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Mark, Kylie, and I are out in California until after Christmas. We spend several weeks here with my in-laws every December and just love it!! Sixty degrees seems like a heat wave to us right now from the negative temperatures we left (sorry to rub it in!).
We do so much while we’re out here. It’s always such a blast. We went iceskating next to the beach at the Hotel Del Coronado. Kyle was practicing her "cross-overs" for speed skating. She's got that determination. :) Then we went to Lego Land!
I was also able to be at the Footlocker Cross Country National Championship in San Diego again this year. What amazing athletes!! I loved being able to meet with and cheer on so many of them. Kylie was inspired by the runners too and spent the morning trotting around the park!
We try to be as active as possible as a family, especially around the holidays when we have so much more time spend together. But I know that for many families, holiday activities are not so active. They tend to be based around eating. And then after indulging, everyone is tired and wants to lounge around, maybe watch some sports or a holiday movie. Sound familiar?
Well, this year, why not try something different?! You can be the leader in encouraging your kids and families to come up with new family activities to get moving!
Some suggestions:
| • | Take a walk together after dinner to look at Christmas lights. |
| • | Find an outdoor ice skating rink. |
| • | Split into teams and have a snowball fight. |
| • | Have a snowman building competition. |
| • | Bring everyone over to the YMCA and have a family kickball game! |
Wishing you all a fabulous and active holiday and New Year!
P.S. Casey will be back to blog on Monday, January 4.
It's freezing cold outside; it’s dark when you leave for work and dark by the time you get home, and you're avoiding the scale like the plague in the midst of those extra holiday calories that are next to impossible not to consume. That’s a pretty good excuse to sit inside, snuggle up with some milk and cookies, and watch some cable—right?
No way! Sure it's tempting to turn into a couch potato in winter—in fact, a poll conducted by The American Fitness Professionals and Associates found that 30 percent of people get no exercise at all during the winter months! But unless you have health concerns, there is no reason why you have to put an outdoor exercise routine on hold because of the cold. An added winter bonus: you actually burn more calories exercising in winter because your body has to work harder to keep itself warm!
Here are some simple, yet important, precautions to help you get the most out of a cold-weather workout:
| • | Warm up before you head outside. Cold temperatures can make your muscles tight, which could leave you more prone to injuries. A good warm-up routine might include some simple stretches as well as calisthenics, such as sit-ups. |
| • | Dress in layers. One of the biggest mistakes outdoor exercisers can make is dressing too warmly. Exercise generates a considerable amount of heat, which can lead to sweat. Wet clothes and cold air are not a good combination. |
| • | Protect your extremities. When it's cold, blood is diverted to your body's core, leaving your hands and feet vulnerable to cold. |
| • | Stand out. When it's dark, wear reflective materials, such as mesh vests and reflectors on shoes to ensure you can be seen. |
| • | Stay hydrated. You can become dehydrated in the cold just as you can in the heat from sweating. |
| • | Know the warning signs. Early signs of frostbite include paleness, numbness and loss of feeling or a stinging sensation. Hypothermia is characterized by intense shivering, slurred speech and loss of coordination. If you experience these sensations, get out of the cold immediately and slowly warm the affected area without rubbing. |
Now that you’re aware of all the precautions, you’re ready to get out there and start moving—and remember to make it fun!
While the holidays are supposed to be a joyous time of the year, the reality is that this time of year can be particularly stressful for many of us. When looking for some advice to share in my blog this week, I found a great article on WebMD on Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress.
What I found most interesting about the article is that it talked about not only how the usual holiday stressors (crowded malls, travel chaos, unpredictable weather, flu season, etc.) come into play, but it also mentioned our own memories as a key culprit of stress. According to researchers, “When we think about the holidays, we dwell on the past and what went wrong, or we romanticize it and make it impossible to re-create.” Physicians counsel people to carefully examine their thoughts and expectations, and not drive themselves crazy finding “the perfect gift” or planning “the perfect party.” “Instead,” they say, “lower your expectations, and overestimate—rather than underestimate—your time.” The article goes on to discuss the connection between stress and illness, which is real!
This holiday season, try to take it easy on yourself in order to stay healthy mentally and physically! Read the article in its entirety at WebMD.
As the holidays are upon us, it’s the perfect time to talk about giving back. I recently had the opportunity to speak at the Madison Area Service Club’s luncheon on this topic. The theme of that talk was “Developing Tomorrow’s Olympians,” but it wasn’t as much about literally developing tomorrow’s Olympians as it was about putting our minds together and sharing stories on how to give back. Typically when I speak, it’s about me—my speed skating career, the successes and failures I had, and the lessons learned—so to be able to put more emphasis on giving back was a refreshing twist!
Throughout “my story” I share several examples of when people gave something of real importance to me, and how my life was changed as a result. One example was my parents giving me the opportunities they gave me. They gave me an almost unfathomable amount of time, energy, money, and—perhaps most importantly—hope. They instilled in me a hope and belief that I could accomplish my dreams if I was willing to do what it took to get to them, and that’s a huge thing to give somebody! It is something I have kept with me my entire life and I’m starting to share with my children—and with anyone that will listen for that matter. To help someone realize their potential is truly priceless.
Another instance of incredible giving I experienced was when I moved to Canada to train. Not only were the Canadians willing to have me up there, but they gave unconditionally once I arrived. They showed me that even competitors and unlikely partners really gain from giving.
Those of us that are given great opportunities often don’t forget them, and more often than not, we try to give back to others in return! Personally, I have had the opportunity to be involved with many great organizations and projects such as Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools since winning Gold in ’02. Quite frankly, these opportunities to give back and make a difference in the lives of others are the best and longest lasting perks I gained from my athletic career!
In a way, I feel like I’m preaching to the choir. My wife is a teacher, so I see first-hand all you teachers and staff do to give back to our students and communities every day. And I want to thank you for that.
Casey and I were so fortunate last week to have had lunch with an incredible teenage girl! She faces a lot of challenges in her life, and Casey and I were able to talk with her and help her to set a new goal on her journey! We had a great conversation and shared some laughs too!
Casey and I have been blessed to have a platform to speak with and motivate others through our athletic careers. But what this teenager reminded me of is that EVERYONE has a platform in which to be inspirational—to make a difference. But often, we just need a little help in recognizing what that platform is and how to embrace it as a positive.
Sometimes it is the challenges we’ve faced or the hardships we’ve overcome that give us an opportunity to reach others. Sometimes it is as simple as sharing our smile that can make a difference in another person’s life. Helping others feels so good! We should all do more of it! So many of you are already making a huge difference in your students’ and others’ lives, but I challenge you to find even more ways than you can help to motivate others.
We can do it! And if you have a motivating story to share, I encourage you to post it on the Movin’ and Munchin’ facebook page so we can all hear about it!
Talk to you soon!
There have been some recent incidents in amateur sports regarding poor sportsmanship such as the University of New Mexico women’s soccer player who is suspended indefinitely for her actions on the field last week.
I understand that it can be emotional anytime an athlete invests so much in his or her sport. It becomes important, personal and emotional! But I don’t believe there is any excuse for showing poor sportsmanship. It is easy, however, for spectators to sit on the sidelines and say, “Come on. Lighten up. It’s just a game.” But for many, it’s not just a game—it’s a career.
