Intro to Running

A Facebook friend asked for some advice on starting to jog. She said she had run for 12-15 minutes and that she had pain in her legs. Below is my reply.

Different people will have different advice. Ask around for the information that best suits your success.

1. Definitely make sure your doctor is okay with you jogging.

He/she may attempt to talk you into another form of exercise, which you can follow. But if it is their preference and not due to your actual physical issue, do the type of exercise you feel like doing. 
The concern you want to eliminate is blood clots. I don't know what TYPE of pain you may be feeling. If it's muscles, then outlasting the pain is the trick. But you should make sure your blood is flowing correctly, and you are not risking dislodging a clot.

My personal way of handling a doctor's suggestion is to appreciate his or her opinion, then do what I sense is best for my body. If they become aware of a physical reality, it's no longer a suggestion, it's instruction. While I would get other doctors' opinions and insight, I would not blow off my doctor. Our goal is longterm safety and health, not a quick fix.

2. Don't run if it hurts.

I like that you said you ran "12-15 minutes." I'm a strong advocate of time goals over distance goals. Except if you decide to do a 5k, or something similar. Then you will need to train using distance as a goal.

If, however, you are going to stick with time goals, lower the time so you are not hurting.

There is NO REASON to feel pain. I do NOT abide by the concept of "no pain, no gain." My experience with MYSELF (each person is different) is that if it's painful, I'll quit. When I started running, I did not want to merely run until I lost a certain amount of weight. I wanted running to become my lifestyle.

ME: "I pray every day, I don't wear pants. I raise my children. I run. I breathe."

I wanted it to be as natural and as integrated as breathing.

3.There is more to jogging than running.

What I mean by that, is that you can "go for a run," but walk half or most of it. Your main goal is to get your heart rate up to the place where you have heavy breathing. Once you are breathing heavily, just walk for a bit. 

Getting your heart rate up to that level actually sustains calorie and fat burning even if you sit down.

Running in intervals (walking/running/sit-ups/running/walking/running, etc.) is not only effective and easier, but it has gained national attention as being quite healthy and more efficient for your body.  

Hope this helps you decide if running is for you, and how to sustain it.

Chocolate Soup Benefits

I'm a Whimmer, in other words, I do things on a whim. Sometimes I can explain why, other times I can't & I just enjoy it! Today I had a whim to make "Chocolate Soup." I've never heard of it. Never seen it. When I decided to make it I wasn't sure wat it's consistency would be, so it didn't start as "chocolate soup." It started as,

"I NEED CHOCOLATE NOW!!!"

I've lost over 90 pounds in the last 5 years. One of the lifestyle habits I picked up was to NOT have junk food in my house. I eat junk food anytime I want it. But it's an inconvenience to do so. This has made me creative, to say the least, when I'm craving certain things.

I've only had two "bowls" of my Chocolate Soup, & I didn't calculate measures. If I end up doing so, I'll definitely add those measurements here. [AT THE END OF THIS BLOG POST] But it was so YUMMY to me, & I knew (because, of course, I concocted every ingredient) it's actually quite healthy. So I did a little googling to see how good my good soup really was! Below are the ingredients along with links to articles about each ingredient's benefits.

My "bowl" was a small KFC, side item plastic, reusable container. The final product didn't quite fill the bowl.

I started w/a base of freshly brewed, warm Green/cranberry tea.

Benefits of cranberry tea: http://www.cranberrytea.com/Cranberry-Tea-Benefits/ 

Benefits of green tea:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-of-green-tea-that-you-didnt-know-about.html

Cocoa Powder benefits: 

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-unsweetened-cocoa-powder-5662.html 

Benefits of honey: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-health-benefits-of-honey.html 

I added coconut oil in an attempt to thicken it a little. It did SLIGHTLY, and bc of its benefits I may leave it in. But once I figure out nutritional value of all of this, I may keep it out. 

