WISH Away the Pounds -- Spectacular September Challenge!

[Flossbolna]

I lost 2 pounds this week! I can't believe it! For me that is a great loss, I am normally happy if I can get one pound in a week!!! Looking back as to when I was able to lose weight with good success, I have come to the conclusion that my metabolism needs the kick of continuos exercise - and especially cardio like running and walking. I am so happy as the number on the scale is getting me to a 25.8 BMI - so less than one BMI number and I am no longer overweight!

The lesson learned is: never give up! I was being so frustrated with not seeing the results that I thought I should have over the last two weeks and then this week I was seeing a result that was even better than expected! Now I just need to not be disappointed if I am not able to replicate it again next week - but I will certainly try to do just that!!

Lisa, I admire you for running in the cold in the morning! I wanted to go for a run today, but it was pouring down with rain and then I was seeing a friend in the afternoon - but I did walk to her house and back which comes out as a total of 6k, so some exercise at least.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I'm a samer, again! Which is fine because I didn't eat so well this week. Need to get my act together if I want to be a loser. I think things will be easier/smoother when DS2 goes back to college. Right now we're having scheduling problems in the mornings with just one bathroom, and I like to shower after I swim at the Y, but it doesn't work out. So I've been skipping swimming. Soon the schedule will open up.

Speaking of DS2...
Monday night he was playing basketball with friends and hit the rim with his forehead. 7 stitches. Glad we had a 20 year wait for a kid to get stitches. I don't like watching blood squirt out of their scalps! Thought he was fine but lately he's been saying that his head still hurts and he's sensitive to light. He got his stitches out today and the nurse says it'll probably be 6 weeks before all symptoms go away.

My new job is going well. My big joke is that everybody in the district is getting to know me...technology, central stores, translation! I had to bring chocolate (Dove dark) to a couple teachers because I messed up... in reality my office manager didn't give me proper instructions, but I just blamed it on being new. They bought it! I am learning tons so that's good!

 

[Flossbolna]

A great start into the week for everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend!

Linda, I hope you can get back to your usual bathroom routine soon! And it is great to hear that you enjoy your job so much!

---

I had a good weekend, was able to keep up the activity. Had another fast run on Sunday. According to my phone (which is not always accurate) I ran 5k in under 35 minutes. But it also felt like a fast run (for me, it is still a snail pace) and it was not killing me! I finally signed up for the 6k at the beginning of October. Looking forward to adding a new shirt to my collection!

The scale was up a little this morning and I was not surprised as I felt like I was retaining lots of water (often happens on the mornings after a run). I can fell it when I make a fist that my fingers are puffy. So I expected the scale to jump up quite a bit, but it was only half a pound. This made me really happy as it shows that my loss was not a freak number, but reality!

 

[SarahDisney]

Motivation Monday

While reaching your goal can be a reward in and of itself, it’s always a good idea to reward yourself as you reach mini-milestones along the way. Anticipating a reward can be a great way to motivate yourself to reach a goal, and rewarding yourself can be a great motivator to keep going!
For example, you can reward yourself for every 5 lbs lost, or every 500 exercise minutes. You can reward yourself if you have a person record in a race or if you break a plateau.

Rewards can be something fun, like a day at the beach, or something fitness-related, like signing up for a race.
The great people over at SparkPeople have a list of 50 non-food rewards – check it out: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=1990&page=2

WATP Musings Motivational Monday, September 15, 2014: Do you reward yourself when you reach mini-milestones? What are some rewards you’ve used?

 

[lisah0711]

I lost 2 pounds this week! I can't believe it! For me that is a great loss, I am normally happy if I can get one pound in a week!!! Looking back as to when I was able to lose weight with good success, I have come to the conclusion that my metabolism needs the kick of continuos exercise - and especially cardio like running and walking. I am so happy as the number on the scale is getting me to a 25.8 BMI - so less than one BMI number and I am no longer overweight!

The lesson learned is: never give up! I was being so frustrated with not seeing the results that I thought I should have over the last two weeks and then this week I was seeing a result that was even better than expected! Now I just need to not be disappointed if I am not able to replicate it again next week - but I will certainly try to do just that!!

Lisa, I admire you for running in the cold in the morning! I wanted to go for a run today, but it was pouring down with rain and then I was seeing a friend in the afternoon - but I did walk to her house and back which comes out as a total of 6k, so some exercise at least.

