Power Hour

As you may have noticed, my blog has had quite a makeover. While Amanda (me) is still a caffeinated panda at heart, she’s also a fitness fanatic and personal trainer. There will still be plenty of posts about things going on in DC and my ongoing quarter-life crises adventures, but now you can look forward to even more posts on wellness, health, and fitness.

With my blog makeover, I wanted to get back to the basics. If we aren’t feeling healthy and well, then we can’t fully enjoy everything life has to offer. Mental, emotional, and physical well-being are important pillars we need to stand on, but they’re not always easy to find or maintain. We’re all on a journey of some sort. We may be looking for different things, but I think it’s fair to say that nobody wants to be unhealthy or sick. We seek wellness, health, and fitness.

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to forget to really listen to our bodies and take care of ourselves. There are deadlines to meet, groceries to buy, bills to pay. There are some days where it doesn’t feel like there are enough hours to get everything done. So when life seems hectic and out of control, I want you to try something. Take some time for yourself. Set aside one hour for yourself and your well-being. That’s only 4% of your day.

That hour is for you and only you. Maybe you go for a walk, read a book, draw a picture, or listen to music. Do whatever is going to recharge you and clear your mind. If you already do this, great! Try to do it everyday. Try to include some sort of exercise in that hour.  The other thing I recommend is to turn of technology. I’m not great at remembering to do this, but I’m trying to get better at it. Stop checking your computer or phone one hour before bedtime. Now that may seem like a tall order, but you’ll get a better night’s sleep for doing it. If you need to, start out with just 15 minutes, then 30. We all need time for our brains to gradually get ready for sleep, but in today’s world, we tend to expect things to happen instantly.

Okay, so maybe I’m asking you for two hours of your day, but that’s still only 8% of your day. If you want to be really efficient, you can set that hour to yourself one hour before bedtime and kill two birds with one stone. What I’m trying to say is: time is a valuable thing. Use it wisely, and that means using some of it to take care of yourself. After all, nobody else is going to do it for you.

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The Case for Disposable Cameras

Overworked? Over-stressed? Overwhelmed?

These words have become the new norm in our culture’s vocabulary and are how most of us describe how we feel. I recently read an article on NPR about the “New Perfectionism” that has developed in our society. It got me thinking about this unspoken pressure to do everything (and do it well) as we strive towards this unrealistic ideal of perfection.

People are super-stressed, and it’s not just from work. The internet has put a wealth of information at our fingertips, so now when we buy something, we can read 100 customer reviews to find the perfect blender. Our smartphones have millions of apps that let us do things that weren’t possible even just few years ago. And it seems like there’s always a newer version of the iPhone coming out. I just can’t keep up.

What really sums up the New Perfectionism for me is those one-time Kodak cameras. I especially loved the underwater ones. But you had to wait until you got the photos developed to see what you actually captured. Sure, some of the them were blurry, but there was something special about looking through those photos. Today, everyone with a smartphone has a camera on them at all times. Then you can delete, edit, and share that photo within a matter of seconds. Instant gratification. Instant perfection.

Sure, I think it’s important to continue to learn and grow as individuals so we can progress as a societal group. And I agree that a competitive spirit can be beneficial. But how much is too much? These days, it seems like the pressure starts building early. I certainly don’t remember having to interview to get into a top-tier preschool. I went to the preschool that was on the same block as my grandparents’ house, so it was easy for them to pick me up at the end of the day. Parents feel a lot more pressure now to start their kids on the “right track” as early as possible to get them into the best colleges and jobs down the road.

New Perfectionism and growing societal pressures are hard to avoid though. They’re around us every day. That’s why I think it’s so important that we let go every once in a while. Learn to be happy with what you have. Try new things, but don’t feel pressure to be the best at it. We can all live a little more peacefully. So, whenever you feel the need to be perfect, think about that Kodak camera.

I leave you with this quote from the NPR article:

“Information isn’t knowledge. And information that is fast and cheap, like fast, cheap food, isn’t nourishing. But it is hyper-stimulating. And so it is, really, terrifying.

The bottom line seems to be that we know too much, understand too little and we are way too scared of what we might be missing…Seen in this context, our focus on what we put in our mouths and the way we organize our family life can seem almost like a form of madness. It is a symptom. We are overwhelmed.”

FIT BIT #5

Today’s a cold and rainy day here in Washington D.C. Not the kind of weather you want to exercise in. In this situation, some of you will choose to head to the gym instead of going for a run outside, but bad weather also stops a lot of people from even setting foot outside. This fit bit is for those of you who want to stay active in the comfort of your own home. I’ve got plenty of do-at-home workouts on my Work It! Pinterest board. A lot of these workouts only require a medicine ball, a bosu ball, or just your own body weight! So the next time the weather outside is frightful, remember there are plenty of indoor workouts you’ll find delightful :)

FIT BIT #4

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’re all having a fabulous first week of 2013. This time of year, tons of people are making promises to themselves to lose weight, tone up, and invest in their health. But it’s not easy to stick to these commitments. Here’s some advice on how to make the most of your New Year’s resolutions:

• The first few weeks are the make-or-break point . It’s really important to plan out your first month when establishing a new habit. That way, you’ll have a better chance of sticking with it.
• Take advantage of technology. There are plenty of smartphone apps available to help you keep track of your goals and make planning even easier.
• Seek what inspires you. Whether it’s a movie quote or a story of triumph, find something that makes you want to get up and do something!
• Use concrete goals and deadlines. A number, a date, or a planned 5k reminds you to set check-ins with yourself along the way.
• Buddy up! It’s easier to stick with your resolution if you find other people working towards a similar goal. Team up with friends and family to make your new habits more social experience.

