With an Attitude of Gratitude

This week as been all about thanksgiving.  We take time out of a busy schedule, slow down only briefly to remember and appreciate the many blessings in our lives.  I have a lot to be thankful for at this point in my life.  Never did I think that I could conquer or tackle so much and still have my wits.  I have been blessed with such an amazing surrounding support group.

http://www.southernbelleviewdaily.com/tag/hope/

Throughout the day to day grind to which I would like to just simply call life, God has placed such a wonderful set of figures in my life to which have been my biggest support.  From a spiritual standpoint, I have all the help from above to go to for any prayers and assistance needed.  From a family standpoint, my family has got my back.  It took me a while to realize that as I think it is so hard seeing those who are right in front of you.  I for so long took them for granted. They had to tolerant and be patient with me as I was learning what it was to be a considerate adult and figuring out how to balance.  My parents and siblings are simply the best.  My grandma, aunts and uncles are so amazing as well.  I know I can go to them for anything and they would do whatever they could to help.

Another component to my support has come from my friends.  My darling and dear friends have been so good to me.  I have been blessed with friends from all over.  My closest friends to which I talk to almost everyday are from the Kingdom of Far Far Away.  You know, Shrek style.  I have a handful of friends I can lean on in my city, but the vast majority is all over.  I love that!  These individuals are the most wonderful people I could ever ask to have my back.  They all are so gifted with wisdom, understanding, empathy, compassion and love for me.  Whether we talk daily or sporadically, it is like picking up just where we had left off.  I feel so incredibly fortunate to be surrounded in love.

Another group I would like to thank…strangely enough…is my ex-boyfriends.  Isn't it ironic, don't you think?  If it wasn't for you, I believe my ambitions would be prematurely stammered.  If it wasn't for the break-ups, I do not believe I would have been able to accomplish and overcome what I have with such might and momentum.  I became more determined.  I became more of a fighter.  I started to learn what I was really made of thanks to you.  I started to understand relationships and what was deemed good and bad relationships.  It was through healing where clarity was found, followed the lit path through the gun smoke and my dreams became reality.  Your break-ups became my motivation in embracing being a single young professional woman and succeeding with flying colors.

http://activehappiness.com/2012/08/gratitude-and-happiness-appreciating-the-small-things/attitude-of-gratitude-spongebob/

In this journey called life, there is so much blessings and goodness woven day in and day out.  Some are easier to spot than others.  Sometimes we just need a chance to slow down and open our eyes to the wonderful world we find ourselves in today and just simply say thank you.

With an attitude of gratitude,
Catie Manning

A Note to the New Grad Nurse Part 2-Things we wish we knew as new grads

I can still remember the day I got my acceptance letter almost 4 years ago like it was yesterday.  It was a crisp fall day when that letter arrived in my mailbox. While in many ways it feels like just yesterday, in reality it was almost 4 years ago.  Since then I've finished my masters, gone through an accelerated nursing program, and now have 2 years of nursing under my belt.  Every day I am still learning a ton, but there a few things my now "experienced" nursing friends and I wish we had known when we first put on those scrubs and proudly put on that badge saying boldly and loudly "RN".

27 Things We Wished We Knew as New Grad Nurses

1. If you feel like you are going to puke before every shift or drive to work in tears... don't worry you aren't alone. Same thing if this is what happens after your shifts. You are most definitely NOT alone.

2. Don't accept just any job.  While it is hard as a new grad to find experience, you will be spending  A LOT of time there it is ok to wait for the right fit.

3. On that same note though, your dream job may take time, but a good fit is a GREAT place to learn.

4.  Confidence in yourself. It takes TIME. And that is ok.

5.  Sometimes SBAR isn't all you need to tell the MD, PA, or NP.

6.  Those silly code runs that are fake and make you feel ridiculous. They actually are REALLY helpful!

7.  The field of nursing is wide and broad. Don't limit yourself to just bedside nursing if it isn't your passion, that is ok.

8.  You DON'T HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING. It is ok to say "I don't know" and learn for next time.

9.  Asking questions doesn't make you a bad nurse or make you stupid, it makes you SMART. That is the absolute best way to learn.

10.  Every place has its own "Policies and Procedures".  Realize that how you learned something in nursing school may change during your first job... and your second... and your third... and so on.

