40 Plus Fitness Journal – Fitness Over 40

I’ve been contemplating the idea of the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Not to confuse the two because of the slash, they are completely different methodologies for eating. Vegans don’t eat any animal products, including dairy. Vegetarians don’t eat meat, although some allow seafood.

Yesterday, as I warmed some grilled chicken to go on a salad, a colleague (who is a vegan) mentioned my use of meat in which I shared, every now and then I like to have some chicken, which is true. The big problem I have with the idea is not so much giving up the meat, but the alternatives for getting the protein I need. There are various debates on the use of soy and whether it’s a better choice or just as harmful for you. His perspective: You have to balance it out. And I agree with that. There are other options of course like beans, lentils and greens.

For some the very idea of giving up meat is too radical to even contemplate. For some, the fight for animal rights is enough to cast it away forever.  And then there’s me, the health-conscious, strong-willed information-gatherer, who really wants to do the right thing not so much as a political statement or trendy notion, but as a strategy for ultimate health. The problem however, is identifying what that is and then countering it with emotional cravings that have conditioned us. 

This morning I wanted pancakes. It seemed like the perfect Saturday morning breakfast. The apple I ate earlier had long gone and I was still hungry, so I debated — IHop, quick pancakes from McDonalds, or make my own. I opted to make my own. Pancakes and syrup a great, but a side piece of turkey bacon (I don’t eat beef or pork) would be the perfect compliment.

Everything was going well until I opened the meat and within minutes was feeling nauseous. The smell of the meat was overwhelming and soon I had no appetite. I had put the meat in the oven and wasn’t sure I would eat it. If I did, assuming my body would allow me, it would need to really be done. When I checked on the meat it was probably done, but I wasn’t convinced, so I left it the oven. And then it was burnt. Well at least I knew it was done and I knew what that meant — I was not to have turkey bacon this morning and maybe I was not to have it anymore.

I did have the pancakes. I ate half and needless to say they weren’t nearly as good after the meat incidence and so it got me to thinking again about the idea of going vegetarian/vegan. The  smell of that raw meat and then the though of putting that meat into my body was overwhelming.

I don’t know if I will go completely vegetarian/vegan, but I can tell you this, I won’t be buying anymore raw meat.

We’re going on a journey and I want you to join us!  A friend and I were having lunch in celebration of her birthday. We’ve been friends for two decades and were reflecting on our friendship, comparing the things we liked to do in our 20’s versus the things we like to do now. Boy what a difference! We realized that the generations in which our friendship has lasted —– 20’s, 30’s, and now 40’s, are some very different segments of life. The truth is we had changed. But one thing hadn’t —- our love for food! So that’s when we got the idea for Food Excursion 2011 — a gathering of monthly dining over good food and fellowship. We were both excited.

Being the strategic planners and researchers we are, we wanted to carry the journey out with full intent — themed dining experiences, researching of possible venues, and then a collective vote of which restaurant would be the selection of the month. We started with a broad list of themes such as: ethnic dining, celebrity owned restaurants, best kept secrets, restarants with jazz/bands, etc.

There were twelve months to cover, a compelling list of really good places to eat, and the added bonus of selecting locations in which neither of us had dined previously. And then there was the real work, selecting a date in which our busy schedules would accomodate — boy was this fun!

January was made easy by the fact that I was fasting – no meat, no sweets, no bread — so vegetarian dining was the theme of the month and we were off.  We started online and then I went for a direct source, calling up a friend that was vegetarian. She gave us 3 or 4 options from which to chose, which I immediately added to the list. We were down to two or three choices and then a decision was made — we were heading to R. Thomas Deluxe downtown.

We’re off to a great start! Stay tuned for my post on January dining experienc at R. Thomas.

Each year we conduct a fast at my church. I’m usually excited as it’s a great way refresh, both spirtually and physically. This year the goal was to go without meat, bread and sweets for one month. Not too bad, I thought. That is until the snow storm hit down here in the south. The first major snow storm we’ve had in a decade or so. The city was shut down for a full week and well that’s when things got a little challenging for me.