Benefits of coconut oil: 

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil

Benefits of white, refined sugar: NONE!! Lol

http://gramon1.hubpages.com/hub/Benefits-of-Sugar 

Chocolate soup

84 calories

1/2 cup of green and cranberry tea

2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 Tablespoon of fat free French vanilla cream

Drizzle the top with honey

Stir, sip, enjoy! (It's rather like a "grown up" tasting hot cocoa. I eat it with a spoon BECAUSE I CAN!) lol 

Stir in each ingredient individually into the hot tea. TADA! 

Teas: 0 cal, 0 carbs, 0 g of fat

Sugar: 48 cal, 12 carbs, 0 g of fat

Coco powder: 20 cal, three carbs, .5 g of fat

Fat-free French vanilla cream: 16 cal, three carbs, 0 g of fat

Opposite And Equal Reaction.

For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

Sometimes that action is so severe, so extreme, that the "opposite and equal reaction" is mind boggling.

I've been divorced for nearly three years. The repercussions have been vast and awful. I don't suggest divorce as an option to ANYBODY because of how dark and painful it makes life. I honestly don't care how "right" or "biblically OK" it is. In my case there was no hate or animosity. I had not handled my mental, emotional, nor physical health properly when I knew things were not happening right. I had not asked for help. Then suddenly, it was too late to ask for help. (Yes. Three and a half years later I still feel like it was too late. Even with all my regrets. I still feel like it was too late.) I thought a divorce would give me an emotionally clean slate. I knew it wouldn't make life "better," but I believed "different" was all I needed to heal and find my feet again.

I'm sure some day I'll write about all my concerns in coming to the decision to follow through on the divorce. But for the peace of mind of my children, I'm not going to give the details publicly that led to my decision. I'm a "sharer." I grew up believing that everything I learned and experienced was somehow to be conveyed so that others could better make their own decisions based off the info I provided. So, I'm sure someday I will even write publicly about the details. But CERTAINLY not before my children know the cause and affects.

Therefore, this writing is not about the details of my divorce. I'm deeply sorry for the pain it causes you to know of this disappointing part of my life. But I want to write about the very purposeful, daily "opposite and equal reactions" I had to do in order to bring some sanity and healing into my life.

I have learned through this experience that the more extreme the tragedy, the more extreme our reaction must be. Our reactions cannot be "knee-jerk reactions." They can't be uncontrolled outbursts that send everyone in our community spinning. The initial action will send more than enough people spinning. Getting balance back into life will not magically "happen" one day. The "equal and opposite reaction" to balance out the turmoil must be planned and very purposeful. And it must also match the impact of the initial action.

I had always been a naturally happy person. I grew up sheltered (which I think is HEALTHY for a child. We need MORE sheltering.) I grew up with cheering parents. I grew up in a close-knit, church community. I'm still friends with the exact same people I was in first grade with; from teachers to children. So, I was exactly as a person who grew up in that environment was SUPPOSED to be; happy, healthy, & productive.

Before the divorce I had already experienced panic attacks, depression, illness; all the typical things associated with the spirit of a person being wounded, and indeed crushed. But I didn't realize what it all was associated with. So, I assumed this "clean slate" was going to fix all that. It did not because I wasn't writing anything NEW on the slate.

The natural result of tragedy brings some very legitimate actions and behaviors; such as crying, feeling angry, getting protective of our wounds, etc. But what happens more often than not, is that these behaviors that were at first triggered by healthy emotional drives becomes nothing more than a HABIT. The crying, the negative, depressive thinking that grief causes becomes destructive habits that we carry out even after the tragedy is behind us. For each person, for each situation, the "behind me" time period will vary. So I can't say, "After a year you need to dry it up and not feel emotional pain any more." I don't know what a "healthy time frame" is. We'll leave that to the professionals. I just know what I've seen and experienced. In my case, good things were occurring all around me, but my "happy response" had been deadened. And I needed to get it cranked back up!

About a year and a half after my divorce; praying daily for death to take me, disconnect from friends and family, an utter barrenness of my former creativity, incessant sadness, negative thinking, etc. I ran across a book at my library called, "Happy For No Reason." It was an informative book. But the information about "smiling" stood out like a neon light. I had, of course, been praying throughout all this time. In fact, I was praying more often, for longer periods, and in much deeper ways than ever. DURING prayer I had relief. But as soon as I was done praying, I would be back to "basket case" status again. So I started a regime to live by for when I stood up from prayer.

