Sunday, August 30, 2009

Weekly Review August 30

Sorry but you will have to go to this link to hear my audio

Saturday, August 29, 2009

On The Road

Well, I should be at my friend's in Indiana and hopefully no snafus. Visiting friends is fun but can also pose obstacles to healthy eating. I try to be accommodating to my hosts tastes but I won't go too far away from what I normally eat. If necessary, I can always have a small portion of the local cuisine, even if it is fried. Again, knowing ahead of time what to expect is helpful and the meals for the day before and after can be altered to offset any splurges. You can't expect not to forgo the local flavors when on a trip but you can always control the portions.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Stretching Tip #6 Make It A Habit

Like any of the healthy lifestyle changes I've talked about, stretching needs to become a habit. It isn't something you do just because you are sore or because you have time left in your workout. It needs to be thoughtful and consistent - like brushing your teeth. The ultimate goal is to maintain your range of motion and flexibility as you age so you can continue to do the activities you like to do. Otherwise, the aging process will slowly limit your capacity to function adequately. Although you may not like to think about it, many of the things we do throughout our day is purely maintenance -- putting gas in the car, doing the wash, mowing the lawn. Some of these tasks you can pay to take care of but your health is something only you can maintain.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Taking A Break Is Warranted

Taking this trip is the best thing for me--I have probably been over-training and doing too much high impact activities. Taking a break will allow my body to recover but still be active enough to maintain gains. Yes, coming back to running will be difficult but I will ease back into it and monitor the intensity of all my workouts; more emphasis on longer, slower cardio with extended stretching and limited resistance to begin with, followed by a slow progression back to my pre-trip levels. Since I have plenty of time before the end of the year, I should be on track with my 2009 goals. Staying fit and healthy takes planning but it need not be inflexible.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Another small injury delays goal--


Don't know how it happened but I wrenched my knee!


Weekly Review August 23.mp3

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Losing Weight--Need To Watch My Nutrition

Since I decided to work on eliminating sodium from my diet, I have found it has also eliminated quite few calories as well (no chips, no salad dressing, no salted pretzels or nuts, etc.) and I am moving toward my long-term goal of 110 lbs (as long as I can keep the muscle on). I have decided that shredded wheat, oatmeal or whole grain toast and eggs are the most nutrition breakfasts to have without the sodium. I was pleased to note that dried fruits don't have sodium either -- good to know for my trip out west -- as trail mix can be made with dried fruit and unsalted nuts plus maybe some other items. Salads are more of a challenge as I will soon tire of olive oil/vinegar or lemon juice. I think I may be able to find some other alternatives to take along on the trip. I will start monitoring my blood pressure on a daily basis when I return as well as maintain a more detailed food log and see where I can make some other adjustments.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Stretching Tip #5 Hold It!

If you want to make your stretching session as effective as possible you need to learn to hold the stretch for an adequate period of time - up to 30 seconds for each stretch. Remember, even if you are holding the stretch, don't hold your breath. In fact, use your breath to deepen the stretch. As you inhale start your stretch and then as you exhale move in to deepen the stretch. You can also use your breath as a way of measuring the time you stretch. If you inhale and exhale fully for 5 breaths you are probably close to you 30 seconds. Remember, you will eventually reach your limit and your stretching may be more about relaxing than anything else.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Feeling Confident About Running--Avoiding Injury Is Main Concern

Since I have added the walk/run to my fitness routine at least 5-6 times a week, it has helped improve my running sessions on the treadmill. Not only does it warm up my muscles for the work ahead, it is slow enough that it doesn't tire me out. Now, I have to really concentrate on avoiding injuries now that I have reached my initial goal. Which means focusing on stretching those muscles that I am taxing. I will continue this routine until I leave for my 3-week out west trip -- we will discuss my strategy for maintaining my fitness (and diet) while traveling across country.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Run times stay steady; weight drops; blood pressure up


Just when you think you have the right balance--something else pops up!


