Ageless soul with Thomas Moore

On this episode, we discuss Thomas Moore's new book Ageless Soul,, a book an successful aging.

Thomas Moore is the New York Times bestselling author of Care of the Soul, as well as many other books on deepening soul and cultivating a mature spiritual life, three of which have received the Books for a Better Life Award. At turns, he has been a monk, a musician, a university professor, and a psychotherapist.

Phases of Aging

– Immortal is the phase of life when you don't think of life as limited.
– First taste of aging is when we begin to recognize that life is not permanent.
– Maturity is the phase where you begin to see changes.
– Shifting toward old age is the phase when you begin to feel old age coming on.
– Old age is a phase of life when you begin to flow with your age.

Most of the shifts from phase to phase come about with an event. In Thomas' experience, that happened when he had a heart procedure. The initiate isn't planned, but it happens anyway.

Puer and Senex

“To age well you have to be profoundly old and profoundly young.”

Puer is a Latin word that means young person and Senex means old. We carry around a bit of each of these where our youth and our age talk through things to live well. We need to pay attention to the voices. These are a part of your identity and both can be useful.

Melancholy

Sadness and melancholy are a part of aging. Rather than try to collapse from it or avoid it, you should embrace it. Accepting this and looking for the new opportunities that are available to you now that you've reached a given age. And when you're older, you now have something to give to people that are younger.

Thomas recommends that we spend more time outside in nature as we will now have a much greater appreciation of it.

Developing a Clearer, Deeper Sense of Self

As we reach old age, we have developed as a deeper person. We can use our time to reflect more. We can observe and experience aging of others. We are learning more and we become a different person.

We can dedicate ourselves to learning, relaxing, and enjoying what we see.

To learn more about Thomas Moore and his book Ageless Soul, go to thomasmooresoul.com.

 

Another episode you may enjoy

Aging well with Dr. Mark Williams

Motivational Quote

https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/motivation/2018/03/09/thousands-of-candles/

Lose weight by eating with Audrey Johns

Audrey Johns is a weight loss blogger and author of the book, Lose Weight by Eating. The book shares tips and healthy recipes designed to encourage readers to eat nutritious foods that will keep them full and help raise their metabolism.

Audrey shatters the notion that to lose weight, one must be limited to a small amount of food. In fact, the key is the type of food that is eaten. Audrey recommends eating the best quality of food possible, including organic foods. Frozen produce can also be a great option for those on a budget.

The book contains four plans to suit different lifestyles and needs. A 15-question quiz helps readers decide which plan would suit them best. These four plans include:

1. Detox Week – This is a 7-day plan that begins with a smoothie, salad, and healthy meal. This helps to jumpstart the metabolism and help people overcome plateaus. This is a great when trying to drop weight before an event.
2. Detox Month – A modified plan that includes one week on Detox Week and one week on another plan, and then alternates back and forth.
3. 3-Month Plan – Great for someone who wants to drop 30 pounds. Helps to jumpstart metabolism and easy to follow. This plan allows for a “free” day to splurge.
4. Detox Lifestyle – A great option for pregnant and nursing moms and those who want to maintain weight loss. This is the easiest plan possible.

When going out to eat, Audrey recommends visiting restaurant websites and picking out healthier options. Choose grilled instead of fried. Consider splitting your meal with someone and get a side salad. Fill up on your water and keep asking for more. Look for meals that will be 50% vegetables. The key is to consume high-quality, nutritious, metabolism-boosting food.

To connect with Audrey or to learn more about Lose Weight by Eating, visit http://www.loseweightbyeating.com or Audrey’s Facebook page.

 

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The woman’s guide to health with Dr. Ruth Parker and Dr. Carmen Mohan

Ruth Parker and Carmen Patrick Mohan are primary care physicians and authors of the new book, The Women’s Guide to Health. This book is an action guide for both women and men to cultivate habits that support well-being.

Ruth and Carmen explain that the book contains various health and fitness “prescriptions” for people who are at different phases in their lives. Each level is intended to consist of a gentle progression through a span of 30 weeks. The three levels include:

1. Get Started – Start where you are. The intent in this level is to reach the 150 minutes per week recommended by the CDC.

2. Keep Going – This level incorporates the running and walking as described by Jeff Galloway’s program.

3. Burn Fat – This level is for the person who feels that they’d like to lose weight and improve body composition.

Ruth and Carmen also discuss the importance of sleep. Research shows one should strive to achieve seven hours of quality sleep per night. If one can’t achieve this, don’t stress over it. View sleep and rest as restoration and don’t claim an insomnia mindset.

In order to maximize using one’s lifestyle to prevent and treat disease, Ruth and Carmen recommend optimizing choices and being consistent with daily activity. Keeping a health journal can help track patterns and encourage accountability.

To connect with Ruth Parker or Carmen Patrick Mohan or to learn more about The Women’s Guide to Health, visit herprescriptions.com or visit their Facebook page.  You should also check out the episode I did with Jeff Galloway.

