May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month!
"National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month is in May because May is a peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers. I happen to be one of them. Each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) supports activities and events to bring awareness to asthma and allergy education and management. As an asthmatic, my entire life has been about avoiding triggers, taking meds daily, ER visits, rescue inhalers and air purifiers. I missed a lot of recess, birthday parties and summer camps. Missing Cheer Camp was the worst.
I have never let asthma stop me from playing sports, cheerleading, dancing, Karate, and lifting weights. When I was a child the medical world believed exercise was bad for asthmatics. Fortunately, there has been a lot of progress in the last 30 years. Maintenance meds combined with regular exercise has helped improve my asthma. If you or someone you know has asthma, don't let it get in the way of being fit and healthy, To learn more about asthma please check out this website: http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?ID=5&Sub=105&Cont=457
Gift for Moms
We all tend to take mom out to grand brunch or dinner for Mother’s Day. We shower her with cards, flowers, gifts and chocolates. I say wonderful! Enjoy lovin’ on your mom on this special day. This year share the gift of good health with your mom too.
Mission Possible 2:
After that delicious meal take a walk with your mom. Enjoy a beautiful neighborhood, park, beach, pond, whatever is beautiful in her eyes. It creates a nice memory and healthy ending to a traditional day. Remember to take photos!
Back to Basics
It is very important to your physical, mental and spiritual health to maintain a healthy level
of fitness.
With the strained economy not everyone can afford a gym membership. For those on a tight budget there are other options. You can exercise anywhere. Home, a park, at work, anywhere! Get back to the basic exercises. Jumping Jacks, jogging in place, jumping rope, squats, lunges, push-ups and sit-ups can all be done almost anywhere.
Mission Possible 1:
My challenge to you is to get back to basics. Remember the push-ups and sit-ups we used to do in grade school and high school? Well, let's get back to the old way of doing things. This month work toward improving the number of push-ups and sit-ups you can do in one set. All it takes is the decision to do as much as you can at least 4 times a week. Track your progress and on the last day of May celebrate your improvements no matter how big or small. Good luck and enjoy the journey!
Started the day with spinach, raspberry, lemon and coconut milk shake. Great session with my client this morning, tackled the stairs this afternoon and now watching TUF finale. I love Saturdays!
Excited to get back into the gym! The asthma monster had me down for a few weeks. I'm am soooo ready to get back to my routine. Tip today: if you get the flu or a cold, put your energy into getting healthy. Don't go to the gym. Your body will have to split energy between muscle recovery and fighting your illness, which will make getting better take longer. Also, no one wants to workout next to someone who's coughing and sneezing. :) Take care of your body, it's the only one you've got!
Hey everyone!
I’ve been volunteering my fitness and wellness services at one of the Homeless Shelters in San Jose. The women and children have been giving me such positive feedback on the benefits of the activities we do together. They have been feeling more optimistic and are learning about the importance of fitness and taking “mental vacations”.
Some have requested I come more often and others suggested I expand to other shelters in the area. So, I’m doing it!
I’m applying for non-profit status for my services. This will allow me to apply for grants to cover expenses and spread the love.
I am planning a Fundraising for Fitness event to cover the $400 application fee for the IRS. I'm shooting for June 22, 2013. If anyone has done this before, has any helpful tips, wants to donate their time or equipment please contact me by clicking the orange "Contact Wendi" button
Have a wonderful and healthy day!!!
It’s easy to say “I want to get in shape”, “I need to lose weight”, “I’m trying to quit smoking”.
Sometimes we have the desire to do something to improve our health, but we aren’t really ready to do it. We subconsciously voice our desire as an intention, but we are not taking action. All of our energy is being put into TRYING to get in shape, lose weight, quit smoking. It’s almost as if we believe talking about it is going to actualize our desire. If we took that same energy and put it into ACTION, wow, what a success that would be!
1st Challenge for this month: When you find yourself thinking or saying “I want…” “I need…” “I’m trying to…” change it to “I’m getting in shape today”, “I’m losing weight”, “I’m quitting smoking”. And do it.
Better yet, for you “all or nothing” people, stop yourself from completing the sentence and at that very moment take action toward your goal. Do what you were about to say. Do something no matter how small that takes you one step closer to your goal. Instead of saying “I’m trying to quit smoking”. Stop yourself and do something that will keep you from smoking at that moment.
Turn off the auto pilot and think about what you are actually saying.
I looked up the following words; want, try, get, and quit. Want means to desire or wish for something. Try means to make an attempt or effort. Remove yourself from that zone and achieve what you desire. Get is absolute, it means that you have obtained, received, or earned something. Quit means to give up; relinquish, to abandon or put aside; to cease or discontinue. Hmm.
2nd challenge for this month:
I call this a secret challenge or private challenge, whatever works for you. Write down something you want to achieve this month. Put it in an envelope and seal it. At the end of the month open it and see if you achieved your goal. The deal is you can’t tell anyone what your goal is. You can’t advertise it to your family, friends or co-workers. This month actions are going to speak louder than words. See if you can achieve your goal without announcing the play by play along the way.
"Do. Or do not. There is no try." -Yoda (for my friend and training partner, Sam)
Happy New Year!!
If one of your goals for 2013 is to lose weight and/or tone that body, dancing should be on your list of activities to help you get there.
I hope everyone enjoyed their New Years Eve activities as much as I did. Salsa dancing is one of my favorite things to do and I certainly Salsa’d into the New Year 2 days ago! My feet and calves are still feeling it. Thank goodness I’m not too sore for JCF-ComboFit tonight.
Dancing is one of the best exercises for burning calories, improving your cardio, improving coordination, toning the legs and having fun. Dancing also improves your mood. We can burn 265 – 525 calories per hour of Salsa dancing. I burned over 1,000 calories New Year’s Eve. And believe me, it didn’t feel like exercise or working out. Be aware that the number of calories burned depends on your weight and intensity. The more you weigh the higher the burn, the more you move the higher the burn. Obviously doing the “wallflower two-step” is not going to get the job done. So don’t be shy, get on the dance floor and bust a move people!
Benefits of dancing:
- Heart healthy
- Social benefits
- Improves cardio
- Improves stamina and endurance
- Tones the body
- Burns calories
- Improves mood by releasing endorphins
- Helps prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia (check out New England Journal of Medicine or www.mayoclinic.com)
