Get Off Your Broom

New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge Week 7 Check-in and Week 8 Challenge

2012-02-27T19:56:00.014-08:00

Merry Meet all! As you can guess, since the blog title is New Year's Challenge Week 7 Check-in and Week 8 Challenge, the challenge is sticking around. I wanted your feedback and you gave it! Numbers or no numbers posted, you want to keep going!

But some of you wrote some interesting things that I would like to respond to.

1. Whoever ready my stuff knows I am a bit obsessed with the numbers, but doing the healthy stuff anyway.

It's great that you are doing the healthy stuff but you said a mouthful right there, girl. Especially that big word right in the middle. Obsessed. That has been precisely my point and what I'm learning is the Achilles heel of weight loss. We get obsessed with the numbers. That just ain't healthy! I explain why I think this below.

2. People haven't judged me regarding my numbers, at least not as far as I could see.

I wasn't referring so much to other people judging the numbers, but whether or not you yourself judge the numbers. It goes back to that obsession. The obsession leads to thoughts like: I gained a few pounds! I'm such a failure! or I lost a few pounds so I can afford to eat extra cake this week...and then you sabotage your previous success. In which case you beat yourself up over the cake and feel like a failure for gaining back the few pounds. It's a vicious cycle!

In my opinion, obsessing over those numbers can cause serious damage to our self-esteem. You may tell yourself that I'm doing the healthy stuff anyway so it's okay to "obsess over the numbers," but I'm going to keep it real and say I adamantly disagree! Health is about mental and emotional fitness as well. Obsession is never healthy! Feel free to tell me I'm full of shit but wouldn't you rather it was the other way - obsessed with the healthy stuff but keeping track of the numbers anyway?

3. I was never so much into the numbers, not weight wise and some of my measurements I want to be bigger because I'm after muscle.

I love this statement. If you take two women who are both 5'4" and both weigh 135 lbs, but on the first person it is 135 lbs of mostly fat but on the second it is 135 lbs of mostly muscle, you are going to have to very different looking people. Why? Because muscle weighs more than fat!

Now let's take the first person and say her goal is to lose 15 lbs. She doesn't care how she does it as long as she reaches 120 lbs on the scale. She reaches her goal but only after losing all her body fat and some muscle. Now she's a skinny little rail but is weak as a mouse and has the body of a 14 year old boy...but she reached her goal. Healthwise, she's actually worse than before she lost the weight. Statistically, she is likely to gain it all back plus even more! Who wants to look like a 14 year old boy?

Don't believe me? Let's take a look at Megan Fox as an example:

Who looks healthier? I would say the version on the right! What's even more interesting is where I found this picture. I found it on a site called http://skinnyvscurvy.com/.

4. I can't survive on a vegetarian diet so it wouldn't work for me at all. Plus I disagree with it...

So don't do it! I don't expect a vegetarian diet to work for everyone! Nor do I expect everyone to agree with it. I respect your reasons for not agreeing with it. Do what works for you! There is not a one size fits all diet. I was simply using a vegetarian diet or yoga challenge as an example. In the spring I am thinking of doing a walking/jogging/running challenge but I don't expect people who prefer Zumba or have a knee injury to participate!

Here's how the challenges will work! I'm basing this on your answers. All of you clearly seem to want to keep a basic fitness challenge going with the mini-challenges. Whether or not you want to include the numbers will be optional. But there will be additional shorter term challenges such as the vegetarian challenge, yoga challenge, and the walking/jogging/running challenge. The mini-challenges, posting your numbers, and the additional challenges will all be optional!

Bottom line: Take what works for you from my blog, and leave the rest!

My Results This Week I have been getting bigger. I don't look six months pregnant. Now it's more uniform across my midsection and when I wear my jeans I have a "muffin top." I had kind of expected this. Mostly it's because I'm slacking. However, Jupiter (expansion) is transiting my first house (appearance). From my understanding this makes a great time to increase muscle mass so I need to work on the body sculpting but the transit makes losing weight all the harder.

I needed some fresh motivation so I decided to buy a new bikini. I get a new one every year. The bikini I bought looks like Wonder Woman's outfit. It makes me want to have muscles and be strong like a superheroine.

Dietwise I have been eating mostly vegetarian. I have had a few week moments and eaten some meat. I also keep eating too many Little Debbie snacks and my seasonal weakness is in the stores - Easter candy! Damn you Cadbury Caramel Eggs! They are my favorite candy in the whole wide world!

So if I'm not going to keep track of the numbers how will I gauge my progress? How my clothes fit and how I look of course! I will admit that I probably will check the numbers eventually. Once a month sounds pretty good to me. I just won't worry about what they are every single week! I personally like pictures to show me how I look so here it is...me in the Wonder Woman bathing suit. Hopefully, by summer I will be rocking it! (Please ignore my hair. It was not a good hair day!)

Front view
Side view
The Week 8 Challenge For this week's challenge I want you to make a list. The most important part of setting a goal is making it quantifiable. That means you can know when it is reached. I know I had you do this way back in the beginning but I want you to either revisit your goals or write them out if you haven't already done so. Since the challenge has been going on for some time, maybe they need revised. What I want to do with your goals is write out how you will know when you'v reached them. How will you know when you are healthy? How will you know when you are fit? BUT THERE'S A CATCH!! I want you to write these goals without using numbers! No numbers! What did you learn? Were you able to do it? Or did you fall back on relying on the scale or measuring tape?

Feel free to share your progress, the link to your post about your progress or any thoughts in the comments! Remember, there wasn't a weekly challenge for Week 7. Look forward to the announcement post for the spring challenge. Spring is right around the corner!

The Numbers Challenges: To Continue or Not to Continue? (Week 7)

2012-02-20T20:31:00.002-08:00

I loved the idea of this blog. When I started it I had a vision of writing about body image, societies standards of beauty, and vegetarianism. Instead I have been focusing on the challenges and frankly, it feels kind of wrong. See back when I first announced this challenge I had someone question me about focusing on getting lower numbers instead of getting healthy. Well if you're reading this, you get to say a big fat I told you so (pun intended.)

Here's the thing. Those weekly challenges where I ask you to do a specific task NOT challenge you too reach a smaller number are far more fun. They get me excited about getting healthy. The idea of encouraging everyone to post numbers and then subjecting themselves (and myself) to judgement of success or failure simply based on whether or not a number is bigger or smaller frankly is making me sick.

