Wuhoo Fitness Blog

If You Want to Capture Someones Attention Whisper

2010-02-07T19:00:04Z

Horses are just big dumb animals with a brain the size of a walnut right? Or are they? I used to think that horses were essentially just big dogs that you could ride - boy was I wrong! One of the many blessing that I have received as a result of owning Teddy I was introduced to Tanya Striebeck, my very own personal Horse Whisperer.

Tanya is not a large woman by anyones standards except when it comes to her presence. She is very even tempered, is a woman of few words and yet she inspries great respect in those that interact with her. Even though Tanya's not a big person she commands great respect as well as a little fear which is strange because I've never heard her yell, threaten or intimidate anyone nor is she physically imposing.

I've watched Tanya work with not only my horse Teddy but with many other horses. These vary from expensive jumpers, highly trained dressage horses and even includes her brand new 2 year old colt stallion who had only been handled a few times by humans. Never once have I seen Tanya loose her cool even in the midst of major theatrics. She always, without exception, brings out the most gentle aspects of the horses she works with.

I have to admit that there have been times watching Tanya that I've been scared and alarmed because it's so loud and 'Big'. Once I was able to get through my own fear and just watch what was really happening I realized that she really just has very clear and defined boundaries and expectations. She never once hurt the horse nor was she ever trying to hurt the horse - she was just letting the horse know in no uncertain terms what her expectations were and that yes it was in their best interests to listen and that as soon as they even tried to do what she was asking everything got immediately quiet.

Teddy respects Tanya completely to the point that I swear I can hear him think “Mam! Yes Mam!” when she’s around. He pegged me as his very own personal carrot dispenser who pampers him and loves him up. He was pushy and pretty noncompliant when I asked him to do things. Why should he listen to me when I was uncertain of what I was asking of him and how to get him to do it. I had no boundaries with him because in all honesty I was kind of afraid of him. He does weigh as much as a small car after all. By watching Tanya and really listening to what she’s been teaching me I’ve begun to understand the power that Tanya commands that I wish I did.

Tanya has very clear and defined personal boundaries which allows those who interact with her to relax because they know what’s expected. She isn’t afraid of upping the ante when the horse is not doing what she asks – she always insists on offering the ‘Good Deal’ first. She always acts with confidence regardless of what she’s doing even if she IS uncertain she doesn’t let it show. Because she is focused on the outcome she wants she is able to stay calm in the midst of theatrics. She is extremely honest so when you do what is expected life is good there’s no second guessing.

I think about what a powerful impact it would have on my life if were able to embody these qualities on a day to day basis. To have my goal so firmly in mind that I could stay calm even in the midst of chaos, to know and embody my personal boundaries to the point that it was not a big deal to get ‘big’ if I had to to enforce them. To act with such confidence that even if I was unsure of what I was doing I did it boldly and with daring.

When we establish clear and firm boundaries we no longer need to be loud and we will command the respect we desire. When we act as if we cannot fail we act from a place of power. When we stay calm in the midst of theatrics we are able to stay on target and continue to move towards our goal REGARLDESS of the chaos happening around us. When we put all these things together we have no fear of standing our ground and getting ‘Big’ if we need to. What would your life be like if you could embody these things? I challenge you to take the lessons I’ve learned from my friend Tanya – the female version of the Horse Whisperer and incorporate it into your own life. After all when you want to capture someone’s attention it’s more powerful if you whisper…..

To your Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

Soccer - Greatest game ever? I think so!

2010-01-30T20:00:11Z

Have you ever thought "Gee I used to love doing ______ but it's been so long I guess it's all just a fond memory now."? I did that with soccer. I haven't played soccer in over 13 years. I loved playing soccer, in fact I loved soccer so much I coached both my sons soccer teams for a total of 9 years but I got busy and I stopped playing. After all there is only so much time in the day to get everything done that needs doing.

I'm not sure if it was New Years or where I am in my life or what but I decided that playing soccer again sounded like a FINE idea. Keep in mind at almost 46 I'm not quite as young as I used to be..... I'm not old by a long shot just not quite as young! Actually I really wanted to push myself as I only do when I play on a team. I just don't push myself nearly as hard when left to my own devices. I passionately believe that fitness should be fun. Period. If it's not fun then I'm doing something wrong.

I went online to find a team that would have a spot for a rusty, aging soccer mom. I signed up on a soccer site that matches players and teams, sent out a couple of emails and then sat back and hoped that someone would take pity on me and let me play. It really reminded me of elementary school and choosing teams at recess and all those feelings of insecurity came rushing back. What if no one picks me, what if they're mean, what if I *GASP* suck!?!?!

