You Don't Have to Be Great to Start But You Have to Start to Be Great

Here's something the big exercise and fitness companies don't want you to know. They aren't making videos for beginners. Okay -- REAL beginners.

Well, ever notice how almost all the people in the exercise videos are in great shape.  Yes I know that is to motivate you, but you don't usually see the people who are uncoordinated, overweight or aerobically challenged.  They have to exercise too right?

As consumers, we don't get to see the people first trying those videos. The ones falling over, having to take breaks or stop all together when they are first starting out. There's a good reason for that too. People would think it's too difficult. Couldn't the fitness companies put them at the end as a blooper reel - just to show the that even paid fitness people lose their balance or fall too. Not to be mean just to show they mess up sometimes too. ;-)

The fact is not everyone can physically do aerobics for 45-50 minutes, or even 20-30 minutes. Not everyone can do a burpee, a pull-up, or squat. Those of us who try new videos and exercise programs occasionally fall, sometimes we can't make it through the entire workout, and yes we even fake our way through till we can actually do it right.

The truth is we are all built different and have different limitations. Whether you have knee problems, a hurt shoulder, are recovering from child birth or just haven't worked out in a long time.

Don't let your limitations be an excuse!

There are still lots you can do to get in shape. It will take time. It will make you sweat. It will be worth it in the end.

Here are a few *free* truly beginner workouts that you can do from the comfort of your own home.
JessicaSmithTV.com - 30 minute beginner workout
Sparkpeople - Coach Nicole's 11 seated workout for those with limited mobility
HASfit - 10 minute seated exercise
Beginning Yoga for Dummies - Great 10 minute videos teaching and showing you how to do common Yoga poses

Don't like videos. Not a problem.

* Go for a walk
* Go up and down your stairs
* Dance to the radio
* Here are 101 more ways to exercise without going to a gym.

Just get moving at your own pace. At your skill level and ability. Do what you can and then do a little more each day.

Always check with your doctor prior to starting any exercise program to be sure you are healthy enough for it.

How to Make It Through the Winter and Still Have Fun

On a day when it's cold and snowy I'm dreaming of Spring. Warmer weather and planting my garden sounds wonderful right now.

Unfortunately, Spring is still a couple weeks away.

Here are a couple things you can do to get through the somewhat lonely, isolating winter months for those in cold weather areas.

1. Get Outside
I know it's cold and possibly snowy, but get outside. Breathe in fresh air. Get some sun. Even if it's only to run to the mailbox or to a store.

2. Read a Good Book
If you can't get out because of the weather - escape into a great book. Curl up with a blanket, a cup of hot chocolate or coffee and get engrossed in a wonderful story.

3. Get Some Exercise
Many people pack on the pounds during the winter months, but there are plenty of things you can do to stay fit while remaining inside.  There are tons of dance, exercise, and sporting games on a variety of gaming systems. We love Just Dance and Wii Fit.

You don't need a gaming system to get fit, you can do yoga, Tai Chi, calisthenics (sit-ups, push-ups, jump rope, etc.), weight lifting or any number of exercise videos online.

4. Find a Hobby, Craft, or Project
Distract yourself by getting involved in a hobby or starting a craft or project. Find something you truly enjoy. Something like crochet, knitting, quilting, photography, scrapbooking, etc. Here is a link to a ton of hobbies in case you need suggestions.

5. Get Together With Friends and Family
Being around different people can really help lighten the mood. Let's face it being stuck with the same people can try everyone's nerves. Hosting a dinner party or movie night can be a great time for all. It can give you something to look forward to and lots to talk about after, as well.

So basically, get out, get moving, get around other people and start doing stuff. Keep busy and have fun!

Plus remember...

57 days until Spring

Week #9 on Weight Watchers 360

It is week #9 on Weight Watchers 360° and I lost 1.2 pounds. I had fun this week. I started exercising.

Since I started to exercise on a regular basis I've noticed I have lots more energy and a more positive attitude. Plus, I wanted everyone to realize that exercise can actually be fun. Really!

