by Dan | Mar 25, 2018 | Equipment, Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health, Winter
What are you waiting for? I tell my patients this many times when it comes to getting ready to make a change in their life, and work on diet and activity. I hear all kinds of excuses: It is too cold; it is too icy; it is too hot; it is too wet; I have this big project to get done at work; as soon as things slow down with my kids activities; I don’t have enough time; trying to exercise costs too much; and on, and on, and on! Always an excuse. I hate to tell everybody this, but there is always something that will come up in your life that will get in the way. We are all busy. But, we all have the same hours in the day as everybody else. It is time to make a commitment, and get fired up about it!
This was me after finishing the Dopey Challenge at Disney in January…a 5k on Thursday, a 10k on Friday, a half marathon on Saturday, and a marathon on Sunday. This was me after crossing the finish line of the marathon. I did it! I set a goal, worked for, and completed it! We all need to set a goal. We all need something to shoot for, whatever that may be for all of us. We are all on a different level, and at a different stage in our lives. Only we as individuals know what each of us is going through. Nobody is in our shoes. You can either do something about, and keep complaining about your situation. Exercise is also a good escape mechanism. The weather is not always going to cooperate with us either, especially in South Dakota.
I took this yesterday as we got hit with out Winter storm, during the first week of Spring! Life, and weather, does not always cooperate. But, if we wait until the weather is perfect, we will never get started. It will just serve as another excuse. It was no different when our run group met this morning for our weekly run. As far as the weather, the cold, the wind, the icy roads, nobody really wanted to be out there. If we had all been on our own, we would have probably struggled, and ended up doing something else. Yet, we were there for each, and because of that, we all got out the door. We were held accountable to each other, which can really help you get started on things when it comes to exercise.
Life is not always going to be easy…having time to daydream, and look at the ocean, and forget all of our problems. This works good as a vacation, or a break, or as a means to get our heads back on, but it is not going to be everyday. Things in everyday life get tough. Who needs to watch any of the reality TV shows now? Just wake up and face your own day. I think that is enough reality for all of us. Who needs to sit and watch about other peoples problems. Don’t we all have enough of our own? We can sit and choose to just sit there and dwell on it, or get off our butts and go do something about it. Will it be easy? Ha! Life is not easy, but getting out and exercising is a great stress reliever as well, and it can sure make your day go better, and more manageable as well.
Of course, there will be days where you wonder if it is all worth it. It is work! You are going to get tired! But, you are conditioning your body to handle anything that may come your way. You will be able to handle it better…tolerate it better…and feel better as well.
There will be days when you feel like you are “sucking air”, or just having every last bit of energy feel like it is being “sucked out of you”. Do something about it! You are in charge of you…nobody else. Be in the driver seat, and take control. You only live once, so what are you waiting for?
Sarah went to Huron this weekend to spend some time with her mom. They spent it quilting and sewing, and they both love this. But this morning, when the rest of here in Watertown were going out for a long run (we are getting ready for the Fargo Half Marathon in May!), Sarah went out by herself, and ran it by herself. Facing the cold, the wind, on her own. She had us back here, knowing we were doing the same thing, but it is tougher by yourself. How bad do you want something? What are you waiting for?’
When all is said and done, you will be happy you did it. You will feel better knowing your accomplished something that many other people would not even think of doing. Bottom line, you have to give it your all! You are the one who will benefit. You will have more energy. You will get to spend more quality time later with your friends and family. Time to reach for the top…your top! Where that is only you will know. Just don’t settle for something less than your best. Be happy with you! So come on…what are you waiting for?
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3819
by Dan | Mar 11, 2018 | Equipment, Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, weight lifting, Wellness/Health
Sarah and I had a great vacation in Jamaica recently, but being on vacation does not mean we have to take a break from working out. It is always part of our daily routine, and being on vacation was no exception. We did one excursion off of the resort, and went horseback riding one morning. We have done this before, and was a lot of fun, but also forgot what different muscles it takes in your legs to do this. We both felt this afterwards! Here we are getting to ride the horses in the ocean.
There was plenty of walking to do on the resort as well. The main areas to eat were up on a hill, so there were plenty of stairs to use to get to the different restaurants, and then again back down to the beach.
We normally would first go hit the gym they had their when we got up in the morning to start the day. They had several treadmills, bikes, steppers, and weights. We could always find something to use that morning.
Following this we would eat breakfast, and go hit the beach for the day. Relax, read, take a nap, then repeat for lunch. We had the rest of the day to take it easy, so getting our workout done first thing was no problem. There were no alarm clocks on vacation…we just got up when we felt like it. Sarah the one afternoon joined in on a yoga session on the dock over the ocean. I just watched!
The rest of the time we spent just watching the ocean, relaxing, and taking in the scenery, and peace and quiet. It was a great vacation…but we still found the time to exercise, and when it is a part of your regular routine, it was not hard to continue doing then as well. It is a great way to start each day. Then spend the rest of the day relaxing.
