Out It Goes!

any tastily tempting treats that is.

Sure you may eat some delights from a table feast on Thanksgiving day but it is the leftovers and eating those for days on end that can add up to unwanted calories.

We made a delectable apple pie. And it tasted good. I ate a portion and some vanilla ice cream (bought in pint size only). Then I went back for a smaller portion.

That is when alarm bells go off.

You had a portion and there you stand 'checking in' on how that tasty pie is doing all by itself in that lonely kitchen. You go to visit it and helpfully arrange the edges of the last slice cutting, making sure they are even and eating the trimmings.

STOP!!!

Just throw it out. Did this and it works.

If you are a problem eater keeping any food that you know will cause you to overindulge - don't keep it.

If it is there - throw it out.

Out went the remainder of the pint of ice cream.

Gone. No more temptation.

PUT IT IN THE WASTE BIN OR YOU WILL ADVERTISE WHERE YOUR WAIST HAS BEEN!

This is especially true of fatty/fried/sweet foods.

Putting discipline in the feastivities brings much better results.

Last year we did an absurd idea which seemed like such a good idea at the time: we made a Thanksgiving Feast on Thanksgiving Day and then made another one that same Saturday. We had double feasts in four days.

Amazingly, it may have been my idea. We cannot remember. One minute the idea was uttered, the next minute we were chopping, baking, roasting, simmering. Then stuffing, gorging and overeating. There was no stopping this - like a rampant mob foraging on a melee of eating crimes we let loose and loosened our belts.

AND we (Hubby and me and my sis who was involved) come from families with diabetes type 2, obesity (my side of the family) and bad lifestyle habits.

Not this year: Out It Goes and Out It Went!

Overeating is bad for your health

With all sorts of celebrations coming up we normally start to fantasize about all the goodies we will eat with abandon - just this once...

"Just this once" can do your health in.

Stuffing down fatty foods (red meats, fried foods, the greasies) can actually clog your arteries and precipitate heart disease instantly.

Stuffing down the sweet stuff can put your pancreas into overdrive and put you right in Type 2 Diabetes (if you have the propensity for it).

Stuffing down anything stuffs out a paunch. Overeating overstretches your stomach. It maximizes the capacity you are able to hold and want. A beer belly could also be called an 'overeater's belly'.

So, enjoy but don't overeat.

A Flax um Maxim

Yes, that is intended to rhyme.

Imagine something as simple as inexpensive little brown seeds that can really change your life as a menopausal woman.

I have read about these and even posted about this of how I included a spoonful that I chewed almost daily.

Well, I discovered that putting them (1 tablespoon) in a super duper powered blender on high (I use an Osterizer blender) crushes them where you then can drink it. This was so good to drink as I mixed it with berries, almonds, bananas, etc...

It became a DAILY habit instead of a few times a week...

AND ladies,

let me tell ya...

I was actually at one point searching out my lingerie collection, much to my Husband's and my surprise.

These little brown seeds (get the brown ones) will make you younger all over (insert leering wink here).

Also do not forget to have a quality fat: a good olive oil, avocado - a small amount daily.

And some water daily - I aim for 6 glasses a day.

You need moisture (oils) and hydration (water) in your system.

I tell ya, if somehow it was just me and some younger stud stranded on a deserted island I would immediately start an all out search for a flax plant to procure the seeds - then take care of the shelter and water and food. It is that important of an item.

Brown flax seeds - they are great - and far more natural than any nasty hormone made from horse urine creams.

But remember! as always you use caution even with something natural - I would not take more than two tablespoons a day maximum - and you might go ahead and check with your Doctor about taking them.

Never overdo even a natural food substance.

Sugar Control Patrol

Yes, I made red velvet cupcakes using an old southern recipe for the big blogparty and those were real (a lot of the food I make for the QChocolate blog is actually fake).

They were also real sweet - this was good though. It showed how much I have lowered my sweetness threshold. I also remained quite disciplined - no sneaky tastes of the finished product until time to actually eat my portion.

