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Category Archives for "fitness"

May 6, 2016

Carey – dealing with setbacks

In this episode, we talk with Carey who has been successful in her health and fitness endeavors. Along the way she has had key learning points, so let’s talk with her about her successes and dealing with setbacks.

Carey’s mantra is “slow and steady” is the way to go, as it establishes good habits.   She did not find it discouraging; rather she made a commitment to change.   She did this by hiring a personal trainer.   This also took a while as she had to find the trainer who was in sync with Carey’s personal goals and approach to fitness.   She also experimented and found the right cardio training for her, as she is not a fan of running, walking, swimming and other forms of cardio.   She finds cycling has helped to reshape her body and she enjoys the peacefulness of the experience.

We discuss how finding that activity that you enjoy makes you connect with the exercise and your passions, which drive you to pushing yourself to a higher fitness level.

Carey’s journey was interrupted from time to time with health issues.   She tried to not let it discourage her, despite having put on some weight. Again, her approach is to get back on the slow and steady pace of eating better and incorporating exercise into her daily routine. Her approach with nutrition is through whole food, and has developed a palate which enables her to continue a lifestyle that has eliminated sugary soda, condiments etc.

Carey has been successful in so many ways, particularly with dealing with setbacks, yet she always maintains a positive attitude. We wish her continued success in her health and wellness journey.

Nelson finds crossfit

April 29, 2016

Goal setting

We all have goals. In fact, goal setting is an important process. If you have a strong commitment, then your goal is the map to your success. When we have goals, and are then able to meet those goals, we experience a great sense of accomplishment. This often pushes us forward to wanting to meet an even greater goal. But how do we set goals to maximize our opportunity for success?

First, you need to look at your life in a more strategic way. Think about what you really want out of life. If your goals are not congruent with what you want, then achieving that goal won’t have much meaning for you. And what would be the point of that? If your goal doesn’t fit your life, you’re not going to be passionate about it and are less likely to follow through.

A strong goal is a SMART one. Goals should be:

Specific – The goal should have a direct link to something you want to accomplish. It’s clear cut and finite.

Measurable – The goals should have a metric or milestone so that it’s clear when you have reached the goal.

Achievable or Attainable – The goal needs to be something that is within your capacity, though it should certainly be something that stretches you.

Relevant – The goal has to matter or make a difference to you. This will cause you to be motivated to stick with it.

Time-bound – The goal should include a specific amount of time within which you’re aiming to achieve it.

Do your goals have all five SMART elements? If not, what’s missing? If you need help fine tuning your goals, visit www.older.fitness/goal to sign in and receive a free worksheet to assist you in your goal setting.

 

Diane – a new way to look at goal setting

Should you do 30 day challenges?

Should you do 30-day challenges? If you have an interest, there are quite a few to choose from. Just hop on the internet briefly to see the wide range of options. Challenges for crunches, sit-ups, pushups, and lunges—the list goes on and on.

These challenges may sound intriguing. There’s no doubt that they have the potential to be beneficial. After all, anything that gets you moving, working, and focused on getting something done can do wonders for your health and mindset. There’s also an interesting accountability aspect to these challenges. You’ve committed to 30 days and theoretically, you’d like to complete this manageable goal. It’s especially beneficial if you can participate with a friend. This gives you a partner to hold you accountable. Your motivation to complete the challenge, coupled with consistent, daily activity, has the potential to build a positive habit.

However, you must be clear on your health and fitness goals to determine whether one of these challenges really makes sense. If you’re interested in improving your kayaking, participating in a push-up challenge may not correlate directly with your goals and may not be worth your time and effort. You must also consider your plans for the conclusion of the 30-day challenge. Are you looking to make it an ongoing habit? If not, then it may not be worth pursuing. What happens if you miss a day? Some people may just quit the challenge entirely. If you tend to give up easily after a slip, again, the challenge may not be worth your while.

So, should you do 30-day challenges? If you’re committed to health and fitness and have a challenge in mind that is aligned with your goals, then a 30-day challenge might be a good fit. It may help you build positive fitness habits and can put you in a better health position over time. However, if the challenge is not aligned with your goals, you may want to pass.

Self-made wellionaire | Jill Ginsberg

April 18, 2016

Weight machines versus free weights

How do you know when to use free weights or weight machines? Well, it depends. Both have their pros and cons, and it may just depend on your specific goals or situation. For beginners, free weights may seem intimidating or difficult. Conversely, machines have instructions and are easy to understand. However, both tools can give you a great workout.

There are three dimensions to consider when determining whether to use free weights or machines. The first is knowing what you’re trying to accomplish. Free weights are very functional and act more like real life than most machines. They can mimic the normal things you do in a day such as picking up a child or lifting a box. However, machines do give a general aspect of safety. When using a machine, you won’t usually be able to drop the weights on yourself, unlike free weights. If you don’t have a training partner, machines might be a good choice.

