SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER WINS UPPY AWARD.....

A full time special education teacher has won this week's UPPY Award.....


This week's UPpy Award goes to Judy Kane Hamerstrom. A few years back Judy changed her eating habits and began working out daily. Her reward . . . looking fabulous and even more important feeling fantastic. Along with watching what she eats, Judy can be found walking the beach, running on the roads, working out at her gym and even taking a Yoga class. Taking care of herself is only part of her day. She works full time as a special education teacher. Judy. . . Keep it UP!
More to follow.....

UPPY AWARD TOMORROW....FORUM ON FRIDAY..SO MUCH SO SOON.....

I am excited for the "unaware" readers of this blog and UPower on Facebook. Tomorrow...You are going to meet an UPPY AWARD WINNER WITH A STORY OF INSPIRATION......and on Friday the inspiration will go forward further with  another excerpt from the Brenda/Harvey team workshop ..........
on the forum......Let us know what you think.....!

The "buzz" and interest has been  fantastic...............

FRIDAY FORUM.......WHO IS THE MASTER......OR SERVANT....

ENJOY THE JOURNEY…AND BE A BRIGHT TORCH....not a small candle.........

IS YOUR BODY THE MASTER OR SERVANT ? ? ?

Your body is a much better servant than master.......think about that for a moment.

It is up to your inner self to control who is in charge.

Relax and enjoy your workout time.

As they say in YOGA class "Live in the present."
Don’t think about the things that you have to do later in the day. 
Those things will come soon enough and will still be there whether you thought about them or not.  And new things will be there tomorrow.  

Believe it or not . . . All of those responsibilities that lay ahead of you would not be taken care of anyway during your workout time.  Think back to what you used to do during that time.  REMEMBER . . .YOU WERE STILL SLEEPING. 

You now get up an hour earlier you gave yourself the gift of time. 

AND most important once you have finished your walk, bike, swim, run or whatever you have chosen, you will have more energy to plow through your day.

LISTEN  to your breath and the expanding of your lungs……..

Be thankful that you are capable of these movements………
How effortless climbing stairs will become

FEEL the strength in your arms as you lift weights or do pushups…..

Making it easier to carry the laundry basket filled with your sweaty workout clothes and wet towels

CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY. . . Every day that you get up and workout brings you that much closer to making this lifestyle a habit that you can't live without

WHAT IS THE POWER OF A WORKOUT?

Each workout distances you from the person you no longer want to be.


A RELATIVE IS IN ROME THIS WEEK,AND SHE WILL BE IN THE SISTINE
CHAPEL LOOKING UPower at the work of MICHAELANGELO.....who
said the following;
"the greater danger for the most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it,but that it is too low and we reach it"..........


BL/HR

FRIDAY FORUM.....ALSO MORE ON MARIA.....

Get ready for tomorrow's Friday Forum....Brenda and myself wrote it....and after looking at it....I got inspired again......

The post interview of Maria brought out some more of her accomplishments.....She has been teaching fitness clases for 35 years and is certified in TRX....and very soon in Piloxing...........

You can "catch" the class on Monday evenings at 7:00pm at Le Anne Leslie's School of Theatrical Dance
in Lynn......which includes "Maria's Monday Night Fitness Challenge".

UPOWER UPPY AWARD WINNER....MARIA ROWEN....SWAMPSCOTT...

UPower of Facebook has named Maria Rowen of Swampscott,Ma. it's AWARD WINNER this week;

UPower

This week's Uppy Award Winner is Maria Rowen of Swampscott,Ma. She is a triathlon competitor,runner and you can find her in various gyms
on a daily basis; Salem Fitness,Paradise, and the YMCA FOR Swimming.
She is a Recruiter,North America,of Linedata which has been picked
a Top Place to Work by the Boston Globe and Grain's Best Place to Work
in NYC. I told you our award winners are committed to healthy lifestyles
and are dedicated to other endeavors...Congratulations...Maria..

HOW TO GO MARIA......TAKE A LOOK ON UPower.

UPPY AWARDS WEDNESDAY.....LATER IN THE DAY....STAND BY..

The Uppy award for this week will be soon bestowed on  a person who has been determined and consistent in the healthy lifestyle while being noted for determination in other fields of endeavor
through the use of high energy and stamina that carries them each day.....

You will find it here and on UPower at Facebook.

Have a good and productive day......

JOAN OF ARC......A THOUGHT AT THE END OF DAY...

I ran into this quote by......... Joan of Arc before her death;

" I know this now.Every man gives his life for what he believes.Every woman gives her life for what she believes.Sometimes people believe in little or nothing,and yet they give their lives to that little or nothing.
One life is all we have......and then it is gone........

