Recommendations on Health & Fitness

Once Christmas passes, people tend to start thinking about health, fitness, and new years resolutions. Why not think about them now... and if you get some Christmas money or Amazon gift cards, spend them on things that will change your life?

In the past year, I stopped skating with my derby team and I changed my life. Derby helped me get past fears I didn't even know I had. At the end, it stressed me out to a really unbelievable extent. Today I'm a lot healthier and slightly more sane than I was when I was skating.

In the past year, I've lost a full clothing size (maybe more- I haven't been clothes shopping recently) and approximately 25 pounds. More importantly, I've lost almost 7% body fat. Because of these changes, people have asked me what I do/use/eat. Here's my recommendations, all in one tidy package.

I joined a gym and found a trainer I like. I like my gym- it doesn't smell bad, the towels are nice, the showers have good pressure, and I never have to wait for a bike. It has gotten to the point where the trainers and the desk staff at least know my face, if not my name.

I see a trainer once a week. If you say that you're not fit enough to see a trainer, you're 100% wrong. Everyone should see a trainer once in a while- you don't need to see one once a week if you don't want to. She's helped me with my form, pushed me to try things that are now a major part of my fitness agenda, told me to get one more rep wen I wanted to give up, encouraged me when I am feeling down about how I look, made me feel sore in muscles I didn't know existed. I also have a repetitive use injury in my left knee from derby, and she has helped me strengthen the muscles supporting it as well as show me how to protect it when lifting.

I bought the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I have bought more than one fitness book/guide/whatever in my time. This is the only one I followed like it was my job. I took 6 months to do the entire program.

The only part of it I ignored was the nutrition advice- mainly because I'm super picky. I ate about the number of calories they recommended- the theory is that you can either focus on losing fat or you can focus on gaining muscle but if you do both at the same time you won't do either one very well. So I changed my focus to muscle for 6 months. I lost exactly zero pounds doing this program. I lost an entire clothing size. I gained unbelievable pride in the muscles I am finally starting to see.

I bought a Misfit Shine - it's like a Fitbit, only prettier. I am motivated by competition and this motivates me. I like to see the lights reach the goal. It works for walking, biking, swimming (it's waterproof)- pretty much anything. On non-gym days I am totally motivated by making sure I reach my goal so that I can keep my streak going.

It's so pretty!

I did a detox. Yes, I really did. Actually, I did it twice. I did the Metagenics 10 day detox that a friend recommended because he's a chiropractor and he's also done it. It was really awful the first time in February. It was moderately unpleasant the second in October. The hardest part was cutting out sugar. I lost weight both times but I really reformed my eating habits and that was the goal. 

I set very specific goals. I have goals for body fat, weight, clothing size, time to run a mile, and a few others. I have never been very good at goal setting, so this is a big change for me!

Lastly, and maybe the most important thing, I changed my mindset about eating. I am an all or nothing person in most areas of my life- I can't do something halfway, it's not the way I'm programmed. Which means that I'm either dieting or I'm not. In the past year, I've changed that. Instead of having a "cheat day" which means that I could literally eat insane amounts of food, I have moved to having 4 cheat meals a week- I typically eat 5 meals a day, so 4 out of 35 meals in a week are cheats.  A cheat meal is far less damaging. It also means I feel far less deprived- planning to eat out with friends? Have the burger and beer. It's not the end of the world, or the end of the diet. I'll be back to drinking green smoothies in the morning. 

I also make a great effort to not think about eating something for the last time. If it's something unusual that only comes around once a year, I'll eat it. But I try to remember, I'll probably get a chance to eat it again and I don't eat like a starving man. I haven't gone on a big vacation during this time- if I went somewhere with unusual food, I would probably eat a lot of it. But I'd go back to being my normal self when I returned. It's all part of the deal. 

There you have it- all my secrets. If you want to ask me any questions, feel free- if I can help you, I will! 

BE RESPONSIBLE. Or, why I think most crowdfunding is stupid.

When I went to college, I paid for it with some help from my parents, some from myself, some from teensy tiny scholarships, most of it in the form of loans from the US government that I will be paying back for ages.

When I bought my first car, I had a job. At a gas station. Where I went to work at 7 am every day in the summer.

When my husband and I wanted to have a kid, we waited until we both had good jobs with good leave policies and insurance.

When we wanted to go on vacation, we saved our money.

When I wanted to play roller derby, I spent money that I had saved. I worked for contracts, bonuses, I even donated plasma so that I could upgrade my wheels. And after a year, I had a job so that helped pay for it, too.

Fundraisers have been a part of life forever. Dramatic things happen to people and sometimes they need help. Where it used to be that you'd see an address that accompanied a story in the newspaper, you could mail a check. Or you'd hear about someone at church and try to find out what they needed. Or you would hear from a friend and help out that way.

The internet has made the world a smaller place. Now you can hear about people who need help all over the world.

The difference is, people seem to think that they can ask for help for no reason at all.

All the things I mentioned above... there are fundraisers for those things: pay for me to go to college, buy a car, have a kid, buy a house, go on vacation, bla bla y bla.

