Another New Year’s resolution accomplished. I’m in my Koko Fit Zone. My e-BMI is 28.2, putting me right smack in the middle of my zone meter. Starting out at 31.8 over a year ago, I never thought this day would come. I’m back to the fit body I retired with and then let slip away. It’s amazing how quickly you can lose what took years to build.
I remember a day back in January I stopped into Sears and tried on the new Lands End bathing suits. I was so disgusted that I almost bought a swim dress. I stopped myself. That would be giving in to something, that with a lot of hard work and commitment, could be done. Was I just going to fold, buy a swim dress, and let my muscles atrophy? I don’t think so. I got mad. Really mad. I went home, ordered the New Lifestyle Diet and stopped fooling around with my strength tests. I would never push to my limit on my strength tests because I was afraid the next set of workouts would be too hard.
What a baby. That’s why I was sitting at 31.8 and not moving. That’s why bathing suits were so frustrating where they used to be fun. Within 12 sessions of the strength test I gave it my all on, I was down to 30 and lifting 7000 pounds without a problem. After the next strength test, I was lifting 8500 pounds and down to 29. I was ecstatic. I was never 29.
After my third strength test, I finished my year-long Advanced Burn program strong lifting over 9500 pounds and clocking in at 28.7. I switched to an Advanced Build program and broke 10,000 pounds in the first session and hit 28.2. Now my customized program will keep me there and continue to build the strong muscles I will need to keep me moving through my sixties.
Last Wednesday I smiled for the first time in 4 years when I tried on bathing suits. It not only took physical strength, but mental strength, too. It took a level of commitment that had to come from somewhere deep inside. It was not something others could tell me to do. It was me. I had to make the decision to commit to change.
I would be lying if I said the facts presented in my cardio sessions didn’t scare me. The thought of losing 14% more muscle mass in the next decade, which would slow my metabolism even more as I age, in turn growing that stomach at an alarming rate, really hit me hard in that dressing room. Muscles do not turn to fat. They atrophy. Atrophied muscles really scare me. Where would I be in ten years? Using a walker or a wheelchair? Unable to live alone? Unable to drive? Hunched over using a cane?
Those thoughts alone kicked my ass into high gear. Just four years ago I had a lean, fit body. I knew it was still in there. I just had to commit to finding it again. 14 weeks of sheer commitment and here I am. Ready for summer. Ready for my mother of the bride dress. Every time I stand on one foot and lift my other knee up to my chest to put a sock on without a stomach getting in the way, I smile and give thanks to a God that stood by me every step of the way. I feel better not only physically, but mentally, too.
And so, as another day goes by, once I decided for myself to stop fooling around, stop making excuses, and put my shoulder to the grindstone, I began saving my own life…because no one else could save it for me.
*That’s where I have been all these weeks – in a zone of my own. Yes, my writing suffered, but better my writing than my health. I hope to make another commitment to start writing everyday again, but I have to take time to make sure my new level of commitment to diet and exercise is cemented firmly in place. It has to be my priority. I can’t get distracted now – I’m in the home stretch.
To exist is to change; to change is to mature; to mature is to create oneself endlessly. ~ Henri Bergson
“Because I’m happy…” ring the words of Pharrell Williams’ latest hit to run across all forms of media. He has everyone from 2 to 102 dancing and clapping their hands. Just watching the video on my iPad after it was shared on Facebook this morning was enough to get me out of my chair and get moving.
You just can’t tell someone to go be happy. Happiness comes from the things we see, hear, taste, smell and touch every day. The things we encounter send an energy through us. It is this energy that makes us happy or sad. We need to be cognizant of what our senses take in each day – do we surround ourselves with the positive – people and things – that deliver that “happy” energy? Lately I’ve become very mindful of that as I proceed through my day and take note of how things make me feel.
