Motivational Monday: Tomorrow's BODY

"So eat, but eat well, and mold that beautiful body of your in to the shape you want! " - FitJen

A Purpose Driven Life

Many of you may be familiar with the popular book; "A Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. Some of you may have even read it a few times. I have tried three times to commit the time to reading his book but sadly, it's never happened for me. Kudos for those of you who have!! One day I'll get there... One day. :)

Maybe I should look and see if it's available as an audiobook yet?

Anyway - I frequently make reference to diet and exercise as part of our purpose. I believe in God and I believe He created our bodies to be the most ultimate of machines. I also believe we each have a PURPOSE to fulfill and in order to do so, we HAVE to take care of our bodies. I have always believed in living a purpose driven life, even if I've never read Rick Warren's book by the same title.

Taking care of our bodies is a holistic approach too. Our body needs to be fed and fueled just as much as our minds and our spirits do (and with the same degree of QUALITY!). You may not believe in God the way I do, but I believe each of us find spirituality in something. Nature. Peace. Church. Reading... whatever it is... we generally nourish our spirit through this belief. Without caring for our WHOLE self I feel we cheat our purpose.

I discovered this article last week and was thankful. Thankful to see a church doing, learning and working together to build a WHOLE person with purpose. Rick Warren, realized he wasn't just struggling to baptize his "fat" congregation, but that he too had a problem. For Warren, is was realizing the impact obesity had on his cognitive function... but he implemented and led a change in/with his congregation. They created the Daniel Plan (a veggie based diet) and as a church, they became a healthier community! It's an incredible story and one that I have felt that our churches should be doing for YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy the article and testimony. I hope you find encouragement and purpose for doing the good work you're doing; be it for God, your spouse, your children, your spirit, or your life. Fulfill your purpose.

Rick Warren and church tackle obesity

By Madison Park, CNN

updated 10:41 AM EST, Tue January 24, 2012

Rick Warren told his church that he gave up carbonated drinks, dairy and fast food. His trainer says he works out twice a day.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Pastor Rick Warren started a health plan addressing diet and fitness at church
• Warren has shed 60 pounds in one year
• The Daniel Plan uses small groups to encourage healthier habits

(CNN) -- The epiphany occurred at a baptism.

With more than 800 people waiting, Pastor Rick Warren took them one by one and immersed them in the church's baptism pool. During this spiritual rite at Saddleback Church, the pastors hold the people briefly underwater, and then pull them out.

"On that particular day, I was baptizing 858 people," Warren told his congregation last fall. "That took me literally four hours."

"As I'm baptizing 858 people, along around 500, I thought this ... 'We're all fat.' "

Warren turned his realization to himself.

"But I thought, I'm fat," he said. "I'm a terrible model of this. I can't expect our people to get in shape unless I do."

Warren, considered one of the most influential pastors in the country, delivered the inaugural prayer for President Obama in 2009 and wrote the best-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life." Now, he was embarking on a new mission: Curbing the obesity epidemic at church.

Warren seems like an unlikely man to lead an anti-obesity crusade. A ruddy man with plastic frame glasses, he has admitted to gaining 90 pounds over the last 30 years and failing at various yo-yo diets. He declined an interview for this story.

Based in Lake Forest, California, Saddleback is one of the largest churches in the United States and has eight locations throughout Orange County. Warren has a casual style in his ministry, usually preaching in jeans.

A slimmer Rick Warren addressed the congregation on January 14.

Since January 2011, Warren has been shrinking. He gave up carbonated drinks, dairy and fast food, he told the church. He works out twice a day, according to his trainer, Tom Wilson. Warren shed 60 pounds on a diet-lifestyle program devised at Saddleback Church called the Daniel Plan.

The program's name comes from the biblical story about Daniel. In the story, Daniel and his friends, who are Israelites living in Babylon, refuse to consume royal food and wine. By eating vegetables and water, "they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food," according to Daniel 1:15 in the Bible's New International Version.

The Daniel Program, which started at Saddleback Church last January, advises how to eat healthier foods, encourages workout routines and urges participants to join small groups. The program was free.

Warren recruited three doctors to develop the plan: Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist; Mark Hyman, a family doctor; and Mehmet Oz, a TV host and cardiac surgeon.

"The secret sauce of Saddleback is we do this as a community," said Amen, one of the medical contributors. "It's very different than most health plans where you do it with yourself or your wife. You get to do this with a whole community."

