Posted by terrepruitt on August 18, 2012
I’ve written a few posts having to do a bit with chakras. I’m still not all that familiar with chakras. I believe them to be energy points in the body. Points from which energy flows, both into/out of, to/from. I read a site that said “the area of interconnection between the body and the spirit”. I find that to be an interesting idea. There is a lot of information out there about chakras —- a lot of information! Not all of it matches up or is in agreement so I tend to look at a bunch of information and different sources and go with what I see the majority of and disregard the rest if I can’t find another source to corroborate the information. Some information claims there are seven chakras, other information claims there are more. I can see there maybe being more, but I am just focusing on learning about just seven since there is so much information out there. Most information is in agreement with a few facets of chakras. Most agree that there is a color associated with each chakra. Most information agrees that there are other things associated with each chakra; a sound, a tone, a stone, and a symbol. Some say a flower and/or a plant. Most even agree with the idea that the chakras are associated with parts of the body and/or functions of the body. But even though the information might all concur that there are all of these things associated with specific chakras, the information does not always agree with the details of the association.
I’ve seen that there is usually one color associated with a chakra. But I have seen that there are many gemstones associated with each chakra. Sometimes the gemstone will be the same as the color, but sometimes not. It could be that the stone is associated with the chakra but the different color is thought to do different things. I posted about my pendant I purchased that is made up of the different chakra healing stones. Those are not the only stones associated with the chakras.
A chakra is thought to be balanced or unbalanced. An unbalanced chakra could be either open or closed. With an unbalanced chakra the energy does not flow properly. The energy being out of whack could cause physical ailments, symptoms, or actions. In my post about the heart chakra I touched upon information that the heart chakra is associated with “the heart, the circulatory system, the entire chest area, lungs, breasts, the diaphragm, the thymus gland, the immune system, and some say the endocrine system.” The chakras are often associated with feelings and emotions. When I wrote that post I was sensing my lungs, they seemed to tickle and itch. I believe since the heart chakra is affected by grief my lungs were being affected because that was shortly after my mother-in-law died. It is even more significant that the heart chakra is located behind the sternum.
I think it is interesting to entertain the idea that there are chakras and these energy points are associated with body parts and body functions. And if you have an unbalance in a specific chakra you could have physical issues. As I was saying for me, I believe grief equaled itchy/cough lungs. One of the challenges with chakras is, as I said, there is a lot of information out there and sometimes there is such a large association it is difficult to even really believe that it is the chakra that is unbalanced and that is why there is an issue. Sometimes the list of things a chakra is associated with is just too lengthy to comprehend or the information contradicts itself. Never the less I think it is interesting and for me it is something I think about when I am having a physical symptom. I think is this a chakra imbalance manifesting itself as a physical issue. While I don’t think chakra balancing is a substitute for medical attention when needed, sometimes it is still nice to know.
With all these thoughts about chakras it reminds me that I love to use chakras as the focus in my Nia classes. I think I will us one as the focus in my next Nia class!
How do you feel about the whole chakra thing? Are you a believer? Do you know much about them?
Posted in Chakras | Tagged: balanced chakra, Chakra, chakra colors, chakra sounds, chakra stones, chakra tones, energy points, gemstone, Healing stones, heart chakra, Nia, Nia class, unbalanced chakra | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 16, 2012
Recently 30 seconds into the second song in my Nia Class, one of my students stopped dancing and started to limp away. I asked her what was up and she replied that she got a bee sting on her foot. I asked if it just happened now (during the class) because she had appeared to be moving fine during the first song — but then again, the first song in the Nia routine we were doing is basically whole foot stances. She had said it had happened over the weekend. She said that she was hoping she could dance, but the sting got too aggravated. After class one of my other students inquired as to why the student left. She had not heard the exchange between me and bee-stung person. I told her that her fellow student had been stung by a bee over the weekend but had hoped to be able to dance but could not. The inquiring student said, “Oh I wish I would have heard because she might want to try meat tenderizer.” Huh? So that started a whole conversation about her having been told to use meat tenderizer on a bee sting.
My student related the story where she and her son had been walking down the street in Palo Alto (a city in near San Fransisco) and she had been stung by a bee. She said since it happened right there on the street others had observed the incident. She said one woman offered the suggestion of putting meat tenderizertenderizer on the sting. She said the woman was a nurse. I asked my student if the meat tenderizer worked. She said it did, she said she didn’t know why, but it did.