Well the great thing about being a woman is co-ed teams usually need women players so there is always room. Whew! one hurdle down... I was invited to come and be a sub for a team for their Monday night game and I said yes. Of course this is after I thought of all sorts of reasons why I couldn't. I got new cleats - my oldest son borrowed my cleats one season and they didn't survive the punishment - borrowed his shin guards and his soccer bag and off I went to play my first game.

I have to admit that I was pretty nervous, I mean I don't know any of the players, I haven't played in over 13 years remember AND I have an ego. I told myself that the people on the team were probably super nice and that as long as I didn't suck I could call it a success. Well lo and behold I didn't suck and the people were nice! Okay starting off with a win! I was expecting to be pretty sore the next day and was pleasantly surprised with only having a sore left glute. It made sense that my left glute hurt due to the injury I had last Spring that involved a walking boot cast for 8 weeks. I discovered a muscle imbalance that I wasn't aware of which is awesome because now I can work on balancing it out. I know - only a trainer would think like that!

I had so much fun on Monday night that I decided that I would play with another team on Wednesday night. Again everyone was super nice and the big time win was that I relaxed and just focused on playing hard and having fun. I was able to let go of my self doubts and fears and just play. I made some great plays, I missed some opportunities and did my best. We were short women players so myself and two other women ran both 45 minute halves for a total of an hour and a half run workout! I can't remember the last time that I really pushed myself that hard for that long. It made me hungry for more!

I had forgotten how important playing was. Moving for the sheer joy of moving and moving because I CAN move. It's easy to get caught up in day to day living and forget to really push ourselves and challenge ourselves, to take ourselves out of our comfort zone and try new things or start doing things again that we used to love but haven't done for years.

When was the last time that you stepped out of your comfort zone? When was the last time that you tried something new? When was the last time that you really pushed yourself as hard as you possibly could? When was the last time that you did something that you used to love doing?

I love soccer because it is a non contact sport, it takes teamwork to succeed, it's challenging, you need minimal equipment, it's great exercise, I get to play outside and it's FUN! Oh and you can play it at any age. What's YOUR soccer? It is scary to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new but it is always worth the risk even if it's only to discover that it's not for you. I remind myself that nothing ventured nothing gained.

I challenge you to go out and find your version of soccer. It could be playing a musical instrument, taking a cooking class, trying a new sport or taking dance lessons. It could even be doing your first triathlon - who knows! It's important to spend time doing something that you love thats sole purpose is to fill YOU up. After all if we don't take care of ourselves who will?

To quote brilliant lyrics - You're a Rock Star - Get your game on GO PLAY!

To your Health and Wellness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

An Affirmation for 2010

2010-01-30T20:00:11Z

On New Years Eve I attended the Burning Bowl service at church. This is a ceremony that celebrates letting go of everything that has held you back in the year coming to an, setting our intention for the year ahead and embracing the good that lies in our future. This year on the back of the program was a New Year Affirmation that I have been reading everyday at least once since New Years eve. This affirmation has profoundly changed how I feel on a daily basis and how I interact with others. I am calmer, more centered, more compassionate, kinder, gentler, more loving and more at peace which is what I have been seeking for a long time. I'm not saying that I'll be taking over for the Dali Lama anytime soon but I am much happier which is important to me. I hope that this affirmation helps you as much as it has helped me. I plan to continue to read it daily - I have no intention of stopping reading it anytime soon.

I PROMISE MYSELF.....

To think of myself as a Divine Being expressing God

To see myself as radiant in this God light

To let the light so shine through me that all shall see my God works

To get the Divine vision of my life

To never doubt my vision

To build a greater sense of faith and hold to it

To think not of weakness & shortcomings but of the God power expressing in their stead

To expect the God in me to manifest

To admit no discouraement

To put into life a positive charge

To express Divine Love toward all

To never be critical - never severe

To refrain from speaking the unkind word

To help everyone express their Divine side

To joy in the success of all, as I do my own

To recognize my body as the temple of the Living God

To think health, talk health and see health

To realize the adequacy of God for my every need

To think and talk abundance

To know my never failing supply in life

To be so positive in all my ways as to be a tower of strength to all

Thus my Unity of Being is sustained in my awareness of the Allness of God.

by Dr. Robert Bitzer

I challenge YOU to read it everyday as well for one month. I'm curious to hear from you what if anything has changed in your life as a result of reading this New Year affirmation for the next month.