This is again where portion control or controlled portions come in.

I had half a cupcake with minimal icing (scraped most of it off) with 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream - AFTER a meal.

Then foisted off the leftovers on friends, family, neighbors and passers-by.

Good thing I did because that very evening went to an informal get together and had half a beer (alcohol has to be strictly portioned also).

Whoops. What does alcohol do? It lowers your inhibitions. Your food inhibitions. I came home just hoping to find an errant cupcake in the kitchen. None to be found so I just fervently scraped the cupcake pan. Fortunately there was just the slightest spoonful left.

That is why I don't keep desserts in the home - way tempting. Ya really do have to patrol your home making sure a dessert has not snuck in or been brought in or has been left in after a party.

Fitness goals were accomplished for this week.

New fitness goals:

ab work: floor and pull ins
more upper body
bring up the rear with some bum exercises

An Eating Maxim

Seems like if you get really busy and grab quick items to eat and let even the most modest exercise go by the wayside you just slide right into lax habits.

You learn or reinforce quickly:

THE MORE YOU EAT THE MORE YOU WANT TO EAT


and


THE LESS YOU EXERCISE THE LESS YOU WANT TO EXERCISE


You realize that and then have to start reversing these physical fitness maxims or you will be maximus!

Did achieve all my fitness goals from last post (did not make the brussels sprouts though) but then just got busy and let my barest minimum exercise just slide by.

Well, it is time to dust off and run and catch up with that wayward wagon and hop right back on.


Goals today:

drink water

do some upper body work and some squats and arabesques

Have lentil soup for dinner

That should be an easy hop aboard the wagon schedule.

And do some extra exercise for any GWTW food items I might want to indulge in this weekend for the big blog gala ball - am so excited!

The Banquet Effect

A syndrome in eating that is so sneaky and persistent you almost don't know it is happening - and you do not have to be at a banquet for this to happen!

Banquet Effect: (noun) vast amounts of tasty, desirable, ready made, easily available food for an extended amount of time. People eat more food when this situation presents itself. And they keep going back and then you get into grazing.

I am always on the look out for an interloper (naughty food) to invade the kitchen. There are certain items we just don't keep in the cupboard so as not to be tempted.

An innocent ice cream habit got me right into this syndrome and I did not realize it was happening.

Hubby got an ice cream maker and I made sure he understood we would do this once in a rare while.

Well this ice cream hobby seems to be happening every weekend.

He is even doing the lowest sugar amounts possible, tweaking recipes with different fruit combination. The pure banana ice cream was very delish and the sugar was less then half called for. So it was good for us ice cream - an even better reason to partake.

Last weekend I had my half cup portion and that was it - done, finished.

Later that day it was still in the freezer. I was perplexed, why had he not given it away, or hidden it (even in the car) or as a last resort poured down the drain.

There it sat.

I kept coming back into the kitchen to 'check on it'. Making sure it was ok - comfortable - not too cold or too hot.

Went away again and then I realize - I have got to have some of that low sugar banana creamy cold ice cream.

OK, but just a half cup portion. I had a half cup portion. Then a little later another few bites.

Finally I just got the container of creamy banana ice cream and ate it. Wow. It was good though.

That is amazing how that can happen but I realized I had broken one of the strictest rules of eating right:

DON'T KEEP TEMPTING FOODS AROUND AFTER YOU HAVE HAD YOUR SERVING - THAT BECOMES A BANQUET.

I noticed that sort of eating made me more lenient this week. A chocolate square here, three on one day and then it all culminated with Hubby making lower fat/fruit sweetened ice cream this past weekend.

I had some and stopped. It had to stop.

I could feel the weight on me from just the past week. Even though it was not that much at all.

WHEN YOU ARE MENOPAUSAL YOUR BODY PUTS ON POUNDS VERY EASILY AND RELEASES FAT VERY RELUCTANTLY.

I learned that lesson a while back. And ya, my jeans are tight.