Congratulations on a great loss this week, Magdalene! That BMI number will be yours soon!

The cool weather made for a nice fast run. With the sun shining it wasn't too bad at all. I'm not a fan of running in the rain either.

Soon the running store will start their Winter Warriors running. They run twice a week, you pick your own distance and the only rule is that you can't complain about the weather. You get points and they have raffles and prizes to help convince you to get out there and run when you would rather stay home and sit on the couch and drink hot buttered rum.

As speedy as you are you should think about giving your running group a try -- your 5k was under 12 minute miles!

I'm a samer, again! Which is fine because I didn't eat so well this week. Need to get my act together if I want to be a loser. I think things will be easier/smoother when DS2 goes back to college. Right now we're having scheduling problems in the mornings with just one bathroom, and I like to shower after I swim at the Y, but it doesn't work out. So I've been skipping swimming. Soon the schedule will open up.

Speaking of DS2...
Monday night he was playing basketball with friends and hit the rim with his forehead. 7 stitches. Glad we had a 20 year wait for a kid to get stitches. I don't like watching blood squirt out of their scalps! Thought he was fine but lately he's been saying that his head still hurts and he's sensitive to light. He got his stitches out today and the nurse says it'll probably be 6 weeks before all symptoms go away.

My new job is going well. My big joke is that everybody in the district is getting to know me...technology, central stores, translation! I had to bring chocolate (Dove dark) to a couple teachers because I messed up... in reality my office manager didn't give me proper instructions, but I just blamed it on being new. They bought it! I am learning tons so that's good!

Being a maintainer is always a winner in my book, Linda!

Glad that your DS is okay after his injury.

And happy to hear that you are enjoying the new job! Your diplomacy and tact will take you far!

Motivation Monday

While reaching your goal can be a reward in and of itself, it’s always a good idea to reward yourself as you reach mini-milestones along the way. Anticipating a reward can be a great way to motivate yourself to reach a goal, and rewarding yourself can be a great motivator to keep going!
For example, you can reward yourself for every 5 lbs lost, or every 500 exercise minutes. You can reward yourself if you have a person record in a race or if you break a plateau.

Rewards can be something fun, like a day at the beach, or something fitness-related, like signing up for a race.
The great people over at SparkPeople have a list of 50 non-food rewards – check it out: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=1990&page=2

WATP Musings Motivational Monday, September 15, 2014: Do you reward yourself when you reach mini-milestones? What are some rewards you’ve used?

Great question, Sarah! I like the list of suggestions for ways to reward yourself for your accomplishments. I have to confess I'm not someone who is motivated this way probably because I am pretty nice to myself already. It does make me think I should set something up for some big goals and rewards.

Have a great day all! :

 

[smilie]

Hi everyone! Haven't been on the forums in so long but on Saturday I started the Whole Life Challenge. So I thought I'd join up with you all for encouragement and motivation.

 

[myweegirls]

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend.

DD's birthday party was Saturday, and we were at a trampoline place. I stopped short of joining the kiddos on the trampolines, but they were very impressive, going off the slanted trampoline walls. They definitely didn't have places like this when I was a kid! She had a great time; her official 10th birthday (!) is this Wednesday.

I sang with our church houseband yesterday, so the chords got a workout...we did Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In and a Peter Mayer tune called Holy Now. Talk about a wide variety...tonight it's back to my chorus rehearsal; our Bernstein choral work concert is in just three weeks!

I also had a really good run on Saturday, which was in doubt. I had 10x800 (so 10 half mile segments) on the schedule but wasn't sure if the tummy bug was totally gone. But the weather was beautiful, so I went out around 6:45pm, and it was great! The walk breaks between the half-mile segments were energizing, and I felt strong all the way through. Today I was feeling very procrastinate-y about work, so I added exercise (I have NO idea where that motivation came from, but I'll take it!). I did my planned 45-minute run, then a 20-minute PiYo workout. And then I biked to my local Subway for lunch instead of driving, so about a 4-mile ride total. Woo! Tomorrow is a desk day in the city, so I'm glad I got this much exercise today.