Here's to you and the miracles you can create in your life,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

Life, The Universe and Everything

2010-01-16T20:00:21Z

The family and I went away for a much needed vacation for a week. It was AMAZING how wonderful it was to completely unplug from everything electronic and all of my usual social media sites. I read, I slept in and I did cool things with my 'Men'. It's so important to unplug so that the constant noise of our everyday lives stops so that we can think. I thought about lots of different things which included Life, The Universe and Everything.

I realized or more correctly remembered how important it is to be true to myself, to stop waiting to do the things that I really want to do, to start planning the adventures I've dreamed of going on. Stop waiting and start making them a reality - after all the only person holding me back is me. The only person responsible for my life and my happiness is me. There's an old saying "Blame is better to give than to receive." It's so much easier to blame others or situations for the unhappiness in our lives when in reality we're the ones in charge, we're the ones to 'blame'.

I believe that God has a master plan for my life (not just for MY life but for EVERYONES life) and with that belief comes the courage to take the steps necessary to live the life of my dreams. After all with God in charge what's there to be afraid of? I can't fail as long as I am sharing the gifts that I've been blessed with to the best of my ability, I trust in the good that life has to offer - and this is the important bit - I DO THE WORK.

You see God doesn't do manual labor that's up to us. It's rarely easy and it's often painful or hard but ALWAYS worth the effort. Think of a time that something came easily for you, now think of a time you really had to work to achieve a goal. Which one was more fulfilling? Which one did you learn the most from? Which one provided you with the greatest gifts? My money's on the one you had to really work for.

It's easy to say that 2010 is going to be my best year ever! But what does that really mean? For me 2010 is going to be the year of metamorphasis - literally out with all the things that do not serve me, all of the (or as much as possible!) relationships that are holding me back, all of the old behaviours that prevent me from achieving my greatest good. The year that I seek closure and healing from all broken relationships and this is the year that I become willing to trust in Gods master plan for me. It's by letting go of the good that we make room in our lives for the great.

It's easy for us to hide our lights under a bushel out of fear of making others feel small and weak. The reality is that by being our best selves and standing in our power we allow others to do the same. If someone does feel small in our brilliance it is not our problem it is theirs. It is important to remember this always. Playing small serves no one.

Some things that happen when we feel powerless is that we don't take care of ourselves. We know we should workout but don't, we know we shouldn't eat that extra cookie but we do, we don't step out of our comfort zone because we're afraid of what others might think or that we may fail or even worse that we may succeed.

By taking responsibility for our lives and our actions we set ourselves free and reclaim our personal power. We will no longer feel threatened by what others think of us, we will no longer want to blame others for our lives, we will know with every fiber in our beings that we are powerful and capable and beautiful and most importantly Divine.

May 2010 be the year that you discover how powerful you really are. I believe in you - I always have I always will. You are AMAZING and CAPABLE and WONDERFUL don't let ANYONE including yourself ever tell you anything different.

Here's to your success!

Jennifer Feely Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

Lessons I Learn From My Animals II

2010-01-09T20:00:14Z

Two weeks ago I talked about lessons I learned from my dog Clyde, this week I'll be talking about some lessons I've learned from my horse Teddy.

After racing for 9 years Teddy went to a new owner who put him in a reining barn. Generally Thorough Breds aren't great reigning horses. They're not physically suited for the work - it's like asking a marathon runner to start playing football. Teddy didn't do well in the reigning barn and was deemed overly aggressive and should be put down. Imagine being asked to do things that you physically can't do then getting punished for it, how would you react? I'd get a little pissy to say the least! His former owner had scheduled an appointment to have him put down but couldn't bring herself to do it at the last moment and contacted the rescue who took him in.

I believe in giving people and animals a second chance which is why it was important to me to adopt a rescue horse. So I contacted the rescue and they said that they had a great fit for me a first time horse owner who pretty much didn't know anything about horses. If I knew then what I know now I'm not sure that I would have adopted my horse but I digress.....

I met this horse and I could see his heart - he was a kind and gentle giant that knew NOTHING expect how to race. He was over 400 LBS under weight, needed vet care and to have his teeth cared for. Things that the rescue SHOULD have taken care of but didn't. All this was back in Feb '09 so let's fast forward to today.

I was lucky and found the most amazing trainer EVER who has worked with him since September '09. Tanya Striebeck is the female version of the horse whisperer. She's kind, consistent, fair, she communicates clearly and effectively and has VERY high expectations from both the horses she trains AND the people she trains. Tanya reminds me of Simon on American Idol - she's tough but when she gives a compliment you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is genuine and heart felt. You know exactly where you stand with Tanya.