My new disciplines were extreme to everyone around me. They were even extreme to me! I had NEVER needed to PLAN to smile before in my life! Joy and loud laughter was "just what we did" growing up! Creativity was written in every strain of my DNA! Leadership was natural, especially leading people into fun and a light ambiance. But sadly, no more. And it was downright awful to me to actually have to PLAN to smile.

And because interaction with God is, I feel, so vital to our health and well-being, I had to include all the spiritual elements in this "Happy Exercise" as well.

I had started losing weight and was well aware of the repetitive disciplines required to lose weight and exercise. I had experienced the results of reusing the same muscles repetitively and how it made the workout easier and easier. So I believed my brain could be "built" in the same way. As a matter of fact, I was aware of how dendrites worked within the brain, so I KNEW I could teach my brain new tricks, new habits.

In my simple layman's terms, dendrites are what causes habits. For every action you make a dendrite is made. And every time you repeat that action more dendrites are made. Those dendrites begin to group up with the earlier dendrite you made. The grouping gets bigger and stronger. This is how balance is built in a baby learning to walk. This is how language is learned. This is how habits are made. When you cease the action, the dendrites deteriorate, therefore you lose the habit.

So based on my experience with repetitive exercise, my little understanding of dendrites, I created my "Happy Exercise." I set alarms to go off every hour, from 9am to 2pm, my office hours.

When the "Happy Exercise" alarm went off the first thing I did was smile. I just smiled. Whether I was in a meeting, sitting at my desk, reading, whatever I was doing, I just smiled.

The next thing I did was stand and do something active. At first it was a walk. But I began to work in an office, so instead I closed and locked my office door and did some toning and strength poses.

I also read scripture and prayed. And I would very deliberately close my eyes and think of at least one thing I was thankful for.

Depending on the day, I could relax and take my time in this process. Other days I had to go quickly through the routine.

I still do this every hour, every day. And it's made a HUGE difference! I don't feel giddy when I do it. As a matter of fact, I still feel that funk sometimes, but when my alarm goes off I MAKE MYSELF go through the routine, and I'm always better because of it. I was correct about it becoming a "needed" habit. If the office is in an extra busy season, getting ready for a conference, or something out of the ordinary, and I push off my "Happy Exercise," I'm as bad as a drug addict trying to find a fix! OK. Maybe not "as bad," but it's definitely missed by my mind, body and spirit. I've said a couple times that I was going to change it to every-other-hour since I'm doing so much better. But so far I can't. I love it too much!

It was an extreme action to take, but I was in an extremely bad state of mind. An "opposite and equal" reaction was required. Extremity required extremity.

So, whether your dealing with divorce, or death, or chronic physical pain. The list of tragedies we each find ourselves in is far too long. But my encouragement to you is that you not forget that you MUST take control of WHAT YOU CAN! You can't control that somebody you loved died, but you CAN control what you eat during that period of mourning. You can't control getting cancer, but you CAN control what your watch, or read while you receive treatment. You can't control somebody hurting and rejecting you, but you CAN control your own behavior. You can't control A LOT of things, but I have found you CAN control how often you smile.

#Happy #Habit

You may find peace & faith in praying these scriptures I pray and claim for myself;
http://musingdenee.blogspot.com/2013/04/scriptures-i-pray-claim-declare.html?spref=tw

Here's a video of me demonstrating how easy it is to JUST SMILE! =)

My “Get Fit/Feel Pretty” Journey, 5

Follow up to the original series published on my blog, Soul Java, February, 2010. Links to that blog are at the end of this.

Wow! I have been sending people by the scores to my original blog about my weight loss when they would ask about how I lost weight. I just read pieces of it and realized that I am SHAMEFULLY overdue for an update!

As of today, November 12, 2012, I weigh 138 pounds. I have not taken any medication to assist in weight loss for over two years. I do take some meds to help me get to sleep as well as some vitamin supplements, which are chronicled in another blog.

