Guessing Game

My meeting today, about the thing I am not telling you yet, it went very well.  So well in fact I don't think I want to wait until May to tell you.  To alleviate the pressure, I am going to put this on you.  :)  Each day I am going to give you a picture clue and a tip.  The picture will be of some feature of the thing I am not telling yet.  The tip will be something I find useful in being a healthier person.

Use the pictures to try to put the puzzle together.  First person to guess the place and what I will be doing there wins a gift certificate, not sure for what yet, but I will let you know next week. 

Now maybe you go to this place and it will spark right away.  Or maybe, like me, you didn't know this option existed and you will be as pumped as I am!

Here is your visual Clue #1:

Let the guessing begin.  :)  (No family, friends or co-workers allowed.)

Now for today's tip:

If you see 'sauteed' vegetables on the menu it really means 'soaked in butter and/or oil'.  Ask if the chef can prepare them with water or lemon juice instead.  I know it sounds crazy, but most good restaurants are about customer service and will do it.  You win three times over - fewer calories, less fat and no sinking greasy feeling in your stomach later.

Well, that's today.  It has been busy but successful.  Have a great night!

Yours in Health,

Kate

The Tortoise and the Hare

This is a picture of the title characters in one of the greatest fables of all time. If you do not know the story, (shame on your kindergarten teacher) I will give you the cliff notes:

After much taunting Tortoise, an animal known for being slow, give into Hare's insistence that they run a race. Hare being historically fast, as he is a rabbit, figures he has it in the bag. He kicks back, doesn't train, doesn't sleep and by race day, he's dragging a bit. But he is hyped up and lets Tortoise know he is going down in flames.

The starting flag is thrown and they are off. Hare shoots off into the distance and once he can no longer see Tortoise, he slows down. He's feeling a bit tired, so he decides there is no way Tortoise will catch up. He lays down under a tree for a quick nap and then he will finish the race in plenty of time.

While Hare sleeps, Tortoise keeps his slow and regular speed he set from the beginning and quietly passes the resting rabbit. Hare wakes with a start realizing he'd better finish in plenty of time to humiliate Tortoise fully.

He runs for the finish line only to find Tortoise crossing before he can get there. The moral of the story, so beautifully illustrated by author Aesop? Slow and steady wins the race. (But then you knew that.)

I am reminding you of this tale for several reasons:

- I found a copy of an old Duffy cartoon from the Des Moines Register featuring my old friend Preston Daniels as the tortoise and his opponent in 1997, Jim Cownie, as the hare. It still makes me snicker to this day.

- A friend said she 'only' lost two pounds last week. I reminded her that's exactly how much you want to lose. If the weight comes off slowly, you are more likely to keep it off.

- It's a good reminder for me that I did not get fat overnight, I did not lose the weight overnight and maintenance is not just overnight. I got fat steadily, one pint of ice cream at a time. I lost weight steadily, one to two pounds a week. There is no "overnight" maintenance - this is a lifestyle, a journey and it's for the rest of my life. It's a race I hope will go for a VERY long time, so I need to pace myself anyway.

The greatest thing about this story is that it can literally pertain to anything in your life. You should always have a plan and then prepare to be patient, because even the best laid plans can end up being a tortoise. It's your fortitude and belief in yourself, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, that will earn you the win.

Yours in health, Kate

Traci's Tips

Trainer Traci had to take a week off from tips for a personal situation. So, instead I will give you the bonus me tip of the week.

With our first warm weekend coming in quite a while, my tip is - get outside. You don't have to do your full workout in the great outdoors, but a brief walk would be great. This will help remind you that spring will come again someday AND get fresh air in your lungs.

I love working out at Fitness World West but being outside once in a while has great benefits as well. Including a little vitamin D from the sun. Yes, the sun does have benefits, it is the best source for vitamin D. Vitamin D has many benefits including helping you absorb calcium better and possibly fighting cancer. Now, I am not saying lay in the sun for hours. However, just 15 minutes a day can get you much of the vitamin D you need.

Plus, especially this time of year, sun can help boost your mood.

Yours in health, Kate