Archive for the 'Exercise' Category

I’ve always loved bicycle culture. In fact, I’ve already blogged about it here. But I didn’t know how MUCH I would love riding a cruiser. I had a mountain bike for 10 years and I REALLY did not like riding it. It was uncomfortable and cumbersome with all the gears. So in April, we finally found a really nice cruiser on Craigslist (Giant “Simple” Cruiser) and my love affair began again.

My only way of transportation lately has been my bike, because Matt has had the truck at work for the last couple of months. If I wanted to go anywhere, it was either walking or biking. Bella, Lucy, and I have enjoyed touring Golden together. When my parents came to visit, we rented bikes so that we could all bike together. Those are beautiful memories that we will have forever! Such fun.

I love the simplicity of the single speed. Even with a 50 lb Burley trailer, it’s great (unless I’m going straight uphill!). There is nothing better than jumping on my cruiser, parking it at the cafe, and sitting outside to sip my steamy latte. I think I was supposed to be born European. I’ve been occasionally riding to the coffee shop after Matt gets home to do some work and I just adore riding at night when no one is out and I have the street all to myself. Bliss.

I recently realized that I have now spent more money on accessories for my cruiser than on the cruiser itself. But OH! I love it so. I had a custom Betty Basket Liner made, and got a delicious seat that I’ve been dreaming of since I saw it on a cruiser in Bozeman 2 years ago. And I can’t forget my little ding bell. *ding ding*

There is something about photos of cruiser bikes…I get so happy when I see them! So my request is that you post links to photos of you with your cruisers. Or links to photos of ANY cruiser! *love*

I also want you to tell me your favorite “bikeable” towns in the U.S. I want to go there!

The very first time I saw someone hooping, I was completely mesmerized. I stumbled across a YouTube video of a girl who went by the name of “SaFire” and I knew…in an instant, that I HAD to learn to do it too. That was a few years ago…and my desire to learn just kept getting pushed onto the back burner. Last spring, Bella and I got matching mother/daughter hoops made, and while Bella totally rocked it, I couldn’t seem to find time to figure it out…beyond just waist hooping. (Please note: when I talk about hooping, these are not the small “kids” hula hoops…they are adult sized and are usually custom made. The bigger they are, the easier to learn!).

Fast forward to about 2 weeks ago. I finally decided that IT WAS TIME! I broke out my HoopDance DVD and watched a million YouTube videos. We went to HomeDepot and bought tubing to make our own hoops and ordered tape online. This was all during the NüRVers rally, and luckily, there were several other adventurous souls who were willing to hoop it up with me (check out Tara’s blog post about her hoop love). One of my new friends, Rose, helped me learn a trick that I had been working on…and once I got it, I was ecstatic! After that, it was like riding a bike…it just felt very easy and natural instead of awkward and clunky.

We had a BLAST learning different tricks together and cheering when we actually did them without dropping the hoop or hitting ourselves in the face! We even attended a Hooping Meetup in Austin (blogged here)..which was wonderful!

It’s safe to say I’m pretty obsessed with hooping. I dream about it. I plan hoop tape colors in my head. I am always searching for new videos online. And don’t you even think that it won’t happen to you Once you start, it’s totally addicting!!

Why do I love hooping so much?

It’s a good time.
Seriously. Who didn’t love hula hooping as a kid? If there is a hoop laying on the ground around here, it’s hard for someone to walk by without grabbing it for a few swirls.

It will raise your heart rate.
Hooping can burn 400-600 calories per hour! And you don’t even realize it because…yep, it’s fun. I will also strengthen your core, your arms, legs…you name it. It’s a great workout.

It’s fun for the whole family.
Both Bella and Matt have their own hoops and we love to hoop it up as a family. Bella learns new tricks so fast…it’s fun to watch her because she is so intuitive about the flow. She just does it…without fear. I learn from her every day.