Once you notice a pattern of unhealthy eating you have to jump right back into the healthy eating immediately. I could have kept on eating and eating and said "I'll start Monday."
I know that does not happen.

So got back on track and worked out yesterday.

Fitness goals:

water 6 glasses - done
bum buster workout - done (lots of squats and arabesques)
biceps buster workout - done (lots of reps with different weights)
cardio: 25 mins. with HITS and squats added in (double duty workout).


Fitness goals:

Watch out for sugar! Do not let this just haplessly sneak in.

Drink more water 6 glasses

Make a veggie pot - a big pot of veggies to have for snacking...
mmmm I can almost taste those brussels sprouts.

Keep up the biceps buster workout
Some more ab pull ins, pelvic floor pull ups
Some yoga stretching
free form cardio if the opportunity presents itself

Fitness Goals

Need to do upper body workout - mainly biceps

Some tummy pull ins - 100 of various counts

squats for bum reps

AND

Get in at least 6 glasses water

Do Ya Jiggle When Ya Wiggle?

I scour the sinks daily and what a way to judge the jiggle - the jiggling of the arms.

If my arms are jiggling that means I have not been doing my triceps kickbacks.

But it's been busy recently! Nah, not buying it, there is an excuse proof method for firm arms...

TRICEPS KICKBACK (no this is not a financial kickback but the rewards are great)

Take a light weight - 3 or 4 maybe even on some sets 6 pounds but I do not go above that - you load up the elbow joint.

I do a triceps kickback on one side at a time. Make sure you take a minute to situate into correct form starting position. Fitting these in is not a reason to get sloppy with your technique.

You can keep your weights within easy access (under a sofa or chair, in your desk drawer at work) and grab them and do some reps.

As long as you are busily engaged (housework) you do not need much of a warm up - in fact starting with 3 lb. weights for one set is a warm up. If you need to warm up (as in been in couch potato mode) do some arm circles to get your joints lubricated and warmed, maybe 10 or 20 circles.

GOT A CREAKY JOINT?

Naturally, if you have a bad elbow you are going to have to ask your health care provider how to modify exercises - but - if you have a creaky, bothersome one here is a tip (and no it is not getting out the WD 40):

You don't lock the elbow at the top of the move, let the elbow be a little tiny bit relaxed at the top.

Also: hold at the top of the move to make sure you are not see sawing up and down and just swinging the weight which does nothing.

Hold for just 3 seconds at the top of the move on some of the reps.

Just fit in these reps when you get a chance.

I get in a set of maybe 20 reps each side right of the bat. Then might alternate with biceps, and one sided bent over rows. Or I might just go on and continue with what I am doing if I am really busy then stop again a little later and get in another batch of reps and maybe change the weight and rep count. It is possible to work up to and crank out 80 - 100 reps while doing the dinner dishes.

TOTALLY EXCUSE PROOF!

But what about push ups, they are supposed to firm the upper body in one move?

NO DO NOT DO PUSH UPS!

If you are at all overweight... these over load your elbow and wrist joints.

ALSO on my not do list: Overhead triceps dips, french tricep dips and plain triceps dips.

Just stick with the simple, basic, no frills triceps kickbacks.

And those arms won't jiggle when ya wiggle!

Double Dip

You mean a double dip ice cream cone?

Uh, no.

An exercise tip. About your dips.

With some upper body resistance training you can do both sides at the same time - triceps kickbacks, double arm rows, triceps dips...

DON'T

Do your triceps kickback on one side, then alternate sides back and forth. While one side rests, the other gets worked out. A big joint strainer on your upper body joints to do the double technique.

Ditto with the rows: Do single arm rows in good form and alternate side to side.

I don't take rests between sets and just alternate which gets you worked out quicker.

WHAT ABOUT TRICEPS DIPS?

This is a double dip you just do not want to do in your routine. A real strainer load on your shoulder joints.

