The newest science suggests that exercise alone will not make you thin, but staying thin requires exercise. Real exercise. You must work out.

In Weighing the Evidence on Exercise, Barry Braun, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts states:

“When you look at the results in the National Weight Control Registry, you see over [...]]]>  

The newest science suggests that exercise alone will not make you thin, but staying thin requires exercise. Real exercise. You must work out.

In Weighing the Evidence on Exercise, Barry Braun, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts states:

“When you look at the results in the National Weight Control Registry, you see over and over that exercise is one constant among people who’ve maintained their weight loss.” About 90 percent of the people in the registry who have shed pounds and kept them at bay worked out, a result also seen in recent studies.

During the last few years I have slowly developed a well-rounded workout routine. I’ve never liked gyms because they seem so artificial. I don’t like to sweat though I’ve grown used to it lately. I do love to learn new pursuits. Going from a lazy slug to a fit individual has been a long journey. I’m still learning. But I think I’ve hit upon a good combination worth sharing. You might say I’m going down this path kicking and screaming, but here’s how:

1.) Running. When I realized walking wasn’t really helping to control my weight I started to run around the neighborhood. At first it was a half mile. Now I run 3 miles alternating between running as fast as I can then walking up hills to catch my breath. I was running five or six days per week exclusively, but now it’s usually one time to get the heart pumping in conjunction with my other activities. For two years my un-ending mantra with every footstep was “I hate running”. Lately I only think I hate it once or twice during a run. Recently I tried my first 5K but it wasn’t your ordinary race. The Run-A-Muck went through a lake and mud pit which left me completely dirty but extraordinarily pumped.

2.) Martial Arts and Kickboxing With A Trainer. I started kickboxing to lose the fat on my legs and sculpted my entire body. Originally I had a trainer in a martial arts studio while working to achieve belts, but she has moved away. Now at the absolute minimum I go to LA Boxing three times per week for an hour workout each time. LA Boxing claims their intense workout burns 1,000 calories. Kickboxing also requires a full body program beyond the martial arts, such as the 50 pushups I completed for my green belt. The trainers help you to tone your abs, arms, legs, back, and core. The best part is I’ve learned how to defend myself with both kicking and boxing as well as getting my body into good shape. You need to be quick on your toes and never stop moving when kickboxing, which also helps my running form. Jump kicks, leap frogs, lunges, squats, ab work, pushups, etc., the routine works on every part of your body until you feel like collapsing but you’re not allowed to stop moving. Once I found myself thinking I hated one of my instructors but then he yelled out “I know you hate me.” I keep going because I love the results.

3.) Yoga. For ten years yoga has been the mainstay of my weekly workout plan. Besides the mental health and high from each session, I now desperately need to stretch every part of my body after my other strenuous workouts. Yoga keeps my body in balance and helps me concentrate on what’s important in my life as well as keeping me physically well. Vinyasa improves my breathing while in motion, which is also important for my other physical endeavors. Also, my breathing is deeper, more cleansing. Right now I go to the Thrive Yoga once a week for an hour and a half, then practice solo once per week. After an injury which prevented me from doing my yoga, I realized I couldn’t live without it. Yoga is essential to every workout plan, brings great health, and prevents diseases.

Keeping the weight off has meant pushing my body beyond any notion I’ve ever had about working out and living with constant pain. I know I can’t stop. The recent research only encourages me to keep up my daily workout schedule.

The key is making it fun and social. In order to keep the weight off, find something you look forward to doing each day. For me it needs to be a variety. I need to balance the aggressiveness of kickboxing with the spiritual aspect of yoga and the cardio benefits of running. I’ve even combined the martial arts with yoga in a Budokon class. The important part is staying active.

Obviously I’ve built my workout over the course of six years. Listening to my body has led me to a complete routine. I pay attention to what I need and discovered a successful combination for my health and well-being.

But who knows, this summer I may start a completely different activity in conjunction with a more intense yoga practice. The trick is to keep it fresh and try new things, crazy things. Activities you watch and think you would never be able to do. That’s what will keep you happy and healthy.

What do you think you can’t do?

——————-

Part I of Weight and Exercising inspired by Gretchen Reynolds recent article, Weighing the Evidence on Exercise.

