by kelsey | Jan 21, 2015 | Motivation, Weather, Weight Management, Wellness/Health, Winter
January is a long and dreary month. It’s cold, wintery, dark, and feels like it lasts forever after the buzz and excitement of the holiday season in December. With less sunlight and cold temps, our time outdoors is limited and can make us have the “winter blues”. Last week, I was able to enjoy vacation with my family in Hawaii (the picture is of one of our Hawaiian sunsets we enjoyed!) and as I drove into work this morning on ice covered roads, I couldn’t help but imagine myself on the beach drinking a tasty fruit drink, and soaking up the sun like I was last week! The wintery weather can really bring our spirits down. Below are some tips to help you spark your spirit and stay motivated with working on your wellness goals.
- Get active! Activity produces natural endorphins that boost mood and it will aid in a healthy heart and weight. Try getting at least 30 minutes of activity in a day…if you can do more, the better. Vary your activities to decrease the chances of boredom.
- Eat Right: healthy eating will make you feel healthier inside and out. Aim to get at least 5 fruits and veggies a day, include whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats. Vitamin D has been proven to aid in seasonal affective disorder, so be sure to get your 3 servings of low fat milk or dairy products. If you aren’t a milk drinker you may consider taking a daily multivitamin with calcium and vitamin D or a vitamin D supplement. Please ask your dietitian, pharmacist, or doctor for the correct dosage.
- Spice up your life: Sometimes getting a new shirt, going to the movies, reading a new and exciting book, or getting new tunes on your ipod will help spice up your life and add some more excitement to your life.
- Get out! Plan a family/friend trip, bum around downtown Watertown, or plain just get out of the house! It’s easy to dwell in our sorrows by becoming a hermit and staying inside. We need to get out and get some socialization!
- Think Positive! Dwelling on the negatives can sure take a person down. Instead think about the positives in your life. Tell yourself one positive thing about yourself and your selfworth daily. Focus on the blessings in your life!
- If you feel you are suffering from the blues very seriously then I encourage you to contact your physician for further assistance as we can help you with this!
Spring and warmer temperatures will be coming. Stay positive, eat right, exercise, and get out…those winter blues will be gone before you know it!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Aug 24, 2014 | Equipment, Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
Today was the 30th Annual Lake Kampeska Hy-Vee mini triathon. It was originally scheduled for the second saturday in July, but we were stormed out for that day, and it was postponed to today. Weather started out great, but as the morning went on the wind picked up. We were done with the majority of it before it got too strong. Here is our bikes in the transition station…Sarah and I.
It is a broader view of the transition station, and the finish line. It started to get warm by the time we were getting done, but the weather overall was still very nice. And it was not raining! It was a good turnout again. We all start with a 1/4 mile swim, followed by a 14 mile bike ride around the lake, and then finish with a 5K run.
One of our memeber of the Watertown Area Run club, Jill, set out her things at the transtion station. Talk about organization! You want to have everything set and easily accessible so you can change shoes, and gear for each of the phases. The time for the finish is from the start to the finish line. There is no break in time for the transition stations. You want to move as fast as you can in between because the clock is still moving. Most of us can be proficient in 1 or 2 of the events, and have a weak event for the 3rd phase. My weak phase is the swim. Thank heaven for the Reiffenberger stroke in the swim…stand up and run like he…!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2522
by Dan | Jun 22, 2014 | Equipment, Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
It is officially Summer time! Get outside and enjoy the weather when it is nice. Here Zeus is taking Sarah for a walk. He is ready to go, holding the leash in his mouth. He starts out of the gates strong, but then starts to fade before too long.
He is still leading the pack, but we get about a 1/4 mile down the trail, and he has to rest, and looks at us thinking “you can carry me anytime now!” We just take a rest, then go off again. His stamina is increasing, just like all of us when we start out. We have to start slow, keep going, and then gradually keep increasing the time. Walking, running, biking…whatever! Just get out and move!
After our run this AM with the running club, I took off on my bike around the lake..15 miles. Great day for a ride.
There is a variety of activities to do, just take advantage of this time of year, and get out. Take your spouse, kids, significant other, friend, pets, other relatives…whoever! Motivate each other to keep going. Enjoy the weather while we can. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2459
by kelsey | May 27, 2014 | Exercise, Family, Weather, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Summer and the warm temps have finally arrived! Physical activity is critical for optimal health. Summertime brings many opportunities to get active with your kids, spouse, or on your own; there’s never an excuse for inactivity! Below are some activity ideas for you and your family.
- Swimming lessons or sports clubs like tennis are a great way for kids to get regular, scheduled physical activity.
- Take a walk through the park! We have an awesome bike trails that will keep you off the couch.
- Most yard work is great exercise that will burn tons of calories. Try using a push mower over a riding one for exercise!
- Are you competitive? Join a softball team or go golfing. If it’s rainy outside, bowling is also a fun activity for indoors.
- Sign up for a 5k race! If running isn’t your thing, you can always grab a friend and walk together. The picture above is of a few of the Brown Clinic folks after the Hospital Hill Run last year. This years Hospital Hill run is June 14th. Get signed up!
- If you don’t belong to a gym, try exercise videos at home when the weather is acting up.
- Work your muscles if you’re on the lake or river! Waterskiing and tubing are great workouts.
Throw the excuse jar away and take advantage of the nice weather and get active!
-Written by Lara Cafruny, SDSU Dietetic Student
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by Dan | May 4, 2014 | Exercise, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
A few of us braved the weather…rain, sleet, snow to meet for the beginning of the Watertown Area Running Club. I will admit, it was not the funnest run, but, it was definitely funner in a group. I would have run inside today, or changed workouts if I were to do it on my own. We did 4 miles as a group, then Sarah wanted to do a couple more, so I went with her. We wre already wet!
As this poster from Runner’s World sums it up, from legendary coach Bill Bowerman: There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people. Today would have been one of those on my own. Thanks to Sarah, Steve, and Jackie for braving the elements with me today. Hopefully going forward we will have some better weather, and funner runs. Here is to the future. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2410
by Dan | Apr 12, 2014 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
With everything that has gone on for our family these last few weeks it was nice to have some good news for a change. My daughter Megan goes to school at George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia, just outside of Washington DC. She has been having health problems this last month, and had to undergo a bunch of tests recently. Sarah flew out there this week to be with her through it, and we got great news that at least nothing serious, and will be fine! What a relief! We can worry about ourselves, and all the things we have to do, but when it comes to our kids, everything comes to a halt! Sarah and Megan are spending today in DC at the Cherry Blossom festival. They have sent me a few pictures. What a view!
Here Megan is with all the cherry blossoms in the background. A great view in more ways than one! Appreciate every day we have, and especially appreciate our health, as we don’t know when things may change. Keep working on what we as individuals can do to help maintain our own health, and keep working on our diet, and staying active. There is no pricetag on our health! As I have been saying a lot lately, somebody out there would care if we were not here! Enjoy the Spring coming. Be outside. Enjoy all the views. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2388