I would much rather challenge people to eat vegetarian for 6 weeks or do yoga everyday. This numbers game just isn't fun. So my dear readers, I'm asking what you think. No...scratch that. I'm asking are you with me or not? Will I get less blog hits? Probably. But I will be working from a different paradigm. One that follows my values. Because dear readers your value should never be based on numbers found on a scale or a measuring tape.

New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge Week 6 Check-in and Week 7 Challenge

2012-02-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

Merry Meet all! How are all of you doing? Sorry I am posting late. I don't have an excuse this time. I got busy and simply forgot. It's tempting to just change check ins to Monday but then I would probably start posting them on Tuesday. lol

The pick your own challenge ended up being perfect for me because my 16 year old daughter and I have challenged each other to stick to a vegetarian diet. Over the course of the week we have given in a few times and eaten meat but overall we are successful.

It's so great though because I feel like I have renewed energy when it comes to this fitness challenge! I'm doing something different so the challenge feels new again. And there's your hint for this upcoming weekly challenge.

My Stats for Week 7:
Weight 131.4 lbs (I lost .2 pounds!)
Chest 36 in (no change)
Waist 33 in (no change)
Hips 37 in (no change)
Thighs 21.5 in (no change)
Arms 11 in (no change)

I was weighing myself and I noticed that my weight was 133.2 lbs. I weighed myself again and it said the same thing. I was thinking, there's no way that is right. Then I realized I was wearing my jeans. I stripped off my pants and my weight was actually 131.6 lbs. What a difference a pair of pants can make! So make sure you are stripping down before you weigh yourself.

The Week 8 Challenge
This is kind of like the choose your own challenge. Remember it's always optional, so you don't have to do it. This past week I found renewed energy in going vegetarian. No, the challenge isn't going to be to go vegetarian. But I do want you to do something completely different this week than you usually do. Maybe you've been doing Zumba, so this week you will jog outside instead. Maybe you've been doing kickboxing, so this week you will do Pilates instead. Whatever you choose I want you to pick something radically different!

Feel free to share your progress, the link to your post about your progress, your results of last week's challenge, or any thoughts in the comments!What do you pick for last week's challenge? What are you doing differently for this week's challenge?

New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge Week 5 Check-in and Week 6 Challenge

2012-02-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

Merry Meet all! How are all of you doing? Sorry I am posting late. I spent the day with family and then watched the Superbowl. I don't care about the game but I do like seeing the Halftime Show and the commercials.

I need to admit something. We are halfway through the challenge and I'm feeling a bit like I'm in a slump. I'm not getting the results that I'm wanting. I'm just not feeling the enthusiasm that I've had. And I'm the hostess! I'm the one who is supposed to be encouraging everyone else but I can't shake my feelings of well...blah.

I think part of it is that I am anxious for spring. We had a few warm days with no snow and I got outside and it felt so good! Then all of sudden winter came back and there was snow on the ground again. I wanted to be able to start jogging again. I know, I know. You can jog in the winter but I hate being cold. I truly hate it! I guess what I'm experiencing is the winter blues. Ironically, exercise is cure for that, so I guess I just need to get moving!

My Stats for Week 5:
Weight 131.6 lbs (I gained .2 pounds!)
Chest 36 in (no change)
Waist 33 in (A half inch smaller!)
Hips 37 in (no change)
Thighs 21.5 in (no change)
Arms 11 in (no change)

I was weighing myself and I noticed that my weight was 133.2 lbs. I weighed myself again and it said the same thing. I was thinking, there's no way that is right. Then I realized I was wearing my jeans. I stripped off my pants and my weight was actually 131.6 lbs. What a difference a pair of pants can make! So make sure you are stripping down before you weigh yourself.

The Week 6 Challenge
I didn't feel inspired, so this week is a Choose Your Own Challenge! I want you to pick something specific that you want to work on this week. I am going to work on getting rid of my winter blahs!

Feel free to share your progress, the link to your post about your progress, your results of last week's challenge, or any thoughts in the comments!

New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge Week 4 Check-in and Week 5 Challenge

2012-01-30T00:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Meet all! How are all of you doing? The key word there is all! You see, I am afraid this post will hold a bit of light scolding. While I am so happy to see that 12 people have posted links to their results at the last check-in, when I navigate over to the sign up page I see that 86 of you signed up!

Now, I am curious to see how many of you actually viewed the last check-in post...56 Pageviews!

So I have to ask, why the silence? Are you worried about sharing your lack of progress? Well clearly you've been following my updates, so you know I have backslid. It's embarrassing but I've always believed in keeping it real.

Are you simply not posting your updates? I can certainly understand that. I haven't done nearly enough with this blog as I had planned and right now I am posting this check-in at 3:36 on Monday morning. So hopefully it is my lateness to blame for the lack of shared links to check-ins. But then again there were 13 comments and 68 pageviews for the week 2 check-in. For the week 1 check-in there were 20 comments and 83 pageviews!

Perhaps you are asking yourself, why does she care so much if we are sharing our progress? Well, my dear readers, it's because there is no stronger motivator than ACCOUNTABILITY. If you are posting your check-ins every week you are more likely to see success because the world is watching. Is it embarrassing when you fail? Is it humiliating when you gain weight or an inch? Only in your own eyes, dearies! Because the rest of us are struggling too!

So I will say with the utmost sincerity, there is no judgment here. Lose, gain, succeed, fail...WE WILL LOVE YOU THE SAME! THOU ART GODDESS! I encourage you to start posting if haven't already. If you are posting, share the link! A huge point of this is that we do it together and with each other's support!

That said, I will share how my week went. I did something I thought I would never do. I gave up pop! Even the diet kind! I used to wake up everyday craving Pepsi or Sprite. Now I wake up craving water. I'm in shock. I never thought it would happen.

Exercise-wise, I am doing better, but not as well as I should. I've gotten so out of shape that exercising leaves me feeling sore and I am angry at myself because my laziness has made me become less fit. I feel like a complete beginner and have to do the beginner modifications. I know I have to let go of the anger towards myself and just begin at the beginning. But it just feels like I'm starting all over! It's so frustrating!

I have no idea how I did this week so I will take my measurements and drum roll please....