DH is still job hunting - he got some promising responses last week, but now it's a matter of things turning into actual interviews, and hopefully an offer sometime soon. He might be driving me a little bit crazy here, one more reason I hope he finds something soon!

Hope everyone's havnig a good Monday...it's an absolutely beautiful day here, but I really do need to get some more work done...

XO
Liz

 

[SarahDisney]

I lost 2 pounds this week! I can't believe it! For me that is a great loss, I am normally happy if I can get one pound in a week!!! Looking back as to when I was able to lose weight with good success, I have come to the conclusion that my metabolism needs the kick of continuos exercise - and especially cardio like running and walking. I am so happy as the number on the scale is getting me to a 25.8 BMI - so less than one BMI number and I am no longer overweight!

The lesson learned is: never give up! I was being so frustrated with not seeing the results that I thought I should have over the last two weeks and then this week I was seeing a result that was even better than expected! Now I just need to not be disappointed if I am not able to replicate it again next week - but I will certainly try to do just that!!

Lisa, I admire you for running in the cold in the morning! I wanted to go for a run today, but it was pouring down with rain and then I was seeing a friend in the afternoon - but I did walk to her house and back which comes out as a total of 6k, so some exercise at least.

Yay for a loss!

"Never give up" is always a great thing to remember.

I used to run in the rain occasionally ... but I always hated it. I can do hot, I can do a little chilly (very cold is where I've given up in the past, but I'm hoping not to this time) ... but I've given up on trying to run in the rain. At least you got a good walk in!

I'm a samer, again! Which is fine because I didn't eat so well this week. Need to get my act together if I want to be a loser. I think things will be easier/smoother when DS2 goes back to college. Right now we're having scheduling problems in the mornings with just one bathroom, and I like to shower after I swim at the Y, but it doesn't work out. So I've been skipping swimming. Soon the schedule will open up.

Speaking of DS2...
Monday night he was playing basketball with friends and hit the rim with his forehead. 7 stitches. Glad we had a 20 year wait for a kid to get stitches. I don't like watching blood squirt out of their scalps! Thought he was fine but lately he's been saying that his head still hurts and he's sensitive to light. He got his stitches out today and the nurse says it'll probably be 6 weeks before all symptoms go away.

My new job is going well. My big joke is that everybody in the district is getting to know me...technology, central stores, translation! I had to bring chocolate (Dove dark) to a couple teachers because I messed up... in reality my office manager didn't give me proper instructions, but I just blamed it on being new. They bought it! I am learning tons so that's good!

Scheduling one bathroom can be tough ... hopefully things will be back to normal when your DS goes back to school. That injury sounds painful - I hope he's feeling better.

I'm glad to hear the job is going well. Everyone makes mistakes ... blame it on being new while you can, that excuse only lasts a little while.

I had a good weekend, was able to keep up the activity. Had another fast run on Sunday. According to my phone (which is not always accurate) I ran 5k in under 35 minutes. But it also felt like a fast run (for me, it is still a snail pace) and it was not killing me! I finally signed up for the 6k at the beginning of October. Looking forward to adding a new shirt to my collection!

The scale was up a little this morning and I was not surprised as I felt like I was retaining lots of water (often happens on the mornings after a run). I can fell it when I make a fist that my fingers are puffy. So I expected the scale to jump up quite a bit, but it was only half a pound. This made me really happy as it shows that my loss was not a freak number, but reality!

35 minutes for 5K is great! As long as you feel good, it's a great run in my book. Glad to hear you signed up for the 6k!

WATP Musings Motivational Monday, September 15, 2014: Do you reward yourself when you reach mini-milestones? What are some rewards you’ve used?

I should, and I know I should ... but I never use rewards. I used to ... but they tended to be food-related rewards (like I could get a 400 calorie latte and a donut when I lost 2 pounds ... kinda counterproductive), so I stopped. I do need to create a new rewards system for me, because I know it will help keep me motivated.

Hi everyone! Haven't been on the forums in so long but on Saturday I started the Whole Life Challenge. So I thought I'd join up with you all for encouragement and motivation.

Welcome! We're glad to have you here with us!

 

[lisah0711]

Hi everyone! Haven't been on the forums in so long but on Saturday I started the Whole Life Challenge. So I thought I'd join up with you all for encouragement and motivation.