Times like that is when I truly LOVE wireless devices that can instantly connect me to the answers to “Why?/How?” I had to look it up. WHY would MEAT TENDERIZER work on a bee sting?
The first site that came up stated that bee stings are acidic and the meat tenderizer is alkaline so it works to counteract the acidity of the sting. At the time that is all that I read. Good enough for me. Just a quick answer as to why. In researching it for this post it appears that this treatment of the symptoms of a sting is an old home remedy.
The information on the internet states to mix the meat tenderizer with water to form a paste, apply it to the stung area so that it covers the entire area, and leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes. Then wash it off and apply ice.
Some information stated that mixing the meat tenderizer with vinegar is another option.
Several sites state it is the papain in the meat tenderizer. Papain is a natural enzyme that works to break down the protein in the venom. It is suggested that a meat tenderizer without this enzyme would not work.
Some sites indicated that this remedy used to relieve the symptoms of a bee sting will work for other stings (wasp, jelly fish) and bites as well. Of course — as stated this remedy would just relieve minor symptoms of a sting. If there is a chance of an allergic reaction medical attention should be obtained.
Also . . . more stuff I learned while researching the meat tenderizer for a bee sting is that the stinger should not be removed with tweezers. I saw many instructions stating to SCRAP it out. The suggestion is to use a credit card or a metal blade. The idea is that pulling the stinger out might just cause MORE venom to be pushed into the victim and the scraping will get it all out. I would have just pulled it out with my finger nails or tweezers.
I found all of this very interesting. I know many people who have been stung by bees and they might know this information. I know many people who have not been stung by bees and they might want to know this information. I don’t actually have meat tenderizer in my pantry. I am not one that cooks meat without it having been marinated and I believe the marinades work to tenderize the meat. But if you do happen to get stung by a bee and have meat tenderizer in your pantry maybe you would like to give it a try.
Have you ever been stung by a bee? What did you do? If you get stung might you try meat tenderizer on the sting?
Posted in Helpful Hints, Misc | Tagged: acidic, alkaline, bee sting, bee sting symptoms, meat tenderizer, Nia class, Nia routing, Nia Song, San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco Bay Area Nia, stances | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 14, 2012
I had to cancel a Nia class recently. Not permanently cancel, just one Saturday class. If you know me, you know it had to be serious. While I was away I wrote the “More Foam Roller Coolness” post. A couple of days later a few things occurred to me. The first thing that occurred to me was that the progression of exercise difficulty could be totally different for everyone — depending upon where they were physically. Of course you know that but I always feel it is important to state it. I was thinking that horizontal to vertical was the more difficult progression because it was difficult for me at that time (my ankle has been getting my attention recently). But for others, maybe even most others, it would be the other way, from vertical to horizontal. Another thing I thought about that made me chuckle was the term horizontal and vertical. I didn’t describe that at all. I guess that is what I get when I am out of town because of some medical situation for my mom. I had other things on my mind and wasn’t thinking too clearly and so I didn’t think to clarify. And it did not help that my dad kept popping in the room telling me about more information he found on the internet about some of the medical procedures. Sometimes having the internet at your disposal to see medical procedures is not really all that great! So this post is to correct or remind readers that the horizontal to vertical progression, might actually be vertical to horizontal – depending upon the situation – and to explain what “horizontal” and “vertical” is.
If you were to stand with both of your feet facing front and you placed the roller on the ground so that each end was on the opposite side of your feet that is an example of the “horizontal” position. To clarify when using the roller in the horizontal position you could place it wherever it is required to be for what you are doing as long as the roller is more or less positioned with the length going from left to right (or right to left).
If you were to stand with both of your feet facing front and you placed the roller on the ground so that the length of it went along the side of your foot, that would be the “vertical” position of the foam roller. For a moment I had pictured people imagining setting the roller on its end and trying to figure out how to do exercises from there. That is what had me chuckling. So no, in this case, “vertical” does not mean stand it on its end!
Again, where you place the roller as you are going to use it depends on what exercise or stretch you are going to do, but the “horizontal” means from left to right (or right to left) and “vertical” means if you were to stand near it is would be parallel to your foot. It would also be called “vertical” when you place the foam roller on the ground and are going to lie on it with one end at your head and the other end at your tail.