My Stats for Week 4:
Weight 131.4 lbs (I lost .8 pounds!)
Chest 36 in (no change)
Waist 33.5 in (A half inch smaller!)
Hips 37 in (no change)
Thighs 21.5 in (no change)
Arms 11 in (no change)

It looks like I had success this week. Giving up that soda may have helped my progress. But I can't help wondering if my 1/2 inch gain in girth was simply related to being bloated from PMS. A commenter wrote last week, "Only measurement difference is my belly which is bigger, but I know that's just bloating." This gave me an idea and I've decided to make it a challenge to find out!

The Week 5 Challenge
This challenge is a little different because it can't actually be done in only one week. It takes a whole month to do. It will be meticulous but I promise it will be well worth the effort if you do it. I want you to spend the next month measuring your waist and your weight daily, as well as keeping track of your menstrual cycle. To be honest, you may even want to do this for two months to be especially accurate. The most important thing is to take your measurements at the same time every day!

Do you get bigger measurements on certain days of your cycle? If you do then, you can be certain that your bigger measurements are not because of lack of effort but because of your normal fluctuations due to your cycle. Knowing this is important because if you figure out that your weight and waist get bigger for 5 days before your period starts, you will stop beating yourself up for things that are beyond your control!

Feel free to share your progress, the link to your post about your progress, your results of last week's challenge, or any thoughts in the comments!

New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge Week 3 Check-in and Week 4 Challenge

2012-01-23T19:02:00.000-08:00

Merry Meet my fitness challengers! Or is it challengees? How did you do the third week of the challenge? I apologize because I am posting my check-in very late! I have been very busy this past week and weekend. It is an excuse but it is not a reason to be posting late. I don't have my priorities straight. (Here's your hint for the Week 4 challenge!)

I have been doing great dietwise, but I'm just not making exercise a priority. I keep finding myself saying the morning, "I'll exercise this afternoon." When afternoon comes, I say "I'll exercise this evening." But guess what? Most days lately, I don't exercise. And guess what? That shrinking tummy that I was so proud of seems to be getting bigger. Having a reminder posted is pretty worthless if I don't listen to it!

I'm eating right. I know I am. But eating right doesn't seem to be enough for me to change my body. I have to make exercise a priority as well but I keep making excuses. I'll say things like, "I don't feel good. The kids are home today. The living room needs cleaned first. I can't find my exercise clothes." Are these reasons not to exercise? Absolutely not. They are excuses. There's a big difference.

My Stats for Week 3:
Weight 132.2 lbs (I lost 2.8 pounds!)
Chest 36 in (no change)
Waist 34 in (A half inch bigger!)
Hips 37 in (no change)
Thighs 21.5 in (no change)
Arms 11 in (no change)

I did lose weight, but I gained a half inch on my waistline. This is why it's so important to take into consideration your measurements. If I went soley by my weight I would be celebrating. The truth seems to be that I have lost water weight, not actual fat. So there isn't really anything to celebrate at all.

The Week 4 Challenge
Do you have a reason you aren't making your health a priority or are you just making excuses? What's the difference? A reason is something that is beyond your control. Examples include, I broke my foot. My house burned down. Someone stole my exercise equipment. I have diabetes. I am allergic to anything made with peanuts.

An excuse is different because it is within your control. This means that you didn't make your health a priority and did something else instead. There are far too many excuses to list here. So I want you to do it! Actually I want you to make two lists. One for why you don't exercise regularly and the other for why you don't eat healthy.

What excuses do you use for not eating right and exercising? Are any of them actually reasons? After you make your two lists I want you to post them somewhere. Before you put off exercising or deciding to indulge in an unhealthy food, I want you to go to these lists first and see if what you are telling yourself is on there.

Sometimes what seems like an excuse may be a legitimate reason. For example, it's your birthday and your spouse makes you cake. Is this a reason or an excuse to indulge in a piece or two? (Most would agree it's a reason.) What if you tell yourself it's okay to eat the entire cake in one sitting because it's your birthday? (Sorry, but I think that's an excuse.) Or maybe you decided to skip exercising today because you stubbed your toe. Is this a reason or an excuse? That depends on how bad you stubbed your toe.

My point is, don't let yourself get away with excuses but don't be too rigid with yourself either. Sometimes different circumstances can make something a reason or excuse. The real challenge in this is whether or not you are completely honest with yourself.

Feel free to share your progress, the link to your post about your progress, your results of last week's challenge, or any thoughts in the comments! What did you do to keep yourself on track? Did you post reminders or make a vision board?

New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge Week 2 Check-in and Week 3 Challenge

2012-01-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

Merry Meet my dears! How did you do the second week of the challenge? Has the excitement of the new year worn off? Is your willpower to make change in your body and your life turned into just "meh?" I certainly hope not.

I have felt much better this week! My abcessed tooth is healing nicely and I am able to get back into my regular routine. But it has been hard! I've had my momentum disrupted mid-challenge before but trying to overcome a shoddy start to a challenge is much harder. I'm still not quite exercising like I should and I recently discovered Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme Drops which I am not exactly having a healthy relationship with.

I have all my goals set but I'm having difficulty staying focused and on task. I'm not sticking with my plan and I need some little reminders. Instead of going on and on about it in a lengthy post, I figured we would tackle it together in this week's challenge, but first this weeks results.

My Stats for Week 2:
Weight 135 lbs (I gained a pound)
Chest 36 in (no change)
Waist 33.5 in (A half inch smaller!)
Hips 37 in (no change)
Thighs 21.5 in (no change)
Arms 11 in (no change)

The Week 3 Challenge
Staying focused and on task so you can reach your goals is extremely important. This week I want you to figure out what you can do to help yourself stick to your healthy eating habits and regular exercise routine. Some ideas include putting Post Its up on your fridge or computer, or you could set a reminder on your phone to drink more water or download an app for it, or maybe you need to schedule an appointment for regular exercise in your planner. One of my favorite things to do (and it's a bit magickal) is to create a vision board. A vision board is a visual representation of your goals that is made using art, photos, scrapbooking, or collage. Here is more info on how to make a vision board.

Feel free to share your progress, the link to your post about your progress, your results of last week's challenge, or any thoughts in the comments! What did you learn about your overall health and how it affects your diet and fitness? How can you improve your overall health?

PLUS Model Magazine Starts a Controvery

2012-01-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

Plus-size model Katya Zharkova is featured in an explosive editorial at PLUS Model Magazine where thought provoking statistics and statements are revealed about models in the fashion industry and real women's sizes. Some of the statistics include:

- Twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed 8% less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23% less.