In the time that he's been in training with Tanya he's gone from being 'resistant' to training to being so gentle that one of the other horse owners in the barn I board at commented that they would never get a horse like mine because there isn't enough life in him. Remember that he had an appointment to be put down because he was overly aggressive?

Horses are WAY different than dogs. Dogs are very treat oriented and want to please you, horses just want to get along so will do what you ask. The thing is that they will do exactly what you ask which may or may not be what you want. I have had to learn how to communicate what I want VERY clearly and effectively. I've also had to learn how to be more assertive and less soft. Not in a hard or harsh way but in a more firm way. Dogs are pack animals - horses are herd animals, there is a difference. There are similarities but it's still different. Dogs are predators and horses are prey. Horses need to be able to trust that you will be able to protect them or they decide that they need to protect you both which is NOT a good thing.

Horses are smart and can assess situations very quickly - Teddy assessed me then put me in the category of 'She Who Pampers Me'. This is NOT a good category to be in if I intend on being The Boss of Him. He trusts me and loves me but by being in the SWPM category he believes that he can ignore me. So over the last 4 months I've been learning how to be both She Who Pampers AND The Boss. Slowly but surely (mainly because he's a great horse) he is learning how to trust me to be The Boss first and She Who Pampers second.

In order to help a horse feel safe you need to be able to let them know that you are indeed the Boss of Them and that they need to listen to you at all times. It helps to keep both you and the horse safe if you keep your horse busy and engaged. I had an epiphany about life a couple of weeks ago based on this exact thing. I had worked with Teddy helping him to pay attention to me and what I was asking then I headed home to pick up Clyde so that we could go to a birthday party.

Clyde was having a great time with all the dogs and a new dog came along. Clyde wanted to play with this dog but the dog didn't want to play. The end result was that I put Clyde on a leash to keep the peace - the dog trainer asked if Clyde could get past it if I did some training with him. I shrugged it off and after a while headed home. I thought about it most of the way home and realized that in life I too can get side tracked by new 'dogs' and that it's important to keep my focus just like I was doing with Teddy - but didn't with Clyde.

It's easy to get side tracked when people we don't quite blend with come into our lives and it's easy to get distracted by the little things. It's common to not get what we asked for because we didn't ask correctly and get frustrated when people don't respect us. The truth of the matter is that if these things are happening then we need to look at ourselves and ask "what am I doing that is causing this?" and "what can I do differently to get different results?" It's super easy to blame others but when all is said and done it is usually something that we've done, are currently doing (or not!) or haven't done that is causing the problem.

Teddy and Clyde have been teaching me about unconditional love, establishing clear and firm boundaries, how to communicate clearly and effectively, how to stay focused on what's important, how to ignore those individuals that may pull me from what's important and how to be a leader.

Another lesson is detachment - if things aren't working the way I want them to or how I think they should then I need to take a look at what I'm doing. It's too easy to get 'marrried' to an idea or way of doing things that isn't working and because we are so attached we can't let go when letting go is what we NEED to do for our own best interest.

It's important to do this with a clear head so that I can be objective. I've found that it's usually my fault - total operator error! If I want to be mad that's fine as long as I'm mad at myself and not them. The thing is that it's never constructive to be mad but it IS constructive to be objective and honest.

I'm curious what you've learned from your animals - please share your experiences and lessons learned it will be fun to learn from you and your animals as well.

Here's to your Fitness, Health and Wellness ,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

Starting the New Year Off On The Right Foot - or any foot for that matter!

2010-01-02T20:00:49Z

I'm not sure how this happened but someone shrunk my pants when I wasn't looking - did this happen to you too? I think it may have been my dryer. I love the holidays: the parties, the food, the companionship, the food...... What I'm not as crazy about is how my clothes shrink. People who know me know that I LOVE to eat especially all the yummy food that the Holidays bring which usually results in my renewed enthusiasm for outdoor workouts.

The weather here in Seattle has been amazing - last weekend it was hovering around in the low 30's but the sun was shining and it was BEAUTIFUL! Saturday my Boys and I went on a nice 14 mile bike ride then on Sunday my Husband and I walked up to the store (about 4 miles round trip) then I headed off with a Girl Friend for another 14 mile bike ride. I felt wonderful getting out in the fresh air and moving my body.

Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to work out if you have someone to do it with? It's more fun too. That's why years ago I started inviting people to come out on New Year's Day to do a 5K with me. I invite runners, walkers and joggers along with their friends, families and dogs on leash to come out on Day 1 of the New Year to get some Fresh Air and Exercise. I find that this helps to set our health and wellness intentions for the year ahead. Plus it's super fun!

I started thinking about how much better I do when I have someone to go play with and decided to sign up for an over 40 Co-Ed soccer team. It's funny how all the old play ground feelings come up - Gee I hope someone picks me to play on their team, Gee I hope they're nice, Gee I hope I don't suck.... You know the usual. So far a few teams have actually contacted me and invited me to play on their teams for which I breathe a sigh of relief now all I have to do is chose a team and get out there and kick some butt!

Having fun is very important to me - I know big surprise huh? And because fun is important to me I do my best to find things that I enjoy even things I haven't done for years. I also decided that my Husband and I will be signing up for dance lessons. He doesn't know this yet but that's okay I'll just call it date night or something. I'm also going to try doing yoga with Clyde T Dog, there's a Doga class at the Humane Society on Sunday evenings.

What I'm trying to get at with this post is that it really doesn't matter what activity (or activities) you decide to try this year the important thing is to DO an activity. What interests you? What haven't you done in a long time that you used to enjoy doing? What have you always wanted to try? To quote one of my Hero's Sally Edwards "When was the last time that you did something for the first time?"

I try to do something new regularly it's not always easy and I'm not always very good at it but I always grow in the process of learning and I always benefit in ways that usually surprise me. I firmly believe that working out in the gym is just for getting us ready to go outside and play. I couldn't spend my time in a gym working out if I didn't get the reward of recess.

One of my clients who has become very dear to me spent 2 years working out in a gym without going outside to play which helped her lose 100 pounds but it was time for her to stop getting ready and start using her stronger healthier body for playing outside. In the past year she's completed her first triathlon (and is already signed up for next year) along with her first organized 5K. Her whole perspective on exercise has completely changed but I'll let her tell you in her own words.

I've worked with Jennifer both on an individual basis, as well as in several of her group clinics. I've worked with other trainers, but none of them have inspired me to experience fitness in the way that Jennifer has. She is very knowledgeable and designs programs to meet specific goals - for me it started with putting together a strength training workout that I could do at home or when I travel. Her enthusiasm for her work is infectious; she has challenged and encouraged me to do everything from a 5K run to a sprint triathlon. Working with Jennifer, I've learned how to have fun in my workouts. As a result, I no longer look at exercise as something I have to do, but rather it is something I enjoy doing. Jennifer has real passion for what she does: as her client, you know that she will do everything she can to help and support you as you work towards your goals. Whether you're looking for your first personal trainer, or you're more experienced with personal training, Jennifer is a fabulous coach and can help you meet whatever your fitness goals are!

Loralie Levenhagen - Client

You see Loralie learned first hand how much fun trying new things and playing outside can be. This is my sincere wish for all of you who are reading this blog. Helping people throughout the process of Rediscovering RecessTM and the joy that comes along with Rediscovering RecessTM is what I specialize in. I think that we ALL need more Recess in our lives don't you?

I Double Dog Dare you to go out and try a new activity or to rediscover an activity that you used to enjoy doing. You never know WHAT might happen! You may fall in love with Recess all over again and THAT is a joy worth pursuing!!!!

Here's to your Health, Wellness, Fitness and Rediscovering RecessTM in the New Year!

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

Lessons I've Learned From My Animals I

2009-12-26T20:00:47Z

I am often reminded that my animals are amazing in many regards. They are kind, loving, honest, authentic, compassionate, non-judgmental, and most importantly ALWAYS happy to see me! It's like I'm a rock star or something.....

I rescued both my animals - one from the Humane Society and one from a local horse rescue. Neither of which seemed like the best the choice to outside observers. My dog Clyde is a rescued Pit Bull who was 14 months old when I adopted him and had come from an abusive home. I mean a PITT BULL!?!?!? Hello? Seriously? What was I thinking? Well to be honest I had spent a moth researching Pit Bulls daily which included talking with Animal Control officers Insurance agents as well as Humane society Staff AND I read everything that I could find about them before I ever met the first one. I firmly believe in research.

The other was a 17 hand high 13 year old off the track Thorough Bred who had been scheduled to be put down because he was overly aggressive. Oh and he was my first ever horse AND all he knew how to do was go really fast around an oval to the left. Apparently my belief in research was on vacation during this time..... But this is next weeks topic.