11. You aren't going to like every patient you take care of and that is OK. You just have to give every patient the best quality care you can.

12.  Driving home from work... crawling into bed after a long night shift you're going to realize "OH MY GOODNESS I DIDN'T CHART THAT 300 mL OF URINE!". You aren't perfect. If it is something that needs attention you can call in to the nurse who followed you, but if it is something that can be let go... let it go. Learn from your mistakes of not charting in the moment and figure out a system of remembering that works for you.

13.  You have to come up with your own system of writing things down, charting, doing assessments, and managing your shift. It is perfectly ok if it isn't like anyone else's as long as it works for you and you can get everything done.

14. The first few shifts on your own you're going to feel like a truck hit you and you're never going to make it. But you will.

15.  Don't be afraid to go in the bathroom, sit on the toilet, and take some deep breaths.  In the end every nurse has taken extra time in the bathroom just to catch their breath for a minute.

16.  When possible.... waste the medications that needed wasted right then and there.  That is just something you don't want to even chance forgetting.

17.  You are your patients's ADVOCATE. Don't be afraid to stand up for them.  And if you're wrong... oh well... at least you can leave knowing you fought for your patient.

18.  Keep your social life.

19.  Try as best as possible to lead a healthy lifestyle outside of work.  13 hour shifts are brutal.

20.  If you're in MedSurg... we feel your pain. But know this. YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN A TON!

21.  There is a person beneath that rude and frustrating patient.  Do the best you can to find that person and care for their soul too.

22.  Find hobbies outside of work that help you unwind.

23.  This is a 24 HOUR institution if you are in a hospital.  Leave the patients with the other nurses. They are trustworthy and capable :-).

24.  Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself.  You went to school for this. You've done your training. You've come this far. You don't need to be walked all over.

25.  As you learn your area of specialty things will really start to fall into place. You'll understand things better and you'll be able to tell earlier and earlier when something is wrong in a patient.  Never underestimate the little things. They can in the end be warning signs for something much much bigger.

26.  You are only one person. Do not be afraid to ask for help! And one of the best things you can learn how to do is delegate appropriately... but don't forget to double check that things that have been delegated are done.

27.  When you're tired, warn out, smelly, dehydrated, not sure what is on your shoes, and squinting at the sun light as if you were a vampire know this. YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT! You are an incredibly intelligent person who has fought hard to get this far in your dream.  Keep running after it with your whole heart!  And don't be afraid to try a few different areas until you find your passion (but make sure you give each area an ample amount of time before moving on).

We hope this helps,

Some slightly more experienced nurses

P.S. It is true the more you know... the more you realize you don't know anything :-).

The Dreaded Scale

I remember in high school at my parents' house the scale was in my siblings bathroom.  Every morning when I woke up I would run down the hall to weigh myself.  The agony of the number and the worth it gave me or didn't give me.  The knowledge of when I woke up could I feel my hip bones sticking out enough?  How did I feel?  And the number on that scale.  Those 6 months of my life where my world revolved around that scale and the number were more than enough for living that lifestyle.  I was not eating and exercising far too much. I was in a state of exercise anorexia. I was unhealthy.

Since that year of high school I have not allowed a scale in my bathroom.  In fact, I limit myself on the amount of times a year I weigh myself because it very quickly can become an unhealthy obsession.  I know when I gain weight by my clothes, my energy, and my overall feeling.  Sadly, because I got on the scale so many times I can pretty much tell you spot on how much I weigh at any given time.  I can also give you an exact number of the amount of pounds I need to lose to get to my comfort point.  So why do I a personal trainer, nutritionist, and nurse not keep a scale around?  For many reasons.

1.  The scale taunts me because even when I'm at a healthy weight, I don't like that number and I want to keep that number going down. I want that number to be a number that isn't healthy.  After those  months of my hair falling out, my nails breaking, my period stopping... I'd much rather have a few extra pounds on me then to go back to the way I was when the scale ruled my life.

2. The SCALE does NOT define my beauty.  My beauty comes from what is inside.  The first place when I'm feeling self conscious that I need to go is on the inside and to those around me who will build me up.  In the last year and a half because of going on and off night shift my body has had a mind of its own.  One month I'll be trying to gain weight and the next month I can't seem to get weight off.  No matter what that scale says right now, I want you to know you are beautiful just the way you are.

