One of the common, yet unfortunate, things I've heard over the past two weeks has been comments like, "Why are we doing this?", "I feel like I'm in school", "This is lame, I can't think of anything." Those are all comments that are discouraging, especially when you are trying to get a group of youth excited about a project. I knew when we started camp with the idea of doing a film project, if I couldn't get everyone excited about it, it wasn't going to fly. So I had been getting a little nervous about this side of the Arts Camp.
However, Thursday and Friday renewed my hope that all of our efforts might be worth it. Multiple campers have come up to me and asked "When are we starting the film?", "What are we doing for the film?", or "Can I be the sound effects maker? Eeeeack!" This has brought me to a new level of excitement about the film. This week we are on a break before the last three weeks of camp. I am going to be spending this week putting together the different ideas that the campers brainstormed. Hopefully it will become a somewhat cohesive, fun and interesting story. There are definitely a lot of great ideas and as soon as I figure out the story I will be sure to pass it along.
On a slightly different note: I wanted to also give an update on the Couch to 5k and P90X. I haven't been really following the Couch to 5k, mostly because even though I get up rather early, it has still been too hot to even close to want to run outside. The P90X on the other hand has been rocking. It has taken my workouts to another level and I certainly feel stronger and more fit. The good and bad is that it is an hour program. Which makes me feel like I am really working, but also takes an entire hour. Overall, it has been totally worth it.
As far as prayer goes, that I have time and not a writer's block to create a script for the film, at least something we can work from. That all the campers don't forget about camp and come back next week. And, of course, most importantly that we can find true connections with all of them and love them as we are called to and as we all desire to.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Arts Camp - Week 1
Hey Everyone!
This post is another deviation from the "main" purpose of the blog, but not from making a better story.
As most of you know, I am helping out with a Sports and Arts Camp this summer up in Ambridge where I work. I am Arts Camp Director, for more information go to this previous blog post. We started last week and it went, in my opinion, extremely well. I, unlike all the other leaders, do not have any previous experience with Ambridge Sports & Arts Camp (AS&AC). I helped out with a version we did in Peru, but never here in Ambridge.
In many ways it has been much more challenging in Ambridge. In Peru, all of the campers wanted to be there and were happy to do all of the activities. We often had to stop them before they completely finished their portrait, painting, sculpture, etc. In Ambridge, it is a little different. Rather than being excited about everything and willing to do anything, you really need to get the campers into what their doing. You need to be overly excited about the project, so that they can get excited. But the bigger "problem" is that they are done with everything so quickly. Not that they finish everything quickly, but that they get bored with it and want to move onto the next thing.
It really scares me how telling this is of our culture. We all are aware of this trend, always looking for the next big thing. (Small Side Note: What is up with silly bands??? If you don't know what they are, be blessed.)
The campers are incredibly creative, for sure, but I don't think that they have been pushed in their creativity enough. When we arrived in Peru, we were told not to expect the campers to really go for it when it came to free form activities. One would probably do something and then everyone else would copy. Our team found this to be entirely untrue. They all jumped right in. Here in Ambridge, some of the campers do this. They start creating their bead animals. But others want instructions for everything or want you to show them exactly how to do it, like its math. That has been a struggle for me with some of the campers, getting them to let go and create whatever the heck comes into their heads.
This is another thing that scares me. The campers, at least not all of them, don't seem like they know how to just be creative children and teens. How to say crazy and silly things or draw with their wildest imagination. I feel like this could be because of three reasons. 1. I am not prompting them well enough that they are able to be creative. 2. They don't feel comfortable making something, i.e. they are self-conscious, etc. 3. They simply don't know how because they have never had the experience to be free, especially through art.
Those are the two areas Arts camp needs prayer the most. They boil down to figuring out where the campers are personally, and showing them who Jesus is so they can learn the freedom of how to worship him through art. Please also pray for rest, as the camp is terribly exhausting for all of us, and for knowing how to reach the "problem" campers.
The campers are simultaneously a huge blessing and the best birth control. I say that in the most loving way, seriously.
This post is another deviation from the "main" purpose of the blog, but not from making a better story.
As most of you know, I am helping out with a Sports and Arts Camp this summer up in Ambridge where I work. I am Arts Camp Director, for more information go to this previous blog post. We started last week and it went, in my opinion, extremely well. I, unlike all the other leaders, do not have any previous experience with Ambridge Sports & Arts Camp (AS&AC). I helped out with a version we did in Peru, but never here in Ambridge.
In many ways it has been much more challenging in Ambridge. In Peru, all of the campers wanted to be there and were happy to do all of the activities. We often had to stop them before they completely finished their portrait, painting, sculpture, etc. In Ambridge, it is a little different. Rather than being excited about everything and willing to do anything, you really need to get the campers into what their doing. You need to be overly excited about the project, so that they can get excited. But the bigger "problem" is that they are done with everything so quickly. Not that they finish everything quickly, but that they get bored with it and want to move onto the next thing.
It really scares me how telling this is of our culture. We all are aware of this trend, always looking for the next big thing. (Small Side Note: What is up with silly bands??? If you don't know what they are, be blessed.)