Give Me a Break!

As I sat down for lunch today, I started thinking about how to better plan out my days and use my breaks most efficiently. We live in a society that seeks and rewards efficiency. There’s always a new kitchen gadget that prepares our food faster or new technology that stores thousands of e-books for us to read in one device. Basically, we want to do everything and we want it already done.

The thing we often forget is that getting down-time is equally as important. If you’re go-go-go all the time, eventually you’re going to burn out. This got me thinking about time management, and how to find a balance between getting stuff done and getting some rest. Time management is never something that’s done, complete, or perfect by any means. But I wanted to think about ways to get more me time, given there’s only 24 hours in a day!

Lunch Breaks

Have you ever eaten at your desk while continuing to do work? It’s the worst! But a lot of workers feel pressure to be working all the time, whether it’s a message from management or from themselves. Be sure to check your employee handbook to see exactly how much time you have for lunch (and check out if you are allowed other break-time). A lot of workplaces allow the freedom for people to take longer breaks if they add that time to the beginning or the end of the day. This is great for people that want to use their break to run errands or do a quick workout.

My office gives 30 minutes for lunch and I try to get out at least once a day for a 10 minute walk (twice if my schedule permits). If the weather’s nice, I go to a park to eat my lunch. I use my shorter breaks to walk, get my body moving, and clear my head. It’s clear that sitting in an office all day sucks. So when you do get those breaks, don’t think about work!

Happy Hour

After a long week of work, you and your friends want to drink your feelings and bitch about work. I get it. I do it too, but your health and your wallet will thank you for keeping those happy hours in check.

My strategy: I allow myself one happy hour a week. This doesn’t include if I’m going over to someone’s house for drinks or a date night, although I still factor those things in my budget. The other days of the week, I’m either working with my personal training clients, exercising, running errands, or relaxing at home. I really value my down time! Spending an evening with friends is my reward for exercising and crossing off items on my to-do list during the week. And really, what could be better than good conversations and laughter?

Bedtime

This is probably what I’m worst at, as far as time management goes. I have a difficult time shutting my brain down, and that’s not a good start to getting a restful night’s sleep. What I’m trying to get better at is planning a routine an hour before I want to be in bed and drifting off to sleep. That hour is for finishing up tasks, thoughts, anything that could keep my mind racing into the night. That way, once it’s actually bedtime, my mind and body are fully ready and present. I just need to get better at reminding myself! I plan to set an alarm to get myself into this routine.

Vacation

It seems pretty self-explanatory, but plenty of people are still stressed on vacation. I’m talking about those people who overbook to try and experience as many things as they can during those days. Just because you’re away from your daily life, doesn’t mean you can’t fall right back into that routine! Remember that this time is for you, and that vacation is about rest and relaxation, not about efficiency. Remind yourself to sit back, enjoy, and let time pass without keeping your eye on the clock.

• Men’s Health: 10 Steps to a Hassle-Free Vacation
• Web MD: 4 Tips for a Less Stressful Vacation
• Care2: 5 Tips to Beat Vacation Stress
• New York Times blog: How Vacations Affect Your Happiness

Seems like everyone has tips on how to have a stress-free vacation. Whether it’s a week-long vacation or a ten minute walk during the day, how do you make time for yourself?

FIT BIT #3

It’s that time of year. You’ve got an office happy hour, a friend’s holiday party, and even more plans when you visit relatives. Spending quality time with the people in your life is a big party of the holidays, but it can also mean lots of unhealthy food and drink. This holiday season, keep your health in mind. This article from Fit Day lays out the 5 tips I try to keep in mind:

• Eat a healthy meal beforehand or munch on veggies at the party to keep full so you’re less likely to reach for cookies
• Once you get your food, distance yourself from the table
• Limit high-calorie drinks like eggnog and cocktails
• Eat/drink slowly. Learn to savor and you’ll end up consuming less
• Most importantly, make your friends and family the focus, not the food

I’ll admit, I have my off days (it’s physically impossible for me to resist the power of peppermint and chocolate). But these tips are great reminders that you can still have your favorite holiday treats, you just don’t have to have ALL of them. Happy holidays and healthy eating!

FIT BIT #2

Do you walk right past the weights and jump on a cardio machine? Well, you may want to incorporate more weight training into your routine. A recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise showed that women who did 8 reps of a challenging weight burned almost double the calories as women doing 15 reps with lighter weights. The study also found that women who did weight training burned an average of 100 more calories over the 24 hours following a workout.