But to surrender what you are and to live without belief is more terrible than dying....even more terrible than dying young...."

SO.......

Tomorrow is another day....What are you willing to live for.....and support not forever....but just the next morning......

That's a start......

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK AHEAD....HISTORY,UPPYS AND MORE..

We have a holiday today for those that keep count, and for others that do not know what day it is.....Monday President's day....Washington and Lincoln who never sold a car in their lifetime.....Two
great books in the past year concerning them.....Bill O'REILLY AND GLENN BECK.....They are
historical and for you liberals forget the Authors are not of your persuasion.....that has nothing to do with the historical discussions,unless you are still arguing about the Civil War and the Revolution......

Wednesday will bring another UPPY Award to a consistent,dedicated  person to a  Healthy Lifestyle....
You might note that these award winners for the most part are dedicated to other matters in their life which
reflect the energy and stamina which carries them into other areas.....a coincidence ?.....I do not believe in them.

Watch UPower on Facebook......Brenda Lewin....POSTED A QUOTE YESTERDAY....which may make you stop and think about priorities

AND THE END OF THE WEEK BRINGS, THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ...FRIDAY FORUM...GET READY FOR SOME MORE COMMON SENSE.....AND INSPIRATION....

WHAT A BIRTHDAY WEEKEND..........A EURO WAY TO GO....

I appreciate all that that made my weekend a "Birthday Bash".....Facebook gave a great assist since it gave people a minute out of their busy and  own weekend to say some really nice things...........My Family had a  "shindig" last night with the the "Grandchildren" who really like me....at the moment.

The surprise highlight was from Maria Rowen who never fails ......She is thoughtful and not afraid to
spend the "greenbacks". She told me a month ago that she had something lined up and that we would talk later.....After listening to Lisa and Maria I was convinced that I was going to a "paint ball" location or on some "trapeze" contraption.The date was changed to Friday for reasons unknown to me.I picked Maria up
Friday and we were off to Route 1A....and it appeared that she was not really sure of the location.....which had me further confounded.....

She told me to stop in the "Not your Average Joe " Mall,and drive to the back stores.I knew their was a Yoga and Karate location THERE,and in fact a class in karate was in session and they had white uniforms on.Maria told me to park and she gave me a gift that was white cloth......Karate right !.......
wrong again.....The destination was next door.......EUROSTOVE CULLINARY.......What a night....
We were enrolled in a cooking class with seven couples and with the assistance of Chef Jake and his assistants we collectively made.......

Recipes Include: Basic Risotto with Variations Crostini with Brie and Apricot Sauce Ginger Steamed Salmon with Caramelized Onion & Toasted Macadamia Nuts Minestroni with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Steamed Asparagus with Champagne Sauce & Red Raspberries Zucchini Saute with parmesan Cheese Sauteed Duck Breast with Pinot Noir Sauce Warm Wild Mushroom Salad with Black Truffle Vinaigrette Short Ribs Braised in Porter Ale with Maple-Rosemary Glaze Winter-Spiced Molten Chocolate Cakes

I learned how to chop correctly,use a pressure cooker,make mirepoix,and use a mandoline to make spaghetti zucchini......The cooking was from 7:00 pm to 8:30pm and then we sat down with all our new friends and had a delightful meal.Of course wine was plentiful for those who wished to partake.......
It was a time to never forget.I say let's get some friends together and do it again....Thanks again Maria
for everything.....including my "very own white chef  apron"........It really would not help in
Karate.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER....AND DISCIPLINE WILL FLOCK TO YOU..

BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER
So you've been reading our Friday blog for the last two weeks.   You are giving this life style some degree of thought and hopefully effort.  But you are finding distractions are bombarding you at every turn. 
THAT'S LIFE!!!   You need to find a way to make it easier so that you can stick to a daily routine.

You may have figured out what you enjoy as a workout. . . If only you can stick with this plan.

It's easy you just need to PARTNER UP
Find a partner, group, class, club or gym that you can make a commitment to.

It could be a spouse . . .It could be a friend . . .It could be a gym rat . . .It could be a co-worker . .

It could be a muscle head . . .It could be a sibling . . . It could be somebody you haven't met yet . . .

Finding the people to surround yourself with may sound hard at first but if you continue to take part in your activity you will find others who are doing the same.  There are groups for everything ... book clubs, weekly card games...cookie swaps.  

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GET TOGETHER FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AS WELL.  WE KNOW OF LOCAL GROUPS THAT MEET TO SWIM IN THE OCEAN EACH WEEK, MALL WALKING GROUPS, BIKE CLUBS, RUNNING CLUBS AND EVEN MEET EACH MORNING TO LIFT WEIGHTS IN A GARAGE. 

