THE Dog’s Jog Blog

November 10, 2011 By Tina Moore 1 Comment

My happy, loving, JOY-full dog was instrumental in changing my life. When I took her for walks she would radiate pure HAPPINESS at the simplest things. I wanted to know what that felt like so I made THE DECISION to change my life.

Since that moment, I have not looked back. THANK YOU MUNCHIE, for helping me see another way to live!

Sometimes you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! Here are some jogging tips and the benefits of jogging as told by our furry friends!

JOGGING INCLUDES ALMOST EVERYONE! You will find young, old, tall, short, thin, thick, fast, slow, experienced and new runners. It doesn’t matter what your pace is as long as you do your best and have FUN!

GET GEAR! Make sure you have proper jogging gear especially if you are heading into the winter months. Proper runners are crucial and keeping warm in cold, wet weather is also key. Since we have less daylight hours, don’t forget to choose bright, reflective clothing! LadySport is an excellent source for all your jogging needs.

PREPARE FOR THE MORNING! When you are tired and don’t want to get out of bed it can be difficult to have the motivation to run. The hardest part sometimes is just getting out the door but once you get out there you’ll be glad you did!

POSITIVE SUPPORT! Surround yourself with POSITIVE people who will SUPPORT your fitness goals and limit your time with those negative doubters who will swipe at you to try and bring you down.

RUN WITH A FRIEND! Get a running buddy or join a running group! Having that energy is a great way to keep motivated, make friends and be social! It also makes you accountable on those early mornings when you don’t feel like getting out of bed.

TAKE WALK BREAKS! It’s ok to walk. Your body appreciates the recovery time and as a result you can maintain a stronger pace, have more energy and sustain longer distances by keeping to that regime.

HAVE FUN! Jogging can be really FUN. You can challenge yourself, run with friends, get fresh air, socialize and stay active. It’s about having fun, being healthy and keeping those endorphins pumping so your brain is HAPPY.

COLD WATER THERAPY! Your muscles will thank you for spending 10-15 minutes in cold water after you’ve worked out. It’s proven to help in the recovery process and flush lactic acid, minimizing aches and pains.

LEAVE THE STRESS AT HOME! Jogging is about relieving stress so don’t be hard on yourself if you didn’t have a ‘good run’ today or you didn’t make your personal best time. LET IT GO! You’ll have a better run next time!

I have learned so much from my dog. She helps me be a better person.

So, from Munchie and I, have a HAPPY weekend full of fresh air, friends and family, laughter and FUN! I leave you with a quote:

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself ~ Josh Billings

See you on Tuesday!

With a smile,

Tina

Peeling Back The Layers

November 8, 2011 By Tina Moore 2 Comments

Remember the photo from the TV show, “Desperate Housewives” with the women standing together holding an apple?

I asked my beautiful ‘sole sisters‘ to help recreate that photo only using an ONION.

WHY AN ONION?

Well, the onion has been used to symbolize layers of emotion or experiences we’ve dealt with in life. These layers lead to the core, or TRUTH OF WHO WE ARE, so in essence, in the photo we are holding our WISDOM, INSTINCT and our EXPERIENCES in our hands. We are holding our RELATIONSHIPS, GROWTH, PAIN, JOY and every OBSERVATION that makes us who we are today.

The onion’s layers are every exchange we’ve ever had between family, friends, co-workers and strangers. The layers are OUR PERSPECTIVE on those exchanges. If we feel PAIN, DISAPPOINTMENT or LOSS that is a layer we can peel back to discover OUR TRUTH within that relationship.

The layers are a way for us to learn about ourselves and then they offer opportunities to change our behavior . The layers are our path to LIVING AUTHENTICALLY.

After peeling back layer after layer we discover LOVE is at the center.

LOVE IS OUR CORE.

LOVE IS ENERGY to which we are guided and yet we lose sight of that with each layer that covers it.

I believe we are all the same and yet all different due to our perspectives. That is the beautiful kaleidoscope of life. We each have our own layers to work through to reach our TRUTH and we each have a different way of getting through those layers. The emotions may be the same but the process can vary.

Every woman in that photo has a different story; however, we are ALL holding an onion. We stand together, symbolizing SUPPORT, LOVE, and COMMUNITY so our journey need not be alone; however, the layers we peel back belong to us as individuals. We decide when, how and to what depth we will explore, share and understand.

What we can do through this process is EMBRACE EACH OTHER knowing we’ve all got onions we are peeling, layer by layer.

