10 Fun Ways to Become More Active-Everyday

You know you should be getting some sort of exercise, you know of all the health benefits that come with a more active lifestyle. You’ve tried the whole Gym thing, but it just wasn’t for you. The temptation to just sit in front of the TV, curl up with a good book, or to spend a little extra time at your computer is just too big. Who wants to head to the gym right now anyway?

There are many other options to get more physically active that don’t include jogging, weight lifting or other “traditional” ways to work out.  Here are a few ideas to get you moving.

1) Chase your Kids around the Yard

You’d be surprised at how much of a work out you’ll get playing catch with your kids. Time will fly while you are having fun and your children will enjoy the extra time with you. Just get out there and play.

2) Turn up the Music and Dance around the Living Room

While you’re dusting, putting up dishes, straightening up the kids’ rooms, or after you’ve been sitting around for too long, just play some of your favorite upbeat music and dance around in the house.  Not only will you get your heart rate up, but you’ll also have more fun doing some of those chores.

3) Plant some Flowers

When the weather is nice, just get out there and plant some flowers. Or you could start a little vegetable garden, trim some hedges, cut the grass, or plant a tree. You get the idea. Just get out there, enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, and play in the dirt. Yes, this actually counts as exercise in our book.

4) Go for a Walk with a Friend

Take a walk and invite a friend to come along. I’ve had some of the best conversations while on a walk. Getting to chat with a friend makes the time fly by and before you know it you’ve been walking for 30 minutes.

5) Listen to some Music or an Audio Book while you Walk

Again, keeping your mind on something else will make the time fly by and you’ll get some extra fun out of your walk. You may even want to consider getting an MP3 Player. You can easily add what you want to listen to and go for your walk.

6) Sign up for a Yoga or Pilates Class

Consider starting a yoga or Pilates class. Both of these workouts are pretty low impact and won’t leave you sweaty and sore (mostly). You may also enjoy meeting some new people in the class.

7) Take some Dance Lessons with your Partner

Ok, here is the tough part: Convince your partner to take some dance lessons. Dancing will give you quite the workout and it’s just plain fun and of course romantic. Think about all your options here. You can pick from anything from Ball Room Dancing, to Line Dancing, to Latin etc. Pick something that sounds fun to you and go for it. You’ll enjoy the extra one on one time with your partner as well.

8) Go for a Swim at Your Local YMCA or Aquatic Center

Swimming makes for some great exercise. It is low impact and easy on your joints. Start by swimming a few laps, or play in the pool with your kids.

9) Go for a Bike Ride

Take the entire family on a bike ride. You can ride through your neighborhood in the evenings or plan a longer trip for the weekend. Pack a picnic for extra fun and start peddling.

10)  Go for a Hike

Look for some hiking trails in your area and go for a hike. This could be a fun activity for you and a friend, or take the entire family along. Start with some easy trails and work yourself up to some longer or steeper trails.

Go ahead, pick one or two of the activities and get moving. I’m sure you’ll come up with plenty of versions of your own. The most important thing is to find something you enjoy, so you’ll stick with it. Get out there and get moving today.

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Email Drama: New Email Address

I think this is the best place to post this- I had major email dramas last night, anyway, the final result is that livingwpmdd@gmail.com is not the email address any longer for us.  It is now redefininglifewpmdd@gmail.com .  I will not be able to receive emails from livingwpmdd@gmail.com, it is down.

I have updated the newest posts/articles/pages I could find last night so if you don’t remember, it’s updated on most things.  If you have me on your email list, please update that one, I don’t want to miss any of your emails.

Thanks and sorry for the huge inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Stef

TIPS if you are having or thinking of having a hysterectomy

Originally posted months ago at the NAPS forum…

Recovery is not a piece of cake and I have really needed support, physically and mentally. If any of you are planning to have surgery (or thinking about it) – I know some of you are having surgery soon or are considering it – here is my advice:

1) Visit hystersisters.com. This has been a lifesaver. There is pre-op support & post-op support & tons of info to help you make informed decisions about this surgery and to help you know if something is normal or not normal after. They group members who are having surgery around the same time. This has been great for me – I get to see how other people are doing and don’t feel so alone. And it’s free.

2) Even if you are finished having children or think you don’t want children (I have one child and decided that a hysterectomy was the best option for me and my family), you might find yourself grieving for the loss of choice after surgery. I certainly am. I still think it was the right decision, but the mourning process is there. Once I’d made the choice and scheduled the opertation, I began dealing with these feelings before surgery and have been dealing with them after. You might also mourn body parts, have issues with identity, wonder about your body after among other things… all normal, and all experienced by women all around the world. Again, the web site I mentioned has helped me with these things.

3) Prepare your home for your after surgery needs. Have a table beside your bed so you have the things you want within easy reach. If you worry about what needs to be done (bills, work related issues) like I do, I found that just putting all of the stuff I needed to remember to look at after surgery in a pile near my bed helped ease my mind. Educate your partner or the people who are going to be helping you after, including children. Get your doctor to back you up if needed. You know how to do this if you have PMDD, right? Educating people about what you will need after surgery is SO much easier! Have clean sheets, blankets, and pillow cases ready to go. Put your clothes and under things in easy to reach spots. Have a pile of the most comfy clothes ready.. You won’t want to bend!