If you let it be known that you are taking part in an activity, those with the same interests will gravitate to you and you to them.  Not only will you have people around you to help you reach your goals, you will make new friends that could change your life in ways you couldn't imagine.  (A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER DAY KEEP  READING)
NEVER FORGET THE WORKOUT PARTNER THAT HAS TO BE WITH YOU AT EVERY WORK OUT SESSION - DISCIPLINE


Who is Discipline...........?


Author Matthew Kelly says" discipline is the faithful friend who will introduce you to your true self. discipline is the worthy protector who will defend you from your lesser self.discipline is the extra ordinary mentor who will challenge you to become the best version of yourself."....


Discipline is on our shoulder every day........GET WITH THE PROGRAM..


BL/HR

UPPY AWARDS ARE OFFICIAL......CRAIG LEWIN.....MELISSA SHERWOOD

This week's Uppy awards go to these individuals who have taken their commitment to a healthy lifestyle
to a point where they are making a living doing the things that they like best.......

Craig is the founder of Endurance Swimming and Melissa besides being a premier personal trainer is the
National Director for the Goddess Project of NUX,USA.........

if you are reading the Friday Forum from this corner....and want to know and realize the image of person
with a  healthy lifestyle take a look at these "guys"and their individual accomplishments...

UPPY AWARDS WIL BE COMING EACH WEEK....FAST AND FURIOUS.....WHO KNOWS WHO IS NEXT.....KEEP WORKING AND YOU COULD BE NEXT.....

Go to UPower on Facebook to see the criteria for this prestigious award.......It is all for you.

CALLING HOUSTON........WE HAVE A PROBLEM......

The response to Friday's Forum was unbelievable.....I hope you found it informative, and I am sure you will appreciate the excerpt that will appear this Friday.The overwhelming number of followers has inspired Brenda
and myself to expand on Facebook with the page named UPower.......It's mission is to help person(s) of all ages to live a healthy lifestyle.Medical issues need to be referred to the professionals, however,We can assist people in the many choices that lead to lives full of stamina,energy and positive outlooks. The Friday Forums and UPower along with help from many of our friends are going to give you a place to go UP
and leave the "same o, same o" behind........We will work against bad habits and in some cases "self damage "..........
GRAMMY THOUGHTS......

Whitney......".COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL."...ADELE.....
.AND EVERY TEAR A WATERFALL...
COLDPLAY......Whitney Houston was beautiful,talented and from a "Church going"background.It shows we all have to take personal responsibility for the gifts given to us by the "Higher Spirit "

Watching the younger generation of Bruno Marr ,Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson etc....It leads me to hope and
pray that history does not repeat itself with these wonderful talents.......

FRIDAY FORUM.......A TIME TO PLAY...AND A TIME TO WORK

TIME FOR WORK . . .

So last week we talked about the effort that you put in to your workout and your food choices.  This week we need to talk about finding the time and type of work out that works for you. 

One of our biggest obstacles is TIME.  It's no secret that the easiest time to get a workout in is very early in your day.

Working out at the beginning of YOUR day is a true example of the domino effect.  You will feel fantastic. . . You will want to eat healthier throughout the day. . . You will have already accomplished one feat before your day begins, making the rest of the day a breeze.  And best of all. . . You will go to sleep earlier so that you can wake up earlier and you will sleep very well.

HOW WILL YOU DO THIS. . . JUST DO IT

So set the alarm one hour earlier than you do now.  The truth is that no matter what time you wake up, your first step out of bed feels the same. AWFUL!

But, once your feet hit the floor you are halfway done.  You are up and ready to go.

WHAT WILL YOU DO . . . The body is a wonderful creation, capable of many motions.

YOU CAN WALK . . .yards, miles, trails, mountains, sidewalks, indoor malls

YOU CAN RUN . . .for your life, miles, marathons, tracks

YOU CAN BIKE . . .roads, sidewalks, trails, spin class

YOU CAN DANCE . . .aerobic. mumbo, zumba

YOU CAN STRETCH . . .yoga, pilates

YOU CAN SKI . . . mountains, oceans, lakes and rivers

YOU CAN SWIM . . .pools, oceans, or the English Channel

Get the idea, the list is endless.  You decide what works for you. You can even combine activities,  just get moving.

TIP

It takes time to make a new behavior part of your routine so start tonight.

Set your alarm for one hour earlier and by next week when we meet again you will have conquered the hardest obstacle.  Piece of cake!!! Just kidding piece of apple.  LET US KNOW HOW IT'S WORKING FOR YOU

                                                                        HR/BL

FRIDAY.....MORE GOOD ADVISE COMING....