3.  Your body can fluctuate in water weight throughout the day.  I see it every day I work in the hospital.  The number on the scale is not as accurate as some may hope.  Can it give you a good warning sign that you are unhealthy or headed towards an unhealthy zone? yes. But day to day, your energy level, your clothes, and how you feel overall is a much better assessment of the direction your headed!

So my advice?  If you have a scale, hide it. Limit the amount of times you weigh yourself.  Focus on loving yourself from the inside out. Focus on being healthy.  As your focus on being healthy increases, as your outlook on where your beauty comes from changes, your confidence will soar.  Confidence that can't be shaken by a few numbers on a scale.  

As one of my favorite sayings right now goes "Focus on being healthy and the weight will take care of itself".  My dear friends, healthiness is not limited to that number on the scale but how you daily view yourself. YOU are beautiful. YOU are incredible. YOU are intelligent.

What words describe you?  Show us your pictures with what you are going to see when you step on that scale!

Staying Healthy While Traveling

In less than two weeks I will be hopping on a jet plane on my way to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a family vacation. Words cannot express how excited I am to spend time together with my family and to have a whole week away from work! I love my patients, but everyone needs a break every once and a while. Yesterday my mom called me and said "can we be healthy this vacation?" How many of us like to let go on vacation? I'd say likely everyone. I'd also say that quite a few people worry about sticking to their diet or health plan while on vacation. I've been there and will be there. 

To help you (and myself) out, here are some key pointers for staying healthy while traveling:

Photo by Leslie Nicole

1. When possible, get a condo so that you can make your own meals. You will spend a little extra on where you are staying, but a lot less on meals! 

2. Pack snacks for the car/flights. Apples, oranges, carrot sticks, healthy snack bars, nuts, etc. are great for traveling with. Opt to by water and keep away from sugar filled drinks. Make sure you stay hydrated! I know it is not fun to keep stopping on a road trip or to go in the small tiny airplane bathroom, but your body does need water! And when you stop at fast food, choose wisely :-).

3. When you do eat out, be conscious about what you are eating. Allow yourself that one cheat night, but don't keep cheating. Be aware of how much alcohol you are consuming and remember that alcohol temporarily turns the liver into what is called a "fatty liver" which slows down your metabolism. Slow down on the free bread or chips and salsa.

4. Make it a goal to be active for at least a half hour each day. Even if it is just a walk down the beach, just get your blood pumping!

5. Have healthy snacks around like broccoli and hummus, carrots and gauc, healthy protein powder, greek yogurt not packed with sugar, nuts, etc. so that when you have the munchies you have something healthy to grab!

6. Don't get over hungry. Plan your meals out and eat around your normal times. Also, research ahead of time restaurants where you will eat.

7. RELAX. Let your rest and the stress hormones come down to normal levels!

Happy summer travels everyone!

- Erica

Working Out Barefoot

I still remember standing in my boss's office at Rutgers as she explained barefoot workouts to me. This is before Vibrams were popular or it was all over fitness news about people running around barefoot. Her interest in barefoot workouts started from the class WillPower & Grace. It was here my interest was sparked and I was hooked on this barefoot concept. I began my research and as a science brain I really liked what I saw!

For the general public, working out barefoot can be a great addition! However, if you have had foot problems in the past make sure to consult a podiatrist on whether or not it is a good idea for you (1).

Source

Shoes have not always been around, and it is this idea that appears to be at the core of working out barefoot. Without even researching I thought about it, so why do we wear shoes? In the medical world we wear shoes to protect us from a lot of things, including needles and random flying bodily fluids. On the street we wear them to protect ourselves from the many random objects lying around. While running we wear them to support our feet. But why do we insist on wearing shoes all the time? In one foot alone there are 26 bones (or one quarter of all the bones in the body in both feet), 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments (2). So as a personal trainer who is BIG on training all the muscles, especially the small forgotten about muscles why was I NOT focusing on training all those muscles in the feet?

That was a good question I started to ask myself. So after some research and making sure it was safe for me to try working out barefoot because of an abnormality in my back, off I went to try barefoot training. You want to know what I found out? I LOVED it and still do to this day!