Let me give a disclaimer: if something tragic happened to you, please, fundraise. I am not talking to you. You know what I mean: the family whose house burnt down, the dad who had a heart attack while running one Sunday and left his disabled wife and 2 kids behind, the mom who was in the Army and didn't return from Afghanistan, the tornado that tore through the town and leveled everything but the YMCA... legitimate reasons for fundraisers.

I was super entertained by the guy who raised money to make potato salad. If you didn't hear about Zack Danger and his potato dreams, click here. He's pointing out the ridiculousness of crowdfunding for stupid reasons, and probably making $50k in the process.

The ones that really get under my skin are the derby fundraisers. Go ahead, click on this link, it might annoy you as much as it did me. If you search for roller derby on some of the personal fundraising sites, you'll see that people are asking money to buy their gear. The most basic stuff: skates, pads, helmet.

Listen to me, grasshopper: if you can't afford the gear, how will you afford the dues, the travel, the insurance, the injuries, the possible time off work, the uniform. Literally thousands of dollars a year in derby expenses.

this is what it's like to play derby

Also like this. You're never seeing it again.

If you need to crowdfund for knee pads, you probably can't afford derby right now.

Be responsible. If you want to play derby and as many of the pleas say, "nothing will stop (me)" you, then save your money.

You can still get ready to play derby. Start working out now- there are lots of things you can do to get in shape for derby. There are TONS of websites that will tell you.

Go to open skate. Wear the rink skates. When you get your own, you'll appreciate them so much more.

Go to bouts. Volunteer. Learn all about derby.

And save your money. You're the only one responsible for your derby dreams. Earn them.

Dress Codes and Shorts

This is my opinion. Agree, disagree, I don't care. Thoughtful interaction welcome. Wild flaming of original poster or commenters not welcome.

There's a lot of news out there about student dress codes. And there's a lot of writing under the feminist banner about how girls should be allowed to wear shorts as short as they want because it's not their job to dress so they don't distract boys.

I get that, I really do. Girls, you do you. Dress how you want. I mean, good lord almighty, for three years I was a woman in her mid 30s wearing booty shorts and skating derby in front of people. And I did not give the tiniest damn about what they thought of my butt.

However, I do not wear booty shorts at work. And kids, school is your job. One of the things that teachers study in their education prep (or at least I did) was the hidden curriculum.

http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculum/   Hidden curriculum refers to the unwritten, unofficial, and often unintended lessons, values, and perspectives that students learn in school. While the “formal” curriculum consists of the courses, lessons, and learning activities students participate in, as well as the knowledge and skills educators intentionally teach to students, the hidden curriculum consists of the unspoken academic, cultural, and social messages that are communicated to students while they are in school.

The hidden curriculum is important. Sometimes the hidden curriculum is detrimental. If you go to the edglossary.org link, you can see examples of when the hidden curriculum is a problem because it reinforces social, economic, and social problems that may be endemic in a community.

However, the hidden curriculum can be beneficial. Schools are organized in a way that promote positive social interactions. High schools are the last step for many students on their way to their career. While some students will not go on to a professional white-collar work environment after they leave school, many of them will. Every student needs to learn how to behave in a professional environment.

I wish I could tell you that you're going to go out into the world and not be judged. But you are. And for both men and women alike, if you dress in a professional manner, people will more highly value what you do and what you say. I might have been just a kid in a suit, but for two years, I was a kid in a suit who had the ear of a Congressman. For two more years, I had the ear of the Vice Chair of the County Commission in one of the most populous counties in the US. And for two more years, I oversaw the yearly spending of more than half a million dollars in university funding on alumni programming.

I don't do any of those things anymore- for the past ten years I have had the ears of approximately 130 high school students a year plus my own two kids. But to me, the ears attached to more than a thousand young, developing heads, are far more important than the previous ears. Because the impact these kids will make is greater than that of the Congressman, or Commission, or alumni association.

And that is why I am here to tell you that dressing in a manner that adequately portrays what's inside your head is important. Don't let how you look distract from the importance of the message you are sending. I don't wake up every morning excited to once again oppress teenage boys and girls. I wake up excited to expand their minds and to learn more from them every day. I wake up hoping that whatever I am bringing to those students to engage with will light a spark of interest and ignite their curiosity in some aspect of the world around them.

I have heard complaints from female students who say it's too hot and I don't understand. Considering that I'm in the same building that you are in for an even longer period of time, I'm pretty sure I do understand. I like shorts.  Of all my body parts, I think I have some pretty outstanding legs. I'd love to wear shorts to school. But I don't, because it's not professional. Because my employer would warn me, then fire me.

I have heard complaints saying from female students saying that it's sexist toward females. I am 100% certain that if boys wore short shorts there would be rules against that, too. Dress code rules about keeping your pants pulled up and your underwear not showing are aimed toward males. I enforce keeping your pants pulled up and your shorts past fingertip length equally.

When you go to the beach, do not wear school appropriate clothing. Wear tiny bathing suits. Be proud of your body.

When you go to your job, do not wear school appropriate clothing. Dress for your job whether you are a camp counselor and your job is wearing and applying bug repellent all day, mowing lawns, or scooping ice cream.

