My Mother, My Inspiration

My motherMy mom is the type of person I want to be when I grow up. She embodies my vision of the perfect retirement: At age 69, she’s incredibly active, exercising about three hours every day. She recently earned her fourth-degree black belt in karate. She practices Tai Chi. She bikes – usually on the stationary bike but sometimes outside. And she recently became a runner, racing her first-ever 5K just last summer. She also lifts weights. And she walks just about everywhere. Oh, and she has an about-half-acre yard with a giant vegetable garden and spectacularly gorgeous landscaping that she maintains.

small payday loans

Did I mention she and my stepfather also travel frequently? And they eagerly give much of their time to my two boys (and their other grandchildren when they’re in the area). Indeed, age has not slowed my mother down. I say “age” – but really I don’t think of her as having “aged.” In my eyes and my children’s eyes she seems more youthful and vibrant than many who have lived only half her years. Read the full article »

, , , , Everyday Fitness, Family Issues
May 12, 2013Permalink 4 Comments

Fire in the Belly

There is a man in my neighborhood who runs three miles a day, every day except Sunday. Rain, snow, wind, whatever the weather, he’s out there. I asked him once if he ever thought about doing a marathon. “Not a chance,” he scoffed. “I hate running.” That took me by surprise, and I asked: “Then why do you run three miles every day?” His answer: “Because I love how it makes me feel the rest of the day.”

Ah, yes. That is what fitness is about. You may or may not enjoy the workout, but if all goes well, you’ll feel great the rest of the day. For many years, that’s what running was for me – not fun, not something I was good at, but something I did so I could do triathlons, and because it made me feel better the rest of the day/week/year.

So why, you may ask, did I push myself to do a marathon last year? My blog post yesterday about my current running injury prompted this very legitimate comment (it’s one I hear often):

“I personally find it odd/unhealthy that people push themselves too hard to run marathons or any other sport in such an intense way. Are human bodies really made for that sort of thing?”

Good question. Here’s the thing: Human bodies are NOT designed to sit on a couch all day. That I know for sure. But is the other extreme any better? Why push beyond three miles a day, if three miles is all it takes to feel good and be healthy? Read the full article »

, Everyday Fitness
May 7, 2013Permalink 6 Comments

Where Does It All Begin?

I have a lurking tightness in my left quad and hip. It’s been there for months… years… possibly a decade. It comes and goes. When present, it ranges from small nagging discomfort to (rarely) stinging pain. I never gave it much attention – until now. Because it’s impeding my running.

The problem first reared its head ten years ago. One early morning as I drove through a green light (on my way to the pool), a tow truck ran a red light and slammed into my car. My car spun violently and thudded to a stop some distance away. I was fully conscious, but bystanders called an ambulance and I was taken away.

My car after the crash ten years ago

My car after the crash ten years ago

My car was totaled, but I turned out fine – nothing but a lot of bruises, soreness, and muscles so tight I couldn’t turn my neck or spine. I received months of physical therapy and got mostly better. Mostly… because my left leg was never quite the same. To this day, it lacks the strength and mobility of my right. But it never got in the way of my day-to-day life.

Until now. Read the full article »

, , Everyday Fitness
May 6, 2013Permalink 3 Comments

A Question of Time

Question: Surveys show children want what most from their parents?

  1. To spend more time with them
  2. For the parents to be less tired and stressed
  3. A bigger allowance

I saw this a few weeks back in Parade magazine and put the question to my kids. According to Parade, most kids choose “2,” and I expected the same from my boys. WRONG! Jordan thought a moment, then pronounced: “You should be home more, spending more time with us.” Hayden nodded with a sympathetic “Mmmhmm” to back him up.

OK, that’s a surprise! For three reasons… Read the full article »

, Everyday Fitness, Family Issues
March 29, 2013Permalink 2 Comments

Early-morning, Cold-weather Run

running in snowMy alarm’s shrill ring pierces my dream. My eyes crack open – just enough to guide my fumbling fingers to stop the noise. Quiet again. I strain to de-fog my still-drowsy brain. What day is it? Thursday. Run day. Ugh. I check my phone for the weather. 28 degrees. Cold but not brutal. Right on the cusp. Any colder, and I’d skip the run and bike (inside) instead. But today?