Walking down the stairs this morning this is what I saw:
It made me happy. You must be thinking how can a wire stretched across the floor make someone happy. Well, yesterday I had to fix my Internet and my alarm system. I went to the cable company with a broken modem and they told me that the two modems I had were outdated and needed to be replaced by one. They gave me a brand-new wireless modem that would make my Internet run faster. I was very excited about this! I rushed home and went to install my modem when I realized to bring the old modems back I had to disconnect my alarm system and this led to a whole new problem.
I proceeded in connecting the new modem without any trouble. I was so surprised that when I plugged it in everything worked! I made the phone call to Comcast to activate it and in five minutes it was all set up and running. Of course, that was too good to be true. The new modem is now located upstairs. The phone modem the alarm was plugged into is located in the basement. When I realized this the day before yesterday I called the alarm system company and had them schedule a technician who would come this morning. I was going to spend $100 for him to come out and $27 for every half-hour he was here. But it’s one of those cases where I didn’t know what else to do. I wasn’t reconnecting that alarm system.
After hooking up the new modem yesterday I had a brilliant idea. If I just went to the hardware store spent $15 get a 50 foot phone cord and a connector, I could connect that phone cord from the alarm system up the cellar stairs and into the room with my new modem. It worked! It looked like I was done and could cancel the service guy. Next I called the alarm company to have them send a signal and check if we’re still connected. Alas, the test failed – communication error. The girl and I agree that we still need the service man to come out the next morning. I walked back into the room and looked at the phone. The phone is plugged into telephone 1 and working just fine. The alarm system is plugged into telephone 2 and not working just fine. The lightbulb turns on. I unplugged the phone from telephone 1 and put the alarm system in it. Next I called the alarm company back and ask them to send another test. Voila! We are connected.
The feeling I got from that major accomplishment, being able to cancel the technician and save over $200 for someone to just come out and take the telephone line and plug it from telephone 2 to telephone 1 made me happy. This morning, walking down the stairs, seeing the cord (which my husband will hide this weekend) filled me with that energy of accomplishment and set my day off on a positive note. A phone cord made me happy. I rocked it.
What will you see, feel, hear, smell or touch today that will make you happy? Go out there and find out!
And so, as another day goes by, I am out the door to see, feel, hear, smell and touch, the new experiences people and things will bring to me today, and make me happy…but…one more time before I leave…
My friend, Christine, is an awesome writer. I read every blog she posts because she never fails to bring it with every word. She either makes me laugh, get serious, feel inspired or think deeper. The last post I read had me laughing so hard. It was about what your lipstick says about you. She was very clear that you had to take time and care choosing not only your brand and color, but also the name of the color. You see, as per Christine, the color name says a lot about who you are. She then went into great detail about how she went about finding the lipstick that puts out there just who Christine is.
So, why am I laughing? I’m laughing because I’m considering my own “lip experience” in relation to her post. I hate lipstick. Always have, always will. I always hated that I hated lipstick because if you know me, I’m drawn to the wide array of colors and want them all. The fact is it feels weird on my lips. It somehow dries and I have to worry about being careful not to touch it. Too much for me – someone who comfort at all costs reigns supreme.
So what about my lips and their coverings? I’m a lip gloss girl. I never leave the house without a quick swipe across the lips. I have one in my wallet and in every right hand coat pocket of every coat or jacket I own. I panic if I somehow manage to leave the house without a tube of Victoria’s Secret lip gloss tucked away somewhere on my body. Oh yes, it has to be Victoria’s Secret lip gloss. Theirs is the only one I don’t have to keep reapplying. Once when I leave the house and maybe one more time throughout the day and I can forget about my lips and go on with life.
In relation to Christine’s post, I never paid attention to the color (mostly lip gloss is in one of a thousand shades of pink) and I never read the names, so the thought that my lip glosses could define me made me laugh. I just don’t want dry lips. I never thought that solving that problem would reflect on my personality. Lol!
My daughters know what I’d do for a new tube of Victoria’s Secret lip gloss. If they have nice new ones, they never leave them loose around my house because they know they would never see it again. A lone tube of VS lip gloss on my kitchen counter finds it’s way into one of my pockets and I pretend I never saw it. They get mad because these tubes are not cheap and unlike lipstick, you need about a million so you have one handy no matter where you are.