Most athletes put just as much into their sport as others do their more “typical” careers. That being said, the same standards should apply. Whether we’re talking about pulling someone’s hair in a soccer game or lying to a customer in order to close a sale, it’s all the same in that there is a right way and a wrong way to conduct yourself. Overall in life, we should be able to handle winning and losing and treating people appropriately. You don’t have to be happy about losing a game, missing a sale, or a student not performing as you’d hoped, but it should not change the way you treat and handle others.
Speed skating is a relatively close-knit community, even on a global basis, so I really didn’t see much mean or vindictive behavior amongst these competitors. But I did have a Dutch competitor who I competed with throughout most of my career who chose to celebrate in my face after beating me. I never forgot it! In my case, his lack of sportsmanship made it even more personal and gave me added motivation to beat him in future races! My point being, it doesn’t matter if it’s in athletics or any other walk of life, ultimately your successes and failures are a result of how YOU choose to play the game.
Trick-or-treating last weekend was soooooo much fun. Kylie was a Cowgirl. And it is also safe to say that Kylie likes candy as much as I do! But as a role model for her, I have to make sure that she realizes that candy is a really a “treat” and not something to be eaten all the time. This is, of course, a difficult task after Halloween. Here are some things I’ve tried at our house. We make a game of sorting the candy when we get it home. Kylie can have a few of her favorites and then we put the rest of the candy in the freezer (out-of sight, out-of-mid). Then we pick a treat from the freezer once a day so there isn’t temptation to eat that many sugary treats all at once!
Another good “trick” I’ve heard my friends talk about is to consider trading half of the candy for a toy or game that your son or daughter has had their eye on. Talk to your little one ahead of time about making the trade. You can even pick the toy out together before and hold it until after trick-or-treating is completed.
Candy doesn’t have to be forbidden, but it’s important for children to learn about moderation. I hope you had as much fun on Halloween as we did!
I recently became involved with DreamBikes, a phenomenal non-profit who’s first store is located here in Madison (opening soon in Milwaukee, and hoping to expand nationally). DreamBikes is a used bicycle store strategically placed in lower-income communities so we can partner with Boys and Girls Clubs.
The goals of DreamBikes are two-fold:
| 1. | To provide young people living in these neighborhoods a safe, professional place to work, paying them a fair wage while gaining valuable work experience and building their resume; and |
| 2. | To provide the children and adults in these neighborhoods access to bicycles and bicycle accessories that they may not otherwise be able to afford. |
DreamBikes even offers a micro-financing program for those who qualify! Bicycles offer a means of transportation to school or work, an inexpensive way to exercise, and of course are just plain fun to ride! We also sell bikes to the general public, and encourage anyone and everyone to donate bikes and/or get your next bike from DreamBikes.
I believe strongly in DreamBikes for many reasons, but one not-so-transparent reason is that they promote self-confidence. The ultimate goal at DreamBikes is to help youth realize that their dreams are within reach and with hard work and motivation, they can accomplish virtually anything they set their mind to.
I had a similar discussion with some folks from Kickapoo when we were there with Movin’ and Munchin, and what I want so strongly to stress to youth everywhere is that we're all here in America and therefore inherently have opportunities—and successes if we're willing to work hard enough to make them happen.
Remember that Movin’ and Munchin’ is about so much more than just “movin’” and “munchin’.” It’s about healthy lifestyles, mentally and physically—not just for today, but for tomorrow too. The more you can incorporate aspects of goal setting, motivation, encouragement, and civil service into your Movin’ and Munchin’ programs, the better!
While health officials and even health enthusiasts such as myself have long suspected the link between obesity and drinking soda, new research provides the first scientific evidence of the harmful role soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages play in the obesity problem. In their study, Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California, researchers from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy discovered a strong correlation between soda consumption and weight. The researchers found that:
- Adults who drink a soda or more per day are 27 percent more likely to be overweight than those who do not drink sodas, regardless of income or ethnicity.
- Forty-one percent of young children (2-11 years of age) are drinking at least one soda or sugar-sweetened beverage every day.
- Adolescents (12-17) represent the biggest consumers of soda, with 62 percent (over 2 million youths) drinking one or more every day — the equivalent of consuming 39 pounds of sugar each year in soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.
This is such a problem! But the good news is that there is such an easy fix. There are so many great tasting and healthy replacements for soda like milk or chocolate milk, my favorite! Remember, everyday you go without soda earns you 2 Movin’ and Munchin’ Miles and if you go a whole week, you get 15 Miles! But most importantly, you’ll be well on your way to good health and setting a great example for those around you.
Source: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, September 17, 2009
I just read a report in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise**, that talked about how, despite 14 years of public education campaigns, only one-third of Americans know about the national recommendation for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day, and fewer than half meet that goal. Wow!
This just solidified in my mind how crucial programs like Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools are, and how fortunate Suzy and I are to have this opportunity to work with school staff and students. I believe we’re able to make a substantial difference in a way that the mass media just cannot (or is not).
We all start our learning in schools. If messages of healthy lifestyles are incorporated into the classroom from day one, it is impossible for our nation’s children (who will grow into our nation’s adults) to not know the importance of exercise! Working together, we can make a difference in breaking this cycle of “not knowing” because in this case, what Americans (of all ages) don’t know CAN and WILL hurt them, and all of us.
** In response to article “30 Minutes of Physical Activity, Who Knew?”
I have to tell you, I am just so excited for this week! Tomorrow morning Casey and I will be in Viola at the Kickapoo Area School District; and then Wednesday afternoon we'll be at the Whitewater Unified School District. The coolest thing is that both of these Movin’ and Munchin’ events are district-wide! All of the students and staff from pre-kindergarten through high school seniors will be together in the gymnasiums!
I love all of the Movin’ and Munchin’ events we do, but when you have all of the students, little to big, in one room, the energy is just incredible. And it is so fun to watch how the little kids look up to the big kids and how the big kids really act like leaders in front of the little ones.
This interaction is so much of what Movin’ and Munchin’ is about. It's about creating leaders and teams to support one another in eating healthy and exercising, and setting and achieving overall goals in life. Casey and I can’t wait to visit these two schools this week that are such standouts and provide great examples of goal-setting, teamwork, and positive energy!
I was certainly rooting for Chicago to be the 2016 Olympic pick. Beyond all the economic benefits hosting the Olympic Games brings to a region, as an athlete, to finally have your moment, and then to have that moment at home in your own country is an amazing, amazing feeling! I was so fortunate to have that experience in Salt Lake in 2002 and was hoping more U.S. athletes would have the same opportunity in 2016. But no matter the host country, as a competitor for the United States, you undoubtedly carry with you an enormous sense of pride and patriotism.
I also thought it would have been pretty remarkable to have part of The Games right here in Madison! I’m sure you heard that had Chicago been awarded the bid, mountain biking, road cycling and time trials would have been held around Madison and western Dane County. Maybe we can find solace in the fact that even though we didn’t get the pick this year, just being recognized as one of the nation’s premier areas for bike riding (and an Olympic-caliber venue) is an honor we should embrace! Those of us who live here already know how great it is, but to gain exposure on this global scale will undoubtedly draw more athletes and spectators to our area moving forward. The Chicago loss definitively comes as a disappointment, but locally we still have a lot to be proud of…and to look forward to.