People are always surprised when I tell them I lost 50 lbs. without exercising. Turns out, as a woman, I probably had the best strategy.

Controlling my diet took all of my effort and resolve. Adding on any type of exercise, which I despised, was too much for me. I’d been to Weight Watchers [...]]]>

People are always surprised when I tell them I lost 50 lbs. without exercising. Turns out, as a woman, I probably had the best strategy.

Controlling my diet took all of my effort and resolve. Adding on any type of exercise, which I despised, was too much for me. I’d been to Weight Watchers twice – after college and after my first son’s birth. Now I had to lose the weight from my second pregnancy. Truth is, after giving birth and breastfeeding for a year, I’d gained another ten pounds When I tried to lose it on my own, I gained even more.

After discovering I was officially obese, I dragged myself to Weight Watchers. I sat at meetings for weeks without making any changes in my life. Eventually I beat back the internal conflict and convinced myself to do one thing. Just one diet change. After a while the small steps worked, but it took three years to lose all the weight.

While struggling to control my diet, I never attempted any physical activity. During the weight loss years, I would walk a bit. I tried the 10,000 steps per day with a pedometer but didn’t have the time. Since I had loved prenatal yoga, I would practice yoga with videos at least three times per week to obtain a state of well-being and good mental health. The walking and yoga weren’t really exercise and these activities were never intended for weight loss.

In Gretchen Reynolds recent article, Weighing the Evidence on Exercise, she backs up my method of avoiding strenuous workouts during weight loss. Up until now, scientists weren’t really sure how exercise affects metabolism and appetite but studies are starting to put the pieces together:

Barry Braun, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, in the American College of Sports Medicine’s February newsletter: The deficit in calories can result from cutting back your food intake or from increasing your energy output — the amount of exercise you complete — or both.

“The body aims for homeostasis,” Braun says. It likes to remain at whatever weight it’s used to. So even small changes in energy balance can produce rapid changes in certain hormones associated with appetite, particularly acylated ghrelin, which is known to increase the desire for food, as well as insulin and leptin, hormones that affect how the body burns fuel.

So when we change our diet for weight loss, our body signals eating more. We have to fight the urge to eat. It’s worse for women.

Female bodies, inspired almost certainly “by a biological need to maintain energy stores for reproduction,” Braun says, fight hard to hold on to every ounce of fat. Exercise for many women (and for some men) increases the desire to eat.

People end up consuming more calories when they exercise. You shouldn’t set yourself up to have to fight off an even stronger desire to eat. Take it from my experience, it’s better to change your eating habits permanently without burning the calories with exercise.

Tomorrow: Weight And Exercising: Part II – Exercise Is Mandatory To Keep Off  The Weight

My son, now nine years old, has been playing in a recreational soccer league for a couple of years. Since we started to play full field with soccer nets, our team has never won a game, although once we had a tie (1-1).

Our boys never game up. They keep coming back together to [...]]]>

My son, now nine years old, has been playing in a recreational soccer league for a couple of years. Since we started to play full field with soccer nets, our team has never won a game, although once we had a tie (1-1).

Our boys never game up. They keep coming back together to play. Last fall was pretty bad but they were all on board again this spring.

This week we received the “Good Sportsman” award for last fall’s season. After every game our team was rated and we received the highest score each time. When we were given the news, I think the parents all appreciated it. At least it was something. It’s difficult to see your kids out there losing every week. The kids did keep a good attitude.

One week we played a team with extremely obnoxious parents. They had black uniforms and called themselves “World Domination”. At the time, we didn’t know they had the best record. We held them off from scoring the entire first half but had no subs that week. By the second half our guys were exhausted. They wound up scoring ten points against us and the parents went crazy yelling every time. After six or so, you would think they would tone it down. It’s like rubbing it in our kids’ faces. We didn’t appreciate it. I was going to lead the dads over to “take them on” and several were ready to cross the field. We were only half kidding. We thought they were all jerks.