- Ten years ago plus-size models averaged between size 12 and 18. Today the need for size diversity within the plus-size modeling industry continues to be questioned. The majority of plus-size models on agency boards are between a size 6 and 14, while the customers continue to express their dissatisfaction.

- Most runway models meet the Body Mass Index physical criteria for Anorexia.

- 50% of women wear a size 14 or larger, but most standard clothing outlets cater to sizes 14 or smaller.

While the statistics are revealing, the controversy lies not in that the fashion industry shouldn't support anorexia but that it shouldn't support obesity. Some of the commenters addressed the issue of whether or not you can be healthy and obese at the same time. They believe that positively endorsing a fuller figure is as dangerous as advocating a skinny one.

Personally, my issue was not so much whether or not the fashion industry should support models that are very skinny or obese ( I think they should support all shapes and sizes equally) but with the sexual nature of the photos. All the photos can be found here but DO NOT VIEW AT WORK OR AROUND KIDS because they contain nudity and suggestive poses.

The nudity I have no issue with. My issue is the women posed in a sexual position both standing up and laying down on the floor. To me this sends a mixed message: Yes bigger women are beautiful as well but all women are STILL sexual objects. Maybe I am making too much of it. But couldn't the women have been standing next to each other to prove the point? Did they really need to be groin to groin? Did they really need to be rolling around on the floor with each other? Am I overreacting? What are your thoughts?

Sources: Daily Mail UK
PLUS Model Magazine

New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge Week 1 Check-in and Week 2 Challenge

2012-01-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Meet my lovelies! How did you do the first week of the challenge? They say that the first week after the new year is when our willpower and resolve to stick to our resolutions is the strongest. Did you find this was true?

Unfortunately for me, my strong willpower and resolve wasn't powerful enough to overcome my continuing health issues. Not only was I still battling the flu that I had last week, but I was completely overwhelmed with dealing with an abscessed tooth.

For the first part of the week the pain was just unbearable. I couldn't even think much less get off my butt and workout. It took major effort just to continue my day to day activities. I am treating it with an antibiotic but until I was able to get the medicine I was trying every natural remedy I could find. I found vanilla extract worked well the first few days but then the infection moved down into the pulp of my tooth where nothing topical made a difference. I was popping over-the-counter painkillers like candy just to cope. I've eaten only enough to stay alive this week because it just aggravated my tooth. My abscess started pressing on a facial nerve and caused my right side if my chin to go completely numb and feel rubbbery to the touch. Talk about scary! But since the antibiotic is doing it's job the swelling is going down, my chin has the feeling coming back, and the pain has completely subsided.

I'm told if I don't get the tooth pulled or a root canal done the infection will keep coming back, but a) I don't want to lose the tooth and I learned that b) many people who had root canals done got their nerves damaged which caused permanent numbness in the face. After this horrendous experience with the temporary numbness, there's no way I'm going to risk it becoming permanent. I don't care what the dentist tells me, I am perfectly fine with having to get an antibiotic on occasion over these other options.

My Stats for Week 1:
Weight 134 lbs (I gained 1.8 lbs)

Chest 36 in (no change)
Waist 34 in (An inch bigger!)
Hips 37 in (no change)
Thighs 21.5 in (no change)
Arms 11 in (no change)

I know some of you may be asking to yourself, if she barely ate anything all week why did she gain weight? It defies logic, right? Simply put, my body likely went into starvation mode. When you eat too little your body will switch into starvation mode and store fat rather than use it, slowing your metabolism down. I know there are some theories that starvation mode doesn't really exist, but my personal experience tells me differently. Every time I have tried a severely restricted diet (intentional or not) my weight goes up.

Of course, it also didn't help that wasn't I exercising. The weather was even in the 50's a couple days this week. I live in Indiana and weather like that in January is absolutely bizarre. I did get outside a little but for the most part I was miserable inside with this tooth abscess. I missed a great opportunity to do some outdoor exercise comfortably in winter.

The Week 2 Challenge
My ordeal this week has inspired this week's challenge. My dental health affected every single aspect of my life. When my pain was at it's worst all I could do was lay in bed and cry. Literally. I don't just feel like I missed out on a week of healthy eating and exercise. I feel like I have missed an entire week of my life!

This week, I want you to look at the big picture and figure out what other health issues you have. I also want you to note how they affect your fitness and especially your quality of life. For example, maybe you suffer from asthma or tendonitis in your knee. These conditions may affect when and how often you exercise, what specific exercises you can do, and day to day activities. Maybe you have diabetes or a food allergy so your diet is affected.

I could even be the reverse. Maybe your health condition is actually caused by your diet or exercise routine. Perhaps you are affected by high cholesterol or drink too much caffeine. Maybe the tendonitis in your knee is flaring up because you are choosing exercise that isn't safe for your condition.

Don't just look at the physical either. I want you to include your mental health and stress levels as well. For example, maybe you aren't in the mood to exercise because you wait until after work when you are stressed or tired from your day.

What can you do to improve the health issues that you found? While the basic idea of "eat less, exercise more" may be true, taking care of our fitness just isn't that simple. Every aspect of our health affects the homeostatis of our bodies. This fitness challenge isn't just about losing weight or getting skinnier. It is about improving the overall condition of your health and improving your quality of life.

Feel free to share your progress, the link to your post about your progress, your results of last week's challenge, or any thoughts in the comments!

Welcome to the Kickoff of A New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge!

2012-01-01T16:55:00.000-08:00

Merry Meet and Happy New Year! It's that time my pagan and witchy friends! It's time to (metaphorically) put away the brooms, (literally) get off our backsides, and get to work! If you are like me, now that the challenge has officially begun, you are feeling excited. The New Year is almost always when we feel our strongest to tackle self improvement, but perhaps you are feeling a little nervous as well. Perhaps you are asking yourself things like - Can I do it this time? Will I be able to be disciplined enough to eat right and exercise? Am I going to fail in front of all of my fellow bloggers and readers? No pressure, right?

Oops...sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have written what's going through all of our heads. It's not being a very good motivator. But while I'm going to be all rah rah you can do it, I also want to be realistic. If you don't deal with what's going inside your head, you won't find the discipline to stick to it, right?

