We all know the game of rewarding ourselves with a treat for doing our exercising. Maybe you say: For an hour of fast waking I get to have a half scoop of ice cream. Or I can have one of those donuts at the office that Betty brings in every Friday if I workout on my Cross-Trainer three times this week. I even have a friend who pays herself, sets aside two bucks for every hour she spends on her fitness program, then buys herself a treat at the end of the month. It makes sense to reward yourself if that helps you get it done, but maybe not sense to reward yourself with food. And in the case of my friend, well she would end up spending that money on herself anyway.

So here’s a flip on the idea: if rewarding yourself makes you want to do your exercise more often because it gives you that bit of motivation, how about upping the ante, making it worth something so special that you really want to make sure you do it. How about making yourself feel better, and someone else feel a whole lot better. What if my friend, instead of paying herself, were to give that money to a really great non-profit organization? What if, every time I do my hour workout I put a buck or two into a jar and then at the end of the month, or two months, donate it to some very worthy cause.

I’m going to suggest two, so you get my point.

The International Campaign to Ban Land Mines is a wonderful organization. To quote their webpage: By giving to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) you can be part of the Nobel Peace Prizewinning global movement to bring a full stop to the devastating damage landmines continue to cause all over the world. Antipersonnel landmines claim victims in every corner of the globe each day. Lying in wait for their victims, they do not discriminate between the footfall of a soldier or that of a child, and remain a threat long after conflict ends.

Now, my words again. The International Campaign to Ban Land Mines help to build prosthetics for people who have lost limbs, such as children who can’t walk because they’re missing a foot. Wouldn’t it make you feel good to be helping a child who lost a foot to a landmine? Don’t for a minute think that this doesn’t happen anymore. Go to their webpage. It’s frightening, yes, but important.

Another great organization is Heifer International. They donate farm animals to people in third world countries, and teach them how to raise the animals. Heifer International was voted #12 in Global Journal’s Top 100 NGOs. An NGO stands for Global Nongovernmental Organizations.

I know this is kind of a heavy post for an exercise blog, but I was just blogging last week about how we need to keep our promises to ourselves. Think how much more weight that promise would have if you take a pledge to put a buck or two into a jar each time you exercise, and then donate it to some worthy cause, whatever your cause may be. As you pedal that bike, walk that treadmill, push yourself to a sweat on the Cross-trainer, you can be thinking about what a good thing you are doing for yourself and someone who could so use your help.

Thanks for letting me go on here. I’m passionate about it, and it shows, I guess. Passion can get you to do almost anything. I’m off to do my half hour on the upright bike, then lift light weights.

We need to treat our promises to ourselves with the same integrity. It builds character. And you’ll feel good about yourself—not only for doing the thing you said you would (exercise, eat healthier, walk instead of drive, whatever), but it will also make you feel good that you’ve held true to a promise. And feeling good about yourself makes you a happier person, someone with bounce in your step, someone who holds their head held high, their back straight. Keeping that promise to yourself will make you feel better, and look better.

So get on that bike, that treadmill, that stairmaster. Get that workout, and give yourself a good pat on the back—your straight back. And smile. Smiles are good for all of us. Right?

I’ve begun to notice a pattern in my friends who exercise the most. They shower in the evening, not in the morning. I’ve always taken my shower or bath in the morning—it simply made the best sense to me. But I will admit there are days I don’t exercise because I don’t want to bother taking that second shower. A few times I’ve skipped my fast-walking in the evening even if it’s a nice night out—or I’ve strolled instead of fast-walking, careful not to break a sweat. It sounds like a small thing, but I’m just passing it on: The people I know who remain the most active through the day happen to be those who shower before they go to bed.

Think about it: What one small change can you make that will keep you more active?

So, yes, I really do love exercising at home on my stationary bike rather than having to pack up water, Ipod, gym Id, etc, slog through the snow, drive a few miles, slog through the snow, and go into a humid gym where the bikes and other equipment sweats other people’s sweat. I really do use the bike more often because of the easier access.

But, I can’t say that I’m all that fond of the bike’s seat. Wasn’t fond of it at the gym, either, which was one reason I preferred the recumbent, but my husband won out on the upright, and that’s a whole different story.

The seat is too hard, even though it has gel padding. I tried to find an extra seat cover for it, but no luck. But a little ingenuity, and I’m feeling fine.

What I did was drive to the upholstery store which isn’t far from home. (Closer than the gym, in fact.) I bought a 2” piece of foam, 14” by 14”. At home I placed it on the seat and from below the seat I traced the shape of the seat with a black magic marker.

