Month / February 2013

by tessbrennan

I’m Wide Awake– to the Healthy Choices I Make

While walking the other day, this song came onto my player.  I’d been thinking a lot about my health, my choices, the food I eat, and the health of my family as well.

This caused me to think entirely differently about this song. I liked it before, but now, it could almost be the theme song to my life.

What follows are Katy’s lyrics in black and my thoughts while walking in GREEN.

Wish I’d known then what I know now…

Katy Perry – Wide Awake Lyrics
LYRICS:

I’m wide awake (and healthier now)
I’m wide awake (and know better now)
I’m wide awake (and feel better now)
Yeah, I was in the dark (I was overweight, undernourished, and lacked energy)
I was falling hard (I was on 6 different prescriptions)
With an open heart (Thought it was my only option)
I’m wide awake (I make conscious choices now)
How did I read the stars so wrong?

I’m wide awake
And now it’s clear to me
That everything you see
Ain’t always what it seems (I didn’t know any other way)
I’m wide awake                 (my choices have had positive effects)
Yeah, I was dreaming for so long

[Pre-Chorus]
I wish I knew then  (I was over 200 pounds)
What I know now (My daily choices can be simple and easy)
Wouldn’t dive in   (No longer eat McD’s)
Wouldn’t bow down  (Ate whatever ‘tatsted’ good)
Gravity hurts   (The consequences were horrible)
You made it so sweet (Fast food, Sodas, Chips, Junk food)
‘Til I woke up on (Hit 200 pounds)
On the concrete (Realized where I had ended up)

[Chorus]
Falling from cloud 9  (Depression set in)
Crashing from the high  (Difficulties conceiving)
I’m letting go tonight   (Began to see a new way of eating/living)
Yeah, I’m falling from cloud 9 (Saw myself for what I was/the weight I was)
I’m wide awake   (I can make better choices)
Not losing any sleep (I need my sleep)
I picked up every piece  (Stopped being a victim)
And landed on my feet  (Better decisions made quick differences)

I’m wide awake     (Feeling fine and full of energy)
Need nothing to complete myself, no   (Have been able to drop the Rx)
I’m wide awake  (Happy, full of energy, loving)
Yeah, I am born again  (I see how it benefits me)
Out of the lion’s den  (No more cravings)
I don’t have to pretend    (Its real)
And it’s too late      (Its really never too late)
The story’s over now, the end (I’ve made a new story)

[Pre-Chorus]
I wish I knew then (Side effects)
What I know now  (Side benefits)
Wouldn’t dive in  (Didn’t know my options)
Wouldn’t bow down (Just did as they said)
Gravity hurts   (Depression, sadness, daily migraines)
You made it so sweet (Take this pill)
‘Til I woke up on (More side effect – more pills)
On the concrete (Damn!)

[Chorus]
Falling from cloud 9 (it was out of the blue)
I’m crashing from the high
I’m letting go tonight (yeah, I’m letting you go)
I’m falling from cloud 9
I’m wide awake  (No longer need the Rx)
Thunder rumbling (Energy to keep going)
Castles crumbling (Realizing the need for alternatives)
I’m wide awake (Researching, discovering, healing)
I am trying to hold on (It can’t be this easy)
I’m wide awake  (Amazing results – health)
God knows that I tried (And I still am)
Seeing the bright side  (I see it now!)
I’m wide awake   (Better choices, more research)
But I’m not blind anymore…  (choosing health)
I’m wide awake   (Able to choose)
I’m wide awake   (Able to enjoy)

[Chorus]
Yeah, I’m falling from cloud 9 (it was out of the blue)
I’m crashing from the high
You know I’m letting go tonight (yeah, I’m letting you go)
I’m falling from cloud 9
I’m wide awake  (fruits & veggies by my side)
I’m wide awake (options without side effects)
I’m wide awake  (teaching my child my ways)
I’m wide awake (feeling good and alive)
I’m wide awake  (ready to share with others)

Let me know if you’ve ever felt this way. Contact me for more information.  ~Tess

by tessbrennan

Photo Blog of Guided Walk through Bonita Bay

Thank you to my friend, Chris Griffith of Life in Bonita Springs  for suggesting this location for walking.

Bonita Bay Walking Trail Map

We arrived at 9 AM and parked at the Bay Presbyterian Church which put us right at the sidewalk entrance to the community.

