Weight is just a number!!!

How many of you are OBSESSED with the number that you see on the scale?  I know I have a hard time realizing that the number on the scale is just that, a number.  There are so many factors to consider when analyzing that number, such as how tall you are and how much muscle mass you have.  Below is a great picture of what the difference in height can do to that number you see staring back at you.

Now lets dissect this a little more and compare fat to muscle.  Although one pound of muscle and one pound of fat weigh exactly the same, one pound of fat takes up more space in your body.  So when you get disappointed over only losing ONE POUND, think of how significant that ONE POUND is.

As you work out, you may not be losing weight.  Don't judge your success by the number on a scale, but by how much fat you are losing compared to how much muscle mass you have gained.

If you want to know your actual percentage of fat compared to muscle and want a more accurate method than calculating your BMI, you can have a Hydrostatic Underwater Weighing done that will give you the precise number you are looking for.  There are many companies that provide this service all over the country and some even have mobile testing labs that will come to your gym if enough people sign up.  If you are interested in this service Fitness Wave provides this service for under $60 in the Orange County, CA area. 

So when you look at the scale tomorrow morning and you've only lost one pound, CELEBRATE!!!

PR Week at my box!!!

For those of you who are into CrossFit (like me and the majority of my friends), you know how it feels when you PR (personal record) something at the box.  This week at my box, CrossFit Structured, is TEST week.  Basically this means that throughout the week we will be lifting heavy and trying to find our PR.

At my box, they have a PR bell that you ring whenever you do something exceptional.  Every time I lift anything, it is usually a PR as I've never really lifted heavy weight before in my life. However, the bell will be ringing nonstop this week as my fellow CrossFitter's will be working on their goals and setting a higher standard for themselves.

What are your PR's??  Share with us you most memorable lift, the way it made you feel, the dance you did when you accomplished your amazing feat.

I share with you this video of my amazing coach Michelle Mascoto snatching 140#.  In 13 seconds, you can see the utter delight of her accomplishment as well as her dedication to working on her own PR's that will encourage those that she coaches!  She is a huge inspiration in my life and love the hard work that she puts into coaching and improving those around her!

Summertime Blues

Summertime and its joys of laughter and sunshine are coming to an end for many of us!  For some of the writers here at MM&M, kids will be heading back to school soon, making way for more hours available in the gym for the stay at home moms, for others the end of summer means returning to work as dedicated teachers and finding less time for themselves.

As for me, I really have no excuse not to make it to my box as my hours are the same regardless of the time of year.  I have the same job at the same company that I have had for the last 7 1/2 years, however I can't figure out where my time goes!

Time management is one of my biggest downfalls, especially since graduating in December.  I have no more homework and after work I have a tendency to not want to do anything unless it involves hanging out with my hubby!  This week my time has been sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing trying to get rid of the migraine I have had since Saturday.  But what about next week?

What do you do to keep you motivated and on track with your workouts? 

On a side note, I am making progress at my box and am appreciative of the dedication that my coach has to push me as hard as possible.  I went out with friends last week in a dress that I would never have worn before.  I felt great!

T-Rex Arms

So typing right now isn't the easiest of things so this won't be a super long post.

On Saturday I had the WOD from hell and I'm still paying for it. 

"The 100's" - Partner WOD

100x Pull-ups

KB Rack and Hold

100x Wall Balls

KB Rack and Hold

100x Cal Row

KB Rack And Hold

100x Burpees

KB Rack and Hold

1 Mile Farmer carry

My partner and I divided everything in half and did sets of 10's.  While one person was doing their set, the other had to rack and hold 2 Kettle Bells. 

This my friends was the first WOD that I've ever thrown up on, and the one that has left me with the most pain. I'm dealing with T-Rex arms!  I can't straighten either arm completely and my left is far worse than my right.  I believe in technical terms it is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and will go away (hopefully) with some rest and ice.

This is the frustrating part of Exercising!  I want to go more frequently, but my body is rejecting the thought!  Hopefully I will get over this quickly so I can get back to my WOD's.

Have you ever suffered from T-Rex arms??  What is the best method to get the pain down and get back to exercising?

Happy Feet?

Are your feet happy?  Mine, not so much...

