One of my biggest downfalls over the years has been expecting too much too fast. I have started exercise and healthy eating many times in January over the years and by February was disgusted with the lack of results. I think this is common for many and in this day and time patience is hard to find. Right now you may be going through this stage of..."it's not working so why bother." Don't stop now. It takes time to undo years of bad habits and some people's bodies respond quicker than others. To be honest mine didn't respond at all; my meatbolism what shot out from years of unhealthy eating habits like...no breakfast, processed food, and binge eating .
Your body has four major glands: thyroid, pituitary,adrenal, and gonad that need to function in balance with each other in order for our bodies to function properly. When I say function properly, I mean to utilize food appropriately... burn calories, take in needed nutrients, and dispose of excess waste. When we eat poorly and don't exercise enough these glands get out of balance. When these glands get out of balance it creates cravings and unhealthy eating desires... salty, sweets, and carbohydrates. This usually places excess stress on one or more of the glands. The gland begins to work extra hard to keep up and the others work less; eventually leading to a blow out. Why do so many people have thyroid issuses? Because it has worked so hard of the years with these unhealthy habits it just fizzles out. Can it work again? I believe the answer is yes, but only when the body is back in balance.
The body was designed to be in balance. It is a delicate and very intricate body of systems that work together to function properly. You can't expect it to change over night when it hasn't been maintained appropriately. It is like a lawn mower sitting in a garage for two years, if it hasn't been maintained when you go out to crank it, it's not going to start. At that point you don't have to trash it and get a new one, you just have to give it an overhaul .. change the oil, put in new spark plugs, give it new gas and filters and you are ready to go. It's the same thing with your body; it just needs an overhaul. Be patient do the right things for your body and it will eventually get back in balance and give you the results you desire.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Buddy System
Finding what works to keep you motivated and on target with fitness is difficult at best. Some people have this intrinsic desire to do and want better and they do it. That is not me. I wanted the results, but my lack of confidence has always been my downfall. I would try, but at the first signs of fatigue, or pain or anything else I would fall short. I had no clue that a simple act of hooking up with someone else could be the key for me. I ended up with four ladies that became my buddies, but in the beginning I really didn't even know them. Maybe the fact that they were not my best friend helped drive me, I don't know, but it worked.
Each week, three times usually, we would meet with the same goal ... just to finish the workout. Maybe it was this not knowing each other that worked out great in the beginning because underneath I think we were probably driven to either beat each other or not let the other know we were weak wimps. Either way it has been the thread that has held us together through the years and now we have this wonderful relationship. When you start out at the bottom of the pit with each other and you claw and scrape your way up you somehow bond. Crazier things have happened I am sure, but the end result has been awesome.
We have cried together and celebrated together. We have lost probably 70 pounds together, completed races, improved our running times, and even won a few medals/trophies here and there. It's amazing now how well we know each others weaknesses and strengths. The relationship that we have formed has been the driving force in keeping us motivated and three years later and still going strong. We have different goals sometimes and sometimes they are the same. We will complete our first marathon together, our goal times will be different, but the end result for us will be the accomplishment of completing it. Training together, making sure we stay on track, not letting another get away with not training is an unspoken rule. We hold each other accountable with out saying it knowing that we can't let ourselves down, but we can't let each other down.
The Buddy System has worked for us like nothing else. It has motivated me to stay committed to myself and to my group. We need each other, without this relationship, I believe I would fall. So I encourage you to try the buddy system Find someone looking to get healthier and exercise just like you, it doesn't have to be your best friend, but you never know what type of relationship might form .. try it.
Each week, three times usually, we would meet with the same goal ... just to finish the workout. Maybe it was this not knowing each other that worked out great in the beginning because underneath I think we were probably driven to either beat each other or not let the other know we were weak wimps. Either way it has been the thread that has held us together through the years and now we have this wonderful relationship. When you start out at the bottom of the pit with each other and you claw and scrape your way up you somehow bond. Crazier things have happened I am sure, but the end result has been awesome.
