Make the World a Happier and Healther Place!

I love massages! I believe that if everyone had a massage once a week, this world would be a happier and healthier place.  Since I have been in school, I can no longer afford my monthly massage.  Of course, once I am gainfully employed, it is a luxury that will be reinstated.  During this time, I have found a wonderful substitute that helps alleviate stress: the foot massage.  Specifically a reflexology massage at Max Feet.

Let me tell you why I love this:
I have several girlfriends that I see at least once a month to catch up on our busy lives.  Usually we will go to a nice restaurant and each will spend about $30-50. on cocktails and dinner.  Max Feet offers a 1 hour foot massage for $35. and the room has 3 comfy chair/beds. They clean your feet and then massage them for 45 minutes and finish up with 15 minutes of Thai massage on your fully clothed body.  This, my friends is my idea of heaven!  My friends and I can get caught up on each other's lives all while getting a great massage! There is no cheating on your food plan, no noisy crowd you have to talk over, and you can wear workout gear! 

I have taken my mom there for holiday treats, I have caught up with friends and I have even had a committee meeting there.  I wonder if anyone has actually had a business meeting there?  I hope I have given you something to think about.  Next time you are catching up with friends, call a Max Feet or Sole Envy or any massage place near you and see if they offer group foot massage.  Catch up with your friends in a calorie free environment and help the world be a happier and healthier place!

4 Things That I Have Learned Since Becoming 50.

Here are just a few things that drive me up the wall!

1. Ma'am.  Ever since I have turned 50, for some reason loads of people have started calling me ma'am.  Ugh!  I am all for respecting elders, but when did I become an elder?  Please, if you see me, call me ma'am when I am 75.

2. My skin.  What the heck fire is happening to my pores?  Did turning 50 mean that all the sudden my pores grow to huge proportions?  This must be stopped!  Quick more face creams!  More anti wrinkle stuff.  Ack!

3. I can't see.  It seems that once you become 50, you lose your eyesight.  I now cannot read anything without my readers.  I have added extra pairs in various places around the house so I can read the paper, a recipe, or perhaps medication.  This is the most frustrating change.  I hate that I need them.  It exhausts me.

4. My bones are creaky.  I no longer bound out of bed in the morning.  I kind of do a little body check before I get up.  Just making sure that all is well before I embrace my day.  I seem to be sore more and I really feel it when the weather changes. 

I am grumpy today and do not mean to make this a negative post.  The good news is that I am healthy and because I am at a healthy weight, I have added years to my life.  Those years will be where I can move and am not suffering from any heinous crippling disease.  I can enjoy the next 50 years in good health.  I will be the one who has huge pores with creaky bones with 5 pairs of readers hanging around my neck but thankful that our youth has manners.

Pity Party of One

I notice that I have gained about 5 pounds lately.  Now, I just lost my dog, so I could certainly blame the gain on mourning.  To me that is a cop out.  I am a weight loss coach, I know better.  So, sitting here with a blank page before me, I decided it is time to forgive.

I really wanted this summer to be fantastic.  Instead, it totally sucked.  I took a class that would change my life, but it was stressful and overwhelming.  The work was completely different than what I knew before, therefore I had to change everything about how I worked with clients.  That is SO hard.  Then I had a series of family issues.  Some sad, some horrifying, some frustrating.  These issues are still going on, and I need to get comfortable with them.

The stress of the summer gave me shingles.  Not fun at all.  Then there is the West Nile situation.  I am scared to be outside for more than a few minutes.  Oh, I turned 50!  Wanted to be so excited about it, but so far, phooey!  The final smack in my face, my dog had to be put down last week. I am exhausted.  I think I am cursed and I need to have some sort of exorcism.

Well today I am saying enough!  Whatever funky cloud I have been under needs to go away.  No more the victim.  I don't want to feel bad, in pain, anger, or fat.  Back to juicing.  I have been exercising a lot, but I will focus more.  I will forgive myself and those around me.  I will start laughing more and worrying less.  I will get my final certification for coaching.  I will move mountains in my life so others can move mountains in theirs.

Have you had a crummy summer?  Want to join me in a Spectacular Fall?

She's Gone

Yesterday, our 14+ year old Labrador, Cinderella, passed away.  My heart is broken.  She was a wonderful dog.  She came into my life 8 years ago.  When I was dating my now husband, she greeted me at the door, the first time I came to his house.  She had a tail that turned circles and the tail started spinning when he opened the door.  He warned me that she would bark at me as she does that to everyone.  Cyndi didn't bark.  All the kids seemed shocked that she remained silent.  I patted her on the head and a relationship was born.