The second dimension to consider is your reason for lifting. Are you lifting for strength, muscle mass, or endurance? You may even try to accomplish more than one of these. If the emphasis is strength, move toward free weights. They require the use of a lot of supporting muscles because you don’t have the support of the machine. Free weights will also help you maintain stability in your core. Lifting for muscle mass could see benefits from free weights and weight machines. This will give you an overall, well-rounded strength. Use machines to focus on the large muscle groups in which you are trying to build mass. If you want to work on endurance, both machines and free weights are good options. You can use free weights to move quickly and build endurance. Similarly, with circuit training, you may also be able to move quickly and cleanly between certain machines.

The third dimension is availability. If all the machines are taken, use free weights and vice versa. Remember, you can get a great workout from both free weights and weight machines.

 

 

 

https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/should-i-lift-weights/

April 6, 2016

Strategies for staying healthy and fit while traveling

It can be difficult to stay fit while traveling, as there are many distractions and obstacles to overcome. However, if you keep a few pointers in mind, it is actually quite easy to stay on track with your fitness routine while on the go.

The main struggle that many people face when traveling is related to food. Airport or gas stations have largely bad choices—cookies, chips, and candy bars. The key is to plan ahead. Bring food with you. If you’re travelling by car, this is easy to do with the help of a cooler. It’s also important to research food options of where you’re traveling. You may even have the ability to cook your own meals in your hotel room, depending on your accommodations.

Another obstacle is working out while on the road. To make sure you stick with your fitness plan, it is crucial that you pack your workout clothes to hold yourself accountable. Do a little research on the hotel gym or local gyms to see what might work best for you. You can always opt to do body weight workouts instead. If you’re a runner, try to find some local trails and enjoy an added opportunity to see the city.

It’s also important to ensure that you’re monitoring your hydration, both for over hydration and dehydration. You need to make sure your body is getting sufficient electrolytes and sodium so that the moisture is absorbed by the body’s cells. If you’re on a long international flight, it’s important to get up every 30 minutes to move and stretch your legs. This will help prevent possible blood clots.

Travelling can be a stressful experience. You can mitigate this stress by recognizing your triggers and finding practices to manage them, such as meditation, getting a massage, or enjoying the outdoors. Make sure you get enough sleep and try your best to mimic your normal sleep ritual at home. By taking these simple steps, you can help to ensure you will stay fit while traveling.

A secret weapon in your health and fitness journey

Health and Fitness Apps

In today’s episode, we explore smart phone apps and their usefulness to support your health and fitness journey.   As background, I found it useful to solicit feedback from a user group in order to get a broader overview into the apps that many people are using concerning health and fitness.

Smart phones are great tools and we can use them to enhance our health and fitness. Many of the apps do continually change and often the functionality in one app is similar to the functionality in another app.

In this episode, we discuss the variety of food and nutrition apps which allow you to track your food intake, calculate and track calories and nutrients.   We also discuss the wide variety of fitness apps, such as those that are specific (running apps), those that provide exercise videos and training guidance.   There are also apps that act as timers for HIIT (high intensity interval training) and Tabata workouts. And let us not forget out mental health, and there are apps designed to guide you through the meditation process or those that provide white noise. While not necessarily apps, we also explore activity trackers that can sync to an app so you can have real time monitoring of your activity levels.

I encourage you to do the research and explore the wide variety of health and fitness apps that are available for your smart phone.

April 1, 2016

Lorraine’s commitment to health and fitness

Two years ago, Lorraine had turned 59 years old and was severely overweight. Her weight had gradually increased since her early 30s. Now, she had arthritis and fibromyalgia. She was finding it hard to move and couldn’t walk more than a quarter-mile without pain and stopping to rest. Lorraine felt horrible physically and this was affecting her mentally. She wanted to make a commitment to health and fitness, but didn’t feel that she had the ability to change on her own.

When a trainer opened studio near her home, she considered making a change. With her husband’s support, Lorraine went in for her first workout in June 2014. Her trainer suggested using My Fitness Pal to log her food intake, which she did. She began working with her trainer twice a week and was quickly seeing results. She previously believed it was impossible for her body to lose weight. Yet in her first week, she lost weight. This encouraged her to keep going.

Lorraine’s trainer soon had her doing step ups, resistance bands, light dumbbells, and body weight exercises. Lorraine also walked twice a week when she wasn’t working with her trainer. She began walking one mile, but progressed over time. In the two years since starting her fitness journey, Lorraine went from 301 pounds to 170 pounds. She has lost over 17 inches on her hips and 14 inches on her waist. She is soon walking in her second 10K event and recently began a Couch to 5K running program. Lorraine can now walk two to three miles at a time without stopping.

Lorraine needed focus and accountability. She knew what she needed to do, but she had not been able to do it on her own. She advises others to take small steps and handle one thing at a time. Whatever you are capable of doing, do it and keep building on it every day. Establish a plan and then execute. Don’t sit around and wait for motivation. Lorraine knows this is a true commitment to health and fitness.

A funeral for my fat | Sharee Samuels

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