4) What you will most likely not be doing for two weeks (depending on your surgery type & your body): Cooking, major cleaning or even much light cleaning, driving, going out, taking care of small children beyond what you can manage verbally. You will most likely be very tired and taking strong pain meds during week one. You will most likely be feeling much better but still crappy during week two (I took strong pain meds through week two). You will most likely be worn out by taking a shower. This is all normal, all temporary, and all worth being free of PMDD (and in my case endo). Again, you’ve dealt with PMDD. You can do this.

5) Let people know what you need in regard to support before surgery. I have found that some of the people who love me most don’t call or email when I am ill. They think I’m too tired, too sick, or just feel awkward around illness. Before surgery, I sent an email out to my friends and family and I gave instructions. Email, write, call (wait to call until a few days after I’m out of the hospital – talking on the phone during week one made me tired too :-). Visits from my mom, who helped my family for the first week and my dad, who helped for a couple of days during week two were asked for and very much welcomed. Some people still needed reminders after, but I have had much more support because I just decided to be honest. When I’m still feeling lonely, I go to the hystersisters site.

6) Small children can be enormous helpers when it comes to doing all of the bending and lifting you can’t do. My son has needed to be a helper. It’s made him feel needed and more a part of the process. He’s seven.

7) Some of you will have less than helpful family members. You will need to vent. Hystersisters has members in the same situation.

Am I glad I did this at this point? I think so. I also think I won’t be able to answer that with a big YES until more time passes. I did just have major surgery & that doesn’t make me feel so great :-) For me, there were no more options. This looked like my best shot. I’d done everything I could and had come to a point where life just felt too short not to. I still feel that way. It’s a very personal choice. I am happy to offer any support I can if you are trying to make it or do decide to have surgery.

xo

Jennifer

***

Today, at almost 5 months post op I can say YES! I am so glad I chose to have the surgery. I really am.

Number One PMS Remedy~Article

posted by Mel, selected from Natural Solutions magazine Jun 8, 2009 3:09 pm

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements can benefit all menstruating women, but Neptune krill oil may be the best type for those who also experience PMS. “A recent Canadian study looked at the 11 parameters for premenstrual syndrome,” says Parris Kidd, PhD, a research scientist who specializes in studying and designing nutritional supplements. “Participants either took fish oil or Neptune krill oil. Within two cycles, krill had improved all the parameters; fish oil only helped 5 out of the 11. Based on this strong evidence, I think krill oil is the single best way to manage the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS–it’s what I would tell my sister to take.”

To get the biggest benefit, begin by taking 1 gram a day of krill oil every day for 30 days-throughout an entire menstrual cycle. Then, in subsequent cycles, take the krill oil starting 10 days before your period. “You can even cut the dose for the subsequent cycles in half,” Kidd says. “Just make sure the effect you’re looking for is there before you taper back.”

Natural Solutions: Vibrant Health, Balanced Living offers its readers the latest news on health conditions, herbs and supplements, natural beauty products, healing foods and conscious living.

Could u be next? Are u feeling ready?

Are you feeling stronger these days?  Is sharing and discussing PMDD with other Women that are going thru the same thing making you feel braver, more secure, ready to conquer the world?

Well, maybe not ready to conquer the world yet :)  But I am so happy to report that I am receiving emails from Women that are feeling grateful to have all of us- YES! all of US (you are helping others)! We are supporting one another, listening to one another, offering each other ideas, listening ears during those crappy times, allowing each other to vent on our forum and blog rather than at families.

We are getting the word out about PMDD and chipping away at that stigma.  I don’t want to use the word forcing because that can have such a negative impact, and I think if we stay positive then we will continue having positive results.

We are going to continue having our difficult 2 wk hells, but relying on each other is working!  Not only that, but the more we get the outside world to understand, or at least acknowledge that it’s real (even if it’s something that is hard for them to grasp), if they can understand it’s real, it is a huge load off of our shoulders.  It’s like we can come out of hiding and I believe that takes away some stress.

Less stress=Less PMDD

Now to the post heading.  I have had a couple of Women want to start their own journey story and have asked how.  I definitely don’t expect this to be something that everyone wants to do.  PMDD is still not like talking about eating ice cream, I know that, but I wanted to let all of you know what my next project that I have begun entails.

I am starting a project called: Women’s Health Disorders Journeys [WHDJ]

It will offer you a place to begin writing your journey, just as Jennifer has done here on this site.  This will be a site that will be for ALL Women that live with ANY health disorder.  If you decide at any time you are ready to begin writing about your journey, you will be able too, this is not something that you have to tell me now, there is not an expiration date or a beginning and an end.

I will be posting more on this soon, but if you are interested, you are free to email me and let me know, I have a list I have begun and can add your name to it.

This is so super exciting!

Again! You Women are incredible and keep up this wonderful work for each other, this site is growing, our forum is growing and it is all just amazing!!!

Stef
www.lifewpmdd.com (Blog)
www.lifewpmdd.ning.com (Women’s Only Forum)
www.menandpmdd.ning.com (Men’s Only Forum)
livingwpmdd@gmail.com

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