How to be here | Rob Bell

Rob Bell is a New York Times best-selling author, spiritual teacher, and the author of How to Be Here. His book discusses what it means to be present and give the best to your life.

Rob explains that he often meets people who want to be more courageous, fit, or have a better life. Thought it can be overwhelming, you have to break it down into what you can do today. Start with what’s in front of you. You don’t have to get all the way down the road. You only need to take one step today. As you keep taking steps, you’ll eventually end up further than you ever thought possible. It’s a mental battle to keep it simple and clean, but in the end, you’ll learn that you’re capable of so much.

One memorable quote from the book read, “We rob ourselves of immeasurable joy when we compare ourselves with what we don’t know about someone else.” The truth is, you have no idea what that other person has been through. You have your own path, and all you can do is take the next step on the path you’re on. You have a limited supply of energy. When you spend part of your time and energy comparing yourself to someone else, this is energy that could have been better spent on your own path. You must become a steward of your own energy.

The book’s main focus is explaining that being present matters. You don’t need the regret of past or worry about the future to cloud the current moment. It is interesting enough to be right here and nowhere else. There is a wonder and mystery to your own life. Though it’s easy to be a spectator to your own life, don’t disconnect from the joy of being alive.

To connect with Rob directly, visit www.robbell.com or find him on Instagram at @realrobbell.

Life on purpose | Dr. Victor Stretcher

When what works for them doesn’t work for you

It’s inspiring to see people having success in their weight loss and fitness journeys. However, it can be deflating upon realizing that what works for them doesn’t always work for you. Why is this? Truthfully, you may never get the same exact results as someone else, even if you follow the same plan. However, that’s no reason to quit or stop before you’ve even started. You simply need to readjust.

Genetics can play a role in this scenario. However, it’s the way that the genes are expressed that causes the differences in results among different individuals. The way you react will be different from the way someone else reacts. Most of the diets out there don’t work for the majority. Have you ever seen the fine print that says, “Results are not typical”? This is their disclaimer.

Your gut biome also plays a role, and again, everyone has a different one. Realize that you are essentially a chemical reactor made up of hormones and chemicals. The food you eat is the fuel that ignites these reactions, and the quality of that food will make a difference. It most certainly can impact how you feel, as well as your overall health. One good idea is to get a blood test before starting a diet plan. This will give you a good baseline understanding as to how your body is currently functioning.

Trying an elimination diet is another good technique. This will allow you to eliminate all foods that are causing you problems. Start by removing sugar, then gluten, and so on, until you are only consuming the bare essentials—meat, fish, and vegetables. See how your body is feeling and then slowly begin to reintroduce the other foods into your diet, one food at a time.

While it’s true that what works for them may not work for you, you can find what does work for you. Try different options, focus on what you can control, and stop comparing yourself to others.

Be a lab rat to find health and fitness

The mental game of sticking to an eating plan

Sticking to an eating plan can be challenging. It’s often easy to get started, but it may become difficult over time when other distractions present themselves.

One possible obstacle is decision fatigue. In one day’s time, there are only so many decisions that can be made before the quality of those decisions becomes poor. One strategy is to remove certain decisions from your day. For example, eliminate any questions about what foods you are going to eat. Pack a healthy lunch or cook meals in advance. Remove bad food choices from your house if you can. Planning ahead is key.

Another issue could be triggers. A trigger is something that causes you to fall off the wagon, so to speak. One trigger could be stress. Experiencing such stress could cause you to want sugar or comfort food. To avoid derailing your progress as a result of a trigger, It’s important to know what your triggers are. Document your strategies in a journal. Write in that journal about what you experienced and how you reacted. This will help you in dealing with these triggers in the future. Accountability is another great strategy for dealing with triggers. When you see the trigger approaching, reach out to someone who can help keep you on track.

Finally, a slip is another potential obstacle. Recognize that you’re going to slip from time to time. Realize that there’s no value to beating yourself up about it. The important thing to remember is that a slip doesn’t have to be a fall. It’s only failure if you quit.

Sticking to an eating plan starts and ends with commitment. Commit to yourself. Find your “why” as to the real reasons you want to make a change. This will give most people that initial push to move in right direction. When plateaus occur, remind yourself of your vows to stay committed to sticking to your plan, and use that commitment to keep pushing you forward.

Why can't I stop? | Dr. Bruce Odlaug

How much is enough?

It’s important to make sure you’re getting enough exercise, but how much is enough? In 2008, guidelines were published that explained how much physical activity Americans should be getting. The results showed that the minimum amount of activity was 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

Interestingly enough, the leisure time activities of individuals were also studied. This showed that those with an activity level below the recommendation had a 20% lower mortality rate. Those that met the guidelines saw a 31% decrease in mortality and those that exceeded the guidelines by three to five times saw a 39% decrease in mortality.

Most people recognize that there are health benefits of exercising regularly. Now there is proof showing that engaging in regular physical activity will lower cancer risk and risk of cardiovascular disease. As the studies have shown, every little bit counts, even activity at a moderate level.

So how can you tell the difference between moderate and vigorous physical activity? If you can carry on a conversation while being active, you’re moving at moderate pace. When the intensity increases such that the heart rate climbs into the 130 to 180 range, this is considered a vigorous mode. However, you should not be doing that for extended periods of time, as it is hard to keep pace. One example of this is high-intensity interval training or HIIT. With HIIT, you push yourself to that max limit and then let yourself recover. This not only improves cardiovascular fitness but will also count toward vigorous activity.