Does it all make better sense now? Do you understand you don’t have to be a Cirque du Soleil acrobat to do stretches or exercise with the foam roller in a “vertical” position?
Posted in Foam Rollers | Tagged: Cirque du Soleil, Cirque du Soleil acrobat, exercise progression, Foam Roller, foam roller exercise, foam roller stretches, medical procdures, Nia, Nia class | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 11, 2012
Foam rollers really are cool, as I stated in my first post about them. In my first post I talked about how great they are to help you stretch. In my last post I mentioned that the foam roller can be used to do exercises. I mentioned that exercises can be progressed by using different surfaces and that the different sides of the halved rollers can be used too. Most exercises with the foam roller have to do with balance. A standard exercise can be done with the a foam roller requiring greater stabilization in the core. A stable core assists with balance, so using a roller adds the challenge of having to balance while doing the exercise.
One standard exercise you can do with the addition of a foam roller is a squat. One foot would be placed on a halved roller. Starting off with the roller placed horizontal would be an easier exercise than with the roller placed vertical. The vertical position would be the one that would offer the greatest challange to your balance. As mentioned in the last post you can use either sided of the halved roller, standing on the rounded side or standing on the flat side. With the rounded side on the ground the surface the roller is on makes a difference. A mat or a carpeted surface would supply more friction and allow the roller a better grip. A smooth surface would add a greater challange.
A squat ending in a one-legged stance on the roller would be another exercise. The roller position for this exercise would be horizontal with the flat side on the ground. You would do the squat and come up to standing on one leg, the leg on the roller.
One of my favorite balance/stabilization exercises is to lie on the full rounded foam roller, just as if you were going to do the stretch I wrote about in my first post. Lie with the roller along your spine from head to tail. Lift your feet off the ground so that your lower legs are parrallel to the ground and your thighs are perpendicular, in Pilates the position is called table top. The goal is to lift your arms off the ground so none of your limbs are in contact with the ground. It might take a few trys. You can use your arms to try to gain your balance. Balance on the roller. Balance as long as you can.
A great exercise for the glutes and hamstrings is the bridge. A bridge can be done with your feet on the ground but adding the roller gives it that extra added intensity. A bridge is where you lie with your back on the ground and press your hips to the sky squeezing your glutes and the back of your legs. Using the full round roller put both your feet on it. The height of the roller makes the move more intense and having to keep the roller stable and not allow it to roll make the squeeze even MORE intense. Give it a try.
These exercises can be done by anyone wanting to gain, improve, or just play with their balance. These are just a few exercises you can do with a foam roller.
Do you have a foam roller? Did you try these exercises with it?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out, Foam Rollers | Tagged: core exercises, foam roller exercises, foam roller stretches, Foam rollers, glute exercises, hamstring exercises, squats, stabiliation exercises | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 9, 2012
It has been over three years since I posted about foam rollers. I know I post a lot about Nia because I teach it, but I am surprised I have not followed up with some additional posts about foam rollers. I think they might have become more common since my last post. I have seen them in gyms now, whereas I had not seen them there before. They have moved into mainstream exercise and are not just for the more therapeutic type of movements forms. It is nice to see them being used more frequently because they are a great piece of exercise equipment. They are affordable and portable. A great combination for exercise equipment. Typically they are 4 inches or 6 inches in diameter and they are 12 to 32 inches long. They are used in their whole form – round – or cut in half length wise. The different lengths are used for different things . . . obviously. So goes for the whole round or the half round.
Since the foam roller is a great tool to use for people ranging from “new-to-exercise” to serious athletes it is nice to have a variety of them. The halved rollers can be used in the beginning of an exercise program to allow the body to be accustomed to standing on a rounded surface. The flat sides would be placed on the ground while you stand on the rounded sides. This could be used as a first step in a conditioning progression. Flipping the rollers over and using them on carpet could be used as the next step. The halved rollers flat side up on carpet. The carpet would help keep the rounded side of the rollers from being really slippery. Then the progression could be the halved rollers on a hard smooth surface. The smooth surface of the floor would provide the additional challenge. Next graduating to the long halved roller. You could start on carpet then once mastered move the roller to a smooth surface. Eventually moving on to the whole roller.