I do fifteen minutes of cardio two to three times a week, that's usually a jog. I do *yoga daily. I usually include my yoga during my Happy Exercise,(Check back for a blog about my Happy Exercise.) which means I am doing a series of poses every hour. It only takes about 5-8 minutes, and it is a great break from my desk and also amazing for toning, and stretching.

I drink liquid almost ALL day. I drink water, coffee, juice, smoothies, etc. I go to the bathroom almost every hour, and I sweat a lot. Both are very healthy signs.

I eat an early dinner, usually around 5 p.m. Sometimes it can be as early as 3 p.m. and sometimes as late as 6 p.m. But I do everything I can to not eat within a couple hours of bedtime. I honestly just do not like myself when I eat too near bedtime. If I am suffering with PMS cravings, I'll have a spoonful of honey, and sometimes I'll throw in a few nuts like pecans, almonds, or walnuts stirred in with the honey. I may have some hot cocoa with some honey stirred in if I am needing a chocolate fix.

I have gotten to a place where I truly do not like a full stomach. I get sick, sad, and moody if I'm too full. So I have become more attuned to my stomach than my tongue. I used to eat based on how much my tongue enjoyed the food. Now I eat based on how much my midsection feels full.

I eat whatever sounds yummy. That could be a salad, or it could be rice. It could be a hamburger from McDonalds, or it could be a cup of broth. I'm not strict about what will not go into my mouth. When I exercise, if it hurts, I take a break! Period. I do not follow the pattern of "no pain, no gain." I do not subscribe to any philosophy that is inconvenient. This carries over to food for me. If I'm craving something, I eat it. So, clearly the health and nutrition experts will not be asking me to join their governing boards. But, I have succeeded for ME, I govern ME, and if I want to eat something considered "unhealthy," I do.

But I do so in moderation. If I go to McDonald's, I usually get a plain hamburger, a small fry, and a small diet coke without ice. If I want one of the "value meals" I'll get it. But it is rare for me to eat 3/4 of it. Since it is such a huge waste of money, I just get what I will actually eat. When I eat in a sit-down restaurant I usually ask for a to go box AS SOON as the food is brought to the table & I box half of it.

Sleep is very important to weight loss, health, and mood. By nature I would hardly EVER sleep. It's NOTHING for me to be awake for 36-48 consecutive hours. I can work, work, work! But guess what I am doing while I'm awake? Eating. And guess who suffers when my mood crashes? My kids. So I take meds to sleep. I rotate between melatonin, 5-HTP, Benadryl, etc. Honey is also helpful to calm you so you can sleep. As is chamomile, and no lights on. There are a million and one tricks to help induce sleep, I say try them all!

I started with Weight Watchers, and I still employee their basic ideas. But now that the weight is off, I have learned to focus more on "needs" than "wants," and it is AMAZING how little our body actually "needs."

It's been a long journey for me, but I've enjoyed every step. I've learned what works for me. I've learned which details to stand unmoving on, and which to give in a little for.

Don't give up on your journey to health and wellness! If you have questions, feel free to ask me. I am not a trained professional. But I can tell you what I did in my situation. I can speak of my experiences. I strongly encourage you to seek out a professional. But, don't let their rules make you feel like it is impossible. Either filter what they say, or go find a different professional with a viewpoint closer to what you can actually live out. Don't give up! Losing .2 pounds in a week may not sound as awesome as losing 10 pounds in a week, but it's better than GAINING .2!

You can do this!!!

Denée Richardson, Le Muser
www.deneerichardson.com

~Thanks to Lisa Velie for editing.