It’s meditative.
Similar to yoga, spinning a hoop can calm your frenzied mind. Your hooping experience can be whatever you want it to be…depending on how fast or slow you’re hooping and what music you might be listening to.

It’s community-building.
What started off as just a few people wanting to make hoops turned into 16 hoops being made! Once one person starting learning and having fun with it, everyone wanted in on the action. It’s a fun way to pass time and chill with friends and family.

Beyond your immediate community, there is a worldwide hooping community/culture. There are events and performances and all kinds of ways to learn. Right now I have my heart set on Hoop Camp Retreat 2010…that would be the most yummy, wonderful time. All hooping. All day. All by amazing teachers. Oh my.  Anyone wanna come with me?

There are tons of hooping resources out there…here are just a few:

SaFire You Tube Videos I LOVE (yes, there are a lot, but she is an amazing hooper and teacher!):
SaFire Silouette: Gorgeous lines.
SaFire Shoulder Hooping: Oooooh how I love this.
SaFire Chest Hooping Tutorial (chest hooping is what I’m currently working on…so I love this)
SaFire in the Sun (love that song!)
SaFire’s Hooping Manifesto: Love The Process

Hooping is not just for girls:
Malcolm Stuart Hoop Demo
SuperVictorio
Rich Porter – Shoulder Hooping

And these just make me REALLY happy:
Hoopalicous HoopCamp Demo
Glory Days by sharnarose

I will be posting more about hooping music and online hooping communities…and I have some REALLY EXCITING hooping giveaways to announce over the next 2 days…so before you get all crazy and go buy a hoop, hold tight. You’ll wanna wait for this!! Wooooooo!

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I talk a lot on this blog about how we are called to be good stewards of the earth because, after all, it is God’s creation. There are limited resources. There is only ONE earth…and it was entrusted to us to take care of while we are residing here. In the same way, God has given us ONE body…gloriously and perfectly made…to take care of while we are here on earth. Did you know that your body is not your own? You were bought with a price. Jesus paid the price for us when He died on the cross…and we owe Him everything!

When you are taking care of something that is not your own…how do you treat it? You probably take very good care of it, so that when the owner comes back, they will find it in good condition. When you rent an apartment, you are probably very careful to keep it in good condition so that when the landlord returns, you will not be fined. We are to be good stewards of our body…in the same way that you would take care of anything that is not your own. In 1 Corinthians, Paul refers to our body as “a temple”. When I think about what that means…my mind brings up images of how my house would look if I was preparing it as a place of worship, a place where God would dwell.

With these thoughts in mind, think about the things you did to care for and prepare your temple this last week. What types of foods did you put into your body? What about artificial flavorings, chemicals, preservatives, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides went into your body? Did you exercise? Did you get outside? Did you run, jump, play, and dance? Oh, but Sara! I didn’t have TIME to make healthy meals or exercise!

Over the years, I have made so many excuses as to why I didn’t have time to work out and/or eat better. And being that I was an athlete throughout my school years, it should have been pretty easy for me. But after I had Bella, I just didn’t “feel” like doing anything. The less active I was, the worse I ate. The worse I ate, the less energy I had. I had weeks where I would try to start making changes, but then would quit in frustration after I had missed a few days and “failed”. It wasn’t until about 4 weeks ago that I started at it again…this time with renewed vigor and excitement. I truly believe the reason I have been able to stick with it this time is because it was a holistic change that encompasses all areas of my being. I started having really good time in the Word and meeting with Jesus in prayer daily. I started working out and being active daily. And I started eating much better. And it’s this last part that I really want to focus on…because I believe that eating and diet in general is such an intensely spiritual and emotional journey… one that it effects all other areas of our life. If your body is unhealthy (and you are tired, depressed, worn out)…everything else goes into a downward spiral as well. Your marriage, your relationship with others, your self-esteem…it’s all connected.