AND YOU WOULD NEVER STEP UP TO THE ICE CREAM COUNTER AND ASK FOR A DOUBLE DIP!

Portion control, ladies. The only way to approach rich desserts that make life so much sweeter...and you would eat this after a meal.

You would ask for a little, ittle, tinsy dip - or 1/2 cup portion of ice cream.

And how sweet it is, even in tiny amounts.

Fitness goals achieved:
floor ab workout, bum bun workout done (just fit in squats, arabesques)

FITNESS GOALS:

freeform movement - just move when opportunity arises.
maybe some light cardio of a few minutes fittingly fitted in...
and don't forget: ab pull ins, pelvic floor lifts and the kegels - Don't ever forget the Kegels - and no, that's not the name of those neighbors that moved last summer.

Hold it!

really?

But, I gotta go.

Yes, hold it, even if for just a minute.

Yep, another shocking thing women should know:

going all the time weakens the bladder.

Which leads to the conclusion: holding a full bladder strengthens it.

Something to consider, but I am not going to recommend this as you journey forth on a trip or tend to get stuck in long traffic jams. And goes without saying - go as your health care practioner informs you to go.

Also, when doing kegels - there are different ones - do your uretha kegels (sounds like a title to a catchy song).

That is in addition to your other kegels and pelvic floor lifts...

There is always something to exercise - but these are of the 'invisible' exercise category - no one knows you are working out.

Fitness goals achieved:

yoga - 20 mins.

cardios - several segments that have added up: 17 min. walk with some light jogging
8 min. cardio dance moves (DVR'd)
20 min. cardio dance moves

Total cardio fitted in: 42 mins.

Did lower body resistance workout of about 8 mins. (incl. ab pilates floor moves).

Did upper body resistance workout of about 7 mins.

Then added in some odd moment upper and lower resistance exercises - these really add up.

Somehow the bum got left behind...

So today is a bum bun goal day and more abs with pull ins.

Just The Flax Mam

Flax seeds, flax oil, flax meal... flax is showing up everywhere especially for menopausal women.

I ended up using it as a spoonful of seeds daily. Usually I just take the seeds and chew them. You want to so you get the maximum benefit.

I also have made homemade flax meal (just ground up flax seeds) and used that in baking.

I ended up preferring a good quality olive oil and did not use the flax oil very much at all.

I do keep any flax refrigerated.

Fitness Goals:

abs - gotta get working on those
no excuse: 100 ab pull ins
work it: get on floor for some pilates ab work

Well, can't be (f) lax today!

What A Heel!

If you are doing heel lifts and someone exclaims this - that can mean only one thing - you are doing a single heel lift. Maybe you might even be holding a weight in your hand.

Don't.

DO ONLY DOUBLE HEEL LIFTS AND WITHOUT WEIGHTS

One heel lift is putting way too much pressure on your foot and ankle joint.

If you are even slightly overweight this can add strain.

I do only double heel lifts. And you don't even have to go all the way up on your tip toes either if that is uncomfortable. Go halfway.

Also wear shoes. Do not do barefooted on a hard floor.

A non load substitute for this? Point and flex your toes. Great to do while watching the telly on the couch.

Let someone say:

"Those are some heels".

Don't Make A Lunge For It

I don't recommend lunges for firming the lower body speaking of which I tried The Firm years ago and just did not like all the lunges - even though I had no trouble doing them.

And they claimed they really firmed up the lower body so well.

Not true at all - there are other lower body exercises that do not give a load to the knee joint.

And cringe to think overweight women do lunges - flat out dumb. Go over just a micro inch on that position of knee not over toes - do that repeatedly and hello knee problems.

I once saw an overweight middle aged woman given weights and told to do walking lunges - by a young trainer I might add. Absolutely incredulous. But she sure felt like she was working out and no doubt felt pretty uncomfortable doing this.

What about BOOT CAMP?

I am also not a big fan of the now not quite as popular "Boot Camp". Keep boot camp for our armed forces. I have known of one lady who would get up and be at her Boot Camp Booty workout (they always have such cute names) by 6:30 a.m. before work for an hour long hard workout.

