Up and at 'em

I hate dragging myself from my soft bed at five a.m. But once I'm out on the street or at the gym I'm thrilled that I started my day early and fit in a fabulous workout. The problem comes in the afternoon when I fall asleep trying to edit my latest novel. I know a nap, a walk, or sniffing some peppermint oil is a healthier option but lately I've found myself eating chocolate or chugging a Diet Coke.
What do you do to reenergize yourself?

Exercise Through the Hard Times

I usually enjoy exercise. I love pushing myself through a hard workout. I love getting sweaty and having a reason to shower. I love knowing that my muscles are strong and I can keep up with my wild boys.

At my current state, I consider vacuuming a challenging cardiovascular exercise. How did I regress from running marathons to absolute slothfulness? I decided I needed another angel in my life and am expecting my fourth baby in August.

There are times in all of our lives that fitness has to take a backseat – sickness of a child, taking care of an elderly parent, overload at work, a new baby. I’m sure you all have a list of your own. The ironic thing is at these times we need exercise more than ever. Why?

• Exercise decreases stress by increasing your health and overall sense of well-being.
• Exercise is meditation in motion – you can forget some stresses as you exercise and often be able to focus better on the problem later. I also find that solutions come to me as I’m out on a run or bike ride.
• Exercise increases the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Anything that gets you moving quickly can give you that “runner’s-high.” I often get sluggish and tired in the afternoon, but if I go on a short walk or dance with my kids I feel much better and can usually avoid crashing on the couch. (I said usually, sometimes the nap is a necessity!)
• Exercise improves your mood – Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety.
• Exercise helps you to sleep better – people who exercise have lower cases of insomnia and sleep is improved because you experience smoother transitions between sleep cycles and you stay in the stage four (deepest sleep) cycle longer.

But what do you do when life is on overload and you barely have energy to get dressed each day? I suggest you employ the normal tricks to help you fit in fitness:

• Make a workout date with yourself on your calendar.
• Lay your exercise clothes out the night before. (I always feel so guilty when I have to put them away clean.)
• Place the alarm clock across the room so you have to get up.
• Find an exercise buddy who motivates you.
• If possible ride a bike or walk instead of driving.
• Chores count too – yard work, housework, cleaning the car, anything that gets you moving will burn calories and help you feel better (guess I shouldn’t joke about vacuuming being exercise).
• Park at the end of the parking lot and take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Sign up for an exercise class or a triathlon to get yourself motivated (If I pay for something I’m guaranteed to do it because I hate to waste money).
• Do little spurts of exercise – dancing with your children, lifting weights while you watch television, walking or doing calf raises while you talk on the phone. Every little bit counts and a few minutes here and there can add up to great results.

Use all of these tricks and any others that work for you, but also realize that you are going through a hard or busy time and give yourself a break. If you don’t get to the gym on a morning you promised yourself to go, remind yourself that you probably needed sleep or some snuggle time with your child. Don’t beat yourself up. Focus on the positive and recommit to getting out of bed tomorrow.

Yes, I can barely waddle around the block, but soon I’ll have a gorgeous baby. The prize is well worth the pain. Every one of us is going to go through trials (many worse than the discomforts of pregnancy). If we focus on the positive, try to take care of our health, and rely on the Lord we can use these hard times to make ourselves a better person, we can come out smiling on the other side.

(i) Exercise: Rev up your routine to reduce stress by Mayo Clinic Staff

(ii) How does exercise improve sleep by Scott White

(iii) How to fit exercise into your busy schedule by Ehow Staff Writer

Sleep Deprived?

Lately I consider sleep a luxury. I'm sure my sleep isn't going to improve when the bambino arrives. Sleep is too important to miss out on. Not enough sleep can effect your mental abilities, your mood, your ability to lose weight, and much more. I found a great article in Prevention Magazine on how to improve your sleep.

