Here’s what I can’t go without -

Image: Photoxpress

Alarm Clock
What a difference an hour makes when you’re exerting yourself outside…just by leaving a bit earlier, the air isn’t quite as heavy and I don’t feel so smudged and gross when I get to the office. Since being an early riser doesn’t come naturally to me, a little digital help makes a big difference.

Proper Shoes
I can’t stress enough how important it is to protect your feet. I switch my shoes around a lot and steer clear of high heels in the Summer.

Water
Rather than weighing down my backpack with liquids, I make sure to grab some water before I leave and always have a glass right when I get into the office. Then I move on pretty quickly to black coffee.

Cotton Shirts
My wardrobe is 80% cotton tshirts. I like to go for the kind of funky/intricate kind you can get at stores like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie more than sporty types – but the result is the same. It breathes and I don’t have to worry about being a sweaty mess when I finally make it to work.

iPod
Just for that little added bounce in my step, I have to make sure there are earbuds attached to my head. Picking the right songs isn’t a challege, but avoiding street signs and lamp posts while I scroll? That sometimes proves difficult.

Post from: The List Maven

Image: sxc.hu

These are a few observations from today.

I’m hungry. Like, super hungry. I haven’t really been a breakfast person lately (just give me coffee…) but that workout made my tummy rumble like crazy the next day.

Hello sunshine. I woke up bright and early and felt great – totally refreshed…until I stood up. That’s when the soreness set in.

Brrrrrr…. Cold showers are never a good idea to me. Until today. That helped the soreness quite a bit, at least for a little while.

Feeling justified. I drove to work. Didn’t walk. Now, there was a meeting coming up real fast which gave me the perfect excuse to drive, but to be honest…the fact I worked out made a difference too.

Ow, ow, ow. Around 1pm I started to wonder why my back was sore. Then I remembered…Advil please.

That’s better. Absentmindedly stretching at the office feels so normal until I realize that I”m stretching at the office.

I’m still hungry. Darn it, time for an afternoon snack – my muscles hate me and I need fuel. NOW.

Sure, Honey. I’m not just nodding along while my husband talks about weight lifting, lactic acid and “Killing it”. I’m listening and kind of interested in how much I might be able to lift next month if I keep this up.

Oooh…Pretty. Online window shopping is so much more fun when you’re envisioning clothes a couple sizes smaller.

Charged up. Making sure I have a full charge on my iPod becomes top priority tonight so that I make sure tomorrow I have something good to listen to for my next workout.

Post from: The List Maven

Image: sxc.hu

So now, I’m walking. Every morning and every evening I get time to think, breathe, and soak up the Summer. Now I know that not everyone lives in a city where walking to work is feasible…but if it is a possibility for you, I suggest you start. Need more details? Well alright…here’s why.

Exercise. Naturally, walking is good for you. Burning calories, toning those leg muscles, and basically getting in that daily cardiovascular workout that never fits when it’s in the form of a trip to the gym. Oh – and this makes me feel less guilty about the brownies I made on the weekend too.

Clarity. It’s not just about leg muscles, it’s about taking a moment to collect my thoughts and sort though things that maybe seemed complicated or insurmountable throughout the day. I always feel like my head is clearer once I have had a chance to “walk it out”.

Sunshine. There is nothing like a little sun to start the day right or make you feel like you accomplished something after a long day at work. I just make sure to pack a little sunscreen to ensure this little daily indulgence doesn’t come back to haunt me in the form of wrinkles and age spots.

Offline. Yes! It’s amazing, stunning and truly weird to be disconnected for this long! I purposefully pack up my Blackberry in my backpack and allow the full walk to and from my apartment/office to be “in the moment” time. No technology allowed!

Post from: The List Maven

It really is the little things that we do that can add up to make a big difference.  I know that I’m not going to be able to do anything drastic this month, but I also know that some behavior modification is in order.

Why don’t you come along as well?

Here are 30 relatively easy things you can do to get into shape.

1. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
2. Walk or bicycle to work.
3. When you park, make it a block or two away from where you have to be.
4. Eliminate all soda, including the diet stuff.  Maybe that should be ESPECIALLY the diet stuff.
5. Cut back on the coffee and other caffeinated beverages.  (This is going to be hard; I LOVE my morning coffee.)
6. Do 20 crunches morning and night.  And when that seems too easy, go for 30.
7. Drink more water.  (I already drink a ton, but more is always better.)
8. Weigh yourself twice a week and keep track.
9. Find creative things to do with vegetables and eat more of them.  (I LOVE vegetables, and am perfectly happy eating them steamed with some herbs, but a little variety never hurt anyone.)
10. Limit alcohol to no more than one per day, and cut it out altogether if you can.  (Will limit mine to wine with dinner on the weekends.)
11. Do stretching exercises every day.
12. Make a least two days per week vegetarian day.
13. Walk more. (Now that the weather is getting nicer, this should be much easier.)
14. Give up the vanilla lattes – or limit them to no more than one a week.
15. Keep a food journal.  (Knowing what you eat is an important step to modifying your diet.)
16. Take vitamins.
17. Mow the lawn and do gardening; the yard will look great and you can tone up, too.  (With my allergies, this one may be a little tough.)
18. Eat breakfast, even if it’s only something light.  (I’ve never been a breakfast eater, I can’t stand to look at food in the morning, so this one is going to require something creative.)
19. Stop buying takeout for lunch or dinner.
20. Don’t buy chips (or whatever your weakness is).
21. Eat popcorn without butter.
22. Take a bike ride.
23. Get better sleep so that you’re not so fatigued.
24. Take a yoga class (good for strengthening your core and for relaxation).
25. Take time eating dinner and enjoy the meal instead of rushing through.
26. Dance.  Around the house, in a club, just for fun.
27. Take a healthy lunch to work instead of eating out.  Save calories and money, too
28. Do something that you enjoyed as a kid – skating, hula hoop, jump rope, badminton, etc.
29. Splurge on a day or week at a spa.
30. Stop using blogging as an excuse and get exercising!

Do you have any simple ideas to add to the list?

Photo credit: SXC

Post from: The List Maven

Take the Stairs
The elevator might be an easy choice, but just a few trips up and down the stairs can mean big improvements for your general stamina and muscle tone.

Walk and Talk
We’re all so used to communicating via email and IM. But by walking over to your colleague’s desk instead, you will get your butt out of the chair and enjoy some actual face to face conversation again.

Park with Care
Sure, you could circle the parking lot waiting for something right up front. Or you might consider saving yourself the trouble and choosing a spot toward the back.

Smart Commercial Breaks
I love indulging in cheesy TV shows as much as the next girl, but that’s a lot of time spent on the couch. Commit to easy exercises (sit ups, push ups, lunges, small hand weights) during commercial breaks and now you can safely say this is time well spent.

Image: sxc.hu

Post from: The List Maven