This Christmas the girls bought me four new tubes – like $30 worth! It was one the most exciting gifts I received. After reading Christine’s post I decided I should investigate the names of these pretty pink tubes I use without a second thought everyday.
Oh my. Grapefruit Blast. Strawberry Fizz. Decadent Berry. Slice of Heaven.
I think it says I’m pretty “fruity” and a bit of an angel. Pretty accurate if you asked my girls.
So Christine, once again, thanks for adding some thought and laughter to my day, and for inspiring this post. The rest of you need to read Christine’s post Choosing A Lipstick Shade and spend some time considering what’s on your lips.
And so, as another day goes by, I learned your lips speak volumes about who you really are, and…I have written.
The last slap of winter on Cape Cod brings roaring wind, but not a lot of snow outside my window this morning. Most moaned and groaned about this storm as it was predicted all week long. Yesterday was gorgeous here. I drove to work in the late afternoon sun. Trees were starting to bud and it was too warm for a coat. Standing behind the counter at work, gazing out at the sunny parking lot, it was hard to believe that in less than 24 hours this is what I’d wake up to.
Then a strange thought crossed my mind. I should take time to savor and enjoy this day. It’s probably the last snow I’ll see for many months to come. Koko is closed and I garnered an unexpected snow day. We put up closing signs last night so I spent the evening reveling in the fact I didn’t have to leave the house at 7am. Coming downstairs this morning I looked forward to a second cup of coffee in my rocking chair and time to write this post. My house feels like a warm cocoon and I have no where to go today. All errands and exercising were done yesterday in anticipation of being housebound today.
A full day at home stretches before me. The only wrench that could be thrown in my day would be a power outage, but I have a generator to run heat, light, and small appliances, so even that wouldn’t deter my enjoyment of this day. I will spend most of the day at my desk – the office of Under The Clouds Press – readying the manuscript of Through The Widow’s Window (see yesterday’s post) for the print edition. A vanilla candle scent wafting through the house, hot coffee, and a whole day in my most favorite place in all the world – my home.
Once again I get intense pleasure from experiencing something I don’t get to experience often. I realize that if I were not working and home everyday, this day wouldn’t be as special as it feels. I no longer say Oh I wish I could do this everyday about anything anymore. I now know the best parts of life lie in living in balance – never having an over abundance of anything – because our human psyches boar and tire easily of that which we have too much of. As the song says:
Only need the light when it’s burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go…
…and you let her go.
~Passenger~
And so, as another day goes by, yes, you have to “let her go” or “let it go” in order to appreciate that which is given to you today, and…I have written.
On my iPod today:
It was a Sunday afternoon in the depths of winter (which is still hanging around deep into March) and I had read about 100 pages of Through The Widow’s Window by my dear friend, Linda E. Williams and even though the Patriots were on, I couldn’t put it down. I was immersed in her cocoon of grief, yet I was warmed, comforted, and encouraged. She gently depicted day to day living inside the shock of loss. Those of us who have experienced deep loss have much to learn from this story.
I love how her Catholic faith was real and even though so many Catholics denounce their faith because it is so ritualistic, Linda depicted God as a real being, beside her every step of the way, and did it without preaching or pontificating. When she says, “Dear Lord, I hope you know what you’re doing” it was so clear her relationship with God was personal.
In the second part of the book, Linda makes the shift into the next phase of her life so subtly that it was almost as quiet as the changing of the seasons. I wasn’t jolted or taken out of the story. Really nice transition.
That morning as I sat reading and transitioning with Linda, I could definitely see how this book would help someone cope with such deep loss. She modeled the handling of anger and portrayed the need to stay strong for her children, while all the time not denying what was churning inside of her. I think this piece of work is not just for widows, but can be a genuine comfort for anyone with the hole of loss in their heart.