I want all of you to be as successful as you can possibly be so I want you to start by explaining a bit more about how I do things. I've found that the best blog fitness challenges seem to have 3 things in common:

1. The Host Offers Lots of Encouragement
I don't take this responsibility lightly. If only a dozen of you had signed up, I probably would have been able to half ass it. But no, a few dozen of you have signed up! Right now there are 53 official participants. (To become an official participant you need to fill out this form.) So instead of being responsible for guiding a handful of people through this 3 month long challenge, I am responsible for an entire crowd. No pressure, right? While I am quivering in my boots a little, the fact that so many people have shown interest yet a second time has been a huge motivator for me to give it my all! So I thank you for signing up! As the host, I also participate and write about my ups and downs at each check-in just like you do.

2. The Host Offers Mini-Challenges Each Week
What? Mini-challenges! In other challenges I just checked in on the designated day. It goes back to #1, the host offers lots of encouragement. I want all of you to succeed and part of that success comes from not getting bored. Each week I will be giving you a mini-challenge to complete. You can take it or leave it. It's entirely optional. Each mini-challenge will be given on Sunday along with my check in here at Get Off Your Broom.

3. Participants Are Encouraged to Support and Interact With Each Other
At each Sunday check-in, you will be encouraged to leave a comment with the link to your check in post so everyone can blog hop. Blog hopping is when you leave the link to your blog so everyone can visit each other and leave comments of support and encouragement. Even if you don't leave comments you can visit the participant page where I have your name linked to your blog or Facebook page. That was awfully sneaky of me, I know. Here's why I did it though. If you have accountability, then you are more likely to succeed. If you know people might be checking your blog to see how you're doing, you will likely do better than if you remained anonymous. Also, how are you supposed to show support for each other if you don't know where to go to do that?

The Week One Mini-Challenges
I'll be honest. This week's mini-challenge isn't really mini. It's kind of big and has quite a few parts. I know it's a lot of work already but in my opinion, these mini-challenges are probably the most important ones of all! They will be the foundation of your success.

First, I want you to take a before picture. Oh the horror! Don't worry. I won't be requiring that you post it if you don't want to. However, you may want to post it at the end of the challenge when you have your after picture. It's a great way to really see what you accomplish in the next 3 months.

Second, I want you to take your weight and the measurements of at least your hips, waist, and chest. Your thighs and arms are optional. You are doing both weight and measurements because this challenge is about fitness, not just about losing weight. If I lose 5 lbs but my waist hasn't gotten smaller, than I know I haven't truly succeeded. Now that you know your starting stats, what are your goals? What can you reasonably accomplish in the next 3 months but is challenging enough to keep you striving? You may even want to break your goals into 3 month increments.

Third, I want you to make a plan. This is the hardest of the three mini-challenges. There are so many diets and exercise plans out there that choosing one can be absolutely overwhelming. It may take some research on your part, but along with knowing where you are going (your goals) you need to know how to get there (your plan). Make this plan as simple or detailed as you would like. Maybe your plan is simply to cut sweets and exercise five times a week. Or maybe you have a plan that includes a comprehensive exercise program that includes cardio, yoga, and strength training and a vegetarian diet complete with menus and a list of superfoods that you should eat.

*Note* If this is your second round of Get Off Your Broom: A Witchy Fitness Challenge, you have much of this work already done. I want you to review the goals you had set for yourself at the beginning of round one and tweek them if they aren't quite right anymore. Also, please remember that check-ins will now be on Sunday.

When you are all done with these mini-challenges and you have blogged about them I strongly encourage you to add the link the comments to this post. I want to start blog hopping already so we can begin to support each other.

My Beginning Stats:
Weight 132.2 lbs

Chest 36 in
Waist 33 in
Hips 37 in
Thighs 21.5 in
Arms 11 in

Front view - Before Photo

Side View - Before Photo

My Diet Plan
1. Give up pop. Diet soda will be accepted but only during the first month.
2. By the end of the 3 months, be on a mostly vegetarian or even better, an all vegetarian diet.
3. Eat no more than 1500 calories a day.
4. Eat every 3 hours.
5. Stop eating at least one hour before bedtime.
6. Drink at least 6 glasses of water daily.
7. Stop eating processed foods like tv dinners, cheese, and foods made with white flour.
8. Avoid candy, cakes, and other sugary treats.
9. Keep a food diary.
10.Read books, blogs, and watch documentaries on vegetarian dieting.

My Exercise Plan for Month One
Monday -

30 minutes of cardio
Strength training
Abs

Tuesday -

30 minutes of cardio
Yoga or Pilates

Wednesday -

30 minutes of cardio
Strength training
Abs

Thursday -

30 minutes of cardio
Yoga or Pilates

Friday -

At least 30 minutes of cardio
Strength training
Abs

Saturday -

Ballet Workout 1 (optional)

Sunday -

Rest

Cardio can be interval training combined with weights, kickboxing, dancing (belly dancing, Zumba), power walking, jogging, or any aerobic activity.

Strength training will include body weight, hand weights, kettle bells, and a weighted bar.

After Month 1, I will evaluate where I'm at and decide if the exercise routine needs changed. I'll probably want to increase the length of cardio, start training specific body parts on specific days, advance to the ballet workout 2, or add a power yoga workout to the routine.

I know I have already done a round of the challenge but I have been sick on and off for the last two weeks and have spent the last week mostly in bed. I still feel very weak from being sick and want to start off slow. When I feel I've gotten back to my old self, I will increase the difficulty.

Overall, losing weight isn't my main focus. I want to sculpt and tone my body. I've always admired the long, lean body of a ballet dancer so that's why I want to do yoga, Pilates, and ballet. I wrote at the end of Round 1 that I don't feel like I'm trying to lose weight, but I'm trying to chisel away and sculpt this person that I know is hiding underneath. It's more like art to me. I also said that it feels a bit like a adult science experiment.

For me, losing weight and getting fit feels more like alchemy than anything else. It's not just following a recipe of chemicals to mix (a prescribed diet and exercise regimen) but an art and science where I need to tweek and tinker with each ingredient to find the right combination for me. In the end, the point of alchemy and getting fit are exactly the same! In alchemy, it is the "creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base metals into the noble metals gold or silver, as well as an elixir of life conferring youth and immortality." We desire to get fit and healthy also because we want to retain our youth and extend our lives! I think this is why it is so difficult. If getting healthy was simply a matter of "eating less and exercising more" we would all get it perfect. But it just isn't that simple. It is both an art and a science!

