2012 Weekly Challenge #35: Make a date for fitness!

This week's challenge is all about setting yourself up for success, and making yourself and your fitness a priority.

If you ask an average woman on the street why she doesn't exercise regularly, odds are the answer will be "I don't have time." And the truth is, there isn't a single one of us who has enough time to do everything that needs doing.

Most of the important "to do's" in our lives are scheduled in advance. Dentist? Doctor? Hair cut? Lunch with a friend? Send a card for Aunt Dianna's birthday? Just about all of these things get planned in advance - written on a calendar, note, list, etc. Something as important as your own health deserves at least equal attention!!

Let's be honest: We all know that exercise isn't ALWAYS fun (although it usually is). But neither is brushing your teeth, and you still make sure you do that on a regular basis, right?

This week, schedule an appointment for fitness. Sit down with your calendar (or favorite tech gadget) and set the date and time for your workouts. When will you exercise? Where? What specifically are you going to do? Record it all wherever you keep track of all your other appointments. And then...

KEEP THE APPOINTMENT. You wouldn't stand up your doctor, boss or best friend would you? Give yourself the same courtesy and respect.

By Sunday night at 7pm, have your schedule set. For a little extra accountability, let your coach know what your schedule is, and email her after each of your appointments.

Now go get your calendar and plan for a great week - your body will love you for it!

2012 Weekly Challenge #34: You with YOU

This week's post comes from a friend of Lorri Ann's, who talks about the most important relationship in our lives...

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You with You from Cheryl Richardson:

Last night, while having a small dinner party, I listened in on a conversation between my dear friends, Nancy and Max, as they discussed the joys of living alone.

Max has lived by herself for over twenty years and when Nancy asked how it felt to be alone for so long, Max replied, "I'm not alone, I'm in a relationship with myself." As Nancy and I smiled at her answer, Max added, "some people see the word alone as meaning 'all by myself,' but I see it differently. To me, the word alone means, 'all one.' I'm in a relationship with myself and all that exists in the Universe."

What a beautiful perspective. If more of us remembered that we are, first and foremost, in a relationship with ourselves, we'd make it a priority to practice better self-care. We'd engage in those simple, meaningful activities that create memorable moments - the kind of moments that leave us wondering "why don't I do this more often."

This week, stop wondering and start doing. Here are a few ideas to get you started...

Take yourself out on a fun date - go to a movie on your own, enjoy a spontaneous afternoon foot massage, or go to a driving range and hit a bucket of balls.

Give yourself a treat like using linen spray or essential oils on your sheets before going to bed.

Go have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with a good book or your journal instead of with a friend or your computer or phone.

Take a walk or go for a run in a place you've never been before.

Lie at the beach or on the grass and simply listen to the waves, the wind in the trees, or watch the clouds float by in the sky.

Create a few moments for yourself this week!
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This week's challenge: At least twice this week (and hopefully more!) create some time for yourself, and foster your relationship with YOU.

2012 Weekly Challenge #33: Get (and STAY) Hydrated

Yes, I'm going to sound like a broken record here. But really, there are few things as important to your health as WATER. Its simple, doesn't take any time, and its even FREE. And yet so many don't drink enough water to keep their body hydrated and performing at its best.

Here is a reminder about WHY water is so important:

Other than the fact that water tastes refreshing and clean, there are so many other benefits of drinking 80 ounces or more of water every day. Here are just a few…
•Being hydrated reduces/eliminates headaches
•Being hydrated fights fatigue/give you energy
•Drinking water is an appetite suppressant (most of the time that you think you are hungry, you are actually thirsty)
•Water helps kidney functioning properly
•Water helps Liver metabolize and flush out fat and toxins
•Burn 30% more calories when hydrated
•Being hydrated will give you beautiful skin and hair
•Your body is over 80% water (need I say more)

But wait, there’s more! Drinking water at the correct time maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body as well:
•2 glasses of water after waking up; helps activate internal organs
•1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal; helps digestion
•1 glass of water before taking a bath; helps lower blood pressure
•1 glass of water before going to bed; avoids stroke or heart attack

Convinced yet? I hope so!!

Your challenge this week: Drink 80-100 ounces of water every single day. Get 40 of those ounces in by noon.

Get hydrated and stay hydrated - your body will love you for it!

August Recipe- Keeping Cool Cook-Free Recipes

We are in the middle of a heat wave.  Keeping hydrated and staying cool is always important and this month I wanted to share a couple of recipes to keep you cool and keep you fed without having to generate extra heat in the kitchen.
Lori Ann was recently on KCRA My 58 in the morning and she shared a delicious recipe for Cucumber Boats.  It's a dish that is packed with nutrition, but low in calories.  Beans, corn and shrimp that provide fiber and protein, sweet and delicious mango with vitamins A and C, avocado which also has vitamin C as well as healthy Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  It's pulled together with lime juice, cilantro, onion and jalapeno pepper, then you put that as a filling in a cucumber boat; cool and refreshing.

I also wanted to share a recipe of my own that it's very similar and versatile in how you can eat it.  Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salsa.  It's great to bring to a party serve at a barbecue, but be warned- it will disappear in minutes!  Serve it with whole wheat pita or baked tortilla chips.  Make some for yourself as a healthy and filling snack, you can actually make it ahead of time and just add avocado when you are ready to eat it.  Use it in a salad or top your tacos with it.  This is a great recipe for using delicious local corn and all those garden tomatoes you find yourself needing to use.

Enjoy these finals weeks of summer, keep cool, give these recipes a try and see you at Boot Camp!

2012 Weekly Challenge #32: Try Something NEW!

As the summer comes to an end, I have been finding myself in a rut. I am doing the same things on the same days week after week after week and it feels like Groundhog Day. Nothing feels new or fresh? Am I alone? Or do some of you feel the same way too?

This week's challenge is about breaking out of the rut, monotony, doldrums or whatever you want to call it...Trying something new might lead to a fun new hobby, a healthy new habit or even new friends or adventures.

Your challenge: Try something NEW! Try a new workout class, a new recipe, a new activity, a new book, etc. Change things up a little bit, and enjoy!

2012 Weekly Challenge #31: I'll Have a Side of Butt/Thigh with that, please!

This week is all about adding a little bit of butt and thigh work to your regular workout. All it takes is 5 to 10 minutes a day to get even more Bootie-licious than you already are!

Here's the workout:
Butt Bumps
Lunges
Butt Blasters
Leg Lifts

Your challege: Do 4 sets of these moves, with 20 repetitions of each, every day this week.

Order up a set of butt and thighs with your regular workout this week. Your body (and your BOOTIE) will love you for it!