Through The Widows Window crosses generations. We who were ten or more years younger than Linda and lived with the revolutionary ideas of the sixties, can find stability in this book. Just because actions and ideas are different from generation to generation, the human condition remains the same. Loss is loss in any era and hearts all bleed from it with the same color of red blood. Linda’s gentle words soothe those wounds that still may be so raw in the reader’s heart.
Can you tell I love the book? I have come to believe memoirs are the best self-help books. When I’m hurting and searching for answers in my own life, I would much rather read about how someone else dealt with things in real life, coping with jobs and children, rather than read a clinical self-help book. It just hits my heart in a real way. And now I’d like to share the “cover story” with you:
Cover design by yours truly – One day Linda and I were having lunch and she described to me what she saw outside “her widow’s window.” Immediately a soft scene in acrylic appeared in my head. One snowy morning I broke out my paint (an acrylic set I bought months ago and never opened) and before the storm had passed the scene was rendered to canvas. I added a cardinal for color. After Linda’s daughter saw the cover she asked about the cardinal and then told her mother that when she was a little girl her dad told her that whenever she sees a cardinal to know that he is with her. Linda never knew that. Some things are meant to be.
And so, as another day goes by, I urge you to download your copy of Through The Widow’s Window by Linda E. Williams, curl up in your easy chair and be prepared to be taken on this gentle journey that will surely enhance your life in some way, and…I have written.
Years ago in the beginning of my teaching career in kindergarten we used blindfolds. Each child had their own propped up on their forehead. We would sit in a small group and I would say Lights out!. They would then pull their blindfolds down over their eyes. Their hands immediately became still as they listened to me voice the concept of the day, building a vision in their minds of what they were about to do. When they lifted their blindfolds and picked up their pencils it was amazing to watch them recreate on paper what they just envisioned in their minds. It was an ingenious way to teach letters and numbers – plus the kids thought it was fun.
I am a goal-oriented visionary. Without a vision I’m bored and life becomes hopeless. Hope is a powerful motivator. We are always in a constant flow of movement. Without movement there would be no life. I have many visions along that road – visions that give purpose to my days. No vision is an end. When I bring one into fruition, it’s time to envision a new goal. The purpose is to enjoy the journey, not reach an end. To reach an end would be to reach the end of life.
My days are super busy. This week I worked the Harwich club all five days, did two doubles, and spent time in the Dennis club. I love it. My vision of helping people reach their health goals powers me to get up early, go to to Mashpee and do my own workout, stop and pick food for the day, go home and shower and get ready for work and be on the Cape highway headed to Harwich by 12:15, and work until 7pm. In between I text back and forth with my husband and children, fully being present and participating in their lives when they need me. I try to carve out a little writing time – this post took two days complete. I’m helping a dear friend self-publish her memoir (which I can’t wait to bring to you when we finally get it out) and I squeeze in lunch meetings with her on my days I work the Mashpee club. And then there’s the wedding – my daughter is getting married here on the cape in July and I’m the wedding planner. This is a vision all it’s own that lends power to my days – Erin and Steve standing in the Popponesset tent on the beach taking their vows against the ocean.
My life is big and full. Everyday bursts with energy and enthusiasm. It’s the visions – these things that I picture in my mind that guide my path – that power, motivate, and fill my days with hope. What are your visions? What do you see in your mind that powers your days? Ponder that for a moment and you will feel the surge.
And so, as another day goes by, life is progression and movement, powered by a vision which in turn, provides hope. Without a vision it is hopeless. See your vision.
I was embarking on a major closet clean out and restyling of my wardrobe. This is not easy for me. I don’t like to part with any of my clothes – because someday I just might need that piece – but the time has come. I need to be firm with myself. My closet and shelves are filled with things I bought over five years ago and it’s time to stand there and take stock. Obviously this involves looking at my current style. I am not the same person I was when I retired five years ago and my current wardrobe has become cumbersome and hard to wear.
Ok. Now that I’ve made the decision, where do I start creating my new style? I was just starting to get anxious when I found Dressing Your Truth. If you go to this page (link below), read through it, but scroll way down to the right hand corner and sign up where it says “Learn Your Type”. You will get six free videos in your email and they are worth it.
