by Dan | Dec 24, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
It was a great run this AM…not because of the temperature. It was cold outside, with a wind-chill below zero. It was great because of who I was running with. We had our weekly Watertown Area Run Club, and Sarah and I were running with our friends! Our running family. None of our group runs are really about running, but it is about spending time with people you care about, and who also happen to like running. Going out this AM by myself was probably not going to happen otherwise. As soon as I saw the temperature, a 1000 different excuses started going through my head to come up with something else to do for exercise other than running outside. But, my running family was going to be there…so you get up, put more warm stuff on, and get out the door.
It was our second annual Christmas run…and we were all decked out in our Christmas gear. Even Santa Claus was there in full garb! That also made it fun. We were quite the force going down the road. The only problem was we started at 6 AM, so there were not many cars, or people, out yet at that time. Several cars honked, and even rolled down the window to say Merry Christmas! That also kept us motivated to be out there.
We all posed in our Christmas garb in front of Makepeace jewelers. All smiling, laughing, then running…just spending time together. I had to go on a longer run yet today, and was not too eager to run on my own another 5 miles in this cold, and would have easily just headed to the car and left. Amanda decided she was going to run 10 miles too, and she was dressed as Mrs. Claus. We probably looked liked quite the sight running down highway 81. We kept each other going! Thanks Amanda! It made the cold tolerable! Now we both can enjoy the rest of the Christmas holiday!
Here are the rest of many of our run club members who could not be here this AM…but we were thinking about them this AM.
Merry Christmas to all my running friends…my running family, as well as to the rest of my family! Merry Christmas to all of you as well…take care of yourself. Get out and keep moving…be around longer to spend more time with your family as well. Strive to survive! All of this activity is part of this running Doc’s life…make it a part of your life as well! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3742
by kelsey | Dec 20, 2017 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Family, Food, Holidays, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Since this will be my last post for this week, I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! I am thankful for a wonderful job and the opportunity to get to work with you! I am looking forward to a fun-filled next few days with family and my cute little elf pictured above! My family, just like many of you, always has a spread of food at gatherings and every time we ask ourselves why do we over-prepare every time! I think it’s bred into us that we can never run out of food and it’s better to have more than not enough. I am human and will enjoy a few cookies, caramels, and sweets, however I will be practicing what I preach for the most part.
Here are some basic tips to help you get through the holiday eating without gaining a bunch of weight!
*Get your exercise in–schedule a time in the day to get your activity done. You will feel better afterwards and not guilty for indulging in a treat here and there.
*Bring a healthy dish to share. There will be plenty of un-healthy items to enjoy that it’s nice to have the option of healthy food…especially when the mindless eating happens.
*Speaking of that mindless eating…that is another thing to practice: pay attention to how hungry and how full you are. This can help you decide when and how much to eat, rather than just grazing and not realizing how much I am taking in.
*And most of all, stop and smell the roses (for lack of a better phrase)! Christmas is a time to reflect on the real meaning and fully enjoy why we celebrate it. Take time to visit and engage with your loved ones. The food will always be there and there are no rules that say you have to clean your plate…instead use the extra food for leftovers and spread the enjoyment of the food into a few days rather than eating it in one sitting.
I wish you all a very blessed Christmas!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Dec 17, 2017 | Etc.
There is nothing like reaching your goals you set for yourself! But, nobody gets there on their own. We all have help, whether working out beside us, or if our family members, they may be taking over more responsibilities at home to allow you the time to do this. Be sure to thank those people for what they do for you. I have said numerous times that Sarah has been my main training partner. Yesterday was another example. We are planning on running at Disney in the next few weeks. We will be running the half marathon with our twin daughters, one running with each of us. Then, I am also doing the marathon the next day. I had my last long run in yesterday getting ready for this—20 miles. The weather was great. I did the first 5 miles, and the last 5 miles on my own, and then Sarah ran the other 10 miles with me. Overall, it is the difference of being able to accomplish this or not. Whether we are running 20 miles, or 2 blocks, it does not matter. If we have someone out there helping to push us, or motivate us, it is so much easier to accomplish. And, not to mention, that much more enjoyable. That is the benefit of our run club as well. We all run 4 miles together every Sunday morning. We run to see how everyone is doing, not to just run. It can be the highlight of the week!
We are there for each other, supporting each, motivating each other! Running friends who are like family. We may run together as a group, but there are always some individuals who do even more for you.
I refer to this picture as the three stooges! Steve and Tom always make for a good conversation on the run. Speed is not the objective. It is about friends working out, together, and having a lot of “fish stories”, even the ones that got away, or the tall tales!
Sarah and my daughter Molly ran with a bunch of the other “girls” from our run club for a “Tree Skirt Run” in SF last month. They all got to deck out in their Christmas garb, and have fun running a 5k run. They had a ball!
So what are you waiting for? Most of the time it tends to just be another excuse for not doing exercise. It won’t ever change it you don’t make an attempt. But, when you have others to support you, it is so much easier, not to mention so much more fun! Rely on those people. They need your support as much as you need theirs! Help each other. That is what it is all about! Life can be challenging enough, don’t make it harder than it has to be. When you are offered help, take it! It makes those individuals giving the help feel better too! Here are some pictures or our run club getting ready to take off…to take off and have fun!
Cheer for each other…be there for each other. There are days when we all need some help. Everybody! Our lives can depend on it! Nobody said doing exercise was easy…but you can make it easier. We all need some help in achieving our goals. Cheer each other!
What are you waiting for? Don’t make another excuse. The next year is coming upon us soon. You still have a few more weeks to plan on how you are going to go at this. There is no time like now…we don’t know everything about our future, so don’t keep putting it off. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3735
by kelsey | Dec 13, 2017 | Diet, Etc., Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Everyone’s eating habits are a little different from each other’s. The differences are usually dependent on our daily schedules, routines, choices, preferences, culture, etc. Many factors play into our eating habits. Alot of us use food for other purposes than nourishing our body–could be a stress reliever, emotional purpose, enjoyment, etc. Typically these other reasons play into what and how much we are eating. Emotional eating can lead to obesity and disease so finding that balance and making healthy choices is especially important for success long term with wellness. Mindful or intuitive eating is a concept dietitian Ellyn Satter has explored greatly. She has some basics tips about this type of eating below and I wanted to share this with you as it really gives some food for thought as we examine our eating habits.
What is Normal Eating?
•Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied.
•Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.
•It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.
•Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.
•Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life
For more information visit Ellyn’s site at : http://www.ellynsatter.com
As you work to improve your diet and choices think about these concepts and work at incorporating them into your eating habits and thought process! Mindful eating is an excellent concept and promotes life long healthy eating habits.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Dec 12, 2017 | Etc.
The holidays are a fun and enjoyable time, but they can also be stressful and emotional. We also have the least amount of sunlight right now so that plays a role with our mood as well. It seems like a lot of people I have visited with lately are suffering from the holiday/winter blues. When you’re feeling the blues, it can really get you down in the dumps which can result in overeating, less activity, and depression. I personally feel I suffer from a little bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)but I have found there are a few things that spark my spirit so I hope they can help you as well!
Tips for Overcoming the Holiday/Winter Blues
•Get active! Activity produces natural endorphins that boost mood. I was exercising already, but to help ward off the winter blues, I have increased the amount of exercise and added some strength training to my routine. Try getting at least 30 minutes of activity in a day…if you can do more, the better.
•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 SAD 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 to somewhere close or even tropical, 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 and the upcoming holidays. 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!
Stay positive, eat right, exercise, and get out…those holiday/winter blues will be gone before you know it!
-Kelsey