When most people think of exercise they automatically assume it means going to a gym. I want to mention a couple ways you can exercise that don't involve going to a gym. Hopefully you will find something that you enjoy.

Walking
This is the easiest, cheapest and most convenient way to exercise. There is no special equipment necessary - all you need are a pair of regular sneakers. It can be done almost anywhere anytime. Lots of people walk during their lunch break, first thing in the morning or after their dinner in the evening.

You can make it even more enjoyable by listening to a mp3 player with your favorite songs.  Just try picking songs that have a good beat to walk to.

Walking is also a great way to clear your head at the end of a long, stressful day. You can also make it a family event by taking the whole family along with you.

Video Games
There are loads of video games to choose from Just Dance, Dance Central, Wii Fit, AE Sports Active 2, Biggest Loser Workout, Zumba and more.  Depending on what you enjoy doing, sports, dance, yoga or old fashioned exercises, there are a couple games to chose from for each gaming system.

These are great for the person who do not want to exercise in front of others or cannot get out for whatever reason (ex. caring for kids, no vehicle).

My absolute favorite is Just Dance 4. My daughter and I compete to see who can get the highest score. I also like Wii Fit Plus' yoga, snowball game, rhythm parade, and ski jump.


Swimming
This is probably the easiest activity if you are concerned about your joints. If you have a pool at home or a community pool this is a great option. However, you will need to find another exercise for winter months if your pool is outside.


Dancing
This is my favorite type of exercise. Simply turn on your favorite type of music and start moving. If you start to get tired switch to marching in place or stepping side to side. Get that heart pumping.

Basically find an exercise you like and then do it everyday. Shoot for 30 minutes or more each day. Work up to it if you have to. You should start to feel more energetic in no time and of course you can track your activity points on Weight Watchers Online.

* This post is sponsored by Weight Watchers.com, but ALL opinions are completely mine and 100% honest. These are my actual experiences and feelings about following Weight Watchers 360° online program.

**  People following the Weight Watchers plan can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week.
 

Freebies on Friday - May 10, 2013

TGIF! To start the weekend off on a thrifty note I'm sending out my usual Freebies on Friday post.

This week I've included 4 ebooks and 3 samples by mail. I hope you enjoy them and have a wonderful weekend.

Upcycling 101: How To Recycle Your Household Trash, Old Items, and More


110 Ideas to Keep Kids Busy Without Technology


Wake Up! You're Probably Never Going to Look Like That: How to be Happier, Healthier and Imperfectly Fit


Decluttering Your Home; The Easy Way: The Complete guide on Decluttering, Get Tips On Organizing And Bringing Order Back To Your Home



Samples
Jelly Kidz - Jelly Bean Vitamin Sample
Garnier Fructis Fall Fight Shampoo and Conditioner
Free Pepsi Next

* Please note the ebook links are affiliate links but at the time of this publication all the books were listed as free on Amazon.com. All the remaining links are not-affiliate links and I am not compensated for sending people to any of them.

How Moms Can Deal With Sleep Deprevation

Every mom knows what it's like when your child has been up most of the night. A baby with colic, a toddler teething or even an older child with a fever or ear infection. It happens to all of us.

So what do you do the next day after a night of almost no sleep?

Give Yourself a Break
First and foremost give yourself a break. Take the day off. Even stay at home moms need to take the next day off. Take it easy. Leave the dishes soaking in the sink. Forget the laundry for one day.  Don't worry about cleaning. It will all be there tomorrow.

Nap With Your Child Naps
I always advise new moms to sleep when their babies do. Your health depends on sleep. Without sleep you can become irritable, less able to focus, forgetful, and, in extreme cases, you run the risk of falling asleep at the wheel or another time that could cause harm to your baby, yourself and possibly others.

Seek Help
First off you and your spouse or partner could take turns getting up with the child. It makes no sense to have both parents sleep deprived. If that is not possible, ask a family member or friend to come help watch your child while you get some sleep. If you are a new mom this is especially important because your situation isn't going to stop in a day or two like a child who is just ill. You need to get caught up on your sleep.