I am not saying:

• Dress like a clone
• Dress like a 40 year old
• Wear a uniform
• The 1950s were great
• Girls should be oppressed
• Style is for suckers
• Wear clothing that is too big

I am saying: 

• Dress appropriately for your environment
• When school is out, wear whatever fits your environment
• Your teachers are not thinking about sex if they ask you to pull your pants up (males) or your shorts/skirts down at the bottom (females)
• Dress in your own style

It is possible that rules exist because your teachers and administrators care about you and want you to succeed in school and in life. 

Save Yourself the Embarassment: a guide to teacher gifts

It's Teacher Appreciation Week.... as a teacher who used to be in a classroom and was on the receiving end of many a gift, here's a rough idea about things to get and *not* get your kids teacher this year whether it's this week, or the end of the year. Also, I'm not saying you have to get your teacher anything. Most people don't! But if you are planning to do something, here's a way to not embarrass yourself.

A quick Google search shows this: http://shop.cafepress.com/gift-for-teacher ... unless you know your teacher has a desire to collect the most bad mugs ever, don't buy her or him a mug. Note: I'm a female, & my kids have female teachers. I'm using the female pronoun. It's not sexist, it's factual. She has 100, and only uses 1 to hold her pencils. The myth of the teacher as endless coffee drinker is just that: a myth. She has to stay in the classroom all day so she probably has 1 to keep herself awake (or a Diet Coke) and then it's water if it's anything at all. Teachers are the most dehydrated people I know. If you drink something, you have to pee, and you can't leave your room with a bunch of students in it. Where do you think those stories about kids having sex in the classroom come from?

Second, do not get some personalized poem. Just save everyone the trouble. This is awful.

Third, no candles... UNLESS that candle is from an easily recognized source (Bath & Body Works, Yankee Candle) AND... and this is the most important part... it can be easily exchanged. She may only like one smell from there, and wouldn't you rather she actually use the gift you give her? What you think stinks might be her favorite smell!

Fourth, nothing that takes up space on her desk. No "super cute" name signs or #1 teacher things or anything that needs to be dusted & moved & knocked over by students. It will go on a shelf where all the other little trinkety gifts go and she won't remember who gave it to her in a year or two.

Fifth, NOTHING WITH APPLES. Don't make me say this twice.

Sixth, no alcohol. Unless you know her personally outside of just teaching your kid & are willing to give it to her outside of school. You don't want her to lose her job, do you?

Seventh, no food. She gets lots of food and she probably takes a bite & throws it away. UNLESS.... you own a bakery & it's what you do for a living. Once, I had a student whose father owned a Greek restaurant. Baklava? Yes, please!

Now for the part you've been waiting for... what do you get your teacher? 

1. A note from the kid or if the kid is too small, a note from you. This is free. I have a box I keep my notes in & I've never thrown one away. Even now that I teach online, I've had a couple emailed and I print them off & save them. I just read through them the other day and may have gotten a little something in my eye.

If your child is writing the note, don't supervise them. Let them write whatever they want. Maybe they have a special joke with the teacher or if they're small they think the coolest thing ever would be to invite the teacher to come over. Don't worry, she won't take them up on it, but it's from the heart.

2. A gift card... Teachers spend hundreds of their own dollars every year in the classroom.  Even $5 to a local book store or to Target or Books A Million goes a long way. Try to make it a pretty generic store- if you don't know, get a mall gift card that she can use anywhere in the mall. Also good- a gift card to the local teacher's supply store. Those places are usually overpriced, but there are things there you can't get anywhere else.

3. A memory stick/thumb drive/jump drive... whatever you call them. Especially good for middle & high school teachers. They always need more memory and if nothing else, they can loan it out to a student.

4. A care package... I like to start the school year by giving the teacher a gift bag with a travel size bottle of Advil, hand sanitizer, crackers, Hershey's Kisses and other small pre-wrapped foods, pencils, pens, highlighters, post-its, stickers. Teacher's often get stuck in their classroom when they should be eating & sometimes those tiny snacks save a teacher's sanity!

5. A nice travel kit... I had a student get me a lovely monogrammed small toiletry kit. I love it, I still use it, I still think of her when I do. Along the same lines- if you know the teacher fairly well & have a sense of her style, a nice lunch bag is also welcomed.

6. If you're looking for a high-end gift because this particular teacher has been downright amazing and your kid has been a hellion (and you know it) .... get her a gift certificate to a spa. Make sure it covers a massage, but don't actually book it for her. She may hate massages and only want a pedicure or whatever.

7. Classroom supplies- teachers always buy the cheapest stuff out there because it's going to get destroyed. It's always nice when a parent knows that that sort of thing happens. It's nice if you get her funky stuff for her own use- color pens, Sharpies, post-it notes in pretty colors. If you really want to make her happy, ask her what she needs for the kids. If it's paper, college or wide ruled? Pencils? A new pencil sharpener? Construction paper? Glue? A certain type of scissors?

8. Remember that note? That's the most important thing she will get from you. Acknowledge everything she's done. Make it personal. Wish her well. If you really loved her, write one to her supervisor.