I've talked about this in my blogs and with some of you in person before, but one of the biggest lessons I have learned in my personal and athletic life is the importance of having a healthy, happy mind. I really believe that one of the biggest contributors to being happy and healthy mentally is to have a passion in your life. A passion is that thing that just makes you smile!
Spending time with your spouse, your friends, your children, or your grandchildren may be your passion—or maybe it's devoting time and energy to your school and your students. Maybe your passion is riding your bike, running, politics, reading, or doing math! It can be anything—it is whatever makes YOU happy—whatever YOU live for!
Having a passion helps determine what you stand for. It's so essential in life. If you have a passion (or passions) you are less likely to get lost in the journey, but rather it will help you to have a meaningful, positive, and purpose-driven life.
Other than my family, my true passion is motivational speaking, especially in schools. Speaking has been way more rewarding for me than any of my races by far. I truly love speaking to adults and kids alike, giving my message, and if I can make some type of impact, it's worth it.
What is it that defines you? What is your passion? Knowing this and holding tightly to it will help to keep you healthy in so many ways!
Love,
At a golf outing last week, I was asked what I'm doing to work out nowadays. My honest response, “I get in maybe one or two workouts a week for a half hour,” seemed to come as a surprise. I’ve experienced this same question and the same eyebrow raise at my response before. People often think that you need to work out all the time just to look like you take care of yourself. But that’s not necessarily the case.
When I look back over a typical week I probably spend 10-15 hours “doing things” at times many others are kicked back on the couch. This week, for example, I went bow hunting and got my first doe of the season, which meant, of course, having to get her back to the truck! I also stained the deck and mowed our lawn. (We have a push mower. It’s not self-propelled!) I ran around in the yard with our dog on a number of occasions. Wednesday evening I went to The Little Gym in Middleton for my son Sawyer’s class. I like to do some of the things with him because I’m there anyhow, might as well do something. It also sets a great example for the kids.
I typically do a few push ups and sit-ups before I hop in the shower. I go up and down our stairs at least 5-10 times a night. I don’t set things down to wait to take a stack up or down—I just do it when I’m thinking of it. It may not be the most efficient method, but it gets me up and down several more times. There is even something to be said for standing up versus sitting down when doing silly things around the house like paying bills.
These are the things I do, and they are not really a workout at all. They’re all small, unimposing activities, but when you add them up, I honestly believe they make an enormous difference! They get the blood flowing through my veins and keep my muscles awake versus just sitting which uses no muscle groups.
In a typical week, I maybe spend 30 minutes watching TV, and even then, I’m likely to be doing something active at the same time! How many hours a week do you spend sitting and watching TV? Does it outnumber the hours you spend being active? If your answer to this is “Yes,” my advice is to think twice next time you sit down on the couch and reach for the remote control. Is there something more active you could be doing? All of the little things add up to make one large difference!
Until next week,
I just read a study from July that said obesity rates in the U.S. have gone up 37% in the last ten years…37%! On top of that, it reported that obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of all medical spending in the U.S. or an estimated $147 billion a year. It also said obese people spend 40% more—or $1,429 more per year—in healthcare costs than people of normal weight. Clearly, obesity is taking a far greater toll on our country than just on health alone!
In response to the report, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlined 24 new recommendations on how communities can combat obesity in their neighborhoods and schools by encouraging healthier eating and more exercise. These recommendations are right up the Movin’ and Munchin’ alley! Take a look— Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States.
While some of these 24 strategies by the CDC are monumental in scope, Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools is an easy-to-implement program that conditions students and staff alike to turn the trend around and begin fighting the obesity epidemic one Movin’ and Munchin’ mile at a time! If your school has already been a part of Movin’ and Munchin’, you’re making a difference! Be sure to sign up again this year. The earlier you get started in your schools, the more impact you can make!
If your school hasn’t done Movin’ and Munchin’ before, make this year your first! It really will take a community approach to create the change the nation needs!
Looking forward to learning about all of your programs this year! Make it a great one!
P.S. Read the whole article: Obesity costs U.S. health system $147 billion: study.
I came across an article recently that supported what I have been talking about for a very long time. It’s about goal setting. It was great! At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I wanted to share it with you.
The study findings hint that adults may be able to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes as they age simply by setting diet and exercise goals and sticking to those goals. Older men and women who self-monitored their behavior and set healthier diet and physical activity goals not only lost weight and body mass over a year, but maintained their losses after three years.
The Movin’ and Munchin’ program is intended to be fun while establishing healthy habits that will last a lifetime. As you probably know already, as part of the program, students, their families and staff are required to set goals and track them throughout the school year. You can use this Movin’ and Munchin’ goal setting as practice for setting lifelong goals, and teaching and encouraging your students to do so as well.
With the start of another school year, comes the perfect opportunity to revisit all of your goals—not just professionally, but personally as well. What are you going to do to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy this school year? If you set those goals for yourself, your students will follow suit.
Read the full article Goal setting helps cut type 2 diabetes risk on reuters.com.
Welcome Back!
We have so many exciting things going on with Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools already this year. One new thing that I think is so cool is Movin’ and Munchin’ is now on Facebook!
I have been on Facebook since the beginning of the year and just can’t get enough of it! I go on it at least once a day to check on friends, contact my running club members, post new photos, and the list goes on!
For this school year, a goal of ours was to be able to give schools an interactive forum to share with one another what you are doing as part of Movin’ and Munchin’. We think that a social networking site such as Facebook is the perfect place for that!
On the Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools page, you can tell other schools about your past successes, or seek out ideas for a new program this year. You can also post photos of students and staff participating in activities and use this to honor their achievements and encourage others. We will also be posting videos, photos, news articles, and other up-to-date Movin’ and Munchin’ information.
To join the Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools Facebook page, just type in the Facebook search engine and click to become a fan. It’s that easy! And while you’re on the page, be sure to join the WEA Insurance Trust Facebook group as well. We looking forward to seeing you as Facebook fans. 
Love,
Even though I am in shock that it’s August already, I have certainly been enjoying summer! From charity golf outings (I’m a terrible golfer), boating and fishing, to mowing, planting, picking berries, and watching wildlife at our farm, I've been getting outside as much as possible. I also have a newfound favorite Madison activity, Concerts on the Square! As much fun as I've been having, I did, however, have a bit of a bump in the road as far as exercise goes.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, I was up at my family's cabin near Hayward. Trying to keep up with my workouts while I was away from the gym, I went for a pretty vigorous run one morning. It was probably a bit too vigorous for a casual runner like me because I ended up with a torn meniscus in my right knee!
I took about ten days off from exercising all together to give my knee time to heal. After that, although it was still causing me pain and limiting my mobility, I had to do something to get my heart rate up again because I am down right ornery when I can't exercise like I’m used to! It really makes me no fun to be around and much less productive too! Do you know the feeling?
I can hardly consider myself an avid swimmer, but I could barely walk so anything with impact (pounding) was clearly not an option. So I decided to get back in the pool as swimming is a great no impact sport (and the flutter kick is great for rehabbing knees as a rule of thumb). That worked well. After a little more time, I was able to do some recumbent biking and got back on the elliptical too. I also focused on upper body workouts more than usual. While my injury was definitely a setback, and I am still not able to run again yet, I've been able to adapt.