Now, here’s the learning curve that I’m passing on. Don’t try to cut 2” foam with scissors. It ain’t easy. My hand cramped up long before I was done. Then I switched to a serrated knife and cut right through it! Who knew? Well, now I do. And I have a very comfortable seat cover I can plop right on before I sit down. The foam doesn’t slip. My butt doesn’t hurt. Good, huh?

So, just in case your exercise bike is becoming a storage place for coats because you don’t like sitting on it so much, try this piece of advice, and get that heart rate back up!

I’m learning to change my ways. Like getting the exercise bike, not wearing slippers in the house. It’s time to understanding that at some point old age will be a pain in the butt—literally, and in the bones. I worry that just walking up the stairs could be painful if I don’t get my act together now. So I look for ways to up the ante, to add a little bounce to my step.

I have to clean house every week. Someone’s got to do it, right? And for years I’ve put on my favorite albums when I cleaned. Linda Rhonstadt’s Lush Life. Anything by Eva Casiddy (have you heard Song Bird???) Sometimes Vavaldi’s Four Seasons. Maybe you already get where I’m going with this. I like female singers with slow sad songs, or classical. But the other day my husband put on Bruce Springsteen and I forgot it was in there, and boy, did I get some cleaning done. I even added a few dance steps in-between the vacuuming and the mopping.

And I kept cleaning until the music stopped.

I looked on-line for calories burned and dancing. You know, they have all those sites now that can tell you how many calories you burn doing almost anything, from brushing your teeth to running a marathon. Anyway, slow dancing burned around 80 calories a half hour. Faster dancing burned about 145. So no more Vavaldi for a while.

Sure, I’m going to miss my slippers and slow music, and there’s a time and place for everything, but do remember that as we get older, we tend to like the music a little more quiet, a little softer, maybe. My son always says, “If the music’s too loud, you’re too old,” and maybe he’s got a point. I’m not saying that you need to blast Rap music so loudly that the neighbors complain, but just remember what it felt like to dance around the house with a mop. Don’t give that up. It’s good for your health, and your heart.

Scientific data shows the drastic effects that unhealthy food has on the human body and mind, but this is not rocket science ladies and gentleman. At the end of the day, all it takes is an understanding of elementary mathematics to understand this alarming statistic; 1 out of every 3 adults in the USA are obese. On top of that gross and alarming figure, 17% of children is this country are obese as well! The past 20 years has seen a great increase in obesity rates across the country and unfortunately, that trend is not expected to turn around in the near future. Our diets are filled with drinks laced with high fructose corn syrup, snacks packed with sodium, fast food made from heavy amounts of saturated fat, trans fat and all sorts of other unhealthy ingredients that significantly contribute to the fattening of the American people.

Be your own scientist and study the physics, chemistry and engineering of the food substances that you consume. Basic knowledge of the packaging, processing and origin of what you eat can go a long ways towards the optimization of your diet and meal plans. Get yourself acquainted with the “nutrition facts” labels on the back of your food, as has been required since 1993. The most important food nutrition labels are calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fiber, protein, sodium, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Nutrients & Their Natural Sources

1.) Calcium – Adequate calcium consumption for children and adolescents is important for them and their development of strong and healthy bones. Calcium deficient diets are presumed to increase ones likelihood of developing muscle spasms, rickets, and osteoporosis. There are a variety of foods that contain natural sources of calcium and those foods include milk, cheeses, oats, figs, collard greens, tofu, soybeans, calcium-fortified orange juice, canned salmon, sardines with bones, sesame seeds, whey, yogurt, asparagus, kale, mustard greens, whey, broccoli and carob. Calcium is best absorbed by the body when consumed with vitamins A, C, D & F, boron, essential fatty acids, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, folic acid, lysine, and zinc.

2.) Chromium – Natural sources of chromium are eggs, beer, wine, whole grains, dried beans, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, dairy products, mushrooms, corn oil, corn, calves liver, chicken, grape juice and ham. There are no foods that when taken with chromium, optimize the effects that chromium has on the body.

3.) Folic Acid – A water soluble B vitamin that must be consumer regularly and a lack of proper folic acid consumption will result in deficiency symptoms that include sleep disturbances, anemia, irritability and weakness.Food containing considerable amounts of folic acid include pinto beans, navy beans, green leafy vegetables, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, beef, bran, barley, dates, brussels sprouts, brewer’s yeast, oranges, mushrooms, split peas, milk, liver, lentils, tuna and chicken.

