Physical Funness for the Motion Starved

Fit more fun into your fitness while exploring the outdoors.

Tag Archives: friends


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More bang for your buck (The Season of Eating – Navigation Tip #4)

My first dumpling

Okay, I get it! We all have way too much to do this time of year. Along with our regular duties we now have to add holiday shopping and celebrating to the list of to-dos. I don’t know about you but I’m overwhelmed and very behind.

If you workout with me you know that I like to choose exercises and activities that work more than one part of the body. Like doing squats with overhead press together.  You get “more bang for your buck” as you work the lower and upper body all at once. In my mind it’s about time management as much as it’s about getting more sweat for your effort.

With that here’s today’s Season of Eating Navigation Tip # 4 – More bang for your buck.

  • Rather than going to lunch/dinner/drinks with friends to celebrate the season, go for a hike and take along a bottle of bubbles to sip at a sweet spot in the trail. You get your cheer and exercise at the same time.
  • Gift cards are cool but why not give a friend a gift certificate to a workout class or workshop that you can attend with her/him. Give a gift and get one in return. See where I’m going with this? How about, Hip Hop, Hula Hoop or ever hear of Cocooning? Ooh…how about Massage for Couples!
  • Take your friends/family ice-skating. You can stop for a drink after. Remember, you burn more calories in the cold. If you decide to go, here are some helpful things to remember.
  • Teach somebody something. I learned to make Pork Dumplings this weekend. Rather than having a party where you just sit and eat, my friend Dora invited her friends over to learn how to make traditional Chinese Dumplings. We drank wine, ate yummy healthy dumplings, learned something cool and socialized. At the end of the day Dora sent everyone home with dumplings to enjoy another day. It was a great event and wonderful gift from Dora to all her friends. (Thanks again DL)

There you go, find ways to accomplish more than one thing at a time. Some say, “kill two birds with one stone” (but I never liked the image that congers up). You get the idea… and please feel free to share your “more bang for your buck” ideas.

Happy Monday!


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Stoked to be in the water – Jeff Clark

Okay so I must admit I get all hot and bothered when the conversation turns to surfing and surfers. See, I grew up in San Diego just blocks from the beach. Until the day I turned 20 and moved north, I basically spent every day of my life on the beach. Yep, I was a “surfer chick,” or wanabe. I never did get the hang of surfing but I was excellent at posing on the beach with my long, sun-bleached hair waiting for my yummy, bronzed surfer-boyfriend to come in. Oh…those were the days.

So, when my friend Cindy sent an email asking for volunteers to try paddleboarding at the famed Mavericks (Mavericks is surfer HQ here on the NorCal coast), I jumped at the opportunity like a shark after a hunk of meat.

Rather than rambling on about our adventure I’ll simply let you see for yourself how the day transpired. It’s pretty tame, there were no massive waves and no surfer boys (aside from the world-renowned Jeff Clark!) but there were lots of really nice people and we had a fantastic time.

Rule #1 if you don’t want your shades to sink when you fall off the board, put them on a leash. I was too cheap to buy a leash so I did a little MacGyver work.

                 

Ever try to squeeze into one of these things? Kind of gross if you ask me.

At this point we’re done with our paddle. That’s Cindy on the left, me, Cassandra our fantastic teacher and Diana in the sexy little top.

You get extra points if you can do a downward dog sans falling in the drink.

So there you have it. A nice relaxing way to spend a sunny day. We saw stingrays and a few harbor seals popped their heads up to have a little chuckle (do you think seals can laugh? Seriously, can they?) I can’t say that I got a workout paddleboarding but that’s mostly because I was too focused on staying on the board. According to Cassandra there are things you can to do work a little harder. Next time I’ll be braver and head for where the big waves and the surfer boys are (yea right!).

As they say at the beach…  It was pretty bitchen! Thanks gals for an awesome day.

P.s. If you want to check out paddleboarding at Mavericks, call Cassandra. She was really great and the prices are super reasonable!


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Happy Memorial Day

I salute you...

I trust you’ve spent your three-day weekend wisely. Meaning, I hope you’ve taken this time to get some fresh air, exercise, spend time with loved ones and enjoyed some of your favorite indulgences. No matter what they are. That, in my mind is why the Universe (or God if you wish) made three-day weekends, to completely enjoy yourself and re-charge for the next round of full work weeks.