A Life Size Barbie Isn't Pretty

2011-12-27T06:16:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year a life size Barbie was created by a Hamilton College student named Galia Slayen. The South Shore Eating Disorders Collaborative (SSEDC) created the "Get Real Barbie" Campaign Fact Sheet and is where Galia got the life size Barbie's dimensions. You can learn more about Galia and her life size Barbie in the video below the fact sheet info.

Here is their fact sheet:

There are two Barbie dolls sold every second in the world.
The target market for Barbie doll sales is young girls ages 3-12 years of age
A girl usually has her first Barbie by age 3, and collects a total of seven dolls during her childhood
Over a billion dollars worth of Barbie dolls and accessories were sold in 1993, making this doll big business and one of the top 10 toys sold.
If Barbie were an actual women, she would be 5’9″ tall, have a 39″ bust, and 18″ waist, and a size 3 shoe!
Barbie calls this a “full figure” and likes her weight at 110#.
At 5’9″ tall and weighing 110#, Barbie would fit the weight criteria for anorexia. She likely would not menstruate.
If Barbie was a real woman, she’d have to walk on all fours due to her proportions.
Slumber Party Barbie was introduced in 1965 and came with a bathroom scale permanently set at 110# with a book entitled “How to Lose Weight” with directions inside stating simply, “Don’t eat.”

The “Get Real Barbie” Fact Sheet was created by the South Shore Eating Disorders Collaborative (SSEDC) to raise awareness during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, a week sponsored each year by NEDA the last week in February (2/20-26, 2011), regarding body image, the media, and the unrealistic beauty ideals set by pop culture. This Fact Sheet can be used to begin a dialogue about the ways unrealistic media images can often lead young people to eat, diet and exercise in unhealthy ways. Those who diet are eight times more likely to develop eating disorders and disordered eating. Dieting is a risk factor for eating disorders and eating disorders can be fatal. What ways can you model and teach that real women come in all shapes and sizes?

For more information, visit the National Eating Disorders Association at www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Source: Get Real Barbie Fact Sheet

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

SHAPE Best Blogger Awards for 2011

2011-12-27T05:29:00.000-08:00

SHAPE Best Blogger Awards: 20 Inspiring Weight-Loss Blogs

I Can Change ONE Thing Challenge

2011-12-27T04:57:00.000-08:00

I also found another wonderful challenge at Witch Blog with some wonderful downloadable tools to help reach goals in the New Year. Here is more about this challenge:

This year I’ve been very slack at making plans and goals, so I’ve sort of wobbled through 2011. This past month I’ve felt the pull of those pesky New Year resolutions and a real need to become more goal orientated.

However, you and I both know just how amazingly ineffective resolutions made on 1st January actually are, and they can be all but forgotten by midnight the following day.

I’ve done it many times; sat down and wrote a wonderful list of all the things I would definitely do in the new year. I would be skinny, rich, and.…. actually, perhaps it wasn’t such a big list. Seriously though, I’d write down everything and then feel so overwhelmed I’d never look at it again.

I began thinking that this year I would chunk down, and work on changing just one thing at a time rather than about 20 million things. And I would work in manageable time frames because if I tell myself I need to do something by the end of 2012 I would either leave it to the last possible moment in 2012 or become utterly convinced the world is ending anyway, so why bother?

I had planned on making the time frame sabbat to sabbat but I didn’t feel well last week so couldn’t pull it all together in time. Each month, I’m going to plan the little ‘one thing’s I can change in my life. I’m not even going to pretend to do anything huge as I don’t have the time, and I do know many little things eventually add to a lot!

January’s journal is ready to go. You can download, print and share (personal use only please). There are 25 things I jotted down, which doesn’t even add up to one a day during the month.

I hope you’ll join me on this ‘I can change one thing’ journey. I have a button in the sidebar which you can grab if you’d like (I’d love you to grab it because the more people setting little goals the better!).

It will be amazing to look back during the year to see exactly how far our little things have changed us.

The downloadable journal can be found here!

New Year, New You Experiment

2011-12-27T04:27:00.000-08:00

Weekly Writing Prompt:
What do you want to accomplish in 2012 using both magical and mundane means?

The one biggest goal that I have which is really the foundation for every other goal in my life is to stop being afraid of everything. Yes, everything. Remember that part in The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown where Lucy asks if Charlie has pantophobia, the fear of everything? Well believe it or not that's me in so many ways. I am so afraid to have the life that I really want!

I want 2012 to be the year that I overcome my fears. I have made several lists of goals in the past that I never actually achieve because I have so many fears attached to them. Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of what people will think, fear of succeeding and then not being able to maintain it, and on and on. I need to work on the foundation of why I don't achieve these goals, rather than set myself up for failure yet another year.

I don't really know what one does to overcome their fears. The Nike slogan of "Just do it" really hasn't been working for me. So I suppose I do need to work out a step by step plan to reach this goal. I think it will involve doing a lot of psychological work to find out my blocks.

I think the key to overcoming my fears is actually through magickal means. Facing your fears is about confronting the shadow and discovering its gifts. I plan on focusing on branches of paganism that I find intimidating like alchemy, ceremonial magick, chaos magick, and dark magick. I will use familiar methods as well such as meditation, tarot work, astrology, and keeping a dream diary. Most of all I need to start working with the dark goddesses so I have a guide through all of this deep spiritual work.

My ultimate goal for the year, which I discovered many months ago through meditation, is to confront the Guardian of the Threshold.

New Year, New You Experiment

2011-12-27T04:17:00.000-08:00

I found it a bit late, but not too late. Over at Charmed, I'm Sure is an interesting challenge. Um...just a word of warning. Deborah uses some strong language and since I am completely opposed to censorship I won't edit her words, but I thought I would give a warning.

Here's more info about the challenge:

So, you're supposed to be, like, magicians, occultists, witches in the woods and the kitchen and on the soccer field, right? Workers of wonder. Dream weavers. People who get shit done. Isn't this the year to make your own luck? You're feeling especially awful with the nights that never end and run over by the holidaze and you can't drink joie forever before needing a meeting. So now's the fucking time. Don't wait until that stupid glitter ball drops and you're already making drunk and/or sentimental mistakes, start now. Start now when it's hardest. Start now when you feel so weighed down with emotions better left to glittery and not so glittery vampires and when you feel like you could sleep forever. Now is the time you need to wake up. Get up, get up! Don't miss this moment. Create magics great and small, mundane and mystical. Find everything you've been looking for, mysteries revealed in every form of divination and song and when you fuck it up, when you are too tired to try, bring each other up from bloodied knees to get back up smiling. You are all made of stars and you have stardust in your veins. Do something about it.