That sure sounded great as we all gathered around the water cooler.

I was impressed - what discipline she had.

Here is how that ended up:

She was like all of us: a busy woman. She had a family, a home, a pet and a yard.

She would be sore all day from the workout when she started the program - she associated this with strain and hard work even after the soreness wore off.

When she worked out so hard she felt entitled to an extra treat that day - she was getting firmer but not losing any weight.

She started to slowly miss one scheduled workout a week - but she still ate her 'entitlement' treat the day she did not work out.

Then she got super busy with other things happening and all it took was to make it to a 6:30 a.m. hard, gut wrenching workout when she was stressed out to really associate the exercise with unpleasantness.

She quite easily skipped a week meaning to get back to it but never did.

She quit boot camp (with a bigger 'booty').

Ladies, boot camp originated in an environment where the soldiers have only a bed and their locker of belongings to take care of - even meals are prepared.

Of course if you are doing this and love it and eagerly get up early and sweat it out with handsomely fit drill instructor sergeant types - go for it! Admittedly there is an allure to it all or they would not have so many ladies signing up for it.

I would caution about the sit ups as those can push on the pelvic floor.

AND

I would never do a push up as an overweight woman. I never liked these exercises - the straining of a full sit up, a push up putting your weight on your elbows and wrists, the monotony of lunges.

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PROGRAMS WITH SIT UPS, PUSH UPS, AND LUNGES?

Young trainers; men; and/or thin/normal weight people originated these exercises.

Just ask a middle aged woman who is overweight how straining these exercises are.

And while you are at it ask any Physical Therapist about the above mentioned exercises.

A Fitting Weekend

Fitting in exercise that is...

Actually had no fitness goals for this weekend but, with the way I do my exercising I have such an excuse proof way that it is automatic.

I did:

30 mins. yoga (this was insomnia yoga)
10 min. walk regular no HITS
12 min. cardio to DVR recorded hits
Resistance: 8 min. upper body circuit: 140 lateral raises (varied reps/wts)
which alternated with triceps kickbacks, and bicep curls - meaning no stopping and quickly getting upper body worked on.

Goal for today: bum day and abs and sneak in some calf raises.


Soybean Oil:

Lots of not so great stuff written about this and it is showing up in lots of stuff.

READ YOUR LABELS!

I was buying one of those pricier butter type spreads. Thought it was completely made with olive oil as it states that on label. But does it really state that.

More careful reading of the way they loophole legally phrase it raised my suspicions..."made with real olive oil" was the actual phrase.

A check on the contents showed it was made of soybean oil and they had added olive oil (how much? - probably a small amount).

OLIVE OIL

So many wonderful things about this and highly recommended as a healthy choice for fats. I do not want soybean oil which is basically in everything that is processed and here is a tip:

OLIVE OIL CAN BE SOYBEAN OIL

What? But my bottle says it is Olive Oil on the label. And it appears to be olive oil.

That is a dirty little consumer rip off. Seems an olive oil label on the bottle can have sneaked in soybean oil. Pure Olive Oil can be a loophole with a certain amount of soybean oil legally added. Some just put lots of soybean oil in it and don't make any claims on the label as to purity.

So...

We now buy our olive oil only at the health food store by a reputable brand.

As a middle aged/menopausal woman you do not want to go on a super restricted fat diet. The healthy fats (real olive oil and avocadoes) can work wonders. I make sure to include about a tablespoon of olive oil, try to get some avocado in my daily diet. Nuts also are ok in moderation. Fats are also needed in your glycemic load valuations (how sugar/carbs hit your bloodstream).

I strictly limit animal based fats (am a vegetarian so meat fat not an issue).

Read those labels very carefully - truly can be some mystery reading with the surprise culprit being things you don't want.

If your health care provider told you how to consume/limit your fats - you follow their advice.