Usually with an injury, it's only in one place of our body so we still have the rest of ourselves to focus on without furthering our injury! If you are recovering from an injury, by all means, take it easy for as long as needed. But when you feel comfortable again, be creative in finding ways to exercise without putting additional stress on the area. Focus on other areas, limit the range of motion and impact on the injured area, and—here’s my disclaimer—of course, consult with a doctor if/when appropriate. You don't have to give up working out all together! Summer’s too short as it is.
Summer is in full swing and I've been having a blast being outdoors as much as I can! One of the best things about summer is that it is so easy to make quick healthy meals and have fun doing it! Grilling is typically one of the healthiest ways to cook meat, but barbeques can still be horrible for your nutrition if you're not careful. The good news is that low fat grilling is not hard at all, if you know what to watch out for. You just need to be smart about the meats you start with, and the condiments and side dishes you add.
Lean chicken without the skin is always a healthy option (forego the marinades and sauces!). Fish is great too. Cod, halibut, salmon, scallops, or shrimp are delicious low-fat grilling options. Fish contains heart-healthy fats, and is low in bad fats.
You don't have to be afraid of eating beef once in awhile either. If you're in the mood for a hamburger, pay attention to what type of ground beef you buy. A trick I recommend is to remember that the closer to the end of the alphabet, the leaner. Ground sirloin, for example, is a healthier option than ground chuck.
Steaks also typically get a bad reputation, but they don't necessarily have to! If you go to a steakhouse and order the traditional 12- or 16-ounce rib eye, you're getting well over 1,000 calories and 30 grams of fat, a lot of that in saturated form too. If you're trying to stick to a healthful diet, you probably still want to steer clear of the rib eye as your grilling choice. Choose lean cuts of beef, like flank steak, top loin, round, or filet mignon. Trim all visible fat before you begin grilling.
Try to use healthier condiments like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado, or salsa. Be especially mindful of the amount of cheese you use to top your grilled foods. Choose a thin slice of low-fat cheese. Use whole-grain buns too.
Also, be sure to choose low-fat sides to go with your grilled meats. I know that's not always easy! Often it is the side dishes that you combine with the grilled foods that make the meal high in fat. Consider grilling vegetables for a low-fat side dish. Avoid potato salad, macaroni salad, potato chips, or other unhealthy barbecue fare—stick with fruit salads or other low-fat options!
Hope you're having a fun, safe, and healthy summer!
Last week, I had a late afternoon meeting scheduled to go over some business plans with a friend and colleague. It was a beautiful day outside and the meeting was the last thing on both of our calendars for the day, so he called to see if I would be interested in holding our discussion on the move—while rollerblading! What a great idea! I ran home and dusted off my inline skates and we hit the Capital City Trail along Lake Monona.
It had been awhile since I was on my inline skates. I almost forgot how great of an exercise it is! Beyond the research that says inline skating is as beneficial health wise as running or biking, in my opinion, it’s a lot more fun! (Sorry Suzy, but I’ve never been much of a runner! )
Inline skating is a great aerobic exercise, meaning it works the heart and lungs. And you can increase your aerobic workout by skating harder or on a gradual uphill.
The anaerobic benefits (referring to the strengthening and development of muscles) are actually better than running as the bent-knee position you (should) skate in is more static—your leg muscles are under more constant contraction. It provides a natural, smooth side-to-side movement that exercises your adductor (inner thigh) and abductor (butt) muscles that are often ignored by other more common activities.
Inline skating also develops muscles in your entire upper leg, hips, and lower back. Muscles in your upper arms and shoulders can be worked too if you swing your arms while skating. (This part isn’t as conducive to chatting with a friend!)
Another huge draw to inline skating is how low impact it is. Our joints, ligaments and tendons will thank us now and years down the road for the amount of “shock” we save them inlining. It’s an excellent activity for people of all ages, and it is also a great activity to do as a family. (By the way, a pair of new skates cost much less than a new bike!)
If you’re looking for a new and exciting workout that is great for you, give inline skating a shot! Be sure to wear a helmet though—and knee pads and wrist guards are not a bad idea either!
PS. Suzy and I are only going to be blogging monthly over the summer so be sure to watch for our new posts on the first of July and the first of August. We’ll have a lot to talk about!
Congratulations to all Movin’ and Munchin’ participants! If you haven’t turned in your paper work to DPI yet, you still have today. You did a great job this year! We’re proud of you, and had a blast meeting many of you at your schools!
As your summer fun is kicking off, I want to remind you not only to stay active, but also to remember to make it fun! It is so much easier to make exercising fun in the warm weather months because you can add it in to just about anything you are already doing outside. You can be incredibly active without even having to go to a gym at all.
When you’re outdoors in the summer, you can turn just about anything into exercise. One of my family’s favorite things to do in the summer is to go to Wisconsin Dells! We make several trips. We go to the water parks and we love the roller coasters at Mount Olympus. Just walking around the parks and up the stairs all day is pretty good exercise, but you can geteven more out of it if you try.
Even if you don't want to go on a certain slide or ride, still do the steps with your kids—and then hurry back down the same way after they take off! Or do a quick lap around the area in between each ride! You can even turn it into a race with your family or friends! You can do these things anywhere—
you just have to remind yourself to keep moving, and then eventually it will just become habit!
Another tip I live by is to always keep a pair of athletic shoes in your car. If you are early for an appointment or if you just end up with a little extra time on your hands for any reason, pull out your shoes and go for a quick jog or walk around a nearby park, strip mall, or even around the block! When I arrived in Amery for Movin’ and Munchin’ on Wednesday, I did a quick mile jog on the trails behind their school. It got my heart rate pumping and I got to see what a beautiful area it is!
Keep moving and have FUN! And make sure to get your family and friends involved too!
Take care,
About the time 2 o'clock rolls around, I find it hard to be inside and still working—especially this time of year. In an effort to beat this mid-afternoon slump, my mind tends to go towards a "candy bar" or "mocha," for the caffeine, but in reality, my body is telling me that it needs something far different. What it really needs to keep me going is oxygen and certain amino acids.
Ultimately, our bodies break food down into glucose as their primary fuel source. Straight sugar, like a candy bar, goes immediately into your blood stream, producing an instant energy boost, but the effect won't last long and will leave you feeling even more tired in no time! Sound familiar?
A perfect example of a good mid-afternoon snack is whole-wheat crackers with cheese—a combination of some carbohydrates, protein and fat, all you need to keep you going through the end of the day! Because the protein and fat take longer to digest, they hold the sugar back unlike other straight sugar snacks that just dump it right into your blood stream. Also the fiber in the crackers is an energy stabilizer. It slows digestion, providing a more steady supply of energy throughout the afternoon. You can also boost your fiber intake by eating beans, whole fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads or whole-grain cereals.
The other part of the energy quick fix is oxygen. It is delivered in a couple of ways. Iron helps the body move oxygen, so it is an essential nutrient. Iron is found in meats (especially red meats) and eggs, and there are small amounts in some fruits and vegetables. Iron-fortified cereals are a good option too. But the best thing for moving oxygen is moving your body—exercise! So a walk around the building can also really boost your brainpower and energy.
