I don't like the rain. I LOVE the rain. Today, I have felt teased all day. This morning I woke to a light misty rain falling..........just enough to get my truck dirty, but then it simply tapered off and now we have this overcast sky that looks like it could break open at any minute. The breeze is gentle, but the air is thick. It is very humid today.

Do you feel the rain cominig? The air gets cool, the wind picks up, and then "here comes the rain!" Tears from heaven coming from the sky. Do you like the way the rain sounds when it splashes off things, the way it hits the windows at night when you are sleeping, or the way it comes streaming down your gutters? Do you like the smell of rain or how clean and fresh everything becomes because of the rain?

I have always wondered why people don't like the rain. They actually get upset over a few light drops of water tearing from the sky. It's comical, people will hop in the shower and spray themselves in the face with hot or cold water but they won't stand out in a light drizzle. I, on the other hand would pass on the shower and have no problem standing out in the rain. I understand it can seem bothersome at times. When you feel there's so much to do, or you are all dressed up and your hair is dazzling, and then........bam, it rains. That can be a real pisser, but guess what, you won't melt, and you will dry. And just remember, everyone else is probably going to have a bad hair day just like you!

Whether you like the rain or not, it is a necessity. Lots of people depend on the rain.....farmers, gardeners, and those without running water at all. Imagine how they love the rain!

Next time it rains, take a moment to enjoy the sound. It is really very calming. Consider all that grows with those little tears from heaven!

I think I just heard thunder! It is going to rain!

You say it's your birthday???? Have you ever thought about the word, "Birthday"? Let's have a little review session. Birthday is actually the name given to the date of the anniversary of a person's birth. Betcha didn't know that one!

Birthdays are most commonly celebrated more for the children than for the adults, unless it is a milestone birthday such as 21, 30, 40 or 50........or if you are like me and enjoy every single birthday!!!!

At childrens parties (and mine!) balloons and streamers are hung up and lots of friends are invited to the party. There are ALWAYS presents, cakes and ice cream.

As tradition has it, the birthday person usually has a cake topped with candles......one for each year and they must try to blow them out in one breath. If successful their secret wish will come true. Sometimes the person having the birthday chooses to do something really fun like: bowling, going to a movie, going out for sushi, shopping, or even going to chuckeeecheese. Why there, I am not sure, but I heard that you can be really messy and they clean up after you!

So, this big cake is made and set before the guest of honor. The candles are put on top based on how old you are and then everyone sings the "happy birthday" song. At the end of the song, the birthday person is supposed to make a wish and without telling anyone what it is, he or she blows out the candles. If they blow them all out with one blow, their birthday wishes will come true. So where did that birthday song come from? It was written by two American sisters in 1893, and has been translated into several languages around the world.

One more tidbit.........back in the day, some children received birthday "spankings", which were originally based on superstition, but are now more of a birthday prank or a joke. Are you telling me that my five year old birthday spankings were a prank? NO WAY! I won't believe it. I still have the pictures and I believe history when they say that spankings were given for each year of the birthday child's life. Beyond that number, a child received another spanking to grow on, one to live on, one to eat on, one to be happy, and yet another spanking to get married on. I never got that last one!!!

Why all the history? I just want to tell my two friends, Jennifer Becker and Sheri Hofhuis, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Jen's birthday is tomorrow and Sheri's is on September 11. I love you guys and hope you have a super spectacular anniversary birthday shinding full of fun, balloons, streamers, cake, ice cream, friends, family, and lots of spankings to grow on, live on, eat on, get married on, and have precious little babies on!

Back in 1986, I bought this old '72 Ford LTD. I payed cash for it.......$750. She was a "cream puff" as my dad would say. I drove that thing through my first year of residency (1997). I loved that car. It was simple, straight-forward, no nonsense. There were no onboard computers, no electric windows, no navigation system (not that I couldn't have used one of those a time or two driving back and forth to college). I always tried to find a faster, easier route from Waverly to Spencer. Truth is, by the time I got back on the main roads after being lost, I didn't save a minute of time.