The campers are incredibly creative, for sure, but I don't think that they have been pushed in their creativity enough. When we arrived in Peru, we were told not to expect the campers to really go for it when it came to free form activities. One would probably do something and then everyone else would copy. Our team found this to be entirely untrue. They all jumped right in. Here in Ambridge, some of the campers do this. They start creating their bead animals. But others want instructions for everything or want you to show them exactly how to do it, like its math. That has been a struggle for me with some of the campers, getting them to let go and create whatever the heck comes into their heads.
This is another thing that scares me. The campers, at least not all of them, don't seem like they know how to just be creative children and teens. How to say crazy and silly things or draw with their wildest imagination. I feel like this could be because of three reasons. 1. I am not prompting them well enough that they are able to be creative. 2. They don't feel comfortable making something, i.e. they are self-conscious, etc. 3. They simply don't know how because they have never had the experience to be free, especially through art.
Those are the two areas Arts camp needs prayer the most. They boil down to figuring out where the campers are personally, and showing them who Jesus is so they can learn the freedom of how to worship him through art. Please also pray for rest, as the camp is terribly exhausting for all of us, and for knowing how to reach the "problem" campers.
The campers are simultaneously a huge blessing and the best birth control. I say that in the most loving way, seriously.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Updates, Updates?
So, I totally suck. I will take it...I did what most do and posted a bunch and then it just stopped. But I am back with some news, so YAY!
Currently, all things are going well. I have been rather steadily losing weight. I have now lost a bit over 25 pounds, which is great. I definitely feel more energetic. I have gotten to a point now that if I haven't exercised, I don't feel like I have really had a complete day. Which much be better than feeling like I have to exercise and how am I going to do it??
Below are two new things that I have been thinking about lately. Enjoy!
Quite a few people I know have done this plan and really like it. I was talking to my friend Jen and she was explaining how it's hard for her to function in the fitness world without a goal. She was saying how weight can fluctuate, but when you run a marathon, you have run a marathon. This is a lot how I have been feeling lately, like I want a goal. So I decided to try out Couch to 5k . I think it will be fun. I really wanted to train for a triathlon, but I don't want to pay for a pool membership, and Ben won't let me swim in the river :(. I plan on doing the running on the recommended 3 days/week and other strength training things the rest of the week. I think it will work out fine and be a nice challenge.
I am not sure which of you have and have not heard of this series. I recently heard of it from a friend and then wanted to check it out. Here is their website, which is a little informercially. It is a 12 DVD set, which targets different parts of your body or different movements, what they call "muscle confusion". From their website:
"P90X® is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days."
It is kind of like Couch to 5K, but with DVDs. So I was really interested in this, because it sounded like The Shred on steroids. And who doesn't want to be ripped. Apparently a co-worker of Ben's has some questionable copies of the series that we are going to test out to see if we like it. Our biggest reservation is the emphasis on the "3-Phase Nutrition Plan" and it's assumed reliance on fleshy protein. But we should be able to adjust.
I will try to update everyone on how these two go and, as always, if you are interested in joining me for either of them, feel free.
Currently, all things are going well. I have been rather steadily losing weight. I have now lost a bit over 25 pounds, which is great. I definitely feel more energetic. I have gotten to a point now that if I haven't exercised, I don't feel like I have really had a complete day. Which much be better than feeling like I have to exercise and how am I going to do it??
Below are two new things that I have been thinking about lately. Enjoy!
Couch to 5K
Quite a few people I know have done this plan and really like it. I was talking to my friend Jen and she was explaining how it's hard for her to function in the fitness world without a goal. She was saying how weight can fluctuate, but when you run a marathon, you have run a marathon. This is a lot how I have been feeling lately, like I want a goal. So I decided to try out Couch to 5k . I think it will be fun. I really wanted to train for a triathlon, but I don't want to pay for a pool membership, and Ben won't let me swim in the river :(. I plan on doing the running on the recommended 3 days/week and other strength training things the rest of the week. I think it will work out fine and be a nice challenge.
P90X
I am not sure which of you have and have not heard of this series. I recently heard of it from a friend and then wanted to check it out. Here is their website, which is a little informercially. It is a 12 DVD set, which targets different parts of your body or different movements, what they call "muscle confusion". From their website:
"P90X® is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days."
It is kind of like Couch to 5K, but with DVDs. So I was really interested in this, because it sounded like The Shred on steroids. And who doesn't want to be ripped. Apparently a co-worker of Ben's has some questionable copies of the series that we are going to test out to see if we like it. Our biggest reservation is the emphasis on the "3-Phase Nutrition Plan" and it's assumed reliance on fleshy protein. But we should be able to adjust.
I will try to update everyone on how these two go and, as always, if you are interested in joining me for either of them, feel free.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Ambridge Arts Camp Director
This is an entry which is a slight departure from the norm, but still very much in the scope of "my story".
