Somedays I feel like I could float away like a leaf in the wind.
Somedays are better when I laugh.
Somedays I feel like I could fall to pieces like a well used toy.
Today I laughed.
Geeky Girl’s Guide to Getting in Shape
Getting back into exercise and healthy eating has given me a good focus to take my mind off of the stress at work. It’s also helping me drop the pounds I gained from stress-eating all that comfort food.
I tried to just start exercising on my own but found myself quickly fizzling out and becoming unmotivated. Since I’m too cheap to join a gym or take classes right now, I didn’t have any structure. Like many Generation Y’ers, I turned to my computer for some help – and here’s my geeky guide to getting back into shape:
First I recommend getting an iTouch or smart phone. You can use the apps and load your workout music. I walk / jog faster and longer when I’m listening to music. I just put the earbuds in and go.
Once you’ve got your iTouch, iPhone, Droid or whatever, start loading your device with some motivating apps. Here’s a few I use:
http://runkeeper.com/
This is a great app + website that tracks your walks, bikes, runs, whatever. Records lots of info like how far you went and how fast, GPS map of your run, etc. Plays music and gives verbal cues of how far you’ve gone and your pace. This has been really motivating for me because I am starting as a walker who is learning how to run, and it’s been fun to see my progress. It’s also fun to look at the map afterwards to see what trails I ran on or my bike route. You can also connect with friends on here and link to social networks to encourage each other/keep accountable on progress.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
Another good website that is also a smartphone app. You track your food and it shows you if you met your calorie goal or other goals you set it to track. I recommend this one to my patients who have trouble realistically looking at how much sodium or carbs or fat they have in their diet. There’s no escaping objective data! I also like it because you can “friend” people on there just like facebook and comment on their stream, food diaries, etc. with great privacy controls on what information you want to share. There is also message boards and I’ve built a support system on there. Watching your diet, and connecting with others at the same time, woot.
http://www.nike.com/nikewomen/
Great app and website. The app has simple workouts with visual and audio cues to take you through cross training routines, interval, ab burners, cardio, etc. There are rewards if you meet certain goals based on how many minutes you’ve done so far. The app has videos that show you just how to do each exercise which makes it really easy. The more you do the workouts the more you can unlock.
http://www.netflix.com
Lots of streaming instant play workout videos.
I also like to use my Nintendo Wii Fit board and my friend has Xbox 360 connect which is awesome and gets you working up a sweat quickly.
But the best motivation of all is grabbing a friend to get into shape with you! Remember, technology is good, but people are great — don’t sit at the computer all day or stare into your phone for endless hours, get out, connect, and go!
Job stress
Stress is a major factor in health and well being. To put it in the most simple of terms, in my life anyway, the more stress I have the less healthy I am. I think it first effects my emotional health, then mental, spiritual and finally my physical health. This spills over into my mood, my job performance, my weight, my relationships, my marriage and my happiness.
With the major changes at work, layoffs, long hours, mergers, more layoffs, continuous overtime, I just want to quit sometimes. I love what I do as a nurse, but helping people is just as draining as it is rewarding. It doesn’t help when you don’t have adequate staff or really even know who your supervisor is since it changes week to week.
I could quit my job, but that wouldn’t alleviate much stress because I wouldn’t have health insurance for me or my family, and I wouldn’t be able to pay my bills. I’d also be sad to not work with patients and do what I love to do.
So what to do first to restore my sanity and health?
I tend to look to God and the Bible for answers when I’m in crisis mode. Over the past ten years I’ve had numerous family and friends tell me religion is a crutch and that there is no God. Well, religion isn’t the answer. I don’t think it ever is. I think its mostly man made made up stuff that people either made with good intentions or just to control others. I’ve seen various members of my family go through religious phases, from lighting candles to Saint Mary to traveling to Asia to feel vibrations from Buddha’s Temple to going on a Vision Quest in the Mexican desert. Frankly, from my point of view, it hasn’t seemed to do shit for them.
I do believe there is a God, I sought that out for myself years ago, seeking through history, prayer, major religions, etc. and really do believe He’s the God spoke of in the Bible, so that’s where I turn for some truth and wisdom. That and I really really don’t like Oprah and self help literature, it annoys me. I mean really if I had to choose between the teachings of Jesus and Oprah, puhlease. I don’t think Oprah’s will be around in 2000 years.
And I know I need help in my life, I always have and always will, I’m a sinner, I believe we all our slaves to fleshly desires we don’t and can’t control, and don’t live up to God’s standard of holiness, and need that Savior he sent to die in our place.
But enough about what I believe, let’s see what I read first thing in my Bible today:
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
So much encouragement in a few words. God gives and God takes away. I see that everyday at my job. One minute you have the perfect health and the nice wife and the nice job, the next minute you’re told you have six months to live, you go broke paying medical bills and the family you thought would be there good times and bad is suddenly nowhere to be found. I see this not just sometimes, but a few times a week. In my line of work you can’t go through life ignorant of pain, suffering, and also the general depravity of what humans can do to each other and themselves.
Possessions come and go. People and their love come and go. House, health and happiness; there today gone tomorrow. Who’s watching over me? Who blesses and takes away? In whose hands is my life? Am I trusting myself and working through life on my own, or am I walking in faith?
This whole trusting God with your whole life, future, worries and anxieties may sound ridiculous I think to some people. Especially if you have not been through a crisis, or faced with your own mortality. I think people in our culture in general don’t think much about these things in general, until they or a loved ones are sitting in a hospital, or facing a foreclosure, or a divorce … Etc.
So, from my brief prayer and meditation on today’s verse, I must conclude that God is watching over me, my family, my house my job my city… And I need to get that and stop stressing and for my sake…
Get some sleep!! I love that part about going to bed late and getting up early… God created humans and he knows what our bodies most basic physiologic need is: adequate rest. It really is the first step to de-stressing and getting healthy. You can’t exercise effectively when you’re exhausted. Your body can’t absorb precious nutrients from your diet if it’s exhausted.
Last week my goal was to take adequate breaks at work and time to meditate and pray. This has helped tremendously. And the tea has been damn tasty. This week I will add to that:
-Rid myself of anxiety and instead of trying to control an out of control life, give it over to God and ask people for help.
-Get adequate rest by going to bed at a reasonable hour.
In order to be successful in developing new habits I know I have to have very specific goals. I’ve got to get off this stress merry go round. So specifically, I will be going to bed by 10:00 pm and praying and meditating on Bible verses as a response to stress instead if acting out and cussing out.
Won’t you start your own de-stress journey with me? What do your steps look like?
How it all got started….
We needed a creative outlet. We discussed co-writing a blog together on numerous occasions. After a sushi dinner and a fuzzy photo a blog was born.
It Could Be Worse
Work stress has reached epic proportions in the last week due to numerous factors. However, I remind myself it could be worse. I could be stuck trying to fix the nation’s debt debacle. At least I get to enjoy my weekends.
Bambi tried to kill me
Multiple times the past few weeks the Bambis have been on a rampage. I’ve had five separate occasions this week alone where we’ve been stuck waiting for deer to stop frolicking on the middle of the road. Samish Way, Barkley, Fairhaven, Bakerview, etc. — deer, deer everywhere.
The week before last I swerved a few times and barely missed some suicidal deer. Why do they like jumping in front of my car in droves?
Please Bambi, stop trying to kill me.
bettybeth
bellinghamgirl