Eat Well/Stay Fit
Make sure you eat a well balanced diet. If you aren't hungry just eat a smaller amount. Moms need to keep healthy so they can care for their family. A sick mom has no energy to care for their family or themselves. So take the baby for a gentle stroll through the neighborhood and show him or her off to everyone. If your child is sick do a couple simple stretches or turn on some music and slow dance holding your child.

Sleep is very important to your health and the health of your family. We've all been through sleepless nights with our kids, but sleep deprivation can cause all kinds of problems. You can help avoid problems by napping with your child, getting help from family members and friends and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and most importantly taking it easy.

Still Can't Afford Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem

I did a post a while back about not being able to afford Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem. Read it here.

I just want to say that back in 2010 I broke down and actually signed up for Weight Watchers.com.  I followed their online version faithfully for almost a year. I actually did very well and lost almost 60lb by following their recommended point values. Then with only 5 lbs to go they changed their system to points plus and didn't want to learn a whole new diet plan. The old one worked so well for me. The new plan just didn't work for me so I quit. Not to mention I couldn't keep paying every month for the rest of my life.

I've since got an iPhone and found a wonderful app called "Lose It". It is a f*re-e app and has a lot of the same features as Weight Watchers Online. I love it. I can log my food each day and it even deducts calories burned through exercise. The really neat feature is if the food isn't listed in their database you can scan the bar code and all the info is automatically entered. It's great.

It also works on the iPod touch and iPad. It's available on the iTunes site for download or you can access site online at www.LoseIt.com. They have a basic no charge version and a paid version that offers more features.

I still believe that Sparkpeople is a great site. They also have an app for the iPhone but it costs $3.99. They offer lots of great resources on their website at no charge or monthly fees. Their site has more interaction between other users than LoseIt's free version does.

The holidays are fast approaching and so is New Years in case you are considering weight loss as a Resolution this year.

Please feel free to share your experiences with these sites.

4 Ways to De-Stress and Sleep Better

Almost everyone knows the benefits of a good night's sleep. Increased energy. Ability to think clearly. These are just two of the many health benefits available, yet far too many people get less than 7 hours of sleep a night. They are constantly stressed - worrying about jobs, money, relationships and more.

Here are a four simple ways to de-stress and get a better night's sleep, and they don't cost a fortune.

Journaling
One of the easiest things you can do is to keep a journal. Now don't feel intimidated this is actually super easy. Get yourself a notebook. It can be a cheap spiral notebook or a fancy leather journal. They both work the same. Write one paragraph or an entire page or more. It's up to you. In your journal write everything that happened in the world and your life specifically that influenced you that day. All your happy times, stressful moments, and worries - everything good and bad. I call this "downloading" or "dumping" everything that is running through your mind. Once you write it down forget about it.

List Making
Have you ever tried to go to sleep, but could get your mind to shut off? Well, the second thing to do is keep a written to-do list. Before you go to bed each night list everything you want to do tomorrow or didn't get done today. This can get all things off your mind plus you'll be less likely to forget something.

Turn off the Electronics
Today's society stresses the importance of being connected all the time and getting as much done as possible. So many of us are glued to our cell phones almost 24 hours a day. Plus, there are those who stay online late into the night just surfing with no real reason.

Disconnecting is another great way to de-stress. Turn off your cell phone, internet and tv for a day or even a couple hours. Take that time to relax, go for a walk, or read a book. Do something you enjoy doing. Seriously, the world isn't going to stop just because you turned off your cell phone. People survived for thousands of years without a cell phone and you can certainly survive a couple hours.

Exercise
Perhaps the most beneficial way to de-stress and sleep better would be to exercise. By getting some moderate exercise throughout the day you will improve your health. Plus it is proven that people who exercise regularly report fewer instances of sleeplessness and it is been shown to reduce stress.

These are just a few ways to help improve the quality of your sleep and help you get over the stress in your life. Start living a healthier and more relaxed lifestyle today.
Kimberly Shavatt runs http://www.HelpingMomsAtHome.com and http://kimshavatt.blogspot.com. She shares lots of helpful hints and tips to help you save time, save money and save your sanity.