First off I have to say, I love shoes!  I'm a shoe-aholic and have a closet dedicated to them.. Gorgeous heels, cowboy boots, Converse, Vans and my Nanos for my WOD's.  My closet is insanely organized and it is depressing as I hardly get to wear all of the shoes that I love.

The issue that I have (although only self diagnosed at the moment) is called a tailors bunion or a bunionette.  This is basically a bunion but on the outside of the foot by the pinky toe. Lately these little bunionettes (oh yeah I have them on both feet) have been causing me lots of pain.  Usually it's discomfort while wearing heels, but now it's pain and inflammation while WODing.

These are shots of my little piggy's. I know I need a pedi! As you can see the area on both my feet just below my pinky toe bulges out a bit.  The left foot is worse than the right. Ehhh!

I had X-rays taken last week and have an appointment with a podiatrist on Wednesday to see what the verdict is.  I'm hoping there are some non-surgical methods of reducing the pain and/or reversing the condition if it isn't too far advanced (fingers crossed!!) BUT, after doing a ton of research online and finding normal x-rays compared to my f'd up feet, I think I may be in for a long road of ...dare I say it...Surgery?!?!?

The x-rays above show my lovely feet.  In technical terms there is prominence of the 5th metatarsal head (yellow arrows) and increased angulation between the 4th and 5th metatarsals (black arrows). There is also slight lateral bowing of the shaft of the 5th metatarsal (red arrows).  
Basically the long bone (metatarsal) that is attached to my pinky toe is bowing, creating a gap between the next metatarsal, causing the pinking toe to point in towards the rest of my foot, resulting in a bulge called a bunionette.  Make sense??

This my friends is a normal foot.  As you can see, the 5th metatarsal is in perfect alignment with the rest of the bones.
No Gap.
No Bowing.
No Bunionette.

Do you deal with any foot pain or issues?  Tell me the plight of your feet!

Third times a charm!

I think I've found my Box! I've researched every CrossFit location in North Orange County, tried Groupon and Living Social deals and have driven miles and miles hoping to find a home and finally found one - practically in my own backyard (Ok it's 2 1/2 miles away but that's pretty damn close). 

From the moment I met the owners of CrossFit Structured in Fullerton, Freddie Moore and his wife Michelle, I knew I had found my niche. 

I decided to start fresh, I've gone through their 101 courses and although I am struggling and learning what my body is capable of (and especially what it's not), I'm dedicated to making the changes that I need to in order to have the body and health that I want. 

In my wod today I thought I was going to die; I'm still getting dizzy and light headed, hoping that it's just from not being super active or because I have so much compression around my chest to harness in my ginormous girls.

I got super frustrated with myself as I felt like I should have been able to do more today than I did. Freddie noticed this frustration and reminded me of something that I thought was meant only for the hard bodies: check your ego at the door. This is great advice for me as I have a tendency to be very hard on myself and to get frustrated and intimidated by things I have no control over. All of that sh*t needs to be left outside.  I need to concentrate on doing the wod to the best of my ability and not stress about the things I have no control over. 

I am determined to put everything I can into my new box. I think I will have the encouragement I need to succeed and the heart and dedication to make it my home!

Motivation...Part 2

As I sit here typing, I am already exhausted thinking about my week to come. Starting tomorrow I will be going to either crossfit or yoga every day during the week, taking only Saturdays off (and one Thursday to go out with the girls!).  I know some of you may say that I might be starting off with too much all at once, but I think that if I don't go all in, I will end up not going at all.

For the next three weeks, Crossfit will be Tuesdays and Thursdays and yoga will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  I currently have sessions left for yoga on a Living Social deal that I bought and they expire on June 16.  The Groupon I bought for Crossfit Riot in Brea still has 16 days on it as well.  After the 16th, Crossfit will jump to 3 days a week.  HOPEFULLY at that point in time I will be as in love with it as I was a few months ago and have no hesitation in going all the time.

I will also be eating stricter Paleo with the help of eMeals which I have mentioned in a previous post.  My plan with this is to go shopping every Sunday night for meals for the upcoming week. 

I am overwhelmed and nervous, but I think with the help of all those that read this, I can push through and overcome my own demons.

What Time is Your Workout?

I'm beat, I'm worn down and it's only 7.15 pm (Tuesday afternoon). I'm avoiding my phone because 3 different people sent me messages and I simply have no energy to respond.  In fact, it's taking all my strength to type this blog right now.  Why am I so tired?

