March 28, 2024

Decrease Clutter! By Coach Juli Shulem

It would be easy to just say, “throw away stuff you don’t need” but therein lies the problem. Those with clutter issues generally cannot discern between what they need to keep and what they should get rid of.

Here are 3 tips to making a big impact on decreasing the clutter in your physical space:

1.    Increase border control.
Don’t let anything through your door that isn’t an asset to your life. This means start by not even buying things you don’t absolutely need.  Don’t go ‘shopping’ for things. Go ‘buying.’ That means you go for the items you need, with a list in hand, and nothing more. If you don’t let unnecessary items come into your home in the first place you will have less to deal with in the near and distant future. Not having the item around to begin with will stop the process of cluttering at the root.
This goes for not accepting things from others as well. If friends or family don’t want an item any longer, why do you need it?

2.    Don’t buy more containers.
I see in my coaching practice that those who are trying to get organized instantly want to go out and acquire storage containers thinking that this will help them become organized. Actually, you want to first get rid of things and then, based on what is left and where the items will be kept, you can get appropriate containers. If you get dozens of plastic boxes first you will have more clutter that you had to begin with and chances are you won’t need all those containers either.

3.    Delete dupes .
If you have a lot of things, and they have had ‘offspring,’ you can generally get rid of all but one (perhaps two) of the item and be just fine. Often the reason people have many of the same items is that they can’t locate it when needed, so they go out and purchase another only to find the original one days, weeks, or months later. This can happen over and over resulting in ridiculous amounts of something where one is sufficient.

Contributed by Coach Juli, CPC: Efficiency & ADHD Coach. Efficiency Expert since 1984, and author of the eBook, Order! A Logical Approach to an Organized Way of Life, www.getordernow.com. Contact at jshulem@gmail.com 805-964-2389 or www.julishulem.com.

Springtime Healthy Eating by Keri Gans

Spring is the in air, which means swimsuit days are just around the corner! The good news is that along with spring comes many delicious, healthy vegetables and fruits that are figure friendly.

Look for these nutritious choices at your local farmer’s market or in the produce section of your neighborhood store. Include them in your healthy eating plan at home or use them as your go-to side dish when dining out. Here are a few nutritious choices, along with preparation ideas to consider:

Beets: Serve on top of arugula, with red onion slices, drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of feta and a squeeze of fresh lemon. However, if you are adventurous in the kitchen, shred and add them to quinoa.

Asparagus:  Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut off the ends of the asparagus and lay on baking sheet, drizzle with oil & place in oven, cook for 10-15 minutes or until slightly brown. Sprinkle with tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and serve. Other great ways to enjoy are to simply throw them into a pasta sauce, an omelet, or steam and puree into a soup.

Artichokes: Enjoy artichoke hearts thrown into a salad or a pasta dish. When in a pasta dish they take up so much room, you need less actual pasta, a real calorie saver. Simply enjoying a whole steamed artichoke drizzled with olive oil and a little lemon (or a tiny bit of butter) can’t be beat for a refreshing side dish.

Strawberries: No recipes needed here. Simply wash and eat. Or top your cereal with them, your oatmeal, or a cup of low-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. If you feel like you would rather be eating a piece of strawberry pie, try taking a cup of strawberries, top with a crushed graham cracker and a heaping tablespoon of low-fat whip cream. You’d just be surprised how easily that piece of traditional pie becomes a memory.

Besides being helpful for your waistline, buying fruits and veggies that are in season are also good for your pocketbook. In season foods are typically less expensive.

By Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, Nutritionist in Private Practice in NYC, Media Spokesperson, & Author, The Small Change Diet (Gallery, March 2011) www.kerigansnutrition.com. Follow Keri on Twitter @kerigans and join her Facebook community via www.facebook.com/TheSmallChangeDiet

Beat Boredom with Out-of-the-Box Exercise by Whitney Orban

This article is brought to you by Kathy Smart. Kathy is a TV nutritionist, host and chef of ‘ Live the Smart Way ~ the world’s first vegetarian and gluten free TV show’ and author of ‘ Live the Smart Way. Check out her website for more information, www.livethesmartway.com.

Beat Boredom with Out-of-the-Box Exercise by Whitney Orban

The windows are open, the sun is shining, and three layers of clothing aren’t required to go outside. Spring is here! What does this mean? Move your workouts outdoors!

If you find yourself making excuses to sleep in or accepting your reasons why it’s okay to cut workouts short, boredom has set in. Sure, when you’re short on time or weather is not cooperating, hitting the gym is a great option. However, if you’re up for a little adventure, try an out-of-the-box-exercise approach!

Embrace Nature. Nature is ever-changing, so it’ll keep you motivated.  Find inspiration in small adventures like taking a jog around town. Simply having the sun on your face, wondering what’s just past that next hill, or watching your dog have fun running along your side will give you energy to keep going. Let’s face it, the view outside almost always beats indoors.