Enjoy your vacations…but you can still eat well, splurge a little, and still exercise. Otherwise, it is just another reason to have to use an excuse for! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3812
by kelsey | Feb 8, 2018 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Heart Health, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
In celebration of National Heart Month, I think it’s fitting to discuss the significance diet and activity play in promoting a healthy heart. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and affects both men and women. Genetics do play a role, however a heart healthy diet and and regular activity can help minimize the effects and complications of heart disease. Whether you have heart disease in your family or not, it’s still good to follow a heart healthy eating plan. Highlights of the diet include:
- Lots of fruits and veggies! I’m sure you already knew this one, but the benefits of getting your 5 a day servings of fruits and veggies are worth reminding you again. Most of us know this, the hard part is doing it. Try adding them to your meals, have fruit as a snack, get a double serving to help you reach this goal.
- Fiber! Fiber is very beneficial in combating heart disease. Incorporating more whole grains (and fruits, veggies, and beans/lentils) into your diet will increase your fiber and aid in heart health. Oatmeal, brown rice, wild rice, whole grain noodles, whole grain breads, and even popcorn are considered whole grains. Aim to get at least 25-35 g/day.
- Choose lean proteins. Decreasing the amount of saturated fat in your diet will help reduce plaque buildup. Choose white meat poultry without the skin, 90% or greater lean hamburger, fish, beans, etc….stay away from processed meats! Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, and trout offer additional benefits as they are loaded with healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
- Choose healthy fats. Incorporating more plant fats such as canola oil and olive oil into your diet and reducing your intake of saturated and trans fats has been shown to improve heart health. You want to choose foods that are lower than 5-8g of total fat per serving and <3g saturated and trans fat per serving and limit your total fat consumption to 50-75g/day. Choosing low fat dairy products will help reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet as well.
- Hold the salt! Excess sodium can increase blood pressure and cause heart failure. Aim to keep your sodium intake below 2400mg/day. You can do this by doing more home cooking, avoiding boxed or packaged goods, cooking with salt free seasonings, and not using table salt.
- Exercise! At least 30 minutes of exercise a day has been shown to improve heart health. If you can do more, the better!
Making small changes or substitutions will help you have a healthier heart and reduce risk for disease. Reading labels is really essential to help you make good choices, so take some time in the grocery store and really examine the products to ensure you’re making healthy choices!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Jan 21, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Those early days seem a long time ago. I remember like yesterday the day my twin daughters were born. It was one of the happiest days of my life. My twins now are 23 years old…my how time flies! Those early days were so busy a lot of it is still a blur. These were our first kids, and we had no idea what we had gotten into. When people say they “fly by the seat of their pants”, how true this was. Every day was new. We also got a lot of attention wherever we went with them as well.
They were both always “hamming” it up for a camera, or other people. Much of this is still the same today! But one thing was for sure, Sarah and I still wanted to be active ourselves. The same was true then as it is today…we were going to stay as healthy as we could so we could spend more time with them. Many of those first days, one of us would run, or workout first, and then the other. But many of those times, we all went together. So we had to figure out how to have them included.
We bought a Burley at that time, and we could put them both in there, and then go running, walking, or biking with them. We all still got to spend time together, but we got to exercise as well. We set the tone right from the beginning…in this family, staying active was important, and we led by example…then, and now.
We would all spend time riding our bikes together. When we started the Hospital Hill run, now well over 20 years ago, the kids participated as well. They participated not only by running, or walking, but also setting up, and taking everything down. It became a family event every year.
The kids all went along to the marathons that I did as well. They were the top cheering section anybody could ever have!
They were there to support me, and cheer me on. I will never forget one of the marathons…Grandmas…when I was coming along mile 24, and just feeling like I had enough. I heard them cheering from the sideline, and I looked over, and almost lost it right there! I had no idea they had this planned out. Sarah had made T-shirts for the kids, and the front of them said one message, and the back said another. After I saw them, then they all turned around at the same time, and I will never forget it. This image is permanently burned into my brain. It remains today my favorite pictures, and memories!
They were cheering me on…being there for me. We tried to do this for them for all of their events as well when they were growing up. Next week I will have other pictures and a story about our recent half marathon we did together. Another event that will remain with me forever. A family that works out together, stays together…and hopefully has a lot of time that they get to spend together, making more memories. Keep moving everybody! Somebody out there wants you around a long time!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3770
by Dan | Jan 1, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health, Winter
2017 is done, and 2018 is here! How was the year for you? Did you accomplish things you wanted? Is there anything in particular you want to accomplish in 2018? What is it you want? That is a good question for all of us. We have to decide what is personally important to us, and how bad do we want. At the same time, what kind of work are we willing to do to achieve. In general, New Years Resolutions don’t always have a good track record. It may be a good time to try to focus on things, and we all have good intentions, but the secret is how are we going to keep doing this year round, year after year? You need to keep going back to your original goals, your original reasons as to why you even want to accomplish certain goals. Why is it important to you?