That is just an example of how the foam rollers can be used for more than just stretching. Standing on foam rollers in the aforementioned progression would be a way to improve core strength and balance. And that was just a quick and easy example. There are many things that can be added to the information above to either make it easier or more difficult and/or to lengthen the progression.
So foam rollers are not just for stretching and improving flexibility and mobility they can be used for improving strength, coordination, and balance. They are a great thing to add to an exercise program. There are a lot of different exercise you can do with them. I am not going to wait another three years to share some of them with you. I am going to be posting some in my next few posts. So stay tuned.
Have you seen foam rollers in your gym? Have you seen people do exercises with them? Do you exercise with a foam roller?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: exercise program, foam roller exercises, foam roller posts, foam roller stretches, Foam rollers, foam rollers in gyms, improve balance, improve coordination, improve core strength, improve flexibility, improve mobility, Nia, Nia Teacher | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 7, 2012
Well, Palo Alto seems to be as close to as to what I consider the South Bay as we have gotten since I have been attending Nia. I really want to have a Nia Jam in San Jose. I am going to work on that for 2013. The Nia Jam for San Francisco Bay Area Nia Association in the South Bay in 2012 was at a Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto. As I have described before, a Nia Jam is a Nia class only longer with multiple teachers. It is like a Nia class on steroids. A typical Nia class is 60 minutes, a Nia Jam is usually 90 minutes. In a Nia Jam there is a group of teachers who take turns teaching. As with all Nia classes the Nia Jam had a focus and an intent. The focus of this Nia Jam was Yin & Ying of Creative Play, with the intent of providing both a high energy experience and a quieter, more reflective experience as Nia can support either or both. I have to be honest, I didn’t get a quiet, reflective experience out of this jam. We were on fire! The energy was so high it was tangible. It was amazing!
I am so glad that the energy is always so high because I had taught my Saturday morning class in San Jose. Then I stayed at the studio and took a class, then I raced over to Palo Alto to teach at the Jam. The energy energized me!
There were six teachers who taught. It is so fun to dance and be led by a variety of teachers. It is a wonderful thing to be able to experience a song, a kata, that you know, in a different way. While usually the basics are there, there is often a little nuance that the teacher adds to the song. It could be just a sound that is not normally made, a word not usually spoken, or it could be the addition of a different step or the removal of a step, it could just be their way of cueing that makes it different. Whatever the difference it is so invigorating to do what you know a little differently. I also love doing the unknown. I don’t know all of the Nia routines and I love to get to dance katas I don’t know.
At the same time a Nia Jam is perfect for someone new to Nia because they get to dance with many different teachers and experience different styles. They also can witness the warmth of the Nia community. New participants can also enjoy the astronomical energy that is present at Nia Jams. They can also confirm that Nia students and Nia teachers do sweat as Nia is a moving grooving cardio dance exercise. They can corroborate what I have been sharing — a great workout does not have to be done extremely fast and hard it can be done with movements of the whole body.
Monday in class my students were still talking about the Nia Jam. It was THAT fun! It was THAT energizing. It was great! I know Nia is a great workout. I invite you to go to a class, one of mine (click for schedule) or one you find near you (click for worldwide listings), but I implore you to go to a Nia Jam. If there is one not far from you, go. You will enjoy it for all the reasons I mentioned above, for reasons I have not mentioned, and for reasons of your own. Nia Jams are always fun and the Nia Jam for the South Bay on the Peninsula did not disappoint!