Studies indicate that people who try to lose weight or adopt healthier habits in groups are more likely to be successful than individuals working independently.

The small groups have health and spiritual curricula, and provide a support network. Saddleback was the ideal place, because small groups already existed at the church and Warren had "instantaneous capacity to make this happen," said Hyman, another contributor to the Daniel Plan.

"The church was the perfect incubator," he said. "This was a way of leapfrogging and getting a social experiment done."

Chiquita Seals said she lost 125 pounds with the emotional support offered by her small group.

Chiquita Seals, a member of Saddleback, said that having a small group was instrumental to her 125-pound weight loss. Her group met twice a month to discuss their health, and they also hiked together. Each small group has a health champion, whom Seals credits with "helping me emotionally, physically."

"The health champion guides the group -- 'This is what we're cooking, this is what we're doing' -- and cheers you on and helps you out. It's not just the food you're eating, it's also mental gain," she said.

The church held a race, cooking demonstrations and various workout classes led by Tae Bo founder Billy Blanks. It overhauled the menus and vending machine products sold at church and placed symbols to indicate which choices were healthy. Doughnuts often given to the congregation were replaced with trail mix. The church developed a website with recipes, advice on physical activity and health information.

"It's not a diet, not a healthy quick scheme, it's designed to be a way to create health," Hyman said.

At the end of the first year, about 15,000 people had registered for the program and 250,000 pounds were lost, according to Saddleback Church. The Daniel Plan is a program the founders intended to spread to different faith communities across the globe, Hyman said.

But many at Saddleback wondered why the church would get involved in health and weight loss.

Julie McGough said her family has become healthier by going on the Daniel Plan.

"I wondered whether this was something church should be doing," said Julie McGough, a member of Saddleback Church for 18 years.

McGough and her husband decided to try the plan, because they had gained weight during his illness with multiple sclerosis. Between his doctor's visits, hospital appointments and busy schedule, the family came to rely on fast food as their staple.

The couple and their two kids, ages 10 and 16, cleaned out their pantry, gave up the In-N-Out burgers and started cooking as a family activity. They started eating chicken, broccoli, squash and a variety of vegetables, and in smaller portions. They bought a trampoline for the kids and also started hiking.

One year later, McGough has lost 28 pounds. Her husband has lost 55 pounds and stopped taking as many medications.

"This is what we should be doing," McGough said about the church's involvement in the health plan. "I am far more able to serve God because I'm healthy."

Warren said in several speeches to the congregation that he never paid much attention to the perils of obesity such as diabetes and heart disease. But when he heard that obesity could affect a person's brain power, it snapped him into action. Growing evidence indicates that obesity is associated with impaired cognitive function, such as attention and memory problems.

Warren often repeats the same phrases when discussing the Daniel Plan. "The Father made your body, Jesus paid for your body, the Spirit lives in your body. You better take care of it."

"The Father made your body, Jesus paid for your body, the Spirit lives in your body. You better take care of it." -- R.Warren

How awesome is that!? Now... maybe this is a *hint* to me... my purpose? 

:) Have a great day friends! Keep up the good work. 

Motivational Monday

After last weeks butt kickin', I figured I should be a little nicer this week. :) That doesn't mean what I said last week isn't still true or that you should ease up on your convictions; because I'm not!

Take these words to heart. They encompass everything I believe.



Have a HAPPY and HEALTHY Monday!
-red.

Motivational Monday: A Big Kick in the PANTS!

***I'm really up on my roost tonight... You have been warned!***

I've started and rewritten this blog a thousand times now. I've been simmering about this subject for a few weeks now and last night, well I had reached my limit. I was a full boil. Steam and all.

Some of you might find this post rude, mean or even uncalled for; but quite frankly I feel that many of you (my readers, family, friends, strangers, fellow citizens, co-workers, patients, etc.) need a swift kick in the butt!!

For weeks I've been worried about my parents and in-laws over their health. For years, I've worried about the health of both my grand-fathers. It's been a couple of years that a few, close and dear friends have been on my heart. And... I worry all the time about my patients and the terrible state of health our country is in.

I have no idea why I'm so passionate about it, but I am. NOTHING gets my blood pressure up higher than to get me talking about someone [general Americans] or a family member who won't do ANYTHING to improve their health status! Then, to top it off, sweet ol' Paula Deen goes on national television to announce that she has Type II Diabetes and that she doesn't have to change the way she eats, how active she is... she just "takes her pill"!!!



