Spring cleaning my head space

Sometimes this blog has little to nothing to do with health and fitness...unless you consider that letting your thoughts out is a healthy way to clean out your head space.  

In no particular order...things that I question...today, and other days...and certainly not a complete compendium...

I truly dislike the qualifiers. You know, the: "you look good for having had four kids", "that's great for a non-runner", "not bad for a nearly 40 year old". Say what!? Sooo, if I hadn't had four kids, if I were a 'runner', or if I was 20 something I would be less fantastic? Here's the thing, the 'qualifier' makes the entire statement seem less genuine, and far from complimentary.  Take your qualifier and...

Why are so many people afraid of change? The only thing permanent IS change. So, accept it. Embrace it. Love it. Being afraid of change doesn't make it go away. Just saying. 

Sugar is poison. True story. It fuels cancer. It is addictive. It effs up your hormones and makes you fat. It is a DRUG. It should be a criminal offence when it is an additive/ingredient in the foods we buy. 

What is it with moles? I don't mean the blind rodent, I am referring to the skin growths. Apparently these lil beauties appear in the first 30 years of life...well, I am 9 years past my first 30 and they are still coming. So, I have freckles, I am a red head, I stand at 6',.... My parents truly whipped up a recipe not many have replicated.  So why do I also need moles? 

Being a parent of a teenager truly kicks one's self esteem in the a$$. If I hadn't already thought what I did occasionally was 'stupid' or that what I was wearing was 'embarrassing', I need only to look at my first born to bring my elevated self love back down to miniscule levels. (Seriously, what's wrong with wearing my fedora with runners?!). 

Speaking of hats. Love em! Nothing hides bad hair better than a ball cap. That or staying under the covers all day. 

Cortisol levels increase with stress. Higher levels of cortisol correlate with weight gain. Orgasams produce oxytocin which decreases cortisol. Hmmm, sooooo, if one plus one is two... Then orgasams should equal weight loss no!? 

Love yourself. It is the toughest thing we can do. It is easy to love and see the good in others, but we know the darkest corners of ourselves and often let that taint our self love. The dark stuff is a part of you. You don't have to be it, but you need to accept it. YOU ARE WORTH IT. 

What should I have for dinner.....?

Stay happy & healthy

www.jomoma.ca

All this body love talk...

I am absolutely committed to changing how we define beauty. I am disgusted with media and how it fuels women's self loathing and low self esteem. So, it stands to reason that I am a supporter of the 'Love your body' movement, in fact, give me a podium and buckle up. 

However, let me be clear. Love your body, to me, means that you take care of it. It means that you fuel it, move it, and rest it appropriately. If by taking the best care of your body (love) and you remain a size 18, who the hell cares, you have every right to love how it looks, feels, and works. BUT if you do nothing, if you put junk in your body, if you lay on your couch, and if you stay up all hours to catch up on tv, texts or what have you, you do not love your body. 

When you are reading this, do not infer that I dislike fat people. Because that simply is not true.  Also note, there are 'skinny' people who are just as guilty of not loving the temple that they walk around in. What I am saying is: We have one body. Take care of it.  

When you love your self, it shows.  You shine from the inside out.  You attract other beautiful people (read: energetic, happy, healthy, self starters...), and you feel GOOD. That beauty does not have a size attached. It has a behaviour. Beautiful is as beautiful does. 

So when the 'love your body movement' moves you, please DO.  Please love your body. Adore the machine that allows you to enjoy life. Shower yourself in love (real food, real exercise, real rest). 

Stay happy and healthy,

www.jomoma.ca

Living life like a Movie Star

You wake up in the morning, hair perfect, make-up still applied flawlessly, and your love interest is inches from your minty mouth whispering sweet nothings, your perky boobs defy your age, while the coffee is brewing in the kitchen. 