Day 1 and 2 were okay fast wise. My summation of day one was snow fog. I was very unproductive, staying in bed most of the day. By day two I was motivated to do some work at least. I had prepared for the storm appropriately, making sure there was food in the house. I fixed a huge pot of soup on Sunday evening with the goal of lasting most of the week. It did, but by day 3, I needed snacks and I was on my way to get them. The weather had settled enough for me to drive the less than 3 miles to Kroger. I’d like to say I made due with something befitting to my fast, but the truth is, I got Pita Chips, a much better comfort to go with my hummus (as opposed to the celery). All and all this may not sound so bad, but regardless, the fast was broken; I had gone for the bread! While I failed at the full fast, I admit I felt a lot better, content with staying in the rest of the week.

All I can say is fasting is good for the body, spirit and soul, but funny things happen when you’re trapped in a snow storm.

Although I know that vitamins are generally good foR you, I’ve never liked taking anything on a regular basis. If I have a headache or am not feeling well, I’m really slow to medicate. I’m not putting vitamins in the category of medicine, I’m just mostly opposed to popping a lot of pills (of any type) and find it difficult to maintain a daily regimine of this kind.  I’ve always gotten my rest so a nap mid-day is hardly out of the ordinary, but lately I haven’t been tired in the sense of my normal, let-me-take-a-nap routine, but in some instances completely overcome with exhaustion. Something felt off. 

I decided to try taking a multi-vitamin. I already had a bottle in my cabinet where they had long been awaiting, apparently hoping one day I’d get to a point of regular use. All I can say is 5 days in and I feel like a completely different person. I haven’t felt sluggish and missed nap time on several ocassions.

As much as I try to maintain a healthy balance in diet and exercise, it can be difficult to get everything that your body needs. In this instance, the ocassional supplement is needed and might actually be a pretty smart idea.

My goal is to maintain this regimine (we’ll see how well I do) and to monitor my results. I’m curious as to others thoughts on taking vitamins? Do you take vitamins and have you found a difference in how you feel doing the day? Are there any particular brands you’ve found to be better than others? What other supplements do you take that you’ve found to help your overall energy levels?

I’ve always used the 80-20 rule when it comes to health and fitness. 80% of the time I’m doing the right thing. The other 20%, well no one’s perfect. I’ve found this to work particularly well as it establishes the fact that mostly you’re doing okay. But as people, we are going to falter, whether that’s eating that slice of cheesecake on my birthday each year or the terrible exercise opposition I seem to get in the winter. The good news is when I fall off the track, I can pick myself up, brush off and get on with it.

When health and fitness becomes an important factor in your life, you’ll find that mostly you want and you will get it right. Like most things though it takes some consistency and some practice.

It’s 3 p.m. in the afternoon. I’m in bed with a cup of green tea with lemon. I had a meeting this morning, felt a tingle in my throat and immediately knew I should have worn a coat. Which got me to thinking about this experiment around healthy living and the fact that the bigger part of this puzzle is the ability to consciously consider the things we do each day. When we do that and set our minds to be intentionally mindful (conscious) of our health we realize what an immense task this can be.

It’s not just about nutrition and exercise. It’s also about protection, awareness and consideration. While I was less aware than I needed to be earlier in the day (hence not wearing a coat), I am instinctively aware at the moment, recognizing that I need this time to rest and replenish my body.

Most people wouldn’t and couldn’t take the time to rest their body mid-day, I on the other hand am not one of those people. I admit I still take a nap most days.

When I think of conscious living I think of being more purposeful in my intentions, recognizing what I need mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically.  I’ve always had a sweet tooth and while I generally attempt to keep the sweets to a minimum, I understand that  if my body is craving something it is for a reason. But I have to listen intently to my body and not be deceived by it. Are there time when you absolutely cannot exercise (not those lazy times, we all have those), but those times when you just can’t force it? Your body may be telling you something.  Many would describe me as a workaholic, at least I used to be, but there are times now when I just can’t work, and I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, by no means am I a slacker. I work really hard and passionately, but then I know when I need to shut it down.

Today the lesson I’ve learned is to be more intune with who I am and what I need as it relates to my health and to understand that healthy living is not defined by a definitive set of rules or ways of living. Rigidity may be the most unhealthy things of all.

