Why "Go Outside and Play" Works

Yoga at the Ranch

Earlier this summer, our little group of yogis decided to move our practice outside following a shift from afternoon to morning yoga.  Why?  It just felt good.  And it continues to do so.  Something about the feel of the air, the sounds of the trees, birds, scents from the growies (plant and animal) keeps us coming back for more outdoor yoga.

Of course, when I stop to think about it, I remember all of the studies I've read that show evidence that being in nature changes us at a cellular level, improves our health - mind, body and soul.  Which studies you ask?  Well, the ones... out there..... that I've read.  I tend to read, retain what is important to me at the time and let the rest go, like names, publications, etc.  But in this age of Google, those very studies are at my (and your) fingertips.  In fact, that is what I did, just in case you asked.

In the land of Google, I quickly stumbled on an article from none other than Oprah on the Health Benefits of Nature.  It's a quick, easy read with some practical tips on how you can maximize your time amongst the bird and the bees and other growie things.

The article is based on a book by an MD and a naturopath who share the physiological effects of being outdoors - which include a healthier immune system and get this, a perception that exercise is easier!  The article gives 5 easy ways to spend time in nature.

 It doesn't seem as common these days to hear a parent speak those words imprinted on my brain from childhood, "Go outside and play."  This is likely due to an understandably increased fear of what could happen to your child in the neighborhood these days.  Back in the 60's & 70's our playground was all up and down the block and our parents stood on the porch and yelled through the neighborhood when they wanted us to come home.  We got plenty of outdoor time. We got dirty even.

Today, with our busy indoor-centric lives, we need to help ourselves and our children experience more of what nature offers us so that we and they can be healthier human beings- mind, body and soul.
I am grateful to be surrounded by people who remind me to take a time out and I am thankful to be near my grandchildren so I can spend precious outside time with them as well.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Plenty of nature around in all directions

City of Rifle, Colorado off in the distance

Some of the "growies"

The Zen Leader is Available!

Fairly new in the niche of audiobook narration, I have a total of six published audiobooks under my belt and, like children, I love each in their own special way.  But if I am allowed to have a favorite, I'd have to say that the honor goes to number 6 - The Zen Leader: 10 Ways to Go From Barely Managing to Leading Fearlessly by Ginny Whitelaw.

In the roughly 60 days that I spent intimately with this book, I learned so much, refreshed in ways I hadn't realized I needed to and watched as some more pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.  My husband Randy is my editing partner and as he went through chapter by chapter he too recognized the potential impact of this book.  Randy has gone so far as to say it's one of the most important books he has read in his lifetime.  I would have to agree that it ranks right up there.

The really good news?  Well, that comes in two parts.

First of all, it's an easy listen.  Broken into 10 chapters, each one is easy to understand, with wonderful examples and simple exercises to practices on your own.  In fact, it goes beyond the book with references throughout to resources that are available on the author's website.

Secondly, it is available as of this afternoon!  Check it out at Audible.com.

Here is an excerpt to get you started.





I hope you will find a copy of The Zen Leader to read or listen to and that it will be as impactful for you as it has been in my life.

What other books have been important to you?  Why?

Weekly Inspiration - Zinnias

This spring I gathered up all my seed packets and began planning out my flower beds and garden.  Somewhere along the way I had picked up a packet of zinnia seeds.  I have no experience with zinnias and a little bit of an aversion to planting annuals.  But, I had a spot in a flower bed and threw them in.  What could it hurt?

What a surprise my zinnias have been.  This photo does not do them justice at all.  They have become one of my favorites and I plan to plant many more next year.  In fact, I am hoping to devote a large part of my vegetable garden space to them, so I have plenty to cut and bring in to the house.

So next time life presents an unknown..... I say go for it!

Sunday Inspiration - June 16, 2013

Sunday Inspiration - June 9, 2013

A Casual, Effective Leg Workout

Ah, working out.  No time?  No equipment? No gym membership?  No consistency?  I hear you!!!

That's why I teamed up with my daughters Elizabeth (blogger mommy) and Megan (personal trainer mommy) and started Daily Morning Workouts on Google Hangouts On Air.  Even as personal trainers, accountability is key.  As young moms, Elizabeth and Megan were having difficulty finding the motivation and the format to get in a daily workout (can you relate?)  As a busy professional (a tendency toward workaholic) I have to be very structured to get my workouts in.  We all agree its important and we feel better able to handle the rest of what life brings when we are physically active, so we made a pact and a plan.

