by Dan | May 7, 2017 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
It was a busy weekend…one of my daughters, Molly, graduated from SDSU. Megan will graduate in 2 weeks from George Mason University. They both spent a lot of time, and hard work, earning their degrees. Molly graduated with a degree in Health Education, and will be going to study Ultrasound. We all need to keep striving for things in our life, to keep working on improving ourselves, and to learn more. There is always something to learn! If we quit trying to learn, life becomes stale and boring. The famous saying, “The more we know, the more we don’t know” rings true also. We always need to work on becoming a better person, both physically and mentally.
As parents, you always try to be there for your kids, to keep encouraging, to keep working, to keep striving. If you want it, you have to earn it! This is no different than working on exercise and our diet…if we want to become healthier, we have to work at it, and again, we have to keep learning on how we can do this better. Molly had a sign on the top of her cap, “Finally done with this B.S.” Now this can be taken many ways, but of course, it really means Bachelor of Science!
The crowd at graduation was huge for SDSU…and it was already split into a morning, afternoon, and later afternoon sessions! We heard, and more importantly, those graduating heard, that if you want something in life, you have to earn it. Always keep striving, and even though their college days may be over, our learning never ends! Remember that!
We are proud of you Molly, just like we are with our other kids, and just like all parents are of their own kids. We are there for you, will be there to support you, encourage you, but…we can’t do it for you! You have to push yourself. You have to want to earn it. You have to want to be better. Boy, this sounds an awful like what I say in this blog many times. We have to want to be healthier, and have to want to watch our diet, and eat better. We have to want to exercise for our own benefit…and we have to keep learning on how we can do it better!
My nurse, Chris, made an awesome cake to celebrate. Thank you Chris! It was delicious. And, because it was a special occasion, and I did my run in the morning, and also did my weight workout as well, I splurged this time and I had a second piece of cake later that evening! It was totally worth it! Sometimes, you have to reward yourself as well. So, everybody, keep moving, keep learning, and keep striving to become a better you!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3508
by Dan | Apr 30, 2017 | Equipment, Exercise, Goals, weight lifting, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
When it comes to exercise, cardio type exercise is important, but weight training/resistance type exercise is also very important. You should incorporate this into your weekly exercise routine 2-3 times per week. You don’t have to have fancy equipment, you can do many of the exercises by using your own body weight. Certain accessories can allow you to do even more of a variety of exercises, and you still don’t have to spend a lot of money. It is nice to have the space to be able to do it though. I set this up in my garage, but if you don’t have this space, then an area in your house will work to do bodyweight exercises. This may also be the time to consider having a membership to a gym to have unlimited access to whatever equipment you want to use. Here first, is one of me doing a pull-up. The strap helps initially by learning the technique of doing this, with full lift over the bar, and then back down with full extension of your arms.
Next is some squats that can be done either with no extra weight, or using weight, such as this, with a kettle bell, which comes in many different weight sizes. Just remember to start low, if any weight at all.
A similar technique for doing a bodyweight squat can be done using a weighted ball, and doing what are called wall balls. Squatting down with the ball in your hand, and then standing as you throw the ball up against the wall. Then when you catch, you drop back down into a squat.
You can also do pushups or planks, which are also great for arm strength, and for working on your core muscles…those muscles of your abdomen, and extending around your sides to your back. The upright position of the pushup is your plank position, which you can hold, starting at 10 seconds, and working your way up to try and hold for a minute.
You can come up with may varieties of different exercises to do, with your own body weight, and incorporating some additional light weight accessories. You can then expand as you want to progress as you want, depending on your interests. Here is mine…”Reiffenberger Anytime!”
So, become a better you. Work on those resistance exercises, weight training. It is amazing how much stronger you can feel. You are in control of your exercise, activities. Just do something! Keep moving everybody! I just surpassed 3500 consecutive days!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3501
by Dan | Apr 23, 2017 | Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
We spend Saturday morning at Jackson Park as part of the Clean and Green activity picking up litter/trash. It was a great day out, warm, no wind. The Optimist Group was out as well cleaning up sections along the bike trail leading to Jackson Park. It is amazing how much garbage is out there each year, and how people cannot throw things into a garbage can, even when the garbage cans are right there for them! It was a great way to get an hour of walking in as well, and working on the legs doing squats and bending over while picking up the garbage. We had a good crew from the H2O Watertown Trail Committee.
