Sunday * February 5th 2012
Dec25
Merry Christmas to all of my blog readers. I hope you are enjoying this holiday season with your loved ones. I’d like to thank everyone for the success of my blog. I couldn’t have done it without you.
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Dec23
Jogging and music don’t go together: It may be hazardous
The modern lifestyle simply calls for multitasking. You have to do the laundry as you cook dinner. You have to reply to an important text message as you cross the road. You even have to attend to your private emails as you help your daughter with her homework. Just think about all the things that you get to do one at a time, and it probably will not amount to much. When do you fit in the time to listen to some relaxing music in your busy schedule? In addition, when do you spare those precious but necessary moments to exercise in your jam-packed day? Well, you can always multi-task as they show in those fitness ads. However, not only is it too much for your body to process two separate activities, it is downright dangerous. Here are some reasons why you should never mix the two.
1. Divided attention
Multitasking calls for divided attention. It is common enough to be distracted by your surroundings and thoughts. However, if you willingly take up two separate activities at a time, both will get divided attention. You won’t really be able to listen to the music, and you won’t really be able to focus on your body exercising correctly. An exercise form like jogging especially calls for more focus. You need to focus on where you are going. Music, on the other hand, has emotive effects. If the music takes up more attention than is practical, and even move you emotionally, you are potentially in a dangerous situation.
2. Inability to derive maximum effects of jogging
Jogging is a great and simple cardio exercise. Less aggressive than running and more effective than walking, jogging makes for a perfect workout without burning you up. However, by jogging in the great outdoors there are other benefits to be had. You get to smell the fresh air in the morning in an otherwise convoluted city life. You hear natural sounds that are drowned by the din of the city for the rest of the day. Most importantly, you get to clear your mind, have a natural high, and feel fresh and pure. With music blasting through headphones blocking all that out, you end up losing a lot in the process.
3. Inability to derive maximum effects of listening to music
The only way that music inspires physical expression is dancing. Jogging and music do not mix. Fitness gear and music player endorsements like to recommend such a lifestyle choice of blending the two. However, exercise is supposed to naturally induce feelings of good will and positivity. Even the most positive music cannot induce the same amount of clarity and freshness. The embalming effects of music should be experienced elsewhere.
The worst-case scenario for such a mix is obviously a potentially fatal accident. Even if you do not go jogging outdoors and prefer your treadmill instead, it is still risky. Accidents can happen even at home and treadmill accidents are a reality. Therefore, jogging and listening to music are immensely enjoyable forms of activities that should never be mixed together.
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About the author: Kate is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on luxury and health care. Beside this, she is a fitness freak and follows a strict diet plan to stay in shape. In her free time she loves playing game on her cell phone.
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Dec19
Quote of the week:
“Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose – a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.” Mary Shelle
Health Tip:
Nutrition Tip: Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. Breakfast also gives you energy and helps you think and learn. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/better_health.htm#tips
Best rated health and fitness apps for iPhone
http://www.digitaltrends.com/lifestyle/best-health-and-fitness-apps-for-iphone/
Dec18
Note to my new readers: This month I am participating in Reverb11. See this post for more information. Although, I will not post daily due to my schedule, I will post as much as I can.
Prompt #5: Reading
{image: found via Kind Over Matter, originally Dolly Designs}
What has been your favorite book (or books if you can’t pick just one) that you’ve read this year?
I started 2011 with creative artist types books like “The Artist in the Office” to maintain my creative spirit that my inner child longed me to do all of these years. I was fascinated with the royal wedding and wanted to know more about Kate Middleton so I read the book William and Kate: A Royal Love Story to help me understand how they met and their love story.
I took a sewing class this past May and have bought many sewing books to help me get better at sewing. Somehow at the end of September and October I got really busy with work and sewing along with my other hobbies are placed in the back burner.
I did download “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau on my kindle but I haven’t even had time to read it. I even attempted to read “the first few pages of “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins.
One of my goals for 2012 is to read more pleasure books to help me with my stress level.