The plan is we commit not only to one another, but to you as well.  Our workouts are recorded daily and broadcast live on Google Hangouts On Air.  They are also published on YouTube.  So if you see we missed a day - holler!  Additionally, we want to help you see that working out doesn't have to include a big investment in equipment or gym memberships.  You can work with what you've got around the house, and you'll see we do just that.  So, if you are looking for a way to JUST DO IT - join us!

Here is last week's Leg Workout, courtesy of Megan Henrie:

Weekly Inspiration - May 19, 2013

Weekly Inspiration - May 12, 2013

Source: google.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Weekly Inspiration- May 5, 2013

Source: feministfitness.tumblr.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Weekly Inspiration - April 28, 2013

Source: Uploaded by user via Kimberly on Pinterest

So Where Do I Begin?

In an interview with radio host Don Wight this morning, he asked the question that so many ask, "Where do I start?"  The answers can be many and varied, depending on your current wellness situation and what you want to accomplish.

The short answer?  Start small.  With these two steps:

1) Make a promise to yourself every morning that you will move for 5-10 minutes minimum within that day.  Go for a walk, do some squats, run in place, push ups, jumping jacks, the list is endless.  Just begin to incorporate movement into your day as a start.

2) On the nutrition front, a simple way to start is to make a list of the healthy things you like to eat and make yourself a promise each morning that you will consume at least one of those healthy foods.  One of my favorites is a fruit smoothie.  There are so many recipes you can choose from, or make up your own.  Here's mine:

Two scoops Proflex Vanilla protein powder

a handful of frozen strawberries

one scoop of Fiberwise powder

one banana

Start with about 10 ounces of water and then add more if needed for consistency

Throw it all in a blender and zooooom!

I like this one because its easy and simple.  And I am a no fuss, no muss kind of girl.

It's important that you make this decision daily, so it's fresh.  Otherwise a week can go by and you realize you haven't kept up with your commitment, then you beat yourself up for failing and that just isn't good.  It creates a downward spiral that is hard to turn back from.  So, just commit daily for THAT DAY.  Forgive yourself if you fall short and recommit again for the next day.

The best healthy body plan there is, is to love yourself and your body as you are right now.  Then show that love by incorporating healthy choices each day.

If you would like help putting together a plan or just some motivation and encouragement to get started, shoot me an email and we'll work together during a free consultation to get you off on the right foot. Email me at kimhenrie@vitalityforlife.com.

Roaring Fork Wellness: 101 FITNESS & HEALTH TIPS, REMINDERS and MOTIVATIO...

This is a worth repeating.... Happy New Year's Resolutions!

Roaring Fork Wellness: 101 FITNESS & HEALTH TIPS, REMINDERS and MOTIVATIO...: 101 FITNESS & HEALTH TIPS, REMINDERS and MOTIVATIONS  These fitness tips were written during 2009 and 2010 while working as a perso...

Life with Bliss™: Why focus on LIFESTYLE and NOT on weight?

Great article on the philosophy of Lifestyle Focus vs Weight Loss Focus.



Life with Bliss™: Why focus on LIFESTYLE and NOT on weight?: Most of my clients come to me to lose weight.  I ask them to put that goal on the back burner and try focusing on their ACTIONS instead.  ...

Creating a Life

I'm so proud of us.

Randy and I ALMOST went snowshoeing yesterday. That is a step forward.

We have been so busy doing the "right" things, working hard, building business, that we have set aside the business of living in many ways.

We've lived in ski country since 1997. Neither of us have an aversion to skiing, in fact, we'd both like to. BUT, we have set it aside every ski season since 1997 as not enough time and/or money to invest. What a waste! We spent that time/money on work and business.

So this weekend we discussed skiing or snowshoeing and settled on snow shoeing for Sunday. We packed snacks and lunches and got things together. Unfortunately, mother nature didn't agree and it was rather nasty outside.... so we have decided to try again next weekend. However, we ventured out to the local shops and looked at snowshoes, shopped for new winter boots for me and did the homework on just where we will take our rented snowshoes next weekend. So... it's a work in progress, a step in the right direction.

I'm really excited to try it!

Santa Claus - My True Christmas Story

Santa Claus
By Kimberly Henrie

This was our first Colorado winter and we were excited about our first Christmas in our new home. We had just moved from the desert and my daughters, who were six and nine, had only seen a real winter once before in their lives. They were so little, they didn’t remember it. It was Christmas Eve. The girls and I were out and about, running holiday errands. We delivered treats to some of our friends and made a last minute trip to Kmart.