Here we celebrated yesterday Jill reaching her 1000 mile running for the year, and Jenn reaching 1500 miles. Is the total important? No. It was a goal for them, and they achieved it, and we helped celebrate by running outside with them for the final mile, in what was unquestionably the coldest day of the year! That is what friends do…that is what family does…in this case, our running family. It always makes goals more achievable, and more meaningful, if you have someone else helping you along the way, motivating you along the way!
How truer can this be! Don’t think about it too hard, it will just give you more time to back out of your goals, or come up with excuses not to work for something you know would be of benefit to you. Just Go!
This was the group that came out yesterday to go for their final ceremonial run. We all did a mile (well, a couple of us did 3.5 miles!). I spent 45 minutes on the elliptical prior to going to meet for this run because of the cold…-22, with a wind chill of -40! Far from ideal, but also, if you wear the right clothing, far from impossible as well. We did it, and we helped them get to their final goal. Then we all went out to Caribou to celebrate! That is a reason to do this…spend time with your friends and family…people who truly do care about you, and who you care about. We want to be here more to have more of these moments. Always striving…
I will be the first to admit it…it was cold. If we were not meeting for this specific reason, and for a mile, there is no way I would have gone outside on my own. My workout would have been inside for all of it. It does prove to yourself as well how tough you really are (or stupid! Sometimes this is a very thin line!). You always have to take into account the conditions, the weather. When you are in a group, we all look out for each other. If I had been out there on my own, I would have been worried. What if I would have fallen, and it was that cold out? You have to be smart in this regards as well.
We stick together…look out for each other…are there for each other! There is even more of us when the weather is good! Your friends and family who help push you when things get uncomfortable make things or goals what would otherwise seem impossible, possible! Sometimes you even amaze yourself what you are capable of. Our biggest limitations tend to be between our ears! Believe in yourself, and good things happen.
Just remember, there is never a perfect time. If we keep waiting for that perfect time, we won’t get off of the couch. We won’t achieve our goals, and we won’t live our lives to the fullest that it could be. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Don’t wait for perfect weather. And…normally, I would say don’t wait until Jan 1 to make a start…start anytime, just keep it going. Since today is Jan 1…then this is a good day to start. Come on, what are you waiting for? We are not guaranteed tomorrow! Live today, achieve our goals, be happy, and be around to enjoy the things in life we find worthwhile! Just be safe as well!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3750
by kelsey | Dec 28, 2017 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Exercise, Food, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
As we approach the weekend and New Year, many of our conversations involve discussion of New Years resolutions….a common topic for the month of January. Personally, I don’t really like resolutions…I don’t think you need to wait for a certain time of the year to focus on your health! You can do that anytime! I also don’t really agree with the mentality we have of binging on everything over the holidays followed by a “starvation” period in January. What fun is that!! Usually those drastic changes don’t last and you are back to eating normally and once again stuck in that revolving door of overeating followed by guilt and then restriction…which then leads us back to overeating because we can’t stick with it! Instead, I like to focus on healthy living all year round!
Choosing a few small things to work on over time that will help you create new habits that you can stick with. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Eat balanced! Strive for well balanced meals and snacks that are nutrient rich and portioned. Make half your plate fruits and veggies, a quarter lean protein, and a quarter whole grains.
- Eat consistently-eat several small meals and snacks a day instead of one or two big meals. This will keep your metabolism going and prevent you from being starving which always leads to overeating.
- Start your day off right with breakfast- this will help get your metabolism going and provide adequate nutrients to fuel you through your day.
- Focus on health, not weight. We put so much focus on the number on the scale it can drive us half crazy! Instead focus on healthy habits such as getting more fruits and veggies, using smaller plates and portions sizes, engaging in regular activity, etc etc. The weight will come when you achieve healthy habits!
- Eat dinner as a family. Take time to visit and enjoy. This will slow down your eating process and allow you to think more mindfully about your hunger and fullness. Ask yourself: Should I stop now? Do I really need seconds? etc.
- Get active-strive to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week. If you can get up to 60 minutes, even better! Can’t do it all at once? That’s ok, research has shown that even 10 minutes at a time provides benefit so split it up between your day. We all have a million excuses to not exercise, so you need to throw out the excuse book and just put your mind to it! Start with 5-10 minutes and go from there. You will most likely find that you feel so much better after you exercise which makes doing it so much more enjoyable!
- Think positive- winter is a tough time for us…it’s dark, cold, and dreary. It can really wear us down at times, so instead focus on the positives. Positive thinking will help you be healthier instead and out!
- Get help from a qualified professional. If you need assistance with reaching your health goals, reach out for help! A Registered Dietitian (RD)/Licensed Nutrition (LN) like myself is your best source of reliable and credible food and nutrition information. Our next group wellness program STRIVE 2 Survive starts March 13th, but I can certainly work with you individually now!
Baby steps turn into big ones, so start slow and small and put more of a focus on health and wellness long term versus the quick fix! You CAN do this! Happy New Year!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