• Soak up the sun - an early morning walk will prevent low energy later in the day.
• Reenergize with exercise - It will help you sleep better and energize you.
• Take a nap - right after lunch is best, either less than twenty minutes or 60-90 minutes to avoid waking up from deep sleep.
• Work on something interesting - Guess I can't fold that pile of laundry, again.
• Eat for stamina - small meals or snacks with complex carbs, protein, and a small amount of healthy fat.
• When in dire need, reach for some caffeine. I'm not much of a caffeine fan, but a Diet Coke once in a while is truly a necessity!

I believe that a short yoga or stretching session right before bed really helps me sleep. I try to avoid working on my computer late at night as screen time too close to bedtime can make it hard to fall asleep. So read a good book instead or soak in a tub with some lavender oil. That sounds nice, maybe I'll soak in the tub and read a good book right now.

"5 Surprising Signs You're Sleep Deprived" by Kaitlin Bell, Prevention Magazine, March 2010

Sleep (Or the lack thereof)

Lately I'd rather stay in bed than go to the gym. Maybe not the smartest weight loss move, but if you're lacking on sleep you could be hurting yourself in more ways than being irritable.

You should sleep 7 to 9 hours a night. Here are the benefits if you do:

Fewer colds - rest improves immunity, too little impairs it.

Lower number on the scale - People who slept 7-9 hours had an average BMI of 24.8, almost 2 points lower than those who slept less.

Lower risk of heart disease and diabetes - those who slept less than 5 hours per night had a 500 times greater risk of high blood pressure and were 3 times likelier to have diabetes.

So don't skip your workout to sleep, but do go to bed at a decent time (easy to do with small children, haha), dim the lights before bedtime, avoid the TV and computer before bedtime, and try some yoga or meditation to help you sleep more deeply.

Now if I could just figure out how to keep my boys from interrupting my night's sleep, maybe I could make it to the gym!

"Sleep! It's Non-Negotiable," Prevention Magazine, February 2010, www.prevention.com

Weight Loss and Sleep

Can skimping on a good night's rest affect your ability to maintain a healthy weight? 

Experts are now convinced that it can.

"Women who slept 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain (an increase of 33 pounds or more) and 15% more likely to become obese over the course of the 16-year study, compared to those who slept 7 hours a night." *

Why does not sleeping make you gain weight?

1 - Not getting enough sleep makes you prone to overeat. "Two specific hormones are involved," says Michele Silence, MA for The Diet Channel. "Ghrelin is responsible for feelings of hunger. Leptin tells the brain when it’s time to stop. When you’re sleep deprived, your ghrelin levels increase at the same time that your leptin levels decrease. The result is an increased craving for food and not feeling full." **

2 - "Sleeping less may affect changes in a person's basal metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn when you rest)." Sanjay Patel, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH * 

3 - "Interference with carbohydrate metabolism may cause high blood glucose levels. Excess amounts of glucose encourages the overproduction of insulin which leads to the storage of excess body fat and insulin resistance (a significant sign of adult-onset diabetes.)" Tracee Conforth ***

4 - The body regenerates during sleep, which will help build muscle tissue and help you lose weight. "While we sleep the body repairs and rebuilds organ tissue, ligaments, tendons and lean muscle by burning the calories we take in as food during the day. And if that is not enough, sleep will burn excess fat." Rick Hendershot ****

Well, I'm a believer. I'll just explain to my boys that they can't climb into bed with me anymore because it's making me gain weight. That should convince them there aren't monsters in the basement. 

If you're having trouble getting enough sleep, check out the suggestions at Medicine.net - http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52027. One of the suggestions is to get moving. Loving that!

* Sleep More, Lose Weight

Getting Enough Snooze Time May Be The Best Diet Secret of All

By Mary Shomon http://thyroid.about.com/od/loseweightsuccessfully/a/sleepdiet.htm

** http://www.thedietchannel.com/Weight-Loss-and-Sleep.htm

***  http://womenshealth.about.com/library/weekly/aa121702a.htm

**** How To Lose Weight While You Sleep

By Rick Hendershot http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Lose-Weight-While-You-Sleep&id=210466