And then there is my dad telling me to check the oil, make sure you have water in the radiator, and don't travel if you are tired? Well, I might have overlooked a few of his comments more than once! Like the time, I was singing along to my favorite Bruce Springsteen song while the breeze was blowing in through the window, my hair blowing like a tumble weed, the lining on the roof of the car sagging down because the air was getting up underneath and causing a parachute like effect. Don't laugh, this is all true. Then, oh man, I hadn't driven far enough nor long enough before this black smoke was coming out from under the hood. I got out and went around to the front of the car. I stood there looking down, like an idiot, immobile. I was struck by the fact that I didn't really want to have a look. I knew it had been a long time since I looked under the hood. And, I am not sure I wanted to the information lying at the end of the dipstick.

I had to have a look. This could not go on. I found the oil dipstick, pulled it out with dread.........whew, a cold shiver fell over me. It looked ok. I sighed, but next was the radiator. I heard my dad's voice, "Malea, don't forget to check the water level in the radiator". Oh good grief, Malea, just loosen up the cap and see what damage has been done. Yea, that was it. I peered into the DARK, black hole and could just barely see the water level line. Good thing I stopped when I did. You know the people who don't stop....They drive with a fire coming out from under their hood untill they get to the next town! Luckily, I had some water bottles in my car. My dad kept gallon jugs of water in my trunk for fear that this very thing would happen to me on the road! My dad is so smart!

We do this with our internal life as well. Something comes up to cause us to realize it has been a long time since we had a look under the hood. We eat poorly for years and years only to find that our cholesterol is elevated, we are on the verge of diabetes, and our BMI reads.........."Obese". Over the years I have learned a valuble lesson: pay now, or pay MORE later. It's true in every aspect of our life. "I don't want to exercise. I just want to coast along." It's usually too late when we find ourselves in the ICU after a major heart surgery. So, what's the deal here? I will tell you what is really going on here...........WE do not want to be inconvenienced. Whether it is the water level in my radiator or the health of your heart, we don't want the information that we already sense could be bad or worse yet, don't want the disruption that it could bring. WE would rather avoid it altogether.........until my car shuts down, or you have your first MI.

The truth is, we all need to make a little shift in life. We all need to cultivate a willingness to go wherever it is we need to go to face life........especially when it comes to the internal issues. I love my old Ford LTD, but it is nothing compared to your health. There is no getting to it later. We don't get to it later. It simply goes away. Now is the time.........check under your hood!

Goooooooood morninnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng Bloggers!!!!!!!!

I'm sitting in front of my computer this morning (obviously!), my fingers lying softly on the keys of the keyboard. My email is open to a message I received this past Thursday from one of my exercise participants. When I got done reading the message, I was prompted to delete, save, or simply move on to the next message. My inner voice was asking me, "Are you sure you want to delete this email?" No, I'm not sure. It is such a good email. A long pause. A deep sigh. Want to know what it said? Of course you do!

Jill, Malea and Sarah,

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!! 100 exactly. Actually it was 98.8 so they had be take off my watch, my glasses, and my socks and that did it.
Thanks to all of you for pushing me. This was one of my ultimate goals. My next one is 13 more pounds. This will get me to what I weighed the day I started college in Aug of 1985.
Just so you know, I really enjoy how you all do the classes. I like the variety and I like not knowing what we're going to do in advance. It makes it a lot of fun! I never would have said that about any exercise even a year ago. I've come a long way.

Does that email just want to make your heart leap for joy? This is a lady who has been on a mission to lose a 100 pounds......not an easy goal as you may guess. Her story actually began quite some time ago. On and off "diets", little or no physcial activity. "Hey couch potatoes, do you hear me?" "Is your heart beating out of your chest?" That could be your red flag, tiny as it may seem, a red flag nonetheless. You can be just as successful as this lady. Get up, get going, come follow me to the sanctuary of health. It won't be easy, nothing worth having is ever EASY! But you can do it! I have seen it happen thousands of times before. Give it a try.