Trails were clearly marked, beautiful, easy to walk, and full of friendly people.  I enjoyed the beginner’s walk trail at 1.6 miles in length. (The Yellow Trail)

I will definitely be back to try the other paths for our intermediate and advanced walks.  If you would like to be kept in the loop for our future walking events, follow us at our Feel Good Fast Facebook page where we keep our events posted and updated.

For more information on Simple Steps to Feel Good Fast, contact me.  We have something for everyone!

by tessbrennan

What you wear CAN make a difference. Sparkle Skirts

Comfort when walking or working out is very important. If you aren’t comfortable you can spend more time worrying and thinking about how your clothes fit (or don’t) than on muscle control and technique.

I do A LOT of walking, on purpose.  Smile  I have walked in a lot of different attire, including tutus, and other inappropriate clothing for working out.

I understand the discomfort of shorts riding up between my legs, wedgies, pulling them up repeatedly so they would not fall off, and just being annoyed by the fit.

Healthy Knees

Attractive, yes. Functional, not so much – annoyed for 60 miles in a tutu…

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Again, cute, however… these skirts lasted only 20 miles.

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Comfortable, functional, useful, AWESOME.  This is one of my Sparkle Skirts.  I cannot begin to tell you how much I LOVE this skirt. 

A friend of mine recently asked me about my Sparkle Skirt. I didn’t realize how much I liked it until I started telling her about it.  Here is how the conversation went.

Sparkle_Skirts_dialog

It appears I was having some issues typing, but you get the gist.

I highly recommend these American made gems.  Functionality, appearance, comfort all A+++.

I am also excited at the spread of sizing.  0-3X and on occasion they will accept special orders for 4X.  Everyone deserves the right to look good, feel good, and be comfortable when working to improve their health and Feel Good Fast. 

Thank you, Sparkle Skirts!  And I do wish I could wear them to work! That would give me good reason to walk the 2 miles rather than drive them!!!

If you would like information on local walking events or healthy support groups, contact me!

This last photo is an inspiration to me.

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Just for the fun of it.  These two men, wore these skirts, 60 miles at a time for 14 60-mile walks in 2012!  They are living by example!  They were fascinating to talk with.  Walking for a wife.

(No, these men are not wearing sparkle skirts.)

by tessbrennan

A Walk in the Park… Three Oaks.

Sunday, try as fate may, I was determined to get a walk in.  My back muscles were tight and hurting, I was drained and tired, and didn’t feel like getting off my duff.

Personal experience, with my body has taught me that if I didn’t get up and go do something about the sore muscles I would feel worse on Monday and the pain and exhaustion would get worse.

So, off I went on my walk. My baby girl wasn’t feeling well so I didn’t want to get too far from home, but I did want to get 3-5 miles in.  I headed to Three Oaks Park, I hadn’t walked there in quite a while.

The improvements they have made to the walking trail are fabulous!  They have markings telling you how far you have gone, which direction to keep going so you know how far you are walking, and a loop that is a little more than 1.25 miles! 

20130203_174409Small arrows point you in the correct direction to keep on the measured route.  Very easy to see and very clearly marked.  Only one area had enough pine needles on the trail to make looking for the markings difficult.  VERY well marked path.

 

I dubbed my Sunday walk the “Day of the Squirrels” I must have seen a hundred of them, sometimes 3 at a time just sitting on the path looking at me until I was almost upon them, then they would scatter to the nearby trees. 

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What I really like about this park, besides the walking path, is that there are SO MANY different things for people to do.  Even saw a couple little girls playing in the sprinklers as the maintenance team was working on the system.

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A friend recently told me that the squirrel is a sign of big changes ahead.  After seeing so many of the little critters all at once causes me great excitement to see what is ahead!

If you would like more information on local walking locations, please, contact me.

Happy Walking!

by tessbrennan

Guest Speaker for Feel Good Fast February Support Group

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Chris Green will be the guest speaker at the February Support Group meeting to be held Thursday, February 21, 2013.

Biography_Dr_Green

I speak from experience when I say, Dr. Green is an excellent practitioner.  He works diligently to get you back on the road to recovery, moving pain free and loving life in the shortest time period possible. 

He too, wants us to Feel Good Fast!

We will also include tips to muscle relaxation, a healthy recipe, tips to Feel Good Fast and an Action item to work on for the next month.

Remember, that your support doesn’t end at this once a month meeting, but also includes the private Facebook support page as well.

We are here, as a TEAM to get you onto the road to better health and more life in your years!

Contact me for more information on the support group meeting OR the private support page on Facebook.