That's Fit

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

A few years ago, I was in a grief support group for people who'd lost their parents. The discussion naturally weaved in and out of the topics of spirituality and religion. My father's religion was running, said one girl. His church was the outdoors: a wooded path on a cool morning, a open field bathed in warm sunlight. I've never forgotten it.

I'm a spiritual person, but organized religion hasn't taken a big role in my life. This is a religion I can see myself being a part of. Running is the cure for what ails me: A heavy heart, a nagging conscience, a gut feeling that doesn't sit well. When I have a problem I can't figure out, I run. When something's stressing me out, I run. When I feel tired or lethargic, I run. And it's never let me down: I always feel better afterwards. No exceptions. It's not that I've found God in pounding my feet on the treadmill, but it helps me find balance, and it helps me find peace.

What activity helps you find your spiritual side?

I'm sure you've heard plenty of times that push-ups are one of the best exercises you can do (if you didn't already know that, you can read about it here, here, and here). But, according to The Earth Times, push-ups are also "The New Fitness Nirvana."

According to Ted Skup, the new Dalai Lama of fitness (the article's words, not mine), push-ups are fast becoming the workout of choice for those looking to harmonize mind, body, and spirit. He calls his push-up routine "Horizontal Jogging" and wrote his book, Death, Taxes, and Push-ups after officially completing ten million push-ups himself. As a new Dalai and spiritual leader, he has decided to take on the fitness industry by showing people that they can achieve enlightenment (and a hot body) without paying a yogi $2500.

Personally, I think push-ups are a great exercise, but I think yoga has it's place too -- I'm having a hard time understanding how the two forms of exercise compete. I suppose I'll have to watch for the book and find out for myself.

The American public ban on smoking has been one of the most successful citizen-led public health campaigns of all time. Think a similar-type ban on cupcakes might catch on?

There's a growing movement out there, spurred by a law requiring schools to alter the nutrition of its students, to help kids eat cleaner, healthier diets. The latest manifestation of this obesity panic comes in the form of a cupcake ban in some Chicago schools. That's right. There will be no cupcakes at a handful of holiday parties across the Chicago region. Parents are asked, instead, to bring veggie trays in lieu of sweets and water rather than juice boxes.

I like this idea. Some don't.

"To believe that denying a couple of cupcakes during the Holiday season is going to make a difference in a child's overall nutrition is idiotic," writes the author of this editorial. "The Holidays are a time for celebration. And for generations of American kids, that celebration has taken the form of treats at school, shared in a true spirit of Christmas, with their friends and classmates."

Banning cupcakes only destroys the notion that holidays are special, says this man. What do you say?

12 "healthy" foods that really aren't:

Why? Click to find out!

My six-year-old ran with me yesterday in a two-mile race. He ran ahead of me, actually, and I never did catch him until after we'd both crossed the finish line.

I never expected Joey could conquer two miles. We ran once together not long ago, and he fizzled on me before we even made it to the end of our street. Today, though, he made up his mind he would run. And he did it. It may have been the excitement of the crowd that inspired him, or the number he got to pin on his shirt, or the parade onlookers who cheered as we passed them by -- this race, the Gator Gallop, was the kick-off event to the University of Florida Homecoming Parade. Regardless, my little boy kicked butt. I am so proud of him. He is so proud of himself.

Joey taught me a valuable lesson today by running his little heart out. He taught me that the human spirit, the human body, and an enthusiastic support system are powerful forces. Put them together, and phenomenal things happen.

Right now, I consider myself one lucky mommy because yesterday, I got to witness a phenomenal thing.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

You know that sinking feeling you get in your gut when something happens the way you don't want it to happen? Ever felt completely deflated because things just don't go according to plan? I have. It may be a not-so-pleasant interaction with someone, a job disappointment, or a family insecurity that dashes our spirits and leaves us feeling a little lifeless. Sometimes it's our very own body image that puts us in a spirit-less mood.

