#dancing and exercising and being active and this year i’ve never been so sedentary in my entire life

[exitwound]

this made me cry

#ok…….. #i’ve been listening to caterpillars by squalloscope so much. so so much #this past year my body has been eating itself and withering bc i couldn’t take care of it & feed it & like as the person i am i NEED to be #dancing and exercising and being active and this year i’ve never been so sedentary in my entire life #and my injuries kept getting worse bc i wasn’t doing pt despite #not doing ballet either and god it was a lot of feeling like nothing & feeling like i was Wasting and . anyway this is everything 2me rn #030201 #favourite #must have eaten caterpillars all my life #there is no grammar capable of describing how a body shifts into godhood. subject. verb. #w #q #garden of earthly delights #apotheosis #u #my comp #notebook #k

[realmadridfamily]

“The four boys are so different that I don't miss the girl”

EIGHT weeks after the birth of little Máximo Adriano, the youngest of her four children with footballer Sergio Ramos, Pilar Rubio is more radiant than ever in a spectacular photo shoot in Portugal for ¡HOLA! "I wanted to get back to activity" - says the presenter. Despite the energy and professionalism, which she always shows, Pilar quickly recognizes the lack of sleep in the last few weeks, in which she combines childcare with the attention she gives to the rest of the family - which she doesn't neglect even from a distance. There is no doubt that Pilar is a supermom, which he confirms when he tells us about his physical recovery and motherhood in the midst of a pandemic. Pilar, how are you feeling? Very good, really. I can't ask for more, although I don't sleep much and I'm more tired than usual. There are nights when I think: <Mother of God, four children! Why hadn't I thought about it before?> (laugh). There are days when things get a little overwhelming for me because lack of sleep makes you see things differently. But I'm so happy that it fills me up and gives me energy. It's the first time that you separate from Máximo Adriano? A day and a half passed. It's difficult for me to separate myself from my children, but I have constant contact with them thanks to video calls. How is the little one? He's super good, he never cries. The only thing is that, like his brothers, he eats regularly. It takes a long time. Now he asks for a couple of takes at night, but the first weeks he slept an hour or nothing. It sounds harsh, really. I learned to be more patient and accepting situation. No need to complain. It was a natural childbirth? Yes, all four childbirths were natural. Whose idea was it to call the little boy Máximo Adriano? Sergio liked the name Adriano more and I liked the name Máximo more. Since both names are cute, we decided to put them together. This is a deep story (laughs). How did the older brothers accept Maximo Adriano? Alejandro, who was the youngest until Máximo Adriano's birth, has become a little more rebellious. Try to get attention. But this is normal. Sergio Junior and Marco don't feel the competition because they are older. They all love him very much, they kiss him, but then all three play with each other. Is there an intention to baptize him? This is not in our plans for now. We also didn't baptize others. It will turn out later. With this fourth child, will you and Sergio Ramos close the limit? No more children! We've definitely closed the limit (laughs). I think we did our best for the birth rate (laughs). You wanted a girl? The four boys are so different that I don't miss the girl. I have a great time with my sons. Do you have nannies? My mother is now at home with children. After four pregnancies, you look spectacular. It's a matter of good habits and keeping them, whether you are pregnant or not. Actually, there aren't many secrets. You need to be aware of your body and listen to it. Discipline is also important, but I don't want it to sound negative. You have to enjoy the routine. When you see the effects, it's worth taking care of yourself. How much weight did you gain with pregnancy? Only ten kilos. In the remaining three, fourteen. During my last pregnancy, I gained less weight because I used more energy with three kids. Apart the baby (Maximo Adriano weighed three hundred and seventy kilos at birth) the placenta and the amniotic fluid … That's four or five kilos. Then the body evolves rapidly. Now, I’m at my usual weight, even if it's distributed in a different way (laughs). Therefore, you have to train and tone. Which part costs you more to return to its original state? I have breastfed my four children and haven't had breast surgery. The breast suffers a lot with each pregnancy and, above all, with breastfeeding. I've noticed that this has changed and no matter how much I train, I can't fix it. If you ever think about it, you can always resort to aesthetic medicine ... Not yet ... I want to wait a moment. At least see how my body is evolving. If I had to make up my mind tomorrow, I wouldn't change it, but I would go back to what it was like before I became a mom. There are "celebrities" who recover almost by magic right after giving birth, and some who talk about surgeons. Have you heard that about yourself? It makes me laugh! Whoever says this is completely ignorant and should ask the doctor if it's possible to operate the bowel after giving birth. It's contraindicated. If you've had a bad diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and gained twenty-five kilos, recovery costs you more. But if you stick to your routine, it doesn't have to cost that much. Do you see the pressure some women feel to regain their body? Whose pressure? No way! At work, they always told me to come back whenever I wanted. I set pressure or goals for myself. Moreover, if someone pressured me, I didn't care. First, I would be worried if everything is alright. When do you train sports? You get up early? At seven or eight in the morning. Is it possible with four children? Yes, if I don't train, I don't have enough energy to