If you have been over to my food blog, Happy Foody, you know that I am very passionate about food! I believe that it has the power to heal, energize, and keep your body running well for a long time. But the foods that make up the typical American diet are not healing foods. They aren’t even close to healing foods. Nor are they even close to what God had in mind when He created fruits and vegetables for us to eat…perfect foods with perfect vitamin and mineral make up for our bodies. There are over 7500 varieties of apples alone! Just apples! Can you even fathom how much deliciousness grows on this planet that we don’t even know about? All created by the one who knows ours bodies perfectly. And yet…we choose foods that have a chemical make-up that would startle our great-grandparents. Just 40 years ago, all food was “organic”…our country has gone so far away from that ideal and it’s saddening to see the effects on our health. Even more saddening is that we are CHOOSING these things for ourselves. I know that there are certain situations of poverty where that person may not have a choice, but the majority of the people reading this have a choice as to what they put in their mouth.

When we consider that “we are not our own”…it becomes a little easier to make better choices. It’s not our body to trash… we will be held accountable for our actions here on earth. There is a disconnect between the food we eat and our faith. We compartmentalize everything…I know I am guilty of it as well. We break things out into comfortable categories that don’t intersect. My faith. My health. My family. My hobbies. My food. But I am realizing that my faith in Jesus is like a blanket that covers all of these things. My faith is not just one “part” of my life…something that happens on Sunday…it IS LIFE. Being a follower of Jesus is my philosophy of life.

What is the meaning of life? For me, it is to bring glory to God in all that I do and say. I am going to stop treating my body like it’s separate from my spirituality and bring it all under His control. He wants is ALL. He desires the best for me, which means that He WANTS to help me be healthy…He WANTS me to learn self-control.

But how can we claim to have self-control, and yet we can’t control what goes into our mouths? We are somehow “powerless” to say no to a Venti Breve White Chocolate Mocha, a Big Mac, a Coca-Cola…or “just one more” brownie. We remain slaves to our food when we can’t conquer our cravings.

“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

When you sense that little inner voice telling you over and over…”you need to start eating better”…”you should exercise more”…it’s not necessarily just your inner voice. It is most likely the Holy Spirit prompting you to take care of it’s dwelling place in a better way. Who knows what you need better than the Holy Spirit within you?!

I know this is a very difficult issue for many people. It’s a struggle that feels unbeatable. There are many of you who without a doubt have struggled with eating disorders. I am not saying that it’s easy, and I am not saying that you have to look like a super model. Everyone has different body types…HOWEVER…you know for yourself when you are unhealthy and need to make a change. The American Heart Association has put the out the standard for all adults…that you should be physically active (and this means actually sweating with your heart rate elevated – they define it as “vigorous”) for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. 30 minutes! That’s HALF of “Lost” or “American Idol”! You can do it! The activity can be split up into 10-15 minute increments, but it must be vigorous to get the benefits. This means that the leisurely stroll to through the parking lot doesn’t really count When you are sedentary (a.k.a. sitting around most of the day), your body begins to think it doesn’t need all of the muscles it has and you get flabby. Flabby is no fun!

Decide today that you won’t be satisfied with letting your Temple sit in disrepair! And then get busy dissecting any body image problems that you might have. Do not judge your body based on a false reality. Stop picking up “Fit” and “Shape” magazines and comparing yourself to the completely absurd, airbrushed photos. They are not real. Stop picking up “People” and staring at the perfectly little perfrect bodies from Hollywood. In order to LOVE the body that God gave you, you have to stop putting garbage in your mind about what this world says it should look like. You can be HEALTHY and not look like a model on the runway.

You also need to examine who you perceive yourself to be. When you can wrap your head around the power that you have within you through Christ, anything is possible. So…who am I in Christ?

