The National Holiday Called the Super Bowl

Sunday February 1, 2015 marks the celebration of Super Bowl XLIX (49) with the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks battling (hopefully not a blowout) for the Lombardi Trophy. Why a national holiday you ask? Because we party like it is and we sho’ nuff eat and drink like it is. In the U.S., Super Bowl Sunday is the 2nd largest food and drink consumption day behind Thanksgiving. In fact Americans are expected to eat 11 million pounds of chips, 1.23 billion chicken wings to be chased by 325 million gallons of beer two the tune of 2400 calories per “meal” and that’s just during the game. What happens in my household? The same thing. Did you think I would give up the chance to go for broke on a national holiday?

Puhhhhhleeeeeeeeze.

I love the NFL AND I love food and libations so I’ll be enjoying it on Sunday and returning to normal consumption on Monday. I’m no killjoy either so if Super Bowl Sunday is pig out day for you, enjoy it. For those who don’t indulge but stay true to their dietary habits, God Bless ya!

How are you celebrating the Super Bowl? Better yet what are you eatin’ and drankin’? Let me know in the comments and feel free to send me photos of your super bowl spread on Google+ or Twitter on Sunday. They will be posted right here.

Until next time, see you at the gym, where I will be rolling in like a teletubby but with a smile on my face 🙂

Photos: MsThorns

Powered By Soul Spotlight – Sonya Strider

This profile was actually completed at the end of last year, however as scheduling or lack thereof would have it, it’s being published now. We’re three weeks into the new year and I’m guessing that some of our eat better, exercise more, lose weight resolutions/intentions/goals may have fallen by the wayside. Here’s hoping that this young lady will help you get back on the wagon.

I met Sonya, or should I say Sonya pranced (yeah you should see her walk) into my life 5 years or so ago at a sorority party. She’s an all eyes and all ears on her type of woman, not that she demands it, folks her just drawn to HER. I was one of the moths drawn to her flame and she has been my GURRRLLLL ever since. She is a brainiac scientist, fashionista and the best friend an old broad could have, introducing my partner in crime and Soror Foxy Brown, er Ms. Sonya Strider in her own words.

You are?

Sonya Strider, originally from Norfolk, Virginia, living in Atlanta, GA. I’m 46 and am a Health Scientist at CDC

Tell us about your fitness routine?

I walk/run 4-6 miles at least 4 days a week. I also do soul line dancing 4-6 hours each week and bootcamp 5 times a week.

Do you follow a particular nutrition plan?

I try to put out more than I take in 🙂 I have at least one green smoothie per day and at least one salad.

How long have you been engaged in your fitness and nutrition plans?

Almost two years.

Do you have a success story/testimony relating to fitness, nutrition or your overall health?

Since beginning racing I’ve gone from a 20 minute mile to my current 13.5 minute mile and have completed 29 5K races and one 10k since November 2013. I kicked off 2015 with a 4-miler followed by a 12k. Since losing weight, I have been able to discontinue blood pressure medication and reduce the amount of insulin that I take daily.

What keeps you motivated to continue your healthy lifestyle?

The hopes of living a long healthy life, without diabetic complications. Of course being able to wear clothes that don’t end in “W” is a huge motivator too..:-)

Your motto or personal philosophy?

Each new day is another chance to get it right.

Whew, did you get all that? If that doesn’t motivate you Powered by Soul will keep trying. In the meantime, many thanks to Sonya for sharing her story and being an inspiration to hopefully get you (and me) back on the stick.

If you or someone you know would like to be featured in the Spotlight drop a line in the comments, on Twitter or on Google+.

Photos: Sonya Strider, MsThorns

Welcome Letter

Dear New Member/Returning Member,

I was pleased as punch to see you this weekend. Almost two weeks in and you are still dedicated to getting fit. That’s great and I hope you continue to keep up the good work and if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them per your request. One thing that I wish to ask you, and please don’t be offended as I am curious. Why is that you get on the gym floor with your earbuds/headphones and SING, RAP AND TALK ON THE PHONE at the top of your lungs?

I see you over there working those abs, good job but I HEARD you before I entered. Though you think you may sound like Luther, it comes across like scratching a chalkboard with fingernails. Though you think your flow is somewhat akin to that of Nas, you sound more like flock of geese wailing. This time and only this time will I offer you this unsolicited word of truth:

Ain’t nobody in this gym here for your loud a** non-singing, non-rhyming, telling everybody’s business on your phone conversation self. We are here to workout. You are too right? Of course you are, so focus on your set, and not your song. Your body and the entire gym will thank you for that.