When I met Clyde he was totally shut down and afraid of EVERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING! He had spent the last year of his life living outside either in the back yard or in a kennel. He had an inch long scar under his chin and tooth mark wounds all over him. He was almost completely shut down, it was like he had completely given up on life. I wanted a black dog that had been in foster care, knew basic commands, crate trained and was house broken. Clyde was none of those things AND he was white! Even though he was the complete opposite of everything I was looking for he was perfect I knew because my heart told me so.

My family, friends and clients ALL thought that I had lost my mind when I adopted Clyde and now they are all head over heels in love with him because he is SUCH a good boy. He has nothing but kisses for those he meets, in fact I'm pretty sure that my clients like him better than they like me. He gets SO excited when my clients arrive for their session - it's like Christmas. I mean every single time they come. Talk about making someone feel welcomed!

Within the first few weeks that we had Clyde we took him out for a walk one night and during the walk he found a reindeer Beanie Baby which he picked up and brought home. It was filthy so I washed it adn gave it back to him. He carried that baby around with him and cared for it by preening it and making sure that it was safe. Remember that we are talking about a Pit Bull here. One night he got up in the middle of the night and left our room, came back and then went out again my husband and I both thought that Clyde had taken one of my slippers or something. In the morning I found him in the living room all snuggled up with his Beanie Baby. That was the moment my husband began to trust Clyde and I think that was the moment he fell in love with Clyde. I fell in love the first moment I met him.

I began a training regime that included lots of love, patience, snuggles, walkies and treats. The end result was a confident (mostly) loving, outgoing dog who loved pretty much everyone. The exception to this day is aggressive dogs. He cowers in fear, hides behind me and immediately lays down to show his submission. It showed me first hand the power of what loving something (or someone) unconditionally and consistently not hitting them will do. They begin to believe that life isn't really all about pain.

It's heart warming what being consistently authentic can do for you. One day one of my clients (she was convinced that I had completely lost my mind when I adopted Clyde) and I were walking in Bridle Trails State Park when we came upon a couple of women on horse back. One of the women began chiding me for having such a viscous animal in public - she had never actually met a Pit Bull in person but was an 'expert' because she had read all the media reports about them. Well my client got down on Clydes level and began loving him up and defending him as if he were her own. She proceeded to tell this woman about all of his many attributes and virtues and all I did was stand there and felt overwhelming gratitude for her and pride for him.

You see all Clyde had done over the years was be himself, a loving, honest, compassionate, authentic being. Yes I have spent many, many hours training him but there's no way to train what's already inside. You can help those around you have more confidence and self esteem and provide an environment to let those personality traits come out. I loved him and believed in him when no one else did, not even my family. Funny how that works.... I wonder what would happen if all of us had someone that believed in us and loved us unconditionally?

I learned from Clyde how very important it is to be consistent, you see when training a dog you have to use the same exact command each and evey time. otherwise they get confused and don't know what you're asking. And dogs are fantastic for teaching humans about boundaries - at least if they are if they don't want the dog ruling the house they get good at boundaries! I have found that dogs really, REALLY want to please their humans and will try as hard as they can to do what you're asking which is why it's so important to be clear with what you're asking.

Clyde has taught me to be clear with what I'm asking, to be clear with what is and what is not acceptable, the true meaning of unconditional love and acceptance, trust what my heart tells me and most importantly the power of unconditional love. He is also the best workout buddy I've ever had! He is ALWAYS ready, willing and able to G-O for a W-A-L-K or a J-O-G even if he's already been on one. I have barely scratched the surface and plan on sharing more lesson I've learned but not today. What have your animals taught you? I would love to hear your stories because stories of love are the best ones to read.

Next week I'll be talking about my horse Theodore James Bear or Teddy for short.

To Your Health, Wellness and Happiness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

The Rising Costs of Health Care Part II

2009-12-19T20:00:13Z

I pretty much figured that I would get some feedback on last weeks post and boy was I ever right! I know that I presented some pretty black and white statements but I also know that there is quite a bit of accuracy in those statements. Last week I talked about our responsibility as individuals and this week I want to talk about the responsibility of the food manufactures and the lack of sustainable farming practices as well as the responsibility of other groups I left out last week. Okay take a deep breath and lets go!

Let's start with the food industry shall we? Food manufacturers know Americans have a sweet tooth so in order to help their products sell better they add sugar or in most cases high fructose corn syrup to pretty much everything. It's in our bread, our yogurt, our juices, our cereals, our sauces, our salad dressings, our pops, our canned vegetables, our prepackaged foods - you get the point. In fact it's in so much of our food it's a scavenger hung just to find food it's NOT in.