I WENT BONKERS!!! 

I love Paula Deen for her personality (I've never made a single recipe of hers) - but I hate the stance that she took. She had an opportunity to lead a CHANGE in the way the South (generally) sees their diet and educate others about the consequences of being over weight, making poor dietary choices and managing diabetes. Instead, she takes the "easy" way out and compounds the American theory that it's 'normal' to just pop a pill and keep doing what you've always been doing. [[check out this post from the Washington Post.]]

I won't just hate on Paula... but I will hate on the majority. This might even include you, family members or friends... but I don't care. I can't say it "nicely" right now and if I could kick everyone in the butt; I WOULD! I'd grab each and every one of you by the shoulders and SHAKE you until you listen!!!

STOP MAKING EXCUSES! We are killing ourselves and everyone is just sitting around watching!!


I see younger and younger people dying because they think it's their doctors fault they aren't healthy. Parents are blaming our school systems for the poor diets our children are consuming. Mothers are so "busy" they won't schedule an hour a day to get their heart to the gym or out for a walk. Men are being stubborn and turning their noses up to adding vegetables to their meals and cutting out added fat/salt because "it doesn't taste good". We've got young girls looking like their 20 before they've even turned 13. Diabetics are running around with blood sugars greater than 300 all the time and covering everything with insulin instead of burning off the sugar with some exercise. Our kids are getting fatter and still they continue to sit around watching TV, playing video games, chatting and texting while their bikes sit unused in the garage.



What is it with our society--- What is wrong with YOU that you have to have a "tipping point" to make real changes!? Why is living a life with purpose not enough? Is everyone so busy and depressed that they can't do what's GOOD FOR THEMSELVES?! God gave us an incredible body, an incredible machine, and we're destroying it.


Why is living a long and happy life -- feeling good and energized not worth changing how/what you eat and how you move your body?!?!?

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME!?!? Sure! I believe it can be hard. No, I've not had my own weight struggle per-say... but I've seen enough first hand that I know I don't want to BE stuck on my couch, moaning all night in pain, or feeling miserable/guilty every time I eat. Yes, it might hurt and be "hard" at first... BUT EVENTUALLY it gets easier! Soon, it's a way of life. It's just how you do things.

So take this "KICK IN THE BUTT" as your motivation today/this week. If you need me to really grab you by the shoulders and tell you that it's time to make a change, we can arrange that. I care about you so much that I WANT you to love yourself enough that you find a way to eat right, exercise, de-stress, be spiritual, find financial freedom and enjoy the life you have to LIVE while you're here to live it!!

How's that for tough love?
-a.

A Year of Parenting.

It's been a smidge over a year now since we became parents. Puppy parents that is.

At Christmas last year (2010), I would have NEVER thought we would fall in love with a dog (ANY dog) like we have with Ginger. Earlier in the year, my sister and brother-in-law had a tragic departure from their first dog, Laci, after their relocation to New Hampshire. Laci didn't adjust well to the move, was living in a much smaller area, and was anxious all the time. Needless to say despite Megan's every attempt to help Laci, Roan and Meg had a hard decision to make. For Meg, it was terrible. She had to put down her "baby" before she became a real danger to someone else. My heart hurt for my animal loving sister in a way I couldn't really understand.... but I tried to comfort her and love on her while she suffered the loss of Laci alone (Roan was on sea duty during the entire struggle), in a new place and far away from family. 

Meg worked through the loss just as any human would. She tried to move all of the reminders of Laci out of sight so she wouldn't have to "think about her"; despite her attempts there were always the random days where Megan would find one of Laci's toys she had lost, or just her leash and the mourning process would happen all over again. :( Eventually, through lots of prayers, working out and loving friends Megan's heart healed and a special little package awaited her arrival in NC for Christmas. 

Charlie, Ginger's sister -- how GREAT are those ears?!

Our friend, Susan, was able to give Megan and Roan a new addition to their family. This new addition soon became known to our family as Charlie. She wasn't more than 3lbs., solid black and had the cutest ears!! I swooned over her as much as Meg did. Before long (and a bottle of wine later), I had talked Todd in to trying to get one of Charlie's sisters!

Susan helped us as much as she could, but Ginger was the last of the litter and was spoken for. The new year came around and we had only seen one picture of "GiGi".

