Gravity takes its toll

I've been experiencing a bit of water retention lately. Well, more than a bit of it. I've gained about five pounds of water weight in the past year or so. And it's left me feeling sluggish. So I haven't been excercising nearly enough.

In fact, there have been many days this past year where I've been more than happy to find an excuse not to ride my bike, not to go for that walk, or not to walk my dog even. But the inactivity started to affect me, and my body was feeling it. I could see it was affecting my dog as well. I decided to pay attention.

A week ago, I took a trip to the doctor's office, and it was my doctor who (bless her) reminded me that after 40, gravity starts to take its toll on the human body. Because I'm otherwise healthy, or so I believe (All my blood work hasn't come back from the lab yet.), I'm now "forced" to exercise daily, that is, if I want to remove the excess pounds. I do want that.

For once, I'm okay with feeling "forced" to do something, especially since I'd allowed myself to get caught in the trap of making excuses for why I wasn't exercising on a daily basis (Note: It's so easy to fall back into old habits.). I was only walking or riding on days when I was feeling particularly stressed or just needed to unwind. But I wasn't going out every day. I had become far too involved in my work to make time for much else.

Big mistake for the person whose work involves sitting on her bum for the most of the day in front of a computer screen. That's not exactly an ideal lifestyle choice, is it? It's a funny quirk about life, but if you pay attention to the signs, they'll lead you exactly where you need to go. So it seems this "forced" measure that's been placed upon me is a good thing. It's what I needed to hold myself accountable so I could continue moving forward. Maybe it's what I needed to move. Period. But it's worked. I've been active for at minimum an hour a day, every day, for the past few weeks. I started the week before I went to the doctor's office, because I knew what I needed. I just needed that extra push. As I said, if we pay attention, we know exactly what we need.

But I also have a weight gain limit that I imposed upon myself after seeing the excellent results I had while riding my bike through the early months of my divorce back in 2003. I'd lost 40 pounds in less than three months! It was a crazy amount of weight loss, but I needed it. I was overweight then and on my way to worse physical ailments. Fortunately, my body was drawn to what it needed then, too. That bike of mine. Sitting in the garage. Just waiting for me to hop on. I paid attention then, and it became my lifesaver. I'm paying attention again, only now I can be my own lifesaver. I transferred that physical bike into a mental one, and it's always there, waiting, to remind me of what I need to do. It reminds me to pay attention. When I do, I can find or see exactly what I need to reach a goal, to set a limit, and then move forward. It reminds me who is responsible for me.

Those are the two best gifts my bike riding experience gave me--the ability to pay attention and that lesson in responsibility. I've mentioned this before, I believe, but now that I know what it feels like when I'm taking the best care of myself, which includes exercising regularly, I'm easily reminded when I'm not. It can't be hidden. I feel it. I can't dismiss that anymore. Not now that I'm aware. And I don't want to return to me that was. The new me is better. She's healthier. She's smarter. She's more in tune with what works and what doesn't. Since realizing the impact my mental BIKE has on my life, my lifestyle, my perspective on life, and everything else in between, it's easier to realize when I'm not doing my best. That, in turn, makes it easier to correct myself.

It's a lot of work, I must admit, taking charge of a life in this way. I'm always focused on making sure I'm doing my best, always considering ways my life can be lived better, always wanting to move forward and to stop any backward movement before it goes too far. That is a lot to pay attention to, but we only get one time here on this earth to live in this body. It's worth the hard work it takes to give it your best shot.

And if gravity tries to take over, it's worth it to tame it as best as you can.

That's what I'm doing.

How about you?

All my best,
Jackie

BIKE your way to good health

The beauty of my special brand of BIKE (as I've mentioned before but reiterate for new readers), is that it's always with you. Here's the key: Once you've determined who you are at your core--your Best self...once you realize you can move past those obstacles, that you have the Inner strength required...once you trust that Killer instinct of yours...and once you begin to stand up for yourself and begin using with confidence your Expressive voice (Finally! There's the meaning behind the acronym!), you will let nothing hold you back. At least not for long.

I'm reminded of the lessons I've learned daily, but I particularly want to share this reminder that been's occuring this month. I've begun to redirect my attention to my physical health. Why? Because I'd let myself get out of shape, to the point that I wasn't meeting my boyfriend for Saturday morning runs. I'd find some excuse..."I'm too tired...I've got work to do...I'm drinking my coffee...It's too cold." And on and on. The truth was: I was out of shape. I don't run as fast as he does, so I'm not really running with him. But I wasn't even feeling up to running any distance at all. I'd let myself go.