With that, I am taking today off. Be sure I have followed my own advise indulging in bouts of insane stents of outdoor exercise, mowed down on foods that would normally be avoided, spent time with the animals I adore and with friends new and old.

In an effort to be true to this specific holiday I remind us all to take a moment to consider those we have lost and to be thankful for those special folks we have chosen to share our lives with.

Enjoy the day and thanks for checking in.  Know that I truly appreciate your taking the time to read my words…

Kelley


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Every day should be Memorial Day

Here’s the thing – I guy a used to work with for years passed away this week. He was 41. He liked to mountain bike and run and hang out with his friends. Just like the rest of us. He was sweet and friendly and completely “normal” except for the fact that every place he went he had a big yellow lab at his side. His name was Jasen and the lab’s name is Slider.

One day I noticed that Sliders paws were all bandaged up. “What happened to Slider?” I asked Jasen, “Ohhh we went mountain biking and I crashed, tumbled into a ravine (as he exposed his hamburger elbows). Slider had to run over some brush to get to me and he cut up his paws.” OMG I thought, visualizing Slider rushing to Jasen’s aid. In the end both Jasen and Slider healed from those wounds and went back the next weekend for more. They were an inseparable pair that brought smiles to the faces of everyone.

Last Saturday Jasen sat down to watch TV. Nobody knows exactly what happened; hopefully he just went to sleep. I assume Slider was sitting right there next to him.

The point I am trying to make is this… We’ve heard it before and we will continue to hear it but, I will say it again, so bare with me… Life is short. Do what you can to enjoy your time here. We are literally here one minute and gone the next. Be good to everyone in your world, every single day. Show them you care even if it’s in subtle ways. Enjoy every second as thought it may be your last no matter who you are.

It’s Memorial Day Weekend. The perfect time to take this message to heart. With that, I wish you all a 3-Day Weekend full of fun and fitness and lots of laughs. My friend Dawn has sent along this yummy Mango Margarita Recipe to share with you all. Give it a try…it’s healthy, and a fantastic way to celebrate life.

Blend frozen mango chunks, tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh line juice in blender – no simple syrup or sour mix needed.  It is so smooth & creamy, delish!

Thank you for being here. Please go kiss someone you care about.

See you Tuesday…

Note to Jasen: Jasen, you were an absolute sweet heart, and you were adored by so many! I hope you knew that, but I fear you did not. I hope I’ll be seeing you again someday but I assume you’ve gone north and I’m certain to be headed south when my ride is up. Tailwinds to you forever my friend…

Note to Slider: I love you Slidie! Be strong, sweet, sweet dog…


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A friend is someone you can depend on

Gracias Skinny!

Meet Skinny Scott, Mr. Skinny, or sometimes I just call him Skinny. Skinny doesn’t mind that I call him that; he knows he’s a little skinny. You should know, just because Skinny is skinny, that doesn’t mean he can’t kick the shit of the peeps down at the dojang and if you see Skinny on his bike and you’re near a hill, you should just get off and walk, cuz Skinny’s gonna mess with you. That’s what he does. He loves to hurt people on the hills, a benefit of being “skinny,” but either way, that’s Skinny’s way.

Anyhow — Skinny is my very good friend, without Skinny there would be no Motion Starved. I would not be here, nor would you. Imagine how life would be… I dedicate today, the last Friday of winter, 2011 to Skinny and to friendship.

The next time you hear from me it’ll be spring. A time for rebirth, renewal and regrowth. An exciting time full of energy, warmth, hope and endless opportunities if you’re open to them. Let us all enjoy this last weekend of winter, rest up, recover from your St. P’s Day activities and get ready, a new season is upon us!

In the spirit of friendship I want to thank all my friends (you know who you are, right?) for their support and encouragement while I venture into the world of fitness and twitter, and spewing my words across the entire universe. I wish us all a springtime full of love and adventure and amazing stories!

Thank you!

Till Monday…

P.s. “It is better to be in chains with friends, than to be in a garden with strangers.”

P.s.s. There’s gonna be a Super, Ginormous Full Moon this Saturday eve, check it out!