4.) Iron – Iron is an essential mineral that flies under our mental radar and many humans know little about this important drug. Almost 70 out of every 100 people do not consume a sufficient amount of iron on a daily basis. Deficiency symptoms include coarse hair, hair loss, cracked lips, nervousness, slow response time, anemia and dizziness. Examples of iron rich foods are baked potatoes, fish, eggs, iron-fortified cereal, whole grains, nuts, avocados, lentils, peaches, pears, brewer’s yeast, soybeans, green leafy vegetables, prunes, raisins, dates, sesame sees, clams, beef and pumpkin seeds.

5.) Magnesium – Healthy, balanced diets consume a sufficient amount of magnesium through apples, apricots, grapefruit, lemons, cantaloupes, avocados, green leafy vegetables, nuts, salmon, sesame seeds, tofu, figs, dairy products, spinach, lima beans, navy beans, brown rice, broccoli, haddock and brewer’s yeast (it seem like Brewer’s Yeast is packed with a powerful punch of a ton of essential nutrients!!!!!) Potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B6, vitamin C & vitamin D are good enhancers for magnesium. Magnesium is helpful for the prevention of heart disease and it has been said that it can help to naturally lower blood pressure.

6.) Manganese – Best if taken with calcium, iron, Vitamin B complex and Vitamin E, Manganese can be found in some of some of our favorite foods such as apples, bananas, peaches, tea, whole grain seeds, figs, salmon, dairy products, tofu, soybeans, green leafy vegetables canned pineapple juice, cocoa and of course, brewer’s yeast.

7.) Phosphorus – Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in the body. These two minerals compliment one another and are significant towards the development of healthy teeth and bones. Halibut, highly carbonated beverages, salmon, skim milk, legumes, extra lean ground beef, corn, pumpkin, eggs, dairy products, nuts, dried fruits, chicken, broccoli, non-fat yogurt and asparagus are all good sources of phosphorus.

8.) Potassium – Do you remember your mother always telling you to eat bananas because your body needs potassium? Of course you do, we all remember that…and well it turns out that it’s true! Your mom lied about Santa and the tooth fairy but she was certainly not in fantasy land when she told you how important potassium is to your health. The stone cold truth of the matter is that if you do not consume a sufficient amount of potassium on a regular basis, there are deficiency symptoms one would like to avoid. Examples of deficiency symptoms resulting in a lack of potassium intake include thirst, diarrhea, acne, dry skin, edema, muscle spasms, sub-par cognitive functioning, growth retardation, impaired reflex response, arrhythmia , elevated cholesterol and insomnia! Maintain healthy levels of potassium through regular consumption great tasting food such as dried apricots, baked potatoes and bananas.

9.) Vitamin A – Healthy amounts of Vitamin A can be found in carrots, carrot juice, eggs, tuna, pumpkins, cantaloupe, mangoes, beet greens spinach and butternut squash. Foods that will enhance your intake of vitamin A include zinc, fatty acids, choline and vitamins C, D & E. Vitamin A helps with our vision, hearing abilities, skin and risk of cataracts.

10.) Vitamin B1 – Not consuming a sufficient amount of Vitamin B1 on a regular basis can result in nausea, vomiting, fatigue, appetite and weight loss and muscle weakness. Healthy doses of Vitamin B1 can be found in oranges, pork, rice bran, beans, fresh peas, ham, cereal, breads and beef.

11.) Vitamin B2 – Here are some healthy foods for you! – broccoli, spinach, asparagus, fortified grains and cereals, fish, poultry and yogurt are all great foods with significant natural sources of Vitamin B2. People deficient in B2 frequently show mild signs of chapped lips in the corners of their mouths, hair loss, inability to sleep, red eyes and sensitivity to light. Make sure you are consuming enough B2 each day and do not neglect broccoli and spinach just because they do not taste like heaven.

12.) Vitamin B3 - Vitamin B3 can be found in many of our favorite foods. Delicious chicken breast, juicy pork, diced tomatoes, baked potatoes, eggs, cereals, peanuts, fish, milk, cheese, tuna, veal and brewer’s yeast are all good for containment of natural Vitamin B3 sources. Not enough Vitamin B3 can result in mild canker sores, fatigue, halitosis (dog breath…oh no!!!), diarrhea and indigestion.

13.) Vitamin B12 - Organic sources of B12 can be found in lean beef, tuna, delicious king crab, herring, clams, ham, some peoples favorite….cooked oysters, salmon, blue & gorgonzola cheese. Deficiency symptoms include chronic fatigue, indigestion, constipation, depression, mood swings, mood disorders and headaches. Consuming a healthy amount of B12 on a regular basis should be easy due to its wide variety of great tasting food sources!