I have been offered an amazing opportunity this summer and I want you to be a part of it. You may have noticed that I just posted a few letters about my trip to Lima, Peru this past January. I shared a lot about Ambridge Youth Ignite, an awesome part of Rock The World Youth Mission Alliance where I work as Office Manager and Bookkeeper. Ambridge Youth Ignite (AYI) is a great piece of our organization that really digs into the lives of the local Ambridge youth. I co-lead the Hand drumming class and the weekly high school discipleship group. I was also, as said above, part of the team that went down to Lima, Peru to lead a sports and arts camp for the youth there. After experiencing leading the arts camp in Peru I am coming back and being asked to lead it in Ambridge.
For the past six summers, AYI has been holding a free six-week sports camp for the youth of Ambridge. In 2007, they added an arts camp to make the Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp. Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp is organized so that the youth come in the morning to learn and play a specific sport. Then they receive a free lunch and go to Arts Camp in the afternoon to focus on a certain art. I am really excited to say the least because more than a hundred youth attend these camps every summer and the stories I have heard about Camp are truly inspiring. More than a hundred youth attend these camps every summer, and the stories I have heard about Camp are truly inspiring.
Will you join me in my excitement for this summer’s Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp? Will you partner with me in changing the youth of Ambridge through sports and arts?
Partner with me and the team through prayer – praying for the youth, the leaders, the town of Ambridge, that the team can meet the youth were they are and meet their needs
Partner with me financially – By committing to be Arts Camp Director, I am cutting my Rock the World office hours in half for the six-week camp. In order to fully engage with the Arts Camp, I need to raise $1150 in support. If you can partner with me this way, send a check made out to Rock The World to PO Box 43, Ambridge, PA 15003 or give online with a credit card at www.rocktheworld.org/donate make sure “AJ ASAC” is in the memo.
Know a young person who could join the camp or someone who would want to be a coach – contact me at annejohnson@rocktheworld.org!
I hope to post information on here while Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp is going on to keep everyone updated on what is happening. So be on the look out coming this June!
I have been offered an amazing opportunity this summer and I want you to be a part of it. You may have noticed that I just posted a few letters about my trip to Lima, Peru this past January. I shared a lot about Ambridge Youth Ignite, an awesome part of Rock The World Youth Mission Alliance where I work as Office Manager and Bookkeeper. Ambridge Youth Ignite (AYI) is a great piece of our organization that really digs into the lives of the local Ambridge youth. I co-lead the Hand drumming class and the weekly high school discipleship group. I was also, as said above, part of the team that went down to Lima, Peru to lead a sports and arts camp for the youth there. After experiencing leading the arts camp in Peru I am coming back and being asked to lead it in Ambridge.
For the past six summers, AYI has been holding a free six-week sports camp for the youth of Ambridge. In 2007, they added an arts camp to make the Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp. Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp is organized so that the youth come in the morning to learn and play a specific sport. Then they receive a free lunch and go to Arts Camp in the afternoon to focus on a certain art. I am really excited to say the least because more than a hundred youth attend these camps every summer and the stories I have heard about Camp are truly inspiring. More than a hundred youth attend these camps every summer, and the stories I have heard about Camp are truly inspiring.
Will you join me in my excitement for this summer’s Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp? Will you partner with me in changing the youth of Ambridge through sports and arts?
Here are 3 ways you can be a part of the camp this summer:
Partner with me and the team through prayer – praying for the youth, the leaders, the town of Ambridge, that the team can meet the youth were they are and meet their needs
Partner with me financially – By committing to be Arts Camp Director, I am cutting my Rock the World office hours in half for the six-week camp. In order to fully engage with the Arts Camp, I need to raise $1150 in support. If you can partner with me this way, send a check made out to Rock The World to PO Box 43, Ambridge, PA 15003 or give online with a credit card at www.rocktheworld.org/donate make sure “AJ ASAC” is in the memo.
Know a young person who could join the camp or someone who would want to be a coach – contact me at annejohnson@rocktheworld.org!
I hope to post information on here while Ambridge Sports and Arts Camp is going on to keep everyone updated on what is happening. So be on the look out coming this June!
Post-Peru Letter
***This was the letter we sent out to our Peru Trip supporters. It shares some of the experiences from out trip.***
We wanted to send out a quick letter and some pictures to you. Our trip to Peru was truly amazing! God used it to show us how real and life changing missions can be. This trip might just be another step in our transition to full-time foreign missions. The children at San Mateo, the church where we held the camp, were welcoming of all the activities we did. Everything went so well, even better than it has for the past 6 summers they have run it in Ambridge! We just wanted to highlight two things.
First, as we had said in our letter, we led the Arts portion of the camp. When we arrived in Peru we explained what we planned on doing with the kids. The missionaries’ response was very troubling. They said not to expect a lot from the kids in the way of creative expression. Many of them would not have any art in their schooling and if they did it would be limited to sketching. All of the art projects we had planned were rather abstract in nature, mostly giving the children the materials and asking them to create what they wanted. As you can see in the included pictures, the kids had absolutely no problem with any of the projects. They jumped in and created beautiful art projects. We were so proud that they proved the missionaries wrong!