I am God’s child (John 1:12)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I have purpose (Ephesians 1:9 & 3:11)
I have hope (Ephesians 1:12)
I have been chosen and God desires me to bear fruit (John 15:1,5)
I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5)
I am God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
I have peace (Ephesians 2:14)
I am a holy temple (Ephesians 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19)
I am a dwelling for the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22)
God’s power works through me (Ephesians 3:7)
I can approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
I can bring glory to God (Ephesians 3:21)
I can be certain of God’s truths and the lifestyle which He has called me to (Ephesians 4:17)
I can have a new attitude and a new lifestyle (Ephesians 4:21-32)
I can give thanks for everything (Ephesians 5:20)
I can be strong (Ephesians 6:10)
I am growing (Colossians 2:7)
I am His disciple (John 13:15)
I am prayed for by Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23)
I am promised a full life (John 10:10)
I am victorious (I John 5:4)
I am set free (Romans 8:2; John 8:32)
I am a light in the world (Matthew 5:14)
I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)
I am not helpless (Philippians 4:13)
I am overcoming (I John 4:4)
I am persevering (Philippians 3:14)
I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I am victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Now that’s some encouragement!

Where to begin? Be realistic with your goals and expectations. Set goals in increments…slow and steady. Make your goals attainable, so that you can easily achieve your goals and then move onto the next one. Start with 10 minutes a day. Start with a walk around the block. Start somewhere. Journal your progress…on paper or in a blog and find someone who is willing to be a partner…to help you stay the course.

One of the best partners you can have is Jesus…I feel so confident in knowing that He is with me on this journey. I have been using my exercise time to meditate on scripture and pray through my prayer list. After I’m done, I’m not only refreshed physically, but spiritually as well.

In order to help everyone jump start their healthy journey, I am going to host the “Happy Foody Green Smoothie Challenge”! It will will start on Monday, February 25 and run through March 25. For more details, check out this post on Happy Foody.

Get your temple in order…pray for the Holy Spirit to give you motivation and energy and excitement to begin this journey!

Photo credit: Flickr: j/f/photos

I have always loved bicycles. This love started out with the brand new blue and white Schwinn from my grandparents when I was 7 years old. Then it was the pink ten- speed Huffy. In my pre-teenage years, my friends and I used to ride around on my vintage tandem Schwinn. That was crazy stuff. Life was good. And then cars entered into the scene and stole my bicycle love. Somehow, riding around town in my 1977 White Toronado was more fun than a bike. But never fear, my bicycle love has returned full force.

Why do I love to ride? There is just something about arriving at my destination by pedaling that excites me. I love the wind in my face when I go down hills and the bugs that get stuck in my eyes when I ride too late at night. Nothing gives me greater joy than transporting my groceries via bicycle (our coop gives $5.00 off for every 10 times you ride/walk there ). Bella really likes riding in her Burley. Getting exercise without even thinking about it is a plus…and not having to find a parking spot is one of the best things in life.

I think that I could live and thrive without a car. Even in the winter? Yes! Many people continue to bike throughout the winter…installing “snow tires” and dressing for the cold. Bikes are everywhere in Bozeman. It’s so fun to ride around on a Friday night and see bikes parked everywhere, even at the “fancier” restaurants. The only thing that is lacking are completely separate bike lanes, which would be helpful. Bozeman is not quite as “bike friendly” as a town like Boulder, CO , but they’re coming around. The town is still small and slow enough where I feel relatively safe sharing the road with cars on city streets. Most drivers are respectful of your right to ride on the road.

Those of you that live in the suburbs, I feel for ya. We are visiting my family back in Des Moines right now and everything is so far away! I rode my bike to the Farmer’s Market with Bella and it took 40 minutes one way. Wow! There are many things within biking distance (malls, restaurants, etc), but it’s just not “bike friendly”. When I ride my bike up to a store, people look at me like a have something growing from my head. As I was walking up to unlock my bike from the rack one day, I overheard a little girl say to her mom…”Why would someone ride their bike to the store?!”. It was also a strange dichotomy to ride my bike alongside the Hummers (please don’t run me over! ). Overall, Des Moines is a great city to bike in…and they have a lot of great events happening this week for “Bike to Work Week“. This week, across the nation, thousands of people are riding instead of driving. Wheeeee!