Junior-highers.  I'm currently doing a long-term subbing experience and, WOW, those 7th-graders are SO WILY .  Good kids, but OI!  how they do require so much more attention and repeating and reminding and PATIENCE (and they only account for 2 of the 5 classes I'm subbing).  Toss in my late twilight trysts with that dirty little time-whore, Insomnia, lasting anywhere from 1 to 2 hours (it seems Insomnia is needy and desperate and can't live without me), and add a dash of the hot, dry, windy town in which I'm subbing (it's much cooler in the mountains where I live, and as my acupuncturist once told me, I am allergic to wind) and... I'm just beat.

I haven't worked out since Sunday and I can't bring myself to get off this couch unless it means going to bed right now, reading (A Storm of Swords; what can I say, I'm a Game of Thrones addict) myself to my first round of sleep and forgoing my work out.  I keep saying, I'll wake up extra early and do my work out then, like I used.  But extra early means long before my current 5 am rooster crow and I just can't relinquish those few little extra hours of sleep when Insomnia stalks me out nightly.

I know, I know. I'm bitching to an audience that has long-since put on their big girl panties and made the decision to work out no matter how early/how late/how tired you feel.  And I'll do that, too (like tomorrow!), but it made me wonder how many of you are early birds or afternooners?  And did you choose that time out of convenience or because you read somewhere that then was the best time to work out?  

There is actually a lot of info on what the best time to work out is and the reviews are mixed.  Here are a few reasons why early morning workouts are so great according to an article on BoxingScene.com:


-Over 90% of people who exercise *consistently*, exercise in the morning. If you want to exercise
consistently, odds are in your favor if you exercise first thing in the morning.

-When you exercise early in the morning, it "jump starts" your metabolism and keeps it elevated
for hours, sometimes up to 24 hours! That means you're burning more calories all day long just because you exercised in the morning!

-Many people find that morning exercise "regulates" their appetite for the day - that they
aren't as hungry and that they make better food choices. Several people have told me that it puts
them in a "healthy mindset."

-Research has demonstrated that exercise increases mental acuity. On average it lasts four to ten hours after exercise! No sense in wasting that brain power while you're sleeping. :)


And now, the defenses for an afternoon workout from a Shine.com article:

-Everyone else is doing it: If procrastination is your middle name, it's easy to say you're going to work out, but then find a million reasons to put it off until it's 6 p.m. when you're too starved to even think about exercise. Around lunch is a popular time to sweat it out — you'll probably even notice a few of your co-workers slipping out of the office and heading out with gym bag in hand. Getting inspired by joining the pack at the same time every day is one way to make sure you don't skip out on your workout, and once you do it for a few weeks, it'll become a habit. 

-Reduced risk of injury: Since your body has been awake for several hours, it's had more time to move around and get the blood flowing. Heading into a noon workout means your mind is more alert, which can prevent injuries caused by morning grogginess (like falls or forgetting to use equipment properly). A warmed-up body is also less tense and more flexible, lowering your risk of a pulled muscle. As an added bonus, when your body feels more open, you're more likely to work out harder and longer. 

-Saves calories, burns calories: If you have plans to meet a friend for a noon yoga class, you know you can't down an enormous meal beforehand without feeling gassy and sluggish, so that's one way a noon workout saves calories. Plus you'll burn 300 or more calories on the hour-long workout, and since brisk exercise has been shown to suppress your appetite you'll feel inspired to eat something light and healthy for lunch afterward (instead of blowing all your hard work on a 1,400 calorie burger and fries).  That midday workout can also give you energy later on in the day, avoiding the need for a high-calorie late afternoon pick-me-up.

So the jury is tied...or is it?  What do you think?

Blogger Edit:  I did put on my big girl panties (and sweats) and squatted and lunged til my ass was on fire this afternoon.  Feels good, but I am certainly more energetic and enthused in the morning.

Controversy: Love Your Body NO MATTER What Size

I’m writing this blog today hoping that those close to me won’t roll their eyes having to read what I’ve been bitching about the last couple of weeks. Ah, well… here goes:

Recently on a Fitness blog (er, Facebook page, rather) the admin wrote that when people claim to love their body at any size, it was a cop-out that kept people from pushing hard in the gym and from achieving health. I say: Yes and No.