Have you ever heard of energy profiling? I didn’t until I watched these videos. I thought finding your style was going to be about determining your color palette, etc. No. The first step is to define which part of nature’s energy formed you. There are four types of energy on our planet. The first video explains them. The rest of the videos help you find which one dominates your nature. I am a #1 through and through. I just laughed as I progressed through the videos and she told me exactly who I am. My daughter Erin is a number 2 and my other daughter Ashley is a solid number 3, and my husband is a number 4. It would be interesting to know if they agree with me after watching.
These videos did more than just teach me about who I am so I can begin creating my new style, they gave me a way to look at other people in a less judgmental and a more forgiving and positive way. The videos teach you to view what might have always been flaws (both in yourself and others) as gifts that compliment who you are. They help you understand your spouse and children and appreciate them in a new way. These videos shed a new light on your friends and colleagues. Put the thought of creating a new style aside, and watch these videos. You will be amazed at how your dominant nature stands right out. It’s fun and oh so enlightening. Click here and see if your a 1,2,3 or 4.
And so, as another day goes by, I’m constantly amazed at how just the right thing sails into my radar at just the right time, and…I have written.
Um…ya…totally me… Do you wonder what pictures tell your story?
This morning I took a strength test at the Mashpee Koko. When I got the results I also most fell over. I had a strength increase of 89%! Who does that? That’s insane! I brought my Q score (a measure of overall progress) from what thought was an amazing 61 – to – get this: 73! That’s even more insane. And if you have been following my “food project” this month on the New Lifestyle Diet, you would know I made a serious commitment to dropping that e-BMI from 31.7 down to 29 – the Koko fit zone. The last report I made in the post I Moved It!, I brought it down to 30.3and I was thrilled. Know what it was today? 29.5! So…if that wasn’t enough to say I had an amazing day, read on.
I went to work up in the Harwich Koko at noon and the amzingness continued. I had a woman come walking in who broke her neck two years ago and spent a long time in a chair recovering and now she has to rebuild her strength. I put her through a complimentary session and she wanted to go home and talk about it with her husband. As I was literally locking up the cabinets to go home tonight, she called and booked an appointment with me for Monday to join and take her strength test. Next a member did better on a strength test than he ever thought he would and surprised himself. Another member came to me and said she saw her cardiologist yesterday and he was shocked at her progress and told her whatever she’s doing, keep it up. Then she demonstrated how she can now bend down and get right up where a few months ago she bent down and couldn’t get up and had to crawl to a cabinet to pull herself up. Another member came to me very proud – she hit a goal she set for herself – one month of perfect workouts. And if all that isn’t enough…another member wrote a testimonial about her progress after one month and talked about how my partner up there and me helped her to feel so much better. She’s going to write it on our club Facebook page.
And that’s why I love doing what I do. At Koko Fit Club we are not just another gym. We truly make a difference in peoples lives.
And so, as another day goes by, my heart is light, my days are busy and happy, it’s Friday night and hubby is almost here, and, yes, I have written because passion is a true motivator.
I know, I can’t quite believe it myself! And look – in a year and four months I’ve lifted a MILLION pounds! Insane for a 60 year old retired woman! Lol!
For awhile I’ve been asking God for a new perspective on some old ideas. Today I was blessed with this find. So many times we want “more”. We don’t realized that we are like a glass. When we’re full, we’re full and the only way to put more in is to first empty some out. I always welcome more of God and His ways into my life, but sometimes I feel flatlined, plateaued in my faith. Then I get to thinking How can I jump-start things again? This “find” – by way of a Facebook friend – suggested a brand new way to put the God-sparkle back in my days. Instead of dwelling on what is lost or gone or hurting, realize it’s gone for a reason. Whether it be a person or just a beautiful time in our life, it had to go. It was taking up space God wants to fill with more of Himself.
This morning I sat in my meditation and just let go of everything until only God was in front of me. It wasn’t so hard to realize I didn’t need anything else – He is the starting point for everything else that fills my days. Instead of stepping out the door lamenting over what was, this little find changed my perspective into being excited by what could be today if I just leave the space open to be filled.