We have cried together and celebrated together. We have lost probably 70 pounds together, completed races, improved our running times, and even won a few medals/trophies here and there. It's amazing now how well we know each others weaknesses and strengths. The relationship that we have formed has been the driving force in keeping us motivated and three years later and still going strong. We have different goals sometimes and sometimes they are the same. We will complete our first marathon together, our goal times will be different, but the end result for us will be the accomplishment of completing it. Training together, making sure we stay on track, not letting another get away with not training is an unspoken rule. We hold each other accountable with out saying it knowing that we can't let ourselves down, but we can't let each other down.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
What I Learned
What have I learned in three years about being healthy, losing weight, and getting fit?
1. If you want to lose fat you have to burn fat. The best way to do this is through slow aerobic (oxygen going to cells) exercise. When you are moving fast, anaerobic (lack of oxygen going to cells) exercise, you are burning glycogen (sugar). Guess what your body has the most of fat or sugar... you got it right fat! Slow down and burn fat because if you are like me you have plenty of that to take you to Michigan and back. You have to work to train your body to burn fat. 15-45 minutes at a slow to moderate pace burns fat, after 45 minutes you are almost exclusively burning fat. Walking and slow jog are the best exercise for this to happen. If you don't believe me , look at the setting on a treadmill. The first setting is fat burn which is slow pace and as it goes up your speed increases and you are reaching anaerobic (sugar burn). Check it out the next time you are on a treadmill.
2. Exercise needs to be consistent to teach your body to burn fat. In the beginning of your lifestyle change to improved living you may not notice a lot of change taking place, but it is. Women build fat between organs inside before accumulating fat that you see (like on hips, thigh, or around the mid section) Therefore, when you start burning fat it begins to melt away in and around the organs and later hits the areas we see. Not the way we would like it, but it is the way it works... sorry. So keeping doing it because there are other benefits like a healthy heart that are taking place immediately that are benefiting your life now.
3. Depriving yourself of food reduces body fat temporarily. But eventually our body thinks it is starving. The starvation reflex will kick in and your body will begin to store every ounce of fat you eat in order to survive which leaves me to the next thing I learned.
4. Don’t skip meals. There is a lot of talk out there about how many meals a day you should eat. Some say stick to three and others say spread it out into five or six. To be honest with you I have no clue, but I let my body tell me when it is time to eat. I f I am hungry between meals I try to eat a healthy snack, but I don’t have a set number of meals and that works for me. BUT........I never skip a meal.
5. Some things need to be eliminated from your diet, some eaten in moderation, and some you can have all you want. I believe that things like sodas (coke, sprite), processed foods (frozen meals, in a box, or packaged), enriched white flour, and artificial sweeteners should be eliminated. I think there are some foods that can be eaten in moderation, but eaten in excess can become harmful. These moderation foods are sugars, and natural sugar substitutes, carbohydrates like whole grains (not vegetables), meat and dairy products. Then all you want foods like fruits and vegetables are awesome.
1. If you want to lose fat you have to burn fat. The best way to do this is through slow aerobic (oxygen going to cells) exercise. When you are moving fast, anaerobic (lack of oxygen going to cells) exercise, you are burning glycogen (sugar). Guess what your body has the most of fat or sugar... you got it right fat! Slow down and burn fat because if you are like me you have plenty of that to take you to Michigan and back. You have to work to train your body to burn fat. 15-45 minutes at a slow to moderate pace burns fat, after 45 minutes you are almost exclusively burning fat. Walking and slow jog are the best exercise for this to happen. If you don't believe me , look at the setting on a treadmill. The first setting is fat burn which is slow pace and as it goes up your speed increases and you are reaching anaerobic (sugar burn). Check it out the next time you are on a treadmill.
2. Exercise needs to be consistent to teach your body to burn fat. In the beginning of your lifestyle change to improved living you may not notice a lot of change taking place, but it is. Women build fat between organs inside before accumulating fat that you see (like on hips, thigh, or around the mid section) Therefore, when you start burning fat it begins to melt away in and around the organs and later hits the areas we see. Not the way we would like it, but it is the way it works... sorry. So keeping doing it because there are other benefits like a healthy heart that are taking place immediately that are benefiting your life now.
3. Depriving yourself of food reduces body fat temporarily. But eventually our body thinks it is starving. The starvation reflex will kick in and your body will begin to store every ounce of fat you eat in order to survive which leaves me to the next thing I learned.
