Bikini bodies and Buddies!

Have you thought about our Move It And Lose It Buddy Challenge?  A BYOB – bring your own buddy for motivation?  The challenge starts in April, and is accepting registrants until the 31st of March.  Have you been on the fence about an exercise program?  Are you tired of the same old, and want to do different?  Join April and other challengers for Fun, Fitness and Finesse!
The buddy challenge is a way to keep motivated, a friend to schedule workouts with, a way to keep on task.  Not only do you get 12 weeks of workouts, but nutrition tips, and MOTIVATION as part of April Hartsook’s Want Different/Do Different Movement.

• $300/pair

• Both participants must be 30+ pounds overweight

• We must have 15 pairs signed up and no more than 20

• If we do not reach the minimum number of participants, the event will be cancelled

• Must be 13 years or older to participate

• A doctor’s note is strongly encouraged, though liability waivers may be signed in lieu of a doctor’s note.  Participants ages 13 – 17 MUST provide a doctor’s note

• The $300 fee includes:

• 12 one-hour group sessions for two at 8 AM every Saturday between April 6 – June 22 at Linebach Park.

• Beginner nutritional meal plan suggestions

• Facebook

support page

• Packaged valued over $1400 in personal training service

Get started, get moving and get ready for shorts and bathing suits of summer – especially when you experience change with your BUDDY!
For more information and registration!

http://forsythwoman.com/moveitchallenge/

Move It And Lose It – Spring Anew!

Today is the first day of Spring, and new beginning!  The “vernal equinox,” vernal meaning Spring, and equinox meaning “equal length.”  This is the celestial tipping point where day and night are of equal length (let the inner geek out.)  Sure it’s, MARCH but the trees are blooming, you can hear the frogs in the creeks, there’s birds everywhere.  It’s an exciting time to renew your vow to yourself.  Make it a point to celebrate who you are and then make your list of where you want to be, not just the BIG things but the little things.  A sampling of my list:

Get a raw egg to stand upright!  Yes, you can do this on the Spring Equinox, I won’t tell you how long I was in my kitchen (it’s still dark at 430am) but I got it!

Take my dog for a walk everyday – she’s so much happier AND she really needs it.  A daily walk is the dog’s therapy – she gets to read the poo poo bulletin board and I get to stand and watch her while doing NOTHING.

Write my morning pages every morning, one page long hand that is then thrown away.  This is my daily brain dump (could be great writing, could be drivel) it helps prepare me for the day.

Work on adding some type of fruit and veggie to every meal.

Packing my boys lunches for school – have you seen cafeteria food lately?

Call one person a day to just chat – especially my friends that don’t live close.

It doesn’t take much to make yourself happy, not a single thing on that list costs any money – but as the Earth starts a new, I choose to start anew too.  What would you add to your list?

Move It AND Lose It Challenge – In The Beginning There Was The Decision!

Everyone at some point stands at the edge of a cliff in life, looking over the edge trying to decide what to do.  Many turn around and walk back, backtracking to what is safe, what is familiar, away from that edge.  For over 25 women though, they’ve held their breath and jumped off that edge, they’ve entered unknown territory.  We met some of them at our Girls Nite Out at Bermuda Run Country Club and the excitement was in the air.

Some heard about our Move It And Lose It Challenge from sitting at a car wash and picking up a magazine, other’s found out from our Personal Trainer, April Hartsook while others heard from our favorite way – word of mouth!  “I signed up for the challenge because my friend is signed up and I want to do this with her.”  These women will share this journey and most will become lifelong friends as a result!

How does it feel to stand on that edge?  Some have said, “exciting,” “scared,” “hopeful,” and we say COURAGEOUS…you decided THIS time you weren’t going to walk away from that edge, you were going to take that step into the unknown and put your heart into it!  You are going to Move It AND Lose It!  Congratulations ladies for accepting our challenge and letting our readers be inspired by women taking a chance and moving toward a better life!

We will chronicle their journey with personal trainer April Hartsook, share with you the inspiration, the healthy living tips, the great workouts to get these women moving and losing it!  Are you standing on the edge?  There’s still time to signup and join these women, why not Move It AND Lose It with them?  www. forsythwoman.com

What edge are you standing on?

A few simple ways to say I Love You!

We’ve moved past the Superbowl and Valentine’s Day looms ahead.  Why celebrate love on only one day a year?  Why not say I Love You every day!  Here’s a few more simple ways to get their attention:

1.  Write them a note – yes, actually write and note and hide it somewhere where they will find it during their day.  In a lunch box, in a DayTimer, with their keys to the car.  They will be surprised you chose this archaic form of communication but it will make them smile.

2.  Give them some space.  You don’t have to spend every minute of every day together, there’s nothing better than a spouse taking the kids out to eat and giving Mom or Dad a quiet hour at home.

