This is a photo of a caterpillar woman celebrating, or at least I think so.

Need a reward?  One that isn’t super pricey and has no calories?  Here’s a list:

1.     Get the car washed.  By someone else.  Maybe even a spiffy smell.

2.     Pedicure.

3.    A book in your favorite guilty-pleasure genre.

4.     New crazy socks.

5.     That song you can’t get out of your head, the one that makes you dance in the kitchen.

6.    A stroll by the beach.  Bring that special someone for bonus points.

7.     One session of a new class, whether it is yoga or climbing or tai chi or spin.  Something that opens your brain and your body.

8.     A puzzle.  Jigsaw, Sudoku, crossword, whatever keeps your monkey mind off the cookies.

9.     Something that smells good, whether that is lotion or perfume or shampoo or even new laundry soap.

10. A long chat with a friend.  Call someone far away or meet someone close by to catch up for real.

11.  Make something.  Take a photo, draw a picture, build a birdhouse.  Learn macramé or origami.

Not Set in Stone, Unlike This Petroglyph That Looks Like a Mutant Butterfly

Sometimes, like Thomas Edison, we figure out what doesn’t work before we figure out what does.  The basics of fitness are simple:  move more, eat less, keep breathing, repeat.  How they apply to each of us in our individual circumstances with our own special chemistry is more complicated.

As I mentioned a while back, I was considering trying the Bulletproof approach to food.  I had two reasons.  One was that I thought it would be something my husband could stick with, given that one of the basic premises is that meat is a Good Thing.  The other was that I thought it might help me with my inflammation issues.

One out of two isn’t bad.  It works great for Brent.  He lost weight and feels good.  He is ready to keep on with the program.

Me, not so much.  I lost some weight, yes, but I felt horrible.  I was tired and stupid and irritable (yes, more than usual!!!).  So I learned something that doesn’t work for me and I can move along to try something else.

Part of experimenting is being willing to say that something isn’t working.  That’s good.  That’s important.  And trying the next thing is just as important.  Up from here!

Social Support for Behavior Change (An Informative, If Not Sexy, Title)

We all know that our friends help us out when we want to change our behavior.  The support of friends can make the difference between success and failure.  Support comes in four flavors and we may not be able to find all of them in one person.

Perhaps the most obvious form of support is emotional support.  People who give us this kind cheer us on.  They listen when we complain about eating kale (again) or celebrate with a nice sparkling water when we report we lost that stubborn five pounds.

Then there are the people who give us instrumental support.  No, not by accompanying us on the piano while we work out.  These are the people who drive us to the gym or lend us a yoga mat or give us weights for Christmas.

Other people help us out by giving informational support.  This is a sneaky category because it sometimes hides people who are not all that supportive.  They provide “helpful” advice that tears us down.  Real informational support comes from knowledgeable people who really want what is best for you.  Think nutritionists, trainers, doctors, and knowledgeable friends.

Finally, some people give appraisal support.  These are the folks who give you feedback.  They say things like, “You’re almost there!” or “You skipped the fries!  Good on you!”

We need all those kinds of support.  Who’s on your team?

Monday Workout: What we learned last week

So last week while we were celebrating Christmas, I realized we all need to work a bit more on our renegade rows, so they are back this week.  And a little more balance work on the single leg squats plus a helping of round lunges (lunge front, lunge side, lunge back, repeat) would not hurt.  The battle ropes are the fun part!  Four rounds.

1 min cardio
single leg squats	10/side
battle rope alternating slams	20
ball flies	20
renegade rows	10
battle rope double slams	20
round lunges	5/side

Friday Book Report: Acts of Meaning

I work on the mind-body continuum, with an emphasis, of course, on the body side.  However, neglecting the mind entirely causes many body problems.  It is from this perspective that Jerome Bruner’s book Acts of Meaning applies to fitness.

The book explores psychology by positing that what minds do is construct meaning.  We don’t do this all alone, but socially and culturally.  The implications of this in language, story, cognitive science, and community fascinate me.

The book was entirely worth it just to learn about Roger Barker’s assertion of social rule:  “As Barker put it, when people go into the post office, they behave ‘post office.’” (p. 48).  I also enjoyed the exploration of the distributed self, the emergence of meaning with language in children, and the conception of autobiography as justificatory dialogue.

In all, the book felt like falling into a great conversation with someone with an intense intelligence and wide-ranging interest.  Much to think about here.

Get on the upward spiral!

Today in Shameless Self-Promotion, I would like to remind everyone (as if it wasn’t obvious) that I have finished my Behavior Change specialization.  Not only that, but I have used my new skills to help a client set some good goals AND MEET THEM.

She lost ten pounds and at least an inch in every measurement over a one-month period.  Her body fat percentage is down and her clothes are looser.

We chose her goals based on how ready she was to make the changes.  Then we tracked progress.

Want to be next?

Signs...

This sign is posted outside the library in Fallon, NV, where my kid works.  I am one of those people who read signs and apply them in ways the writers probably did not intend.  “End Roadwork” is a call to action, right?  And “Always Open” is about spiritual practice, clearly.

Let’s not loiter aimlessly through life.  Let’s get on with the business of living and Do Stuff, whether it is a workout or a professional accomplishment or a study or an art project.  We are our own police; let’s catch ourselves doing good things.