Here is what you'll do. You'll write prompts. You'll explore. You'll fall down. Sometimes you'll lay there awhile, finding things under rocks that you never wanted to know. They'll pull you back, using yarn, glue, cajoling and stern words. You'll keep sewing yourself into who you'll want to be and you'll tell them, sometimes too much, because that's your way and what's needed. You'll find how far you can really fly when you've made wings to carry you and be breathless from your accomplishments. Besides your words, you'll give something made from your hands.

Here is what they'll do. Form a community of tealight hearths and stories high bonfires. They'll whisper their stories, spirials of success and failure. You'll learn from each other, make each other laugh, piss each other off. You'll get things done together and alone. You'll be afraid together, so knees up.

Here's how it will work:

There's a prize. Of course there's a prize. I will do a random drawing and whoever wins can chose one item from my shop and I will ship it anywhere in the world for free. The Drawing will take place on Valentine's Day.

I will put everyone's name in a hat and have Jow chose a name from the hat. If you are a fiber freak (yarn, Dream Ambassadors, felted soap), I will even hand dye that item in the color of your choice.

You get one entry when:

* You add the "New Year, New You" button to your blog
* You blog about the "New Year, New You" experiment to spread the word about it
* You blog in response to any of my "New Year, New You" prompts (one entry each time you do so!)
* You blog about your own "New Year, New You" experiment (one entry each time you do so!). You are captain of your own ship, if you're ass deep in your own experiments in making yourself stronger, faster, braver and more magical, that certainly counts.

You must leave me a comment with the appropriate link so that I know you have done these things.

Meatless Mondays

2011-12-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

I have started transitioning to a vegetarian diet. I plan on making vegetarianism a regular topic on this blog. I feel that out of all my lifestyle decisions, the decision to become a vegetarian is the one that truly helps me express and live my Pagan spirituality in a way that reaches every corner of the planet. It will impact the animals directly, the environment, and my own health will benefit as well.

While I will be encouraging everyone to try a vegetarian diet, I do respect the choice of every person to continue eating meat so I am asking those of you who are flexitarians and carnivores to choose to take part in an international movement called Meatless Mondays. Every Monday, you simply don't eat meat. However, it doesn't have to be Monday. If another day of the week works better for you than go meatless that day.

What are the benefits of going meatless one day a week?

Here they are as explained by the website Meatless Monday:

Why Meatless?
Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

Read about these benefits below. But keep in mind that just going meatless is not enough. That’s why we give you the information you need to add healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives to your diet each week. Further, if you do eat meat on other days, we strongly recommend grass-fed, hormone-free, locally-raised options whenever possible.

Health Benefits
LIMIT CANCER RISK: Hundreds of studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk. Both red and processed meat consumption are associated with colon cancer.

REDUCE HEART DISEASE: Recent data from a Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fat-rich foods (for example, meat and full fat dairy) with foods that are rich in polyunsaturated fat (for example, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds) reduces the risk of heart disease by 19%

FIGHT DIABETES: Research suggests that higher consumption of red and processed meat increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

CURB OBESITY: People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A recent study from Imperial College London also found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain.

LIVE LONGER: Red and processed meat consumption is associated with modest increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.

IMPROVE YOUR DIET. Consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat.

Environmental Benefits
REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation. And annual worldwide demand for meat continues to grow. Reining in meat consumption once a week can help slow this trend.

MINIMIZE WATER USAGE. The water needs of livestock are tremendous, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound.

HELP REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE. On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.

I plan on posting more about Meatless Mondays in the future, but until then you can find the Meatless Monday widget on my sidebar. It shares some tasty meatless recipes.

Weight Loss Spells

2011-12-12T08:10:00.000-08:00

Currently, getting in shape has became a major focus in my life. So I decided to some research on spells and meditations for losing weight. (I have a separate blog about this journey here. Please be careful about what you write there because my family has access and I'm not "out of the broom closet" with them. Thanks!)

Please note that no spell or meditation in itself will help you lose weight. It takes exercising, changing your diet, and dealing with emotional eating to lose weight and change the body.

One weight loss spell that I particularly liked is from Magic-Spells-and-Potions.com and was created by Starfields. It's called The Venus Evocation.

Venus,
Goddess of Beauty,
Goddess of women,
Goddess of love,
I evoke your power
to aid me,
to make me strong,
to fill me with your power
to help me in my purpose
to be the best
that I can be.

Venus,
Goddess of Beauty,
Goddess of women,
Goddess of love,
I evoke your power
to heal me,
to cleanse me,
to charge me
with life
and love of life.

Venus,
Goddess of Beauty
Goddess of Women,
Goddess of Love,
I call you
into my life
to stand beside me
to protect me
to guide me
towards beauty,
and love.

Look into the candle flame and see yourself in the future, of the right age, BEING HAPPY and ALIVE (which is MUCH more important than "being thin"!).

When you are ready, blow out the candle.

Here comes the real magic.

Anytime before you eat (and where you can), light a candle to Venus before you start.

Let the power of Venus transform your whole eating experience.

When you're done, leave a small morsel as a token offering and blow out the candle.

When you are in a place where you cannot light a candle, imagine one so strongly in your mind that you can nearly see it right there on the table in front of you and act just the same, quietly inside.

Should you feel it wearing off after a week or so, do the ORIGINAL full on evocation with the prayer above again to strengthen it even more.

I found several simple candle magick spells that involved carving the number of pounds that you want to use on a candle or carving notches for the number of pounds you want to use and burning the candle down to the last notch. My favorite of these was found at askroseariadne.com. (Feel free to substitute whatever oil is handy or feels right to you. I would also do this spell during the waning moon, not at the full moon. I found a similar spell using a potato instead of a candle here from a book called The Supermarket Sorceress.)

1. Get a human figure candle (or carve a large candle into a human shape)
2. Get some commanding oil (calamus and licorice oil in a blend of castor oil or jojoba oil)
3. On a full moon day, sit at the altar and visualize the body you want. Remember, you can look beautiful in your own body if you lose any excess weight you may have accumulated in life. Think of yourself as a beautiful, attractive person.
4.Take a dull knife and make a line around the candle to roughly indicate some weight loss.
5.Dress the candle with the commanding oil chanting thus:
I am beautiful,
I am strong,
Let this spell
Make me well
6. Burn the candle fifteen minutes daily.
7. At the end of 15 minutes, allow it to cool a little and use the dull knife again to chip off some more of the wax.

