A Boomer's Footprint

Category: Health

Health is such a broad term. For me, it implies
a state of well being, having the strenth and energy to
live fully, free of pain, all systems working.

What quality of life can you have if you are battling
a health issue?

What will it take for you to committ to take the steps to
be in good health?

Procrastination

This is a tough obstacle to overcome!

Procrastination is “the act of replacing more urgent actions with tasks less urgent, or doing something from which one derives enjoyment, thus putting off impending tasks to later time”. (wikipedia) So while we can’t argue with the desire to seek enjoyment, leaving tasks undone does not make them go away and can actually add more pressure or anxiety into the mix.

This is something I know about first hand. My schedule is to post every Thursday. I can usually find an excuse why I can’t or won’t. When I procrastinate on this task, I feel I’m not keeping my word, letting down my readers and I lessen the importance on my commitment to you. My usual hang up is finding an appropriate photo for the message. As you can see this week I didn’t even crop the pic like I often try to do. At my procrastination moments I say, Dorothy, get writing. And I DO. Hence today’s post.

There may be small upside to procrastinating. Sometimes while pondering a problem or task, we come up with a solution or more effective way to accomplish it. But overall, the negatives far out weigh this possibility.

Why do we procrastinate:

We don’t love doing the activity

FEAR – we want to avoid the unfamiliar

We are not competent to do the task

We underestimate the time frame the task requires

We believe we must be in right mood to do the task

We are unorganized

We believe we need the task to be perfect

We don’t see the reward by completing the task

Here’s a quick tool to overcome procrastination: Start by doing something that gives you a sense of accomplishment. Choose a small step that can happen in 10-15 minutes. And get it done.

When you complete your goal, pay attention to how you feel. Is there an improvement in your mood?

Reward yourself for achieving a success. Make a list of the daily accomplishments in a journal. It helps us focus on how many things we DO. Read through it daily, smile as you recall success.

August 18, 2016
Shocking realization of a favorite snack

Yikes. This is one Label I forgot to read!

I do have a chocolate addiction. It started as a child. Pop always had candy bars available to us when we visited his barber shop. And we ate them up.

As an adult, the addiction continued when I began eating Mexican food. My local taqueria, had a candy dispenser – for a quarter, I got a handful of treats. Of course over time the volume decreased and eventually the machines disappeared but it didn’t matter by then I was hooked. I associated rice and beans with chocolate. Duh, the Mexican cuisine does have mole.

Then, I began running in Walgreen’s or any local corner store for a candy bar. I started with Herseys with almonds but soon moved over to M&M’s with peanuts.

Now to the photo. I recently studied the M&M’s peanuts label and was shocked. Now we know I wasn’t really SHOCKED I just didn’t want to pay attention.

Imagine the percentage are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. I probably eat 1,200 cals. a day. So my stats are even worse.

          13 g fat 20% of DV

          5 g Saturated fats!

          Sugar – they don’t even compute the number

          Dyes

          And finally an admission of genetic engineering involvement.

What was I thinking. Of course, this snack is over. Another food (?) eliminated from my diet.

Realistically, I know I’m not giving up chocolate. Now, when possible I buy the dark chocolate with almonds bars from Trader Joe’s. A step up but I could probably still do better. They are even a dangerous snack to keep around. It’s so hard NOT to think about that bar in the freezer.

Lesson reminder to me and you is: continue reading labels and make the right choices.

July 25, 2016
Our overeating “National Holiday”

Here we are three days before Thanksgiving. Our mouths could already be salivating over the abundance of food coming our way. (I wonder does over-eaters anonymous attendance surge on Friday.)

This day does not have to ruin our commitment to making healthier food choices. This graphic shows good foods to choose. Yes, fruits and vegetables. Are they even on the menu?

Other options:

Find healthier recipes for family favorites. Everything is not about BUTTER and SUGAR.

Start out with a smaller plate size.

Limit yourself to only one refill.

Limit the fattest foods to a single portion.

Save dessert for a snack later in the day.

Remember what this day is about:

November 23, 2015
My 30 day fitness commitment

I made a $40 bet with my friend, P., to each reach a 30 day fitness goal. Closest to her goal wins the prize. We are supporting each other through the process. An accountability buddy helps. Our deadline is 12/12/15.

My goal is to lose 3.8 pounds in 30 days (almost a pound a week). At our weigh in I was 124.8 lbs so my goal weight is 121 lbs. I know this sounds like a small amount but if you keep reading, I will actually show the NOW photo.

While there are so many changes I could make to reach my goal, I am choosing to complete one action every day. I want to create a new habit in my life.

So I choose to “Move my body for just 10 minutes a day”.

Now is the time to drag out the “10 minute trainer program” I bought one year ago. Of course, I first have to find it! Some of you may be like me – purchasing books, programs, CD’s, equipment and props which sit unused collecting dusk and adding to general clutter. Luckily most of the tools do not have an expiration date.

Besides using the 10 minute program, I can also dance, lift weights and use my mini-trampoline.

My goal and challenge is engage in a 10 minute activity EVERY DAY. To keep moving. To build up my stamina, my strength, my energy level and my spirit.

I know I can do it. I am already into day 4. I seriously am sick of this figure looking back at me in the mirror whenever I have the nerve to really look at the full length of me.

Check back every few days as I update my progress. Or follow me on twitter @dkellycoach for daily posts.

This is one pic I am NOT blowing up to full size. Look for the after shot coming 12/12/15.

November 17, 2015
Boomer Longevity?

Boomers are predicted to live longer. If we are so lucky to be one of them, it becomes even more important to stay fit and young at heart.