At 7:30 this morning, I was back and forth emailing and chatting with both my web host provider and a services rep from the Customer Relationship Management program that I use. I knew then that day 2 of the Healthy Living Experiment wasn’t going so well. I was already caught up and the morning was just beginning. This morning was a far cry from the refreshing feeling I felt yesterday at this time. Honestly, I was already frustrated and slightly overwhelmed — darn.

Truth is, healthy living may be more difficult than it seems when you’ve set the goals I’ve set, but not to be dismayed, I would indeed make up for it later.

Later . . .
So I’m in the grocery store trying to determine what constitutes healthy eating. For example, how bad is wheat bread? It’s certainly better than white bread, but  its made with flour. I consider an alternative, Ezekiel Bread, which is made with great stuff like sprouts and grains and no flour. But then I figure if my focus is mostly fruits and vegetables, wouldn’t bread become a reasonably suitable distraction? I thought better and opted out.

I considered a protein bar for snacking, but honestly guys they’re not all they’re cracked up to be. You have to really know what you’re doing when you make these selections. And again, it’s neither fruit nor vegetable.  I opt out.

What about soy? There’s the good, bad and neutral on that one. Is it better than eating meat or just as potentially harmful? Wow. This isn’t usually so challenging.

Could it be that now that I’ve decided to live healthier that in reality I don’t know what that means, at least not at the grocery store? The best I can do and suggest to you is to read the labels! Please read the labels. You’d be amazed at all the junk they put in our food.

Here’s what I ended up leaving the store with? Some rice milk, a bell pepper, a head of romain lettuce, and a bag of all natural tortilla chips.  When I returned home I sauteed (in Olive Oil) some spinach and diced tomatoes and had them with the chips. It was very tasty. I snacked later on a bowl of granola cereal and nuts.

Before you read this post, I want you to stop and breathe — that’s right —inhale in; exhale out.  Breathing is so natural that we take for granted the importance of doing it. Breathing deep breaths two or three times a day is good for your body. 

Today, I’m starting the healthy living experiment. What that means to me is over the next 21 days, I will be exploring healthier ways of living.

I already consider myself a health enthusiast, but I want to explore taking myself to a different level of living. For example, several years back I decided to run a marathon. I wanted to experience total fitness and I thought this would be a good measure.  When you consider the condition your body, mind and spirit has to be in to actually run 26.2 miles,  it’s pretty fascinating.  I ended up running the half marathon, still a grand achievement of 13.6 miles. I was pleased with myself. My only goal was to finish and now I join the ranks of a very small percentage of individuals who can say they’ve taken their bodies through such a rigourous physical challenge.

So here I am , pushing (attempting at least) the envelop yet again. My goal: another level of comprehensive  mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health. The truth is, I’m not sure what that looks like, but here are the things I want to accomplish over the next 21 days:

1. Healthy eating consisting of mostly fruits and vegetables. Rule: No eating out. The only way I can really know what’s going in my body is to eat at home. When I visit the grocery store to shop, I’m a stickler for reading labels.
2. Physical Fitness – As we approach and get into the winter months I become less inclined to exercise regularly. I find it challenging and I’m committing to doing better.
3. Emotional wellbeing meaning the elimination of unneccessary stress. This will require time for relaxation, defusing anger, enjoying the journey and maintaining inner peace. Sounds simple right? Easier said than done.
4. Spirituality consisting of quality time in prayer and building my relationship with God – I know God forgives me of all the neglectful behavior, but living healthy for me is inclusive of continuously building my faith.
5. Drinking more water. I love water, I really do. Aside from green tea and cranberry juice that’s all I drink. But I don’t get enough.  So I have to work on that.

There may be more, but in my opinion this is a good start so I began this morning with a glass of Apple Cider Vinegar, 30 minutes of yoga, 20 minutes meditating and 30 minutes in prayer. I feel unbelievably refreshed and it’s just 7:30 in the morning.  I will be tracking my journey to see what I learn. Stay tuned.

For years I’d heard about yoga, its benefits and how much people enjoyed it. I actually took a class once and thought this is okay, but for someone like me, who likes highly energetic, intense workouts like step aerobics and tennis, it didn’t hold my interest for long. That is, until my back went out earlier this year and I found myself reaching for anything to rebuild my body and get back to where I was. After several weeks at the chiropractor with some immediate relief but no clear cut plan on full healing, just a routine of  “let’s keep coming in twice a week”, I knew I had to look at some alternatives.