With COMPASSION, EMPATHY and UNDERSTANDING we can HELP each other through this process of life and finding our AUTHENTICITY.

We can stand beside each other with our onions and not JUDGE because we are all doing the same thing. We are all LEARNING, GROWING and SHARING.

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.

With love and gratitude,

Tina

PS. Thank you for sharing my blogs! I love hearing from you personally; and believe YOUR insight and knowledge would be such a gift to others if you post some comments below and started a conversation. Let’s build a community together based on love, respect and a willingness to learn from each other!

 

THE Jog Blog – Post Halloween

November 3, 2011 By Tina Moore

Rockets (Also called Smarties in the USA)

I rarely eat candy and never have it in my house; however, I ate a handful at work and my body let me know! My body is extremely sensitive to caffeine, alcohol, fast foods and medication. This experience inspired this blog on tips for good health over the next couple of months.

Halloween is now over and we are haunted by the left over candy, chocolate bars and chips that sit in the dark shadows of our cupboards.

It seems Halloween is the door that opens to darker days, longer nights, poorer food choices and less exercise. It’s hard to get up in the cold, dark morning to go work out! The body wants to roll over, hide under the covers and cocoon!

Lovely fruits and vegetables freshly picked from your own garden or carefully chosen at the Farmer’s Market is a thing of the past. We rely more on canned goods, processed or frozen food. Some are a good source of nutrition but some are not.

After November comes December where we have fun celebrating the holidays but tend to eat more rich, sweet food, drink more alcohol, sleep less and have more stress usually due to busy schedules and money.

So, how can YOU prepare for the next couple of months?

MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY!

Here are some HEALTHY eating and exercise tips:

  1. Carefully schedule your time to include exercise AND rest.
  2. Read labels and choose food that has high nutritional value.
  3. Avoid processed, fast food that may fill you up in the moment but actually drains you of energy.
  4. Don’t purchase the chips or sweets while you are grocery shopping. Instant gratification is not always a good choice. If you decide you want it later that night, walk to the store to get it. That gives you time to think about your choice.
  5. Be mindful of whether you are reaching for the sweets because you are hungry or because you are stressed, lonely, sad or bored.
  6. Surround yourself with POSITIVE people who will SUPPORT you living a healthy lifestyle.
  7. Have a workout buddy. If you are accountable to someone else in the early morning, you are more apt to get up and OUT THE DOOR!

Remember: YOUR LIFE IS YOUR LIFE! YOU HAVE CONTROL. YOU HAVE CHOICES.

It may not be the easiest choice in the moment, but it will be the right choice because you are making yourSELF the priority and loving your body by taking CARE of it! This is the gift you give yourSELF.

CHOOSE HEALTH.

CHOOSE EXERCISE.

CHOOSE REST.

CHOOSE YOU!

I wish you a LOVE-ly weekend full of fresh air, laughter, warm hugs and quiet reflective moments by a bright window. See you on Tuesday my friends!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. If you want all my tips in one neat little package plus some inspiration and insight, check out my book “The Decision”. It will give you all the tools and steps you need to create positive changes in your life and keep you on track during the dark, cold months ahead!

Are You Hiding Your True SELF?

November 1, 2011 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

There are many ways to hide ourselves from others. We can use humour, sarcasm, anger, shyness, gossiping, isolation, work, money, drinking, or just generally being guarded with your thoughts and emotions.

In my 20’s, I used to hide behind a lot of foundation, eye shadow and lipstick. I couldn’t leave the house without my perfect ensemble of dress/wardrobe/makeup. I was in counselling at the time and my counsellor said,

“Well, what would happen if you left the house without makeup?”

The thought paralyzed me.

NO MAKEUP? WAS SHE INSANE?

I didn’t want to expose my ugliness to the world. I felt safe in my makeup. Protected. What if people saw the real Tina? That was a scary thought!

No, I couldn’t fathom it.

She gave me a challenge to not wear any makeup for 2 weeks, so one day, very scared, I tentatively walked out of my house with no makeup on. I walked the couple blocks to downtown and no one pointed. No one told me I was UGLY. No one even looked at me funny. In fact, it seemed no one cared!

I learned a valuable lesson that day.

Often times we hide ourselves from the world but the world has their own problems, their own issues to deal with and so the world doesn’t really notice! The world doesn’t pay attention to whether I am having a good hair day or bad hair day. I’m the one who puts all the importance into that detail.

If no one is paying attention to the degree we think they are; WHY ARE WE HIDING?