The spell that I liked the most uses knot magick and was found at The Llewllyn Journal.

From Everyday Sun Magic, by Dorothy Morrison

Materials
Length of black embroidery floss cut to the size of your waist

Take the floss outdoors as the sun begins to set, and spend a moment or two thinking about the things that keep you from losing the excess weight. Then tie nine evenly spaced knots in the floss, saying with each:

First knot:
By knot of one, I now ignite
A reduction in my appetite

Second knot:
By knot of two, my metabolism
Becomes an active mechanism

Third knot:
By knot of three, I bind desire
For unhealthy foods; it now expires

Fourth knot:
By knot of four, I bind the urge
To binge and gobble, gorge and splurge

Fifth knot:
By knot of five, inertia goes
And exercise, I don’t oppose

Sixth knot:
By knot of six, all excess weight
Is bound to quickly dissipate

Seventh knot:
By knot of seven, I resist
Servings larger than two fists

Eighth knot:
By knot of eight, insecurity goes
Self-worth buds and blooms and grows

Ninth knot:
By knot of nine, I bind setbacks
So I stay easily on track

Finally, tie the two ends together while visualizing yourself reaching your goal weight easily and painlessly. Say something like:

By final knot, I set this spell
So each and every single cell
Of my body and my mind
Works together now to bind
Me to this weight-loss strategy
And a healthy ideology
Until of excess pounds I’m free
As I will, so mote it be

Announcing the 2012 Get Off Your Broom: A New Year's Fitness Challenge

2011-12-12T06:02:00.000-08:00

The first ever Get Off Your Broom: A Witchy Fitness Challenge was so successful that I would like to invite you to the next round which is called the Get Off Your Broom: A New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge!

I created this fitness challenge because I realized there are probably plenty of of other pagans, witches, and Wiccans out there that are struggling to get in shape too. We need to support each other! I call the fitness challenge "get off your broom" because as witches and pagans, we need to get off our brooms (metaphorically of course) and exercise!

I had no idea if I would gain any interest in the first ever Get Off Your Broom: A Witchy Fitness Challenge so imagine my delightful surprise when 160 people signed up! God/dess bless all of you!

However, I started the challenge at a very odd time of the year. Not many people start a fitness routine and diet at the beginning of October. Because this next round starts on the first of the year, I am hoping for even more people to sign up than last time. It will last 3 months just like the first challenge did.

IMPORTANT CHANGES FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF GET OFF YOUR BROOM: A WITCHY FITNESS CHALLENGE!

Check-ins will be on Sunday when the new round starts.

The informational page and where you sign up has changed. DO NOT SIGN UP ON THIS POST!!

I have moved sign ups HERE to a separate page on the Get Off Your Broom blog which can be found at the top of the sidebar. If you want to share the link for the challenge, please use that link. You can also click on the Get Off Your Broom: A New Year's Witchy Fitness Challenge banner and it will take you to the sign up page.

A recap all the information about the New Year's round of Get Off Your Broom: A Witchy Fitness Challenge and the sign ups will be found HERE! However, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments on this post.

Balanced Health Using the Elements

2011-12-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

The elements are an integral part of paganism, Wicca and witchcraft. Using this model, we can have a balanced, holistic approach to total health. The elements work as a whole. They are interdependent. You cannot remove one or the entire system will collapse. The body works exactly the same way. You cannot remain alive without food (earth), air to breathe, water to drink, or the life force (fire).

I believe that meditation is the best practice that you can do for health because it uses all the elements at once. Grounding (earth), air (breathing), water (stabilizing emotions), fire (your body's energy), and of course spirit.

Earth

Earth rules stability. Your body must remain stable in order for it to work correctly. This means treating it like the temple that it is. Your body is your true home and deserves your very best care. This means eating a balanced, healthy diet. When you think of the earth and food, you think of foods from nature. Not foods from a labratory. While foods made with chemicals taste good, they are terrible for you. Common sense tells us that a diet containing things such whole grains and vegetables is much healthier than a diet containing Twinkies and soda. Follow a diet that nature intended for you to achieve your best health.

Air

Air rules the intellect and literally the air you breathe. How well do you breathe? There are numerous benefits from breathing exercises. How clean is the air in your home? Using an air filter can improve the quality of the air you breathe. How sharp is your mind? People don't usually consider your intelligence as part of your health, but you need to have some smarts if you want to get anywhere in life. Reading, doing puzzles and word games, and having stimulating conversation are all things you can do to keep your mind healthy. Doing mind-body exercises like Tai Chi, yoga, and Pilates utilize the different elements together to keep your mind and body healthy.

Water

Water rules your emotions and literally the water you drink. How safe is your drinking water? Are you drinking enough daily? How balanced are your emotions? Emotional health is extremely important in order to function in life. Earth and water are directly linked in the body. Our body physically reactes to the emotions that we have. For example, our heart beats faster when we are afraid or we feel heavy and fatigued when we are sad. It's been proven that people with more emotional stress are more likely to become ill or have chronic conditions. The saying "laughter is the best nedicine" is more than just a saying. Laughter truly helps us heal.

Fire

Fire rules strength, passion, will, and the life force. Our bodies are meant to move. I don't believe nature created us to sit for excessive periods of time. If we don't move, such as in the case of coma patients, our muscles atrophy. That means they literally waste away. I don't have to remind any of you of the benefits of exercise, but I will encourage you to make regular physical activity part of your practice. This element also rules over the things that you are passionate about and the things that you will, such as your goals. This includes the your sex life. What makes you feel alive? What do you truly care about? What are your passions?

Spirit

Spirit as it relates to our health is a little harder to define. I don't think there's a witch or Wiccan that would deny their spirituality contributes to their overall health and well-being. Beliefs differ, but I think we can all agree that we wouldn't even exist if it weren't for the Higher Power. I think the element of spirit is also what motivates us to take care of each other. It is our spirit that motivates us to heal and care for those less fortunate. Most believe that after the physical body dies, the spirit goes on. Thomas Moore coined the saying "care of the soul." If our spirit exists long after our physical bodies, it seems logical that we should care for it even better than we do our bodies.