Signed,

An aspiring FIT Person and Fellow Member of the local gym

P.S. dancing however, is allowed

Photo: MsThorns

The Iceman Cometh

I’m not talking about the weather even though it was 9 degrees this morning. After a two week layoff I got back in the swing this week. Nothing too vigorous, except maybe the kettle bell stuff this morning but in just four I’m using a frozen bottle of

for my feet and

On my knee.

The struggle continues.

Photos: MsThorns

Big Red Sausage

Sunday January 4, 2015 a day I won’t soon forget. This was the day that the Lord had made, I SHOULD have rejoiced and been glad in it but ummmm, well this is what happened.

I got up hit the mat for yoga practice with this, ate, showered and prepped for church. This Sunday was dreary and rainy so my attire needed to be appropriate for that and be comfortable as I’d be shooting some photos of service. I selected a variation of my go-to uniform, long sleeve tee, pencil skirt, boots and tights. Standing in the closet I take the skirt off the hanger and step into it, pull it up and WHAM, my butt got in the way of the zipper, I did a spin maneuver to zip it most of the way, when BAM I hit the final obstacle my gut. I sucked it in, spun that skirt around and asked can I move without the skirt RIDING HIGH and will wearing it be a distraction, remember I am moving during church? To answer I did some fancy pageant walking, checked my hind parts in the mirror and added a long sweater over the tee and a scarf, deemed myself presentable and headed out the door.

Once moving the skirt was fine, sitting wasn’t a problem either, truly the Lord was WITH ME as he KNEW my skirt struggle and how it almost derailed me. I enjoyed service, got my shots, talked to my buddies after church and flew home to remove the red sausage casing from my body and exhaled.

Ye olde broad’s new body was borne of changing hormones with a dose of grief but the main culprit was food, specifically obscene amounts of snacks chased with red wine and Guinness. Do I like this new body? Nah, but with age comes wisdom, instead of performing the self beat down, I just copped to it and am continuing with modifications that I’d already begun to make. I also know that I am not alone.

Some of you fine folks out there may have indulged a bit during the holidays, maybe you’ve been sidelined by an injury or illness, been crazy busy or have never felt a need or want to exercise or be mindful of your diet until now. It’s okay, as long as you’re upright and above ground you can make a change.

What’s your red sausage? Are you ready to let it go? Let me know in the comments. 20130421_151607

Until next time see you on the road wear I’ll be wearing a red skirt, looking like a HUMAN instead of a sausage.

Photos: MsThorns

2014 – The Transition

My health and fitness year was all about the transitions taking place in my body. You may recall:

Plantar fasciitis
Cut big toe
Titled pelvis
Degenerative disc disease
Asthma attack (recent)

and the grandmama of them all peri-menopause. LAWDAMERCY! Yet I’ve been able to recover, adapt and get moving again with the help of some great people, all of which I’m thankful and include:

Dr. Kenyatta Dean – my PCP who ignores every protestation that I have against her recommendations (ORDERS) and doesn’t allow me to use my age to be an excuse for non-compliance.

Dr. Brian D. Neerings – who diagnosed my first foot situation of the year, prescribed proper rehab, no high heels (not ready for that yet) and Superfeet insoles. I haven’t had anymore plantar fascia nor achilles problems since using Superfeet, I highly recommend them.

The staff of Kaiser Permanente Gwinnett Comprehensive Medical Center Urgent Care – who 1)recommended an herbal supplement to ease the hot flashes (bless GOD); 2)humored me and my big toe and my paranoia; 3)took the first X-rays of my back to narrow down the pain/muscle spasm problem; 4)got me breathing again a few weeks ago during this insane asthma situation.

Mary Maloof at Atlanta Physiotherapy Associates – 20140912_154452 This little bitty woman from NJ put me through the paces, I mean she had me SWEATING and would always reel me back in when I was attempting to do stuff that I wasn’t ready for as yet (jacknifes, squats and such). Thanks to her treatment and the prescribed at-home program I was able to avoid anymore dreadful painkiller side effects.

Jim Hamilton, Jan Stittleburg and Michele Jackson my Tai Chi and Yoga instructors – There were spaces of time during the year in which all I could do was attend their classes and or practice at home. They really helped in keeping my mind right.

The Powered by Soul Spotlight Participants for 2014, Charles L. Mason, Jeffrey Woods, Michael Wilson Jr., Deandra Bryant, Edwin Boatswain, Kori Smith, Damon E. Johnson, – your stories continue to inspire me.

YOU – yes all of you who read, share and comment. Y’all make it worthwhile for ye olde broad to keep writing 🙂

Wishing peace and love for you and yours in 2015. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Photo(s): MsThorns

RIP – The Turtle 1983-2014

I was cleared for take-off the end of August and had the toe situation. I did try to run after that healed, only a quarter mile though. My breath wasn’t labored or anything but my legs felt crazy heavy, probably because they are heavier than they were back in the spring and because I hadn’t done any running. However when I stopped running, I felt that thing, that tingling from my butt down to the foot and the foot started going numb. I wasn’t ready to run but thought, if I lost about 10 pounds or so, I shouldn’t have any problems, you know the old self-diagnosis. I didn’t try it again though, I wanted to find out from my doctor, how I can approach running again. I had a physical in November, this is how it went down:

Me: Will I be able to run again? I haven’t attempted any running in a couple of months.