Usually it’s around PAIN.

We feel hurt in some way and that brings on the behaviour. I had a negative belief system in place where I thought I was this horrible, ugly, terrible person; however, that wasn’t what the rest of the world saw when I walked down the street. They saw a 26 year old woman who looked totally fine!

If you are hiding, ask yourself WHY?

  • What are you hiding from?
  • Who are you hiding from?
  • Why are you limiting your life in this way?
  • How is it working for you?

With my makeup example, I couldn’t just dash out of the house and meet a friend for coffee if I wasn’t perfectly manicured. My belief system of thinking I was ugly and, therefore, needing the makeup, totally limited my life and my relationships!

Are YOUR relationships being affected?

Are you holding back because you might get hurt? Do you TRUST your INSTINCT enough to make the right decisions for yourSELF?

When you hide, you aren’t honouring your true SELF.

You are dimming your LIGHT.

You are dimming your LIFE.

Please don’t dim your light. Don’t hide from us. We may not see you now, but we will definitely see you if you allow yourSELF to shine. By honouring your true SELF, your CORE, your SPIRIT you will find your JOY. When you find your JOY, you will be hard to miss! You will glow, radiate and have an energy that is undeniable.

There lies the gift; the gift of YOU!

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

Let it shine, let it shine, LET IT SHINE!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. THANK YOU for passing on the information about my book, “The Decision”. I’m passionate about spreading the word on how to manage depression and anxiety and find your JOY. If I can do it, anyone can!

THE Jog Blog – 47

October 27, 2011 By Tina Moore 3 Comments

Tina’s Post Marathon Thought Process:

“Ok, now what?”

That’s right; it’s time to choose another GOAL.

YAY!

I LOVE GOALS!

It is my experience that if I don’t have a goal, I don’t have motivation. If I don’t have motivation, I am less likely to make jogging a priority. If I don’t jog, I’m not HAPPY, and that’s just not an option anymore!

So, here is where YOU come into the picture: WHERE SHOULD I RUN NEXT?

After the Victoria Goodlife Fitness Marathon, I am definitely inspired to visit other places to run. I embrace the scenery, people and the experience as a whole. It’s a holiday and an accomplishment all in one! LOVE IT!

I would like to run 4 half marathons next year and maybe a couple of 10K runs. I have already experienced the Diva Run, which I LOVED and the Underwear Affair (also great FUN) so those are definitely possibilities.

Here are some other options:

MAY

Boogie the Bridge

This is an event with LOTS of community SPIRIT! It’s close to Vancouver so I could run and visit my many friends and family in Kamloops. Definitely an option!

BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon

This is in my home city but I haven’t run this particular course. I’ve been told there is a nasty hill at the end of the run which is an intriguing challenge for me.

JUNE

Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon

I’ve enJOYed this event with my sole sisters for 2 years in a row and I would LOVE to do it again! Sharing this experience with good friends is such a blessing. It’s an opportunity for us to get together and shop, laugh, eat, talk, laugh and then run. FUN!

SEPTEMBER

Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon

A couple of my sole sisters went down for this run and had a blast…running, laughing and then celebrating afterwards by sampling wine with other happy joggers. Sounds good to me!

OCTOBER

Nike’s Women’s Marathon and Half Marathon

This looks like a beautiful run with some challenging hills. You also get a necklace designed by Tiffany’s! This race is a little more expensive but would be worth the trip because San Francisco is such a lovely city!

NOVEMBER

Anica Seattle Marathon and Half Marathon

This is also a more difficult event with some hills. The shirts look awesome (I am loving my Victoria Goodlife Fitness shirt!) and the course looks scenic. When I spoke to the representative at the beginning of the month, she said the weather is unpredictable. Planning for rain would be a prerequisite for this run.

IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE SHARE WITH MYSELF AND THE OTHER READERS!

WHERE SHOULD WE GO RUN AND CELEBRATE OUR GOALS? WHERE CAN WE GO TO HAVE SOME FUN!!!

So now you know what FITNESS GOALS I am considering for next year, have you set any GOALS for yourself? A 5K run? 10K event? Half or full marathon? Triathalon?! It’s important to have goals during the winter months to keep yourself motivated during the rainy or cold season. If you need some motivation, check out my eBook, “The Decision”.

Once you’ve made your goal I’d love to hear how you are challenging yourself!

Have a HAPPY weekend and SAFE Halloween! See you on Tuesday!

With a smile,

Tina

 

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