids would rather play on the computer or with hand-held
games than go outside. Some neighborhoods have become unsafe to ride
bikes or go for walks—just another reason for kids to stay inside,
watch TV, surfing the internet, or talk on cell phones. I’ve even
seen kids and moms in a grocery store calling each other on their cell
to find out where each other are, rather than walk a few steps and
search the aisles! How lazy is that?
Some
schools have done away with physical education classes. As if that
weren’t bad enough, junk food and soda machines have been installed
on school grounds.
I
was astounded when I read that
Anchorage
had created a task force to find out what was causing the childhood
obesity epidemic. Why
didn’t they just use their heads—or call me?
Now, the committee has decided that the junk food and soda has
to go. All I can say to
that is a big, fat resounding: Duh!
Our
bodies are made for moving. If they don’t move, our muscles get
sluggish, our cells get rundown and we store fat easily. Indeed, it is
all too easy to spot a “mover” from the “sitter”!
But,
there is hope. Don’t
despair. And don’t give up! Instead of wallowing in the negatives of
inactivity and poor eating habits, let’s look at changing our
perspective and our attitudes.
How
about scheduling some fun outdoor activities this summer as a family?
What about an all-day hike with a nutritious picnic lunch?
Remember family softball games?
How about playing a game of catch in the back yard?
Most
every community offers a variety of summer activities, such as
softball, soccer, swimming and community runs. Even cleaning up the
roadside is a productive event in which the whole family can
participate. And what about all the wonderful bike trails in
Anchorage
and the Valley? Make a date with your loved ones and walk or bike a
mile or two daily. As you
get fitter, you’ll only want to go further—do it!
Closer
to home, you can make it a game to see how many steps each person
takes during the day. Purchase
some inexpensive pedometers that measure how far you walk—a little
friendly competition might be just the ticket to health and fun!
Another great way to get your kids involved in more activity is by
climbing the stairs in your house. Have
little kids count how many steps it takes to get upstairs and then see
if it’s the same number coming down.
Have older kids time themselves going up and down the stairs.
See if they can cut seconds off their time.
Again, some good-natured competition is not only fun but
healthy. You should join them, too!
Kids
are mirrors of their parents, and often follow by example.
If parents are active and involved in activities, the kids will
be too! Lead by example.
Yet
another area in which obesity can be addressed is summed up in the old
adage, you are what you eat. It’s important to move away from all
those ready-to-eat processed foods which contain almost no nutritional
value (and are actually breaking the body down) and head instead to
fresh, healthy foods.
Educate
yourself along with your kids to discover which foods honor your body
and give you energy. When you choose foods that are healthy and
nutritious, you’ll have more energy and will want
to move your body. The
combination of the right foods, water, and movement will get you to
your ideal weight, rid you of joint pain, increase your energy, and
eliminate other health concerns. Not only that, your kids will be well
on their way to becoming happy, healthy adults.
For
more
info
rmation on eating right and exercise please contact Bonnie
Murphy at 907-646-4076; e-mail bonnie@bfitandwell.com;
or visit her website at www.bfitandwell.com.
Bonnie encourages your comments and questions.
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