*Yoga: Not the "spiritual" yoga. I'm sorry if the word is offensive, but it's the only word I know to describe the toning and stretching workouts that I do. But I'm an absolute, Holy Ghost filled, tongue-talking, Pentecostal lifestyle living, chick. Scouts honor. Yoga is no more "spiritual" to me than it would be for an atheist to jump up and down, wave his hands, sing, run an aisle and those actions make him "Pentecostal" because he did a few "exercises" that are similar to our church services. Those actions DO NOT make that person Pentecostal. It merely gives them a great cardio workout! Just because a person balances on one leg while holding the opposite leg straight out behind them, with both arms outstretched, sweating bullets as they try not to fall over does NOT make them an actual Yogi. It does not fill them with an ancient evil spirit. It merely makes them look hilarious while building muscles and exceptional balancing skills. That's it. I will not permit nor reply to arguments on the topic. Get your own blog and write against it if you need to.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Sit, Eat, & Talk [Part 2]

Sit, Eat, and Talk [Part 2]
This is part 2 of a 2 part series.

EAT
I am not going to belabor this point simply because this is the ONE point that most everyone agrees on. We need to eat more healthful foods to be healthier. HOW healthy you need to eat is where opinions get loud. Also, we get loud about WHAT is healthy. It is a heavily touted topic in the media. It is literally obsessed over, and stands are made that can make us feel like losers or idiots regardless of how disciplined we may have become in our eating habits.

My personal soapbox is "moderation." I eat mostly fresh, whole, raw foods. But I also eat bread, butter, pizza, burgers, etc. It is my personal habit that if I eat at, say McDonald's, I order a plain hamburger, small kids-sized fry, and a small diet coke, no ice. I throw one of the slices of the bun out and find myself more than satisfied. I do not do this daily. But I will eat this way a couple times in a month without fear or guilt.

I think a good place to start learning about better nutritional choices is with a program called Eat This Not That. (@eatthisnotthat on Twitter) I also value Weight Watchers as an excellent education program. For me, I did a lot of growing and morphing in my foodie education as I lost over 60 pounds in the course of 3 years. Some people might need to lose 60 pounds in a few months. It is not the healthiest way, but set your goals and go for it. Whatever you do, DON'T GIVE UP!!

TALK
Okay. In part one I said we would bring up the couch again, so here it is. Meals eaten on a couch with or without the family present is not how food is supposed to be eaten. It fosters laziness and depression simultaneously, and does not allow your brain or digestive tract to do their jobs. I grew up with eating a meal involving family conversation. At breakfast it may have only been me eating while my mom bustled around the kitchen, but we were talking. Lunch, of course, was at school, and I LOVED that time of day with my friends! Dinner included every member of our family around the table. No exceptions. BOTH parents and all three children. Through our teens this remained mandatory. As autonomous adults we are STILL called to my mother's table once a week, and the wrath is great enough that if we MUST miss, we sit through our business meetings with that familiar knot in our stomach that we acquired as sixteen year olds, knowing the present pleasure will NOT be worth the soon to ensue wrath.

Sitting down to eat together was moved to the top of my priorities list as this past summer ended in my own household. My children and I did not sit together for a meal nearly as often as was needed. I don't always enjoy every meal since we have been living out my dreams of familial meals, but nothing is easy at first. My kids were not used to deferring to the other sibling in conversations. If they are tense, I'm tense. But after nearly three months we are getting better at it, and we are all enjoying it a little more each time. It is my earnest hope that by the time they are in college I will have mastered whatever that "look" is that my mother gives if we so much as insinuate we might not make a meal. I can already tell I am going to need that "look."

Again, as with sitting versus lying or slouching, your brain gets bossy to all your bodily functions when you eat your meal in an upright position, WITH other people, as you talk to each other.

Additionally, our moods are affected by brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Among the more important ones are serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, melatonin, insulin, and prostaglandins. The first one that should pop out at you is insulin. Over 25,000,000 Americans have diabetes. That is 8.3% of our population! Our moods are GREATLY affected by insulin. Besides what you put in your mouth, you can help balance insulin levels by involving yourself in healthy communication! Serotonin is another one that you should be aware of your ability to contribute to its production. It helps give you a sense of control. It is also related to memory, sexual function, social behaviors, and the ability to learn. And GUESS where this important neurotransmitter MUST have ease of freedom to do its job in your body... IN YOUR DIGESTIVE TRACT!! Ninety percent of it is synthesized there, and this feel-good chemical's release is connected to healthy communication.