Become an Adventurer. Little adventures will peak your interest to try bigger adventures, like summiting a 14,000’ mountain or taking a trip to Thailand to go rock climbing. Begin with smaller adventures, and allow them to take you to places you’ve never been before. Be open to the excitement adventure brings. Who knows, you might have so much fun you forgot you were even working out. Planning for adventure also creates a goal to improve fitness and workout adherence. It’s unlikely you’ll skip out on the gym because you’ll be focused to get in shape for the big adventure.

Anything NEW is fair game. Not everyone can hop in their car and arrive at a mountain in a couple hours but each workout outside can still be new and exciting. Drive a few hours and take a hike, visit your local park and go for a bike ride, sign-up for a rock climbing class, you might be surprised at what is in your own backyard.

Whitney Orban moved to Colorado from Florida in 2007 and immediately fell in love for the mountains. Follow her adventures on www. bradleysadventures.wordpress.com

Inside-Out Fitness by Mary Miriani

Spring has arrived, and swimsuit season is looming. Most people think of fitness, and getting-fit, from the outside in. However in reality, fitness comes from the inside out and it begins with a positive mindset. If you really want to be fit, forget your old ideas about fitness being a way to shape your body, and instead shape your mind and spirit first. The result will be a great and healthy body, and mind! 

When we get in shape for looks alone, we allow outside things like the scale and mirror judge us. Instead, concentrate on how you feel on the inside. Get in touch with your own body’s signals, and a lifelong healthy body for life will result. 

So how do you create fitness from the inside-out? Listen to your body! Your body is superbly designed to tell you when to eat, move and rest:

Listen to how your body and energy feels with how and what you’re eating. Firstly, pay attention to how you feel when you under-eat. You may feel nervous, maybe have a headache, and eat uncontrollably later. Secondly, watch what happens when you eat junk food. Sure it tastes good and may provide a burst of energy immediately. However, how do you feel a few hours later?  You’re probably feeling sluggish and exhausted soon after consuming foods high in sugar. Conversely, take note of how you feel after eating healthfully. For example, maybe you feel lighter and enjoy balanced steady energy and less bloating after eating a lean protein snack or smaller meals later in the day. Keeping a food/feeling log is a great start!

Listen to how your body feels at various times during your day. For example, do you squirm after hours of sitting at your desk? If so, your body is begging you to move! The solution may be as simple as setting the alarm on your smart phone or computer to get up every 2 hours and stretch.

Listen to how your body feels and responds to your sleep schedule.  Do you feel rested and rejuvenated upon waking in the morning? Too little sleep and soon, you’re yawning; it’s hard to keep your eyes open and losing track of your thoughts during your day. Your body is demanding rest. Logging sleep patterns/feeling will provide important feedback.

This spring, develop a vision of how you want to feel and follow that vision by slowly taking the steps that bring you there; evaluate your overall variables of food, exercise and rest. Start building your fitness on the inside, and your body will soon follow. With awareness of your unhealthy habits, commit to action steps and change them one at a time, until you feel great. Fitness cannot and should not happen in a rapid effort to change your mirror image. If you focus on fitness from the inside out,  you will be feeling (and looking) great!

By Mary Miriani; BA Exercise Science; ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist. Contact her via email, mary@miriani.com.

Spring Break Family Fitness by Dr. Kent Sasse

Spring break is a celebrated time for families to relax and reconnect for a week. Whether families pack their bags or plan a staycation, activities abound to keep the family close, healthy and fit.  Begin the day with healthy activities, knowing that those habits will influence choices throughout the day.

Here are some day starters for families:

 
Do an activity challenge. For example, plan a pedometer contest amongst family members; who can reach 15,000 steps per day the quickest gets to choose the family meal of the evening or pick music for the car-ride across town. Holding a protein shake contest is also a fun way to evoke creativity and provides a platform for exchanging healthy information; implement a little friendly competition in who can make the best tasting out of healthy ingredients. Look up www.foodnetwork.tv for basic ingredient ideas.
 

Cook a healthy breakfast together before an all day activity. Allowing kids to create the menu or take a lead role turns a chore into fun. The same idea applies to packing a lunch.
 

Plan to spend an entire day outside together. Pack a lunch and write down a list of activities ahead of time that you can all do together.

All geographic locations have activities of which to take advantage. Warm or cold, city or mountain town, you are almost guaranteed to find hiking paths and bike paths. Many cities have spacious parks or river communities as well as the typical cultural downtown.

Here are a few ideas to look into as a family if you are visiting an area:
 

Hike: this can be in the form of snowshoeing, walking on a lakeshore, or an adventure in the mountains. Call the Chamber of Commerce for maps and advice. Be sure to also ask about current conditions to allow appropriate packing of clothing and other goods.
 

