Make Your Time Work

Working smarter, not harder. Exercise bike while
reading the homework I assigned for the next day.

If I had a dime for every time someone said to me, "I wish I could (fill in the blank), but I don't have the time," I could fund my current tuition with it. Most often the blank is the amount of reading I do. And usually the person saying this has things going on in his/her life that I wish I had more time for.

Everyone says "I don't have the time to..." about something at some point. The truth is, if it's important, you'll make the time. Our lives are easily filled with people, places, things (and that's a whole other conversation), so the only way anything fits in is if we place it there. Sounds impossible, doesn't it?

I've decided it's not always quite as impossible as we think. Going on a big trip to Israel this summer, I realized my husband and I needed to start exercising so we could handle the excessive walking the trip requires. But where the heck in my life of family, friendship, teacher, student, and church would I fit exercise?! But did I really have a choice?

There were some questions I had to ask myself. In my current season of life:
1. What do I HAVE to do?
2. What do I THINK I have to do?
3. What do I want to do?
4. What can I let go, cause I frankly don't care that much about it?

Everyone's answers will vary because it depends where you're at in life and your preferences. For example, spic 'n span cleaning of my house isn't even on my radar. If stuff is picked up and there's no obvious mold issue, we are good to go. However, I did notice two things in answering these questions that may apply more widely -  question #1 was a smaller list of items than I thought and question #2 was a larger list than it should be. And basically everything on lists #2&4, I can forget. Looking at my schedule, I placed the items from #1 and then fit around where I could items from #3. Yes, right now I do less of what I want than of what I have to, but I was able to fit in three hours of exercise every week!

And the big part to realize in all of this...if you still don't have time for something, then it's not as important to you as you thought right now. Life goes through seasons and things change. Don't give up on it, just put it aside for now. Quit stressing and keep your dimes!

Wellness Tips

Since I am getting back into a fitness routine, it seemed a good time to post some related material. Welcome Diamond, who is a health enthusiast and cyber-security blogger and her seven tips for a healthier, happier you.

7 Amazing Wellness Tips to Make Yourself Healthier

Becoming healthier is a journey we should all be constantly a part of. No matter what walk of life you come from, there’s always room to work on your health. Doing so has many benefits:

• Improved focus
• Greater productivity
• Reduced illness

In general, feeling good is a state we have to strive for; it won’t just happen on its own. That’s why there are some changes you should consider making in your life. Some of them you may already be doing and if so, great.

Either way, check out this list to see where you can stand to improve. Every little bit counts, and there’s no better day to start than today.

1. Cut Down on Added Sugars

Most of us are guilty of this problem: too many added sugars in our diet. From morning till bed time, we eat cereals, coffee, bread and just a general cornucopia of different foods that have sugars and syrups added for flavor.

But sugar is one of the biggest enemies of health. Since 2010, we’ve had fairly conclusive research that drinking sugary beverages contributes to poor health and the development of diabetes. Other research also suggests a link between poor heart health and consumption of processed sugars (typical of what’s added to everyday foods).

Your best bet is to stick with basic ingredients. See below for more on that.

2. Shop in the “Horseshoe”

A great place to start looking for healthier alternatives to the sugary items mentioned above is in the “horseshoe” of the grocery store. Generally, that refers to everything along the outer edge of the store, as this is where fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, and meats tend to be stored.

While staying on the edges isn’t the gospel of shopping, it definitely improves your chances of encountering unadulterated foods. Of course, you'll have to watch out for processed meats (they also tend to be on the outer rim) and flavored milks/creamers, but it’s generally easier to find healthy ingredients and foods there.

If you’re looking for ingredients with less pesticide (assuming you either can’t afford all organic or just don’t have access to it where you live; a problem I face daily), you might consider shopping with an app like Dirty Dozen. It’s a good app for identifying fresh produce that has less pesticide residue.

But take its suggestions with a grain of corn; papayas, which are on the “Clean 15” list are known to be GMO crops, so be aware if that’s an issue (interestingly enough, sweet corn, also on the list, generally is not GMO).

3. Prepare Your Own Meals

Armed with your healthy pick of ingredients, you can further improve your health by preparing your own meals. Doing so ensures you know exactly what’s going into the food and it prevents you from consuming as many processed ingredients such as those found in big chain eateries.

You can also save money and just generally become closer to what keeps you going each day. Understanding how food is prepared and how to preserve the nutrition (such as not overcooking foods or continually reheating leftovers) will help you live a cleaner, healthier life.

If time is an issue, you may want to consider investing in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. We use a pressure cooker at home and it cuts down on the number of pots and pans while reducing cook times significantly.