Second, on our last Saturday in Lima we visited San Patricio. The time there meant so much to both of us. We went with Paul and Sarah, two full-time missionaries from England. They have a program once a week at San Patricio for the children. They split them up into two groups, older and younger, and start off by letting them play with toys and games. For many of them this is the only time they get to build with Lego’s or blocks. Then they teach a short Bible program and get a snack. This week was the story of the Good Samaritan. Sarah narrated as some of the children acted out the story. Ben got to play a special role, the donkey! It was truly an honored experience. As Sarah was explaining later, culturally in Peru children are looked down on. Like in many other countries, the adults are above children and rarely get down on their level. The fact that Ben was willing to participate in the play with the children, literally getting on his hands and knees, along with being a man and a foreigner was a powerful image for them. They finish the program with a small craft. This week they had extra children and things were rather stressful. However, we LOVED it and wished we could be there every week. Ben even said, “I envy Paul and Sarah’s pain.”
Those are just two parts of the trip, we hope to talk to you about it more when we see you.
Ambridge Youth Ignite and Rock The World are praying about why everything went so well and if that is sign from God that these camps should be continued in other developing places.
Thank you again for your support of our trip and of the children of Lima!
Peace and Love
***For more Peru stories start here on AYI's blog. It has multiple posts about our trip from during the trip.***
We wanted to send out a quick letter and some pictures to you. Our trip to Peru was truly amazing! God used it to show us how real and life changing missions can be. This trip might just be another step in our transition to full-time foreign missions. The children at San Mateo, the church where we held the camp, were welcoming of all the activities we did. Everything went so well, even better than it has for the past 6 summers they have run it in Ambridge! We just wanted to highlight two things.
First, as we had said in our letter, we led the Arts portion of the camp. When we arrived in Peru we explained what we planned on doing with the kids. The missionaries’ response was very troubling. They said not to expect a lot from the kids in the way of creative expression. Many of them would not have any art in their schooling and if they did it would be limited to sketching. All of the art projects we had planned were rather abstract in nature, mostly giving the children the materials and asking them to create what they wanted. As you can see in the included pictures, the kids had absolutely no problem with any of the projects. They jumped in and created beautiful art projects. We were so proud that they proved the missionaries wrong!
Second, on our last Saturday in Lima we visited San Patricio. The time there meant so much to both of us. We went with Paul and Sarah, two full-time missionaries from England. They have a program once a week at San Patricio for the children. They split them up into two groups, older and younger, and start off by letting them play with toys and games. For many of them this is the only time they get to build with Lego’s or blocks. Then they teach a short Bible program and get a snack. This week was the story of the Good Samaritan. Sarah narrated as some of the children acted out the story. Ben got to play a special role, the donkey! It was truly an honored experience. As Sarah was explaining later, culturally in Peru children are looked down on. Like in many other countries, the adults are above children and rarely get down on their level. The fact that Ben was willing to participate in the play with the children, literally getting on his hands and knees, along with being a man and a foreigner was a powerful image for them. They finish the program with a small craft. This week they had extra children and things were rather stressful. However, we LOVED it and wished we could be there every week. Ben even said, “I envy Paul and Sarah’s pain.”
Those are just two parts of the trip, we hope to talk to you about it more when we see you.
Ambridge Youth Ignite and Rock The World are praying about why everything went so well and if that is sign from God that these camps should be continued in other developing places.
Thank you again for your support of our trip and of the children of Lima!
Peace and Love
***For more Peru stories start here on AYI's blog. It has multiple posts about our trip from during the trip.***
Pre-Peru Letter
***This was the letter we sent out for our trip to Peru in January***
From Anne: For those you who do not know, I have now been working at Rock The World Youth Mission Alliance for over a year. Rock The World is a Christian youth mission and leadership training organization based in Ambridge, PA. It has been a great year filled with new experiences like learning the inner-workings of a small non-profit, getting involved with the community of Ambridge and realizing that ministry is never 9 to 5.
From Ben: One of the ministries of Rock The World is called Ambridge Youth Ignite (AYI). For six summers AYI has offered a summer sports camp, adding an arts camp for the past three years. It is a free 6-week day camp for the children of Ambridge. This year AYI has expanded their programming into the school year by adding three arts classes: drama, hand drumming and guitar. I co-lead the hand drumming class every week, teaching kids ages 7 to 15 how to play in a drum circle environment. AYI also has girls and boys mentoring groups that meet once a week to connect and disciple middle school and high school students. Anne has been helping to lead the girls group and building relationships with the members of both groups. As you can see we have become somewhat involved with the work AYI is doing in Ambridge.
From Us: This coming January 2010, Ambridge Youth Ignite is sending a team to Lima, Peru and we have been asked to join them. Our team will work alongside a group of Peruvians to provide a model of the sports and arts camp for the youth who live near San Mateo, a church in Lima. The one week camp will be used as a launching point for a new youth ministry to take shape at San Mateo. While co-leading the camp our team will also be teaching a Rock the World "Intro to Youth Ministry" course. This will be the first time for the Peruvians we are working with to hear about our style of discipleship.