Weekly Review August 16.mp3

Saturday, August 15, 2009

New Friday Workout

Again, here is the third part of my new workout:

  • Squat/Chest Press/Baseball Swing
  • Suitcase/Bicep Curls/Diagonal Press
  • Step-Up/Bicep Curls/Shoulder Press
  • Side Lunge/Single Row/Triceps Kickbacks
Same strategy--heavier weights with the individual moves (2-3 times); compound exercises lighter weights, higher reps. Next, we will review my body weight workouts on alternative days.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Stretching Tip #4 Easy Does It

When you first start stretching, you need to be careful of trying to extend yourself too far. Your muscles need to be warm and you need to have a good idea of your limitations. Stretching too far can injure your muscles and or strain ligaments/tendons that do not have elasticity. We all are limited by own individual structure so don't think that because your wife can do a certain stretch you should be able to do the same (women have wider hips than men, smaller shoulder girdles, etc.) because each of you is built differently. Don't expect continual improvement either; some days you will be able to stretch easily, other days you won't. Just keep track of long-term improvement. At some point, you will reach your physical limit. Then your goal is to maintain this as you age.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

New Wednesday Workout

As noted previously, my new workout is 3x week with completely different exercises. Here is Wednesday's workout:
  • Sumo Squat/Front Lateral Raise/Triceps Extension
  • Plate Overhead/Good Morning/Bent Row/Lunge
  • Reverse Lunge/Bicep Curls/Shoulder Press
All of the above are done separately 2-3 times, then together as a compound exercise. The separate exercises can be done with maximum weight; the compound exercise with a lighter weight and higher reps. The compound exercises finishes it off nicely.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

8:30 mile is a reality!


Was able to meet goal twice this week--now, I aim for consistency and bringing down HR.


Weekly Review August 9.mp3

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Stretching Tip #3 Know Yourself

When stretching, always consider your own baseline--ignore what others are doing. Think back when you were a child--could you do the splits? Could you touch your toes easily? If you weren't flexible then, you aren't going to develop too much more flexibility. Consider what you are capable of and work from there--you goal isn't to be gumby but to increase the range of motion available to you and to extend your muscles to where they can go -- not some standard set by the fitness industry or your yoga instructor. When you feel a slight tension, stop and keep the stretch there. There should not be pain--as you feel comfortable go further and don't feel disappointed if you can't. Work from where you are and you will incrementally improve.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Too Much Cardio Can Impede Results

As a woman, I have always focused on cardio as a way to loss or maintain weight. Not until the last 5 years did I start using strength training as a vehicle for weight loss/maintenance. It's not that I didn't strength train but I tended to short-change my strength workout to accommodate my cardio sessions. Now, I do them equally and with the same intensity. My cardio workouts rotate through the week -- intervals (high intensity), gradual increases (moderate intensity), and slow long-distance (low intensity). The same for my strength sessions -- circuits/supersets etc. (high intensity), pyramids (moderate intensity), and high reps (low intensity). I always make the weight for the reps challenging and I have been able to keep my HR at close to 75% doing weights. I never work the same intensity for both cardio and strength--I tend to alternate them inversely (high-low, high-med) so as not to over train. Then about every 8 weeks, I back off from my strength training and do cardio and stretching only. Over the last 2 years, this has provided the best results for me and been a mainstay of my program.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Time to Change

My new strength workout incorporates my new learning (from the conditioning class) and my new activity (run/walk in the mornings prior to going to the gym). So, I am changing to a 3x a week strength training routine and eliminating the long, slow distance for my cardio. So, here is my new 3x week strength training:

All moves are done separately (10 reps), then pulled together for a combo move (10 reps). Go through each circuit two to three times.

Monday
  • Dead Lift (hamstrings)
  • Upright Row (shoulders, upper back)
  • Front Squat (quads)
  • Toe Raises (calves)
  • Reverse Curls (biceps)
  • Hang Clean/Front Squat (all)
  • Squat (quads)
  • Hammer Curls (biceps)
  • Romanian Dead Lift (hamstrings)
  • Shoulder Press (shoulders/triceps)
  • Rows (back)
  • Squat/Push Press/Row (all)
I will let you know my Wednesday workout in my next post.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Phew! Got Out of Doing the Conditioning Class


Not my cup of tea but still can use the experience in my new workout!


Weekly Review August 2.mp3.mp3

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Its Never Too Late to Start Working Out

I have been working with an 87-year old female (no background in structured exercises) who has lost weight and been walking about 2-3 miles consistently for the last 5 years. She has had some issues with strength in her left leg as well as general soreness in the same area. Although she does exercise fairly consistently (stretching, some weights, and walking) she does it all in the morning and sits the rest of the day. This counteracts the activity she has in the morning. So, we have developed a different stretching program, have increased her walking (she decreases the walk each year during the winter months when she doesn't walk as much because of the weather), and added some other strength moves specific to her complaints and thrown in some Viniyoga. I didn't expect much but she has done fabulously. So never give up; you can always make strides not matter what age or what condition.