Mick’s up with Emotional Toxins

We have learned that stress can come from all different areas, and it can affect our health.

We kind of touched on this with Mick’s up with Accountability, but let’s take a look at how the people we hang out with can be toxic.  Not only can they influence us in our eating patterns and our fitness, but they can also influence our attitude.

I’m sure you’ve heard about it.  A very popular topic that has been around is Toxic Friendships.

Like I’ve said before, I do believe that God wants us to be a blessing to everyone we encounter.  So, I’m not saying you should be selfish and think only of yourself and your own well-being.  However, it is important for you to stay as healthy as you can, so you can keep on efficiently doing work for God as long as possible.  You do not want to have to take time away from what God wants you to do, all because you didn’t take care of yourself to begin with, and then you have to concentrate on yourself more, so you can heal from being sick.

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“Those who fail to take the time to be healthy

will ultimately have to take the time to be sick.”

(Dr. James Chappell)

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You know all the warnings we give our kidderz about being careful in choosing the types of people they hang around.  Why should it be different for us?  We can be bombarded by emotional toxins (negativity, discouragement, pessimism, worry, fear, put-downs and verbal abuse, etc.), just as easily as chemical toxins. 


At the same time, true friendship can be a great antidote to what ails us.  What a blessing!

Be a friend to those who need a friend, but make sure your relationships remain healthy, so that you can remain healthy.

A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

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Mick's up Buddies

Do you have an exercise buddy?  When I coached at our local Curves®, a lot of the members enjoyed working out with a buddy.  It really helped them to keep up their visits at the gym... so much so, that if their workout buddy didn't make it to the gym, neither did they.  Even worse, if one buddy quit, both quit.  So, except for these last statements... the ones about not working out and quitting..., having a workout buddy really is a great thing.

We covered the importance of accountability earlier this week, so why not relate it to exercise?

"The average female will shed more than 10 pounds when she has girlfriends who are willing to eat healthily and train with her.  But a fifth of those who choose to go it alone don't drop a single pound." (Daily Mail Reporter)

That's enough of a reason!  Isn't it?

I must admit.  I do exercise on my own, more than with a buddy.  However, when dealing with factors like injuries or yucky weather, it's easier to talk myself out of my workout than if I have someone relying on me to back them up.

It's been a fun year, watching my family blossom into mini-athletes.  It really helps that my husband has more energy from our lifestyle change, and now initiates outside play with the kidderz, as well as MaxT3 workouts with me.  What a surprise to have a new workout buddy in my own house!

Even though it is more fun with a buddy, I did witness, as a coach, more talking than exertion at the gym.  (That doesn't happen at our house.  I don't allow any slacking.  Just ask my hubby.)  So, beware.  Make sure you are truly keeping each other accountable, if you're serious about making it worth your while and reaching your weight loss and fitness goals.

Do you need that extra boost from a buddy?  There are tips on seeking out the right person.

I don't know about you, but I certainly get more competitive when I'm working out with someone else.  That makes me work harder, which of course makes it a much better workout.

So, get a great workout, bring someone along, and have fun!

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

1 Corinthians 9:25 (NIV)

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What’s the Mick’s up on Sugar and Toxicity

As we learned from Dr. Fred Roberto in Mick's up on Fuel, sugar acts as a toxin to our “amazing human engine.”  If something causes inflammation, or acidity, or addiction, wouldn’t you consider it a toxin?

“I was so shocked to find out how toxic and poisonous many experts believed it was…. From what I read, I was also encouraged to understand that I wasn't just some freak that had no self-control, sugar was actually doing things in my body that was causing me to crave it like an addict.” (Samantha Taylor – Sugar Addiction Solution)

When comparing people’s lives before and after sugar, the negative effects on the body with and the positive benefits without sugar are certainly obvious.

For you moms out there:  “I have a 5 year old and we were having a hard time getting him to listen, he was bouncing off the walls; he was driving me crazy.  When I started to get free from sugar I thought maybe it would help my son as well so I stopped giving him all the sugary snacks.  Right away I noticed a change in his behavior, all of a sudden he was calming down and he is listening better.  It's amazing how much easier it is being a mom and I am also amazed at how much less sick my kids get now; less fevers and colds.” (Kim - former sugar addict for 20 years)


For those of you dealing with headaches and/or other health issues:  “I felt really unhealthy; I just didn't feel good, it was hard to get out of bed, I was having a hard time concentrating and I had a headache every day.  I literally thought if the way I felt continues, I didn't know how I was going to make it through the next five years.  I felt so bad, I even went to a doctor to see if something was wrong with me and he didn't find anything.  It never occurred to me that sugar was causing these problems…. Now… I have lost the last 15 lbs that I could NOT lose for 10 years, I have more energy so I can run 3 miles a day, I feel good about myself, no more headaches and I am happy.” (Kathy – former sugar addict for over 40 years)

Another interesting thought is addiction to caffeine.  Be careful with that, too.  A lot of times, caffeine is accompanied by sugar, as in energy drinks.  Some warnings about those are in the USAToday article "Young athletes and energy drinks: A bad mix?"  If we’re taking care of our bodies with good nutrition and correct sleep, we should not need sugar and caffeine to keep us going.  If a recovery drink is needed, choose coconut water, which is a healthier choice and doesn’t include the negativity of sugar and caffeine. Think long-term.  Think of your cellular health.

