There is a lot to learn when it comes to trying any new sport, but yoga not only has its own actual language-- it also has its own unique equipment. Most yoga studios have loaner equipment you can use when you take a class, but you'll want some basic equipment if you want to try some asanas at home. Here is some of the gear you'll need, and what to look for when selecting them: Yoga Mat: While there are lots of pretty colors to choose from, there are also different textures and thicknesses … [Read more...]
Exercise Excuse Busters– 5 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Move
There's a really good chance that you're not living on a ranch where you have nothing to do but exercise, surrounded by motivation and encouragement. No, it's up to you to summon your inner Jillian Michaels and talk yourself into getting your sweat on. There you are, standing at that fork in the road, weighing your options-- do you take the path that's easiest, most familiar, and ignore the call to lift weights and break a sweat? Or do you head down that shorter path, the one on the hill, the … [Read more...]
Breakfast: Cornerstone of weight loss
If you're not eating breakfast, you're skipping out on one of the most simple, cornerstone elements of weight loss. You've heard all your life that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and you roll your eyes and run out the door in the morning without eating anything, certain that the longer you hold off on eating, the more fat your body will have to burn to provide you with energy to get through the day. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Eating breakfast is important … [Read more...]
Medical Issues aren’t the Only Reason to Have an ID Bracelet
There is some security in knowing that if I had some medical emergency while jogging along the community fitness trail in town, that first responders will immediately have access to my name, my parents' cell phone numbers, and the fact that I'm allergic to Penicillin. While I'm only 42 years old, things happen-- I could have a heart attack, get hit by a bus, or pass out for some reason. I bought the Road ID bracelet for myself, and one for each of my kids, after reading a news story about a … [Read more...]
Does abuse ever end?
Mulling over a meme on a friend's facebook page this morning, I started to realize that the abuse that so many women endure, may never actually come to an end. Ever. "As we got ready to go to a movie one evening, I checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror. Hair looked good, make-up done. I was wearing a brown and beige houndstooth blazer over a brown top, and blue jeans. Nothing fancy, but dressy enough for a night out," she told me. "When he saw me, he told me I needed to change. He … [Read more...]
Fast Food Friday: Sonic Drive-in
Sonic Drive-in restaurants try to capture the essence of days gone by. If you don't look too closely, you might get a sense that they embrace a healthy lifestyle. After all, their servers bring your meal to your window while gliding around on roller skates or roller blades. After reviewing the menu, I'm gonna give you my bottom line assessment up front: Run away. Don't do it. Not even in a pinch. With very little effort, you can eat more than an entire day's worth of calories in one … [Read more...]
How to Treat Burns with Essential Oils
This post contains affiliate links. If you think the hype about essential oils is just a phase, think again. I'll admit that I've been a bit resistant to the craze, even though I love the idea of using nature to treat physical ailments. One of my kiddos used to have several warts on his hands, which would not go away with the typical over-the-counter treatments or freezing at the doctor. Then a friend recommended this stuff called thuja-- a plant derivative mixed with petroleum jelly. Bam! … [Read more...]
Obese Kids: The Fix Starts at Home
Originally printed in Upstate Parent Magazine. When kids are young, it’s so easy to get them to exercise — it’s all play! You take them to the park, you sign them up for swimming lessons, or you go for a walk. As they get older, and more independent, it’s a little more challenging. For kids who play a sport, the job is much easier. They go to practice, and the coach — if it isn’t you — has them run laps, do drills and scrimmage. For kids who don’t play sports, it can be a struggle. … [Read more...]
Exercise is Good for Your Body AND Your Brain
These bodies of ours were made to move, just as our brains were made to think. Yeah, over the years some parts get worn down, things start to crack and creak-- and the same thing happens to our brains. In our culture we sit more than we move, and our bodies-- and our brains-- suffer as a result. The more we sit, sedentary, the less opportunity we have for improving our physical strength, or expanding our cardiovascular stamina. Because our brains benefit from physical exercise, … [Read more...]
Fast Food Friday: Chick Fil A
Y'all, I was not born in the South, but I've said y'all ever since my middle school days. Two of my best friends growing up were twins from Texas, and they convinced me that y'all was gender neutral, way back before gender neutral was even a thing. I didn't realize until I moved to the South that I was a sweet tea fanatic-- I just sweetened it until I was happy with it, and my mom would chide me for adding too much sugar. You could say I just have Southern taste buds. That is not necessarily a … [Read more...]
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