Yes, for some it is a cop-out phrase.  In fact, most of us have used it circumstantially: indulging in one more slice (small, I swear!) of chocolate cake, hitting the snooze button instead of hitting the gym (what’s one rest day?), or swinging through Carl’s Jr. for their $6 Bacon Guacamole Burger (lots of protein in that, right? But hold the onions because they make me gassy). Those are just a few *ahem* random examples. ;-P

And again, that phrase “Love your body at any size” is entirely circumstantial. I do not know a single woman at ANY size or level of physique that has fully and adequately loved their body.  With all this self-denigrating, body-loathing so pervasive in our culture, this is just the TIP of why this fitness blog admin’s post pisses me off. She went on to say she just meant “unhealthy size”.  That was the exact term she used, with no index of what “unhealthy size” meant. The coupling of this term is problematic. Here’s why:

“Unhealthy” could mean incorporation of any of the following: 

--Consumption of sugar, salt, processed foods 
--Consumption of dairy, non-pasteurized dairy 
 --Consumption of meat 
--Consumption of carbs; grains, wheat 
--Consumption of alcohol 
--Eating more than 3 times a day 
--Eating less than 5-6 small meals a day 
--Eating fat/Not eating any fat/Eating low-fat 

You and I can sit here all day and argue for and against each of these bullet points. Fruit contains sugar—should I cut that out? The protein powders used and highly regarded on that Fitness blog (as well as many others) contain both salt and processing (sugar as well!), so should those be eliminated? Dairy causes inflammation; meat is murder (please don’t sue me for infringement, Morissey) and can spike our cholesterol. But dairy and meat both contain excellent proteins (where do you think we get whey protein from!?) Also, wine and beer have proven to be good for both the memory and the heart, carbs = energy, and fat is good for heart and joint health. As far as meals go, 5-6 small meals can wreak havoc on a stomach if there is no digestive “rest” and eating only 3 meals a day can lower energy levels and bodily processes.

So there it is. Everything healthy is really unhealthy and vice-versa, right? Well, no, that’s not the point. Because the human body is so dynamic and complex, “healthy” is an adjective. It’s a descriptor, not a noun or classification. My friend who suffers from celiac disease can’t eat gluten, but I can. My other friend who has a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease won’t eat meat, but I do (too many nut proteins cause my skin to break out). My husband drinks copious amounts of coffee and would close down a Starbucks in an hour if they ever offered all-you-can-drink-French-Roast and is in tip-top running shape like a sleek cheetah, but if I have more than two cups I’m having an anxiety attack.

As an adjective, “healthy” contains more shades of grey than that damn book I can’t bring myself to read. What works for me does not work for you, and vice versa. I can’t run hard with my bum knee; a friend of mine can’t do certain lifting or asanas because of her bum back. Luckily, there are many ways to color ourselves “healthy” beyond the "what works for that chick/dude" mentality.

This brings me to the misuse of the word “size”. We all know Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 in her day (which I think is what we call an 8 or 10 now?). But I also know that Scarlett Johansen, J-Lo and Kim Kardashian are not size 2s and they are still physically delicious (I know debatable).  Even Alicia Marie or Kim Lyon (Fitness & Figure competitors) won’t fit a size 2 and their weight (not fat percentile) is actually in the mid-upper range of what constitutes a healthy BMI. Curiously enough, in looking at that Fitness blog admin’s photos, one friend commented how it did not inspire her while another found the photos wholly inspiring. The difference is not in the fault of the blog admin's body, but in each of my friends’ own ideas of what they wanted to achieve personally: leaning out and being thin and ripped, or gaining muscle mass and definition without cutting.

Again the beauty of the human body is how different we all are. Our bodies are literally different shapes (often described as endo-/ecto-/meso-morphs) and capable of pushing different boundaries. There is no one single fitness regimen/eating plan that fits every single person.

THE ONLY SHOULD THAT SHOULD EXIST IS THIS: 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD IN FACT LOVE THEIR BODY NO MATTER WHAT SIZE OR SHAPE. (And men, this can include you, as well, but as this is an unfortunate soul-sucking, self-denigrating discussion among us in the vaginally-equipped community I’m directing my discussion and gendered terms/pronouns there.) 