Dec18
Sam’s Club and The Salvation Army help make dreams come true for families in need this holiday season
Nationwide initiative will provide $200,000 worth of food and gifts during the holiday season for 200 families
The holidays are in full swing and Sam’s Club is teaming up with The Salvation Army and Off the Field professional football players’ wives association for the fifth annual Dream Drive for the Salvation Army. Twenty pre-selected families from the Salvation Army Adopt-A-Family program in 10 different cities will receive $1,000 worth of gifts, including food, clothes, personal items and toys from Sam’s Club. As part of the Dream Drive campaign, Off the Field representatives will be shopping at their local Sam’s Clubs on Dec 8 to purchase items for these families.
“Giving back to our local communities has been a long-standing part of our culture at Sam’s Club,” said Cindy O’Connor, Home and Apparel vice president for Sam’s Club. “Our partnership with The Salvation Army and Off the Field allows us to help make the holidays a little brighter for families in need through the annual Dream Drive campaign.”
Sam’s Club will donate $200,000 through the Dream Drive program this holiday season to provide gifts and personal items for 200 Salvation Army families in the following cities:
“The partnership with Sam’s Club for the past four years has allowed Dream Drive to become an annual tradition that is important for so many families,” said Major George Hood, national community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. “The Salvation Army appreciates the continued support of Sam’s Club and its customers, who have allowed us to provide critical services to those in need during the winter months and beyond with Dream Drive and The Red Kettle Campaign.”
“Off the Field is excited to continue our partnership with Sam’s Club and The Salvation Army and our involvement in Sam’s Club Dream Drive,” said Ericka Lassiter, president of Off the Field. “This rewarding and amazing experience has become an event our members anxiously await each year. Giving back to our communities is one of the main focuses of our organization. Dream Drive presents our members with the opportunity to make dreams come true for many families during the holiday season. We are excited that this year Off the Field will be participating in 10 cities helping 200 families! We are truly honored to participate and humbled by this experience.”
This year, Sam’s Club and Walmart will host Salvation Army iconic red kettles and bell ringers outside locations nationwide during The Salvation Army’s 120th Red Kettle Campaign now through Dec 24. For more than 20 years, both Sam’s Club and Walmart have been partners of The Salvation Army, providing a place for volunteers to collect donations that benefit local communities nationwide.
To learn more about the Sam’s Club Dream Drive or for more information regarding the partnership with The Salvation Army and Off the Field, visit SamsClub.com/giving.
About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation’s eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million Members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 30 percent over traditional retailers. To learn more about Savings Made Simple®, visit SamsClub.com and look for Sam’s Club on Twitter, Facebook and our mobile app.
Sam’s Club Giving
Sam’s Club supports community-based programs that empower young people, families and small businesses to make smart choices that lead to healthy and bright futures. Through cash and in-kind donations, as well as the dedication of Associates, Sam’s Club is committed to making an impact in areas that align with the company, and with the passions and interests of Members. In 2010, the Sam’s Club Giving Program made cash and in-kind contributions of more than $89 million, which included donating more than 39 million meals. To learn more, visit http://www.samsclub.com/
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
About Off the Field
Off the Field was established on February 16, 2006, in Washington, D.C., as a national non-profit organization. The organization is comprised solely of the spouses of active and retired NFL Players. OTF is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization that strives to be a resource to all its members and their communities. The purpose of OTF is to have an alliance of women within a network who are fully committed to collectively affect change within themselves as well as their surrounding communitie
Dec14
Winner of the Prosperity Bloom giveaway is Cee! Congrats Cee! I emailed you. I hope you enjoy the class!
Dec13
Note to my new readers: This month I am participating in Reverb11. See this post for more information. Although, I will not post daily due to my schedule, I will post as much as I can.
Prompt #4 – Beauty
How have your standards of beauty shifted in the past year?
Growing up I have always thought of beauty as skin deep. As I get older, I believe beauty is from within. There are many “beautiful” people on the inside that may not be beautiful in the outside according to what society thinks. I think the media has misinformed us of what beauty truly is.
As I grow comfortable with myself, I don’t need to wear make-up or dress up nicely to look or feel good. I am now comfortable walking around without makeup in gym attire.
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Dec12
‘
Have a Havoc-Free Holiday
Seasonal stress leaving you anything but merry? Take time this week to set realistic expectations about your holiday schedule and budget. Remember it’s ok to say no if you’re feeling overwhelmed, and leave yourself plenty of time for mindful moments and celebrations!
Dec11
Note to my new readers: This month I am participating in Reverb11. See this post for more information. Although, I will not post daily due to my schedule, I will post as much as I can.