Caught up and Ketchup

Fitness goal set for yesterday accomplished:

Yoga 30 minutes (goal was for 7 minutes)

When you get over the 'have to exercise a certain amount of time' and you do your no stress 7 min. yoga routine - it is so easy to keep on if you want.

KETCHUP:

What a surprise how junky condiments have become. Heinz a good quality (y'ad think) name brand has put high fructose corn syrup AND corn syrup in their ketchup. That means it has to almost count as a dessert portion if used.

Check your labels - barbecue sauce is dripping with the stuff also. High fructose corn syrup is different from just actual corn syrup.

On some portion control programs you could have 1/4 a cup of kethcup - and I followed that - and could not figure out how I was not losing weight. That is way too much sugar to load up without taking into account any other sugar you may eat that day.

Of course that could have been written when ketchup was really just ketchup. It should be called 'tomato syrup' the way it is processed now for fast food and standard markets.

The way/how/when you eat sugar/carbs dramatically affects how you are able to lose weight - this is particularly true for middle aged/menopausal women - but that is another post.

Gotta go 'ketch up' with the morning chores!

Catch up and caught up

Did do all fitness goals yesterday.

Did all major heavy household cleaning.

Got in a 7 min. walk with a few HITs.

Did a floor quad workout (a no joint load quad exer.)
Inner thigh workout and
bum bun workout by doing rear leg lifts (or arabesques for any ballet buffs) these rear lifts were fit in throughout the houseworking day. Was not using ankle weights so did some holds and pulses at the top of the movement - this is also a light joint load exer. on your knees - as long as you don't lock your standing leg knee joint.

THEN today did a long (30 min.) walk with no HITs or high intensity. Just a steady pace covering a long distance.

Why?

YOUR BODY ADJUSTS TO THE SAME WORKOUT - YOU NEED TO VARY IT

That includes the way you are working out. You need a couple of good exercises that you like for each body part. A couple of cardios you like doing. Then...

YOU CAN VARY THE PACE, SPEED, AMOUNT AND (FOR RESISTANCE WORKOUT) ADD ON PULSES AND HOLDS
AND INTENSITY

Now that I am caught up with all fitness goals for now, I am going to do a short
yoga workout under 7 minutes.

Ya gotta stay flexible in your attitude toward exercise!

A Sonic Run

I had modest goals yesterday but knew they would be 100% excuse proof.

Then whoa, people show up, a bunch of stuff starts happening, you help someone else out at their home - and you get off schedule and super busy.

I did not end up doing the housework on my home after all.

I did end up with free time after 8 pm. before a 'Sonic run' as we call them here.

First off, I quickly got in a 20 minute walk/run to get in some HIT cardio = a run before a Sonic run. One of my dogs came with me and I combined quality time with them - doing a multitask which saves time.

Then the actual run (we actually do drive there) to Sonic.

Now here is where some people (and how I really do admire their stoicism) would have ordered iced water.

Or a diet drink (not an option for me - I dislike fake sweetners), or nothing and groussled on about how unfair dieting is OR they would have ordered a large candied blast (this last option is what I used to do) and determined out loud to start the diet later.

My best option: order a small plain milkshake (I stay away from any added candies since that just has way too much sugar) and then slowly eat only half of it. I know, 'ouch!'. But you really do get used to and really end up preferring this. Sonic fun AND no guilt. Just toss out the rest of it.

YOUR BODY IS NOT A LANDFILL AND EATING SOMETHING TO SAVE THROWING IT OUT MAKES YOUR BODY A LANDFULL.

This is the most reasonable compromise. I still get the going to Sonic having some ice cream in the summer fun-but don't gain weight.

Quite frankly, this was almost painful at first as I used to be a big eater and would order a large Blast with crushed candy and eat the whole thing and still be wanting more. Those days are long over. That was my obesity eating habit.


Exercise:

Later I just did a straight through upper body workout in about 10 mins - I do not pause between sets but just do another exercise so I constantly work the full 10 mins, with only seconds in any pauses between sets. Another time saver.