4. Don’t skip meals. There is a lot of talk out there about how many meals a day you should eat. Some say stick to three and others say spread it out into five or six. To be honest with you I have no clue, but I let my body tell me when it is time to eat. I f I am hungry between meals I try to eat a healthy snack, but I don’t have a set number of meals and that works for me. BUT........I never skip a meal.
5. Some things need to be eliminated from your diet, some eaten in moderation, and some you can have all you want. I believe that things like sodas (coke, sprite), processed foods (frozen meals, in a box, or packaged), enriched white flour, and artificial sweeteners should be eliminated. I think there are some foods that can be eaten in moderation, but eaten in excess can become harmful. These moderation foods are sugars, and natural sugar substitutes, carbohydrates like whole grains (not vegetables), meat and dairy products. Then all you want foods like fruits and vegetables are awesome.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Rest...
As you are wrapping up your third week into your new healthy living lifestyle, rest is critical. I have found that I need to build rest days into my exercise cycle to ensure that I stay injury free and I allow recovery time for my body. You will get tired and if you haven't built in a rest day it is critical to do it now. In the beginning, I felt like I couldn't miss a day and if I did it was failing. But in truth it is just part of a smart plan. Too much too fast is not good. Be Proactive instead of reactive.
If you over train and injury occurs then you are out anyway so be smart. My body tells me when I need rest and as you progress and work harder you have to learn to recognize the signals that your body is giving. This week after several days of working out twice and the other days working out once, my body said I'm tired so today I rested. It hit me...."hey that's biblical." Even God rested on the seventh day so why should I be any different. It is clear to me that in a seven day cycle I need to fit in a day of rest, for me I usually rest in the middle of the seven days, a Wednesday, and then start back to finish the week strong.
There is no exact recipe for being health, but you definitely need to make sure that you include rest in the recipe for healthy living. There are times when it may take more than one day due to stress or over training pay attention and don't push it. Remember the goal is healthy in 2011, not healthy in 3 weeks. Patience as you progress forward will allow you to build up to your expectations.
If you over train and injury occurs then you are out anyway so be smart. My body tells me when I need rest and as you progress and work harder you have to learn to recognize the signals that your body is giving. This week after several days of working out twice and the other days working out once, my body said I'm tired so today I rested. It hit me...."hey that's biblical." Even God rested on the seventh day so why should I be any different. It is clear to me that in a seven day cycle I need to fit in a day of rest, for me I usually rest in the middle of the seven days, a Wednesday, and then start back to finish the week strong.
There is no exact recipe for being health, but you definitely need to make sure that you include rest in the recipe for healthy living. There are times when it may take more than one day due to stress or over training pay attention and don't push it. Remember the goal is healthy in 2011, not healthy in 3 weeks. Patience as you progress forward will allow you to build up to your expectations.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Being a runner
When I started my way to trying to be healthy three years ago, my vision of healthy was a runner. I don't know why, but I always had wanted to be a runner. So, at 39 I signed up for a triathlon and figured what the heck, I'll do it or I'll die. The next six weeks were pure torture mostly seeing that I couldn't run at all and I had this triathlon thing hanging over my head. The six weeks passed and I completed the triathlon... walking/running to the finish line. I had thought if I could just get through the triathlon I would give up the dream of being a runner, but something triggered when I crossed that finish line that day. I am not sure what it was, but I stood there and watched hundreds of people cross after me and I was inspired. Some were old, some were young, some were skinny, and some not so skinny, and some with physical disabilities that had to make that day painful and I thought then...." I can be a runner."
The days, weeks, and months following that event I stuck to my plan and that was to run 3.1 miles without stopping... no walking. I didn't read a book or a magazine or even get advice from a runner, I just ran as long as I could working to increase the distance each time. Some days that worked and other days it failed miserably. I don't remember the exact day or the exact time, but I remember the run clearly. I reached the two mile mark which was at the bottom of a hill as I had reached this point a couple times before. My plan that day (just like the other days) was to keep going to the top of the hill without stopping. I figured that would make my distance 2.2 miles maybe, but the hill was a big thing, mentally now I realize. I had tried before to get to the top, but it didn't happen. Why was today different? Who knows? Certainly not me, but it was different.
