Family Exercise

I often hear mothers say that they don’t have time to exercise because they are too busy with caring for their family. I really see this as an excuse and an insult to their loved ones. First of all a family needs healthy parents which can provide for the family at all times.

Accountability is of utmost importance when it comes to the health and well being of your family. If parents to not take care of themselves, they are putting themselves at risk of not being there for their family. It also sends a conflicting message to all the family members, because they will not learn to take care of themselves and the “saga” will continue when they become parents.

How about including a “Family Exercise” activity to the agenda? Here’s to a healthier you, a healthier family, and a healthier nation!

Pieces of The Puzzle--The Color Orange Has It!

The orange color fruits and vegetables are great fat burners. Want some ice cream? Mix it with cantaloupe. How about some cottage cheese? Add some carrots to that mix. I always have plenty of baby carrots, and ready to eat cantaloupe. It’s easy to grab so I have not excuse.

For me taking the time to prepare healthy snacks is more that worth it. I lose weight, and save money, since I don’t support the fast food industry. You guessed it, another piece of the puzzle.

Pieces of The Puzzle--Water Anyone?

I can’t stress this enough. Like a ritual, before I start my run or may work out I consume (2) glasses of water. It’s refreshing and a big eye opener. I drink water during my run or work out to stay hydrated.

Before each meal I drink (2) glasses of water. I eat total of (5) smalls meals this gives a sure total of (10) glasses a day. And I also sip water all day long. So, water is a very important piece of the puzzle to maintaining a healthy weight.

Weight Management

Before 06/07 and After 4/09

Recently I’ve learned how to eat enough food, enough times per day, and the right combination to maintain a healthy weight appropriate to my height, age and stature.

I use to skip meals thinking that I would lose weight. I did this for years, and was always frustrated because I did not lose any weight. My weight never got out of control, because I was very active.

It wasn’t until I had surgery and I could no longer participate in the physical activities, and was still using the skip meals system that my weight got out of control. When I was able to return to the physical activities, I could not perform them at all.

I now have a new system which I’ve been using since July 2007. I have lost 55 Lbs. and still maintain my weight. The system works and is available free to all subscribers.

Some essential rules for the system to work are:

1) Drink plenty of water.

2) Eat small meals but more often, and protein is essential.

3) Eat everything but not all at once.

4) It’s important not to deprive yourself of any food category.

5) Use Isagenix Cleanse, and Isagenix Isalean Shakes.

Good luck everyone!

Clothing

I recommend the proper attire for training as well as racing. Do not use cotton. It’s best to use fit dry loose clothing. This type of material will prevent your body from overheating. I’ll always remember being asked to go into the Ladies room and take my cotton shirt off and replace it with a fit dry one which someone was nice enough to loan me for my first race. I never experience overheating, but I saw many male participants get rid of their cotton shirts along the route. I was thankful and still think about how that fit dry shirt saved me.

My favorite socks are Wright Sock Double-Layered. Before I started using them, I would get blisters. I’ve been using this type of sock since 2005, and if I do get a blister it’s because I laced up incorrectly, or my toe covers were not properly positioned.

Shoes are the most important piece of you attire. I always make sure that the material which surrounds the area around my toes is a mesh material. The reason for this is that when you run your entire body swells, and of course your feet are the most venerable.
Leather or any other type of material will not allow your feet room to expand.

I ran with a pair which had leather material surrounding my forefoot. I ran (5) miles and my feet felt like they were on fire. I lost circulation and was in extreme pain. This happened approximately (5) years ago. I spent over $100 on the shoes, and had to buy another pair. I never made that mistake again.

I now get my shoes from Road Runner Sports. They have a policy, by which if you have a problem with the shoe you purchased, no matter how many miles you’ve traveled in them they will exchange them for a new pair at no charge. You have (60) to test run your shoes.

I always wear a hat. The hat keeps me cool during the hot summer days, and keeps me warm during the chilly winter.

Wear the best and you will perform your best.

Be True to Your Training

Before I started my training, I placed a great deal of time on a Conditioning and Strength training program. I later combined them with a Weight Management Program. The programs combination taught me how to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight for life. The best part was that the healthy foods just gave me much more energy and strength.

Once I developed strong, regular conditioning and strength training habits, I applied the system to my ultimate desire to complete another Marathon. Training to complete a Marathon requires about (6) months preparation.

My goal during the week is to complete the exact or as close to as possible to the amount of miles I’ll be running on Saturdays when I do my endurance training.

I continued my conditioning and strength program during the week, but increased distance for my Saturday runs gradually. The distance increases from (1) mile the first week of training to (22) miles two weeks before the marathon. It is very important to increase the distance gradually to avoid injuries and set backs. It is also important to be true to the distance requirements on Saturdays. Although the preparation does not call for you to complete 26.2 miles the actual marathon distance during training, it’s only 4.2 additional miles on the day of the marathon which you have to go.

I remember finishing my first Marathon which “changed my life forever”, I immediately anxious to start training for the next event. I thought it would be easy. I thought “I just ran a Marathon; the next one will be much easier”.

But, it was not that simple. First my body had to recover from the event. In order to recover properly, I had to take it easy, somewhat like the beginning of the training. It takes (1) week per hour of the duration the event. If it takes someone (4) hours to complete a Marathon, their recovery time is (4) weeks. After these weeks, the Saturday endurance runs can be challenging again.

Remember be true to your training to guarantee an exciting finish, and a rewarding life changing event.

Never Too Young To Start.

I can’t stress enough the importance of placing your children in an exercise program as early as possible. My two were exposed very early. I not only followed a Prenatal Exercise Regimen, I also followed a Post Natal Exercise Regimen, and the Newborns had the Opportunity to watch “Mommy” while she exercised.