When our kids finally won a game (6-1) yesterday, we were cheering very loudly. Considering this team beat us last season, we had a major accomplishment. Something finally clicked with the team. Kids were playing different positions and my little guy was a forward. They were doing everything right. I couldn’t believe it! We were cheering loudly. We couldn’t help it. It just slipped out. Then we started to feel bad for the other team. Then we talked about how we were acting that that terrible World Domination team. Then a parent commented that he didn’t care, it felt so good to finally win! He joked that he was willing to give up the good sportsman award.

Who would have thought controlling our happiness would be harder than controlling our disappointment? Being a good sportsman was more difficult as a winner. As parents, we’re having just as much to learn as the kids. Hopefully we’ll have to continue to learn how to be good winners.

When I was 8 years old, my favorite books were the Choose Your Own Adventure series. You know, the ones where you would read [...]]]> Today is Adoption Blogger Day so I welcome a guest post by my friend Michael Mangum. I had the great honor of writing a recommendation for their adoption. Here is their story:

When I was 8 years old, my favorite books were the Choose Your Own Adventure series. You know, the ones where you would read a few pages and then have to make a decision on what to do next. The story could change by simply turning to a different page.

That’s how I feel this morning after reading the headline, “Russia suspends U.S. adoptions”. I just want to change the story.

At age 35, I now find myself having to explain to my 8 year old son why his 5 year old soon-to-be adopted brother from Russia will likely not be joining our family this summer. I shared with him the news reports of the Tennessee mom who sent her adopted 7 year old son back to Russia because she did not want him anymore.

His first question, “why isn’t she in jail?”

Regardless of the circumstances, her actions are inexcusable and she deserves to be charged with child abandonment as she is the child’s legal guardian and chose to give him up in a manner that would create an unsafe situation for the child.

Apparently, she made no attempt to seek help from her adoption agency or through the local community. I recognize that this child may have had significant attachment issues and even exhibited signs of psychotic behavior.

However, as an adoptive parent, she should have prepared herself for the worst and made certain that she had a strong support system in place before accepting this child into her home.

If given the chance to ask her one question, I would like to know whether she ever considered the impact of her planned actions on the adoption community.

There are more than 3,000 pending American adoptions of Russian children that are now “officially” interrupted due to present concerns over the safety of Russian children living in the United States.

My family’s pending adoption is one of the cases now at risk.

Here is our story..

We arrived at the decision to adopt a child from Russia after much soul searching and thoughtful consideration.

My wife and I are blessed to have conceived a child after 5 years of marriage. Our son is now 8 years old and he has brought much joy into our lives.

Ever since he was a little boy, he always asked us when he would get a little brother or sister. We both felt very strongly that the greatest gift we could give our son would be the life experience of growing up with a sibling as we did not want him to grow up as an only child.

It took us nearly seven years of trying to conceive our second child before we decided to give up. There were no medical reasons to explain our lack of success. We worked with a fertility specialist and after one miscarriage and several failed procedures we were emotionally drained. We felt like we had failed our son (and one another) and did not know where else to turn.

Frankly, neither of us had any experience with adoption and it never even crossed our minds to consider this as an alternative. That is, until we began listening to the shared experiences of friends and colleagues who had been through several successful international adoptions.

At first, we found it awkward and seemingly intrusive to ask co-workers and friends if their children were adopted. But as we asked around, we quickly realized how open people were in sharing their personal experiences. We were shocked to learn how many families were either personally involved with or knew someone who had an adoption experience to share.

In fact, we found out from three co-workers that all eight of their combined children were adopted from Russia. Ironically, we couldn’t find anyone who had successfully adopted a child from the United States, which seemed in the beginning to be a more natural place to start.

We had the fortunate luck of getting to know several adopted Russian children living in our area and were quite impressed with how well adjusted they were to American life. They all seemed happy, healthy and thankful (as much as can be expected from children).

Our minds were made up and we decided to take a leap of faith and begin our adoption journey. We re-financed our house, borrowed money, got our affairs in order and began the daunting task of completing the adoption paperwork.

Within a few months, we got a call from our agency informing us that there was a 5 year old boy, Sasha, being hosted by a family in New York City. We were given the rare opportunity to spend a few days with the host family and to get to know this child.