What are the benefits I have found from it? As I strengthened my feet outside of my 13 hour shifts in my workouts, not only did I have the support up my supportive shoes as I walk 6+ miles per shift, but I also have the support of all those strengthened muscles in my feet. Barefoot workouts is something I highly recommend for anyone who is in a job that demands them to be on their feet for long hours! I have found that my back that has always hurt, hurts less because of the support that is provided by my feet now that I have strengthened the muscles in my feet. I also love the feeling of working out without shoes or with my Vibrams. It is so nice to not feel completely constricted!

It is recommended that when you can, take off your shoes to continue to strengthen those muscles. If your feet are in poorly fitted shoes for too long, it may even weaken your arch (3). The best way to strengthen your foot is to take away the support and allow it to strengthen from within (4)!

Some suggestions I have for if you are thinking about going barefoot:

1. Make sure it is safe for you as an individual.
2. Do it with your safety in mind. Don't go running outside without shoes in a place where there could be sharp objects.
3. Start slowly. Don't just jump right into an hour workout without shoes, start with 10 minutes and continue to work your way up.
4. Stretch out your toes and feet and do exercises that focus on strengthening your feet. Here are some examples of Feet Exercises. As your feet get stronger don't be afraid to do things like jumping squats, burpees, and mountain climbers barefoot! Also, look at your local gym for barefoot classes!
5. I recommend getting a pair of barefoot shoes such as the Vibrams so that as you advance in your barefoot training, you are not limited to places where your feet will not run into sharp objects.
6. If you're lifting heavy weights, please where shoes. We don't want any of those many bones broken!

Erica, The Mastermind

Sources:

1. http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/working-out-barefoot-anything-2371.html
2. http://www.healthcommunities.com/foot-anatomy/foot-anatomy-overview.shtml
3. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2005272/The-barefoot-gym-workout-cures-arch-enemy--flat-feet.html
4. http://www.livestrong.com/article/477630-can-strengthening-foot-muscles-change-the-arch-of-the-foot/

Pilates: Like Yoga, Only Different

If You're New to Pilates or Yoga, This One's For You!

In last week’s post, I introduced you a brief history of Pilates, and what you might experience in the first 5-10 minutes of your first lesson, and I promised that in this post, I’d continue in that vein. However,I have been hearing the same question quite a bit this week, and think it would be best addressed at this time.

The question is:  “Pilates is like yoga, right?”

Well, yes and no.

Yes, in that apples, like oranges, are fruit, have skin and seeds, are in similar biological classification systems, may grow in the same climate, but usually don’t, and in most circumstances, the two fruits are quite compatible. They are very different, but are both very nice.

No, in that their history and the purpose for practicing each is very different. I often explain that yoga is a sacred practice that has been around for thousands of years, and it is primarily focused on using the body and mind to pursue and open to the spiritual. Pilates has only been around since the early part of 20th century, and it's primary focus is on the mental controlling the physical.

When discussing Pilates and yoga, they tend to be lumped into the same classification system, which is that of mind-body exercise. More on that in a later post. What you need to realize is that the history of each method is vastly different and though they share similarities in movement and benefits, at their “core”, (great word, huh?!), they are as different as an apple and an orange. Practicing either method should be based on personal preference and the needs of the individual. Both practices are valid, beneficial, and very enjoyable, but they are not the same, and can have very differing benefits.

The following are some things to think about if you're new to Pilates or yoga.

When you’re exploring the methods for the first time, it is very important to consider safety. Both methods are like swimming: Neither should be attempted by yourself or in a crowded class the first couple of times you practice. If you didn’t know how to swim would you jump into the deep end of an unattended swimming pool and hope for the best? Along the same lines, would you jump into the same pool in the middle of a really crowded class with only one teacher present and no lifeguard and hope for the best?

I am speaking from personal experience. I am a student of both Pilates and yoga, but a teacher of only Pilates. I have also been teaching for almost half my life, and spent a portion of that time teaching in physical therapy clinics where I worked with patients who had been injured in both methods. I’ve been injured in both methods. I’ve also been tremendously helped by both.

The key to success in both modalities is research, especially when you’re starting out. There are a myriad of different schools of thought in both the yoga and Pilates communities. I researched and practiced several different methods of Pilates before I became certified to teach. I kept up my studies and research, and realized a few years into my career that there were other teachers and methods that resonated more with me, and felt better for my body, so I pursued studying with those teachers and practicing those methods.

The same goes for yoga. I've studied and practiced several methods and enjoy and benefit from some more than others.