My youngest daughter, Megan, was distracted by a simple jewelry box. You’ve probably seen

them, the little square box with a dancer inside that twirls around when you open the box while sweet ballerina music plays. Megan and her big sister Elizabeth were enchanted. They each wanted to take one home. I just smiled and said, “Not tonight. Tomorrow is Christmas; let’s see what Santa Claus will bring.”

I, like thousands of other parents over the years, had given my children the gift of believing in Santa Claus. I’d spent hours of their young lives telling them the stories, wrapping “Santa’s gifts” in different colored paper and leaving milk and cookies. Among my favorite childhood memories that I share with them were those annual movies, “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”. I still love them!

I would really like to have sneaked those gifts into the shopping cart that Christmas Eve. The jewelry boxes weren’t very expensive, but with our move to a new home that year, we were on a budget, and Christmas spending was done. Though I yearned for the day when we could afford such simple gifts, I was thankful to God for how far we had come. You see, there were Christmases past that the girls and I relied on the kindness of others. When Megan was born, we were living on public assistance, in an old trailer in a very small town on the prairies of the Midwest. We had struggled to make our lives better since then, and in answer to my prayers, my husband, Randy, came into our lives when the girls were four and seven years old. Yes, though times were frugal, life had become so much richer for us. There was a great deal to be thankful for.

We left the store that night without the jewelry boxes. Our errands were just about done. One last stop for gas on the way home, and then it would be time to tuck the girls in for the night, while Randy and I played Santa Claus. It was dark at the gas station at about eight-thirty. As I got out of the car to begin fueling, I was careful to be aware of my surroundings. You can imagine
how nervous I was as a beat-up old truck pulled into the gas station right up next to my car and a gruff-looking man rolled down his window and beckoned me over. With a glance at the girls to make sure they were snug in the car with windows rolled up, I cautiously approached the truck. The man looked like he had been working hard in filthy conditions all day and had not had a chance to bathe. I expected a question about where to find a hot meal or a warm bed and was prepared to direct him to our church or the police station. Imagine my surprise as the man held up two jewelry boxes almost exactly like the ones we had seen at the store! “Ma’am, I won these two jewelry boxes at the movie theater,” he said, “and I noticed you had two little girls. I don’t have anyone to give them to and was wondering if your girls might like them.”

I was speechless as I stood there, face-to-face with Santa Claus. Somehow I stuttered my way through

thanks and gratitude, and assured him that the girls would be delighted to have the gifts he offered. I watched as he disappeared into the night – Santa Claus in an old, beat-up truck.

It has been four years since that night, and it still
brings a tear to my eye as I tell the story. Who was that man? I don’t know. I’ve never seen him again, but I do believe that God used him that night to answer my simple prayer. He opened my eyes to the true Santa Claus – the love of Christ shining through us to all the world.

Copyright 2002, Kimberly Henrie. All Rights Reserved.

Originally published in Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul. Also included in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Cheer.

Go ahead - be mediocre!

Be the best mediocre you can be!

Great moment yesterday. A member came to me and shared that he had completed a 25 mile bike ride over the weekend, just short of his 30 mile goal. Thing is, he had never ridden more than 5 or 10 miles before. So, while he didn't meet his goal, he more than doubled his longest ride ever and he was so proud! It took a fundraising effort for a favorite charity to push him to do it. Prior to that, he never thought he could because he is "overweight" and "out-of-shape." So he didn't try.

I see it often and have experienced it myself. We think we aren't fit enough, tall enough, big enough, smart enough, insert label here, and so we do not try because we won't be good at it. So what?!

I stumbled across an interview with the author of Slow Fat Triathlete. I haven't read it (I intend to read it ASAP!) but what I gather from the interview is that the author finally came to the realization that she could do what she wanted in the body she had, rather than sitting on the couch or waiting until she was miraculously fit and ready. Can we see ourselves in this? I think so.

In the interview she talks about a culture of "being the best" or not playing. A culture that doesn't accept the middle-ground. It's an interesting perception.

For me, hiking is my nemesis. Actually, it's all cardiovascular activity! But I love hiking, so I do it anyway. I take breaks, I breathe heavy, I truck on. The journey and the top are all so worth it. I can't imagine having missed some of the breath-taking views I've seen just because I am not at top hiking condition. I've climbed this! And made it almost to the top. (Stupid lightening!)

One would hope I would do better over time, but alas, it doesn't seem to be the case. So do I quit? I think not. Why punish myself? I will truck on.

Bottomline: Do what you love no matter how well you perform. Do it anyway. Perhaps you will get better at it, perhaps you won't. But it's life, enjoy it!