Loving is a verb, an action word. If we are incapable of loving ourselves and that means ALL of ourselves, then we are forever unhealthy. We all love people who have characteristics or habits that piss us off, and yet we still love them, right? So why can’t we love all of ourselves in spite of our perceived flaws?

Specific to this blog: Love your body right now. Love those curves, those stretch marks, love all over those sagging parts, those scarred or atrophied places. The moment you realize that those are all wonderful pieces worthy of your attention, you will be granted the freedom to do with them what you will. Eat and train to create them into what you want, or leave them as they are in their natural occurring state. You can always love your body no matter what size, without having to love that size.  That number doesn't carry any value until you assign it value.  The joy and beauty lies in it being your choice—your choice to love yourself as you wish and NO ONE, not me nor Hollywood nor the IFBB nor that admin on that Fitness blog can ever tell you what that should look like, and ESPECIALLY never ever ever to tell you to not love yourself as you are. 

And that, my friends, is what happens when you piss off a dirty hippy. She writes a blog post and sends you all love.

Love and light, especially to that Fitness blogger.

Mud is Good for the Skin, RIGHT??

I sure hope it is because, come Saturday, I will be covered in it!

On the 13th the hubby and I, along with a few friends, are going to be celebrating our wedding anniversary by participating in the Warrior Dash!! Two of our other Bloggers, Stefanie and Andrea, just competed in the Dash in Lake Elsinore. And they killed it! I hope to do half as good as they did. Really, my only goal is to finish, preferably unscathed.  

Being new to running, it is important for me to have goals. 5Ks are a great way for me to have that driving force. If I have something to look forward to, it keeps me going.

We ran our very first 5k a couple weeks ago. The event itself was a disaster (that's a long story for another day, but I can say this: DO NOT do the Neon Run! This is not to be confused with the Neon Splash Dash). But the actual running-of-a-5k thing went great. I surprised myself at how well I did! Even though the Warrior Dash is full of obstacles, I am still pretty confident I can conquer it. 

The hub and I are a bit obsessed with races at the moment. Though we've only completed one run, here is what our upcoming schedule looks like:

• April 13 - Warrior Dash (5K w/ obstacles) - My goal is to finish and not die.
• April 20 - Pat's Run  (4.2 miles, longest run of my life) - My goal is to run the entire thing without stopping and a director at work has presented a challenge to everyone: beat his time and he refunds your entry fee! Not sure that's feasible but would definitely be the icing on the cake.
• May 11th - Neon Splash Dash (5K at night covered in glowing paint) - Hoping this event isn't a bust like our first 5K and just want to have fun

Hub wants to eventually run a marathon, perhaps by next year. I'm not sure that is a goal of mine just yet, but it would be an amazing feat!

What kind of fun things do YOU do to get moving??

**The above picture is NOT of me but I hope to be that happy when caked in mud.

Retail Therapy

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to shop.  Like many of you, shopping for me is retail therapy.

retail therapy (noun): an addictive high similar to the one experiences while smoking crack cocaine, but as a result of a purchase, often in the form of clothing, jewelry, or other wearable items, and intensely magnified when said items are on sale.  (Example: Macy's is having a 20% off sale and I'm stressed; time for some retail therapy! YOLO!)

My weakness is usually jeans (Hudsons) and shoes, but I've found two new addictions that help me look better and feel better about myself - Workout Clothing and Lingerie!

Both of these items are usually crazy expensive, resulting in only a few purchase over a year and only when one doesn't fit or it's been washed so many times it needs to go in the trash.  Two websites  I found let you FILL your closet and dresser drawers with the latest styles WITHOUT putting a major dent in your wallet!

First up we have Ellie, a website dedicated to the cutest workout clothing I have come across.  From bright bold colors, to crazy prints; anything you wear from them is a fashion statement!  The great thing about Ellie is they have a subscription based program called The Fit Fashionista Club.

What this entails is:

• You can choose any two pieces each month for only $49.95. No matter if you want two tops, or two bottoms or a combination of both. 
• Free shipping on all orders, no matter how often you order per month.  This means you can order other items at regular price and still get free shipping (and free returns if necessary)
• Priority access to the month's collection.  Club members see the collection before non-members.
• Exclusive access to limited edition pieces, Flash Sales, exclusive discounts and other, members-only events. 
• If you don't like any of the pieces in the collection, you can skip the month at no charge.