4. Improve Sleep Conditions

A good night’s sleep is certain to improve anyone’s livelihood. The trick is setting your schedule and room up around providing a rejuvenating sleep. Owning a quality bed is obviously a good investment, but you should consider some other basic steps:

• Go to sleep while the clock still reads p.m.
• Remove sources of blue light while you sleep, such as TVs, LED display lights or other electronics (a piece of tape over a bright cable box light can make a big difference)
• Only use your bed for sleeping; reserve other activities for other rooms if possible
• Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as it is less than ideal for your spine

You want to be conscious of your diet before bed as well. Consuming sugar or caffeine before bed can reduce the quality of your sleep and may contribute to grogginess in the morning. Stick with light plant-based foods before bed and avoid eating less than an hour before you sleep. Keep your room cool and dark; a programmable thermostat can help.

5. Exercise Early

Going to bed early is important, but getting up early and moving right away is also a valuable part of any daily routine. Early exercise helps awaken both your mind and metabolism to prepare you for the rest of the day. This is especially true if you work in an office or at home.

Starting early also provides you with more daylight to get things done, which is something your body needs. Your circadian rhythm is based largely on the light and dark cycle, so you’re less likely to feel tired if you start strenuous activity early and more likely to sleep better if you’ve done your workout earlier rather than later.

6. Track Your Fitness and Diet

With the rise of devices such as Pebble and Fitbit, it’s never been easier to keep track of your activity, and you really should. It will help you determine whether or not you’ve been too sedentary and, in the case of food, can help you find out what critical nutrients are lacking in your diet.

Just be careful what apps you use; some apps may connect to public WiFi, which can put you at risk for data theft. Use a VPN (a type of security app) to navigate around this problem, as described in this review by Secure Thoughts.

7. Train Your Mind

Having a strong mind is essential for maintaining a strong body; there are a number of ways you can achieve this goal, but none of them are quick. To keep your brain from turning to mush as you grow older, you’ll want to take interest in something that takes a long time to master. Learning a foreign language, for instance, can improve your vocabulary and help stave off mental decline.

Another activity that’s both enjoyable and healthy for the brain is learning to play a musical instrument. Be it a flute, cello or something else, the physical and mental skill required to play music will keep you sharp. It can also be very enjoyable and could become a very social experience.

What are you doing to make your life healthier and happier? Tell us what works for you.

About the Author: Diamond is a health enthusiast and cybersecurity blogger. She writes on a variety of topics, including how changes in technology and the food supply affect our health and what we should do about it.

Reading in Store

It's been awhile...I think that's my most common thought on the blog the past few months. Life has been plugging away. Before my own college classes began again, I had to prep for the senior classes I teach at the high school. They are part of a college in high school program. We will work from a college level syllabus I wrote and textbooks the local college requires and at the end of the semester, my students will have a college class credit to transfer wherever they may go when they graduate.

In other news, my own college classes are back in session. I have two literature classes - African-American Lit and The Anthropocene. I'm sure you're questioning that last one. Anthropocene is out current epoch. Scientists (and whoever else is in charge of this naming of time periods) haven't decided where the starting point of the Anthropocene is, but it "dates from when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems." Anyway, we are reading a good stretch of books (mostly 20th century, which I like) and tracing the picture they paint (although some unwittingly) of Anthropocenic events. Something different and The Great Gatsby made the reading list, so you know I'm in!

In all, my work this semester consists of reading two books per week, adding up to approximately 30 books by May; thirteen short analysis papers; one five page book analysis; and two 20 page papers. We are heading into week three and after this weekend I should have three of my thirteen short papers done. Keeping on top of it is the key and my plan is to write my short papers now and save the end of the semester to sweat out the two larger papers.

I spent the entire last weekend at B&N, working 6-8 hours a day reading, note-taking, and writing. It truly worked so much better than trying to work at home. I'm so distracted by house and family things when I work from home, so I plan on spending the next 15 weekends at B&N as well. When all is said and done, B&N should start paying me for my advertising of their premises here and on social media! (Not to mention my dual meaning post title - something they can offer that Amazon can't!)

My outlook is much better this semester, which I credit to knowing what to expect. That makes SO much difference. Last semester really broke me in and God gave me some direction that completely helped calm me for all I have ahead. I'm excited and already enjoying it, although already facing the challenge of balancing life, work, and study with time constraints. Part of that balance includes things to add to the schedule. I've done a lot of taking things out, but there are important pieces missing too, like time to work out. I've mostly maintained my weight loss from this time last year, but last semester has started to challenge my gains. I'm more interested in endurance and toning/strengthening now, so I've fit a workout hour in three days a week based on times when I'm already out and about and can stop at the gym. I also saw a trainer for a customized plan, so my time and effort isn't wasted. Working smarter, not harder. Well, in this case working smarter and harder, lol. And maybe picking up with some fitness update posts again.