Finally, I feel a bit hypocritical saying it living with a newborn at home, but if you're frequently tired come mid-afternoon, you likely need more sleep at night. Aim for eight hours of sleep. Trust me, I know that's easier said than done, but it's good to have goals, right!?
We're wrapping up the Movin' and Munchin' road show for the 2008-09 school year on Wednesday in Amery. They've been a very active group and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone there!
Between caring for my family, doing my real estate work, and participating in other fun activities like my running club and Movin' and Munchin' Schools events, a lot of days I find there is just no time to cook! And I know I am not the only one without enough hours in the day, but it's so important for all of us to fuel our bodies to succeed while juggling all of our daily activities! Consuming the right fuel is especially important in terms of pre- and post- workouts for both kids and adults! Let me share some “no fail” suggestions for on-the-go nutrition and energy.
An inexpensive and easy fueling snack is a hard-boiled egg. Unless you have an allergy or cholesterol problem, eggs are great snacks! Peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat toast or on an apple will help keep you going too. Bananas with all of their potassium are a great pre- or post-workout snack, and string cheese is always a great grab-and-go food too!
Another great snack and also replacement drink for after a workout is simple chocolate milk! It's a fun food, but it's also good for you because there is protein in it. Babies live on milk for the first year of their life so you know how important milk is! The combination of protein and carbs in chocolate milk makes it fantastic for recharging—and it's inexpensive and easy to grab after playing basketball, or volleyball, or out for a run.
And my all time favorite fueling snack is a rice cake with honey on top. I would even snack on this a half hour before some of my biggest races!
There are tons of great snacks out there! Just because you don't have time to cook, doesn't mean you can't still be good to your body, especially when you are exercising!
You can't be hungry before a workout! Our bodies are like a Ferrari so we need to treat them really good and fuel them all the time! It really helps to think of food as fuel.
Before you take a bite on the go, ask yourself, “How will this food make me feel?” and if the answer is “not good,” “tired,” or “heavy,” try one of these fueling snacks instead!
I have been traveling quite a bit lately with my new job. I was in Arizona a couple weeks ago. I just got back from Dallas on Thursday night, and I’m headed to Denver a few weeks from now. One thing I’ve been noticing (other than being reminded of how challenging it is to eat well and stay active while on the road) is that obesity really is a national epidemic. It is not just here in Wisconsin, the state of fried cheese and bratwurst, it is a problem everywhere! That is why we need to be leaders. And the best way to lead is by example.
I love the Movin’ and Munchin’ program because it shows public school employees how to be leaders in wellness for their students. Because students look up to their teachers so much from academic and intellectual perspectives, our school employees become role models; like professional athletes, they are put on pedestals.
But there’s more to life than being “smart” or “athletic”. An idol, to me, is not necessarily the smartest person I know, or the best singer on TV on Tuesday night, and it’s not the most gifted athlete I watch either. An idol, to me, is the person that leads a balanced, well-rounded life, puts forth effort in their endeavors, and leads by example. Here’s my point—it’s important to show our children how to grow their minds, and it is equally important to show them how to grow healthy bodies. In the end, both techniques work best in synergy! Movin’ and Munchin’ is getting Wisconsin’s public school employees and kids on the right track—and it is a strong start, even in the national picture!
While most people in Dallas and Denver and other cities around the country may not know about the Movin’ and Munchin’ program in Wisconsin, statewide I have heard an incredible amount of positive feedback on the program—even from people outside of schools! We’re truly creating some awareness out there, and with the growth in participation we’ve seen, I’m pretty fired up about it!
As the school year is wrapping up, we’ll be making two more visits to schools (La Crosse on May 22nd and Amery on June 3rd). My hope is that this year’s boom in Movin’ and Munchin’ participants will bring about even more participation in the program next year!
With spring and summer in Wisconsin, come the charity/fun runs, which are my favorite thing to do now! Local charity runs range from just a mile or two all the way up to half marathons and even some marathons! They are great for people of all skill levels because you can start off doing the shorter distance walks or runs and spend the summer trying to work your way up to a longer mileage or just a faster time. You can train in between and track your progress at each event because you'll get a timing chip to wear!
Participants in charity runs are always so friendly and supportive of one another too. I try to get my running club to sign up for events together in order to cheer each other on. Charity runs are perfect to do with your family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors. Get everyone involved! While they are a great workout and a good way to keep yourself accountable for staying in shape, they are also for a greater cause—which is so important. When so many people come out to support non-profit organizations like the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Koman for the Cure, or Capital Candlelighters, by doing healthy, active things—that is just fabulous!
If you're not into running, there are so many walks, bike rides, or triathlons you can sign up for. To find events in your area, you can go to active.com and do a quick search. You can even register for a lot of them right there on the Web site, otherwise they will have a link to event's official Web site.
Sign up for an event today and start yourself in training!
Spring and Fall are my two favorite seasons because the weather is perfect outside—not too hot, not too cold. And in the spring, I love to get up to our farm near Mauston and watch everything come alive!
I've tried to give that process a boost this year by planting about 2,000 trees, and it just so happened that we started the project on Earth Day, or during "Earth Week" as celebrated by many of our schools.
We planted 2/3 of the trees with the help of a tractor and tree planter, which makes it go faster and was a lot easier. But we also planted our fair share with a tree spud, which was a bit more labor intensive. The project was not necessarily a workout, but it was good exercise and, as you know, I am a big believer in being active versus having to work out and train everyday! Getting out and doing even simple things is a whole lot better than sitting on the couch and watching TV or playing video games!
And it's really fun to envision the effect that all of the trees we planted will have on the property in years down the road. My family, especially my little ones, will be able to enjoy it some day. It was also beneficial for the environment and I am a huge proponent of that. And remember, it doesn't have to be Earth Day to be good to the planet. If you can be good to the environment and get in some exercise at the same time, you’re sure to sleep great. Your mind and body will be sound!
On a side note, I want to let all of my Movin’ and Munchin’ teammates in Dodgeville that Suzy and I met two weeks ago, that I did hold up to my promise to not sit down and watch any television for a week! Hope you all made it too!
I spent last week Wednesday through Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa, for the Drake Relays,an annual outdoor track and field event held on the campus of Drake University. The Drake Relayshave become one of the largest and most important meets in country, attracting the best of the best university and professional talent! More than 8,000 participants competed in the meet this year!
This year was not just any year—it marked the 100th running of the Drake Relays. They put on a huge celebration (in fact they celebrated for 100 days leading up to it on their Web site and with the local community)! As part of the celebration, they chose the Relays' top ten women and top ten men ever and named them as "Athletes of the Century"—and I was one of them!!! It was SUCH an honor!
The Drake Relays was always my favorite race! It was so close to Madison that it always just felt like home. Even now when I go back, I still feel at home there and I just love how the whole community gets so involved with the Relays! So to now be honored as an Athlete of the Century was SO cool! And I was honored side-by-side with some other absolutely amazing athletes that I have always admired! It was an experience I will never forget!
Talk to you soon!