Dr: (looks at chart reads aloud) well it says you have severe arthritis between L4 and L5, moderate arthritis between L2 and L3 and degenerative disc disease.

Me: So that means…

Dr: You can run if you want to but if you do, you’ll be one of those that has to have surgery.

(cue: wailing and gnashing of teeth.)

I was afraid that this was the news I’d receive, given that after physical therapy and medication I’d been relieved of the pain, but it returned instantly during that last running attempt. I was inconsolable and had already been low-key depressed about not running since July. At any rate that evening I swallowed that bitter pill with some wine and snacks and began to reminisce.

I ran my first 2.65 miles with my father in 1983 at Shady Side Park/Aqua Gardens. He left me of course because that’s what dads do, but it didn’t matter, I fell in love with running anyway. I didn’t run much during college, only on summer breaks but after graduation into adulthood (yay/boo) I ran everywhere that I lived. Lakeshore Drive in Chicago, the streets of this little suburb called Addison IL, Audubon Park and City Park in . New Orleans the streets of Doraville Georgia and downtown Atlanta and the many fine parks of Gwinnett County where I currently live. My first race was the Peachtree Road Race in 1995 and subsquently completed 16 of them. I ran for diabetes, alzheimers, AIDS, breast cancer, churches and various charities and I ran just for T-shirts. One of my bucket list items was to run in all 50 states, I had 44 to go. Yet even with the bucket list and racing, those things were never front of mind because running for me was a matter of health, physical certainly, but mostly mental and most of my running was done alone.

There’s been some solitary miles spent working out problems in my head, grieving and crying and at times experiencing physical pain, but in all those years, the vast majority of the those runs were beautiful. Seeing some amazing birds, playing squirrels, rabbits, turtles frogs, deer all manner of bug and once a few years ago a snake. I’ve seen everything bloom and die and bloom again. I’ve seen buildings demolished and new ones built and I have looked at the sky and everything around me on many mornings and thought, wow look at God. Given all that, 31 years of it, this transition has not been easy.

It’s hard sometimes to listen to my friends talk about their training and races and such, it seems that ERRRBODY is running now, but I know that everything has a season. My running season has passed and things are changing, my life, my body and everything around me is changing. I could sit on the sidelines and lament it, and for a while there I did, but now I’m entering a new season. I have no idea what it looks like, but whatever it is, you can believe I’m going for broke.

I don’t know any other way to do it.

Until next time, see you somewhere out there… where I’ll be trying something NEW.

Photos: MsThorns

Stressin’

Let’s talk about you for a minute. Where are you right now? Are you sitting at home, zoned out in front of the tv watching some reality debacle, the news, or sports? Are your co-workers, customers, or boss on your last nerve? Is your phone ringing, email chiming, doorbell ringing? How was your drive today? Easy peasy or bumper to bumper? Is your home quiet or are you kids/spouse/pets driving you crazy? All these questions are about people, things and events that are all tugging on you, draining you and stressing you out.

What is stress?
In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be external (from the environment, psychological, or social situations) or internal (illness, or from a medical procedure). Stress can initiate the “fight or flight” response, a complex reaction of neurologic and endocrinologic systems. In the long-term, stress can cause the following health problems.

Anxiety
Depression
Digestive problems
Heart disease
Sleep problems
Weight gain
Memory and concentration impairment

What can you do to make stress more manageable?
It may not be realistic to believe that we can live life in the 21st century free of stress. Individual wiring as well as environment play a role. There are a number of ways in which you can manage stress. Begin by identifying what your stressors are, commit to managing them and employ the techniques that are right for you to do so. Techniques for managing stress can include:

physical activity
better eating habits
talking with someone
some form of spiritual practice
getting quality sleep

or any other number of techniques.

One thing that has been helpful for me during the last few years has been Tai Chi. Currently I’m learning the 24 form Yang style from Jim Hamilton, a real technician who cares about his students understanding the form, practicing it correctly and reaping the mental and physical benefits of its practice.

Photo MsThorns

However I owe my love of the practice of Tai Chi to my first teacher Jan Stittleburg from whom I learned the Yang 8 form. Her Patience, kindness and sense of humor helped ease my nerves on many days.

Photo: Jan Stittleburg

What do you do to manage stress? Does physical activity bring your relief? Getting enough Zs? Have you considered Tai Chi? Let me know in the comments, on Twitter or Google+.