Thanks for jumping in and chatting already. Let us know if you have any questions about the challenge after you check out page 1. How are you liking the Whole Life Challenge so far?

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend.

DD's birthday party was Saturday, and we were at a trampoline place. I stopped short of joining the kiddos on the trampolines, but they were very impressive, going off the slanted trampoline walls. They definitely didn't have places like this when I was a kid! She had a great time; her official 10th birthday (!) is this Wednesday.

I sang with our church houseband yesterday, so the chords got a workout...we did Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In and a Peter Mayer tune called Holy Now. Talk about a wide variety...tonight it's back to my chorus rehearsal; our Bernstein choral work concert is in just three weeks!

I also had a really good run on Saturday, which was in doubt. I had 10x800 (so 10 half mile segments) on the schedule but wasn't sure if the tummy bug was totally gone. But the weather was beautiful, so I went out around 6:45pm, and it was great! The walk breaks between the half-mile segments were energizing, and I felt strong all the way through. Today I was feeling very procrastinate-y about work, so I added exercise (I have NO idea where that motivation came from, but I'll take it!). I did my planned 45-minute run, then a 20-minute PiYo workout. And then I biked to my local Subway for lunch instead of driving, so about a 4-mile ride total. Woo! Tomorrow is a desk day in the city, so I'm glad I got this much exercise today.

Great job on all the exercise this week, Liz! Everything life throws at you seems just a little easier when you know you've got that workout behind you. I can't believe one of your DD's is hitting double digits. Glad that you are feeling better, too.

I should, and I know I should ... but I never use rewards. I used to ... but they tended to be food-related rewards (like I could get a 400 calorie latte and a donut when I lost 2 pounds ... kinda counterproductive), so I stopped. I do need to create a new rewards system for me, because I know it will help keep me motivated.

I don't know why it seems harder to find nonfood rewards than it is. That was a great list that you posted. Let us know what you come up with!

I had the first class of my Training Right class last night. One of the instructors is the running coach so we are getting lots of good tips for things that runners need to work on. We also did the TRX which was a new one for me. And I learned that I am very bad at hopping on both feet at the same time.

Have a great day all!

 

[Tasha228]

Happy Friday Everyone!! Here is your WELLNESS WEEKEND musing for 9/12/14: (And yes, I am totally stealing some of this from WW.... there has to be SOME benefit of being a leader!)

If you could re-do this week, what would you delete? What would you repeat?

What was worth repeating and how can you work on having more behavior that is worth REPEATING??

I would repeat the awesome time I spent with a guy I'm just starting to get to know...but I bet you are asking from a health perspective. Hmmm, I would be fine with everything I did, honestly. I got some exercise in. I ate well some, indulged a tiny bit, still lost some weight. I try not to deprive myself all the time so I guess I am okay with how the week went, for the most part.

 

[Tasha228]

Happy Friday Everyone!! Here is your WELLNESS WEEKEND musing for 9/12/14: (And yes, I am totally stealing some of this from WW.... there has to be SOME benefit of being a leader!)

If you could re-do this week, what would you delete? What would you repeat?

What was worth repeating and how can you work on having more behavior that is worth REPEATING??

Motivation Monday

While reaching your goal can be a reward in and of itself, it’s always a good idea to reward yourself as you reach mini-milestones along the way. Anticipating a reward can be a great way to motivate yourself to reach a goal, and rewarding yourself can be a great motivator to keep going!
For example, you can reward yourself for every 5 lbs lost, or every 500 exercise minutes. You can reward yourself if you have a person record in a race or if you break a plateau.

Rewards can be something fun, like a day at the beach, or something fitness-related, like signing up for a race.
The great people over at SparkPeople have a list of 50 non-food rewards – check it out: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=1990&page=2

WATP Musings Motivational Monday, September 15, 2014: Do you reward yourself when you reach mini-milestones? What are some rewards you’ve used?

I buy a new outfit in a smaller size when I reach it! No reward I can think of is more fulfilling than that!!!!

 

[glss1/2fll]

Hope everybody is off to a good week! I'm doing just fine. DS2 is taking an early bird class at school so has to be there at 6:30. That frees up the bathroom and I will be at the pool tomorrow! DS2 got his stitches out and was told 6 weeks until the other symptoms are gone.

I don't use rewards, but I think about them!