The real problem I had with my chiropractor was I went into the office and got everything cracked and then I was sent home with no instructions on what to do for maintenance. This was frustrating for me. I needed to make some real adjustments and I didn’t know how. Before I go on, let me explain a few things. I was the kind of person who could sleep anywhere — I’d fall asleep on the coach, on the floor, in my office, you name it. I’ve always found sitting on the floor more comfortable than sitting in a chair and I’m in front of the computer the better part of the day. Needless to say, none of these were good for my back.

The first discovery I made was walking. I walked pretty regularly and found it was the only thing that made my back feel better. That is until I discovered yoga. I had purchased a yoga book many years ago and I thought to pull it out. Then I purchased a CD with some very basic yoga moves. The first move I learned was ridiculously simple, but I fell in love with it. The Savasana (or Corpse Pose) which entailed simply laying straight on my back and breathing. Ironically, I knew that laying straight on your back was helpful, but there was more that this pose seemed to offer, which I imagine is the full breathing aspect.

The next pose I fell in love with was the Trikonasana (or Triangle Pose). This is by far my favorite. With this pose you start off standing straight up with your arms stretched to the side, then you slowly lean to one side reaching for your ankle. When I did this pose I could actually hear my spine popping — I knew this was either really good or really bad! It turned out to be really good.

This was an initial start for me, but as I’ve shared I need intensity when I exercise, so I continued my search for a yoga CD and happened on the Yoga Meltdown with Jillian Michaels. Talking about yoga on overdrive! This 30 minute workout had me sweating and raised my heartbeat, it was amazing.

So now I’m a big fan of yoga and my back is better, so much so that I was able to play tennis this fall. I’m happy to have discovered the practice of yoga and am well on my path to natural healing!

Peace and Health

I had a fabulous workout this morning! In my effort to make my body stronger, I’ve committed to getting past the barriers. My focus is on nutrition and exercise. I am absolutely not feeling the gym and  it’s gorgeous outside, so I choose to create kind of a circuit-training workout. I travel down to the local parking lot (not as strange as it sounds) where I, as well as others in the area come to walk, ride bikes, and exercise. Here, I’ve set up my personalized individual training camp. I start with some stretching, then I walk or jog the lines. Using the curb I have been able to incorporate some step aerobics in which I work out the legs. Sometimes I skip (a youthful activity that’s great at increasing the heart rate). Leg lunges and kicks are added for leg toning. All I can say is so far so good.

I love waking up in the morning and doing my routine. I’ve met several individuals that are regulars like me. We speak and make light conversation in passing. Each of us motivated by his or her own’s goals. There is something absolutely refreshing about exercising in open space outside at 7 in the morning. It’s a great time to do some reflection and get a jump start to the day.

If you’re looking for a motivator to start your workout or need some ideas on how to make it fabulous, here are a few tips for you:

1. Attitude – Like everything else, attitude plays a big role in how much you get out of your workout. It would be hard to get out of bed and make it to my workout at 7 am if I had a bad attitude about it. But the truth is I love the workout and I get up looking forward to it. The fresh air and sunshine is a wonderful start to my morning and I feel better when I’m finished.

2. Pace Yourself – Since I hadn’t been in a regular routine for a while, I knew it was important to pace my activities so I started out slow and didn’t try to overdo it — 30 minutes went to 45 minutes and sometimes an hour.

3. Make it Fun – I initially started out walking.  I added additional elements to make it more fun and enjoyable for me. I get bored rather easily so added different dimensions to my regular routine has made this an exciting part of my day.

4. Multi-Task – Most people’s excuse for not working out is they don’t have the time. Often I see people walking with headphones, listening to their favorite tunes.  Consider checking out a book (standard or audio) and catch up on some reading.  I find it to be a great time to think, pray and commune with God.

5. Workout with a Friend – Creating a buddy type system is a great way to stay motivated and stay connected with friends.

These are just a few suggestions that might help you get motivated. Whatever you do, make it a fabulous workout!