 

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The 40+ Fitness Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health-conscious people like runners, cyclist, and weightlifters get lower rates on their life insurance. Go to healthiq.com/40plus to support the show and see if you qualify.

Atkins eat right not less with Colette Heimowitz

The 40+ Fitness Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health-conscious people like runners, cyclist, and weightlifters get lower rates on their life insurance. Go to healthiq.com/40plus to support the show and see if you qualify.

In Atkins Eat Right Not Less, Colette Heimowitz brings us a new view of Atkins. Being familiar with the low carb high fat (LCHF) way of eating, I thought I knew what Atkins was all about.  I was not fully on board with Atkins because of their view on protein.  But Colette presents a much better balance of macros in the plans she presents.

Atkins plans

The book presents three different plans (20, 40, and 100).  Each of these levels is based on the net carbs allowed,  Reducing the carbs requires you to up your fat consumption and have a moderate amount of protein.  The plans do not require calorie counting, which is a sticking point for many people trying to lose weight.

Why vegetables matter

Atkins focuses on net carbs.  This allows you to eat plenty of vegetables.  In fact, Colette really pushes vegetables as a requirement of the plans.

The program focused on foundation vegetables, which are low glycemic and high in fiber.  White potatoes have the same sugar effect as a candy bar.  High glycemic vegetables give you the same blood sugar surge.  Including foundation vegetables with your meals allows you to get the nutrition you need and feel full.

Smart shopping strategies

The grocery store is a carb pushing machine.  Being smart about how you shop can save your weight loss journey.  Colette shared a few of her strategies for smart shopping:

• Don't go hungry
• Have a plan
• Go on days when you'll be able to prepare your meals
• Shop the periphery of the store

Allan also recommends that you use your local farmers' market and don't be afraid to ask the manager of your grocery store to carry higher quality foods.

The recipes

There are many excellent recipes in the book that you'll enjoy as you follow the Akins Diet.

Find Collette

You can learn more about the Atkins Diet and Colette at Atkins.com and you can get Atkins Eat Right Not Less.

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Solving stress with Kraig Brockschmidt

Kraig Brockschmidt is the author of a new book entitled Solving Stress. In his book, Kraig explains that while stress is a consistent, persistent experience for most people. techniques and exercises can be used to help solve stress, not just manage it.

Kraig explains that stress occurs whenever there is a separation between what one expects and what occurs in reality. All people experience this. With any potential stressor, one will react. However, it is the nature of the reaction that one can control. The idea is to move the reaction away from anger and tension and toward relaxation and calmness in that critical moment.

Many of the popular stress management techniques offer immediate, but not long-term relief. These tips can be grouped into three categories within the Great Stress Exchange: Venting, Discipline, and Escape. These strategies buy time to avoid immediate and negative reactions to stressors.

A four-step process included in Kraig’s book involves the following prompts: stop, breathe, reflect, and choose. One should pause for 10 or 20 seconds and take a breath to put himself in-tune with the environment. Reflecting presents different options and choices, instead of feeling like a victim. Then an appropriate response can be chosen.

Kraig’s book includes a set of daily exercises to help people achieve a reaction of calmness. These exercises take about 20 minutes and include arm and shoulder rotations and neck rolls to help release stress and tension in the body. Meditation is also incorporated. By following these exercises, the brain is trained to know what relaxation feels like so that it can be triggered when a stressful situation arises. Over time, one’s stress threshold will rise and the intensity of a stressor that will push one over the edge will be very high.

To learn more about Solving Stress or to connect with Kraig Brockschmidt, visit http://www.kraigbrockschmidt.com. To facilitate his how practice, Allan is developing a checklist of exercises from Kraig's book.  To receive a  copy of this checklist of daily exercises, join the 40+ Fitness Podcast Facebook Group and post a photo of yourself with Solving Stress in hand.

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Eating healthy on the road

It is that time of year when we get on the road to spend the holidays with family and friends.  Travel is a time of disruption and that makes remaining on a diet that much harder.  On this episode, I'm going to share some strategies to help you stay on track.

Driving vs flying

How you're getting to your destination can have a big effect on how you go about things. Are you driving or flying. When driving, you're going to have more flexibility on food choices. That can be a good thing if you take the time to plan ahead. You don't want to get into a situation where you're dependent on foods you find on the road. Convenience stores and fast food restaurants dominate the exits along the way and can be a huge temptation.

Take time to plan the route and pack food for the journey. I'll go into the what and how later, but for now, consider how long the drive will be and what meals you're going to want to have.

If you don't want to bring all the food you'll need, you should do some research. Are there healthy restaurants along your way? Know where they are so you can stop there rather than ending up at a fast food place. This will take some time, but it is a great way to make the journey a more enjoyable part of the trip.