Let's take a look at farming - our cows are pumped full of all sorts of chemicals to help them produce at maximum capacity while feeding them a diet that their systems can't digest. Did you know that the big commercial dairy farms feed their cows corn? That doesn't sound too bad.... until you understand that cows aren't designed to eat corn, they can't digest it which in turn destroys their stomach which leads to the need to have a veterinarian on staff to pump the cows full of all sorts of antibiotics to keep the cows 'healthy'. Remember the old adage "we are what we eat"? Everything that our food eats WE eat. I'm not even going to go into chickens, pigs and steer meat - that is SUPER disgusting.

Okay that was the dairy side of farming - how about our fruits and veggies? Here is where we get into the genetically modified food catagory. The nutritive value of food has diminished dramatically over the last 20 years and the sad part is that we've become so used to these new foods that we don't even realize the taste difference in the foods we eat. That is until we eat some good old fashioned organic food THEN it's easy to taste the difference!

Drug companies do a fantastic job of creating a pill for all of our ills and then selling us on the need for us to take those drugs. They absolutely have a vested interest in keeping us sick and dependant on those drugs for our 'well being'. Have you listened to the list of side affects some of the medications cause? It's down right frightening! I can tell you that exercise and eating right alleviates the majority of the symptoms and diseases that these drugs help 'cure' - this has been scientifically supported through extensive studies. In fact most of these drugs just put a band aid on the problem which then causes another problem that requires a different pill and so on and so on.

The very technology that was created to help make our lives easier and better has done just that but also it has made it much worse. We move a LOT less as a result of all of our modern conveniences which hurt us more than it helps us. I'm not saying that technology is bad there have been some miraculous achievements in science and medicine as a result which definitely improves our quality of life. We've gotten so dependant on technology for so many aspects of our lives that many of us do less and less for ourselves. Combine that with our instant information society which allows us to connect with others without ever leaving our computers which reduces our need to move as well.

All these things and many more are contributing to the high cost of health care. Okay so I've pointed out quite of few causes so now it's time for me to offer some solutions. To get more bang for your buck at the grocery store chose to buy organic - yes it costs more you the food is higher in nutritive value. If you have to chose the most cost effective organic food choices where you'll get the absolute most from every dollar spent purchase organic meat. Remember we ARE what we eat which means we are eating whatever our food ate. Pesticides and toxins are stored in fat cells in higher concentrations and organic meats have a fraction of toxins compared to 'modern day' farming practices. The toxins contained in organic meats comes from environmental factors such as air and water quality NOT from what they're eating.

Support legislation that encourages sustainable farming practices, buy from your local farmers markets and from stores like Puget Sound Consume Co-op (PCC). Unplug from technology, go for walks, encourage a wellness program at work that includes getting more active during the course of your day, plan ahead so that you can eat 5 meals a day every day. Look for foods that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, shop the outside aisles of the grocery store, avoid prepackaged foods.

There are countless opportunities to create a healthier environment for ourselves as well as our communities. What are you willing to do? What are you currently doing? Please share your thoughts, questions and suggestions by posting a comment on the main blog page so that we can start our very own healthier lifestyle movement!

To Your Health, Wellness and Fitness!

Jennifer MAlocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

www.wuhoofitness.com

The Rising Cost of Health Care

2009-12-12T20:00:18Z

What I'm about to write might be contrued as somewhat inflamatory and do you know what? I'm totally okay with that. I keep hearing people blaming the insurance companies and doctors about the rising cost of health care and about how employers are cutting back on haelth care covereage for employees. There is some truth to these things HOWEVER the other inescapable truth is that we Americans are bringing it on ourselves.

Did you know that between 2000 and 2004 health care costs for companies increased 40% while the costs for employees increased 61% for the same coverage. And the costs have continued to rise.

Did you know that the cost of covering the expenses of chronic diseases increased dramatically between 2000 and 2004 and that the current costs of treating chronic diseases has moved from costing billions annually to costing trillions annually.

Do you know what the major cause of these rising costs are? Simply put we move less and eat more. Period. And that these are preventable diseases.

In four short years (2000 – 2004) there was an increase in both chronic diseases and the cost to treat those diseases. Here are some statistics:

Heart Disease rose from 52 billion to 80 billion

Cancer 37 billion to 63 billion

Hypertension 24 billion to 38 billion

Diabetes 18 billion to 30 billion

Keep in mind that these numbers were from 2000-2004 which was 5 years ago. I came across these numbers some months ago as I was putting together a program for employers to help reduce the cost of their health care insurance. Healthier employees cost the employer LESS and help to reduce health care coverage costs.