 

[Zoesmama03]

People have recommended melatonin to me, but I still haven't tried. I'm interested to see how it works out for you!

It's not my first time using it. It does work really well helping you fall asleep. I've never noticed any drowsiness the next day as long as I got a full nights sleep. Sometimes if I still end up short on sleep I'll be sleepy but that's a given.

Happy Friday Everyone!! Here is your WELLNESS WEEKEND musing for 9/12/14: (And yes, I am totally stealing some of this from WW.... there has to be SOME benefit of being a leader!)

If you could re-do this week, what would you delete? What would you repeat?

What was worth repeating and how can you work on having more behavior that is worth REPEATING??

I would delete a few processed foods and I'd repeat the veggies and walking.

Yes, you are fortunate that you live in a place where could get some delicious Hatch chiles. I do the canned tomatoes, too. In fact we are having Green Chile Stew for dinner tonight! Maybe it is cooling off enough for this to sound good to you too.

Not quite there we are still well over 100. 102-108. The rain coming in off this second remains of hurricane will drop it but only slightly and briefly more than likely. The mornings and later evenings are decent though.

I lost 2 pounds this week! I can't believe it! For me that is a great loss, I am normally happy if I can get one pound in a week!!! Looking back as to when I was able to lose weight with good success, I have come to the conclusion that my metabolism needs the kick of continuos exercise - and especially cardio like running and walking. I am so happy as the number on the scale is getting me to a 25.8 BMI - so less than one BMI number and I am no longer overweight!

The lesson learned is: never give up! I was being so frustrated with not seeing the results that I thought I should have over the last two weeks and then this week I was seeing a result that was even better than expected! Now I just need to not be disappointed if I am not able to replicate it again next week - but I will certainly try to do just that!!

Lisa, I admire you for running in the cold in the morning! I wanted to go for a run today, but it was pouring down with rain and then I was seeing a friend in the afternoon - but I did walk to her house and back which comes out as a total of 6k, so some exercise at least.

Great job on the 2 lbs.


To everyone else I hope you are doing well I will read more details soon. Feeling quite sleepy today took the melatonin too late and was still up till 2am. The rain woke me at 7am and never went back to sleep.

 

[pjlla]

Morning all! Sorry i didn't join you all for the weekend chatter, but there was no wifi in our cottage on Nantucket and most shops and restaurants did not offer it either! It was kind of nice to be "unplugged" for a few days, but it definitely showed me how dependent i am on the internet!

I am not home yet, as I decided to stay at my Mom's last night to help my Dad with a project today, so I'm not going to chat much now. But i'll BBL to catch up! ................P

 

[lisah0711]

I buy a new outfit in a smaller size when I reach it! No reward I can think of is more fulfilling than that!!!!

That is a great reward for sure! And don't forget to ditch the bigger sizes as you go so there is nowhere to return to.

Hope everybody is off to a good week! I'm doing just fine. DS2 is taking an early bird class at school so has to be there at 6:30. That frees up the bathroom and I will be at the pool tomorrow! DS2 got his stitches out and was told 6 weeks until the other symptoms are gone.

I don't use rewards, but I think about them!

Melissa, hope things cool off soon in your neck of the woods.

Morning all! Sorry i didn't join you all for the weekend chatter, but there was no wifi in our cottage on Nantucket and most shops and restaurants did not offer it either! It was kind of nice to be "unplugged" for a few days, but it definitely showed me how dependent i am on the internet!

I am not home yet, as I decided to stay at my Mom's last night to help my Dad with a project today, so I'm not going to chat much now. But i'll BBL to catch up! ................P

Sounds like a great vacation, Pamela!

 

[lisah0711]

A friendly reminder that tomorrow is weigh in day!

Good luck to everyone!

 

[ohMom]

well I've fallen behind again ...darn! my DH is burning his last vaca days next week to, so I hope to be spending lots of time with him and less online

I broke my momentum...I did so well this month that I felt like I could lax a little. I just hope and pray I haven't done damage on my WI tomorrow!! I need a final push for the month to keep my lime green status!! also, I'm so close to the next size down...I gotta stay focused. you know how your current size is getting roomy, and so you feel like you are doing so great. the next size is still too small to wear in public so you wear the bigger ones, then think...I can stop at starbucks. let's go out to lunch....

for my my mini-rewards have been digging out the smaller clothes and getting rid of the bigger ones!! there will always be a slim, but realistic chance that my Cushing's could become active again and then if I gain for that reason, I will not have any clothes to wear. I'm choosing to claim my victory in remission and have faith that day will never come!