14.) Vitamin C - Maybe the most famous of any vitamin, Vitamin C is well known for its phenomenal anti-oxidant abilities. Vitamin C is everywhere around us – in all forms. Your co-worker most likely has Vitamin C tablets in their desk storage and your Orange juice that you had for breakfast has powerful natural sources of Vitamin C too.

Guidelines for a Healthy & Balanced Diet

1.) Eat 6oz of grains every day, including 3oz. of whole grains.
2.) Consume at least 2.5 cups of vegetables daily. Try and eat a wide variety of veggies as they are a great source of fiber.
3.) Replenishing your body with the right amount of food is necessary for those seeking a healthy and balanced diet. Become fascinated with fruit and eat a minimum of 2 cups of fruit per 24 hours.
4.) Calcium is can be very important for bone development and maintaining strength, therefore it is of great importance that you maintain a diet involving calcium rich foods, such as milk. Consume 2-3 cups a day of milk.
5.) Balanced diets should all include rich sources of protein. Protein in beneficial for us in so many ways. Try and consume 5-6oz. of lean protein every day.

Basic Facts About Fat

1.) 1 Pound of fat is 3,500 calories.
2.) Just because a food is labeled “fat free” does not necessarily mean that it has no fat.
3.) Fats insulate us, absorb shock and are present in all of our cells.
4.) Fats are beneficial for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins.
5.) Body fats can store unabsorbed drugs that have been taken years ago.
6.) Oils are primarily unsaturated fats while animal fat is mostly saturated.

The Chemical Composition of Fat

1.) Fat is created with the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
2.) Although fats are known as lipids, while fat is a lipid, a lipid can be any sort of fatty molecule such as oils, triglycerides and phospholipids, just to name a few.
3.) Cholesterol is a sterol and is created naturally within our body. Additional cholesterol is consumed through eating animal products. There is no cholesterol in plants.
4.) High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is one of the 5 major groups of lipoproteins and is uniformly referred to as the “good” cholesterol.
5.) Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is one of the 5 major groups of lipoproteins and is known as the “bad” cholesterol.

Fatty Acids

1.) Fatty acids are classified according to chain length of carbon atoms; short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) have approximately 2-6 carbons; medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) have approximately 6-10 carbons; and long chain fatty acids have greater than 10 carbons.
2.) Medium-chain fatty acids are 6-10 carbon atoms long.
3.) Long-chain fatty acids are 12-28 carbon atoms long.
4.) Degrees of saturation separate the different types of fatty acids.
5.) Fatty Acids are susceptible to oxidative rancidity, which through the process knows as an oxidative reaction, food becomes spolied.
6.) Three fatty acids and a single glycerol molecule make up a triglyceride.
7.) A triglyceride is the simplest form of a lipid.
8.) Technically, “Tri” means that there are 3 fatty acids and “Glyceride” means that a glycerol molecule is attached.
9.) A Mono-glyceride has 1 fatty acid and a di-glyceride has two.

Saturation

1.) Saturation is the type and degree of chemical bonding within the fat molecule.
2.) The 3 categories of fats are saturated, monosaturated and polysaturated.
3.) Contrary to popular belief, consuming all three of these facts can be part of a healthy diet, as long as consumption is moderate.

Saturated Fat

1.) Saturated fat is harder for the human body to oxidize.
2.) If not consumed in moderation, saturated fatty acids have been proven to lead to an increased risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis and some forms of cancer.
3.) Butter and beef are foods with high levels of saturated fats.
4.) Saturated fat is composed of one fatty acid or a combination of fatty acids which have single bonds around each carbon.

Monounsaturated Fat

1.) Olive oil and canola oil are examples of monounsaturated fat that we eat.
2.) Many of the body’s membrane phospholipids are monosaturated.
3.) Phospholipids and cholesterol make up the cell membranes of monounsaturated fat.

Polyunsaturated Fat

1.) Polyunsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature.
2.) Due to its containment of many double bonds, polyunsaturated fat is susceptible to oxidative rancidity.
3.) Omega-3 fatty acids are highly unsaturated.
4.) Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may decrease the risk of heart disease and some cancers.
5.) Polyunsaturated fatty acids include linoleic, linolenic and omega-3 fatty acids.

Hydrogenation

1.) The process of hydrogenation results in trans fatty acids being formed. Margarine was invented using this technique.
2.) Double bonds are broken and hydrogen is added, causing a trans-configuration which increases the melting point.
3.) Heavy consumption of trans fatty acids is proven to increases ones likelihood of developing heart disease.