Prompt #3: Year in Review
As you reflect back on the happenings of 2011, what were your high points and what were your low points? What do you notice as you look back on the year as a whole?
So much has happened in 2011. Since I will be writing my annual Year in Review, I will not write as much. January started with a challenge for me. I had some obstacles at work with my software certification. But my professioanl life proved successful and now I am writing for Master in Healthcare Informatics. My passion for nursing informatics was renewed when I went to additional training at work.
As for my blog, it has become a success! I was nominated as best blogger in the healthy living category and my blog is another source of income for me. I truly am a freelance writer. I still write for Today’s Mama and have added Bliss to my writing resume. I was also interviewed early this year.
I’ve also met many new blog friends too. I met Rebecca in person and met many more wonderful people.
2011 was a good year for me professionally and for my blog.
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Dec08
Thank you all for participating. Many of you have plans to get in shape for 2012 and hope you continue with your exercise plans. And I applaud you for your goals. Just because you did not win the SHAPE prize package doesn’t mean you still can’t pursue your goals. You still can by joining a gym or setting up a home gym and getting 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week.
The winner will receive a Fiber One prize package consisting of:
The winner of the SHAPE/Fiber One prize package is….
Ronalee, I emailed you. Please email me your contact information as soon as you can.
Dec06
I have a holiday party tonight and thoughts about my wardrobe were absolutely none. If you need help like me in holiday fashion read Jeannie Mai’s tip on behalf of Yoplait.
Jeannie Mai, fashionista and host of The Style Network’s makeover show “How Do I Look?” has teamed up with Yoplait Light to remind women that small changes throughout the day can make a big difference over time – whether in food, fashion or exercise. As the holidays approach, she has a few style swap tips, as well as some food and exercise tips to make sure you look and feel your best. Find more of Jeannie’s style swap tips at www.Facebook.com/Yoplait.
Jeannie Mai’s Holiday SWAP Tips
Dec05
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I’ve been reading one of my favorite blogs lately: A Beautiful Ripple Effect. I noticed when I get so busy and don’t have time to do much of anything else, I tend to crave items that nourish my spirit. Last week, I saw Carolyn tweet about Reverb11. I knew about Reverb10 from reading Carolyn’s blog last year but I didn’t join since I found out about it too late. I made a mental note that if I saw it again this year I would join.
And I saw it this year but I didn’t jump up and sign up right away like I usually do. I paused and thought, “Is this going to be something else on my to-do list?” I know where that ends if I feel something becomes obligatory and less fun. I decided I really needed time for myself to think and write my thoughts so….
Join me in Reverb11.
Reverb10 was started by Gwen Bell, Kali Harris, and Kaileen Elise. The purpose of Reverb10 was to reflect on the past year in order to manifest the life you want the following year. This is done by daily prompts.
This year Reverb11 is being hosted by Carolyn, author of A Beautiful Ripple Effect and Tiffany Moore.
I started a little bit late (because I hesitated) but here are the daily prompts for December so far:
December 1, 2011
One Word
Encapsulate the year 2011 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2012 for you? (via Gwen Bell)
So much has happened to me in 2011 in so many areas of my life. I think the one word that sticks out the most is MOTIVATED. No matter how hard things got, I was still motivated to pass my software certification, learn a new software application, and decide to take my nursing informatics certification exam.
December 2, 2011
Writing
What piece of writing are you most proud of from 2011? How does this piece differ from your other pieces?
The piece of writing I am most proud is my Journey into Nursing Informatics. It really summed up why I chose another nursing specialty and it was my first time writing. I reignited my passion for nursing, technology and my career.
This piece is different from my other pieces is it related to my own personal story and struggles.
I am going to stop and pause before I continue with the next prompts. One thing I learned about myself is if I am feeling tired, I need to stop and rest because it will reflect on my writing.
Dec05
Quote of the week:
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” -Walt Disney
Health Tip:
This week’s health tip is great as we set our intentions for 2012.
Reframe the way you think about exercise. Begin to think of each workout as a gift you give to yourself instead of just another “should,” “ought,” or “must.” http://www.familyresource.com/health
Dec04
Answer the following questions honestly?