With gas prices as they are right now ($3+ a gallon!) and the greater focus on green living, I suspect you will see more and more cities becoming “bicycle friendly“. Large metropolitan cities have always been more focused on bikes than the suburbs…by necessity. In the suburbs, you find trails that take you around in circles for a pretty ride (which is fun too), but in the city, you actually go places on your bike. I’ve always had the secret dream of being a bicycle messenger (like Puck on the Real World..but with less falling down). If I ever did start my little bike business…I would definitely be getting one of these sweet rides:

• Main Street Pedicabs
• The Dutch Bicycle Company (scroll down to see the “sorte jernhest”)

Aren’t those amazing!? I love the “Pedal Pick-Up“. It just goes to show that you CAN move some big stuff with a bike! If you don’t want to spend quite as much, you can make your own trailer. Cruisers are gaining popularity…I love the colors and designs on this one. I’m trying not to be jealous of Aimee who got this cruiser for her birthday…and Andrea who got one for Mother’s Day. Beautiful bikes!

This week, I challenge you to CHALLENGE YOURSELF. Ride your bike! Ride for fun. Ride to the store. Ride for exercise. Ride to remind people that cars aren’t the only option.

Resources:
CarFree World
How to Live Well Without a Car
Why I Ride: The Art of Bicycling in New York (download the catalog for some fun reading)

“Anywhere is walking distance, if you’ve got the time.”
Steven Wright

Walk slowly…or quickly if you’re late. Just WALK! One of the reasons we fell in love with our new apartment was because we have so many amenities within walking distance. There is no reason to use my car to run errands. All of the following is within a 5 minute walk:

• 4 grocery stores (including the coop and another smaller health food store)
• Library
• Post Office
• Hardware store
• 8 coffee shops
• Children’s Museum (indoor playground)
• Park
• Ice cream shop
• Every restaurant imaginable (from sushi to pizza)
• Video rental store
• 3 Thrift Stores

And if I just have to go somewhere else…the bus stop is 1 block away. Of course, when it’s freezing cold, walking doesn’t sound so appealing, so I do drive sometimes…but I try to avoid it. I have been working on planning my week so that if I do have to drive, I can clump everything into one trip. I’ve also been trying to be more mindful of if I truly “need” something. For example, do I NEED to go to Costco to buy my bread? They carry a locally made brand that I like…but it’s on the other side of town on the busiest road in town. I can walk directly to the bakery that makes it and even though I’m spending a little more, I am saving on gas, emotional energy drained in traffic, and I would be supporting a local business. Or I could just make my own bread! But that’s another post. I would encourage YOU to examine your extra car trips and work on condensing them or eliminating them altogether.

This morning it was about 20 degrees and we bundled up and walked to our friend’s house for a play date. I was not really looking forward to the cold weather, but the rewards were many:

• Exercise. It feels so great to walk. Move those legs!
• Fresh air. Freezing cold fresh air. It was good.
• A slower pace…which results in you inevitably looking around at your surroundings. Today I noticed so many wonderful things on our walk…a family having breakfast around their table, cute houses along the way, majestic mountain views…things that I wouldn’t have paid attention to if I would have jumped in my car and rushed over there.
• Time to think. Check out this interesting essay on walking by Henry David Thoreau.

My entire life I’ve wanted to live in a city that I could walk places, but I’ve always thought I’d have to move to Manhattan to find it! Walkability will be at the top of our lists the next time we move (let’s hope that’s not for awhile). I feel so blessed that we have the opportunity to “stroll” to our destination. Next on my list…a sweet cruiser like this one. Wheeeeeee!

Self-discipline does not come naturally. We are born with the desire to do whatever feels the best, and it’s difficult to overcome. However, once it is mastered, it makes a huge difference in every area of life.