We are doing good by picking up garbage and keeping the community clean, but we also got to get outside and enjoy the weather, and keep active. From Jackson Park you could look across at the other section of trail and see the Optimist group out cleaning up the section of trail that goes by it.
At the end of the hour, this is what we had collected, just in Jackson Park!
When you volunteer, you are not only doing good, but feeling good about what you do to help with the community. We all live here, and we all need to help take care of it…and we get some exercise as well!
By volunteering, you get to meet new people, take part in worthwhile activities, inspire others, be involved…and above all else…you get to make a difference!
Getting some activity out of it for our own benefit is just icing on the cake!
And then when you get done, you get to see how nice everything looks, the beauty in nature that is out there for all of us to enjoy. Just remember to do your part, and put garbage where it is supposed to go. If we all did this, we would not have to go out and pick it all up!
Make a difference…volunteer! Become a better you, and get exercise out of it as well! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3494
by Dan | Apr 16, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Commitment is what we all need to begin challenges in our life, but we also need confidence to believe we can. The key component of all of this is that it needs to be fun as well. If it is not fun, we won’t continue with it. It would be like having another job, and who really needs to have another job? My daughter Megan is finishing up her senior year in college, having competed in swimming as a club sport. She had her final meet of her college career…going to Atlanta to compete in the national meet. She worked hard at it, but had a ton of fun doing this in her 4 years of college. This was her concentration prior to her event. But, she also knows how to have fun!
You need to stay relaxed before your events. The more relaxed you are, the more confident you can be that you are going to “go for it”!
If we don’t have fun at the same time, we will not do well. We won’t do what we are capable of. You have to believe in yourself, and once you do this, nothing can stop you!
You have to be ready to start. For many of us, the start can be one of the toughest things. For many of the rest of us, it hanging in there and continuing to work at it that is the tough part. If you believe in yourself, you will have a great start.
In this picture, my daughter Megan is the one arched all the way back with her head in the water already, while the other swimmers are still launching back. She had a great start, led by confidence and hard work.
The start is only the beginning…you have to keep going…keep pushing…going past our comfort zones, and pushing ourselves, sometimes past limits we are not used to doing. It may not always be comfortable, but when we do, the confidence that can develop from this is powerful!
You are going to work at it, get tired, push yourself beyond what you perceive as your limits. When you accomplish something like this, the benefits far outweigh the risks.
When you believe in yourself, you become unstoppable! And then, that is when…
Make your workouts fun! Make them unique to you. Do something you like, or you won’t continue with it. You will surprise yourself what you are capable of. Your goals become reachable, and your life is much more enjoyable, and fulfilled. Don’t let your mind hold you back. Your body is ready to go, it just needs that push that only your mind will help you with. Have fun, gain confidence…become a better you! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3487
by Dan | Apr 2, 2017 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
In order to build up our endurance, stamina, overall energy level, we have to be willing to get out of our comfort zone. We are getting to the time of the year here where there are all kinds of exercise events coming up: walking, running, biking, swimming! Take a chance, and see what you can do. The next one coming is Saturday April 8…the Spring into Action 5K/walk, and will be in support of the upcoming Child Advocacy Center that is coming to Watertown to help child abuse victims.
The first picture is the Hospital Hill run/walk, taking place on Saturday June 10. It will be our 21st Anniversary of the event. Time to sign up. Some people get scared off by going to events like these, but they are the perfect way to get out and exercise, and be among a crowd of people doing the same thing. I have heard enough people say “if I do this I am going to die!” That is why you have to build up to it, then you will be saying:
Then you will be hooked! You will be on your way to becoming a better you! Here are other examples, this next one being at the SF half marathon event held in the Fall.
It is a great run, with great weather, and you often times meet up with friends! We also have the Lake Kampeska minin triathlon, featuring swimming, biking, and running, and you can do solo, or as a team. Take your pick!
The big thing to remember with all of these is it does not matter what your time is. Time is irrelevant. Go for the experience, the adventure…step out of your comfort zone!
Become a better you! Make a change. Incorporate the 3 C’s in life:
You have no idea what this change in your life can mean…what doors it can open up in your life, and how you approach life, and appreciate life. Be adventurous! Take a chance, make a choice, and make a change! Become a better you! Keep moving everybody! Next week I will show how to incorporate resistance activities into your activity routine.
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3473
