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Mar

Are Cuban Cigars a Vice?

OK, I’ll admit it. I have a vice or two that is not necessarily on the road to wellness. Everyone does. The question is when is a vice a vice.

My husband and I enjoy the occasional cigar. What can I say? It’s relaxing to mellow out with a cigar and a bit of scotch. My secret passion is to see what all the hype is about Cuban cigars. We don’t smoke them a lot. The taxes in Minnesota are over the top, but that’s a whole different story. It’s the walls I’m more concerned about since smoking outdoors is not an option now. Speaking of which, 10 plus inches of snow are on tap for tomorrow.

The point is that to succeed on your path to wellness you cannot begrudge yourself the occasional turn down the path off the beaten track. It’s OK. The one thing that will kill your journey to wellness is to get fanatical about your quest. Don’t beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon. Don’t chide yourself if you indulge in a vice or two–occasionally.

Interestingly, the price of cigars is what keeps me from overindulging more than anything else. However, when the time is right and I need to relax, I’m not going to question it. Are Cuban cigars a vice? No way.

Category: Motivation Tags: Lifestyle Comments off

Mar

Lifestyle Changes and Regular Workouts

Chris

Another clear benefit of a lifestyle that includes regular workouts comes from Reuters today. Apparently, making workouts a part of your lifestyle can boost the function of insulin-producing cells, good news for seniors and age-related diabetes. I’ve written before of making lifestyle changes. While benefits were seen in as little in one week, the key is making changes that last.

Since I’m always reading about nutrition and diets, I took to heart some related advice from Mireille Guiliano’s book, French Women Don’t Get Fat. The book contains some amazing recipes and some good advice, though the idea of starting my lifestyle change with a weekend of only eating leeks and leek soup doesn’t sound very appealing. The end of the book, though, encapsulated some interesting thoughts. Unlike what a recent University of Minnesota study discovered about daily weigh-ins,Guiliano recommends not weighing in, but relying on your clothes fit.

The message that I found most enlightening and encouraging for those that are making lifestyle changes is that there are no dead-ends, merely detours to the road to fitness and wellness. A positive attitude keeps one moving forward.

Category: Lifestyle Tags: diet, exercise, health, Lifestyle, workout Comments off

Dec

Managing the Holidays

Chris

Have to indulge in a bit of back slapping. I think that I’ve done a good job at skirting the holiday pitfalls this year. When I’m able, I’ve made good choices. I’ve opted for veggies versus a mushroom-swiss burger, one of my downfalls by the way. When cooking, I’ve used half-n-half instead of cream. I’ve been conscious of other substitutions.

Having said all that, I am going to indulge on New Years Eve. There will be seafood and the obligatory butter sauces. Yum! How else, do I ask you, can you serve lobster or crab? After that, I’m on the road to my new list of goals, not resolutions, for 2008.

For the new year, I want to run at least two 5k races. I want to be consistent with my strength training. For those of you that haven’t found this site, SparkPeople is a great tool and motivator for getting healthy and losing weight. I have a goal to exercise 15,000 minutes next year. I have ever confidence I will succeed.