For more pictures go to: http://www.helpyouwell.com/nia-jams.html
Posted in Nia | Tagged: cardio dance class, cardio exercise, Jewish Community Center, Nia, Nia class, Nia community, Nia experience, Nia focus, Nia in San Jose, Nia kata, Nia participants, Nia routine, Nia Song, Nia students, Nia teachers, Palo Alto Nia, pictures of Nia Jam, San Francisco Bay Area Nia Association, San Jose dance exercise, Saturday morning class, SF Bay Nia, South Bay Dance exercise, South Bay Nia Jam, who does Nia, www.HelpYouWell.com, Yin & Ying | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 4, 2012
I have a confession to make. It is one I might have even confessed before. I know I have done it before. It is easy for me to get caught up. I want to please people. I want the supervisor to know that I am working to keep the students IN the class. I want the students attending the class to like it and want to be there. When you are a substitute instructor leading a different format than is usually taught it is very different from when you are teaching a class of the expected format. Many people are taught that cardio – aerobic exercise – is extremely fast, high impact, and difficult so it is very hard to change that mindset. I was asked by someone who understands both the fact that cardio does not have to be extremely fast or high impact and that people are trained to think it is, if I could do Nia a little higher because people expect cardio to be a specific way. So caught up in wanting to give the students what they are accustomed to getting I put together a routine . . . kind of rushed . . . that didn’t have ALL the elements that a Nia class normally has. It was not good. It felt “off”. I was trying to make Nia something it is not. Nia is not Zumba. Nia is not Cardio-Sculpt. Nia is not extremely fast, rushed, and high impact. Nia is not Jazzercise. Nia is not UJAM. Nia is not all of or any of these other names that there are for classes that are fast, rushed, and high impact. Nia is an amazing practice. Nia is a great workout. Nia is a wonderful cardio dance exercise. And I need to stop trying to make it be something it is not just because people are used to cardio a specific way.
So I did a routine that didn’t feel right to me. I thought I would get up the next morning and do the same routine for the class I was asked at the last minute to sub, I was going to try to “bring it” to the students. As I was getting into bed a little agitated from the “not feeling right class”, it washed over me like a refreshing revelation . . . . DO NIA! Duh! Bring “IT”, and make that “IT” Nia. I got caught up and in my trying to bring the students what they are used to, I didn’t allow them the richness of something new. The richness of Nia.
Now, I want you to understand that the Nia Technique creates wonderful routines and all we teachers have to do is learn them and teach them. But we are also allowed to use other music, make up our own routines, mix and match the routines they have created, and make up our own katas. Of course, we need to follow the Nia class formula and the seven cycles which contain the traditional warm-up, move it, and cool-down. I also think when creating a routine/class – in general – it should be balanced; as an example not all songs/movements should be lateral ones or forward and back ones, there should be a mix of movement and the 52 Nia moves. I create routines from Nia routines all the time. So it was not the fact that I put songs together that created the not feeling right routine, it was ME. It was ME trying to make Nia something it is not.
I need to center myself. I need to stick to what I know and not try to give people the class they are used to. I KNOW Nia is amazing and awesome and does need to try to be anything it is not. I KNOW THAT. I just get caught up.
Another point I want to make is, I am not saying those other formats are bad. In fact, I like some of the other formats I have tried. One of these days I might even teach another cardio format. I am saying Nia is Nia, it is not any of the other formats and I need to remember that and let it stand on its own. I need to remember to trust Nia and allow it to touch the people it needs to touch and let the others attend the other dance classes. I need to remember that when I am asked to sub a class I am going to sub it with Nia and not try to make Nia be what that class usually is. I keep thinking to myself, “DUH!”
Thank you for letting me confess and do a public face-in-the-hand-plant!
Do you EVER do that in any section of your life – try to make something be something else even though what you have is just perfect the way it is?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 52 Nia Moves, aerobic dance class, cardio, Cardio-Sculpt, class format, dance exercise, dance format, exercise format, fast formats, high impact, Jazzercise, Nia, Nia Music, Nia Practice, Nia routine, Nia student, Nia Teacher, substitute instructor, Ujam, Zumba, Zumba routines | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 2, 2012
I learn A LOT when I teach Nia. I learn a lot when I teach anything, but since my focus now is teaching Nia, I say I learn a lot when I teach Nia. One thing I learn or I am reminded of is not everyone has taken a class that has taught them basic steps. It is like when I take a Zumba class and the teach calls out a basic Latin dance and I have no idea what she is talking about. I always laugh to myself and say, “I don’t know what the steps are to that basic Latin dance!” But then I remember my Nia training and my Nia practice and while I try to do whatever dance it is she says we are doing, I remain in Joy and just allow myself to move my body in a way that is dance to me. But not everyone has had Nia training and not everyone practices Nia so it is not as easy for them to just allow their bodies to move and not think so much. One of the tools that Nia uses to help teachers instruct the dance and to just help one dance in general is the clock. I posted about how we look at the clock in a Nia class — ok that is just me because I need the actual reference. I have posted about our step called the “Slow Clock” . This post is about the movement called the Fast Clock. The Fast Clock is one of Nia’s 52 Moves
The Fast Clock is similar to the Slow Clock in that we are stepping on the “hours” of a clock (oh, imagine that!), but with the fast clock we don’t return to center before stepping on another number/hour. So if you stand with your feet together imaging you are in the center of the clock, then step your right foot to 12 o’clock, then back to 6 o’clock (without stopping in the center) that is the fast clock. There are a lot of combinations that can be done when doing a fast clock. You could step to 12 o’clock, then 3 o’clock, then 6 o’clock, then return to center. Then your other foot could step to 12 o’clock, then 9 o’clock, then 6 o’clock, then return to center.