The next thing we knew we were on a train headed to New York around the 4th of July holiday, along with our son. We spent three wonderful days with Sasha and the host family, who welcomed us into their home with open arms. All I can say is that everything just seemed to click. The boys played well together and we could tell right away that Sasha had amazing potential. He was affectionate, playful and smart. He definitely showed some signs of behavioral problems, but what can you expect from a child who has spent his entire life in an orphanage?

On the train ride back, we looked at one another and agreed to commit ourselves to having this child join our family. We recognized that this was going to be a difficult adjustment for everyone involved but were willing to make that sacrifice.

After only a few short weeks, Sasha returned to Far East Russia and we continued our efforts to adopt him.

We received a call from our agency on a Monday morning in late December informing us that we had to be on a plane within a few days to visit with officials in the local Russian government and to meet Sasha at the orphanage.

Never having traveled internationally before, we were quite nervous about the journey ahead of us. We decided to bring our son along, as this was bound to be an experience that he would never forget.

I could go on and on about our adventures in Russia, but I will save that story for another time. Needless to say, we managed to get ourselves to the orphanage and back safely, traveling more than 10,000 miles each way. Sasha was thrilled to see us again, we met with all of the officials and signed the necessary documents. We even managed to find our way to Disneyland Paris on Christmas Day before returning home.

It has been almost four months since we returned from Russia. We are in the final stages of completing our dossier so that we can return to Russia to complete the adoption. We expect that the second trip will last about a month and were preparing to leave sometime over the summer.

That is, until this story broke.

All we can do is wait and hope that the U.S. and Russia will sign an agreement that will allow for intercountry adoptions between our two nations to continue.

In the meantime, there are a few steps that we can take now to help promote awareness of the success of international adoptions.

For starters, today is Adoption Blogger Day, which is a chance for families to share their stories with the world. So, please forward this posting onto your friends and family so that the truth about adoptions can be shared.

Also, you can sign a petition in support of allowing intercountry adoptions between Russia and the U.S. to continue.

Here is the link to the “We Are The Truth” petition.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/we-are-the-truth.html

Assuming that we can complete our adoption at some point in the near future, we recognize that the journey is just beginning. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but unlike the Tennessee mom, we have a very strong support system of Russian speaking friends and fellow adoptive parents to help guide our family along the right path.

I have spent the last few days reading internet postings about the Tennessee mom and adoptions, in general. I hope that our story helps to shed some light on the reasons why some families choose to head down the path of international adoption.

Bottom line, children need families. It should not matter where they are born. Rather, all children should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential and adoptive parents are there to help ensure that their circumstances do not get in the way of their dreams.

by Michael Mangum

Sue was a bartender suffering from severe anorexia. She was paper thin, all skin and bones with big red hair teased out in every direction. When a friend told her she complained more than anyone he knew, she told him she knew someone worse.

She meant me.

I was dumbfounded. How could she say this [...]]]>

Sue was a bartender suffering from severe anorexia. She was paper thin, all skin and bones with big red hair teased out in every direction. When a friend told her she complained more than anyone he knew, she told him she knew someone worse.

She meant me.

I was dumbfounded. How could she say this about me? Up until the moment she relayed the story, I had never considered myself a complainer. Living outside New York City with my life in flux while my father lay dying, I was barely surviving each day. Teaching school early, after moonlighting as a hotel lounge manager, left very little time for sleep. I was always tired and often sick. Even so, I didn’t think I was unhappy or complaining.

Seeing myself through Sue’s eyes forced me to evaluate. Was I really that bad? Did I concentrate on the bad things in my life and complain too much? After my father’s death I moved to the Washington area, immersing myself in a new life.

Sue passed away two years later. During our last conversation, I tried to convince her I wasn’t a complainer anymore. Life could be so different. She had to find hope and fight to be well. I could tell she didn’t believe me, or didn’t want to believe me.

I’ve spent the last twenty years trying not to be negative, even when situations are at their worst. Mind you, I’m not trying to be positive. That might actually be too much for me.

Most of the time circumstances don’t go your way. You can’t change other people. In the back of my mind, I consciously consider whether Sue would think I was complaining. When you buy expensive tires then the car dies two days later, it’s the perfect opportunity to find the dream car you’ve always wanted. When scaffolding blocks the altar during your son’s communion celebration, you realize the physical space is not important. At the time, the situation might be upsetting, but you find a reason to put aside your bad thoughts and feelings.