As I approached the hill, I started pumping my self up saying "you got this, you can do it, don't stop now." The next thing I knew I was at the top, but I didn't stop, just a little further I thought and before I knew it I was rounding the lake. I felt almost giddy. I knew if I could get around the lake to the stop sign I would hit 3.1 miles. My energy perked up and so did my pace. I could see that stop sign and I knew I was going to make it and I did. My first victory to conquer was complete that day. The crowd roared in my head, my arms went up in the victory position and I shouted.. "YES!" I then quickly looked around to see if anyone may have noticed the nut screaming in the neighborhood, no.. good. The world was silent around me, no one noticed except maybe a dog or two whose ears perked up at my victory shout, no one cared, the world around me continued on, my victory went unnoticed.
But, it was in that moment, on that day, that I knew I could be a runner. It was that day that I knew I could go further then I thought. It was that run that I realized that running was mental. The physical part you can overcome, the battle is in the head, but when you bust through it, you 've got it.
I run now at minimum three times a week. I 've completed 5ks, 10ks, half marathons, other triathlons, duathlons, trail races, biking races, endurance races and this year I will complete a marathon. I am sure of it. Don't underestimate the power and strength that is within you. If I can do it anyboday can ( I was a smoker for 20 years and had only quit two months before that triathlon I mentioned at the begining). You can do it, just decide that you can and you will. It's that simple.
The days, weeks, and months following that event I stuck to my plan and that was to run 3.1 miles without stopping... no walking. I didn't read a book or a magazine or even get advice from a runner, I just ran as long as I could working to increase the distance each time. Some days that worked and other days it failed miserably. I don't remember the exact day or the exact time, but I remember the run clearly. I reached the two mile mark which was at the bottom of a hill as I had reached this point a couple times before. My plan that day (just like the other days) was to keep going to the top of the hill without stopping. I figured that would make my distance 2.2 miles maybe, but the hill was a big thing, mentally now I realize. I had tried before to get to the top, but it didn't happen. Why was today different? Who knows? Certainly not me, but it was different.
As I approached the hill, I started pumping my self up saying "you got this, you can do it, don't stop now." The next thing I knew I was at the top, but I didn't stop, just a little further I thought and before I knew it I was rounding the lake. I felt almost giddy. I knew if I could get around the lake to the stop sign I would hit 3.1 miles. My energy perked up and so did my pace. I could see that stop sign and I knew I was going to make it and I did. My first victory to conquer was complete that day. The crowd roared in my head, my arms went up in the victory position and I shouted.. "YES!" I then quickly looked around to see if anyone may have noticed the nut screaming in the neighborhood, no.. good. The world was silent around me, no one noticed except maybe a dog or two whose ears perked up at my victory shout, no one cared, the world around me continued on, my victory went unnoticed.
But, it was in that moment, on that day, that I knew I could be a runner. It was that day that I knew I could go further then I thought. It was that run that I realized that running was mental. The physical part you can overcome, the battle is in the head, but when you bust through it, you 've got it.
I run now at minimum three times a week. I 've completed 5ks, 10ks, half marathons, other triathlons, duathlons, trail races, biking races, endurance races and this year I will complete a marathon. I am sure of it. Don't underestimate the power and strength that is within you. If I can do it anyboday can ( I was a smoker for 20 years and had only quit two months before that triathlon I mentioned at the begining). You can do it, just decide that you can and you will. It's that simple.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Trying New Things
I want to encourage you to try new things. Doing the same type of exercise daily is not necessary and it can get boring. I like routine in my day-to-day life, but in exercise I do best with variety. It seems for me that if there is a portion of exercising I don't like, I come to dread it and eventually will quit so I trick myself. I do some many different things that by the time I get back around to it I don't recall if there was something I disliked. Weird.. I know. The other great thing about variety is that the muscles never know what to expect and therefore they are usually working hard all the time to help burn fat. When muscles get use to a certain types of exercise, it will take less energy to perform and puts no strain on the muscle which in turn has very little benefit so change it up.