When flying, you obviously won't be able to carry as much food. But the upside is that the trip will be much shorter. More and more airports are beginning to offer more healthy restaurants. A little time researching ahead of time will help you make the most of your choices during a layover.

Flexibility of location

Are you going to stay with family or in a hotel?

If you're staying with family, a quick stop at a grocery store might work well. Have a list of staples for your diet and pick them up on your way there. Offer to cook some of the meals so you know what is in the food you're eating.

Staying in a hotel? Do some research into the room amenities to see whether they have a refrigerator and/or kitchenette. This will let you cook many of your meals right there in your room saving you some money and helping you stay on track.

The food

I am a bit obsessed with my food packing. I have several lunchbox sized coolers that I can use to carry food with me. I can pop in a cooler pack and it will keep for hours. I'll also put in some of the food that frozen like bone broth and that will keep things cold for even longer.

Rather than go through all of it, I am going to share a video I did showing how I pack for a day (of work or travel).

11 Best home exercise equipment

When deciding what is the best home exercise equipment, you will need to consider three things (and I'd recommend doing them in order):

1. What is your fitness goal? The equipment you own should complement your health and fitness goals. Otherwise, you're never going to use it.
2. How much space do you have? Most of the equipment I recommend on this episode won't take up too much space (except maybe the rack). If space is really an issue, I would tell you to join a gym. Let them manage the space and all of them are going to have most of the equipment we'll discuss today.
3. What is your budget? I'm a big fan of used equipment. So many people buy some equipment, all with good intentions, only to let it collect dust. They decide to get rid of it. You can often get good equipment for pennies on the dollar. They just want this reminder of what could have been out of their house. You win!

11 best home exercise equipment *

1) Resistance bands
Resistance bands are first on my list because they are so versatile.  You can take these with you when you travel and get a full body workout with just bodyweight and a set of resistance bands.

2) Jump rope
You probably didn't expect a jump rope to be on my list.  But for very little money, a jump rope is a great piece of equipment to have.  You can use the jump rope as a warm up, do some jump rope as a part of a circuit training workout, or even use it for a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session.

3) Mat
Yes, when working out, you're going to have to get on the ground from time to time.  Just do it, it is good for your mobility, balance, and core strength.

4) Dumbbell Set
Now is where you'll likely have to start spending some money. New dumbbells usually go for about $1 per pound. Look for used equipment at a store like Play It Again or look on Craigslist or local Facebook buy and sell groups.

A dumbbell set is also going to take up some space.  Some folks enjoy the adjustable types that don't take up much space, but I find them clunky and uncomfortable.

5) Foam roller and lacrosse ball
Yes, you should work on mobility as often as you can and having the right tools at home to do that can do wonders.

6) Adjustable bench
When I'm strength training, I find myself on an adjustable bench nearly half the time (okay, maybe more if you count the time I sit down to catch my breath after a set of heavy deadlifts).  But this one might fall closer to the line of “good to have” rather than “must have.”

7) Barbell and weights
Okay, now we're starting to get serious about building/maintaining muscle and getting stronger. That's a good thing! A good barbell and weight set will last you a lifetime. You can start with the cheap plastic covered concrete and work your way up. But I really think an investment in a decent Olympic sized set (Olympic relates to the size of the hole in the plates).

8) Power Rack
This will be the biggest purchase I'll recommend. I think power racks are among the best exercise equipment investments you can make. It allows you to push more weight with a safety bar to protect you. If you work out alone, and want to start pushing more weight (bench press, squat, overhead press, etc.), you should strongly consider getting a good power rack (mine even has a pull up bar).

Yes, this is a space hog, but I love it. It also gives me more utility from my exercise bands and TRX straps (later one the list).

9) Adjustable kettlebell
Unlike adjustable dumbbells, I do think adjustable kettlebells are worth it. They make owning a set of kettlebells less expensive and use much less space.

10) TRX Straps
The great thing about these straps is how they can make bodyweight exercises so much better. From beginner to advanced, there is almost an unending variety of exercises you can do. They are a bit pricey, so you may want to shop around for generic versions.

11) A tablet (Kindle Fire or iPad)
What? How can this be on a list of best exercise equipment? I have tablets on the list for a few reasons:

1. 1. If you're working with an online coach like me (https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/train/), then your workout will be detailed online.
   2. You may want to look up an exercise video to get a feel for the proper form.
   3. You may use the tablet to log your workout sets and reps.
   4. You can use a timer on the tablet to keep up with your rest between sets or to time your interval workout.

Obviously going out and getting all of these at once can be quite an investment.  I recommend easing into it and picking up equipment as you go.  Spreading the investment out will also help you make sure you get the most use out of the equipment.  There's nothing worse than having bought something only to set it in the corner and never use it.

* Note: Each of the product links on this page is to an affiliate offer. I will get a small commission for each purchase you make. It won't cost you more and I've searched to find the best deal I could find.

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