Turn Your Exercise Into A Party

We have been using Walk at Home dvds as part of our home exercise regimen for over 10 years. A couple of weeks ago we bought a new Leslie Sansone Walk at Home dvd to add to our exercise collection. It was the “Walk to the Hits Party Songs” dvd. One aspect of the Walk at Home program I like is that there are a number of dvds available so by having several you don’t get bored doing the same workout over and over again.

The next evening my wife, daughter and I exercised to that dvd. Leslie was her usual effervescent self and an energetic team of walkers doing the workout with her helped create a fun atmosphere in the family room where we exercise. Her programs always have upbeat music that you want to move to. The music here was a variety of tunes including songs by MC Hammer, Lionel Ritchie and The Go Gos. The party atmosphere of the program made the time fly by but the pace made us realize we had worked out.

Leslie gears her programs around basic core moves yet to mix it up incorporates new moves in each program. In this “Walk to the Hits Party Songs”, she incorporated High-intensity interval training (HIIT). HITT is a form of interval training, an exercise strategy where you alternate short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods.
Even on nights when we do not feel like exercising the Leslie Sansone Walk at Home programs are so lively and enjoyable you wind up feeling energized and glad you took the time to walk the 3 or 4 miles. Since most of her programs incorporate a team of walkers with her and Leslie is so personable it is easy to feel like exercise time is party time. The energetic feeling that exercise provides is why I discuss her Walk at Home series in my book, Living More Than OK, ( click here to see about purchasing Living More Than OK) in the chapter on Natural Highs.

If you have never used any of Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home programs in your workout exercise regimen I encourage you to consider it. We as a family have appreciated her programs for the past 10 years. Check out her website -- www.walkathome.com At her website you can order there or find local stores that sell her Walk at Home dvds. She also has success stories of people who have used her programs to better their health.

In Living More Than OK in our life journey, good health is important. You need to be involved in some form of exercise you to keep yourself in the best health possible. Good health pays off in giving you the energy to spiral up to abundant living.

Reflection: What is your favorite type of exercise? (Exercising the index finger with the tv remote does not count) How do you feel exercise helps with the quality of your living?

New Attitude for Resilience in Life

Recently in our family exercise time we have been using some new dvd’s from Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home program. The titles are Walk Slim Fast & Firm 4 Really Big Miles and Walk Slim 5 Really Big Miles. Both are a good work out where you can do all the miles or portions. She always uses upbeat positive music and in these two dvds one song stood out to me. It is New Attitude that was popularized by Patti Labelle in the late 1980’s.

The song musically is a high energy song that carries a positive vibe to it. I had never really listened to it other that catching the main phrase “New Attitude”. So I looked it up online and looked over the lyrics. I thought of the word resilience as soon as I looked at the lyrics. Resilience is that inner ability that helps when you are at a seemingly dead-end; to not give up but to keep on going by finding a new way – a new attitude. Take some time first to look over the lyrics I have printed for you. As always click on the title if you wish to activate a video of the song to hear it.

New Attitude performed by Patti Labelle

Written by Sharon Robinson;Jonathan Gilutin;Bunny Hull

Runnin' hot, runnin' cold
I was runnin' into overload, it was extreme
I took it so high, so low
So low, there was nowhere to go like a bad dream

Somehow the wires uncrossed, my tables were turned
Never knew I had such a lesson to learn

I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied it up my point of view I got a new attitude!

I'm in control, my worries are few 'Cause I've got love like I never knew
Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo I got a new attitude!

I'm wearing a new dress, new hair
Brand new ideas, as a matter of fact I've changed for good
It must have been the cool night, new moon, slight change
More than to figure oh but I feel like I should, yes

Somehow the wires uncrossed, my tables were turned
Never knew I had such a lesson to learn

I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied it up my point of view
I got a new attitude

I'm in control, my worries are few
'Cause I've got love like I never knew
Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo
I got a new attitude
Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo

Somehow the wires uncrossed, my tables were turned
Never knew I had such a lesson to learn

I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied it up my point of view
I got a new attitude

I'm in control, my worries are few 'Cause I've got love like I never knew
Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo I got a new attitude


From my head to my shoes I'm loving you (I got a new attitude)

I got a new, new attitude! Everything about be has changed
Baby I ain't the same (I got a new attitude!)