Working in the corporate world, there is temptation all around to eat unhealthy. In my office, it seems like on any given day there is one celebration or another featuring doughnuts, cookies, or cake...not to mention desk top candy jars lurking around every turn! And in talking with other friends and family, I'm pretty certain this is the norm in most workplaces.
Going into schools for the Movin’ and Munchin’ events, I have noticed that many schools have made progress in being more health conscious—filling the vending machines with milk, juice, and water instead of soda and getting rid of the candy bar machines all together. This is a great start, and a trend that I believe businesses nationwide should adopt! But I fear that the behind the scenes "adult" snacking in schools may not be all that far off from most other offices. We spend so many of our hours in the day together, it’s important to encourage our coworkers, as a team, to give our body high octane fuel!—And getting rid of the temptation, the gunk that bogs our engines down, is half the battle!
In already jammed schedules, I know that it is often easier to just throw a brownie mix in the oven or run into the bakery in the morning and pick up a dozen doughnuts. But there are many healthy, easy alternatives. Fruit like bananas and oranges don't even need to be washed! The mini packs of baby carrots make a good snack too. String cheese or whole grain crackers are other, healthier alternatives. Similarly, when it's your child's turn to bring in a birthday treat or a soccer snack, try to think a little healthier; be the trend setting coworker and parent!
Next time you feel that desire to bring junk food into the office, consider this—While healthy snacks may not muster up as much excitement as sugary sweet glazed doughnuts, a body fueled by the later certainly does not muster up the compliments and self confidence that one fueled by healthy alternatives does.
Feel good about yourself, and help your coworkers and children feel good about themselves—starting today!
Did anybody see my article in People magazine last week!? I am so honored! The article talks about my struggle with depression and how it affected my athletic career, and how, fortunately, I have been able to get my life back on track and am happier than I have ever been in my life! For me, being able to share my story now with others is such a gift—I can't stress enough how mental health is just as important as physical health!
Even as a child, I never dealt with my problems. If I had a bad day at school, I would go running. My whole life, running was my antidote. I'd made me feel happy and helped me forget about my problems. It took me years to admit to anyone what I was feeling inside, and especially what really happened at the Olympics in Sydney. That moment when I fell marked the lowest point in my running career. But now that I can talk publicly about it and the depression and pressure behind it, I realize that it was the moment that my life changed. And that moment has actually been able to make an impact on people…and if it helps make people feel like it's OK to screw up, then that's awesome!
It is OK to have problems and it is SO important to talk about them. Everybody can achieve wonderful things ... but there are times in your life when you will have disappointment. Just because my moment was an Olympic moment, people have the same feelings about things at a high-school level, a college level, a work moment they can't get over, the list goes on…. It's not right for anybody to have to feel that way. During those times, you need to be strong and not be afraid to ask for help.
For me, treatment and admitting that I can't be perfect have given me the ability to move forward. Now, like I told People, when problems arise, I take a moment to react rather than running from them. And I run now because I love it! I don't need it to survive. It would be fabulous to have that gold medal, but if I didn't live this journey, I wouldn't be where I am today! And besides, my daughter Kylie will always be my ultimate "gold medal!"
To read more about my story, you can read the news links at http://suzyfavorhamilton.com/
Even though I chose a winter sport as my passion over the past 30 years, come April even I miss being able to get outside and be active without freezing my tail-end off; especially now that we have kids. All of us who are parents know what a challenge it is to bundle up our little ones! From protective covering for the baby (blankets, warm outfits, little hats) to winter gear for her older brother (snow suits, mittens, hats, boots) it can be downright deflating when, once they are all bundled up, you hear "I have to go potty", and the process starts all over! So I am very much looking forward to warmer days too….getting geared up for running, biking, hiking, and of course all of the rec. leagues!
Suzy talked last week about getting your body ready for more vigorous outdoor activities. That’s important. I want to add a few thoughts on the importance of warming up before you try to beat out that infield dribbler or dig that volleyball out of the sand!
Static stretching, in my opinion, is not the way to go. I like to be more active with my stretching, incorporating two different facets. The first part is literally warming up—meaning warming up the core temperature of your body. Your body, like anything else, is more flexible and elastic once you get it warm. If you can do something low impact at first, like five minutes on the bike just to get the blood flowing, or an easy jog, that is perfect.
The second part of a warm-up is trying to increase the range of motion within your muscles so when you do hit the field and try to relive your glory days, you're a lot more pliable and those muscles have already stretched and used that range of motion. While still jogging, I swing my arms full circle, one and then the other. Once I have the upper body going, I'll start some skipping, and then some crisscrosses with my legs, one side and then the other. As I get a little warmer, I'll start jumping a bit and do some butt kicks too. Just make sure it’s gradual—stretching should not be painful!
It's easy to get excited and just run out there without warming up, but in order to avoid injuries and risk spending your entire summer recovering, warming up is absolutely necessary! Now all we need is the weather to warm up!
With the Spring sport season right around the corner, it is really important to get your body prepared. So often Spring comes and we're outside and being active, and then all of sudden we get injured because our body isn't prepared for it. So here are a five easy things you can do at home to get ready. (I do them using my daughter's puzzle piece play mats!)
| 1. | Put weight bands on your ankles and lie on your side. Lift your top leg straight up in the air and slowly back down. Then roll over and do the same with the other leg. You can do it while your watching TV! This works on the thighs and strengthening your legs. |
| 2. | Here is a strengthening exercise for your tibia, to prevent shin splints. Sitting with your feet straight out in front of you, put a Theraband around your foot and hold the other end in your hands. Now just stretch your ankle straight in and out. Most runners get shin splints when they start up running again. This easy exercise will strengthen your tibia and help prevent that! |
| 3. | Next, it is important to strengthen your core. You can do core work using a gallon of milk! Do a V–sit on the mat…sitting on your butt, lean back about 30 degrees, bend your knees, slightly raise your feet, and keep your core tight. Hold the milk gallon in front of you and then twist it from side to side. You can also use soup cans for weights! |
| 4. | Jog fast in place. |
| 5. | Push ups are an easy strengthening workout you can do at home too. Make sure to keep your back straight! |
These exercises are good for adults and kids too! They will help prepare adults and kids to not get injured, and have a great season of competition… or just fun outdoor activities!
I know it's sometimes hard to figure out how to do an exercise without actually seeing it. You can see me demonstrating these five exercises on Madison's Channel 3 morning news show last month (they came and taped me at home!). Here is the link:
http://www.c3ktogo.com/news-video/?section=134 and it's the February 4th episode.
Remember to be safe and start off easy!
We're almost four months into the New Year. The snow is melting and spring is slowly making its way to Wisconsin. Now is the perfect time to revisit (and revise if necessary) those goals, or resolutions, you set back in December. You wrote them all down on paper, right? Have you been looking at them to see how you're measuring up?
I thought I’d use this blog to offer my philosophy toward goals. First, you should have an ultimate goal--a dream. It's where you want to end up or what you want to ultimately accomplish. But that ultimate goal is nothing more than a pipe dream if it's the only goal you have. It's not going to happen! So I like to make two layers below that. First, I set what I call target goals—steps along the way. Think of them as the chapters of your book. Then below those goals are your tactical goals. How are you going to get to each target goal? By doing the day to day goals, by sweating the small stuff…like reading the text in your book. Because without those small tactical goals, you won't ever accomplish your target goals and especially not your ultimate goal!