POP QUIZ: Which foot would step to 12 o’clock, then 3 o’clock, then 6 o’clock, then return to center? 🙂
Just the same as the Slow Clock you can actually take a step where you place the weight on the foot that is on the number/hour or you can touch or make it a tap. Sometimes you might even get fancy or really dancy and just do it in the air. But all that fancy stuff is obviously added after you learn the basic Fast Clock. As with many things, Nia does have basic steps and proper ways to execute them, then as we dance we add on to them to make them a more animated part of the dance.
As with many of the moves in Nia the participant is responsible for providing their own desired intensity. You can easily work up a sweat in Nia if you make your movements bigger or louder. We sometimes refer to it as turning up the volume. But again, that is up to you and how you are feeling during that class. A “louder” fast clock could have lengthier steps making the imaginary clock face you are dancing on very large. Or your “bigger” could be going deeper into the steps, bringing your body closer to the earth. Having tools like the face of the clock to assist in knowing where to step, allows the Nia student to focus on their body and what it needs and not be so caught up in whether they are “doing it right”. With the clock it makes it easy to teach and easy to follow!
Ok, now get up and practice your clocks! Which foot goes to 12 o’clock? Which foot goes to 9 o’clock?
Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: fast clock, Latin Dance, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia focus, Nia Move, Nia participant, Nia Practice, Nia student, Nia Teacher, Nia training, Nia's 52 Moves, slow clock, Zumba, Zumba class, Zumba dance, Zumba moves, Zumba teachers | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 31, 2012
I know that sometimes people might allow the number on the scale to affect their mood and/or their feelings about themselves. I know people can get upset when they are eating healthy and/or cutting excess calories, exercising and/or being more active and their goal of losing weight does not show every day on the scale. I know some people get upset if their weight does not go down every day. I know that sometimes a scale can actually affect what you eat for the day. Perhaps the scale isn’t even moving one way or the other so you think it is ok to eat that extra whatever and you might even skip working out. As I have said many times everyBODY has a different goal. Sometimes we allow the number on the scale plays a more important role than it should because it is truly not the only way to measure health or fitness. As you know if you are cutting calories to lose weight, but you are also doing some type of resistance training it could be that you are building muscle too. While these two things are difficult to achieve at the same time it can be done, it just might take longer to see the results you are hoping to see. But the scale might not be the best way to measure progress. If you are one of those people who allow the number on the scale to affect you, how about taking a challenge? How about not using the scale for a bit, while you are continuing on your path to change? Maybe the number doesn’t affect your mood, but how about a change? How about if you track your progress with a tape measure?
Just decide to not get on the scale for either 21 days or 30 days. Really, that’s it, that is the challenge. Let’s track measurements instead. And while we are at it be aware of how you are feeling. I know for some it is a habit to step on the scale. You might not even realize you are doing it. Right before you get in the shower it is almost as if it is the first step into the shower. Disrobe, step on the scale, and then step in the shower. Habit. Especially if you do it early in the morning when you still might be a bit sleepy. So in order to keep yourself from doing it out of habit remove the scale from the bathroom or remove the batteries. Of course you will have to make sure the other members in your household that use the scale know what is going on. You don’t want them to put the scale back or replace the batteries and then you — out of habit, step on the scale despite your best effort.
Now I’m not suggesting you share any numbers or anything. This is not a competition to see who sees the most change, this is just a time to experience something different. To free yourself from the scale. To allow yourself to forget about that number.