HMAH Tip #15 Save Money Ditch the Gym

I may get a lot of "boo"s from the gyms throughtout the world, but my next tip could save you a bunch of money. Ditch your gym! I'm not saying to ditch exercising--just the gym.

Gym memberships generally run $19.95 a month or about $240 a year. Think of all the ways you could use that $240. Now I'm sure you can come up with a bunch of reasons to keep going to the gym like emotional support, variety, etc.

There have been plenty of ways you can get your exercise that do not require going to a gym. Here are a few examples just to name a few:

• Walking
• Jogging
• Aerobics
• Exercise videos
• Kick boxing

As for emotional support, this is easy, get an exercise buddy or go online and sign up for a support group. An awesome support group online is http://www.Sparkpeople.com. Best of all, it's fr*ee. They offer forums so you can talk with others anytime day or night. There is an online or printable food diary to keep track of calories, fat grams, carbs, etc. Sparkpeople also offers an exercise log with tons of pictures and directions on how to execute the exercises correctly.

Some people will complain about lack of variety. There are tons of different things you can do in addition to the ones listed above to stay active. You can take up basketball, dancing, yoga, tai chi, tennis, racket ball, golf, or a number of any other activities.

The great thing about working out at home is most exercises are free or very low cost with no equipment required. Also, you don't need to drive your car to the gym and back wasting time and gas just to get there.

Really consider dropping your gym membership if you want to save some money. Find new and exciting ways to get your exercise each day.

Don't just take my word for it here are links supporting exercises that could be done at home:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/11/02/the-health-benefits-of-dancing----including-specific-benefits-of-different-dances.htm
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/beginnersguide/yogabenefits.asp
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aerobic-exercise/EP00002

HMAH Tip #9 One More Awesome Use for Calendar

Here is one final use for your calendar/day planner. I promise :)

Now, Organize Your Medical Life!

Use your day planner to get your health life in order, by using it as a food diary, exercise log or medical journal. Since you will access your planner each day to keep track of appointments already, this is the perfect place to note all the other pertinent information regarding your health.

Whether you are on a diet or not, your calendar is the perfect place to record your food diary. Make sure to include your daily calorie, carbohydrate, fiber and sodium intake. Keeping a food diary could help you and your doctors figure out food allergies, causes for headaches, and any other medical problems that could possibly arise.

Write down what exercises you've done and for how long. Regardless of which exercise you do. Right down the time of day and how many minutes. Include how easy the workout was, for example were you nearly breaking a sweat or working your bottom off.

Another major benefit of using a day planner or calendar is having a place to keep track of your medical statistics. This is key for those people with diabetes or high blood pressure. Each time you test your sugar or take your pressure, write it down in your calendar.

There are so many benefits to keeping healthy and using a planner or calendar of any kind is an easy tool to use to help maintain those benefits.

Beginners Get Fit With Wii Fit

Copyright 2009 Kimberly Shavatt

With 2/3 of Americans considered obese, the Wii Fit is an excellent tool to get people moving. It is perfect for people just starting an exercise regime, embarrassed to attend weekly meetings, or too busy to go to the gym a couple times a week.

It's Fun
First of all, the Wii Fit is fun. Seriously, try not to laugh when your Mii (your character) is getting hit in the head with a stuffed panda head or soccer shoe. Plus, when was the last time you saw your Aunt Sue hula hoop? What about your kids trying to balance on one foot without falling?

Makes You Sweat
You may be thinking, "Can I really get a decent workout with a video game?". Well the answer is yes! You get easily break a sweat while hula hooping for 3 minutes straight or jogging around on the Wii Fit Island. There is also boxing and step aerobics mini games.

Easy to Use
It is easy to use at any age. Whether your 5 or 75. The game records your weight, BMI, tracks how many minutes you've been training, when you worked out last, and even provides motivational tips. There are easy to follow demos or directions for every game. All you need to do is pick and chose which mini games you want to try.