Between this single picture and the raving reviews of our friend Susan, Todd and I thought long and hard about taking this cutie in to our home. Soon, Susan called to say that the lady who had "spoken for" Ginger had decided to not take her. Although the news came unexpectedly and quite quickly, we decided to take her in to our home. A few days went by and we arranged for her pick up in Winston-Salem, NC.

We were typical first time parents. Scared and overly cautious. I had NEVER cared for a dog full-time and Todd had very limited experience. After night one and only one wake up call from her little crate, I knew we would be okay. Ginger has always been an eager and quick learner. She has always enjoyed long walks and has now become a light runner too!

She loves to go riding with the windows down.

Ginger and her BFF, Tucker (my Aunt Becky's Dog)

 

Being at Nana's wore her out!

Having Ginger in our lives this year has been a nice change. She brings lots of energy and excitement to you EVERY time you walk through the door. She is wonderful company, even while sleeping. Most of all, she's made dog lovers out of me AND my mother-in-law!

I hope our family will continue to grow and that Ginger will be a very loved "first pet" for any children we are lucky and fortunate to have later in our lives. I also DREAD the day anything happens to her or the end of her life is near... but until that day comes, I will enjoy all the belly rubs, bone chewin', our long walks and her incessant butt waggin'.

Here's to another year as a dog lover. :)

Thank you Ginger for making a dog-lover out of me.

Workout Wednesday: Bikram

It's been a while since I've posted a Wednesday workout so I thought I'd expose a few readers to one of my favorite activities: Bikram Yoga.

I was going once or twice a week for 6 weeks prior to the holidays and haven't gone since... and I'm craving the heat with all this COLD weather! I just want to get warm from my bones out.

Bikram is a sequence of yoga that consists of 26 postures systematically designed to work every muscle, ligament, tendon and organ in the body. The postures are very doable and the classes are always the same (90 minutes). The best and worst part of the class is the temperature. The rooms are a nice and toasty 105(F). Now, don't freak out because the room is "warm"!! It's part of the practice!!! Yes, you're going to get sweaty in this practice. We all know that sweating helps to remove toxins from the body (it also helps to cool us!) so with the heat, your body warms up faster, your stretching is deeper from the beginning, and you're getting rid of the "junk" your body doesn't need through some icky sweat.

If you've never tried Bikram - TRY IT! There are studios all over the place and worth giving it a solid try. Don't go once and never again. Your first class will be VERY different from your 4th and 10th. I struggled at first to be still and focus, to ignore the heat and be okay with doing what my body could do that day (not two days ago). But when you leave... ohhhh, you'll feel amazing. Seriously.

Take a few minutes to check out this video. It's a beautiful arrangement of a class, the postures and testimonies.

Good luck! Have fun staying warm this Winter.


Namaste.

Motivational Monday: Finding the Motivation

Lately, I've been struggling to stay motivated myself. Between work, the holidays, planning for the new year, deciding what my running life will look like in 2012, having friends and family in and out over the last few weeks and agreeing (after much debate) to take a PRN position at another hospital (which I won't start until February).... It's just been hard! :)

I feel you guys! (and I don't even have kids yet - which makes me wonder how I'll EVER be able to "do it all". yikes!)

But I got a little motivated this weekend thinking about a few things:

1.) Girls on the Run. The Spring season starts in March and it's been a month since I last ran with my "girls" and I'm going a bit stir crazy... I can't wait to see each of those smiling faces and hearing them cheer each other on towards their goals. It's motivation I LONG for these days. I miss the fun. I miss the giggles. I miss teaching girls to love themselves. A few more weeks and our 5k training starts again! YAY!

2.) Running Marine Corps Marathon. Yup. I said it. I'm going to do it. Well.... Registration opens March 7th. My calendar alarms are set and I'll do my best to be one of the first 30,000 people to crash the website and get registered before it's full and closed. Fingers crossed! I've got LOTS of training and many races between now and the end of October - but I'll do everything my body can do to run those 26.2 miles on these strong, short legs! :)



3.) I randomly got to thinking about an old blog post I wrote. Maybe you remember her? She had those cool hot pink Nike running shoes? :) Well.... just in case you missed her story.... or if you do remember her, here it is again. She's inspiring.

Her and her hot pink kicks are today's motivation. Our motivation to keep moving. No matter how we do it, just keep doing it.


Hugs, love and enjoy the miles. :)
-a.