Amanda's Musings

  (Originally published 1 February 2021 )  I gave a shout out to Amy of BodyFit by Amy some months ago. Now I have to urge you to check out Keoni Tamayo's free YouTube videos. Most are walking workouts, though he has a few Strength Training ones. His shortest was 8 minutes, his longest 1 hour 25 minutes (10,000 steps). Do keep in mind he has non-verbal cuing. Many of his videos have from 1 to 6 cats wandering or zooming through. The newest, posted yesterday is a short one, and one of the silliest yet. This is what I posted on my Spark teams: OMG! I laughed so hard at the kitties and the flopping fish — which looks real — in the new 10 minute Keoni walking workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vl-7G3RfOg One comment on the YouTube joked: "I'm not sure how to tell you this, but while you were busy your fish jumped out of its tank and died on the floor." My comment: "Another fun workout, but yeah, the cats — and the fish (I laughed to see her photo ...

(Originally published 30 January 2021)   I will say up front I refuse to use the Spark People emoticon “Keep Pushing.” I find it triggering and have wanted to explain why in a blog for a while now. I tense up when a YouTube instructor uses those words as well. I get defensive and resistant. As a victim of severe childhood sexual abuse, I was forced to do things I hated so much, that were so horrifying, I dissociated. My mind simply shut down & went away to protect myself from the trauma. So anything that smacks of force or pressure to behave a certain way is anathema to me. One of the first YouTube instructors I discovered, whom I sometimes like—Jessica Smith—said something I really appreciated: “Challenge yourself, but always take care of yourself.” And BodyFit by Amy (a longtime favorite) has several phrases I find motivating: “You be where you are today”; “If you showed up today, you are successful”; “Listen to your body and do what you need to do.” As Jessica ur...

(Originally published 1 April 20 20 )   From 3/1/20 to 4/1/20: I stay inside most of the time, I’ve been telecommuting for 3 weeks now, so it’s not surprising that my weight’s gone up 3 pounds. As a Spark Friend quoted from her local news: “Manatees eat for an average of 8 hours per day. Coronavirus has turned us all into manatees.” Still, I’m doing pretty well. I’m exercising during my breaks; I’ve made a list of short workouts that will fit into a 15-minute break. And now that we have full coverage in the call center, & coworkers with medical issues don’t need to take as many sick days since they can answer the phone from home, I’m finding time in between calls to do little tasks at home as well as catching up with work activities. So I’m feeling productive, which is very nice. Some days I’ll take a walk outside, just around the neighborhood—but since my area is hilly, it’s not just strolling. I’m mostly relying on YouTube videos to stay active, and have discovered new w...

(Originally published 24 November 2019)  This is the comment I posted on YouTube after doing one of her videos for the first time: “Ow, ow! I sure felt this one—in a good way. I don't mind squats, and lunges are OK (though I can't bend too far), but this was great! As I shared on my Spark People teams: From beginner on up, you will get a lot out of this one. Only equipment is a chair (optional) for balance. Recommended!” (It was her 16 Minute Standing Low Impact Legs Workout--No Squats or Lunges! from 2 years ago)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nJi7HhJJnE&t=7s As I read the other comments, I was struck by how many mentioned physical limitations and how this was the first workout they had found that worked for them. Another comment mentioned how good her prompts are, how easy to understand. I’ve shared with my teams how much I appreciate her many modifications to make things low impact, or what a beginner might need, or how to increase the challenge. I also love h...

(Originally published 8 September 2013)  "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." — Albert Schweitzer That was my update today. I found it in a tapping (EFT) book I got from the library. I mentioned 2 other books I got on tapping in my last blog. I got them from the library, too, & I’ve since purchased both of them so I can review them as often as I want. I thought I might stop there, but I had picked up another library book, Freedom at Your Fingertips compiled by Ron Ball, and decided to open it up & skim. The opening chapter “The Basics of EFT” by Ron Ball is followed by chapters covering such subjects as “Abundance & Prosperity," "Addictions," "Blockages & Obstacles," "Fears & Phobias," "Pain Management,” “Procrastination” & “Weight Loss” (plus more besides), all by a different EFT practitioner or expert. I was intrig...

(Originally published 6 August 2011)  My huddle today, in all my teams, was "Add gentle, joyful stretching to your day — aaahhh!" It's easy to focus on aerobic and resistance (such as weightlifting) exercises that strengthen the muscles, the heart (a very *important* muscle), the bones, that expend lots of calories and earn those cardio & strength training points. But for balance and overall health and well-being, stretching has a place in your daily routines as well. Any competent fitness teacher or program should be reminding you that after a workout that contracts your muscles, you need to spend time lengthening them, or stretching. You'll experience less soreness following strenuous activity. You will maintain and improve range of motion. Your muscles and joints will thank you. And it feels good! I hope none of you are still caught up with that antiquated, dangerous notion of "No pain, no gain" when it comes to exercise. It's all very well to...