3.  Be nice – when was the last time you complimented your spouse?  Make it a point to point out something wonderful every day!

4.  Don’t be selfish – sometimes taking one for the family is the biggest gift you can give them – your time, your sunny attitude always shows you care.

5.  Don’t wait – do it today and every day, then Valentine’s Day becomes just a day in the story of your love!

What are some simple, yet effective ways to say, “I love you?”

Are you dumber than a tree?

Did you know that leaves do not fall off; leaves are actually pushed off the tree by the tree! Have you noticed how quickly the leaves seem to be changing this year? Looking out my back door, it seems like I can see the leaves changing daily and yesterday I noticed the leaves are beginning to fall.

Many people think the wind makes dead leaves fall off the tree, but the truth is the tree makes the leaves fall. The tree actually knows what is best for it and even though the leaves have an important function most of the year, the tree knows when the leaves need to fall from the tree.

As you watch the leaves fall this year, perhaps we can all consider what needs to fall away from our lives. It might be ideas, expectations or things we do that do not contribute to our overall purpose in life. It might be bad habits or even people who keep us from living and experiencing life to its fullest.

Deciduous trees that fail to shove their leaves off, will actually die. Although we might not die physically, perhaps it is true that portions of our life might die as the result of things we should release or shove out of our lives.

Let the falling leaves encourage you to take an inventory your life this year. Maybe the falling leaves can encourage us to rid ourselves of certain things and welcome a season of quiet. Perhaps the falling leaves can remind us to prepare for the coming spring.

Don’t let anyone say, “You are dumber than a tree.”
(Wendee Goodman)

Tips for planning the perfect nap!

Sometimes you just need to stop what you are doing and take a nap! When was the last time you took a nap?  Did you know this coming Saturday might be the perfect day for a nap?  A nap can be a pleasant luxury, a mini-vacation, an easy way to increase alertness and performance according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Some people think that naps are only for children, the sick and the elderly, but one study by NASA found that pilots and astronauts increased their performance by one third and their alertness by 100% after taking a nap!

Talkaboutsleep.com said that nature intended that we take a nap in the middle of the day. Those who research sleep and sleep patterns have found that there is a slight drop of body temperature mid-afternoon and that mood and alertness drops. Americans meet this challenge in the worst possible ways – caffeine, sweets, etc. which might give us a little boost, but really do more harm than good.

Three tips for planning the perfect nap:

1. Plan your nap in the early afternoon. (Sleeping later in the day can disrupt your evening sleep.

2. Keep your nap short, 30 minutes or less to enjoy the greatest benefits from napping.

3. Choose a cool, dark, noise-free area.

No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap. (Carrie P Snow)

Chronicles of Ramblin’ Rose Tri-athlete- In Training :Part III-The Race

By Emily Eileen Carter

It has slipped up on me the Ramblin’ Rose Triathlon. It seems like only yesterday I signed on and started my first training.  In the sweep of mid-August: back to school, last minute vacations and multiple events, my training had slipped to the side-lines.

As they say “It’s the journey not the destination,” and the most amazing part of my training regime has been seeing what my body can actually do-feeling my pulse, listening to my breath, understanding the mechanics of the human body and its amazing abilities.  I have been surprised over and over again about what my body could actually accomplish, setting small goals, reaching them and pushing past what I thought was my limit.

I injured my ankle three weeks ago during a training run on the treadmill, I ran hard and fast then did a spin class, later to realize I had some sort o sprain or possibly a small stress fracture in my left ankle.  The pain, unfortunately, has not subsided.  I initially felt defeated when I realized I would not be able to reach my personal goal of swimming, biking and running the whole triathlon with no walking and no break.  With my ankle injury it was just not a possibility. But if this process has taught me anything it’s how to listen to my body, take care of it, and understand its strengths and limitations. After a lot of thought, I decided to play it safe and walk/jog the running portion of the race instead of risking greater injury.

Race Day

I wake up before my alarm at six am-my heart pounding. “The race starts in two hours,” I think and jump out of bed to get dressed and gather all my gear.

I drive across town music blaring loudly trying to pump myself up for the race. I pull up at the Gateway YMCA to a sea of cars and people buzzing through the parking lot, bikes in hand, buckets of gear. I am immediately overwhelmed by the number of athletes, over 600 total, and it hits me hard. “This is it! You are here, with all these women about to race and compete for something you have all been working towards for months.”

My stomach begins to grow queasy as I set up my bike in the transition area and look at the large start and finish line gates we are to run through surrounded by balloons and crowds of people. “This is really a big deal.  I really have to finish this race; people are here to cheer me on.”

I get in line to get my race chip that records my time, and a sweet lady with a fat sharpie marks me up, my race number, 574, on both thighs and right arm, my initials on my left bicep, my age on my calf.  I watch as women of all shapes and sizes swarm around me doing the same thing, nervous smiles, tense giggles, and before I know it we are lining up for the swim.