I bet you want to know what happened to 1 & 2. So did I when I read it. Then in the comments below the post I found out it was Matthew 5:3-12. I didn’t know it was a Bible verse. How funny – a few weeks ago I asked God for some more insight into understanding His word. My job prevents me from attending my Bible study, so I had to trust God for new ways to learn. When it comes to the Bible, I’m not an easy study. The person went on to explain that she got this from a new Bible her husband bought her for Christmas – one where the message is laid out beside the verses. Hmmmm….is that a message for me? Maybe get one of those?
And so, as another day goes by, God never ignores us when we ask Him for more of Himself, and…I have written.
Some days seem like an avalanche. You know the kind – where one thing happens right after another and it doesn’t let up until you climb into bed. Most of my days are avalanche days, now. Just look at today. I left the house at 7am to be at work in the Harwich Koko at 8. As usual, my teacher timing kicks in and I just have to be there at least 20 minutes before my shift starts. I work until 1pm. I jump in the car and drive home to shower and change. I have an appointment in Mashpee with my daughters florist for the wedding. My daughter was supposed to come out this week, but due to the horrendous weather, she couldn’t. We did the appointment by FaceTimeing her. That was very cool. I marvel at how technology changed the way we can get things accomplished. She got to meet with the florist, look at arrangements, pick vases and choose ribbons without ever leaving her living room in New York.
I got done with the florist at 3:30pm and had to be in Hyannis at 5:30 pm for Writers Night Out. I drove down route 28 and got there at four. With time to kill, I popped into the mall with the hope of finding silver wedding shoes. Wedding shoes have been on my mind for awhile. They need to be a silver sandal with a not-too-high heel and most importantly, they need to be comfortable. Found a beautiful pair in Sears. Tried them on and they hurt so bad I couldn’t take two steps. Trekked down to Macy’s. Wow. A shelf full of glittery silver sandals. Spied the perfect pair. Tried them on. Awesome. Comfort at a reasonable price. Purchased the shoes and sent pics to my daughters hoping they would love them as much as I did. (They did – told me I did a good job.) I left the mall proving I could shop alone. Lol!
Drove down the street to the Writers Night Out gathering. Wonderful dinner. All my friends were there. The speaker, who was there to talk about speaking, was really really good. Left the restaurant and got in the car and the phone was ringing in my dashboard. It’s another fit coach from the Orleans Koko. Her son is sick and could I work her 8-2 shift tomorrow? (Those who don’t know the Cape, Orleans is at the other end – opposite of where I live.) I say sure, no problem. I don’t have to be in the Mashpee Koko until 4. (Again – the opposite end of the Cape.) Then I’ll work the Mashpee Koko from 4-7, my usual shift.
Home now – 9pm and writing this while waiting for the ladies figure skating to start. Phew. I made myself tireder by just reliving my day. But, to be honest, I’ve never been better. I have a ton of energy and I really don’t think I’ve ever been happier. My life is big and full and I relish and enjoy every moment. During that busy day I helped an elderly woman who was nervous about working out for the first time. After she left, the lady on the next machine came over to compliment me on how patient I was with her and told me what a great job I did easing her fears and encouraging her. Tonight I met another lady – 85 years old – and her doctor told her to come to Koko. She was so excited to find out I work there. She took my schedule and is coming in for me to work with her on Friday. This woman also just wrote her first book and has speaking engagements booked all over the the cape.
Needless to say, I’m impressed. I’m also inspired. Just turning sixty myself, it’s nice to know there’s a lot of years left to accomplish great things. To stay healthy and fit. To be mobile. To be creative. To give back…for at least another twenty or so years. The people I work with everyday at Koko and those I spend time with in the writing community, are the glitter in my life.
And so, as another day goes by, I can’t thank God enough for all He graces my life with each day – my job, the people that cross my path, and – oh yes – the perfect wedding shoes, …with a peaceful and genuinely happy heart,…I have written.