Peace
From Anne: For those you who do not know, I have now been working at Rock The World Youth Mission Alliance for over a year. Rock The World is a Christian youth mission and leadership training organization based in Ambridge, PA. It has been a great year filled with new experiences like learning the inner-workings of a small non-profit, getting involved with the community of Ambridge and realizing that ministry is never 9 to 5.
From Ben: One of the ministries of Rock The World is called Ambridge Youth Ignite (AYI). For six summers AYI has offered a summer sports camp, adding an arts camp for the past three years. It is a free 6-week day camp for the children of Ambridge. This year AYI has expanded their programming into the school year by adding three arts classes: drama, hand drumming and guitar. I co-lead the hand drumming class every week, teaching kids ages 7 to 15 how to play in a drum circle environment. AYI also has girls and boys mentoring groups that meet once a week to connect and disciple middle school and high school students. Anne has been helping to lead the girls group and building relationships with the members of both groups. As you can see we have become somewhat involved with the work AYI is doing in Ambridge.
 |
| Part of the AYI Drum Class: Ben, Bethany, Tim, Peter & Mark |
From Us: This coming January 2010, Ambridge Youth Ignite is sending a team to Lima, Peru and we have been asked to join them. Our team will work alongside a group of Peruvians to provide a model of the sports and arts camp for the youth who live near San Mateo, a church in Lima. The one week camp will be used as a launching point for a new youth ministry to take shape at San Mateo. While co-leading the camp our team will also be teaching a Rock the World "Intro to Youth Ministry" course. This will be the first time for the Peruvians we are working with to hear about our style of discipleship.
We both felt called to this particular trip because it is unlike many other short-term mission trips where Americans travel to other countries to help with construction projects or vacation Bible schools. Though these are valuable trips, our team will be giving the Peruvians tools and skills that they can then use to help the children long after we have left.
We are writing this letter primarily to let you know what is happening in our lives right now. But we would also love for you to partner with us in this trip, either financially or through prayer. It will cost $2,470 for both of us to go and any amount will help us with our mission. If you desire to partner with us please make checks payable to Rock the World, with "AYI Peru Johnson" in the memo portion and send them to PO Box 43 Ambridge, PA 15003. Also if you would prefer, you can make donations online at www.rocktheworld.org/donate. With your partnership, you are enabling us to give a summer day camp to the youth of Peru and empowering the Peruvian youth leaders to make disciples!
Peace
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sweat Pants Athlete Manifesto
Hey...I know another post so soon??
Well this one is less work because I didn't actually write it, but I wanted to share it with everyone because it was so encouraging to me.
This is from Jen Keogh, a really good friend and someone I love to geek out with about this stuff:
It's so easy to compare ourselves with others especially in terms of exercising. There are the "real runners" and "real bikers." You know, the ones with aerodynamic spandex and calves that could cut diamonds. The ones who are cover models for Runner's World and exercise in outfits worth more than my rent. And if you're like me, you get passed while running or biking or swimming by one of these athletic gods and you think "Why bother...I'm not a real athlete. I'm just out here trying to get in shape...but I'll never be that shape."
So this manifesto is for us, to remind us no one is perfect and we're all in this race to get healthier together.
The Sweat Pants Manifesto:
We race to finish not to win.
We exercise in t-shirts from high school and sweat pants from Goodwill.
We get passed by moms in spandex pushing stroller's...when we're riding a bike.
We don't use energy bars or protein drinks; we eat ice cream after a run.
We aren't sure what a tempo run is.
We purchase running shoes based on how they feel, what colors they are, and where they were made.
We don't care how long it takes to run a mile but that we ran a little farther and a little faster than before.
We consider dancing alone in our underwear an aerobic routine.
We ride a bike to get from point A to point B. It's efficient exercise.
It doesn't matter how much or how fast we lose weight but that we are a healthier version of us than a year ago.
We've run in the pouring rain, in three feet of snow, in 90 degree heat, and up and down the hills of Pittsburgh--but these things don't make us runners. Choosing to get off the couch and taking our health in our hands makes us athletes.
We workout with friends or at the YMCA, and eat birthday cake at parties.
We shout obscenities at the aerobics instructor on the dvd and at our shins when it hurts to keep going.
Helping someone move is some of the best exercise.
We make up cheers, songs, chants, and crazy stories to encourage ourselves to keep going.
We eat healthy; We exercise so we don't have to all the time.
There are things worth spending some money on: good shoes, a reliable bike, and a bathing suit that is not transparent when wet.
We celebrate the small victories of walking up stairs without getting winded or getting to the end of the workout.
We exercise to be healthy so to enjoy life more, but exercise is not our life.
No matter the age, weight, fitness, equipment, clothes, or distance, we're all on the same path to becoming healthier, and we're all on that path together.
We don't exercise to be better than someone else; we do it to be a better version of ourselves.
---
Feel free to add and share. I want it to be an encouragement for people. It's a way of validating the work we're putting in and the results that come from it, no matter how the work or results compare to others.