Until next time, train hard and eat smart!

Your IronLadyDoc

Ahhh, how are my blogger buddies doing this fine Thursday morning? It is hot and muggy.......but oh so much better than 40 below zero!

Over the past two months I have been on "summer vacation." Now that all the kids are back to school, I don't have any play buddies. Overall, It has been an enjoyable time of book reading, "deck" time, job searching, and yes, lawn care! I have to say, my lawn is the envy of the neighborhood. I have been asked if I want to go into full-time landscaping and lawn care as my lawn is looking like the back nine at Pinehurst.

Did you know your lawn is similar to your body..........it craves feedings and water. If you are interested in what I do for my lawn, here are my secrets:

1-Apply a fertilizer called, “Scotts Turf Builder With Halts Crabgrass Preventer” in April or May. Fertilizing lawns goes hand in hand with weed control.
2-“Scotts Turf Builder With PLUS 2 Weed Control” can be applied in June. This fertilizer fills the need for additional weed control, as the herbicide component fights everything from ground ivy to purslane to white clover.
3-In July or August, apply “Scotts Super Turf Builder with SummerGuard.” This fertilizer is billed by Scotts as a product that “strengthens and summer-proofs" your grass while "combating a spectrum of harsh seasonal threats like insects, heat and drought.”
4-Finally, Scotts winterizering fertilizer should be applied in fall. Fertilizing lawns with this product will not only prepare grass for winter, but also give you a head start towards achieving the green turf you’ll want next spring.

Ok, now, if you want to know about feeding your body, read the following:

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.
2. Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein with each meal.
3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.
4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.
5. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).
6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea.
7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks). For these I recommend about 40 grams of easily digestable carbs and 20 grams of whey protein.

Helloooooooooo Blogsters! Today is a friend's birthday. Can you guess by the picture who this is? You got it............Jill Olsen. She does not like birthdays half as much as I do, but now that I am making her famous, you might as well send Jill a happy birthday greeting on her email at olsenjill@yahoo.com

She will love me for this!!

Hellooooo Everyone! I have to do a little bragging tonight! I help teach a class called X-cise at Priority Fitness and Health Spa. It is for women who are overweight. Many have never worked out before in their life. Others have been involved in other programs or had a personal trainer.

The first class started August 11 and, I must say, these women have done awesome. I am really proud of their hard work. Tonight they were sweating and groaning, but they got the job done. It helped when the "Eye of the Tiger" came on! I saw a little bit of sly Stallone in each of these ladies.

My friends, Sara Hunt and Jill Olsen, are the main "go-to" gals for workouts, but I have been helping with meal plans and lectures covering the basics of eating healthy.

If you are interested in learning more about the classes offered please contact Jill Olsen at olsenjill@yahoo.com or Sara Hunt at priorityfitness@yahoo.com

You will see how we can "Change YOUR Body, One Class at a Time!"

Hello Bloggers! You mustn't worry yourselves that my blog has not been updated for 9 months. In fact, my website has not been updated for 11 months. Here's to a new start. I have a friend working on my website and it looks to be up in the next 6 months. We must not rush her as this could ruffle some feathers. She once told me she does not like deadlines. Amazing, but I heard she still has her job!! Ha!

I have some new friends.......or so my facebook says! It is amazing how many people get on that site. Michael Phelps even asked to be my friend. I have that effect on a lot of people! Of course, I clicked YES! I can't leave the olympian hangin'.

My summer has gone by lickity split. I went on a mission trip to Uganda June 14-28 with ChildVoice International (www.childvoiceintl.org). This was some serious fly time, but it was so worth it. Yea, it changed my life. Of course it did. Just try it sometime........go to a third world country and see if you don't come back a changed person. I will have pics posted on my website (www.maleajensen.com).

In case you have not heard, Michigan plays Utah the first game of the year next weekend. Yay, for college football and the Michigan Wolverines!!!