There is so much available to consumers in the area of home dvds and even in types of classes at gyms... group step and power, kickboxing, zumba, yoga, crossfit, spin classes and much much more... it is amazing what is available for variety. Don't limit yourself. Try to incorporate some cardio, strength, and flexibility type activities into your schedule. One other suggestion that has been better to me is to work on a 14 or 21 day exercise cycle. Most people work on a 7 day cycle which limits your options. What do I mean? Well most people do the same thing each day of the week start over the next week with the exact same exercises. Why? I don't know... maybe people think there is some unwritten rule that you have to do this, but that is wrong. Instead of starting over, continue on with various exercises and start over after 14 days. I like a 21 a day cycle too. Try it. It really make a difference in the burn out factor. Remember you can borrow other friend's dvds to increase your workout cycle and try new things like hiking, biking, skating, and swimming. You can take it outdoors. Don't let walls box you in.
I am trying crossfit right now and tennis. I still incorporate running three days a week and work this other stuff in for variety. Crossfit is a little hard core, but you can check it out on line at http://www.crossfit.com/
The workout of the day is posted everyday and you can do it at home, inside or outside. If there is an exercise that you are not sure about there are videos available for you to watch for demonstrations.
An example of cross fit is the workout we did tonight. It included: 400 meter run, 10 deadlifts (135lbs for a lady), 20 push ups, 30 kettleball swings (20 lbs for me), 40 butterfly sit ups, 50 jumping pullups, (if you can't do a regular pullup and I can not), 60 wall balls, and 50 double unders (jump rope) or 200 single jump rope ( I did the singles because I can't do a double under). It took me 22 minutes 37 seconds of pure torture, but it was over and done and this was my strength training session. Its never the same thing and I like that. If I had to go back tomorrow night and do this same work out, I can assure you I would say I was sick and miss it!
Anyway the key is to find what works for you and have fun doing it. It's even better with a friend! Get creative and get moving, spice it up!
There is so much available to consumers in the area of home dvds and even in types of classes at gyms... group step and power, kickboxing, zumba, yoga, crossfit, spin classes and much much more... it is amazing what is available for variety. Don't limit yourself. Try to incorporate some cardio, strength, and flexibility type activities into your schedule. One other suggestion that has been better to me is to work on a 14 or 21 day exercise cycle. Most people work on a 7 day cycle which limits your options. What do I mean? Well most people do the same thing each day of the week start over the next week with the exact same exercises. Why? I don't know... maybe people think there is some unwritten rule that you have to do this, but that is wrong. Instead of starting over, continue on with various exercises and start over after 14 days. I like a 21 a day cycle too. Try it. It really make a difference in the burn out factor. Remember you can borrow other friend's dvds to increase your workout cycle and try new things like hiking, biking, skating, and swimming. You can take it outdoors. Don't let walls box you in.
I am trying crossfit right now and tennis. I still incorporate running three days a week and work this other stuff in for variety. Crossfit is a little hard core, but you can check it out on line at http://www.crossfit.com/
The workout of the day is posted everyday and you can do it at home, inside or outside. If there is an exercise that you are not sure about there are videos available for you to watch for demonstrations.
An example of cross fit is the workout we did tonight. It included: 400 meter run, 10 deadlifts (135lbs for a lady), 20 push ups, 30 kettleball swings (20 lbs for me), 40 butterfly sit ups, 50 jumping pullups, (if you can't do a regular pullup and I can not), 60 wall balls, and 50 double unders (jump rope) or 200 single jump rope ( I did the singles because I can't do a double under). It took me 22 minutes 37 seconds of pure torture, but it was over and done and this was my strength training session. Its never the same thing and I like that. If I had to go back tomorrow night and do this same work out, I can assure you I would say I was sick and miss it!
Anyway the key is to find what works for you and have fun doing it. It's even better with a friend! Get creative and get moving, spice it up!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Ode to Ms. Nellie
Today I was saddened by the death of Ms. Nellie. She is my stepfather's mother. While death is something we never like to think about, it is a reality for everyone. I am certain that you are thinking what does this have to do with health and fitness. My answer is nothing and yet everything.
She was 90 years old just shy of turning 91 in February. Healthy? Up until this last month, I would say she lived a full and vivacious life, three husbands she outlived. A character one must meet to understand that you were standing in the presence of a true lady. The kind of lady that wore high heels to garden in with her finest jewelery and never a hair out of place. Dressed at all times to dine with the Queen herself. You just might see her drinking a mint julep underneath the shade tree on a hot July afternoon in her big brim staw hat.The kind of lady that was delicate as the petals of a rose, but tougher than nails underneath her charming smile. She spoke of an era long past without speaking a word, but when she spoke what an intricate story she would weave drawing you in and taking you to places that seemed distant, but yet so close.