Haaaaaaaaaaa, ya, ok.  Let's take Hollywood out of this scenario and add some reality:

You wake up, ughh, your not sure if you have a ponytail in or if your hair has actually matted itself at the back. Your make-up, if you hadn't removed it the night before, is perfectly applied to the pillow sheet.  That person in the bed with you (if it's not the three year old, or the 4 legged child, but rather the person involved with the creation of the said three year old), will not be coming in for some morning smooching. Really. You know you could stand to brush your own teeth, never mind them. As for the silver screen breasts that stand at attention when laying face up, yours are tucked nicely into your armpits (a 'perk', or not, for the big chested). You could really use a coffee...with any luck Starbucks delivers.  

Here is the scoop. Perfection is not the Hollywood version. Perfection is having a reason to get up. Perfection is getting the knots out... Out of your hair, the sheets, your back...your life. Perfection is the reflection in the mirror of that person who battles and wins...ties...or at the very least continues to battle. 

If you have somebody to share your bed with, you are very fortunate indeed.  If you have hair that can get messed, and breasts still attached you are blessed with good health. If you woke up in the morning, you already won. 

Remove the idea of lipgloss and fresh breath at 6am, and get a coffee maker with a timer. Sighhh, such is a glamorous life. 

Stay happy & healthy

www.jomoma.ca 

Mom, Mama, Mum, Mommy, Ma, Mother..

...whatever name you use, it is the one word that means 'hero' to most who use it. 

There is not a job on this planet that requires so much from somebody with zero financial gains. 24 hour shifts, where the expectation is that you are the everything.  The clean-up committee, nursing staff, financial advisor, project manager, public relations, social organizer, boss, subordinate, psychologist, jail keeper, judge, chauffeur, administrative assistant, coach, cheerleader, and punching bag. 

Zero money. But what you do get, is perspective, knowledge, lessons, a broken heart, pride, fear, elation, disappointment, exhaustion, broke, worried, and the ability to define love. 

Mothers would never exchange the above for a paycheck. The little person who wakes in the middle of the night comforted only by you. The wave from the stage during a concert. The searching in the stands for your eye contact when they score a goal. The broken heart that needs your hug and words of wisdom. The phone call to say hi. It is priceless and worth every sleepless night, snotty nose, load of laundry, and sacrifice. It is being called 'Mom' by a person who is love. 

So Moms, while you are busy wondering what happened to your body, why you have very little time to take care of you... Those people that call you Mom, know you are the most beautiful person in the world. 

Happy Mother's Day

Stay Happy & Healthy

www.jomoma.ca

Letter to my Past

I have been away from 'home' for nearly 20 years. In the past 20 years I have returned only a handful of times. However, the moment I step off the plane I am transported back to when my future was bright...my dreams were big..and I was a kid with the world in the palm of my hand. 

The moment I return to the place I have lived for the past 19 years, I am 'homesick'. I wallow in the lost friendships and contact of the incredible people who had a hand in building the foundation of "me". Friends, teachers, coaches and teammates all had a part in the lessons I learned, the values I hold, my work ethic and my passion. They were all-stars and I knew even then that I was a lottery winner to have them in my life. Returning to a place where they don't reside has been cause for many pity parties for yours truly. Until now. 

I still adore those of my past. They are my heroes, my mentors, my firsts. However, it is time I embrace the awesomeness of my 'now'. All I have to do is open my eyes to see that everything I valued from my past has travelled with me to my new 'home'. I am surrounded by beautiful people who have lessons to teach me. I am no longer a kid, I am the mother and coach of kids. Where I am in life is important. I am in a position to be the positive influence for others. I am not a has been... I am on fire. The embers of my past keep me warm, but now it is time I stoke them. I am proud of my past accomplishments and look forward to what I will achieve in the future. The holding pattern of 'yesterday' is done. I am more than my past. I am my future. 

To my past, thank you. Thank you for being so wonderful. Thank you for building my basement. To my future, I look forward to meeting you, there will be no ceiling. 

Stay Happy & Healthy

www.jomoma.ca