Spring Training at Cache' Connections?

(Yesterday we promised you the pre-game events for The Cache' Connection show, but that is still under construction. Stay tuned!)

As my son would say in his mocking-screechy voice that he no doubt got from TV ... "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat??" Cache' Connections now speaking on fitness???

It's that time of year, so we thought we'd address a little physical fitness - Spring training. Time to trade our slippers for sneakers and laptops for dumbbells! Our society has become so sedentary over the past 50 years or so that we really have to be proactive in getting enough exercise. So before you sit down at night to join in that chat, check your Cache' Connections messages or play on Facebook, consider whether you've had that heart rate up for 20 minutes yet today?

We can probably all do more. We recently saw a news clip of a new study that women who are 40+ need to exercise one hour, 7 days a week just to maintain their weight! Now don't let that discourage you - if you've been maintaining your weight just fine, then this study doesn't change that fact.

There are a few brutal facts you need to know:

Women: most men like women who are fit.

Men: most women, though typically more lenient, like men who do not have large paunches over their belt line.

Don't blame us - we're just the messengers. Kim and I sit in interesting seats where we get to see and hear from all of you and can put together trends and patterns. But, you are probably reading this because you are interested in attracting a special member of the opposite sex. Please - no more excuses.

So what can we do? I know it's not anything you've never heard before, but a few lifestyle changes and choices may very well be in order. A huge fan of sweets, I remember two years ago I took a look at myself while eating those luscious mini cini's from Burger King and thought: what am I doing? Could I actually live without sweets, as some claim to do? So I did the impossible: I put myself on a sweets fast for two weeks, just to see if I would survive. Drastic, I know! But - I did it! Although the household didn't really appreciate my "baking break," I found a few healthy alternatives (mainly fruit) that almost sufficiently satisfied my cravings. Yes, I said almost. The trick is the mindset! We all know the power of the mind ... it has to be made up so that there is no arguing with yourself :)

Don't ever tell Kim I said this, but being under her influence over the past 3 years has encouraged me to eat healthier and engage in more exercise than what I was previously doing, which was walking almost daily for 20-45 minutes. I'm 5 or 6 pounds lighter since the conception of Cache' Connections.

Now admittedly Kim and I don't have the level of struggles with weight that some do, but things can get out of hand if we don't maintain our routines and constantly exercise self-control.

So here are a few things we've learned and are putting into practice:

1. Find healthy alternatives to your fattening favorites. Trade chips for baby carrots and nuts, fat-free yogurt and fresh fruit for Blizzards, grilled foods for fried ones. It can be done! Save those chips and sweets for special occasions, perhaps on the weekends. Then, eat in moderation!

2. Trade your 2% to 1% or skim milk, pop and mochaccinos for iced tea, green tea, clear coffee or, heaven forbid - Water! (It can be done. I admit I was addicted to Pepsi - one a day. It was a grueling process but I got over the daily need for fizz. Now it's a treat.) Save money and calories on this one.

3. Salad for lunch! Who can't use more vegetables and fiber in their diet? You WILL survive until dinner. Grill some chicken on your George Foreman grill for the protein factor. Use light dressing and grab a healthy snack for mid-day. You know what they are :)

4. Consider eating 4 or 5 small meals instead of 2 or 3 large ones. Keep that metabolism working in your favor.

5. Move! I know you are busy. About that hour? Think about this: can you give yourself 20 minutes before work, maybe take a walk at lunch or your break, and then do something before getting on the computer? The options are endless.

6. The scale. Go ahead and step on it every day if you are trying to maintain. It gives you a daily reading of your progress and it's a lot easier to lose 1 or 2 pounds than 10 or 20 that you discover after dusting it off! For some, a weekly check-in may be more appropriate.

7. Do cardio work as well as weight training. This is a winning combination for overall fitness! But - the study I referred to earlier revealed that they key to losing weight is mostly about your food intake. So don't eat all out and rely on your workouts to counteract your unhealthy eating choices. Also, women who are over 40 need to do weight-bearing exercises to prevent osteopor0sis.

8. Grab a friend! Walking and catching up with a gal pal is one of my life's little pleasures. What a stress reliever! Find a friend who can partner with you and hold you accountable on your eating and exercise routines. I like to say that I once helped a friend lose almost 100 pounds. She hated me at first ... I would drag her out to the track and she even had to skip some laps while I skipped around without her. She confessed this was the last thing she wanted to be doing. But I kept her going! It took a year, but she did it, eventually no skipped laps! This is the hope for you who have more to lose. If you are committed, I believe you will find the formula and can make it work! Again - it comes down to the power of the mind and will.

Romans 12: 1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Hmmm ... could we even say that taking care of our bodies is part of our worship?

~ Linda