'If Man Made It, DON'T EAT IT'

During my last semester of my undergraduate program, I heard a new name.  The name was Jack Lalanne. My professor raved about Jack and his crazy fitness stunts...and I mean crazy. Things like towing huge cargo boats and trucks full of people by his own pure man-power...time and time again...into his 90's!

Jack started a fitness show for housewives decades ago. He put on his slippers and his jumpsuit and marched around on the television, a leader to women marching in their living rooms. I found out that my own mother followed along with him...and this made me respect him even more (as one would, I would like my mother to be healthy and live for a long time). 

I still don't know a lot about Jack, but during the lecture one day we got to watch a short clip of an interview with Jack in his 80's. Jack was fit as a fiddle! Not a break in his stride...in fact, he was prancing up and down the street thrusting his arms into the air while being interviewed. The class laughed because what he was doing definitely looked silly, but I gained respect for this man in two seconds. I was impressed that he was so enthusiastic about being healthy that he took the simple daily task of walking, and made it even more powerful. It really made me wonder what it would be like if people would actually walk around pumping their arms high up into the air like he had...

Jack Lalanne is one of my fitness and nutrition icons. I want to make every day and every move I make count. I want to get the most out of life, and the most life I can get out of me. 

Bread-Winner

The Ward family knows where it's at. The grain mill gift is perfect, and I am beyond excited to use it. My baking skills are mostly likely not quite what they should be, but I am thrilled to begin grinding whole grains to enhance my meals:) I plan to grind wheat, rice, buckwheat, and barley...among other things. And I will master making bread. If I have to sabotage Mama Z's recipe box, I will. Not only are my cooking skills going to get some work, but whole grains are appearing on a whole new level. Here's to healthy homemaking!

The Importance of Being Rested

I didn't realize how tired I have been until a few nights ago. For the first time in months, I was in bed before midnight...I know, shame on me. I was exhausted, so I put myself to bed before 11 pm. I have not slept so well since the summer of last year. I have determined that I really, really need to go to bed earlier. I have heard that the hours of sleep that you get before midnight are the most important, and most restful hours of sleep that you can get. I agree. My schedule has been a little rough the past few nights, as I have been trying to get to bed earlier, but I have determined that even if I have to be the grandma in my apartment, I will be in bed earlier, and I will be up and at the gym in the mornings. It will take some time to re-form this habit, but it's coming along pretty well:) Here's to getting rid of the bags under my eyes!

Prettiest Days

There are special events in life that inspire people to look their best. Picture day at school, a first date, an interview, or a wedding day. I have most definitely experienced some of these days; however, I cannot say that I feel like I have looked my 'best' for any of them. Over the past few months, my healthy lifestyle has been on a bit of a roller-coaster ride. The college setting provides WAY too many opportunities to have free (and cheap) food. Pizza, cookies, candy, crackers...everything my taste buds enthusiastically say yes to...opposing the later reaction of my ever-growing bum, saying NO! NO! NO! Unfortunately that reaction is just that...a reaction. I have half-heartedly told myself that I am going to ignore the accumulating saliva and my pleading taste buds and opt for an apple to replace a brownie, or keep my appetite under control by carrying a water-bottle. The problem is that I have been encouraging myself only half-heartedly...it really doesn't work. So today I have decided that I am going to put my whole heart into looking my best for an approaching wedding day...how soon, I do not know, but I want to know that my dress wont have looked any better on me during any previous part of my life:)

Young, Fit, Agile.

This blog is mostly for me. So I have somewhere to report my progress. Being at college, there are a lot of activities that provide free 'food' and there is 'homework' (ha...social time) getting in the way of finding gym time. Being able to buy food for a clean diet can be expensive for a low income student. In the past few months I have taken advantage of the free 'food' at activities, I haven't found as much time to go to the gym, and have not been able to afford the fresh foods that I would like. My ideal is to live a healthy life and be able to age, without getting older. I want to finish triathlons and hike mountains until I am seventy. I want to be able to play with my grand kids. This blog is to help keep me going when I get distracted from my love for fitness. I will do what it takes. Life can be short, but it can be longer if I can properly care for my body:) Here's to longevity!