A mix of moderate and vigorous activity is recommended for most people. Try to pair moderate activity with stress reducing activities, such as talking a walk outdoors. This will allow you to relax, lower your cortisol, stimulate your senses, and give you an overall sense of well-being. If you’re still wondering how much is enough, a good target is four to six hours per week of exercise, with the type and style being based on what is important to you.

Have you mastered the art of intensity

Do you have patience, persistence, and progression

It’s time to check in with clients, John and Tammy. Their journey has been one of patience, persistence, and progression, and they’re not done yet.

Tammy mentioned that while she was on the treadmill, she was watching her heart rate. She can actually gauge the intensity of her workout based on her heart rate. The maximum heart rate to achieve during a workout is calculated by subtracting one’s age from 220. Of course, there are varying levels that can be achieved depending on where one’s heart rate falls. In an aerobic state, the body is getting plenty of oxygen and burning fat. In a more intense anaerobic state, the body burns sugar and not so much fat. In either case, the body is burning some fat. While Tammy was on the treadmill, she noted that her heart rate did not exceed 110. This may indicate that she should add intensity to her workout to give her a greater challenge. This will allow her body to respond by burning more fat. However, any physical activity is burning calories and improving her cardiovascular health.

Tammy explained that she was unable to do squats like John, but that she used dumbbells and did the leg press. In doing the leg press, it is important to be cognizant of form. She will want to ensure she has a solid base and keeps her knees from extending beyond her toes. Doing this exercise will help to build her strength.

Finally, Tammy wondered about the inside of her thighs, which have begun to droop since losing some weight. Fortunately, skin is very elastic and may retract over time. Though some areas of loose skin may not go away completely, this can be aided through using moisturizer and building muscle in these areas. If those alternatives do not fix the issue, skin removal surgery is always an option in extreme cases.

John and Tammy are getting stronger and building endurance every day. As they continue along their fitness journey, their success is evident in the patience, persistence, and progression they have displayed thus far.

Do you have patience, persistence, and progression

Stepping it up

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Dealing with pain and injury

Today we'll discuss  pain and injury.  When we start an exercise program and begin pushing ourselves, most of us expect we will feel some pain. It can be difficult for people to know when enough is enough, when to carry on and when to stop.  In this episode, I want to help you identify when to push and when to stop.

When we work on our muscles, we tear the muscle fiber down.  Our bodies were designed to respond to this.  The muscles are repaired and in that process, they're made bigger and stronger.  But this can only happen when we make sure to get appropriate rest and take in the right amount of protein. The cycle entails the following: challenge, feed, and recover.  During the challenge phase, it is common to have a little bit of discomfort and pain. And it’s fine to continue with such pain.

When you're new to resistance exercise, it is not uncommon to suffer rather extreme muscle soreness. It means that you've done enough work with that muscle to elicit growth. You'll want to ensure you give the muscle enough time to recover. It takes roughly 48 – 72 hours to recover from intense resistance exercise.

Another type of pain, which is most often associated with running is called a stitch. It is a sharp pain in the lower abdomen. This is believed to occur when there is a mismatch between abdominal muscles and the diaphragm. The stitch can be very painful, bu it is nothing to worry about.

Injuries require a lot more care.  The previous pain issues we covered will go away with rest.  With injuries, that's usually not the case.

Most common exercise-induced injuries are damage to a tendon, ligament, muscle or bone.  You should make sure you seek medical attention for injuries.  The doctor will give you information on how to repair the damage and begin rehabilitation.  I can't stress enough how important it is to follow your doctor's instructions.  Injuries can put an end to exercise permanently if you don't address the underlying issue.

How you should approach pain and injury will depend on the nature of the pain. Make sure you properly asscess your pain and injury before you decide how to go ahead.   There is some pain to get gain, but you'll need to know which type of pain is getting you gains or is going to sideline you.

What is high intensity interval training?

Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Finding mindfulness with Bruce Langford

In today’s podcast, we meet Bruce Langford of Mindfulness Mode to discuss how mindfulness can help you on your health and fitness journey.

Bruce Langford was an entrepreneur for his all adult life until he quitted his job to begin committed to bullying prevention. Thanks to that, he became a Mindfulness coach. He truly believes involving fitness activities into his antibullying program to be really effective.

He also hosts the Mindfulness Mode Podcast, where he shares the ideas of Mindfulness with the world.

Nowadays, it is not just all about prayers and religious stuff, because science has proven mindfulness to be really effective and able to changing our brain in order to let us be calmer, focused and relaxed.

Practicing Mindfulness has lots of benefits, first of all, it helps you releasing stress (that is a hormonal process, where a big quantity of cortisol are produced by our body) and sleeping better, and just these things are already a huge step forward for people. This leads people to be more focused and driven to their commitments.

The first advice Bruce gives is to be active, to get out in the world experiencing something that feels good, something that we really enjoy doing, like a good walk in nature, and that is where Mindfulness comes along, just being aware and conscious of the presence of nature itself, with its smells and sounds.

The important thing is to do this on a regular basis and routine, trying to give our mind a break (from social media, screens and caffeine too) and a quiet time, at least for 10-15 minutes per day.

As one final bit of advice, Bruce believes you should create a night ritual in order to ease the stress and sleep better.

Learn more about Bruce Langford at Mindfulness Mode.

https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/sacred-baths-health/

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music