When you came up with your ultimate goal for the year, did you think about the process? How are you going to get there? What steps will it take? And then, the most important part, are you holding yourself accountable!?
Look back at your goal sheet and the layers below it daily if that's what it takes. If you wrote it down back in December, but haven't looked at it again since, go and dig it up and dust it off! Put a check mark next to the accomplishments you've made, and focus on your next steps. Before you know it, that ultimate goal will be in sight!
Whether it's winning a gold medal or finding a new job, this method can be applied to anything…and it works!
P.S. Keep watching for the Movin' and Munchin' team—we were in Kewaskum at the high school field house on Friday and we'll be at Riverside Elementary in Fond du Lac on Wednesday.
Hi!
It's been a really an exciting time for me! We've had two official meetings of my running club for women, and it has just been fabulous! Over 100 women of all ages and skill levels in the Madison area have joined already.
I've always been a dream of mine to do something like this! While it is a club for runners and walkers, it's about so much more than running! We're going to do all kinds of fun things together like races, yoga, palates, clothes swaps, coffee get-togethers, art and movie nights, guest lectures, you name it! More than anything, this club is about women coming together and women helping each other in all areas of their lives. It's just a group of women helping each other to make their lives healthier, happier, and fabulous!
The club is also about doing good for the community that we live in because that is so important! When you feel like you are in place in your heart and your soul when you can give, you're in a good place!
I'm basically going to try and teach the women everything I've learned throughout my whole career of training as a professional, but how I incorporate in my life today with a child. It's just really hard to fit everything in, and I totally get that--that's the reason I started the club.
We really want this to be something unique and special and carry on and maybe promote and grow in other places too. It's so important, especially for women, to have a support group of people to lean on and to encourage each other! To have a fabulous life, you have to be healthy, happy, and feel good about yourself!
To learn more about my club, go to
http://suzyfavorhamilton.com/pdf/suzy-running-club-info.pdf
I want to talk a little about the mental aspect of health because that is really half the battle. Some days the thought of plopping on the couch and watching TV or crawling into bed for a nap is so tempting that it seems virtually impossible to muster up the motivation to stay vertical, much less get to the gym! If you are able to somehow force yourself through the gym doors, you're not feeling all there mentally, and you won't be all there physically either. I notice it the most when I'm doing squats. Some days I can just keep going up and up and up with the weight on the bar…. and other days, I start at a weight that should be relatively easy for me, and it feels like the world is on my shoulders!
My point is that not every workout needs to be the greatest work out of your life; the important part is just getting there and getting some activity in! If you're not feeling it, hop on the stationary bike for 20 minutes or do a brisk walk on the treadmill just to get your heart rate up….pick an activity you don’t normally do, or that’s harder to gauge “where you’re at”. By removing that mental target, the one that says, “Last time I did this exercise I lifted 20 lbs more—What is wrong with me today?” you’ll work yourself into a better place mentally. And then you can go home and take a nap and you'll sleep better because you won't have to feel guilty about it!
Likewise, sometimes those chocolate chip cookies look a whole lot more appealing than an apple. If you splurge now and then, don't beat yourself up over it—Just don't turn chocolate chip cookies into your fourth food group! Better yet, commit to balancing those splurges out with a few extra minutes of cardio during your next work out. People comment all the time about how much I eat. I look at it as a perk to staying active…it’s not rocket science. As long as we burn as many calories as we consume, guess what?...we won’t gain weight. Amazing how that works.
Hang in there—Spring is on it's way!
I am always trying to keep up on the latest news in nutrition and fitness, and I just read an article from USA Today that was so surprising to me. It said that young adults today (ages 18 to 29 years old) aren't any healthier than 10 to 15 years ago, and in some cases—obesity, for one—they are significantly less healthy! I know less people in those ages are smoking today, and it seems like fitness classes and health foods are the latest craze!
But what I immediately thought of was that a lot of teachers fall into that age bracket—and even more will in the near future! That's why the Movin' and Munchin' program is so important! It not only attempts to combat childhood obesity, but it also encourages school staff to get involved in leading healthy lifestyles. This is such a great message because, like the USA Today article talks about, there are real long-term effects of health habits formed during the early years of adulthood, but also because teachers are such huge role models for their students! How amazing would it be if all the teachers and school employees in Wisconsin would be a part of Movin' and Munchin' and be the healthiest young adults and adults in the country!?
We need to make sure that the message we teach about living a healthy lifestyle isn't just a temporary fix while kids are in school and at home. We need to promote healthy lifestyle choices so that they will stick through childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and beyond so that the next generation of kids will be make the same positive habits a way of life!
Also, the article said that about 30% of our young adults today do not have health insurance at all. This is all the more reason to be grateful for companies like the WEA Trust that not only provide Wisconsin's public school employees with great health coverage, but they also go so far above and beyond to really care for their members. The Movin' and Munchin' program is just one example of that, and I am so excited to be a part of it!
To see the full article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-18-young-adult-health_N.htm?csp=34
You Take Care,
Life is busier than usual in my neck of the woods. With a 2 year old and 8 week old, I'm finding it pretty difficult to get decent workouts in while still being a partner with my wife! For some reason it doesn’t go over real well when I call Jenn at the end of the business day and tell her I’m going to be another couple hours so I can go to the gym!
Nevertheless, I always live by the motto that it is all about having “an active lifestyle.” Fitting in gym time for myself on top of an already hectic schedule seems impossible most days, and the weather doesn't permit too many outdoor activities with the family, so I recognize that being active is easier said than done. My solution has been to fit in activities wherever I can!
Last week I spent a day at our farm near the Dells chain sawing and hauling wood around (still had over a foot of snow in the woods up there), and man was that a good workout! I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't been that sore from any formal exercise in a long time!
My son Sawyer is always up for helping me get my heart rate up too. We spend about an hour an evening being crazy around the house. Many of you know, keeping up with a two year old can be a fantastic workout, and a lot of fun too, as you get to act their age while you do it (an easy task for me)!
At 25 lbs, Sawyer makes a perfect dumb bell and seems to enjoy sitting on my shoulders while I do sit ups and count out loud for him. Makes me feel like I’m in the army and have a personal drill sergeant. He also thoroughly enjoys riding me like a “horsie”, whipping me while I get in a few rounds of push ups during our play time.
I also mounted a bar in the rafters of my basement for doing pull ups so when I go downstairs to check e-mails at night, I can get some reps in. (It keeps me warm too, as our basement is not heated so it hovers around 55 degrees this time of year.) The important thing is to just keep “movin’”; finding ways to use the muscles we were given (no matter how well they’re hiding) and to get the blood flowing no matter what life throws at you!
Thanks for checking us out. Have a great week!
Last time I talked about exercise and how to squeeze it in even in the middle of winter when all you want to do is curl up under the blankets and keep warm! This week I want to talk a little about nutrition because it is just as important to a healthy life as exercising is.
How many of you had some chocolates last weekend for Valentine's Day? It's okay…I sure did too! Most foods are okay, as long as they're in moderation, and as long as you are getting enough of the right foods everyday! The secret to knowing which foods are "the right" foods (and avoiding the ever-tempting ones we know are bad!), starts at the grocery store.