Hope all is well for you readers. I will hopefully remember to put some of my analysis papers here on the blog...kinda a throw back to book reviewing. Til next time...

Lift: The History of Fitness Culture

Source: Amazon.com

Lift: Fitness Culture, from Naked Greeks and Acrobats to Jazzercise and Ninja Warriors, by Daniel Kunitz
Publisher: Harper Wave
Publication date: July 5. 2016
Category: Nonfiction
Source: I received a free copy of this galley from TLC Book Tours for consideration of a review.

With my new interest in exercise this year (I'm up to 20 lbs lost since January), I jumped at the chance to review a book on the history of exercise! In his new book Lift, out July 5, 2016, author Daniel Kunitz first seeks to answer the question why? Why do we exercise? Most of us are not athletes, we are not competing in events, we do not need to take exercise to the levels of dedication that we do. So why the push for exercise in our culture currently? While Kunitz admits there are those who use exercise in unhealthy ways (an addiction to the sense of euphoria or as control over one's body), he makes a couple points that most anyone who exercises regularly would give a standing ovation for.

First the obvious: "We are always either getting stronger or weaker; improving or decaying; learning or forgetting - and the athlete tries to right the ship daily."

The second is longer, but it's the one I like and think other fitness minded people would cheer: "It is this marshaling of habits that I call the practicing of life, of which athletic training is only one form. Practice regimes have evolved in many forms, from the ascetic life of religion to that of the military to artistic practice, acting, medicine, philosophy, and scholarship - all aim at some type of self-enhancement through training. But athletic practice holds special interest for us because it forms the basis for all other types that followed...While [other] regimes are all voluntary, we are born into the regime of the body...we are always practicing some sort of fitness regime, be it sitting or gymnastics...For once we progress beyond the limited goal of merely shaping our bodies, we stop acting as if we were machines with a single purpose and instead begin aspiring to expansive ideals. We begin practicing the artistry of the self."

"Born into the regime of the body..." indeed. It's interesting to note that this has always been the case for everyone and yet, over time, views and types of exercise have evolved. But like all advancement, we must stop to ask ourselves if bigger is necessarily better? And this is where Kunitz begins to explore the essentials of exercise and its place in humanity. From the ancient Greeks to the feminist movement of the past century, stopping everywhere in between, Kunitz explores and asks, What are the basics of exercise and why should we get back to them?

Well, you'll have to read Lift to find out. With Kunitz's humor and the topic of exercise this close to the Olympics, it's a book many people can appreciate and enjoy right now.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Daniel Kunitz

Daniel Kunitz has served as editor in chief of Modern Painters, as well as an editor at the Paris Review and Details, and has been a contributor to Vanity Fair, Harper’s Magazine, and New York. He is also an avid CrossFitter and weightlifter. He lives in New York City.

March Fitness Update

Here we are, the end of March, time for another fitness update. About mid-month I noticed that I had to keep pulling up my pants (the ones that were really tight when I started in January) and that my Fitbit strapped onto my wrist easily beyond the usual hole I used. I weigh myself once weekly, but have just now noticed the loss besides the scale reading. Between January and mid-March I've lost 12 pounds. 

In January a workout friend had said that within a couple months the difference would be noticeable to me and a few months past that, it would be noticeable to others. Figuring my pants and Fitbit were making it obvious to me at least, I took a picture to compare to my January picture. You don't necessarily see the changes in something when you look at it every day, so I was pretty impressed with what I saw reflected between the two pictures (January and March respectively).

Then life struck and I missed half a month of workouts. We are finishing off the process of closing on our new house renovation loan and I've spent evenings gathering paperwork and running it to the needed destinations or meeting contractors and consultants at the house for inspections. Which means it had to work around usual activities, some things were pushed to other nights/days, plus the kids' activities...and the workouts ended up sacrificed.

It sucks, but it showed me something worth realizing. Over Easter weekend, within two weeks of missing workouts, I found myself highly uncomfortable and in some pain...definitely in need of my chiropractor. Since I started in January, I've barely had to see my chiropractor and when I did, it wasn't because I was highly uncomfortable or in a whole lot of pain. The workouts were keeping my chiropractic needs in check.

Also, I discovered that because I wasn't working out, I struggled more with eating healthy. Knowing I sacrificed and sweated to workout kept me eating healthy because I didn't want it to all be a waste of time. Without the workouts I didn't feel I had as much of a reason to stick to the better eating choices. As of now, I gained back the two pounds I'd lost since the beginning of March.

Needless to say, my part of the legwork for the new house is done and the workouts are coming back full force. I'm ready to feel good again!