Last year my arm ligament ripped, forcing a year of rehabilitation. People noticed and talked to me about their own recurring injuries. Due to their positive attitudes, I never suspected they were fighting pain on a daily basis. Finding others who live each day trying not to be negative was uplifting and made my injury bearable. My pain brought a profound gift of understanding about the strength we all have to endure.

Trying Not To Bneg means acknowledging the bad parts of life. It’s not a denial of your natural reactions of jealousy, anger, anxiety, fear and regret. It’s acceptance and control of these emotions followed by a concentrated effort to find a good outcome. As a jaded cynic, an optimistic outcome always surprises me.

I only wish Sue could have experienced the same bouts of hope. She grasped onto my negativity and wouldn’t let go. Thanks to her, I did.

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting for an apartment building. A nonprofit organization was able to purchase a vacant, foreclosed property in a neighborhood suffering from blight and renovate the building to provide homes for four families experiencing homelessness. Not only was this small apartment building going to help the four [...]]]>

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting for an apartment building. A nonprofit organization was able to purchase a vacant, foreclosed property in a neighborhood suffering from blight and renovate the building to provide homes for four families experiencing homelessness. Not only was this small apartment building going to help the four families, it  could also begin to improve conditions on the street and eventually turn things around for the whole neighborhood.

One of the new residents attended the ceremony and was able to see her apartment for the first time. She had been living in a shelter with her baby in a Pack ‘n Play next to her. The apartment was small, but it had been completely furnished by two local decorators who volunteered to bring the community together, collect items, and produce a fantastic-looking apartment.

The mom was overwhelmed when she saw the baby’s room. The darling pink draping and hanging toy were sweet. After being shown a trendy living room and fully-stocked pantry, she was emotional when she saw all the special details for her baby.

Now I find myself remembering my first pregnancy. My husband worked for the World Bank. When he had to go on an extended trip to Thailand, I felt very alone. Even though it was temporary, I couldn’t help but imagine how terrible it would be if he didn’t come back. We owned a nice little house. I had friends and family. Even with all this support, I couldn’t fathom being all by myself and having a child.

So I find myself thinking about how she must have felt to be alone in that shelter with a little one depending on her. I don’t really know what it feels like to have nothing I could call my own, to have my life filled with such uncertainty. But I saw what it felt like to walk into an apartment and be given a chance for a good, stable life because strangers cared enough to make it happen. The gratitude and love of that powerful moment was overwhelming.

The decorators put a sign in her bedroom window which said “Dream”. Now that she has the dignity of a home, she can.

Fifteen years ago I planted these trees with the youth in the AmeriCorps program I administered. We spent the day working side-by-side with a group of mentally-disabled adults. For years I’ve wondered about the trees whenever I passed by the area. This week, in need of sustenance, I searched for their location.

Perhaps I needed to physically [...]]]>

Fifteen years ago I planted these trees with the youth in the AmeriCorps program I administered. We spent the day working side-by-side with a group of mentally-disabled adults. For years I’ve wondered about the trees whenever I passed by the area. This week, in need of sustenance, I searched for their location.

Perhaps I needed to physically see a result, to see time pass and circumstances change. We planted them a long time ago, but my years with the AmeriCorps program provide some of my fondest work memories. I loved working with the youth and helping people all over Montgomery County.

I wondered how much growth to expect in 15 years. This is about what I pictured. The area was a little grass field when we visited, dug, planted and shared lunch together. The trees are so solid today, beyond my reach.

Maybe I just needed to physically see results. When I changed jobs from a national environmental policy organization to a local nonprofit developer, I realized I preferred to be able to physically touch accomplishments. Walking through apartments was so much more fulfilling than reading about a report sent to the Hill. Perhaps I’m all about action and not policy.

Lately I’ve been thinking about the next phase in my life. My husband laughs at me because I keep saying, “This is it. Whatever I decide to do next might be the last thing I get to do before retirement.” Apparently he doesn’t think I’m old enough to be worrying about this quite yet. He’s probably right, but as I inch closer to 50 next week, I’m feeling the time running out. 