I don’t know if they were aware of the conditioning process, but I use to play classical music from the time of conception. The enjoy listening to this type of music today. This past year my son who is now 23 years old took his girlfriend to see “The Nutcracker Ballet”, and my daughter who is now 25 years old, and performed in the "Nutcracker" from the time she was 4 years old until she was 17 years, had to see the ballet this past year as well. In our family Christmas is not Christmas until we see a performance of “The Nutcracker”.

It was not always this way, my son use to say “not again” every year his sister performed. But, today he misses it. It’s amazing how conditioning works not only for the mind but, the body as well.

Now its my little nephew’s turn for conditioning. He has been to a few of my race events, and has seen all my medals. He has wanted his own medal for about a year. So, on February 1, 2009, he ran in the “Surf City Kids Run”. This was his first run, and it was a little overwhelming for him at first. When he has been to my events he has always been at the finish line very excited and yelling “Auntica”.

There was a bit of drama before, and during the run. He was a little concerned about having to run with all the “big people”, since this is what he remembered from my past events. But, we assured him he would be running with kids his size.

Secondly, the crowd at the Surf City Event was huge, and the commotion was too much for him at the start line. But, in the end when the crowd was cheering for him, the “Little Ham” in him prevailed, and the run to the finish line was great!

He received his first medal, it is a Surf Board. I could not wait to see him and his medal. I was participating in the Half-Marathon event, and all I could think of, was rushing to the Finish Line to see my nephew with his medal.

The size of the medal is perfect for him. I hope that this is the first of many for him. And I hope that I continue to lead by example. It is important to remember that our children are the future, help them lead a healthy life, and they will follow your example and continue the trend. Inspire and train them well in prevention through wellness and exercise.

The Enlightened Warrior

My Daughter “The Enlightened Warrior”

My daughter who studied classical ballet for (13) years, always went by the rule, that running is the worse exercise a ballet dancer could do. So she has never liked running. I don’t fault her, after hearing that for all those years especially coming from the strictest Ballet Instructor.

When I graduated in June of 2007, after completing my Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration, a dear friend of mine gave a book entitled: Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T.Harv Eker. Since I had just graduated I thought “I already have the mind of a millionaire”, I don’t need this book. So I just put the book on a shelf. It remained on the shelf for about (2) months.

Then I got a call from my daughter who had moved to San Francisco in March 2007, to make it on her own. With her belief that money was not important, and the cost of living in San Francisco, most people who knew her gave her until May 2007 maybe, before she would move back to Los Angeles. By the sound of the drama on the other end, all I could think about was that little book I had put away. I sent her “that baby” via Express Mail, with the note, “Most Urgent Must Read It Immediately”. I sent it to her in August of 2007.

She told me she was reading the book and was very fascinated by what she discovered about herself, her family, her past and where she was headed unless she’d take heed.
Every time she’d called I’d noticed that her beliefs about money and life were changing in a positive way.

In February of 2008, the same dear friend that gave me the book gave me a Tuition Voucher which he instructed me to give to my daughter. He had heard her express interest in attending the Millionaire Mind Intensive Seminar, so he thought of her when he obtained the tickets. Since it was taking place in San Francisco, and it was very easy for her to attend, she would have no excuse not to go. She went to the seminar and was so impressed, that now she is a Peak Potentials Quantum Leap Member and an Ambassador as well. Despite all the positive things that she was making happen in her life, she still had a lot of baggage and drama which would surface every now and then.

In June of 2007, she announced that she was going to attend Peak Potentials Enlightened Warrior Training Camp for 4 ½ Days. I’m thinking “Camp” wilderness. She’s afraid of a fly. But, I supported her decision. She went, and I did not hear from her for 4 ½ Days.

After the training she called me very excited and said, “Mom, you have to go next year.” My reply was, “I’m already a warrior, and I run Marathons”. But she kept insisting, so I challenged her. I thought she’ll never agree to this challenge and so I said, “I’ll go if you run the LA Marathon with me”. I’d figured that the Marathon would be held first, and if she did not run, I would not have to go.

To my surprise, she said yes. I was beginning to see the change or the "Enlightened Warrior" in her. I’m also, starting to think that the "Enlightened Warrior" has the Universe on her side. The date for the Los Angeles Marathon which is normally held in March, has changed twice this year. It is now scheduled for May, 25, 2009. This is good for her. Training for a Marathon takes time to work on conditioning and endurance. She will need the extra time the Universe has managed to give her.

In the few weeks that followed, I noticed that her conversations had less stress and less drama. This was an amazing transformation, coming from someone who her brother once called, “A Drama Seeking Missile”.

Post Surgery Blues

A couple of years ago, after my third marathon, I decided to obtain a Masters Degree. It was challenging as I was working full time and helping my son fund for my Bachelors. Adding icing on the cake, I had (2) surgeries which I had to recover from.
Homework, stress, the lack of time, and the surgeries did not leave much room for me to focus on maintaining a healthy body. As a result, I gained a large amount of weight.

When I started training again, I experienced every pain imaginable. My body was not accustomed to the excess weight. I could not finish (1) lap on the track. Frustration and fear set in. I thought I would never be able to complete another marathon.

In January of 2007, I started a strength training program. I later combined the program with a Weight Management Program in July of 2007. I was finally learning how to eat healthy and eat enough to maintain a healthy weight for life.Before, I was eating health foods, but not enough. I was depriving my body of the necessary nutrients it required to enhance my metabolism. I was forcing my body into hibernation mode, my body was storing fat it was not burning it.

Today, from not being able to run around the track once in 2007, I’ve completed (1) Marathon and (5) Half Marathons in 2008.I have lost 55 lbs, and 57.75 inches. My body fat was 42% in 2007, it is now down to 28%. In June of 2007, I wore a size 16; I now wear a size 6.