My overall excuse was my work. I'd gotten caught up in it. Life was out of balance for me bacause I was choosing to put all of my focus on work. I'd neglected to fit in the all-important (for me) exercise in my morning route. Instead, I'd been getting up, fixing my coffee, and heading directly to my office to pitch stories, research ideas, or work on my book. Then, for the rest of the day, I'd work some more. And into the evening I'd work. When I decided I needed a break, I'd take time to have dinner or drinks with friends. But I was not exercising. It got to the point where I wasn't even walking my dog. If she needed to go out, I'd take her for a quick walk a few blocks and come right back home to my office. So my bad habit was even affecting my dog, and it had been going on for several months. My body was feeling the effects. And I had no choice but to notice.

It wasn't that I was gaining weight, but the weight was being redistributed to places I didn't want--my waist, for one--and my hard-earned muscle was changing to fat. The thing about BIKE is that I know what I feel like when I'm being my Best self, when I'm taking care of my physical self, for example, and I was now not feeling great. I was tired. I was getting cranky easily. I was not my normal joyful self. I was starting to lose my stamina. And the good thing is I recognized that.

I decided this month I had better change that.

Since my bicycle is in need of repair, I've once again gone back to my regular hikes up the mountain. In less than two weeks, the changes have become apparent. I have more energy. I feel lighter. My tummy's thinning out. I feel better.

So anyone out there who may doubt the power behind this mental BIKE of mine, doubt the power no more. You can find your own mental BIKE, and you can learn to take charge of all things in your life. It's a simple matter of awareness, of paying attention, of knowing what you really want yourself to feel like, to be like, to do.

I want my body to be able to continue moving forward just as much as I want my career to move forward and my bank account to increase. Not only that, but I don't want to miss out on trips with my boyfriend anymore. I was planning to go to hike the Grand Canyon next month, but I'll have to forego that trip for next year. I'm just not in good enough physical shape to keep up with him. It wouldn't be fair to him. So I'm staying behind. I'm mad at myself for that, but, again, that's why I'm refocusing my energy on my health. There are many good reasons to take care of your physical self. Not missing out on the fun you can have is just one of them.

But being aware, well, that's the beauty of this BIKE of mine.

It's not about always doing the right thing. We're not striving for perfection here. My special brand of BIKE is about knowing that if you get off track, you can and will--if you choose--get back on. Detours are sometimes necessary in life. They help you appreciate what you had and what you can have again. You just need to be aware of your behavior and take responsibilty for your own actions, without trying to blame someone else. No one else is responsible for my good health, or my poor health, but me. It's the same with you.

You really can BIKE your way to good health, in more than one way. I hope you're giving it a try.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to post them here. Let's continue this journey together.

All my best,
Jackie

Let's talk exercise

Even if you think you abhor the word, keep reading.

Exercise, of course, is a good thing. I know you know that, but let me share with you a story that might nudge you a little bit closer to getting on that bike, going for that walk, or digging out those yoga tapes.

I've mentioned that I found my special brand of BIKE while going through my divorce. I found it while riding an actual bicycle. A year on an old Huffy (and then two years on the Trek 4300 when I wore the Huffy down) taught me many lessons. One of the more important lessons learned came from this story:

The year before chaos hit at my house, I had gained 40 pounds. Some of you may not think that's a lot, but on my tiny frame, that was a lot of excess weight to carry around. And I felt it. I felt heavy. I felt unhealthy. I felt, well, I felt fat!

And when you feel fat, you start thinking fat. Even my son made fun of the size of my butt. And I'd laugh it off. Sometimes, that's how you deal when you're not really dealing. My head was telling me, "Oh, what's the use? It's too hard to try to do anything about it." I know some of you have felt like this, and it's not a good place to let your thoughts wander. That's dangerous territory -- physically, mentally, spiritually, and even sexually.

You don't have the energy to exercise, so you don't. You let the negative self-talk override anything that could be positive. You're probably not praying or feeling anything remotely close to faith in a higher power. And sex? If you're not in line with the prior three, the later is probably not even close to happening. And if it is, it's probably not very satisfying. So what's the point, right?

The point is that you're missing out.

I know. Because I was that person. I was missing out. It was as if I'd flat-lined on a gurney. I mean, there was nothing going on in my life. If there was joy to be found, I sure didn't know where to look.