So without that number to affect our mood, our feelings, our courses of actions we might be surprised. We might get a different sense from our bodies and follow a bit of a different path. Instead of being upset that the number hasn’t budged which in turn might cause us to eat more, we might just feel good and full and satisfied. Instead of seeing the number go down and giving ourselves permission to have more, we might just sense that we’ve had enough and let it stop there. We might stop judging ourselves by that number. And if you want to track changes you can use a tape measure. I was thinking you can take the measurements on day 1/August 1st and then not again until the 21st. If you decide to do the 21 days then that would be the last day, but if you decide to do the 30 days, then the 21st could be just a check in. Then do it again on the 30th.
Taking measurements takes a bit longer than stepping on a scale and as I mentioned in the other post you want to make certain you measure the same spots. Having to set aside time to measure will keep you from doing it every day. There is no need to do it every day, that is also part of the freeing oneself from the numbers. I made a form that you can print and use to track your measurements if you would like. The “Notes” column can be used for noting the spot where you are going to measure. If you are measuring (as my example stated in my first post) around your calf an inch below the low part of the knee cap, then you can make that note there so the next time you measure you will remember where.
Of course you can decide to continue on past the 30 days. Maybe you will decide to step on the scale at 30 days then try an additional period of time where you closet the scale. I think for some removing the scale from the picture will be very freeing and even stress relieving. For some they might want to just try something new, maybe the scale does not play a big role to them. You could even decide to ditch the scale and not do any measurements that is fine too. Again, as I’ve said before everyBODY is on their own fitness journey so they can do what they feel is right. This is just a place to start. An idea of looking at it in a different way.
So what do you say? Will you put your scale away for at least 21 days? If so will you take measurements?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: 21 day challenge, 30 day challenge, body measurements, scale, tape measure, weight | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 28, 2012
I think most people use a scale instead of a measuring tape. A scale is easy and common. We’ve been taught it is all about how much we weigh. You might be familiar with the false statement that muscle weighs more than fat. That of course is not true (that is why I called it a false statement), a pound of muscle weighs 16 ounces and a pound of fat weighs the same. The space taken up by muscle is less than the space taken up by fat, but they WEIGH the same. So measuring is another way to track changes to your body.
Professionals; personal trainers, doctors, therapist, etc. – people who measure for a living or who need to share information have a specific way of measuring. So if you were to go to one and pass on your measurements the other could document changes. So it is nice to have a standard. Because the most important thing about measuring is to measure in the same place every time so you can track the changes!
One way to keep it the same is to measure from one point to the point you are going to measure. Say you are going to measure your calf, well measure from the bottom of your knee cap to the point you are going to measure and use that point every time. This is a little more exact than “measuring at the largest point” or the “smallest part”.
Again the standard for measuring are things like: “across the umbilicus” and “1/2 way between the umbilicus and xyphoid process”. But you just really need to know where you did it last time so that you do it the same the next time.
Places you want to measure are your chest – for men and women the flexible measuring tape goes around the back and across the nipple. Then women measure around the chest where the band of the bra rests. Measure around the hips. Measure around the waist. Measure around your neck. Measure around each bicep. Measure around each forearm. Measure around each thigh. Measure around each calf.
The chest measures are obvious; nipples and bra. With the hips you can use over the bone or the widest part. The waist is at the smallest part. The neck, arms, and legs are good ones to use the “measure to the measuring point” method. You can also use the “measure to the measuring point” method on the waist and hips too! Just make sure you document the measurement to the measuring point. If you are going to measure your calf an inch below the lowest part of the knee cap, make note of that so you do it the same way every time.
Since every BODY has different goals it could be a moment to cheer if the measurements go up, or when the numbers go down. Whichever the case it is your own personal journey and if you are working for a change in your body then measuring is a different way to track it. Sometimes the scale can be frustrating if your goal is weight loss and you are building muscle and losing fat. Or if you are just gaining weight and not paying attention to how much closer you have gotten to your muscle hypertrophy goal.
Stay tuned for the next post for a challenge that we will begin on August 1st. All you will need is a soft tape measure and to continue on your own personal path of wellness that you are already on.
Do you use a scale? Do you ever feel frustrated by the number on the scale?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: flexible tape measure, measure, measurements, measuring tape, muscle hypertrophy, Muscle Weighs More Than Fat, scale, tracking goals, weight loss, wellness path | 2 Comments »
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