In 15 years I’d like to think I will have grown whatever I decide to plant right now to be big and strong. I want to see mature trees.

Last weekend a friend wrote that she wanted to find grant funding for her photo documentary. Since we were fooling around with the Google Wave, I could easily research sites for her and post the links into our live chat. I gave her an assignment. She had to get this cutting-edge project funded.

 Many artists and [...]]]>

Last weekend a friend wrote that she wanted to find grant funding for her photo documentary. Since we were fooling around with the Google Wave, I could easily research sites for her and post the links into our live chat. I gave her an assignment. She had to get this cutting-edge project funded.

 Many artists and photographers pay the rent with clerical jobs while pursuing their passions. My friend is no different. However she had been laid off. This was the perfect time to find funding for her photography.

 On Monday morning she Tweeted this:

 grants grants grant… where are you??????? i am dedicating the day to online research.. starting… right…NOW!

 She was excited. I went off to work at the office we used to share before she moved to pursue a photography opportunity.

 At work I discovered the person who replaced her was out on an extended leave and we desperately needed help with our database. We discussed hiring my friend to work remotely and were going to call her. I knew, at that very moment, she was excitedly researching her dream.  I knew she’d be interrupted by an administrative job and loose her stride toward her dream.

 So often we shove aside the pursuit of our passions to take care of our responsibilities and pay the rent. We don’t give our best effort to improving our lives.

Last week I read How To Focus On What Truly Matters by Sid Savara, a guest on Zen Habits. His suggestions were fresh on my mind as thought about the possibilities for my friend.

 Sid Savara writes about doing what excites us, “what gets our heart pumping, and what gets us excited to jump out of bed in the morning.”

But my problem has always been taking care of everything for others rather than doing what I want to do. In fact, I often feel guilty about spending time on the projects I enjoy. But after reading this passage, I’ve changed my priorities.

Do it first. In Zen To Done Leo suggests picking your 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) and doing them first thing in the morning. Similarly, once you find what truly matters, try to take care of it first before spending time on tasks that matter less to you. … I work on my personal goals first thing in the morning, before I do anything else. This way every day begins positively and in line with my future.

Too often I’ll shove my enthusiasm aside and do what I believe is required of me. I’ll answer all those emails for my volunteer duties and prepare for meetings then loose my spirit for the task I really wanted to do. Not anymore. I planned an entire event with the small amount of time available after I did what I wanted to do. I let it slide. In the end, it was fine.

So, make time for what excites you first. Don’t waste it on all the filler.

“Wait a minute,” the teenage student from Togo interjected, “You mean the United States had a civil war?”

I was in the middle of giving a tour of the Gettysburg battlefield to a group of teenagers on a week-long service project. Although we had talked about the tour, apparently the [...]]]>

Rivers roar, split and combine repeatedly

“Wait a minute,” the teenage student from Togo interjected, “You mean the United States had a civil war?”

I was in the middle of giving a tour of the Gettysburg battlefield to a group of teenagers on a week-long service project. Although we had talked about the tour, apparently the student had never learned about our Civil War. The death of more than 50,000 casualties in three days suddenly made him realize the United States had a bloody, terrible civil war like many of his African nations. To him the United States was always a peaceful democracy. When he heard my detailed description of the worst battle, he realized our current democracy was hard fought and not always perfect.

Sometimes I think we see the end product and don’t fully understand the process or history which was necessary for success. Most endeavors involve some bad decisions and great disagreements.

When you delve into a successful organization, you’ll find differences of opinion, conflicts of direction, and disgruntled staff or board members. Everyone doesn’t always agree. We make a mistake when we look at any well-run organization and assume it has always been on its present course. Most likely someone disagreed somewhere along the way.

When it’s happening to your organization, church, or group, don’t be discouraged. Participate in the process. In the end, either you’ll build a stronger organization or you’ll leave to pursue another endeavor. Change is inevitable. Embrace the conflict and move forward.

If you are thinking of starting an organization, acknowledge it might be a long and difficult journey until you have created your vision. Journeys are often filled with unrest and bad decisions, but this doesn’t mean the destination won’t be worth it.