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Aimee's Soapbox!
April 2004: “The Simply Fit Lifestyle Program”
Our Journey Has Only Just Begun!
So, Groovy Readers, how have your travels been? Are you enjoying your Road Trip of the Self? Did you learn
any good stuff about yourself? Or learn anything that surprised you? If so, then you have done your job!
And now it's time to jump back into the driver's seat and go learn some more! I am sure that many of you
thought that your homework duties ended in high school or college. Isn't it a shame that no one told us
at the very beginning that all of life was a process and that we'd be on a learning curve for as long as we
drew breath? Because maybe then we'd be much more receptive to change and growth and maybe not fear it
so much. But I digress. . .
Here are your assignments for the next month.
WEEKS FIVE AND SIX: Mother was Right--Good Posture is Important
WHAT
Proper posture will allow your body to operate more efficiently and effectively. To achieve postural
alignement, imagine a plumb line beginning at your ear and extending through your shoulder, hip, knee,
and ankle. Have another person view you from the side in order to get an objective picture. Poor posture
can cause muscle pain, limit performance, impair organ function, and increase joint wear-n-tear. And
good posture can actually improve your appearance by making you look taller and your stomach flatter. And
hey, who can turn that down?
HOW
Recognize the warning signs of poor posture--backache, stiff neck--so that you can correct it. Develop
an awareness of your body (called your kinesthetic sense). Relax, and don't tense up muscles you aren't
using (that is, don't grind your teeth unless you are actually gnawing on a steakbone). Here's a good
self-test to do throughout the day:
BREATHE: First, take a deep breath, fully in and fully out, to relax and "center" yourself.
SCAN: Mentally check your body for any tense areas, like a clenched jaw or raised shoulders.
RE-ALIGN: Soften and relax those areas you identified above, and shift yourself back into "plumb."
YOUR MISSION
First, have another person look at your posture to determine where you are out of plumb. Are your knees
locked and tight rather than loose and slightly bent? Is one shoulder higher than the other? Are your
head and shoulders slumped forward? Then, write down the areas that need to be adjusted. Carry that list
with you and check yourself throughout the day. Do the mental body scan (as above) often.
MY POSTURAL IMBALANCES (note misalignments and corrections taken):
Head & Shoulders:
Hips and Knees:
Feet:
WEEKS SEVEN AND EIGHT: Put Down the Junk Food and Back Away Slowly!
WHAT
Not only do the sugars, preservatives, artificial additives, and bleached, enriched flours in junk
foods cause health problems, but they are nutritionally empty foods which contribute nothing to your diet.
And the overly sweetened and salted snacks have desensitized your palette so that you can no longer truly
enjoy the taste of whole foods.
And most of the chemical additives in processed foods have been linked to health diseases. For example,
excessive caffeine raises blood pressure and anxiety levels, sugar can impair your immune system, and
aspartame has been linked to migraines and depression.
HOW
The most obvious way to eliminate junk from your diet is not to buy it in the first place (duh), or at
least substitute healthier snacks. Be careful, though, when buying replacement treats. Things marked
"sugar free" or "fat free" have simply replaced the sugar and fat with chemicals. If you are having
difficulty giving up your favorite comfort food, try this approach to curb your cravings. (Of course,
you need to examine why you are seeking out the comfort food in the first place, but that is another article.)
BRUSH: Brush your teeth to change the taste in your mouth.
DRINK: A glass of water will make you feel full.
WAIT: Give yourself 15 minutes to see if the craving passes.
YOUR MISSION
Throw out all the junk food already in your house. Then make a trip to your local health food store and
find an organic, whole food substitution for your favorite snack. Re-educate your taste buds to appreciate
whole foods again. Without getting too "groovy" (I know, is it really possible ever to be TOO groovy?), do
remember that all things have energy, even the food you eat. What energy, or life force, do you want to put in
your body? Think about that when choosing your own Scooby Snacks.
Coming up...
Once again, it usually takes two weeks or so to establish a new habit, which is why I have spaced each of these
"homework assignments" two weeks apart. Enjoy practicing your new habits this month without judging
your "success" or "failure." Remember that those are merely part of the learning process! In the next
article, we will be tackling "Breathing" and "Good Fats." Till then.... keep on learning!
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