The trick is to avoid the inner aisles of the store as much as possible! Most of your list should come from the outer edges of the store: fresh fruit and vegetables, proteins like chicken, fish, lean beef, and eggs, and also the cheeses, milk, and yogurts. Try to pay attention to this pattern next time you go grocery shopping.
Also, if you are working out a lot, proper nutrition is even more important. It can make all the difference in really seeing results! Be sure to get enough protein for your muscles and carbohydrates for energy. Your body needs these to drive your workout and to recover properly. I drink one or two protein shakes everyday. They're quick and easy, and taste so good too!
One other tip is to always keep healthy snacks close to you, that way if you are hungry, you won't be tempted to stop at a vending machine or go through a drive through. I always carry a Power Bar in my purse in case I need a little pick me up!
Stay warm and remember Spring is on its way! Talk to you soon,
The Games are under way here in Idaho! While I am headed back home this afternoon, the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games continue for several more days. What an incredible experience it's been to be a part of! The 2009 World Winter Games are the largest international sporting and humanitarian event of the year, with roughly 3,000 athletes from 100 countries! That's bigger than the 2002 Salt Lake City or 2006 Torino Olympic Games.
I have had the honor to meet so many inspiring athletes and their families…and a few “real” celebrities too ;-) The Opening Ceremonies on Saturday were probably the highlight—I was asked to welcome the torch into the Idaho Center while 13,000 people watched in person and millions more watched on TV and online. It was a real honor for me to be able to play that role! It was a very festive atmosphere, just like the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games. The coolest part about it was the Olympians—They had a hard time sitting in their seats…They were all up in the aisles dancing and celebrating! Special Olympians, just like any other Olympians, experience the joy of victory and the agony of defeat, but they have more fun as they go through the process than many of us do! For them, it is all about celebrating their Abilities (which range from impressive to downright amazing)…and hopefully taking home a gold medal in the process!
It is easy to just drift through life without setting any goals. If you never set any goals, it's pretty difficult to fail, right!? But it's also pretty tough to get anywhere without having a vision. Let's take the Special Olympic athletes as examples, and set a new goal for ourselves this week…and then strive to achieve it! I already know mine; I am going to bring the joy and courage of the Special Olympics movement back to Madison. Kelly Kloepping with Special Olympics-Wisconsin and I will discuss the movement on WISC-TV’s (Madison CBS) Morning News Show next Wednesday at about 6:45. I also want to encourage you to participate in the nearest Polar Plunge event to help raise money for the Special Olympics (Madison’s is February 21).
I'll post some photos here when I get home…
I'm always thinking about exercise and easy ways to incorporate it into our everyday lives. Wisconsin winters can be so long and cold—it makes it so tough to stay active. You can't just go outside and throw a ball around or take the dog for a walk, and most people don't have a lot of space in their homes to do a good workout…or so they think!
I realized that all it takes to set up a really good circuit is about four or five square feet! My daughter has these little foam mats shaped like puzzle pieces. If I put four of them together in a square, it is the perfect size. You wouldn't believe how sweaty you can get in that small of a space!
Do 60 seconds of an activity like running in place, toe taps, jumping jacks, sit ups, squats, push ups, or planks followed by about 30 seconds of rest, and then do 60 more seconds of another exercise. Add your favorite fast paced music to help motivate you. Take 10 to 20 minutes and try it out. The key is to keep your heart rate up the whole time.
Once your box circuit routine gets easier, start adding in some weights to the exercises. But most importantly—have fun! You won't believe the difference you will be able to see come spring. I swear—give it a try!!
I'm excited to announce too, that we're taking the Movin' and Munchin' kick off event to another school! We'll be in Kewaskum on Friday, March 20th to help them launch their elementary school's Movin' and Munchin' initiative for the year. These events are my favorite things to do! I just love working with kids and knowing that I can make a difference in their lives. And hats off to the WEA Trust and the Department of Public Instruction for making it all happen!
I'm headed to another Olympic Games next week. This time I'm not competing myself, but rather supporting another local speed skater, Mark Vroman, as well as all of Team-Wisconsin traveling to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
I had the honor of meeting Mark for the first time last week. Not only was it fun to skate with him, but it was a humbling experience doing a press conference with him. He completely stole the show! He is hilarious, and as good as he is on the ice, he’s even better in front of the cameras. Mark’s been competing in the Special Olympics for over 15 years, and in several different sports!
I really enjoy my involvement with the Special Olympics and am always inspired by this group of athletes. They just don’t let anything hold them back from accomplishing their goals and dreams. On top of that, they recognize and value the therapeutic benefits of exercise and sport, and have really made it a part of their lifestyles. The Special Olympics motto, is “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt,” which is such a cool thing because, after all, isn’t that what it is about for all of us? There is so much to be said for being brave enough to just take chances in life…win or lose!
I’ll be back in Salt Lake City, where I won my gold in 2002, emceeing the send off party for the U.S. Team, and then we’ll head straight to Idaho to take in the Games! Be sure to keep an eye on the action—the games begin February 7th.
Can you believe the holidays have already come and gone and the new year is in full swing?! I had so much fun in 2008—Casey and I became even more involved in Movin' and Munchin' Schools with the Trust and DPI, I got to do so many appearances and share my story with groups all across the country, I ran 1000s of miles, and I even won a medal in my first speed skating competition! My beautiful daughter Kylie grew another foot too!
But I am already planning how I can make 2009 even more exciting, and how I can help even more people take on new health and fitness challenges in their own lives. Like we talked about in our newsletter, now is the perfect time to set new goals. I challenge you all to take 10 minutes this week and sit down either by yourself or with your family and come up with a list of goals for the year. Whether it be eating an extra serving of fruit or vegetables with every meal, committing to gym time an extra day a week, dropping a pants size, or joining a sports team—writing them down will help you stick to them! We put our list in a visible place so we are constantly reminded. The refrigerator door is always a good place.
One more thing…the Trust and DPI have asked us to make an appearance at the State Education Convention this Wednesday, January 21st! We'll have our own stage across from the Trust and DPI's booths (937 and 928) from noon to 1:30. If you'll be at the convention, stop by for a complimentary photo. I'd love to see you!!
Have a great week…and let's make 2009 the best year ever!
Welcome to our first installment of the Movin’ and Munchin’ blog. Suzy Favor Hamilton and I will be signing in weekly to share some of our thoughts, tips, and words of encouragement on how to "Be Your Best You."
Both Suzy and I have been working with the WEA Trust to promote the Movin' and Munchin' program for almost three years now. It's incredible to see how the program has really taken off! We are honored to be a part of it all. Enrollment in the program is already over 30% higher than it was at this point last year, and we've still got a month to go!
We have gained much insight on exercise, nutrition, and goal setting throughout our athletic careers. The Movin' and Munchin' program is so great because it allows us to share what we've learned with such an incredible group—Wisconsin kids, teachers, and parents.
From having a new little one in our home born less than two weeks ago, to being a guest every other Wednesday on Madison's Channel 3 morning news show, to wrapping up hunting season, life is full of adventures and I can't wait to share it with you in the upcoming year. Stay tuned….