It is suggested that you remember to take a "gander" tomorrow for some more straight and true advise
concerning how you can start a healthy lifestyle......and keep it consistent........

It will not be easy, but the results can change your body and outlook.....Come on you can do it....

It is a great Sunny Thursday......get out sometime today....and suck in  that fresh air.........

PLANNED PARENTHOOD........AND HEALTH

I read an article by two Professors today, and the gist of it disturbed me to the point that I had to share it
with anyone who was going to read this blog........

Planned Parenthood according to this article made $ 164 million last year while performing approximately
300,000 abortions.........and performed abortions on nine out of every ten women that passed thru their
portals........

On Friday's Forum....We are showing people how to lead healthy lifestyles....and make lives full of energy and focus.........not so with the Planned Parenthood group.

Planned Parenthood certainly did not help the victims of abortion with their health........and it appears that the "Almighty Buck" is the supreme being.

The Komen's Foundation a leader in assisting and saving Breast Cancer victims was treated as Public Enemy NO.1, because they were not going to give PP A$ 600,000 donation.Can you imagine that.....
They pull in MILLIONS and they were  willing to politically destroy Komen's over $600,000........They
had no concern for the recipients of the Foundation.......

The cultural war goes on.........

FRIDAY FORUM.........WELCOME.......THIS IS FOR YOU......

70%, 80%, or 90%  YOU DECIDE

Remember taking care of your body means maintaining a lifestyle and that means you will try to watch what you eat and partake in some form of exercise  every day that you are fortunate to be given another day.  As with everything in life you can't give it 100% all of the time.  Everything we do has an ebb and a flow to it.  We can't give 100% to everything we do every day.  Some days we don't work at 100% but that doesn't mean that we say we are terrible at our jobs and give them up.  There are days when we can't give 100% to our children, our spouses or other obligations but we don't break our ties.  So the same goes for eating well and exercising.  You have not failed if you don't eat right or exercise at 100%. If you try for 100% but get to 80%  that's ok,  you will  have improved yourself by 70%. 

A FEW TIPS TO STAYING ON TRACK

DO NOT TAKE TIME OFF ON THE WEEKEND OR ON A MONDAY.  YOU HAVE THE LUXURY OF TIME TO ADD A FEW MORE MINUTES TO WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE AS YOUR FORM OF EXERCISE.  MONDAY IS THE START OF THE WEEK SO YOU WANT TO START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT. (OR THE LEFT JUST MAKE SURE IT'S ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.)


So we are starting slow.......This is about exercising consistently....and being part of your life. You have to listen to your body.......and act accordingly. A suggestion is to look at the week ahead of you and make  dates and times for yourself to have exercise for yourself that is compatible with your present situation. Make the exercise something that you enjoy.........and gives you peace of mind.....and at the end leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. We all have this in our inner selves.

The schedule of the authors is built around our busy family and business considerations and "almost"
like clock work we meet at 6:30 am Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday......We normally do not communicate between the workout days ,but show up because we each know the other will be waiting.

This translates into a commitment..........to a lifestyle.......So think about it this week.....There are no real excuses........Do you want to change or just keep "doing what you do"....It's your life.....Your call !

Lisa Panakio Rowe....
whose photo and connection is in the prior post gives us the following recipe this week.......

How about a creamy banana desert that is cool and will slide DOWN YOUR MOUTH after one of your workouts.....that will not put weight on that body that you are going to make "rock hard ".......

PEEL FOUR OR MORE BANANAS,FREEZE THEM OVERNIGHT........WHEN READY.......
PUT THEM IN A FOOD PROCESSOR.....AND LET IT WORK.....IT WILL COME OUT SMOOTH,CREAMY AND DELICIOUS......You can add different fruits,etc. It is all good.

Give us your questions and feedback.....   ENJOY...........

SUPER WEEK CONTINUES......WATCH FOR FRIDAY FORUM

Ryan Nestor,and Brother Mike and Sister Katelyn were observed  riding in a vehicle together
giggling like "little school kids"  for the first time in a very long time. It will be a good story going
forward for the entire family.......I love them all......

The "Gronk" has a new boot for the big game and We have heard enough......Let' get it on......

Watch for Friday's Forum tomorrow.........If you want great advise on your health......building stamina
and strength......and feeling more alert........read  and join in each Friday. Co-author Brenda Lewin and
myself do not have medical degrees,but we can tell you what has worked for us during the past decade
of exercising reasonably and consistently......Feel free to comment......both pro and con.

We will have some interesting recipes......which I promise will "WOW YOU" without the guilt.

The characters above are Brenda and her Husband, Richard along with Lisa and her "slug"......They
will all have a part in the "Forum" at some point......including a recipe" tip "tomorrow from Lisa.