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Accentuate the Positive
by
Pam Brooks
I
was riding my horse with my riding buddies and as usual, we were
sharing what we think is very insightful and sometimes funny stuff.
Our subject on this particular day was all about holiday food
binges and how to avoid them. Actually, we were feeling a little
bit sorry for our horses who will have to pack us around with
added poundage if we fall off our diets. And it went from there.
One
of the subjects we discussed was visualization and how it can
work for you or against you, depending on your focus. I have read
that our subconscious minds don’t have a sense of humor and
that negative-speak is interpreted as negative even if it is voiced
with a humourous intention. One of my riding pals describes herself
as "an enormous whale" when she feels she has broken
her extra poundage barrier. I shudder every time she says this,
even though it makes me laugh, because I believe her subconscious
mind is buying the line and missing the humor. A kind of negative
brainwashing.
Another
bit of horseback diet wisdom was about the positive and negatives
of photos. The consensus was that it is much better to put a photo
of yourself on your fridge looking the way you want to look and
feel so you can reinforce the positive vision in your mind. The
riding buddies were unanimous that a photo of a little piggy or
other negative feedback (like the cookie jar that oinks when you
open it) just diminishes your stamina to stay on the diet wagon.
What
to do if you find yourself on the ground with the diet wagon nowhere
in sight? Brush yourself off, get back up and try some of the
following things:
- Drink
plenty of water and eat very lightly for the next few days
- Get
back to the gym or your regular exercise plan
- Forgive
yourself for splurges — if you’re like me, you’re
vigilant 95% of the time — exercising, eating in moderation,
etc. Give yourself a break and move on to the positive approach
you normally take.
- See
yourself in your imagination the way you want to be
Best
of luck and happy holidays!
–
Pam Brooks
Mini Fitness Routines for Busy Schedules
#1
External Rotations: (Legs)
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1A:
Start in a lunge position. Balance with a chair if necessary.
Bend your front knee directly over your ankle, with your
back knee lined up under your hip. Feet should start from
a parallel position.
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1B:
From the lunge position, push off from the toes of your back
foot and raise your rear leg. Rotate your leg outward as you raise it, keeping
your leg behind you. Straighten your front leg simultaneously to come out of
the lunge. Return to the base lunge position and repeat. Work up to 16 repetitions
on each leg.
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Sweep Across
Squats: (Legs)
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2A:
Use a chair for balance if necessary. Stand with your feet
slightly wider than shoulder width, feet parallel. Bend your knees and sit back
into a squat position. Keep your chest lifted and abdominals pulled in tight
to support your back.
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2B:
Straighten your legs to rise out of the squat, sweeping
your right leg across your body. Point the toes of your
extended leg and pause two seconds. (Shoulders and hips
should keep facing front while you sweep your leg across
your body.) Step your right leg out to the starting position
squat and repeat sweeping with the left leg. Work up to
16 repetitions on each leg.
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Bent Knee
Lifts: (Legs)
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3A:
Lie on your side. Bend both knees in front of your body
(knees are no higher than your hip level.) Support your
head with your bottom arm. Keep a straight back and tuck
abdominals in toward your spine. Start with your top leg
in a line over your bottom leg.
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3B:
Keep your hips and shoulders facing front, knees bent, and
abdominals tight as you lift your top leg to hip height.
Pause for two seconds and return to the start position.
Keep your knees and thighs parallel. Avoid arching your
back while you lift your leg. Work up to 16 repetitions.
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Modified
squat: (Legs and Buns)
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4A:
Stand with your feet together and your abdominals pulled
inward. Hold your arms next to your sides.
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4B:
Put your weight on your left leg and bend the knee. Keep
your right foot on the floor with the weight on your toes
and your right heel raised. Raise your arms over your head
while you sit into a one-legged squat. Chest should be lifted
and hips shift back over your left heel. Hold the squat
for a few seconds.
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4B:
Return to the base position (4A) and swing your arms behind
your hips. Chest stays lifted and hips shift back over your
heels. Hold the squat for a few seconds, return to the base
position and repeat on the other side. Work up to 16 repetitions
on each side. |
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