Now this is the hardest part, the waiting.  Since there are over 600 participants in the race, we must wait in line to enter the pool, racers are released every fifteen seconds to begin a maze of lanes that comes out to be 225 meters. I realize it’s not about who crosses the finish line first, but who has the best time.

My stomach is in knots as the adrenaline and anxiousness pump through my veins.  I want to jump in line and get it started, but I know I must wait my turn. Deep breaths and meditative thoughts I remind myself. I chat with some of the women beside me in line.  We share are trepidation and anticipation.

Before I know it I am jumping in the water.  It feels natural and right. I move fluidly trying to remember to pace myself.  Women swim all around me and what training has not prepared me for is this community of people, this movement of one together, the motivation it gives you to have women pushing themselves and competing it in front of, behind and beside you.

Suddenly, I am pushing off the wall into a back stroke on my last lap.  I jog out of the pool to applause; I am overwhelmed with the number of people waiting outside the pool area to cheer us on. My husband’s sweet smile greets me. “You’re doing great baby! Keep it up!” His encouraging words of love and support are invaluable.

I change quickly and mount my bike. I tackle the first gargantuan hill at the start of the bike route. I am shocked by how much the slightest words of encouragement from a bystander or a volunteer keep me going. Their cheers make it possible, give me the motivation I needed to peddle on as I gasp for air.  I chug up the hills and speed down on my trek road bike.  It is in this moment the exhilaration, the thrill of this race courses through my veins.

I zip over the bike finish after eight miles “Two down, one to go,” I coach myself.  The running- the hardest part lies just ahead. My mind says I should be falling over from exhaustion, but my body pounds the pavement -at this point running on pure adrenaline.

As I run/walk the final leg of this race I notice how women all around me are encouraging each other.  This is the best part of this race, the support and encouragement I feel from other participants, not a cut-throat competitive edge, but a community of woman empowering each other to accomplish their goals. I could not count the number of times I saw other racers yell or fist pump a, “You can do it!” to a passing participant. It is this fellowship of kindred spirits, hopeful hearts and motivated mindsets that makes this race so special.

I may never run a triathlon again, or I may do ten. But no matter what other journeys or challenges lay ahead, I now know my mind and body are capable of accomplishing seemingly insurmountable goals.

Winter Lips

Collective wisdom and experience is what we need to combat dry, winter lips! What is your favorite way to moisture or protect your lips during these cold months? What really works for you?  Just how many tubes of lip balm are necessary?  After doing a little inventory, I decided my absolute favorites were Bistex Deep Renewal and Blistex Silk and Shine.   

Below is my winter plan and I must say it is working well.

Do’s
Blistex Deep Renewal (keep on the bedside table)
Blistex Silk and Shine (keep in the car)
Mary Kay Lip Mask (weekly)
Drink plenty of water
Take vitamins
Always protect lips when you go outside.  (Lip balm, scarves, etc..)
Never lick my lips, never, not even inside!

How are you preventing dry, chapped lips this winter?  Do you know of any home remedies? 

February IS GO RED MONTH!!

February is GO RED month at Forsyth Woman!  Don’t forget to GO RED with us by taking advantage of the great deals at the following restaurants:

Full Moon Oyster Bar – A percentage of every glass of red wine sold will be donated to the American Heart Association

Milner’s – 25% of every order of a special heart healthy dish will go to the AHA

New Town Bistro – $1 from the sale of every cup of famous Red Wagon hot chocolate will be donated to the AHA

WS Prime – Proceeds from a special heart healthy entrée throughout the month will be donated to the AHA, and WS Prime will also offer ½ price wines by the glass every Friday during the month of February

Wednesday’s Word: Hope

Today around noon, a young man, goes into surgery for a brain tumor. My heart is breaking for this young man, his wife, their unborn child and their entire family. The young man is the son of one of our Wednesday’s Word blog readers. One moment this young man was going to work (a firefighter like his Dad), celebrating the news of his first child – due in the spring and living life to its fullest and suddenly this big challenge stands before him.

One day after receiving the news, this young man’s wife posted the following on her Facebook wall.

“In all things it is better to hope than to despair.”
(Johann Wolfgang)

This young woman’s word has affected me in a way I will never forget. From this day forward the word hope is imprinted in my soul in a brand new way.  Merriam-Webster’s definition of hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation. For me as a Christian, I define hope as confident expectation or a firm assurance. How do you define hope?

Join me today in hope for this family and families everywhere who are dealing with serious health issues. Will you join me in praying for this family with confident expectation and/or cherished anticipation?

Previous Wednesday’s Words

God     Encouragement    Arrogance      Desidarata 

      Priorities       Gratitude         Devotion     Neighbor      Service      

Peace         Rest        Veggies (Twisted Salsa Recipe)      B R E A T H E