Oh I got a new, I got a new I got a brand new, brand new
I got a new attitude


We all at one time or another have life events that drive our emotions to the extremes of hot or cold. Events, where, we come to a dead end. Maybe it is a dream we had where the tables are now turned and we see a nightmare instead. It may be a relationship or a job that has fallen through. At those times we are so low as to feel in our attitude that there is no way to proceed. The failure is too much and the wires that energize are life have been short circuited. We can let worries take over and have a negative attitude that everything is out of control so we better give up on life. That is the picture I see from the beginning of the song. The sad thing is that some people choose to live in the bad dream of their nightmare attitude for the rest of their lives.

The good news is that times of failure do not make us failures for life. We can choose a new attitude. We can look at the failure and seek to learn lessons to improve and change our dreams and goals. We have been created to be resilient and move forward from dead-ends with new attitudes. The phrase “I tidied up my point of view” is an important phrase. To bounce back from failure and troubles we need to do an attitude check and reevaluate our next play in the game of life. I like how the song says “from my head to my toes”. Our positive attitude change has to affect our whole being to be successful.

On the issue of control we can never be fully in control. But in an attitude check, we need to look at what we can control and change for the better and prayerfully leave what we can’t control up to God. In doing this we keep worries to a limit and can keep moving forward with the positive energy we see this song is about. A new attitude gives us a positive feeling about the direction in which we are then moving. So if you are going through difficulties that have brought your attitude to a new low. Take some time for an attitude check and make a choice to change it from your head to your toes.

Reflection: Take 10 minutes to reflect on your life journey. Do an attitude check. Are you feeling low or at a dead-end? Brainstorm ideas for new directions and choose to step out with a positive energetic new attitude. Listen to this song for a few days and see if the melody and words energize your life.

Making Time for Self Improvement

If we wish to live more than an ok life, one important area in our time management we need to include is time for self improvement. Through self improvement and self renewal we can spiral upwards to living more than ok. Too often in our lives the stuff of life snuffs out opportunities to take the time in our schedule to improve ourselves.

I like the metaphor in Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In his seventh habit he calls it Sharpen the Saw. He looks at Sharpening the Saw as our taking time to improve ourselves in four areas of our lives: Physical, Social, Mental, and Spiritual. The Saw metaphor reminds us that we are a useful tool in our daily living with our work and interaction with others. Also as I have mentioned in the past we each have a purpose. Saws are purposeful when cutting wood, cutting limbs off trees, or cutting plastic/metal pipes to the correct length.

When our life is dull as a saw, it loses it’s effectiveness to fulfill it’s purpose. We become overcome with boredom and feel purposeless. The dullness also allows our lives to become out of balance and controlled by the stuff of life. We become stuck on autopilot with too many things happening to us instead of taking control and responsibility ourselves to make life happen for our advantage. The dull saw life is living just ok, getting by and enduring the sense of despair. A saw is not meant to be dull and rusty instead to fulfill its purpose, needs to be shiny and sharp. For maximum living we need to be shiny and sharp. That is what sharpening the saw is about.

Looking at the four areas Covey speaks of the first is the Physical. I have touched on this before. Are you taking time in your week for physical fitness? Three to four times a week you should be in some type of physical activity. I mentioned as a heart patient I exercise daily. I regularly use the treadmill and elliptical machines for aerobic exercise. I have also mentioned that my wife and I do a Leslie Sansone Walk at Home workout several times a week. Of course find out what works for you, gyms, neighborhood jogging, other dvd exercise programs of your choice. The key is to make it a part of your life rituals.

The second area is the Social. I haven’t discussed relationships yet in my blog postings but I will go more in depth in the future. As the saying goes, “No man is an island”. We all interact with others on a daily basis. That is why emotional intelligence is important. Managing and controlling our emotions to better improve our interactions with family, friends and strangers. Do you make time to improve your relationship connections with the significant people in your lives? Taking time to keep family strong and close relationships strong can keep your saw sharp and effective in your other interactions you face in life.