My spirit has been dashed on many occasions. And I admit, sometimes it's body issues that send me spiraling downward. I know it's not just me. People everywhere, and especially women, have long battled with shame related to their appearance. In fact, body image is one of 12 areas author Brené Brown has identified as the most vulnerable for women. She calls it a "universal trigger," so powerful and so deeply rooted in our psyches it affects the shame we feel in other areas, like sexuality, parenting, and health. The sad thing is that body image is just that -- an image. Our pictures, thoughts, and feelings about our bodies have little to do with our actual appearance, says Brown, who has interviewed nearly 400 women about the topic.

Six-year-old Joey is having a friend over after school today. So I asked him this morning, "What would you like to have for a snack this afternoon?" I thought I might provide a special treat -- a healthy one -- for him to share with his new buddy. He tried for cookies. "Nope," I told him. "Why?" he asked. "Is it because I'll just keep eating and eating them?"

That's exactly why.

Joey knows no limits when it comes to junk food. He'll eat and eat and eat until I forcefully stop his madness. And if he isn't eating, he's begging for the sweet stuff. So we don't keep anything of the sort in our house. It's just so much easier that way. If it's not here, it's not here. He can't beg for it. He can't eat it.

Emptying our pantry of crappy snacks has done wonders for the healthy spirit in our family. And slowly, Joey is becoming happy with good, whole, nutritious food. So much so that once I denied his request for cookies, he suggested we have a fruit salad. It's our latest, greatest household snack, and it appears our new habit is catching on.

"We could have strawberries and watermelon and grapes," Joey shared with me as we drove to school. "We sure can," I happily replied.

Already, I can't wait to slice up our favorite fruits. I plan to put them in separate bowls so my gathering of boys can pick and choose and create their own unique salads. It makes me happy to know I'll be serving up something entirely healthy. It makes me even happier my kid came up with the idea.

Yesterday, I published a post citing the fact that 95 percent of those who successfully lose weight somehow go on to regain the unwanted pounds within a few years. Now I've happened upon this statistic: 50 percent of people who start an exercise program quit within the first three to six months.

Hey, it happens. I know. In my combined 37 years on this planet, I've cycled in and out of exercise programs more times than I care to count. And while I seem to be doing OK right now -- I do something fitness-related every day -- there's just no telling what might throw me off my course. That's why I always try to remember why I exercise.

I exercise for energy -- even when I'm tired, I force myself to do something. Inevitably, I feel recharged when I'm done. I exercise for strength -- I want strong bones, strong muscles, arms powerful enough to hoist my littlest growing boy into the air on occasion. I exercise for a lean body -- I've seen results, and I don't want to lose them. I exercise for a healthier heart -- my low resting heart rate always tips off my doctors that I'm challenging myself aerobically. I exercise for peace of mind -- I need to escape the madness of my family unit now and then, and I always feel invigorated when I return home. I exercise to boost my mood, ease my worries, diminish my stress, refocus my thoughts, recharge my spirit, and perhaps most important: To keep breast cancer from paying me a return visit. Recent research links five weekly hours of strenuous exercise to a pretty significant cut in breast cancer risk. That's reason enough for me to keep huffing and puffing.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Got a life list? It's a type of list that spells out a bunch of things you want to accomplish before you die. I don't have one. There's nothing huge and monumental I want to take on before my time comes to an end. I'm not a skydiving, mountain-scaling kind of gal. I've already traveled to more countries than I care to count, and I'm pretty much living the life I want right now. But some people like to plan ahead for bigger and better days -- check out 43things.com for a peek at some life lists -- and I applaud them for it.

If you don't have a life list and want to create one, begin with healthy lifestyle goals. Pick things that focus on the development of your body, mind, and spirit. You'll find that setting goals, and checking them off one by one, is a great motivator.

