Amanda's Musings

(Originally published 21 May 2012 as " I know it's Spark heresy, but . . ." )  . . . I don't track my food. Now I don't object to anyone else tracking theirs. I've heard *many* Sparkers report how tracking is one of their most cherished and useful tools here on the site, and I say more power to 'em! I just don't want to do it. And just to let you know, I've lost over 60 pounds in the last year-and-a-half-plus, which represents more than a 25% reduction in my body weight, without weighing and measuring food or counting calories, carbs, fat, and the rest. I do track my freggie servings daily, and my water — which is woefully shy of the recommended 8 or more cups per day. I also track a couple of team goals related to food: on A Gathering of Goddesses, my Earth goal is to eat one or more servings of raw, unprocessed fruit or vegetables, and my healthy eating goal on the Babysteps Brigade is to eat no more than one dessert serving daily. (I tend to...

(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...