 

[glss1/2fll]

I'm choosing to claim my victory in remission and have faith that day will never come!

good for you!!!

I didn't do my "peek" yesterday so not sure how I am doing. I've been trying to remember "you're worth it." BUT lately I've been saying "why did you do that?!" Remember how you used to feel full but ate more anyway? I caught myself doing that this week and just thought, "wow! haven't felt that icky in a while. thought I'd forgotten that feeling." Am determined to leave that behind me!!

Clothes are starting to feel looser so even if the scale isn't happy tomorrow I will be!

I've been having some joint pain in my thumb and just figured one more getting old ache. But at class this morning a couple gals were talking about tomatoes and how they are a nightshade. They both said they avoid those foods because it gives them achy joints. AHA I have been eating a lot of tomatoes lately because they are so yummy and everybody's garden is overflowing right now! Maybe it's time to stop.

Hope ya'll have a great rest of the week and a good weekend. We are driving over the pass and back (3 hours) Saturday to visit my in-laws. Which reminds me, I need to call them and tell them we are coming!

 

[myweegirls]

Hi!

Just back to work after back-to-back doctor's appointments today, all routine and good. I do really love my gyn; she's so funny and irreverent and *quick.* I'll never truly look forward to that appointment, but I'll always look forward to seeing her!

DD is TEN! Her birthday was yesterday, and we celebrated with Red Robin, lemon cake, and presents. I customized the heck out of a Red Robin salad and got it down to 8 points (!) - and still enjoyed it. That left room for cake, although I did finish DD8's piece when she wasn't crazy about the lemon. Not a terrible indulgence, though.

DH has an interview tomorrow! Happy day! He's started to hear from recruiters in the area, which is great, and I think he's starting to feel like he'll actually find a job again. It's been a month, but it feels like so much longer - we're trying to be patient.

In the meantime, I got a consignment check today for some clothes/coats I brought in last month, so I'm taking the family to Noodles & Company tonight, where I can eat light and we can sit out on their patio. It's beautiful here today, and I think we could all stand a little break. By late last night, we were all overtired and a little snappy, despite the birthday celebration, and I think we need to relax the kids a bit. We've been trying not to project our stress outward, but it's so hard, and I know they're sensititve to everything that's going on right now. I feel like it's a really fine line to walk between keeping them appropriately informed without scaring them. :/

I don't think I'm getting a workout in today - I've been running from one thing to another and will be until after my rehearsal tonight...but tomorrow! I might shoot to get my long run in early tomorrow, or I'll hit the PiYo sweat workout (first time). Not both. I have a feeling I'll be about the same for tomorrow's WI, but last week was so dramatic that I'll be okay with that!

XO
Liz

 

[lisah0711]

Good morning all!

A friendly reminder that today is weigh in day so please PM those numbers and good luck!

Well Being Week-end

Do you have a minute? Then you have enough time to do something good for yourself! With some help from our friends at sparkpeople.com, of course.

When it comes to losing weight or making healthy choices, you probably think that it takes hours at a gym plus long nights preparing and planning nutritious meals. What you may not realize is that quick and easy changes can really improve your immediate health and wellness.

So just how quick is quick? One minute—that’s it! Try any one of these 60-second activities to easily reap the healthy benefits.

1. Drink a tall glass of water. We all know the many health benefits of drinking water, but did you also know that even mild dehydration can cause fatigue? So, the next time you feel your energy waning, grab a glass of cold water and guzzle it down!

2. Twist it out. So many of us spend every weekday seated in front of a computer. Not only can sitting all day wreak havoc on your posture, but it can also compress your spine and exaggerate its curvature. Not fun. A simple twist can help undo this. As you sit in your desk chair, simply twist your upper-body to one side, hold for 30 seconds, and then repeat on the other side. If you have the space to sit on the floor, try this torso twist stretch. It’s guaranteed to make you feel better!

3. Take a deep breath. How often do you think about breathing? If you are like most people, you probably don’t think about it often enough. For a quick pick-me-up, simply take five deep breaths. Slowly inhale for at least five seconds and exhale for 10 seconds each time. Your body will thank you for the extra oxygen.

