Challenge Week 2

WELCOME
For many of us, not making ourselves a priority is a way of life - there is just too much to do and not enough time to do it. Eventually, the stress of our daily routine will win out. By learning to put ourselves first for a small portion of the day, we'll be in a better position to handle the stress of getting everything done. So, if that means eating better, getting enough sleep, working out or stretching each day and cleaning up our environments and relationships ... it's what we need to do. Think about it - how happy are we when we see our kids working to excel and better themselves (think athletics as well as academics), why shouldn't we be doing the same for ourselves?

FOOD/NUTRITION
How we interact with food can be an indicator of stress in our lives - some of us stop eating, others of us binge. Personally, the harder I let my life become, the more I eat. To help combat stress eating and improve our overall health, we have to eat regular meals, starting with breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a long night's rest, your body needs fuel to get your metabolism going and give you energy for the rest of the day. If you can't eat at the crack of dawn, at least eat breakfast by mid-morning. Then, figure out the frequency of your meals that works best in your life and stick to it. Regular meals will help prevent over and/or under eating.

HEALTH/FITNESS
If this challenge is creating stress in your life - check out the Bill Phillip's Body for Life program. He has a complete nutrition and exercise plan that is so simple, we'll all wonder why we haven't been doing it our whole lives. Bill stresses that the best time to workout is several hours after your last meal - making early morning your best fat-burning window. He offers a 20 minute interval-training program that will help get you started, without taking up your entire day. Even if you don't use his plan, you should still consider morning workouts a couple times a week to maximize the benefits of your own program.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Hot Yoga - find your center ... or just sweat to your middle! Some say this exercise is stress free, I'm just hoping to stay in the room the entire time! Join me on Saturday morning at Bikram Yoga in Columbia for their 10am class. See their website for complete details, pricing and the survival guide - http://bikramyogacolumbia.com/. I highly recommend the $25 introductory special and arriving 20-30 minutes ahead of time to register and ensure your spot in the class. Please let me know if you plan on attending - or else, I may consider the 8am class!

APPS/BOOKS
Relax Lite: Stress Relief I haven't tried this Droid App yet, but it's on my list for the week!
Bill Phillip's Body for Life - 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength ... This is a must-read!

ADVICE
Dr. Harry Derr D.C., is not only the clinical director of Living Wellness of Columbia, but also a former Division II college football player and a current national level competitor in the United States Powerlifting Federation. Here Harry provides us with two great offers!

A complete stretching program for maximum physical and mental health benefits! It's easy to forget that flexibility is an important part of your overall health and fitness. But being flexible can improve your range of motion, posture and circulation, reduce your risk of injury and muscle soreness, make daily activities easier to perform and provide stress relief. All of these benefits can easily be yours by adding stretching into your weekly routine! Here is a total body stretching program that you can do anytime, anywhere.

Wellness Boost Package - Living Wellness of Columbia is offering a FREE service to all of our participants! Total value is $175 and includes a chiropractic evaluation, consultation, xrays, report-of-findings, and 30-minute Hydromassage! The offer is good for both you and a guest of your choice! Contact April (who, coincidentally, has lost over 110 lbs in the last 3 years!) to reserve your spot today.