Team S.J.G.R Thursday Huddle #6: Get involved.

"I don't really care about that there. Just get involved."

~ Raphael Saadiq

_______________________________

Hey Team. All day and all week I want you to hear something in your head playing on a loop. Two simple words:

Get involved.

Get involved with your health. Figure out what's happening with it and where it's at. Go beyond hypothetical things like "I need to exercise" or "I need to lose weight" and get specific. Specific like "I am going to start working toward THIS body mass index" or "I am going to promise myself to work toward 150 minutes or more of exercise per week." And it's okay if that BMI starts off over 30. Just know what that BMI is and why it matters. And it's not the end of the world if you start off with 100 minutes per week. Just don't stop there because since you know what protects your heart, you have a goal. 

Get involved.

Get your kids and loved ones in the mix. Make it fun. Mash it up. Laugh at yourself for looking ridiculous while doing push ups until you get so bad ass that it isn't laughable any more. Because the more you stay involved the better you'll get. We have a growth mindset in Team S.J.G.R. -- remember?

Mmm hmmm. 

I recently read this article in NY Times. It was about this 7 minute workout that is allegedly scientifically proven to do all the good things your body needs and usually gets out of endurance training but in only 7 minutes. Yup. Broken into thirty second intervals with ten second breaks between exercises. 

For reals.

Now. Even though the AHA recommends those 150 minutes per week -- which I have been working to stay with each week -- how could I resist this? I mean--a 7 minute path to the promised land? I decided to tack it onto my regular workouts. 

And you know what? I got my kids involved. 

Wait -- before I say more on this -- I have to give a shout out to my Grady doctor sisterfriend Stacy H. who hipped me to this little gem. She sent me a text and told me that she did this with her hubby and kids and thought it would be good to share with Team S.J.G.R. Yep. See? A lot of people care about y'all. 

Mmm hmmm.

So yeah. Like Stacy, I got my kids involved. The first time we did it, The BHE was getting ready for work, but he did come in just in time to LOL at the sight of us in there huffing and puffing. And you know what? We were laughing, too. And I could tell that he kind of wished he'd done it with us that time.

Wished that he'd gotten involved. Mmmm hmmm. That hater.

Ha.

Get involved, y'all. 

That's what it's about. It felt good to be in my sunroom doing those exercises with my boys. I like knowing that they know what a plank is and how to do a side plank. And you know? They've been great sports and have been doing it with me on most days which is super cool. They are also getting better and better each time. And so am I.

Get involved, man. Even if you look and feel ridiculous, just get involved.

Try it. It's actually a really great workout. BT dubs (by-the-way for you non slang folks) I also hipped my ward team to this last month. One of my students, Shirin K., schooled me on the fact that you are allegedly supposed to do two circuits of it for best results.

*insert the side eye*

Maaaan. I'm sticking with the seven, yo.

Ha.

No matter what. Just get involved, man.

Harry and I have been sharing stats on our Fitbit accounts. It is very encouraging to see how much the other is doing. Man. The BHE walks a LOT at work. I guess you have to walk up on people all the time when you're a BOSS like he is (pronounced BAAAWSE!) That dude gets to 10,000 steps by three in the afternoon without even working out yet. But you know what? Those trackers have us involved in each other's fitness.

We also trash talk over text messages which is fun, too.

"What up, CP? That's short for COUCH POTATO. Peep my 8000 steps, playa!"

"What's up, dog? You got a desk job today or what?"

Ha ha ha. It's kind of awesome, actually.

Get involved, people.

Hey. Speaking of which. Peep this.

These three women had just completed a triathlon. A for real triathlon. Ages 48, 46, and 46. And I assure you that if they are like any other 48, 46 and 46 year old women, they have plenty of things that could serve as excuses for them to not get involved with something like this. But you know what? They got involved anyway. 

That's my girl, Crystal H. on the right. 46 and strong as an ox. I'm not fully sure how strong an ox is but my guess is that it's mad strong. So I'm just saying. She's strong. And she's on our Team.

That's what's up.

So whatever is standing in the way of you doing what you have to do to be heart healthy and HERE for the people you love? Let me tell you like my friend Raphael Saadiq sang it in that song:

"I don't really care about that there. Just get involved."

Just get involved. Now. Today. This second. 

Get fit in the gym. Lose weight in the kitchen. Get focused in your mind. Get benefits in your heart and your life.

And your life? Now that? That's what's up.

"Just get involved and get in control."

~ Q Tip (in the rap portion of Raphael Saadiq's song)

***

Happy Thursday. Did you know that the Team S.J.G.R. Facebook Group has over 220 members?! Yahoo! We're getting INVOLVED!

Now playing on my mental iPod. This is my jam! Get involved, people. S.J.G.R.!