The third area is Mental. From my previous posting on critical thinking, you know the mental aspect of our lives is very important to me. We cannot be effective if our mind is dull. It hampers our thinking and causes us to make poor choices which then brings about negative consequences in our daily living. You can improve this area by becoming a Bookhead like me. Reading expand and strengthens our mind. Read more on topics you enjoy and expand your reading to new topics. You may also want to take a class at a local university or community college to sharpen your mind.

Then the fourth area is the Spiritual. One can improve in this realm of our being by following their religious heritage. As I have mentioned mine is the Christian heritage. For those without a religious heritage, who may consider themselves agnostic or atheist the spiritual can still have a place in taking time for Mindfulness Meditation, or taking time alone to reflect in nature. Those who follow a religious path need to place into their time schedule a daily time for spiritual development based on their particular teachings. I try each day to find time for devotion and prayer.

In closing, how is your saw doing? To live the best life possible we need to take control of our time and place in our schedules time for Sharpening the Saw. As we improve physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually we will have more energy and be more alert for the other major areas in our busy schedule. If we don’t it will be like sawing a tree with a dull rusty blade. We won’t get the job done and we may even break.

Reflection:
Rate yourself in the four areas: Physical, Social, Mental, and Spiritual. Which area are your strongest in? Which area do you need the most growth in?

What physical activities are you involved in?

How are you working to improve your most significant relationships?

How are you improving your Mental side of your life? Are you reading a new book? Have you considered taking a Continuing Education course at a local College or an online course?

Do you take time each day to improve your spiritual life?

Exercise a Key to Living More Than OK

For the past six years I have been consistent in using a treadmill and Elliptical for exercise most every night. Before then exercise was not a priority. What caused the change? It is amazing how having two stents placed in two formerly 99% blocked arteries changed my perspective on life. The Cardiologist told my wife at the time if I had not been taken to the emergency room I would have died in my sleep. I wasn’t that overweight. The artery problem was more genetic in nature as my father had died of blocked arteries to the heart at age 58.

When you come that close to death, life takes on new meaning. Especially when after the stent surgery I learned news of two people near my age that died of heart attacks. I reflected over why I was still alive when I stubbornly almost refused going to the hospital and possibly would have died that day. From the context of my recent thinking on living more than ok, I also thought how even though I am predisposed to clogged arteries my style of life of just being ok catered to junk food and lack of exercise in my past. My thinking had been, I am not overweight, so why bother with exercise.

After the stent surgery, I was placed in heart rehab therapy so was forced to go on a heart diet and an exercise regimen. Since that initial heart rehab after the hospital, I have kept disciplined in diet and exercise partly due to my wife’s direction but also because I enjoy living life. I know I need to follow the regimen if I want to keep living. Another factor since that day when I could not breathe, as I felt like a thousand pound weight was on my chest, is a sincere belief God is not finished with me yet. I figured there must be a purpose for me to still be alive. My wife and daughter are in that purpose zone. But I believe even this post on exercise is part of the purpose. If I can encourage a few people to exercise before a hospital visit forces them to -- it is all worth it.

Exercise gives you more energy to face each and every day. Since my time in the hospital I have been more aware of sensing my body. If I am sick and cannot exercise for a few days I can feel a sluggishness overtaking me physically. Recently I read in the July/August issue of Scientific American Mind that exercise is not just good for the body but for the mind as well. Vigorous aerobic exercise helps keep the brain in better shape. So if you are wanting to live a better life and enjoy improved mental health become involved with physical activities as part of your lifestyle – jogging, walking, swimming, tennis, basketball, or treadmills can help in promoting a strong circulatory system. You can exercise by yourself, with close friends, or if you are a more social person you may find support in joining a health club.

My wife recently had a friend give her a Walk at Home DVD that we have begun to use and enjoy. It is done by Leslie Sansone. At first I did not think walking in place at home could be any help as a workout. We have tried it and it is vigorous and gets all the muscles moving. My wife has seen an energy boost from it. Our daughter enjoys it as well so it is a positive way to spend some family time together. I still enjoy working out on my machines so we alternate as they do not have to exercise everyday like I do.

Make exercise as part of your lifestyle choice. It is better for you to choose now rather than having a hospital visit choose it for you. You will be doing your body and mind a favor and it is a great gift you can give those you love – a better you!