4. Do 20 jumping jacks. Research has shown that long periods of sitting can be detrimental to the body and our overall health. So get up out of that chair and jack it out! Just one minute of jumping jacks is an easy way to get your heart pumping and blood flowing.

5. Smile. Smiling can actually make you happier. So go ahead—smile!

6. Go outside. You’ve probably heard the health buzz about vitamin D lately. Preliminary research suggests that vitamin D helps regulate the immune system, supports heart health, can help normalize blood pressure and promotes healthy aging. Vitamin D has also been linked to improved mood. If you have a minute to spare, step out into the sunshine!

7. Put on a favorite song. There’s nothing quite like your favorite music to perk you up and get you feeling good. Listening to music has been shown to improve immunity and release endorphins. Bonus points if you dance along!

8. Sit up straighter. Did you know that bad posture can put unnecessary stress on your low back? Take a minute to focus on sitting up straight with your shoulders down and back. Don’t you feel better already?

9. Be grateful. Write down five things you’re grateful for, no matter how large or small (your hair, your family, your morning cup of Joe—whatever). Do you feel more thankful, generous and overall happier after? Funny how a little reminder of what we have can turn a frown into a smile.

10. Tell a joke. Awake your inner child and tell a silly joke—whether it’s a knock-knock joke or even a funny line from a movie. Anything that gets you laughing is enough to get your happy endorphins flowing!

11. Do 10 pushups. Being strong is important, but having functional strength is even more important because it makes everyday activities easier to accomplish. A push-up is a great, quick exercise for building functional strength. Drop down and give me 10—or as many as you can do in 1 minute.

12. Encourage someone. Isn’t it interesting how you always seem to feel better after helping someone else feel better? Whether you post a supportive comment on a SparkFriend’s page or write a few kind words in a card or an email, taking a minute out to help someone can quickly boost your mood.

13. Set a goal for the day. Fact: People who set goals have more success than people who don’t. So why not take a few seconds and write down what you want to do today? Then, just commit to making it happen!

14. Focus on one thing you love about yourself. At times, we put so much effort in focusing on what we don’t like about ourselves that we fail to see the good. Take 60 seconds to think about what you like about you. Is it your eyes? Your strong legs? Your giving nature? Thinking about how great you are will instantly increase self-confidence.

15. Wash your hands. It seems like cold and flu season is always in full force (or just around the corner). One of the simplest and easiest ways to stay well year round is to wash your hands. All you need is warm water, soap and 20 seconds of rubbing to rid your hands of unwanted germs.

16. Compliment a stranger. What better way to make yourself feel good than to unexpectedly brighten someone else’s day? The next time you admire someone’s clothes, positive attitude or eyes—say so!

17. Try aromatherapy. A number of different smells can have a positive effect on your mind and body. For example, peppermint is known to calm the stomach while its smell can energize you through a workout. And the scent of jasmine has been shown to reduce anxiety. To benefit, grab some scented lotion and either take a whiff from the bottle or rub some on your hands.

18. Salute the sun. Sun salutations are a well-known set of yoga poses that are said to warm up the body and increase blood flow and flexibility. So grab your mat and do one or two sets—rain or shine!

19. Give yourself a mini-massage. Massage has a number of health benefits, including reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and speeding muscle repair. While you may not be able to spend the time or money getting one at a spa, pampering yourself with just 1 minute of self-massage by rubbing your own hands, feet or shoulders can do wonders.

20. Be absolutely present. When we are wrapped up with work, to-do lists, and just getting by, sometimes we can forget to focus on what we are doing in the here and now. Try spending a minute just being. Focus on sounds, smells and whatever else is going on around you; instead of thinking ahead to what you'll do next, think about what you're doing right now. You’ll be amazed at how peaceful you feel. Just be!

See? In the quest to be healthier, you don't have to spend a lot of time. Even if all you have is a few spare seconds here and there, you can make a positive difference in your overall health!

Here is a link to the entire article if you are interested:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=1557

WATP Musings Which of these 60 second health boosters would you like to try this week-end? Do you have a minute health booster idea that isn't on the list? Bonus points if you do one or more and report back on it sometime this week-end!