Shape up challenge was a blast!

Dawn
Slade
Posted 6/5/03

Itıs time to shape up!

ECM Publishers, Inc., our parent company, recently sponsored a six week ³Shape Up Challenge² for its employees. ³Itıs a BLAST!² was the theme of it.

I have to admit, when I first heard about this ³challenge² I thought thereıs no way Iım doing this.

Iıve never been on a diet, I enjoy food way too much, and I donıt plan on dieting now. This does not sound like a blast to me!

Well, I actually read a little more into the program and learned that there really was no dieting involved (thank goodness).

The only thing remotely related to food was the fact that we were encouraged to eat five servings a day of fruit and vegetables.

This, I knew, would be a challenge. But, I figured I could handle the rest of it quite well.

The program involved a score sheet (I wasnıt real excited about that either), but there were rewards and prizes for participating. ³Okay, now there might be something to this,² I thought to myself.

Each day we had to keep track of our BLAST points. BLAST stands for Balanced nutrition, Lifestyle, Activity, Self care/social connection and Time out.

At the end of the week we turned in our points. With a maximum of 350 each week, I embarrassingly admit that the highest I ever scored in six weeks was 280.

I anticipated the fruits and veggie thing would be a complete bust, but the other areas I figured would be a breeze.

Lifestyle meant doing things like parking the car far away so youıd walk more, take the stairs, play with your kids more, etc.

Activity was supposed to be 30 minutes of structured activity. You know, strength training, running, tennis - basically real exercise.

Self care/social connection was just that. Making appointments for the dentist, annual exams, flossing your teeth and getting in touch with friends, sending cards, letters, etc.

Time out, of course, meant simply to relax.

EASY! No problem. I can handle this.

Yeah, right.

Now, I actually did eat more fruits and veggies than normal (it may have helped when the company sent us a basket full of fruit and a tray full of veggies).

Lifestyle was pretty good. I did my best to walk more, drink more water, play with the kids. But as time went on, I found myself ignoring the parking idea as I was just too busy to park farther away (at least thatıs what I told myself).

Activity was the area that had much to be desired. While I was bike riding more (itıs the only way I can exercise with my kids) there wasnıt a scheduled or structured time for getting my heart rate going.

When does a working mother find time to do that stuff? My only free time comes at 8:15 in the evening when the munchkins are finally in bed and Iım so exhausted by that time all I want to do is lie on the couch and stare blankly at the tube.

Self care and social connection was probably my best category. I called friends, sent cards, wrote letters and emails. I even made a dentist appointment (except now theyıll discover I havenıt been a faithful flosser).

I liked this category for another reason. One thing that makes me happy (self care) So, when I decided to treat myself to a D.Q. or a Jigger Burger - it fit nicely into this category (plus I got points for it!)

Finally, itıs time to relax. Hereıs another category that I soon realized I was lacking in.

Journaling, yoga, aromatherapy and bubble baths are things Iım always ready for, but I found I wasnıt doing them nearly often enough.

Maybe itıs that guilty feeling you get when youıre actually taking care of yourself rather than someone else that prevents us from doing some of those pampering things.

But lately Iıve realized that when you do partake in those self-care things, youıre not only taking care of yourself, youıre preparing yourself to take care of others even better than before.

When Iıve had a massage, taken a long bubble bath, hiked in the woods, or spent 20 minutes doing yoga, Iım a much better mom.

I find Iım more patient, more focused on the kids and less focused on how stressed out I am.

Thereıs no doubt about it - itıs a challenge to find time to take care of ourselves in this fast-paced world, but Iım slowly learning that itıs a necessary component for a healthy life.

I hope you can find time, too.