I drag my half-slumbering body out of bed. Brush teeth. Morning tea. Peanut butter breakfast bar. Clear the sink. Now what? Run clothes or bike shorts? I peek out the window, checking for ice. Hard to tell. I see only darkness. Snow mounds line the street, sidewalks, and driveways. It’s cold out there. I glance at the clock. 5:55am. I should be moving already. Time is running, but I’m not. I should be. I shake my head. No more excuses. Read the full article »

, , , , Everyday Fitness
February 21, 2013Permalink 6 Comments

Hayden’s Perfect Peanut Butter Banana Bars

Hayden's homemade peanut butter bars

Hayden’s perfect homemade peanut butter bars

For me, it’s an ongoing quest. I’m always on the lookout for tasty-yet-nutritious snacks – foods at least sort-of healthy that can help me resist the ongoing sugar-filled temptations that bombard me at work, home, everywhere.

I recently revisited my old tried-and-true peanut butter bar recipe. It’s loosely based on a recipe my mom made for me as a child. My version replaces the original (shameful) butter, brown sugar, and refined flour with (more wholesome) canola oil, all-fruit jam, and almond meal. The result: bars that are healthy and tasty – and yet not sufficiently scrumptious to earn a spot on my boys’ preferred-after-school-snacks list.

“What these need,” my younger son Hayden piped up one day, “are bananas and chocolate chips.” Smart boy. Read the full article »

, Everyday Fitness
February 15, 2013Permalink 6 Comments

Take Your Yoga Anywhere

Bikram Yoga for You lobby

The new Bikram Yoga for You in Dedham is bright and beautiful (and offers retail, too). I just wish it were closer to home!

As a marketing professional, I know this all too well: The first impression is key. It can make or break a sale. And lately I’ve wondered: Just how many outstanding services, products – opportunities – are completely overlooked because that first impression is somehow lacking?

Take my yoga studio. It recently relocated and received an extreme makeover. The walls, light fixtures, changing rooms, front desk – everything – is brighter, livelier, prettier. But here’s the thing: The yoga – the actual practice itself – is EXACTLY the same. No change at all. And yet I wonder how many people overlooked my studio in its pre-makeover state. Read the full article »

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February 7, 2013Permalink 2 Comments

A Quick Climb Up 50 Flights of Stairs

prudential tower, boston

Prudential Tower: We climbed to the top!

The Prudential skyscraper in Boston may be tall, but it’s no Mount Washington. That’s what I discovered this past weekend, when my husband, two boys, and I joined the ClimbAmerica race up 50 flights of stairs to the top of the building.

When I first heard about the race, I imagined a winter version of a family-friendly 5K. Our family doesn’t “do” cold. We don’t ski and we rarely ice skate or sled. We certainly don’t run in the frigid temps. But we like to stay active. So we joined ClimbAmerica, all four of us, as Team Watts. Read the full article »

, , , , Beyond Traditional Fitness, Family Fitness
January 31, 2013Permalink 4 Comments

New Use for Old Race Numbers

Race number bagRunners and triathletes: Ever wondered what to do with all your old race numbers and tee-shirts? Try this – Give them new life as a usable, water-resistant bag.

Last year I finished two triathlons and six road races – eight race numbers total, which (what luck!) was the exact quantity needed to make the “half marathon bag” (above) through Races R My Bag (racesrmybag.com). (I also competed in two swim races, but no race numbers for those. Oh, well.) Read the full article »

, , Competition
January 26, 2013Permalink 5 Comments

Sweet Temptation

muffins, doughnuts, and sticky buns

Doughnuts, muffins, and bagels sprawl the full width of the office kitchen table – seductive in their sweet, cloying radiance. “Come close,” they beckon. “Have one.”

I stare back, unable to avert my gaze. “It’s OK,” they breathe. “You’ve earned it.” I contemplate their proposition.

The pumpkin muffin proves particularly flirtatious. Its powdered sugar topping only slightly veils the rich, muffiny mass below. “Pumpkin,” it insists. “Healthy, hearty pumpkin.” But I recognize the trap. I know – 600 calories and a half-day supply of saturated fat lurk surreptitiously inside. Pure dessert parading as breakfast. It’s indecent. Read the full article »

, , Everyday Fitness
January 18, 2013Permalink 3 Comments