Cyndi was a unique dog.  Along with the helicopter tail, she would smile at you whenever you came through the door.  It was hilarious!  It almost looked as though she was baring her teeth, except it would totally slide into a smile.  She had a really scary bark too.  I always felt safe when it was just the two of us.  She could even catch flies!  So cool.  Over the years she became my best friend.  She knew all my secrets and still loved me.  When I walked through the door, she always acted like I was the most important person in the world.  The tail would circle and the smile would be there.

We had to put her down due to her developing cancer.  The last few months she had become my full time job.  She needed to be walked several times in the middle of the night and needed a lot of attention during the day.  I know we made the right decision, but it still hurts.  We were there holding her when she slipped away.  I cried like a baby.  This morning, I jumped out of bed and proceeded to go and get Cyndi's meds as I usually do.  Then I remembered. 

I thought her passing would be an excuse to stuff my face and eat away the pain.  So far, so good.  I went and exercised this morning and have pretty much stayed true to my normal eating patterns.  Everyday I learn more about myself and how I handle things that life throws at me.  I continue to move forward.

Good Enough VS The Best

Last week I cleaned out my closet.  I love my closet.  Years ago, we converted a bedroom and made it into a closet. The only set back is that I have to share it with my husband.  I hate sharing with him.  If I could figure out a way to get him out of there and in another closet, I so would!  Alas, I  will survive...

As I went through my clothes, I noticed that I have a ton of 'good enough' stuff.  You know, the clothes that look good, but not necessarily great.  An example would be T-shirts from the Gap.  They are fine, but I don't stop traffic when I wear them.  No brainer clothing.  I only have a few pieces of clothing that I would consider 'the best'.  These are clothes that make me look thin, young, tall and basically fantastic.

I noticed that there are some women who always look fantastic.  It seems they only wear what is best for them.  I want to be them,  I think I am going to try to do that.  I would rather have less clothes and know that every piece will present me at my best than have a ton of clothing that makes me look ok.

What do you do that is just good enough and not the best? 

You Have My Attention!

Society is constantly pushing us.  Do more, push farther, you must multi-task.  Friends tell me how guilty they feel that they can't get more done in the day.  Everyone is exhausted all the time.  I know that I can't just watch TV, I must be working on my computer or cleaning something or otherwise being productive.  I feel like a big gerbil running on an exercise wheel.  Sometimes I need a good smack in the face to make me stop and really look at what is going on with my life.

That smack came in in the form of shingles.  Shingles is an adult repeat of chickenpox.  It is caused by STRESS!  It can be very painful.  Guess who is taking it down a notch?  

My one request for my birthday was to wake up on a beach.  So, we went to Florida and just relaxed.  This was very needed for the shingles too.  On the actual day, we went snorkeling in the morning and then had nothing to do until dinner.  We spent the day reading, sleeping, and watching the Olympics.  At one point, my husband said that he felt guilty not doing something.  I informed him that we were doing something, we were purposely doing nothing.  When we thought about it, we could not remember a day where we had given ourselves permission to do nothing.  It was AWESOME!

When was the last time you had given yourself permission to not have to do anything?  Make a date with yourself and do it.  Don't wait to get smacked.

The Big 5-oh!

Ack!  This Sunday I will turn 50.  I remember my mother turning 50 and I thought she was old.  Ha!  She is in her eighties now and I think she is no where near old.  I have been trying to think of what I thought I should be at 50.  I can't remember, so maybe that is the pre-dementia rearing its ugly head.

Granted, I have creaks and I make noises when I bend over to pick something up off the floor.  I have to wear readers to see anything and that frankly makes me cranky!  I have jowls (ick).  I understand the consequences from over imbibing adult beverages and prefer to be home at a reasonable hour instead of dancing all night.  Seriously, when it gets close to 10pm, I worry that I might turn into a pumpkin.  I want to be in bed.

The above are the negatives of being my age.  The positives are that I have lived and learned.  I know stuff now.  Though to live is to constantly learn, at least I know the basics.  I no longer get sucked into peer pressure.  If I don't want to do it, I am not doing it.  People ask me for life advice!  Shocking I know but true.  I am in the best shape of my life thanks to my Lapband.  My body is strong and so is my brain.  I am about to start a new career path that I love.  I understand that it isn't what you are wearing on the outside, but the undergarments make the difference!  True beauty exists and it is in the faces of my husband and his children.

I think I am pretty awesome for 50. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next!