Weight training doesn’t mean you have be front and center with the muscle-heads (you know who I’m talking about). Gyms usually have multiple sections for weight training, and you can do body-weight exercises like push-ups and lunges anywhere there’s a floor! Remember, you’re there for yourself, not to compare yourself to others.

The Gift of Silence

Living in a city for the past three years, I’ve come to learn the value (and rarity) of silence. I’m more appreciative of a lot of things as I get older: my parents, paying rent with money I’ve earned, learning from my failures; but I think silence is something I have always had a strong connection to. Growing up as an only (and introverted) child, silence was part of daily life. Silence balanced out the noises in my life:  from kids on the playground to the blaring television at my grandparent’s house. Coloring by myself or making up stories about my stuffed animals was an every day occurrence. Little did I know that this silent alone time would eventually become a source of healing.

Silence serves so many purposes. It gives your ears a break from noise pollution. It gives your mind a chance to absorb and retain information. It helps you listen to your body. It gives you an opportunity to reflect on the day. It helps you stay in the present moment. It refocuses you when you’re feeling frazzled and stressed. The whole objective of silence is to reach a clearer more peaceful state of mind. A peaceful state of mind a truly a luxury. Just ask any parent. Despite city living, I’ve been able to find ways to incorporate silence into my life, including meditation. There’s a part at the end of every Jungshin Fitness class I instruct that focuses on meditative stretching (also, stretching: another thing everyone should do more often). No matter how stressful or noisy my day has been, those few minutes of silence really does wonders.

I find that, too often, people don’t allot enough (or any!) time for silence in their lives. They’re always on: whether it be on a computer, on a phone, or in a noisy place. I’m guilty of this too, but once you allow yourself a few minutes of silence, you’ll see how valuable yet simple it is. So this holiday season, set aside some time for silence. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.

FIT BIT

As a personal trainer and fitness enthusiast, I keep my eye out for the latest tips on staying healthy, happy, and fit. That’s why I’ll be posting a weekly FIT BIT to keep you informed on helpful tips to live a more healthy life. I’ll also be posting even more tips on my FIT BIT Pinterest board, so be sure to check that out as well.

Research shows that as little as 30 minutes of exercise a day is enough to help overweight adults lose weight or to keep you from gaining those extra pounds. 30 minutes is only 2% of your day. I get my minimum exercise by biking to work and taking a break to walk everyday. Make 30 minutes of activity a daily habit and your body will thank you later.

The Importance of Failure

I’ve pondered a lot (in my head and on my blog) about what it means to be an adult. Is it solely based on age, or when you can’t communicate before you’ve had your first cup of coffee, or when you suddenly realize that summer isn’t a three-month-long vacation any more? Whatever the equation is for adulthood, I think at least part of it has to do with acknowledging and/or overcoming your fears. I started thinking about fears as I was reading Ellen DeGeneres’ latest book, Seriously…I’m Kidding, and she began to talk about taking risks. One quote in particular is still stuck in my head from last night’s reading:

“When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.”

On a similar note, another book my dad lent me (that I really should finish now that I think about it) talks about how as a society, we praise success and look down upon failure. We no longer give credit for trying, only trying that results in success. It’s ingrained in us that we should be good at everything we do. But how can we know we’re good at something unless we try? As Ellen points out, both success and failure are important. You can’t have one without the other, or at least, you can’t fully appreciate success without having failed first. If everyone was afraid to try something new or different for fear of failure, we’d never get past crawling and eating mashed carrots. We’d never have chocolate-covered pretzels!

So I started to think about my fears and anxieties, and how they came to be. After all, they had to have come from somewhere! Since I love lists, I figured I’d list things that I’m either afraid to try because they’re new/different or because I’ve “failed” at them in the past and am afraid to try again. I put “failed” in quotation marks because often times when we say that word, there are certainly worse things that could have happened. Like how “epic fail” became a way to describe unfortunate or funny occurrences  but nothing that’s actually life-ruining. It’s all relative. But it can be hard to gain perspective. To help, I gave myself a little exercise in fails-turned-into-successes:

My “failures” and anxieties:

• Not making my high school volleyball team
• Eight years of Spanish and not being able to speak it
• DC Networking events

How I deal/dealt with them:

• I refocused my energy on other sports, and I can still enjoy playing recreational volleyball
• I often use Spanglish phrases such as “Sí se puede” and “Yo soy fiesta” (thank you, Rob Gronkowski)
• I avoid them at all costs unless there’s free food or wine

What I realized after this exercise, however, is that I’m still stuck on the concept that I should only be doing things that I’m good at. Ellen also gave some good advice about how to deal with fears. She says that we shouldn’t look at the bigger fear because that will drive us away. Rather, start by taking small risks. She says eat an apple without washing it or swim only 27 minutes after eating. I know she’s being funny, but she’s right. Start small, then go from there. Perhaps being an adult is about realizing that everything takes time; that the things we avoid due to fear and anxiety are just things we can overcome if we go one step at a time.