That’s it! Time to get fit!

There comes a time when you take a good hard look at yourself and decide its time for a change.

I did that last year and have been working ever since to be healthy, lose weight, and get fit. It hasn’t been an easy journey, and the journey isn’t over yet. But the benefits have been well worth the efforts undertaken.

I’ll be exploring and sharing what it takes to get fit when you’ve reached 50 years of age and above. No, we ain’t dead! No, we ain’t old! We’re on a journey to be feisty, fab and fit!

I’ll be talking clean eating, working out, dealing with health issues that affect women our age (think pre-menopause and achey joints for example), and how to stay motivated when the going gets rough and tough.

You can also follow along as I work my fitness and health plan. I’ll share what I’m going through, and you can chime in with your thoughts.

Note that this was originally written back in 2010. Since the death of my husband in June 2011 I haven’t been doing any of this fitness stuff. Didn’t even quit smoking, though that’s what killed my hubby. Sooooo….I’ve lost quite a bit of weight though I need to do some firming up, and I’m also in the process of getting off of nicotine.

Check out My Quit!

Just click on the FITNESS category or tag to read my pages and posts!

==Make the Choice==

It all comes down to what you REALLY want for yourself — no excuses, no whining, no B.S., no fear, no doubt, no laziness, no giving up.

~Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.==Goethe

~The five S’s of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit.==Ken Doherty

~If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.==Julius Irving

~I just want to see how long I can keep this thing going. The easiest thing is dying. Living is a a pain in the butt.==Jack Lalane

Daphne Cochran-Shapiro is an Author & Poet, Designer & Crafter, and Entrepreneur who specializes in working with folks needing design assistance. My goal is to empower you to be the best you can be in ALL your endeavors. I invite you to browse my sites and share your comments on my works!

We all know the Earth is suffering. We see it around us everyday. Pollution of air, water, and  land, overpopulation, species dying out, technology running rampant, warfare scarring the terrain, and landfills brimming over with the excesses of a materially-focused, excessively consumptive society.

Do we want this to continue? Do we want to leave our children an Earth so poorly cared for, leave them a tragic legacy? Do we want to surround ourselves in such an environment?  Most people would say, “No”. And, so there, at the point of decision we must take action. It begins with each one of us making that decision consciously and with full commitment to do our part, no matter how small.

As we continue with this commitment we find that we set an example for those around us. And, with hope, those others will also make their commitment. And so it spreads to a global  effort of saving something very precious — our Home.

“Almost anything you do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” ~~ Ghandi

• Recycle/re-use as much as you can.
• Neuter/spay your pets.
• Before you buy something ask yourself: “Do I REALLY need this?”
• Join a local action group such as the Sierra Club.
• Start a neighborhood clean-up group — and do a bi-weekly or monthly cleaning.
• Turn off the lights.
• Plant something green.
• Don’t throw trash out your car window (yes, I still see people doing this!).
• Carpool.
• Slow down when you drive — it saves on gas.
• Turn off the TV and read a book or take a walk.
• Use products that haven’t been tested on animals.
• Write to your political leaders and support conservation legislation.
• Teach your children how to care for the Earth.
• Mulch your grass clippings and leaves instead of bagging them and taking them to a landfill.
• Use chemicals sparingly.
• Turn off the air conditioner and open the windows.
• Support conservation organizations.
• Be a peaceful force of change.
• Be thankful and appreciate the beautiful planet we live with.

Visit the Heartwood for more on conservation and ecology!

Daphne Cochran-Shapiro is an Author & Poet, Designer & Crafter, and Entrepreneur who specializes in working with folks needing design assistance. My goal is to empower you to be the best you can be in ALL your endeavors. I invite you to browse my sites and share your comments on my works!

It is never too late to create a fit and healthy lifestyle! I was lucky enough and excited to find a super site, perfect for achieving that goal–SparkPeople.com. Although I have only been a member for 3 weeks, I’ve already made surprisingly effective strides towards living fit and healthy. I’ve been watching and tracking what I eat, started an exercise program (cardio and strength training), feel better overall (improved mood, stable blood sugar levels, and more restful sleep), and lost 3 lbs. plus an inch on my waist and hips. Pretty good for just 3 weeks, right?

Oh yeah, and if you’re wondering what my age is, I’m 49! That’s why I say its never too late. I got totally sick of feeling tired, old and sluggish, and I got sick of not being at my ideal weight. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to get started, but SP has made the process painless and fun. I’m more active, watch less T.V., my mind is clearer, and my body is stronger. I don’t feel so old and tired anymore!

I’ll add that with SP’s wealth of nutrition, wellness, and fitness information I’ve gained loads of knowledge about living a healthy lifestyle. You can also get great support from the members, who are always willing to give that support just when you need it.

Now having raved about SparkPeople, let me review what you get when you’re a member. {Major + — its FREE to join!!}

SP Features ~

• Free to join!
• Track your nutrition (calories, carbs, fat, protein, water intake and more)
• Track your exercise (cardio activities, strength training, and calories burned)
• Track your weight and measurements
• Reports (nutrition, fitness, and weight)
• Goal setting tools with tracking
• Personal journals and blogs
• Teams (hook up with others who share your interests and goals)
• Your own personal Spark page
• Daily Planner
• Free workout videos
• Health news and articles
• Social networking (add friends, Friend Feed)
• Message boards
• The Spark Diet
• SparkPoints for your site activities
• SparkGoodies (buy and give to your friends)
• Motivational Quotes
• Success Stories (great motivators!)
• SparkRecipes (you can even submit your own)
• Family Adventure (get your entire family to join in)
• SparkMail
• The Spark Store

That’s a brief review of most of the features at SparkPeople (I’m sure I missed a couple). They definitely offer a comprehensive set of features to help you with your health and fitness goals. I’ve totally been enjoying the time I spend there, and totally enjoying the progress I’m making.

I’d love to see you join me, so stop on in to my SparkPage and give me a holler! Let me know you learned about SP here at DreamWeaving with Daphne.

Let’s get Sparkling!

Daphne Cochran-Shapiro is an Author & Poet, Designer & Crafter, and Entrepreneur who specializes in working with folks needing design assistance. My goal is to empower you to be the best you can be in ALL your endeavors. I invite you to browse my sites and share your comments on my works!