Peace,
Jennifer R Keogh
Well this one is less work because I didn't actually write it, but I wanted to share it with everyone because it was so encouraging to me.
This is from Jen Keogh, a really good friend and someone I love to geek out with about this stuff:
It's so easy to compare ourselves with others especially in terms of exercising. There are the "real runners" and "real bikers." You know, the ones with aerodynamic spandex and calves that could cut diamonds. The ones who are cover models for Runner's World and exercise in outfits worth more than my rent. And if you're like me, you get passed while running or biking or swimming by one of these athletic gods and you think "Why bother...I'm not a real athlete. I'm just out here trying to get in shape...but I'll never be that shape."
So this manifesto is for us, to remind us no one is perfect and we're all in this race to get healthier together.
The Sweat Pants Manifesto:
We race to finish not to win.
We exercise in t-shirts from high school and sweat pants from Goodwill.
We get passed by moms in spandex pushing stroller's...when we're riding a bike.
We don't use energy bars or protein drinks; we eat ice cream after a run.
We aren't sure what a tempo run is.
We purchase running shoes based on how they feel, what colors they are, and where they were made.
We don't care how long it takes to run a mile but that we ran a little farther and a little faster than before.
We consider dancing alone in our underwear an aerobic routine.
We ride a bike to get from point A to point B. It's efficient exercise.
It doesn't matter how much or how fast we lose weight but that we are a healthier version of us than a year ago.
We've run in the pouring rain, in three feet of snow, in 90 degree heat, and up and down the hills of Pittsburgh--but these things don't make us runners. Choosing to get off the couch and taking our health in our hands makes us athletes.
We workout with friends or at the YMCA, and eat birthday cake at parties.
We shout obscenities at the aerobics instructor on the dvd and at our shins when it hurts to keep going.
Helping someone move is some of the best exercise.
We make up cheers, songs, chants, and crazy stories to encourage ourselves to keep going.
We eat healthy; We exercise so we don't have to all the time.
There are things worth spending some money on: good shoes, a reliable bike, and a bathing suit that is not transparent when wet.
We celebrate the small victories of walking up stairs without getting winded or getting to the end of the workout.
We exercise to be healthy so to enjoy life more, but exercise is not our life.
No matter the age, weight, fitness, equipment, clothes, or distance, we're all on the same path to becoming healthier, and we're all on that path together.
We don't exercise to be better than someone else; we do it to be a better version of ourselves.
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Feel free to add and share. I want it to be an encouragement for people. It's a way of validating the work we're putting in and the results that come from it, no matter how the work or results compare to others.
Peace,
Jennifer R Keogh
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Kari the Dietician
I just wanted to give a little update about what's been going on. I am not sure how many of you know this, but I didn't. For those of you who have Highmark insurance, you are allowed 7 visits per year with a registered dietician. Those visits are completely free and covered by your insurance.
I took advantage of this coverage a few weeks ago and scheduled an appointment with a dietician, and as the title suggests she was named Kari. She was really cool and really helpful. Below are a few of the things we talked about and some stuff I thought might be helpful to everyone.
1. Veggies - Though Ben and I are vegetarians, after talking to Kari I realized that we weren't quite getting our daily recommended value of veggies. We were getting some but not all. You are supposed to have about 3 cups of veggies a day. In case you don't know about the new cool food pyramid here it is.
2. Proportions - We have all heard that Americans eat insanely big portions, that are unnecessary and unhealthy. But through our discussion, I came up with some helpful stuff. First, we are now using smaller plates, like the salad sized ones. This helps because, clearly, you can't fit as much food on your plate. But it also helps because it doesn't make it seem like you're eating less, it is more visually appealing. Second, no seconds. Her advice for holding to this, don't put the food on the table. Serve yourself in the kitchen and then bring your plate to the table. That way you won't be tempted to have just a bit more because it's right there in front of you. Third, your plate should be about 50% veggies, 25% starch/grains and 25% protein. In the case of casserole or one-pot dishes, the proportions should still have the same representation, just mixed up.
3. Perfection - you don't have to have it! This might have been the first time in this type of situation that I have ever had a doctor, etc. say something like that. It is always encouraging for someone to say you don't have to be perfect, no matter what they are talking about.
I had been doing a certain Pilates DVD (Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners) before going to see Kari. It was working well and definitely giving me a work out. She was a little skeptic of a Pilates routine for weight loss, but said that if my heart rate was up and I was sweating, then it was doing its job.
She also suggested some other DVDs, and once I tried some of them I realized how easy Pilates can be. She mentioned that she likes The Biggest Loser workouts, because you can mix and match them. I got the Biggest Loser Workout Vol. 1 and it has been great. There are 4 core routines to choose from, each 20 minutes, and a warm-up and cool down. One of my favorite things is that they use the contestants in the workouts, so it is informal and more real. Vol. 1 is led by Bob Harper, the male trainer, and he is super funny. "Oh man guys I am really feelin' this, I'm up here on this rock." (You'll get it if you watch the DVD).