Cholesterol

1.) Our body’s produce cholesterol for its necessities. We consume cholesterol when we eat animal products. There is no cholesterol in plants.

There’s nothing better than coming home from work and kicking off the shoes, putting on the slippers, right? Or having a whole day at home, never having to put on shoes at all. Those slippers so soft. Isn’t that the best feeling?

But don’t do that. Leave those slippers under the bed. Maybe slip them on for the last half hour, while you’re in your pajamas or whatever you wear to bed. Because you relax too much with those slippers on. If you have to take off uncomfortable shoes when you get home, or, god forbid, high heels, put on your walking shoes, your tennis shoes, something that tells your body that you’re still awake, ready for anything.

Let’s say that you notice a strange bird outside, down the street. Go out in your slippers to take a look? Probably not. In your shoes, yes. Same thing with going outside to say hi to a neighbor. Or even sitting still for too long. Slippers let you sit still longer. Shoes say, get up.

I was surprised to learn this for myself. A few days ago I simply forgot to take off my shoes. I stood up straighter, and found that I had more energy later in the day than I usually did. I did my inside chores with a skip to my step. Only when it was time for bed did I realize what happened. I’d forgotten to put on my slippers.

I’m getting older, and my mind is a little slower. Sometimes that’s not such a good thing. Other times, well, I learn a new lesson. Like this one.

I kept my shoes on the next day. Same thing. More energy. And I didn’t have to take off my slippers when I got on my upright bike. I was ready, and had more get-up-and go. And today, Sunday, I put on my shoes first thing in the morning, not my slippers. What a miracle! I feel more energetic, more alive.

Part of my new found energy probably has to do with the fact that we’ve had the exercise bike now, smack dab in the living room, for almost a month. But I’m telling you, the new no-slippers-until-just-before-bed routine is absolutely helping. Try it.

Fitness experts say we need a routine. Buying the bike wasn’t good enough if I tell myself that I’ll get to it tomorrow. Tomorrow always sounds like a good idea, and easier than doing it today. The problem with exercise is that if you put it off, it gets harder.

We went on vacation for a week between Christmas and New Years, to a farmhouse in the woods. The weather was supposed to be snowy and perfect for hikes. Instead it was cold, wet and dreary, and we stayed inside, in front of a cast iron stove, reading. Delightful, but now, one week later, my legs feel weak. I missed that bike.

So while I was away, I wrote up an exercise plan. For an entire month. Day by day. I put the times down in my book the same way I’d jot down my hours at work, so I wouldn’t plan on other things. It took a while to figure this all out–what days it would be best to fit in my workout before I headed to my job, what days it would be best to work out after I got home. What days I would ride the bike, what days I would do weight training, which I need to do for my bones. I even figured out how many calories I wanted to burn per week. I put the list on the fridge. I know this isn’t a new idea—putting this kind of list on a fridge so you have to look at it often, but it was new to me. I have to begin here. Maybe you’re already past this, have a routine, a map, a plan, something specific, placed somewhere you can’t miss it, and if so, good for you. And, now, good for me.

Usually I pedal for a half hour, four days a week, burning a few hundred calories each time. These days, I’ve added five minutes to my routine, and an extra day. I should be adding a few minutes every week to my routine anyway, but to be honest, I just haven’t had the time to do that during the last month, with all the extra hours I’ve had to work. (Retail, remember?) But it’s necessary now, and I’ve stuck to the plan. I may still gain a pound over this month, but not two or three.

And choices need to be made. If I’m going to eat the pie, then I won’t have the roll with butter. Or I can put a little less of everything on the plate. Sometimes I need the satisfaction of eating a bit of everything. Moderation is the key. And pushing myself to get on the bike, even when it would be so easy to sit on the plush couch and read the new Stephen King book I got for a present.

But here’s something it took me too long to realize, so I’m passing it on. On the upright exercise bike monitor-at least on mine—there is a ledge. It holds a book and it’s not hard to read and bike. The Stephen King is too thick—he always writes such big, heavy books—but most of my other books fit on this ledge just fine. I’m not going to pretend that the bike is as comfortable as the couch, but after I bike and read I feel mentally and physically better, and a bit proud of myself. Enough to brag about it in this blog.

Before I ride, I do stretching, and I do that after I ride, too. Every other day I use four pound weights after I warm up and after I ride, so I’m getting both a cardiovascular workout and strengthening my bones and muscles.

Oh, and my husband rode for forty-five minutes because he was watching a football game and lost track of time. LOL.