Until next time may your chi be well and your stress be minimal.

Powered By Soul Spotlight – Damon E. Johnson

My work group moved to a new office and it wasn’t pleasant. I had this big file cabinet that the movers just plopped down into the new office and it was too heavy for me to move it on my own. In pops, Damon to save the day and move that big thing in one fell swoop. Being his next door office neighbor we had plenty of good times and plenty of laughs as he is a great teller of tales and jokes. Did I mention that he is also a published poet? Yes he’s that, a father, husband and a Kappa (I’m surrounded by them I tell you) and a great friend. Introducing Damon E. Johnson in his own words.

You are?

Damon Johnson, I’m 47 years old and was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I currently work as a Public Outreach Specialist however, my passion is poetry. My first book, Rhythm in My Blues was published in 2011. I am presently working on my second book and hope to have it published by January 2015.

Tell us about your fitness routine.

My fitness routine consists of working out 3 to 4 times a week at Planet Fitness in Stone Mountain using machine weights and riding the stationary bike. I also like walking a few miles in the evenings when the weather is cool.

Do you follow a particular nutrition plan?

As far as nutrition goes, I have a few food restrictions due to being a dialysis patient. I have to limit my dairy foods and liquids as well as cut back on fried foods. Lately I have been eating more salads, fruits and vegetables.

How long have you been following your fitness and nutrition program?

As an ex football player I have always been somewhat of an active person. However, I realized that over the last few years or so I had not been as active as I once was. So after putting it off for several months I decided last summer that I was going to finally get it together. That’s when I started making the necessary changes to my lifestyle.

Do you have a success story or testimonial you wish to share?

Since I changed my diet and exercise last summer I have lost over 100 pounds. I can’t tell you how great I feel and how much more active I have become. Life is Good!

What motivates you to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Every time I look into my 9 year old daughter Sydney eyes I am motivated to stay on the healthy track. I need to make sure that I am around to watch her continue to grow into the beautiful young lady she is becoming.

Do you have a personal motto/philosophy you wish to share?

A motto I try to live by is… Good things come to those who wait. But only the things left behind by those who hustle…

Powered by Soul thanks Damon for sharing his successful health transformation with us and we wish him continued success is maintaining his lifestyle and in his artistry as a poet.

If you our someone you know would like to be featured in the spotlight, drop a line in the comments, Google+ or Twitter.

Photos: Damon E. Johnson

Yogi? Who Me?

Not quite but I do make an attempt to practice daily. Injury wasn’t what initially brought me to yoga though it was a contributing factor, my head was giving me more problems than anything when I started practicing two years ago.

If 2010 was bad, 2011 was worse and 2012 was the tipping point. I was white knuckling through depression and failing. I thought that yoga might be helpful since everything else I was doing wasn’t working. I signed up for a yoga class at Kaiser and it was TERRIBLE. I go to the first class and it’s packed to the gills so I had to set up in the front. The teacher, lawdamercy was muscular, tan, pretty and blonde and was going through the poses so fast (I thought) I couldn’t keep up. Feeling like a total failure, I vowed to NEVER return again but didn’t keep that vow thank GOD. Barring any ridiculousness in my work schedule or being out of town, these days I don’t miss a week. As for my instructor, Michele Jackson I’m thankful to have taken my first instruction with her as she is the BOMB. She is so bomb that she has left the program for bigger and better things. Congrats Michele.

In terms of at-home practice I turn to the fabulous instructors of YouTube, one of which is Ekhart Yoga whom I’d written about previously. My current favorite, who got me through the “summer of back pain”, is Yoga With Adriene I really dig her because she isn’t all yogified. What I mean by that is that she doesn’t say a lot of stuff that a beginner wouldn’t understand. She has a practical, yet joyful style of teaching and is often quite comical. She also has a really good series of videos called Foundations of Yoga in which she breaks down single poses in a way that makes it easier for the student to approach and practice. I also really like Ali Kamenova whose greeting “namaste beautiful yogis” is a great way to start the day and Lesley Fightmaster who has a very calming style of instruction, even on poses that I find difficult.

As far as the depression, I’m good now. Yoga played a part in getting me here and I’m thankful for that. It’s been a great way to reconnect with my body and bring some clarity to my mind. My hope is to continue the practice into my old age.

BUT…

If I ever turn into this chick, please snatch me by my yoga pants and tell me to snap out of it 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMC1_RH_b3k

Until next time, see you on the mat. Namaste.
Photo: MsThorns

	MsThorns on Airplane Mode
	Ant Pruitt (@ant_pru… on Airplane Mode
	MsThorns on No Pumps for You Sis
	Basimah on No Pumps for You Sis
	Robert M Knight on No Pumps for You Sis

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