Tag: eating

George the Therapy Dog

Some weeks are like that – yes?

I’ve had a rough couple of weeks at work lately. Things have been happening that are beyond my control and I’m left feeling like I am hanging from a trapeze wire by my fingertips. This sense of helplessness makes me go a bit inwards and lose my sense of self. The world becomes narrow and grey and I find it hard to focus.

To keep connected to the world, I have to keep doing all the things that feel good and right. I need to keep going to dance class and laughing with my friends. I have to keep going to the gym, no matter how grim I feel on first wakening. I have to eat healthy. I am an emotional eater aka when I feel crap = I will eat that whole pack of cookies and wash it down with half a bottle of wine. Then I feel even worse.

I have to go to work everyday, smile and behave like everything is fine and dandy!

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But most of all I need to hug my dog  George . He’s a therapy dog. I’ve written about him in previous posts here and here and also here. We have volunteered at aged care homes; childcare centers; schools and universities. George has worked with Psychologists to help children overcome their fear of dogs. He is a lovely, gentle and beautiful dog. He absolutely knows when things are not right with me and he will just quietly snuggle up with me and make sure I am ok.

image of my heart
so true!

Therapy Animals

BlossomAre the best. There is a lot of research on animals and their positive impact on people.  I read an article  last week about a prison in Indiana having inmates look after shelter cats. This was hands down the best thing I read all week and helped pulled me out of my funk. If nothing else, look at the pics – those cats!! If prison is to be rehabilitative as well as punitive, having programs whereby inmates can participate in something that connects them back to the world, that is a good thing.

 

 

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ok so this – I’m gonna be a health coach (hopefully)

Health Coaching

I’ve decided to start-up a part-time health coaching business. I often give advice to friends and family on their health and fitness goals and I love helping people reach their goals or motivate them to get healthier.

I’m going to name my business after my blog HealthyWildand50plus and I’m setting up a Facebook page to promote it as well – the page is still new and I’d love your feedback, here’s the link – healthywildand50plus on fb 

I’ve had to do all the legal things that are required here in Australia to start a small business, including getting an Australian Business Number (ABN) and registering my business name with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). Need to make sure I have everything legal and above-board before dipping my toe into the small business world!

finish line picture with inspirational quote
Inspire you, motivate you, coach you

I’m aiming to offer an introductory consultation, either face-to-face or via Skype and then folk can either leave it there or if they want to hire me as their health coach I will offer a number of options and ask them to commit to three or six months. Health and fitness change does not happen overnight and I am hoping to work with people who are committed to positive change in their lives, but who need guidance, ideas, motivation and support to get and keep going!!

Donna

I’m coaching my niece Donna at the moment… giving her encouragement, motivation and a fair dose of nagging to keep her moving every day. Messaged her yesterday asking how’s it going and she’s like “yeah, nah, lazy, lazy” So I messaged straight back with “your treadmill loves you, it misses you, get back on it!” 10 minutes later she sent a pic of her running on her treadie – with her tongue hanging out! Cheeky but funny! I’d put the pic of her on it here, but she’d probs not really appreciate that!! So here’s another pic for your entertainment.

cartoon of treadmill and runner
Nothing more to say really!! 🙂

I’m also working with her on her eating and dietary habits, how to shop clean and healthy, ideas for cooking healthy meals and she’s for sure going with it – she’s now sending me pics of the meals she’s putting together!!

Exercise

Can’t be a post without an update on exercise. This is a pic of my morning run at Lake Monger in Western Australia – beautiful location, pretty scenery, lots of wildlife and loads more runners/walkers/dog exercisers than on my usual run.

This morning I had a running buddy, which is always nice. I do love running alone, but it’s kinda special having someone to run with – especially if it’s someone important in your life. He doesn’t usually run, so it’s pretty cool that he came running with me, like willingly – there was no coercion, seriously none at all!! >.>

Lake Monger in Western Australia
Lake Monger in Western Australia

Love Life update – well sort of, maybe, not really – but you know, life = complicated, messy and generally confusing if you ask me!!

Well things are for sure happening here in my love life – but for now I’m being all coy on y’all and will only say “watch this space”

cute picture of a couple from creative commons
mmhmm

…so this woman came up to me at the workshop and asked me about dieting!!

I was at my blogging workshop yesterday with a bunch of people and this woman came up to me during the break to ask my advice on health and diet. She told me she’d just started a new diet… and wait… no I said, that’s the thing; don’t go on a diet! And there you have it – one of the main reasons why women struggle with their weight. They go on all sorts of diets, lose a little weight, then head straight back into their regular (and generally unhealthy) eating habits and pile the weight back on and get miserable and depressed and think it’s way too hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

So we chatted for a bit and she was asking if she should cut out carbs or go gluten free. I told her we all need carbs (probs not as much or the type most folk consume) and you only need to go gluten free if you are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease (preferably diagnosed by your Health Practitioner, rather than self-diagnosed or from asking Dr Google!). When thinking about carbs aim for wholemeal versions of standard foods i.e. wholemeal/whole wheat bread; rice; flour and pasta. If you don’t like wholemeal, then mix it up a little – use half white/refined flour and half wholemeal… play around with it a little and you will get used to the different textures and flavours.

I was then asked what my secret was for being reasonably slim, athletic looking and healthy. And I said, there is no secret… eat mostly fresh and be mindful of how much you are eating – keep a food diary to track what and how much you eat – there are even phone apps you can download to help with tracking. Add in some form of exercise – something you like or at least can tolerate

types of exercise you can do on your own or grab a friend or two

  • walk (try to get your heart rate up a bit if you can)
  • dance (this one is not for me – absolutely no sense of rhythm!)
  • swim (or water aerobics) in the local pool or in the ocean if you live near one
  • run or jog or shuffle real fast (or a combination of all of that)
  • zumba or some other form of group exercise/activity
  • yoga/pilates – we all need to be a little stretchy!
  • join a team sport in your neighbourhood
  • head to the gym – there are so many around, I go to a 24/7 coz I like an early morning start; there are even ladies only gyms – without mirrors, so you don’t have to watch yourself in all your unflattering lycra glory 😛

…just move, when you can, as often as you can and as much as you can 🙂

And bit by tiny bit you will find you can change your lifestyle, improve your health and start to feel better…

fun run
here I am with my girlfriends Leonie and Kerry just after completing a 5k Color Fun Run – don’t you just love our pink tutus? 🙂 🙂 🙂