Hit the water: If you are fortunate enough to be near a body of water, spend a day on the shore and in the waves snorkeling, surfing or swimming. Ask the locals for their recommendations on the best and safest place to begin.
 

Go for a walk: walk your dog or explore an unseen area together. Walking is a great way to stay fit, and to view a city from a different perspective than the typical car ride. Search www.mapquest.com for a map of city streets, interesting landmarks or trailheads from where to begin.
 

Play games at your nearest school or park. Basketball, baseball, Frisbee, croquet, play on the swingset, and the list goes on and on. These activities require almost no money, and very little planning, but involve everyone. Do a quick search online for location for a list of locations and amenities of nearby parks.
 

Scavenger hunts and treasure hunts provide physical as well as mental challenges as problem solving is a key component. Look up organized hunts online at for example, www.geocaching.com. Or make your own list and organize it as a family or in teams.

Being in a society surrounded by fast food and sitting entertainment, it is easy to succumb to less healthy choices. Being active as a family creates memories of everyone working together as a group or team and will serve as topics of reminiscing for years to come! Be a trend setter and vow to get active on your spring break!

Dr. Kent Sasse founded Western Bariatric Institute and iMetabolic. He is also the author of numerous books and a featured speaker nationally in the field of weight loss.

Extra Hour of Daylight means Extra Exercise Opportunities by Tanja Djelevic

With the arrival of Daylight Savings Time, you now have an EXTRA hour of sunshine! Spring is the best time of year to take your workouts outside, and here are a few fun and energizing ideas:  

Greet the sun: Find out what time the sun rises (http://www.sunrisesunset.com), and get outside to do your workout while watching the sun wake up.

Run: Go on a run through your city park to check out the signs of life and spring. There is nothing more satisfying than feeling your surroundings wake up from the winter sleep.

Hike: Whether you go on an early morning hike in your neighborhood or a week-long expedition to someplace new, hiking is a great way to leave your stress behind. Just remember to drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen!

Cycle: See the world and get your aerobic exercise! You can find great bicycling routes on websites like http://www.mapmyride.com or http://pedaling.com.

Socialize: Now that you have an extra hour of light, invite a family member or friend to join you for an after-work walk or jog. Get some fresh air and catch up at the same time! 

Organize: Create a fitness triathlon for a group of friends or coworkers. Take them all outside for a weekend extravaganza and choose 3 fun and athletic activities to do as a group! For example, you might do a 5K or 10K group run, make a stop at the Roman Rings or Rope Climb, and then finish off with a great yoga session on the lawn! 

Tanja Djelevic holds a Masters Degree in Psychology, specializing in Stress Management Therapy and Behavioral Life Coaching. She is a NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) and has fitness certifications from Reebok, AFAA, ACE, Powerhouse Pilates and C.H.E.K Institute. She has worked with a myriad of celebrity clientele including Matt Dillon, Pink and Rachel Weisz. Connect with Tanja at www.loudfitness.com

Don’t Hibernate this Winter by Brett Klika

This Article Brought To You By:
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Don’t Hibernate this Winter

When winter rears its formidable head with shorter and much colder days, it can be a challenge to stay on course with your fitness program. If you want to keep moving despite Mother Nature, try these 5 simple tips to weather the winter so you’re lean and fit for spring.

Embrace the outside! Yes, it’s cold! That may mean snow for skiing, sledding, snow-showing, ice skating, and a variety of other outdoor activities. Give them a try! Winter clothing now is warm, light, flexible, waterproof, and very accommodating for hard-core outdoor activities.

Change up your routine by trying a class at a local health club. Just because you’re indoors doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. From Zumba to Spinning, to a variety of other fun and engaging high-energy classes, health club class schedules are usually packed with options to move.

Workout during your lunch hour to avoid the dark mornings and cold nights. Mid day is not only the time with the most sunlight, it’s usually the warmest. Perfect for a jog, bike ride, or anything else the weather permits.

Hit the weights. Are you an endurance athlete? If you live in a climate where the weather outside is frightful, winter might be a great time to start a resistance training program if you don’t already participate in one. This provides a welcome change from grinding out miles on the treadmill or indoor bike. In addition, the increased strength and stability you get from resistance training will help your performance when you get outside again.

Join an indoor sports league. In addition to the traditional sports like soccer, basketball, and volleyball, now many club organizations offer non-traditional, social-based sports like kickball, dodge ball, and many other playground classics. This keeps you energized and motivated to get out of the house and sweat!     

This winter, have fun sweating in the snow, running in the rain, and dashing in the dark. A little workout creativity will keep you lean and fit all winter long.

Brett Klika, C.S.C.S, is an internationally renowned personal trainer, author, and motivational speaker. For a copy of his new e-book and exercise program “The Underground Workout Manual- Exercise and Fat Loss in the Real World” visit www.undergroundworkoutmanual.com. To contact Brett, send correspondence to brett@fitnessquest10.com.