But by doing my little fitting in exercise I had already done a couple of sets very early in the day. Literally just walking to the weights picking up the 3 lb. dumbbells and doing 10 side lateral raises.

Goals accomplished: A 20 minute HIT cardio
Upper body weight workout: at least 10 min.

I am going to aim for a bum day and light cardio. Priority today is cleaning the house - I cannot stand a not spotless home - shudder.

GOALS: Bum day (don't get behind on this!)
ab pull ins (easy to do when cleaning)

Fit ins: heel raises; side leg lifts (these are the best 'hidden' exercises)

might do but not stressing to have to do: some quad work

Gotta get working!

Moving right along...PRE

Goals met yesterday: Did 70 ab pull ins (different counts for pull in part)
Pilates ab floor work (6 mins. worth)
Did one set of side lat raises to get going on

Today's goal:

Upper body work. I will fit in sets while doing housework (because my body will
be warmed up) or I will do a few segments later in the day depending how busy the day gets - totally 100% excuse proof.

QUICK UPPER BODY WARM UP:

Super easy quick warm up for upper body: stretch arms straight overhead for a few seconds, then do 20 small arm circles, 20 large arm circles. Do a warm up or be warmed up from other activity before you do any weight training.

Will be doing major heavy duty household cleaning (vacuuming, mopping, yardwork) for a few hours.

Will fit a few minutes of some cardio since did not do yesterday.



Perceived Rate of Exertion

I use the PRE method of calculating my cardio rate. Perceived Rate of Exertion. This is much easier and you learn to listen to your body. My humble but well researched opinion: your heart rate base can change - if you have had a lot of caffeine, some insomnia, not exercised in a while, are excited (you are trying out those new workout pants that finally arrived) - that heart rate will go up quicker and by using PRE you are able to spot this and adjust as you cardio by
slowing down.

PRE is much more easier, without hassle...

Getting out that stopwatch, your pencil to do the math, counting - just another exercise bother.

Hassle free, easy to do, convenient exercise is the key to avoiding exercise stress.

I will state this: If your healthcare provider has told you you need to exercise and use the standard heartrate method of counts - then do so.

What your Doctor tells you to do is the rule.

Happy exercising!

Easy as Pie

Yesterday I did go on to do 20 - 25 mins. (I don't exactly time it) of cardio with hits in there (high intensity interval training) then pacing or marching in place to get heart rate down then I did some weight lifting for the upper body = a circuit hit routine.

I am using lighter weights now and doing the move with super concentrated squeezing (not just flapping the weight losely up there). For middle aged women I think the lighter weights work just fine using that technique.

I am using hits another way as in movie soundtrack hits.

Most movies have some snappy tunes so I DVR some songs. I flip on the tv and just go down the list of whatever songs I want to work out with.

My current list of DVR'd songs:
I am Legend
Hairspray
Tropic Thunder (that hilarious dance Tom Cruise does at the end)
Theme song from True Blood
And yes, even a Jonas Brothers song

and a lot of others.

Point is: I don't have to find a workout dvd, or cd of music or anything and get it out and put it in. I am ready to workout at a seconds notice that it takes to just turn on the tv.

Of course you gotta have full cable to get all these movies so that you can choose enough songs to keep your interest. And the time just flies by.

Cardio becomes easy and fun. It is not a chore.
If I do just 10 mins. that is fine, if I go on for 25 or 30 that is great.

But there are other fitness requirements.

You should be on (with healthcare providers clearance) some sort of resistance training (no, resisting exercise completely does not apply).

But be careful - you have to have good form when you do these. If you do bad form and use a weight you can easily do some joint straining.

That doesn't get as much publicity as does the younger crowd just hoisting away at heavy weights all over the place.

Don't do body weight exercises if you are at all overweight: duh, but that is so commonly done.

I do not do push ups (too much strain on elbows) and I do not do tricep dips either.
But I do squats...that is another post the exercises I do for middle aged women.