I hope by now you’re convinced of the urgency to decrease your sugar intake.  When you choose to do so…  “Remember you are detoxing off a poisonous substance…your body was all out of whack from having blood sugar spikes to insulin surges, and your body needs some time to balance back out.” (Samantha Taylor - Sugar Addiction Specialist)

Do your body a favor.  Lay off the sugar!

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

Exodus 20:3 (NIV)

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Mick's Sprints and Jumping Jacks

Being that I like early mornings, it’s great to find scientific reasoning behind it.  So, here it is!

Did you know you can actually get more benefit from your exercise, if you workout early in the morning before eating breakfast?  Weight loss?  Wellness?  Energy?  Early Mornings?  No need to say more!  I’m there!

In Mick’s in Groceries, I listed out a typical day of grocery shopping.  Today, it’s a typical day of exercise.

Before eating breakfast, usually after my daughter gets on the school bus, I go for a run and/or sprints.  No bragging here… I don’t run far.  In fact, I’m back home within 15 minutes, with plenty of time to spend with my son before he gets on his school bus.  When I do sprints, it’s a 20-second sprint followed by a 20-second rest, and then a repeat of that set 2 more times (for a total of 3 sprints).  After a 2-minute recovery, I either do another set of 3 sprints, or I concentrate on other muscle groups by doing other exercises (push-ups, pull-ups, dips, shin slaps, bicycles, squats, lunges, squat-thrusts, jumping jacks, etc.).  After the second grouping of 3 sets of 20-second exercises, another 2-minute recovery is then followed by a final grouping of 3 sets of 20 seconds.

This is an awesome way to get a quick workout and to get the body burning fat for hours!

Similar information is also found in Mick’s up Exercising, where we learn about interval training: 
“When you exercise for no more than 20 minutes at one time and your regime consists of any form of exercise such as stationery bike, cycling or running up a small hill, even doing 50 start jumps for up to a minute followed by rest/recovery for up to 2 minutes, you are doing what Dr. Sears calls supra-aerobics, beyond aerobics. That is training your body to recover quickly and build lean muscle tissue in preparation for its next intense training session. This is really a modified version of interval training.” (Teya Skae of Natural News)

Whatever it’s called, I love it.  It’s quick.  It’s easy.  It works! 

(It gets a body revved for the work of the day, and it allows time for the more important things in life, like spreading the Good News of the Gospel and sharing God’s love with those around you!  Go for it!)

“ I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
1 Corinthians 9:23-25 (NIV)

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Mick’s up with the Psychology

I attended a Health Presentation last night, and I got some really great information!  I also experienced a light bulb turning on in my head.  Do you love moments like that as much as I do?  Who doesn’t?  Right?

I love writing this blog, because there is such great information to get out to people to empower them to make their own healthy choices for their family.  However, the light bulb for me is that I get so passionate about the subject, I forget that people already know what they’re supposed to be doing to be healthy.  It’s not shocking news that we need a good attitude, good nutrition, and exercise.  In other words, I can offer the information, but it’s up to you to take action.  No matter how passionately I offer this information, I can’t make it stick.  So, I’ll go a little easier on you from now on.

We all do things for one of two reasons:  Either we go toward pleasure or we go away from pain.  I view exercise as pleasurable, because I see the benefits associated with it, and go to it.  However, others view exercise as painful and “run away” from it.  Do you see exercise as pleasure or pain?  (Can I tell you how thankful I am that my husband’s chronic pain decreased enough that he could get past the idea that exercise equals “pain” and actually consider the benefits?  I love it when we take time to workout and improve our health together!)

It’s all in how you perceive it. 

“Not until the pain of the same is greater than the pain of change will you embrace change.” (Dave Ramsey)

Surprisingly, 80% of us don’t think about our health until it’s gone.  I beg you:  Don’t be a statistic.  What exercise choice will you make today for your health?  Are you running toward exercise or running away from it?

Many thanks to Dr. Frank Lombardozzi for the inspiration!

“Since ancient times

no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen

any God besides you,

who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.”

Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

 

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