For a limited time, you can use the promo code WELCOME20 or BFF20 for 20% off your first order!

For the lingerie, I've found AdoreMe  This site has a wide selection of sexy lingerie pieces that fit like a glove! There's all kinds of styles, from bras and panties, sleepwear, corsets and they even have swim suits in the summer! I absolutely LOVE that they have collections dedicated to those that are larger on top! (This means you, DD, E, F, FF, & G!!!)

AdoreMe has a VIP program that works similar to Ellie's:

• Get a personalized showroom on the 1st of each month.  You’ll receive a seasonal selection of lingerie handpicked by their stylists to fit your fashion
• Any lingerie set is only $39.95! You can purchase any style on AdoreMe for $39.95 (save up to 50% OFF retail) 
• Every 6th Set is Free! Get a free set each time you reach 5 purchases, anytime you buy! (no need to buy 5 items at once).
• Always Free shipping and Free exchanges!
• Skip ANY month free of charge

For under $100 a month, you could have the clothes to work out in and the lingerie to look hot in...WAY less than any of those fancy specialty stores!

SWEAT…..My Guilty Pleasure

When I was fat, miserable, and completely unhealthy, I used to sweat just walking, and I didn’t walk enough. I despised sweat. It was so GROSS, ewwwww. Today, though I have a new guilty pleasure: I desire sweat. Sweat and I have fallen in love…..and this is how I got there.

When I first started to work out at almost 250 pounds after my second child was born, I was my own worst enemy. I would work out and eat well one day and then have a bad day (eat some pizza rolls and ice cream) and let the ONE bad day turn into BAD YEARS. At about 26 years old I was told that if I didn't lose the weight I would be diabetic by thirty.

This is where the MAGIC happened. 

I committed myself to working out and eating healthier. I didn't want the quick fix anymore, I didn't cry when I exercised. I became a machine, I became strong, I became patient, and I lost 100 pounds. It only took me FIVE long years, (yup no Biggest Loser fast fixes in the real world folks) but I did it!

I didn't give up. I didn't let one bad day turn into shame, guilt and fat in which made me HATE myself. Sure I still have bad days, I’m not perfect. I recently gained back a few pounds, I hope its muscle but I’m sure it was the blue cheese fries and bread I recently indulged on in San Diego. The biggest difference is NOW when I have those days of imperfection, whether it is in my nutrition, physical triumphs or fails, or life in general I know anything worth while has to involve SWEAT. I sweat often, and I sweat proud.

Work Hard Ladies and Gentlemen, make every minute of your exercise count. Become a sweat machine. 

(Image courtesy of Fitness World on Facebook.)

 

Here are a few benefits of sweating it OUT:

1. Sweat is your body's natural way of removing toxins- Sweating helps remove toxins and disease from the system. Up to 30% of the body's waste is removed through sweat. In many countries, at the first sign of illness, a dry sauna is often the first step towards avoiding or reducing symptoms... a good sweat has the power to stop a cold in its tracks.

2. Sweating can improve cardiovascular health- When your body heats up and starts to sweat, you breathe faster and the heart works harder to improve circulation in order to return your body to a normal temperature. Regularly working up a good sweat can have long-term benefits for these reasons; your heart is a muscle, so you know it's getting a workout when you sweat.

3. Sweating helps you lose weight faster- Exercise is a key component in weight loss. Aside from all the physical benefits, as the body heats up through exercise, water-soluble fat leaves the body in the form of sweat. We've all heard people talk about "burning calories" and"melting off pounds"... little do they realize that really is what's taking place!

4. Sweating can beautify your skin- As sweat moves out of the body through the skin, it unclogs pores, and this in turn can help clear up acne and other skin conditions. Heavy sweating, when done regularly, can help to slow down the early signs of skin damage and aging.

5. Sweating helps to relieve stress- Endorphins are chemicals that are released by the body in certain situations such as stress, fear or pain. When you sweat from exercise, endorphins are released. This helps to not only give you that "second wind" or “runners high” to power through your workout, but it also helps to brighten your mood and lower stress levels. Passive sweating (such as from sitting in a steam room) can also be very therapeutic and has been associated with reduced levels of stress.