Tuesday, July 13, 2010

MOVE August 2010 Challenge






















Being able to move is a privilege!...Recently, I visited my family and had a startling revelation about how much of an impact food, fitness and lifestyle choice makes in our overall health. My mother, my uncle (Mom’s brother), and siblings all have one thing in common. They had no clue what my biggest motivator is for running a mile outside in the 79 degree evening heat, and doing my “Kick-Your-Own-BootieCamp” in the middle of the dinning room next to the buffet table! No clue!

Really? Really.

My Uncle, who is visiting from the Philippines, has amazing energy, vitality, muscle tone, and doesn’t take 10 pills a day like the others in my family. He’s a great cook, walks daily, loves to be in my Mom’s garden early everyday and most importantly, he’s very positive, compassionate, takes personal interest in you, in the moment as if you are the only one in the room, smiles and laughs out loud…A LOT!

If you follow my Facebook pages, you know that my daily wall posts are about daily healing in all areas: Spirit, Mind and Body. The order of priority may seem odd because my posts may seem “body” focused. The reality is that with balance, SPIRIT being my highest priority, feeding my MIND positive, and protecting from negative; then my BODY can stay the course through the discipline and stamina required to maintain optimal health. Which "diet" is the best, you may ask? Well, my approach simple: eat as much as you’re going to burn off each day from God’s grocery store, avoid processed anything or “factory made” (packaging is skin/flesh not boxes or plastic wrap), engage in a bioavailable regenerative nutrition regimen, and MOVE everyday. The diet is usually referred to as the "Paleolithic Diet" referring to the Paleolithic or Stone Age era. It is also referred to as the "Stone Age Diet", "Cave Man Diet" or the "Hunter-Gatherer Diet". I avoid the microwave, and by composing natural packaging; I'm also helping to preserve the environment.

As my relatives sat around the card table(s), played Mahjong, discussed their ailments, pills they take for them, and how Auntie or our cousin’s health issues have put them out of the job market. I decided to keep my lips shut and focus on my workout. Below are a short list of their comments, rants and raves. Some are loosely translated from three dialects spoken in our family home.

“She likes maintaining her skinny figure.”
“I guess if she teaches fitness classes, she has to look the part.”
“My son bought me dumbbells last Christmas but I haven’t used them yet.”
“That’s what the younger generation is going now a-days.”
“She is really sweating a lot…OMG!”
“It’s way too hot to be doing all that.”
“I don’t have time to exercise.”
“Those look really hard.”
"I'm too fat to do that."
"I tried exercising once and it hurt."
“You’re sweating all over Mom’s carpet!”

What was my revelation you ask? Just MOVE! It’s the consistent theme, anthem, sayings in my FB pages, brand and lifestyle. Please don't trademark the brand: “Just SIT”. I will put together a list of ridiculously simple (easy) activities that ANYONE, even my 83-year-old, diabetic, arthritic, Mom can do each day. If my Momma can do them, so can we.

Click "Attending" Facebook Event

In June, one of my mentors, Marisa Mancke, challenged us all to “just move and do something everyday for ten minutes”. Together as a community, let's remove barriers we allow ourselves as reasons “why not”. Instead, let’s all start every morning with “WHY MOVE” reasons in August (kinda like Proverbs). This will be sooooo easy for all of us to participate and succeed! No woman, man, child or pet (yes, the four-legged kind) will be left behind.

If you have friends who aren’t on Facebook yet who you want to invite to the “MOVE Challenge”, cut and paste the FB Invitation or Note and paste it into email for them.

Let’s MOVE…for health’s sake and because we can!

Click "Attending" Facebook Event

TO GET THE T-SHIRT: Be in the group along with the first five (5) that complete all the challenge activities before midnight on August 31st; or invite five (5) others who join the fan page and post at least one comment each on the fan page wall.