Anyway, She also suggested Jillian Michaels' non-Biggest Loser DVDs. I was a little weary, the whole reason I got Vol. 1 was because she wasn't on it. With the fear of getting screamed at for an entire workout, I got the 30 Day Shred. I've only had the chance to do level 1, but man it is good. I ended up really liking it and she isn't as much of a jerk as I thought she was going to be. Warning: there are toned fitness helpers in her DVD, kind of a let down. ;)
If you're interested in some of the DVDs they are all at the library. That's how I tried them and now I am planning on purchasing them.
I am also thinking of taking a Zumba class, but I kind of don't want to do it alone. It is supposed to be really awesome and a total sweat-fest, which is kinda what I'm into now. So if anyone would maybe want to do that, they hold classes at the JCC all of my Squirrel Hill friends.
That is all the update I have in me for now. I encourage you to check out some of the info I listed above. I am also more than willing to geek out about nutrition or exercise stuff with anyone who wants to listen.
I took advantage of this coverage a few weeks ago and scheduled an appointment with a dietician, and as the title suggests she was named Kari. She was really cool and really helpful. Below are a few of the things we talked about and some stuff I thought might be helpful to everyone.
Food Advice
1. Veggies - Though Ben and I are vegetarians, after talking to Kari I realized that we weren't quite getting our daily recommended value of veggies. We were getting some but not all. You are supposed to have about 3 cups of veggies a day. In case you don't know about the new cool food pyramid here it is.
2. Proportions - We have all heard that Americans eat insanely big portions, that are unnecessary and unhealthy. But through our discussion, I came up with some helpful stuff. First, we are now using smaller plates, like the salad sized ones. This helps because, clearly, you can't fit as much food on your plate. But it also helps because it doesn't make it seem like you're eating less, it is more visually appealing. Second, no seconds. Her advice for holding to this, don't put the food on the table. Serve yourself in the kitchen and then bring your plate to the table. That way you won't be tempted to have just a bit more because it's right there in front of you. Third, your plate should be about 50% veggies, 25% starch/grains and 25% protein. In the case of casserole or one-pot dishes, the proportions should still have the same representation, just mixed up.
3. Perfection - you don't have to have it! This might have been the first time in this type of situation that I have ever had a doctor, etc. say something like that. It is always encouraging for someone to say you don't have to be perfect, no matter what they are talking about.
Exercise Advice
I had been doing a certain Pilates DVD (Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners) before going to see Kari. It was working well and definitely giving me a work out. She was a little skeptic of a Pilates routine for weight loss, but said that if my heart rate was up and I was sweating, then it was doing its job.
She also suggested some other DVDs, and once I tried some of them I realized how easy Pilates can be. She mentioned that she likes The Biggest Loser workouts, because you can mix and match them. I got the Biggest Loser Workout Vol. 1 and it has been great. There are 4 core routines to choose from, each 20 minutes, and a warm-up and cool down. One of my favorite things is that they use the contestants in the workouts, so it is informal and more real. Vol. 1 is led by Bob Harper, the male trainer, and he is super funny. "Oh man guys I am really feelin' this, I'm up here on this rock." (You'll get it if you watch the DVD).
Anyway, She also suggested Jillian Michaels' non-Biggest Loser DVDs. I was a little weary, the whole reason I got Vol. 1 was because she wasn't on it. With the fear of getting screamed at for an entire workout, I got the 30 Day Shred. I've only had the chance to do level 1, but man it is good. I ended up really liking it and she isn't as much of a jerk as I thought she was going to be. Warning: there are toned fitness helpers in her DVD, kind of a let down. ;)
If you're interested in some of the DVDs they are all at the library. That's how I tried them and now I am planning on purchasing them.
I am also thinking of taking a Zumba class, but I kind of don't want to do it alone. It is supposed to be really awesome and a total sweat-fest, which is kinda what I'm into now. So if anyone would maybe want to do that, they hold classes at the JCC all of my Squirrel Hill friends.
That is all the update I have in me for now. I encourage you to check out some of the info I listed above. I am also more than willing to geek out about nutrition or exercise stuff with anyone who wants to listen.
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Beginning
This is less about jumping on the Blog-o-sphere wagon and more about me thinking that this might be the best medium for what I am trying to do, so bear with me.
This all started with my discipleship group. For those of you who don't know, I am a co-mentor for a discipleship group run by Ambridge Youth Ignite for girls and guys in high school. We get together once a week and share a meal and do something that has to do with God. Last month we did a joint group where Eric, Director of AYI and other mentor, led a discussion. Eric talked about one of Donald Miller's, author of Blue Like Jazz, etc., new books called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. We read an entry from Miller's blog, "Living a Good Story, an Alternative to New Years Resolutions" that focused on the point of the book. To summarize, we need to live our lives as if we are writing great stories. There are three elements: Want Something, Envision a Climatic Scene, and Create an Inciting Incident. "An inciting incident is the event in a movie that causes upheaval in the protagonist life." Since people don't want to change, they have to be forced to change. So I am volunteering you all to force me to change. Congratulations you are a part of my inciting incident! But what are you inciting me for you might ask? What do I want?
