“An hour a day keeps the crazy away.”

I like this saying better than the apple/doctor version.

I recently returned from a trip with my boyfriend who said “I’ve never worked out every day on a vacation in my life”.  His daily vaca workout wasn’t totally done on his own volition seeing as I kicked him out of the room every morning so I could do my Pure Barre thing (I didn’t think squeezing my seat and thighs while holding on the mini-bar, bathroom sink and balcony railing in front of him in the 400sf room was the best decision).   However, he did say how good he felt when we returned and that it was the first time he didn’t gain weight while on vacation.

I may be wired a bit differently- I wake up in the mornings and can’t wait to workout, vacation or not.  Having more time while on vacation to get in a good workout and not feel pressured to get to the next thing is heavenly.   The endorphin rush and mind-clearing just an hour of physical activity a day brings is my motivation personally, and for the protection of others.   I think that “an hour of exercise a day keeps the crazy away” and that is good for all parties involved!

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I’m a new mom of a black lab puppy (and a very handsome one if I do say so myself).  On our first trip to Petco we were approached by a dog food rep that said “our food will decrease the amount your dog goes to the bathroom by 40% and stunt his shedding”.

I shoved the flyer in my pocket as I thought to myself- I’m never buying this food….I bought a lab puppy who’s parents were each 80 lb shedders and I was well aware that the dog would be going to the bathroom quite a bit.

You may be asking how this relates to health and fitness but it made me start to think “you are what you are.”  If your genetics resemble J. Lo, no matter how hard you workout and eat the right stuff, you are not going to look like Kate Moss…it’s just not in your cards. The thing to do is make the best of what you were given and be happy with what you’ve got.

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There is a strange thing that goes on universally, but especially here in Los Angeles.  It seems as though many people are constantly searching for the next best thing.  Whether it’s a younger, hotter girlfriend/boyfriend, a better house, a fancier car, or a size smaller jeans—it’s always something.

A friend of mine who is a Los Angeles native summarizes this phenomenon as the “BBD”- the Bigger Better Deal.  I’m absolutely an advocate for not being complacent in life and  constantly evolving, but there is a difference between striving to be better and living for the BBD.  In the end, the BBD  may leave you with smaller jeans, but it will also leave you UUE- unfulfilled, unhappy and exhausted.

My remedy: cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Be thankful for everything you have right now. Enjoy the little things and don’t worry about the BBD.

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I’m a list person. I can make a list for pretty much anything; chores, groceries, people to call back, you name it. So making my list of New Year’s resolutions is a natural undertaking for me.  In fact, it has become an annual tradition. I can’t remember a year when I didn’t make a list of New Year’s resolutions, or multiple lists for that matter.  Sometimes I keep them, sometimes I don’t. I guess that’s the way it goes when it comes to resolutions.

What I’ve realized in my years of lists is that resolutions are about change, but true resolutions are about persistence. Real change happens in small persistent steps more often than in big dramatic ones. So this year, for the first time, I’ve decided not to make a list. No grandiose promises or unrealistic expectations. Instead, I’m just going to resolve to continue doing what I’m doing –  trying my best, messing up, recovering, evolving and enjoying the ride along the way. This way I can make small changes to improve myself without worrying about crossing big changes off my list.

Happy 2010 everyone.

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I was staring at a Frontier Airlines airplane the other day and on the tail there was a bunny with Frontier’s slogan “a whole different animal.”  I like Frontier’s thinking. Being creative rather than competitive has always been my approach to everything in life. Whether it’s a concept you have, how you implement something at work or how you structure your workouts- it’s best not to look around at what everyone else is doing. Be creative and the only one you should be competing with is you.

Keep this in mind the next time you hit the gym. Don’t just jump on a treadmill and try to keep up with the freak of nature next to you doing their 45^th minute at 10 MPH. Be creative in your thinking. Try new exercises, new classes, new rituals. Mix it up. Your fitness routine should be anything but routine. It should be new, exciting, and innovative. This approach will make your gym experience so much more rewarding, you’ll think it is a whole different animal all together.

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