Try making three columns. Start small, with maybe three to five goals for each category. For your body, you might want to reduce your sugar intake. For your mind, consider meditation. For your spirit, attend a private yoga lesson. When you complete these goals, scratch them off the list. Add more if you'd like. If you prefer the look of a finished list, wait until you've mastered everything and then begin again.

Here's to life lists -- and accomplishing all you set out to do.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Surely, you've heard that laughter is the best medicine for the ills that ail us. Heck, I'm sure you've read about the topic here more than a few times. Well, it really is no joke. Laughter is good for your health. And it has a powerful feel-good influence on your overall spirit too.

Not only can laughter reduce stress, improve memory, and boost heart heath, it can reap another very important benefit: Joy.

Got a pal who makes you giggle? A favorite TV sitcom that sends you rolling on the floor? A comedian so funny you can't stop laughing? If so, seek them out. And let the lightheartedness begin.

It's hard to feel down when your cheeks are sore from chuckling. And it's hard to pass up such inexpensive and available medicine. So make it your mission to laugh today. And bask in the glory of the joy it brings.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

On June 21, hundreds of people celebrated the start of summer on the longest day of the year by commencing yoga class in a city marked by madness. Smack dab in New York City's Times Square, on the island at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets, yoga enthusiasts rolled out their mats and set up shop for the annual Mind Over Madness Yoga event. This year's extravaganza was the largest ever.

The purpose of this yoga fest? To face the challenge of finding tranquility and transcendence in the midst of the world's most commercial and frenetic place.

If ever we all have something in common, it must be the desire to find calm in the midst of chaos. Who doesn't want to breathe easy, rid themselves of anxiety, and tackle life with a peaceful energy? It's human nature to seek serenity.

While summer is behind us and the madness of this official event is long over, it's not to late to pull out your own yoga mat. Take it to the center of your own town if this strikes your fancy. Or simply find a quiet place and strengthen your mind, body, and spirit with the 3,000-year-old practice that is good for every bit and piece of your soul.

It seems that all too often these days treating depression is a one-stop-shop for medications. Even the most well-meaning of psychiatrists and general physicians can lose sight of the real issues and think of mood problems as simply a brain chemistry problem and not a whole mind-body-spirit problem. Medications can certainly help, but they're one of many tools that should be used together for successful and lasting treatment. This article on WebMD has some interesting ideas on the components that go into treating depression and anxiety disorders using a combination of Eastern and Western ideas. What's your philosophy?

Being healthy is about so much more than just eating more fruits and vegetables and working out (although those are very important!), it's also about having a healthy outlook on life and having healthy relationships. It's that whole "well-rounded and balanced" idea we can't seem to get away from, because everything really does work together. So in tune with the season of getting your garden started this spring, check out this inspirational (and also a little cheesy) analogy on why you should plant squash, lettuce, peas, and turnips in your garden this year (squash gossip, let us love one another...)

Just thought I'd share one of the cutest things that happen in my house. My husband has confiscated and is now in posession of my deodorant. Of course, he may get even with me for telling you this, but he uses my Lady Speed Stick and it works well. In fact, the reason he uses it is due to the men's deodorant creating a weird chemical reaction with his body. The 'guy stuff' would leave odd stains on his shirts and create funky odors.

What makes it all so great is that he's this big perfectly muscular and athletic guy who is a police officer. He's totally all the manly guy things in the world, but his armpits smell like strawberries and I think it's adorable. More importantly, the deodorant works and that's how this is all relevant to you. I buy the Lady Speed Stick clear drying deodorant in strawberry and it's awesome.

I spend all day in the gym and after he runs seven miles and lifts weights (then showers), Rob spends all day in a bullet proof vest. From what I've been told we don't smell half bad. The clear drying stuff is terrific because I wear a ton of tank tops and the last thing I'd want is yucky white stains on my shirts. Lady Speed Stick seem to cost less than the other deodorants on the shelf and it also comes in Cool Coconut, Berry Blossum and Pink Crush. The scents are fun, so give em a try. You can smell fruity instead of smelly too.