Variety of Games
All games help improve your balance, flexibility and strength - something almost every American could improve on. There are yoga moves, strength training, aerobics, and balance games. Almost anything you could do in a gym you can do on your Wii Fit including boxing, step aerobics, jogging, yoga, and lots, lots more.

Better than a Gym
The absolutely best reason Wii Fit is perfect for beginners is you can use it in the privacy of your own home. No need to pay for expensive gym memberships and then drive there a couple times a week. You don't have to feel self-conscience working out in front of others. There's no big, bulky equipment to buy. Plus, no meetings with embarrassing weigh-ins.

Wii Fit has all the elements to get you started with an exercise regime. It will make you sweat and get your heart pumping. It has a variety of games to choose from, so you won't lose interest fast. You won't need to travel to a gym or pay those pricey monthly dues because it can be done in the comfort of your home. Best of all, it's fun and easy to use.

Make Exercise Fun

Who says exercise has to be boring and painful? Just look at kids -- they run around chasing each other, climbing on things, spinning and dancing, and riding their bikes. They don't know that all those activities are considered exercise by adults.

As adults we just need to find an activity we enjoy and then do it. Don't think about all the requirements doctors say we should do, like 30 minutes 5 times a week. Just think of it as "scheduled playtime" or recess. Besides it's a wonderful stress reliever and who couldn't use that nowadays!

One of the easiest activities to do is walking. It doesn't require any exercise equipment and can be done almost anywhere. If you're neighborhood isn't very safe - go to a mall, a nice community or get a walking buddy. One thing that gets me moving is music, so I break out my mp3 player and start walking. The time really does fly by when you're listening to music you enjoy.

If walking is not your thing, do something you enjoy that gets you moving. Whether it be dancing, soccer, running, jogging, swimming, basketball or golf.

Break out your inner child and have fun. Exercise can be enjoyable - just give it a try!

* Note always check with your physician before you start any exercise program.

Can't Afford NutriSystem or Weight Watchers?

Well I sure can't!   We've all seen the commercials and thought I'd love to look like that person. But, the cost of NutriSystem is about $10 a day and Weight Watchers is approximately $10-$13 a week. I'm trying to lose weight off my body not out of my wallet. I understand these companies are trying to help people, but some people like me) simply cannot afford them.

Don't get me wrong I've used Weight Watchers and had amazing success. Back in 2010 I used Weight Watchers Online to lose over 50 lb, but after a year on the program I couldn't afford to continue. I had to stop the program when I was just 5 pounds short of my goal. So I am not saying not to use Weight Watchers or NutriSystem, but if you cannot financially afford to - try the options below.

I've searched the web for help and these are a couple options I found.

Sparkpeople.com
They offer all the best of Weight Watchers Online and Ediets.com but for free. Yes actually FREE. Registration is free and they don't try to sell food or nutritional supplements. Sparkpeople.com gives you access to a daily/weekly food dairy and exercise log, great recipes, lots of support via online forums, articles, exercise suggestions and all of it is printable. It will keep track of your progress for you and even offer suggestions. All this plus no meetings or embarrassing weigh-ins. It can be done from the privacy of your own home at your convenience. * Note they do charge a fee for the mobile app but online is free.

LoseIt.com
This is an app that is free for iPhones, iPad, iPod, Android devices and even online. It works the same as Weight Watchers Mobile App. The difference is there are no point values for the food and activities to figure out only calories. I love the fact that it is on my phone and I can access the information from anywhere. I can check the calorie count of any food, or see how many calories I have left for the remainder of the day.

MyFitnessPal.com
This is another wonderful app for your phone or online. This one has a huge database of foods and activity information. That means less you will have to enter yourself which comes in handy when you are out and about. Though I found this one not as user friendly - sometimes you need to hunt for stuff you are looking for (ex. settings, change goals, etc.)

These are three applications/programs that are offered fre*e of charge and each are slightly different. What works for one person may not work for another - so check out all three and see which one works best for you.