Self-discipline defined: the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses.

Ah-ha! No wonder it’s so hard. When is the last time you heard a commerical on TV telling you to DENY yourself? It’s a dual struggle…against our flesh AND the culture we live in. The only way for me to gain control of my impulses, as the definition implies, is to pray continuously. Here are some of the areas that I struggle with:

• Sleep. I wrote about this yesterday…so no need to go into detail. I have a hard time denying myself of more internet time and my bedtime gets pushed later and later and later. Consequently, I am too tired to get up at 5:30 a.m…which is when I desire to meet with the Lord.
• Exercise. I used to work out daily at 5:30 a.m. 6 days a week. But that was back in year 2000 BB (before Bella). I have the desire now…but no discipline. For the time being I get my “workout” by chasing Bella, lifting her on my legs, climbing the stairs, etc. But it’s not enough to maintain a healthy heart. Maybe I will add that to my things to do when I get up at 5:30 a.m.
• Money. I have battled money issues throughout my adult life. It started in college…they told me I could have a free t-shirt if I signed up for their credit card. Sweeeeet! Next thing I know, I have $5,000 on that card and it’s only the end of my freshman year. Luckily, I snapped out of that, paid it off, and met Matt. We still had to learn a lot of money lessons the hard way when we were newlyweds, but it’s under control now. Especially with the Compact in full swing. We have no consumer debt and we only pay with cash, using an envelope budgeting system. However, even though we are following a budget, the struggle is with the DESIRE to buy things…not actually buying them. Wanting more, when I have more than enough. Even while on the Compact, I have choices to make regarding what we do spend. For example, I went grocery shopping today and I could have easily spent $100 if I would have allowed myself to buy everything I “wanted”… bread (instead of making my own), a sandwich for lunch (instead of going home to eat), apples (they are so expensive right now!), crackers for Bella (instead of making our own)…the list could go on and on. Instead, I stuck to my list and got an amazing amount of food for only $55.00. It was exhilierating to deny myself in this case, because it resulted in saved money.
• Food. I have always had a fast metabolism…and didn’t really have to watch what I ate. Now that I’m getting OLD…I need to be more mindful of what I put in my mouth. I have a horrible sweet tooth, and if I let myself start down a sugar path…it’s hard to come back. With that being said, I have incredible self-discipline when I want to…especially in the area of food. Eating only raw foods for an entire month? No problem. No meat for 2 years? No problem. It’s all the other little battles. Having another peanut butter cup doesn’t really seem like a spiritual battle…but it’s the attitude of that heart that matters. If I can practice self-discipline in the little matters…it will be easier during the bigger trials.
• Maintaining my home. When I discipline myself to clean the apt. throughout the day and put everything away after each use, I am a MUCH happier person. Disciplining myself to create a “place for everything” blesses my family. If I decide that I don’t “want” to do the laundry for 2 weeks…there are big problems. Isn’t it amazing how God can teach us lessons even through the mundane?
• My mouth. After high school and college, gossiping became a thing of the past for me. However, I still have to be very careful about my use of sarcasm…and my tone of voice in everyday conversation. It is especially important as a Godly wife to never speak badly about my husband to others. Every word out of my mouth is counted in heaven…I long to please Him with every breath. So challenging…

Basically it comes down to denying myself now for a greater reward/benefit in the future. Getting up early might not feel great now, but the long-term spiritual benefits are plenty. Deciding to exercise and eat healthy even when I don’t feel like it will bring health to me through the years of my life. Not buying everything I desire will allow us to save for more important things in the future. Having a discplined mouth brings honor in the present and no regrets in the future.

“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Cor 6:12

I want only to be “mastered” by the Lord…who knows my struggles and my heart. He knows how to best teach me in this area. He displayed the ultimate self-discipline as He willingly went to the cross to die for our sins. My prayer is that I will die to myself daily…for I am not my own.