If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, you need a present for yourself. And that present is an ecourse called “Prosperity Blooms”. If you are like me, my professional life has taken a life of its own. I struggle with not having enough time for myself. I come home exhausted and fall asleep. I don’t have time to “relax” by journaling or even reflecting about my day. And its the same each day. I often think the weekends will be better and I can “catch up”. Me time, reflecting, and journaling is not about “catching up”. It’s about taking the time each day and learning from it: how can I manage my time better or how could I have said blah, blah, blah better.
I took the Prosperity Blooms ecourse this past autumn and in a few days I received a significant raise. I changed my thoughts to allow gratitude and prosperity to come into my life. Although, I can’t promise you the same will happen but I can tell you the ecourse will open up your eyes.
Prosperity Blooms is hosted by the lovely Michele Bergh. I had the priveledge of meeting Michele at a previous ecourse I took with Liv Lane. Prosperity Blooms is 30 days of prompts and exercises that you can complete at your own pace. Michele has a private Facebook group where you can join but sharing your answers are not mandatory. You can share as much or as little.
Since I got so much out of this ecourse, Michele is generous enough to give a spot away to a lucky reader on my blog! All you have to do is comment why you want to take this ecourse and I will pick a winner via random.org. This giveaway will end on December 14 and I will announce the winner on the same day.
Optional:
1.) Tweet about this giveaway (don’t forget to include @mynursecoach and @beinspired1
2.) Follow me on GFC
3.) On my Facebook page, tell me one thing you would like to change in your life
Dec03
Yes, I have another giveaway and this will be the last Eucerin giveaway of the year! I can’t believe its December already.
Giveaway winner is Jesse C. Congrats! Please email me your address as soon as possible.
Season’s Greetings, ‘Tis the season to moisturize!
With a New Year right around the corner, it’s never too late to take charge of your skin. As you reflect on the past year and look forward to the next, commit to putting the health of your skin first. Skin stress that appears during the holidays can be the result of a lack of moisture, especially if you live in a colder climate. Eucerin would like to help give your skin the beautiful and healthy holiday glow it deserves.
This month I am picking one winner to win the “Jolly Holiday Kit” on behalf of Eucerin. This care package includes amazing Eucerin products (see images above) that help boost skin’s moisture along with cosmetic bags and festive nail polish to make your holiday merry and bright!
Do you have any New Year skin goals you will be making for healthy, beautiful and glowing skin in 2012? Share your New Year’s skin resolutions with me (and my readers) and tell me what you think of this month’s product spotlight:
Prize Pack includes all 5 items below and a makeup bag along with some festive nail polish.
Eucerin Calming Crème (8 oz.) Is a gentle, non-greasy formula that combines calming oatmeal and rich emollients to help relieve dry, itchy skin for softer, healthier-looking and more comfortable skin.
Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand Crème (2.7 oz.) Is a unique, non-greasy formula that intensively moisturizes and is enriched with buffered alpha hydroxy to gently exfoliate.
Eucerin Plus Smoothing Essentials Fast Absorbing Body Lotion (16.9 fl. oz.) has a unique formula with buffered alpha hydroxy that gently smoothes and moisturizes to reveal healthier-looking, radiant skin.
Eucerin Calming Body Wash (8.4 oz.), is a unique body wash formulation that combines soap-free cleansing with omega oils and other natural lipids to nourish and soothe.
Eucerin Calming Itch-Relief (6.8 fl. oz.) is a non-greasy formula calms itchy skin flare-ups with cooling menthol and natural oatmeal for effective relief that lasts up to 8 hours.
To participate (MANDATORY):
1.) Tell me in the comment section any tips to make your skin glow for the holidays and tell me what you think of the Eucerin products I am giving away above.
OPTIONAL:
2.) Tell me in my Facebook page what your holiday plans are
3.) Tweet about this giveaway: don’t forget to include @mynursecoach and @EucerinUS #SKINFIRST
4.) Go to the Eucerin Facebook page and tell them your holiday skin care tip and don’t forget to tell them Anna sent you
This giveaway will end on December 17, 2011 so the winner can have the Eucerin products before the holidays. I will also announce the winner on the same day so come back to see if you won. If you are the winner, please email me your contact information within 48 hours of receiving the notification. Good Luck!
The makeup bags are amazing! It’s handmade and big enough to hold all of your Eucerin products.
DISCLOSURE: I received a prize package described above by Eucerin. This post is based on my own honest opinion. I am not receiving any monetary compensation for this post.
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