ANYWAY: I still needed to do some stretching so I did my super quick 7 min. yoga stretch routine (can be as short as 4 mins). I also had incorporated cardio moves that are stretchy in my cardio segment.

Then I had a few minutes later and did a few heel raises. While in the kitchen cleaning up I stopped and did a 25 rep set of squats (careful to not let my knees go over my toes) and really squeezed on the uptake. Work it!

While I thought of it I did ab pull ins. Holding for 3 counts did 3 reps for about 4sets. I also did some pelvic floor exer. while relaxing watching the telly (that is pelvic floor exer. not to be confused with just kegels).

So here I almost effortlessly, and certainly easily did exercise and I started fitting it in later in the day. I can get more in when I start earlier in the day but sometimes I just don't - AND I don't stress if I don't. Exercise stress = any negative thought about exercise you have.

YOU GOTTA GET OVER THE NEGATIVE ASSOCIATIONS WITH EXERCISE.

I felt great doing the exercise and felt good about doing some healthy movement later and all this did was pour out some of those great endorphins (you can get endorphins from not only the exercise but the positive good thoughts you have about it). POSITIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVEMENT OR EXERCISE = ENDORPHIN RELEASE - really just the thoughts can do it. You literally lighten up just thinking of the exercise word.

I really enjoyed being on exercise forums - we would post our goals there. This fitness blog is great in that I can put on here my goal for the day and put results on quickly. Today it is a bum day! Not to worry though I can fit those in effortlessly. And I need to aim for 100 ab pull ins - maybe even get down and do some pilates ab work. (I cannot stand floor work and try to do as little as possible).

Don't forget ladies: crunches can weaken your pelvic floor.

Fitting Fitness in Creatively

These are things I have discovered for me. I am busy and have to create ways to fit in fitness (hence the name).

I do not belong to a gym yet I work out with weights.

I do not work out a set time each day - but I do work out most days.

I do not force exercise on myself.

But:

I exercise everything.

I can exercise at any time.

I can even exercise in public.

I create ways to get in some exercise.


I have made exercise easy to fit in as I hated that whole "When am I going to do some some exercise today and it is already 7:00 pm and I still have a lot to do?" or "Really I should be doing my 45 min. cardio routine DVD I just bought - what a waste of money" or "Some article stated I should be doing 30 minutes of exercise a day at a targeted heart rate". "I need to join a gym but those people are intimidating and are they really interested in me or my money". or worse "I joined the gym and paid hundreds of dollars and don't use it". Or "I worked all day and am just really tired".

ALL of the above comments to yourself does nothing but create what I call exercise stress.

You make exercise an odious chore to be carved out of a busy day. You start to associate it with guilt, negativity and something you should be doing but really just don't feel like it at the time.

It is easy to get 'exercise stress' and most respond by always resolving to start an exercise program or they just flat out stop any attempt at exercise.

Here is one rule: THE LESS YOU EXERCISE OR MOVE THE LESS YOU WANT TO EXERCISE OR MOVE.

You then really become inactive. And it is not good to be inactive at any age and most certainly at middle age/menopausal age.

Now I know there are those who love to exercise, do it with joy and work out an hour a day straight. That is fantastic.

I will state you really should always consult your healthcare provider before you start an exercise or movement program. Why is that always recommended? You may have hidden high blood pressure and not be aware of it or you might have diabetes and not be aware of it, you may have some cardiac risk factors (yes, even women) - these are some conditions among others that you would want to be aware of when exercising. So that standard advice is really for your safety.

Well thats it for today - I have been at the computer and am going to go enjoy some movment! It'll be fun - I DVR'd the latest Jonas Brother's show and hope they have some new tunes so I can try out some moves.

And did I finally get going a creatively fitter blog...

Yes I did and was much easier than I thought setting up another blog.

And, wow, do I need to get back in the accounting of my exercise.

I have always been a member of a fitness forum
but not since last year.