In closing, each discipline is beautiful and beneficial and both are a great compliment to any fitness regime. Practicing one or both will give you so many rewards. Do your research. Invest in learning and in your health and you’ll reap the benefits. Be safe, be smart and be strong!

Catie's Confidence Check-list

"Confidence is the only key. I know a lot of people who aren't traditionally 'beautiful'-- not symmetrical or perfect-bodied or perfect skinned. But none of that matters because all that shines through is their confidence, humor and comfort with themselves. I can't think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself."  – Emma Stone

I am a firm believe that true beauty is found on the inside and radiates through the being to which the beauty is possessed. That is the "glow" affect some people possess. Their beauty radiates! What people deem beautiful is what they see on the outside as that is our first impression. We all make assessments regarding one another's looks, styles, fashions, attitudes or lack thereof, but I will be the first to tell you – if you look and feel good about your outer appearance it will boost your confidence and allow you to feel as beautiful as you can be!

For many young women and men alike, this world is about comparison. We are always trying to measure up ourselves to the next person. Well we shouldn't do that. We should really spend some time getting to know ourselves, our likes, our dislikes, what clothes we feel best and look the best in. Since everyone is created individually with our own personalities and designs, it is simply unfair to think you should be like someone else on this earth! Embrace who and what you are then let your confidence speak.

Something that pairs with your confidence and builds your credibility would be attention to your outside appearance. Since first impressions happen daily, draw awareness to your outside. This will reinforce your new found confidence and help you approach life in a new way. When you look your best you too will feel your best.

Here is morning check list that I use to make sure I am looking/feeling my best. I encourage you to make a check list of your own and boost your confidence! This shouldn't take you more than an hour. My Confidence Check-list is down to a half an hour. I do some prep (like making sure your bag and clothes are laid out the night before) and that cuts down on my time spent pulling myself together in the morning.

Catie's Confidence Check-list:

1.   Shower: wash hair, body then face – ask yourself, “do I need to shave?”

2.   Analyze your face: do you need additional eye cream today? If not, continue with your face cleansing routine

3.   Analyze your hair: where do you want to part it? What hair products should you use today?

4.   Blow dry your hair (if necessary)

5.   Apply your make-up

6.   Brush your teeth and apply deodorant

7.   Apply lotion to your arms and legs

8.   Get dressed and flip on some music to jam to!

If I don't go through my check-list fully, I don't feel my best or if my morning gets rushed: it starts everything off on the wrong foot and I feel less confident. Or perhaps you are guilty of my favorite step skipped – forgetting the deodorant (you know the whole 'sure' or 'unsure' thing)! What can you do? You freak and everything is off...sigh.

Whatever you do for your "Confidence Check-list" remember to keep it simple and realistic. Accents are best whether it is wearing a headband, scarf or light make-up...these accessories accent your reflected inner beauty. Don't be afraid to do your thing and let that confidence show. There is only ONE YOU in this world and you owe it to yourself to shine. :-)

Catie Manning, Hair Stylist

Being Healthy on the Night Shift

This Sunday morning ended my year and a half of being on and off night shift.  I can't say I'm sad to see it go, but I am incredibly thankful for the things it allowed me to learn.  Until the night shift, I would consistently go to bed at one time and wake up at pretty much the exact same time every day.  Before I worked night shift I had only slept past 1030 AM a very few times in my life.  Until I worked night shift I did not realize how incredibly hard it is to stay healthy on a night shift schedule.

As a nurse, I learned so much in my career by being on night shift.  It allowed me to work more autonomously. I definitely learned the wonderfulness of Ambien.  I transferred far too many patients to the ICU, but not a single one of them coded in my care for which I am thankful. And I got to know some really incredible people and learn how to be a nurse without all the people around.

As a nutritionist I learned that working the night shift means that those regular meals are not going to happen. That when you stay up all night and are stressed, as nursing as a career makes you stressed, you crave those high fat foods.

As a personal trainer I learned just how hard it is to get in a regular work out routine when you walk an average of 6 miles a night at work and you are never actually awake consistently at the same time every day of the week, let alone have the consistency to work out.

As a person, I learned that my body much prefers a day schedule and I'm not the nicest person on night shift.  I learned that there were times I could sleep for almost 24 hours. And I was definitely able to sleep past 10:30 AM.