I have gotten to a point in my life where I am rather comfortable in my own skin. I am no longer the insecure, overweight teenager I use to be. Now I am just overweight. I could live my life and be comfortable. But, as you would see if you read Miller, I don't want to be comfortable, I want to be great. Not in the "look at me I am a great person" sort of way, but in the "I am happy to be me because my life has meaning". So I think that the first step in my new life of greatness is getting healthy. What do I want: To be healthy. More specifically I am going to lose 50 pounds before 2011, i.e. 10 months. A quick note: I have not talked to any professionals about this, I don't know if it is a crazy dream to think that this amount is possible over that time period. But I do know the common "it is healthy to lose 2 pounds per week" and 50 is well below. So it might not be that much or it might be more, but the number isn't the point. The point is getting healthy and I need to put a story to that.
My climatic scene? Right now it's this: December 31, 2010 and I am looking back on how far I've come and how much more I can do. In Miller's book, he's going to climb a mountain or something, but I am not quite ready for that. However, I hope to maybe be ready to commit to something like that in the coming months. We will see.
As for now, this is what I am asking: will you help me hold to my story? No you don't have to workout with me, and, though I would love it, you don't have to become a vegetarian. All I am asking is that you read this and know that this is what I am trying. That in itself, I hope, will be enough pressure to hold me to it. As Miller says, "If I don’t, there’s a social consequence. I will let my buddy down, and I’ll also look like an idiot in front of all of you guys. So bringing a friend into the mix, and going public with my ambition serves as an inciting incident."
So there it is, believe me this was hard to write and I know it is going to be even harder to send. I hope to keep updates on this blog, especially for those of you who don't see me a lot. Also, I have thrown around the idea of putting other things on here, beyond the scope of "my story", like recipes and stuff. Lastly, I wanted to encourage you to read Donald Miller's book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years or at the very least the blog entry I linked above. I didn't like Blue Like Jazz all that much and sort of wrote him off, but, thanks to Eric, I am almost done with A Million Miles and I already want to re-read it.
Thank you and I hope you'll join me.
This all started with my discipleship group. For those of you who don't know, I am a co-mentor for a discipleship group run by Ambridge Youth Ignite for girls and guys in high school. We get together once a week and share a meal and do something that has to do with God. Last month we did a joint group where Eric, Director of AYI and other mentor, led a discussion. Eric talked about one of Donald Miller's, author of Blue Like Jazz, etc., new books called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. We read an entry from Miller's blog, "Living a Good Story, an Alternative to New Years Resolutions" that focused on the point of the book. To summarize, we need to live our lives as if we are writing great stories. There are three elements: Want Something, Envision a Climatic Scene, and Create an Inciting Incident. "An inciting incident is the event in a movie that causes upheaval in the protagonist life." Since people don't want to change, they have to be forced to change. So I am volunteering you all to force me to change. Congratulations you are a part of my inciting incident! But what are you inciting me for you might ask? What do I want?
I have gotten to a point in my life where I am rather comfortable in my own skin. I am no longer the insecure, overweight teenager I use to be. Now I am just overweight. I could live my life and be comfortable. But, as you would see if you read Miller, I don't want to be comfortable, I want to be great. Not in the "look at me I am a great person" sort of way, but in the "I am happy to be me because my life has meaning". So I think that the first step in my new life of greatness is getting healthy. What do I want: To be healthy. More specifically I am going to lose 50 pounds before 2011, i.e. 10 months. A quick note: I have not talked to any professionals about this, I don't know if it is a crazy dream to think that this amount is possible over that time period. But I do know the common "it is healthy to lose 2 pounds per week" and 50 is well below. So it might not be that much or it might be more, but the number isn't the point. The point is getting healthy and I need to put a story to that.
My climatic scene? Right now it's this: December 31, 2010 and I am looking back on how far I've come and how much more I can do. In Miller's book, he's going to climb a mountain or something, but I am not quite ready for that. However, I hope to maybe be ready to commit to something like that in the coming months. We will see.
As for now, this is what I am asking: will you help me hold to my story? No you don't have to workout with me, and, though I would love it, you don't have to become a vegetarian. All I am asking is that you read this and know that this is what I am trying. That in itself, I hope, will be enough pressure to hold me to it. As Miller says, "If I don’t, there’s a social consequence. I will let my buddy down, and I’ll also look like an idiot in front of all of you guys. So bringing a friend into the mix, and going public with my ambition serves as an inciting incident."
So there it is, believe me this was hard to write and I know it is going to be even harder to send. I hope to keep updates on this blog, especially for those of you who don't see me a lot. Also, I have thrown around the idea of putting other things on here, beyond the scope of "my story", like recipes and stuff. Lastly, I wanted to encourage you to read Donald Miller's book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years or at the very least the blog entry I linked above. I didn't like Blue Like Jazz all that much and sort of wrote him off, but, thanks to Eric, I am almost done with A Million Miles and I already want to re-read it.
Thank you and I hope you'll join me.
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