The command station of your brain works best in a social environment. These amazing chemicals mentioned help ward off depression. These neurotransmitters are triggered by being with people and talking, sharing, listening, and loving. People who are married live longer than single people. People who are members of churches, synagogues and clubs also live longer, healthier lives. People who beat cancer tend to have strong social ties. Talking with people while you eat a meal makes your brain a very happy manager indeed!

Sit, Eat, and Talk
When you sit at a table for a healthful meal with people and talk during the meal, your brain sends out an ARMY of workers! It is amazing!
Your eyes say, "Look at that food!"
Your nose says, "Smells delish!"
Your brain says, "CLEARLY our human is about to eat because they are sitting upright." And then he bellows down to your midsection, "Open up the chemical supply! We've got to break this food down into fuel for all of us!"
Then you start talking and listening, and your brain exclaims, "Good gracious! Dopamine! Get yourself and all those touchy-feely buddies of yours out here!"

It does not take very long for you to go through these motions and create these habits. Sitting to eat healthful, portioned foods, while talking with people, will start helping your body feel better for you!

When your body feels better, your dreams feel attainable! When your body feels better, your spouse looks more attractive! When your body feels better, you have more self confidence!

What an amazing body God created for us to inhabit!

Le Muser; Denée Richardson
www.deneerichardson.com

~Thanks to Lisa Velie for editing.

Sit, Eat, & Talk [Part 1]

I have loved every portion and stage of parenting. My two M&M's (Morgan & Madison) are teens now, and I STILL love it! Being engaged is the key. And though I have a strong urge to blog about how to enjoy parenting, I'll stay on task. [Muttered repetitively: I WILL stay on task. I WILL stay on task.]

When M&M were 3 years old, and four, and five, and six... Okay. Every month of their existence as children, it seemed, they would be asked, "What do we do in a restaurant?" And they would reply with the answer I had taught them which was, "Sit, eat, and talk." At the park they would take a bite or two of food, dash off to a slide and come back for another bite, before running to explore more of the park's wonders. At home we were accustomed to eating for a few minutes, and then the kids would end up on the floor coloring, come back up to the table for a bite or two, then run to bring a toy back to the table. While this description brings me back to wanting to talk about parenting, "I WILL stay on task!"

Of course when we would go to a restaurant the kids assumed we had the same routine of taking a bite, playing on the floor, and racing around the table, but this behavior brought angry stares from fellow diners who had come out to enjoy a peaceful, adult environment. So, we started reminding them of the proper behavior at the table, most particularly at a restaurant, and eventually at all tables. All you are supposed to do at meal time is sit, eat, and talk. Even now, you and I as adults need to make sure this is our meal time habit.

SIT
Sitting should most definitely be our posture for eating most, if not all, of our meals. We should not eat lying down in a bed, or shove food in our mouths while behind the wheel of a car. A light stroll is easier on your digestion system, but it still limits its full potential. And the couch cannot be considered the proper "sitting" position for a meal either. We'll bring that up again later.

Our body is a learning machine and the brain of the entire operation is... well, the brain! Research has shown that people who are blind and cannot see their food are less likely to be obese. People who do not possess a sense of smell also tend to have leaner bodies. And just as our sense of smell and sight tells our brain whether or not our tongue is going to enjoy the taste of a food, so our brain tells our digestive system how much acids and enzymes to produce based on the position of your body. If your body is lying down, your brain gets all bossy with your hydrochloric acid and pepcide. They start trying to do their job and Brain asks, "What are you doing?" When Hydro and Pep try to explain that Saliva said food was forthcoming, your brain gets on the PA system and sends out the announcement, "This human is trying to sleep! Am I the only brain around here?! Can't you see he's lying down?! DUH! All you acids and gastric juices need to go to bed as well!" (The brain is quite sarcastic.)

With that, your food goes undigested, and your body gets "heartburn" because your entire digestive system is confused by your behavior. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a huge problem that is directly related to not only not consuming good fuels for your body to break down, but also to not relaxing in a seated position while eating.

Please continue to Part 2 of this 2 part series.

Le Muser; Denée Richardson
www.deneerichardson.com

~Thanks to Lisa Velie for editing.