Life is not about the number of years we have left but about “What quality of life we will enjoy.”

4 facts about boomers health – some good and some bad:

-1- Boomers have the highest rate of obesity for their age, higher than any other generation.

I am sure we are aware of the relationship of obesity and the potential to develop a serious disease – especially these big five – diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer and depression.

(I recently learned of a test to determine if you too much belly fat – divide your waistline measurement by you hip measurement to determine a ratio. For men, if your number is higher than 80 you are at risk for many health issues. For women, the ratio is a factor of 85.)

-2- Boomers are more food conscious. How can we pretend that we don’t know recommended foods to eat and not to eat anymore. Between TV news, magazine and internet sources we are overwhelmed with many articles about this subject.

In addition, how many magazines in print and online are devoted to getting fit and healthy?

So with all of this information available, what is the missing piece to explain our over-weight America and our own personal challenges?

-3- Boomers are not as healthy as previous generation. Sedentary life style, prepackaged foods, fast foods, over indulgence are just a few possible reasons. This can be an alarming statement based on information readily available to us.

-4- Boomers are more active. With more time available, some boomers are committing to joining gyms, exercising and enjoying outdoor activities. So finally a good statistic.

Wherever you are on the health and fitness scale, It is never too late to make improvements. Remember, good health is not about our looks but about how we feel inside and out.

Working on our health and fitness is a critical investment we can make for ourselves when we consider the sky rocketing medical costs compared to scaled-down financial resources available as we retire.

I will have much more to say on these four and many more issues about health in upcoming posts but for now………..

Join me and commit to making one small change in your health routine. I will be writing about my commitment on the “Ourcommonjourney” blog page.

November 11, 2015
Problem or Passion?

Once we are ready to commit to making a big change in life we need to decide where we can make the most difference for ourselves.

When analyzing a change we want in our lives they fall into two categories.

We have to determine if we have:

A problem to solve

OR…

A passion to fulfill

It can be very difficult to commit to fulfilling a passion if we have a big problem or obstacle standing in the way.

I categorize problems into three general areas. Each topic includes a few positive terms to measure our status against.

Health – physically fit, stress and pain free, flexible, active, vibrant, agile, energetic, eat a healthy diet, and mentally strong

Wealth – live with an attitude of abundance, debt free, successful, philanthropic, prosperous, financial achievements, innovative, creative,

Self – happy, confident, resourceful, passionate, dedicated, conscientious, loving, free, personally responsible for self, and working relationships

We face obstacle daily. We have usually just finished solving a small problem, in the middle of one, or a new one is around the corner.

But if we are facing a major problem, the challenge for the next 15 weeks is to really solve it so we can live our dream life.

Passions are something deep inside of us dying to be expressed, to get out.

We are all born with a true purpose – a passion. The purpose which use our best skills, and talents. The purpose which inspires us. A passion which touches our soul and fills our heart with joy.

When discover our true purpose we are blessed.

If we are ready to fulfill a passion, the challenge over the next 15 weeks is to identify the passion and create a plan to incorporate it into our lives.

Take some time this week to sit quietly and think about where you are in life and what will take you closer to your dreams.

September 12, 2013
Enjoying better health

I know the two words “health issues” cover a very broad spectrum. And since I am not a medical professional, I will avoid specific examples and remedies.

I want to focus on a concept of living in good health.

As we know from personal experience or the experiences of others, overcoming a health problem can frustrating, time consuming, and expensive, especially if diagnosed with a severe illness, disease or ongoing medical condition.

While we have excellent medical care available in this country, there can still be conflicting opinions on the best course of treatment. A primary consideration should be to address a concern immediately. The longer symptoms continue the worse a condition can become.

One caveat, be cautious of your reliance on medical information learned on the web. It is best used to prepare yourself for a medical appointment.

The best health tip I can give is to Practice Prevention!

We all know what we are “supposed to do” but as a reminder here are some benefits of 6 top health choices:

-1- Get enough sleep – sleep strengthens memory, curbs inflammation, improves physical performance, helps maintain a healthy weight, lowers stress, and helps avoid irritability.

-2- Eat five small meals a day – we are what we eat so chose healthy foods. We know what they are – read labels, eat low on the food chain, eliminate empty calories, avoid processed foods and excess fats, salt and sugar.

-3- Meditate – meditation improves creative thinking, promotes better relationships, reduces stress, increases immunity, creates emotional balance, and helps with weight loss.

-4- Exercise regularly – choose an activity that you enjoy to provide both cardio-vascular and strength training. Exercise can help control weight, combat health conditions, improve mood, boost energy and promote better sleep.

-5- Drink plenty of water – adequate water consumption improves the brain, mood and the skin, aids in weight loss, fuels muscles, assists with digestion and helps fight sickness.

-6- Reduce stress – it assists in weight loss, increases happiness, promotes better sleep, increases life expectancy, provides relief from aches and pains, and increases memory.

Did you notice the similarities in the benefits, the unstated one is that by gradually incorporating healthy choices into your daily living, you can improve the quality of life tremendously. As you begin to feel better, your outlook improves and your desire to feel even better increases.

This is a good treadmill to get on.

So to begin choose one of the options from tackling obstacles post:

(1) Pick the easiest health improvement option and work it into your life and schedule. The benefit for this choice is you can begin to see results quickly.

(2) Pick the most needed item, persevering until it becomes a healthy habit. The benefit for this choice is that you can create a long term change in your life style.

Why is it so hard to follow best health practices? To ensure success, connect with a health buddy and follow a plan together.

Good luck.

July 11, 2013