Quite simply there is a direct relationship to the health of an employee and what that employee costs the employer. let's take a look at the connection of an amployees health and the cost tot he employer. Healthier employees miss less work, are more productive when they are at work, and go to the doctor less - which costs the company less. Conversly employees who don't work out regularly and eat an unhealthy diet miss more work due to illness, are less productive while on the job, and go to the doctor more - every time an employee goes to the doctor the company has to pay out for the doctor visit. Unhealthy employees are costly to the employer.

When you take a look at the diseases that I listed above I want to point out that they are by and large PREVENTABLE. We do need to take into account gentic factors but for the most part all of the diseases listed are the direct result of making poor health choices. So also like I said above they are the direct result of eating more and moving less.

I ask you, each of you, what have YOU done to contribute to the rising costs of health care and what can YOU do to help reduce those soaring costs? When all is said and done our health is up to us not the government and certainly not our employers. As you've heard me say more than once - Small changes over time yield HUGE results. What small changes can you do TODAY that will help you become the healthiest you that you can be? Maybe you can add 10 minutes of getting your heart pumping or saying no that that cookie. Only you know what you can do to make a difference. I would LOVE to hear what changes you are willing to make today and what I can do to help support you.

I am again offering you my faithful blog readers the opportunity of taking advantage of the powerful Wuhoo Fitness eFitnessTracker tool that is a part of Club Wuhoo. For only $9.95 a month you can make the committment for better health by tracking your progress, creating and tracking healthier menu's as well as creating and tracking both your cardio and strength training workouts - all you have to do is sign up through the paypal button below.

There's No Such Thing As Under Eating...... Or Is There?

2009-12-05T20:00:56Z

The most common thing that we hear about is over eating which is indeed a problem however something that we don't hear about is under eating. When people decide that it is time for them to lose weight the first thing they do is eat less - a LOT less. The at the same time they decide to start working out which in itself is not a bad thing the problem occurs when people create too large of a gap between how much they eat daily and how many calories they burn daily.

It is super important to fuel your body so that it can perform at the highest level possible. Here's an example for you - if you were planning on going on a 400 mile road trip and you had a quarter tank of gas and you drive a hummer would you be able to reach your destination on that quarter tank of gas? No - you'd run out of fuel long before you reached your destination. Now lets apply that to increasing your workouts and decreasing your food intake. If you are eating only 1200 calories a day and you are expending 1500 calories a day then you will put your body into famine (or starvation) mode which means that your body will hold onto every single calorie it can and store it as fat.

When Michael Phelps won all those gold medals he was consuming 10,000 calories a DAY, everyday. He had to otherwise his body would not have been able to perform at the level it did. Okay I know that none of us are Michael Phelps but we still need to provide our bodies with ample nutrition and calories to fuel the demands that we place on our bodies. It's amazing when I convince clients that they need to eat more calories a day they initially don't believe that they will lose weight but when they start giving their bodies the fuel it needs they do indeed begin to lose weight.

Keep in mind that I am not encouraging you to eat unhealthy foods, I am encouraging you to eat more food with a focus on healthy choices. The reason that this works is because their bodies are no longer in survival (famine/starvation) mode so their bodies don't need to store every single calorie for future use. A great way to plan and track your daily calorie intake is by working with a qualified nutritionist or a program that was created by a nutritionist. Last week I shared with you the power of the Wuhoo Fitness tool eFitness Tracker for tracking your workouts well the Wuhoo Fitness eFitness Tracker tool also has a menu planning program that was created by a Registered Dietician and can help you determine your daily calorie intake needs as well as track what your eating everyday to help you stay on track.

If you have any questions or comments about this blog post please post a comment - I would LOVE to hear from you! Also below I'm offering a special just for the readers of my blog - this special isn't offered any where else just for you as my way of saying thanks for reading.

Like last week I decided that in the spirit of the season I am offering my blog readers membership in Club Wuhoo which includes eFitness Tracker for only $9.95 a month for as long as enjoy membership. This is a savings of $10.00 a month off the regular price of $19.95.

This offer is my way of thanking you for reading my blog each week - I appreciate you! In fact for those of you who sign up this week I will throw in not 1 but 2 different menus just for you AND if you email me at jennifer@wuhoofitness.com with Club Wuhoo in the subject line I will give you a bonus workout - that's two (2) menu's and a bonus workout just for you.