I was too busy opening cupboard doors.

Even though I'd never been a snacker before, I was snacking during the last year before my marriage ended. Things were falling apart at my house. I had become a woman who was turning to food for the comfort I wasn't getting from my spouse at home. He was hardly home, anyway. And even when he was home, he wasn't. What was even worse was this: I wasn't paying attention. I was ignoring. And I was telling myself that things would get better. But I was NOT doing anything to make it better. I was simply getting by, biding time, waiting things out. Waiting for what, exactly, I don't know. But my head was not in an active mode, that's for sure.

There's more to the story than this, but I started to become more aware the day I stepped on a scale at the gym and saw that number. It was 40 pounds more than I'd ever weighed, and I knew then that something was wrong. An alarm went off inside my head that warned, "Jackie, you have to admit, that's not good."

When I started riding, it wasn't long before I started to notice the changes -- not just in my body, but in my head.

Within two months, I could see the belly bulge disappearing. I realized I no longer felt the skin around my middle smacking my leg as I pedaled. I knew that was a good thing. It felt like progress.

I could think clearer, I had more energy, and I felt lighter.

That was in 2002. Here it is 2007, and I still remember what it felt like to not only feel sluggish but also to behave sluggishly. I am now aware of what my body feels like when I'm not taking care of it. I now know I absolutely do not like that feeling. So when I have my moments of inactivity, when life feels too rushed to find time to exercise, it's not long before I notice that familiar slug-like feeling. That's enough to motivate me to get back on the bike, get back on a routine hiking schedule, or hop on the exercise ball. I'll do anything to avoid moving backwards for long. I do not ever want to return to where I was at. It was not a good place to be, not for anyone.

But some of us have to know what the bad feels like before we can appreciate the good, I guess.

So I now pay attention to how my body feels. I pay attention to what I'm doing to take care of it, and I know when I falter, the faltering moments won't last too long.

That's what BIKE is about. It's not about being perfect. It's about realizing when you're not doing your absolute best -- because you know yourself well enough to know what that really is -- forgiving yourself when you falter, and getting back on track. The special brand of BIKE that I'm sharing with you offers you not an excuse to make mistakes but an acceptance of those mistakes and a reason to move past them...simply because you can and because it's the best action to take.

Your mantra today: I am human. I make mistakes. But I still know how to move forward.

All my best,
~Jackie

I know BIKE works because...

...it's measurable.

We've all participated in some project or activity that required continuous performance in order to see or arrive at a result. No matter what you set out to accomplish in a day -- the dishes, laundry, a math problem -- you begin the task, and when you've completed it, you've accomplished something. The results are measurable.

That's what happened to me when I began riding my Huffy. Trust me, for those of you who might still be saying, "Yeah, right. This sucks. It really IS all about exercise." Well, as I mentioned earlier, yes, it was for me, initially. Because that's all I had to count on at the time. It offered me a safe and measurable way to see growth.

At the time, I was forty plus pounds overweight. I felt it, but I wasn't seeing it. More accurately, I was problaby ignoring it. But the reality is, I had gained those forty pounds in one year. I found myself stepping on a scale one day, reading the number out loud, "160 pounds!" I couldn't ignore it any longer. I knew something was wrong. For me, that was not a healthy weight. I was a size 6 who had inched her way up to a size 12 in one year! Folks, that is a major signal that something is not quite right. And I knew it. I just didn't know what "it" was.

I'd soon find out...and I'll get to that later...but for now, you can simply know that my Huffy provided me the pathway to a visible success that I also experienced internally.

I remember feeling the physical effects, and it, too -- just like the Ron Carlson quote -- has stayed with me. When a moment touches your heart, mind and soul, accept its significance and positive change will follow.

I remember riding along my usual bike path. I'd reach my turnaround point, pulling into a park area to add some laps to my ride, and maybe ride under the sprinklers if the weather was really warm. In those early morning hours, I'd pass by the women walkers who also frequented the park. I couldn't seem to help myself, but with a smile on my face, I'd literally wave hello and call out to them, "You should try riding. You won't believe how much weight I've lost." I wanted to share the joy that comes with progress. I wanted others to experience what I was experiencing, despite the turmoil I was dealing with back home. It felt significant to me, and perhaps I looked foolish, grinning as I know I was, but I knew I was onto something.

The truth was getting clearer and clearer with each ride.