You didn't ask her what she thought unless you really wanted the truth. She didn't mix words and she spoke with an authority that would send most men cowering with their tails tucked. There was something about Ms. Nellie that brought a smile to your face. Only she could wear those ruby red slippers like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and look classy. She was graceful, beautiful, and strong... confident and aluring. The kind of lady you write a book about. So many stories went untold....she will be greatly missed.
She battled breast cancer and beat it, out lived three husbands, lived through the depression, raised three children, ran a home, overcame strokes, proved doctors wrong more than once and left her mark on her family and the world. 91 years old.... Blessed to have been so healthy that the majority of her time on this earth was spent keeping the rest of us in line and on task.
How is this related to being healthy you might ask. I say the way I choose to live today will affect the the way I will live tomorrow. I want to live strong like Ms. Nellie to make my mark on this world and know that I have made the right choices. What a life, what a loss, what great sorrow we feel at the loss of such a great lady.... Ms. Nellie
She was 90 years old just shy of turning 91 in February. Healthy? Up until this last month, I would say she lived a full and vivacious life, three husbands she outlived. A character one must meet to understand that you were standing in the presence of a true lady. The kind of lady that wore high heels to garden in with her finest jewelery and never a hair out of place. Dressed at all times to dine with the Queen herself. You just might see her drinking a mint julep underneath the shade tree on a hot July afternoon in her big brim staw hat.The kind of lady that was delicate as the petals of a rose, but tougher than nails underneath her charming smile. She spoke of an era long past without speaking a word, but when she spoke what an intricate story she would weave drawing you in and taking you to places that seemed distant, but yet so close.
You didn't ask her what she thought unless you really wanted the truth. She didn't mix words and she spoke with an authority that would send most men cowering with their tails tucked. There was something about Ms. Nellie that brought a smile to your face. Only she could wear those ruby red slippers like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and look classy. She was graceful, beautiful, and strong... confident and aluring. The kind of lady you write a book about. So many stories went untold....she will be greatly missed.
She battled breast cancer and beat it, out lived three husbands, lived through the depression, raised three children, ran a home, overcame strokes, proved doctors wrong more than once and left her mark on her family and the world. 91 years old.... Blessed to have been so healthy that the majority of her time on this earth was spent keeping the rest of us in line and on task.
How is this related to being healthy you might ask. I say the way I choose to live today will affect the the way I will live tomorrow. I want to live strong like Ms. Nellie to make my mark on this world and know that I have made the right choices. What a life, what a loss, what great sorrow we feel at the loss of such a great lady.... Ms. Nellie
Monday, January 17, 2011
Journaling....
For three years I have been on my journey to fitness and I have found that the most beneficial tool to getting there has been journaling. On and off I played at journaling, but just in the last three months did I really get serious. What a difference it makes. I started off just keeping up with my exercise...time, kind, calories burned, but what I soon found out was exercise without proper nutrition was insanity. They go hand in hand so I had to start looking at not only what I was eating, but the amount and the time of day I was eating. I was eating a lot of the right things, but my portion control was a little off. By journaling, I soon realized too that snacking was a problem in the late afternoon for me. I would do great in the morning, but the afternoons were crazy. I didn't understand that so I started researching some things to help me understand ( a story for another time), but it all came about through my journal entries.
Even if you start out minimal like I did... start. Reflect back at the end of the week and see if you notice any trends in your exercising or your eating habits. Maybe over time you notice that Mondays are days when you never exercise, so make it a rest day. You can learn a lot about yourself by keeping up with just a few things. They make these great fitness journals you can buy, but they are not necessary. If money is tight right now, a composition notebook will do the trick. Try it.. I promise you' will learn more about you!
Even if you start out minimal like I did... start. Reflect back at the end of the week and see if you notice any trends in your exercising or your eating habits. Maybe over time you notice that Mondays are days when you never exercise, so make it a rest day. You can learn a lot about yourself by keeping up with just a few things. They make these great fitness journals you can buy, but they are not necessary. If money is tight right now, a composition notebook will do the trick. Try it.. I promise you' will learn more about you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)