get through the day. Seriously. It seems the opposite, but it keeps me active for the day. Besides, exercises in the afternoon make me lazy. Taking care of myself, being aware of my body and what it needs helps me be more determined and have more energy. When I start training, everything is beneficial and I enjoy. I also tell you that we all have our days (laughs). But even on days when I don't rest well and sleep for two or three hours, I get up to train. Even if I'm a little lazy, I feel much better. How much time do you dedicate to sport? One hour a day, four or five days a week. Sixty percent is food and forty percent is exercise and rest. What exercises do you practice? I recently gave birth and I can't do anything that is very aggressive or hitting the ground, so I do pelvic floor and hypopressive exercises. Also breathing exercises and stretching. I go step by step. With who do you train? Usually with Noe Todea, my personal trainer. Now, that I'm recovering from the birth, also with Caroline Correia, the physical therapist with whom I wrote the book "Pregnancy, and now what?". When I recover, I want to take off my orange kickboxing belt. I've been doing this for fourteen years, though occasionally because of pregnancy. I also want to come back to "country" dance classes. When I was little I lived with my parents in Torrejón and there was a lot of "country" culture because of the American base. Your husband also works his body hard. Don't you train together? Each of us has our own specific training, tailored to our own needs. We can be in the gym at the same time, but not training together. Do you follow any diet? I try to eat balanced. Maybe I avoid foods that aren't good, like wheat. You shouldn't spend every day on industrial baking. But there are times to enjoy everything without feeling guilty. We train and work all day to pay ourselves these little tributes later. You are radiant in photos, but when it comes to showing off your body, you feel modest. Not at all. I never thought about it (laughs). This is something I have always done and it's part of my profession. Why should I be ashamed? Which part of your body do you like to emphasize during photo sessions? The shoulders and clavicles, which seem like a very feminine part to me and I like to mark them. Also the look, although it depends on the context and style. Do you have complexes? A lot! Like everyone else. My feet are very long. Also hands. I look at my feet and think, "How long!". But, what foot size do you wear? Thirty nine. It's a normal. But I look at them and see long feet. I try to work on the rest of my body to avoid complexes. How did you spend the summer? We spent a week in Mallorca. We spent the rest of the time, from March, at home. When I came to Mallorca it was like a trip to another world! So it was a gift and we liked it very much. Were you afraid to travel during the pandemic? No way. I have respect, but when you are responsible then no problem. I'm not afraid or panicking before going out on the street. Not at all. During lockdown, you and Sergio could enjoy children much more. It was very nice to be together for twenty-four hours all the time. Moreover, during those weeks in lockdown, we all slept together in the same room. How is Sergio as a father? He is very affectionate and loving. He has always loved children and plays a lot with them. Do you share responsibilities? We don't strictly separate responsibilities. Depends on the day.   Have the children already gone back to school? Yes, but I was afraid they might wear the mask wrong. The only one who should wear it's my eldest son, six years old, but the others see and imitate their brother. Do any of your sons have football player skills? You have to ask their father because I have no idea about football. My children play with everything: ride motorbikes, play football, jump, ride on wheels, karate, judo, tennis ... They practice everything. They still research everything and see where their limitations are. In addition to Máximo Adriano, another new member has appeared in the Ramos family: the son of your brother-in-law René Ramos with singer Lorena Gómez. Is she asking for your advice? Lorena is a very prepared and super determined woman. Cares very well for the baby. She is delighted and super happy. Why are people surprised by your friendship with Vania Millán? Vania is a very special person and one of my close friends. Lorena is René's girlfriend. They have nothing to do with each other. People try to find controversy where there is none. Lorena is charming and has already made it clear that there is no confrontation. On the contrary, we get along very well. When they tell me or read something about it, I laugh. We know what our life is and luckily we are three super happy women. Vania and I get along very well and we love each other very much. Of course Lorena too. Are you planning any new projects? I continue working on "El Hormiguero" and designing. There were also several advertising proposals.

#Maximo Adriano Ramos #Alejandro Ramos #Marco Ramos #Sergio Ramos Rubio #Pilar Rubio #Sergio Ramos #Real Madrid #Interview

[exceli]

Learn how much sleep you really need. There are general guides based on your age group. However, every person is different, so it’s the best to access your sleep needs on your own. 2 ways to do that:

Keep sleep diary. Track your:  bed time | wake up time | total hours of sleep | feelings after waking up (exhausted, refreshed, etc) | energy levels throughout the day Alternatively, print one of these a bit more extensive diaries from: NHS | National Sleep Foundation Harvard Medical School | Anxiety Canada After tracking for 1-2 weeks try looking for patterns and determine what works the best for you.

Take a sleep vacation. This might be a little easier than the diary. Basically, for a week or two go to bed at the same time without setting an alarm, allowing your body to wake up naturally.. After a while, you will notice that you’re getting the same amount of sleep.

Decide on your permanent & consistent sleeping times. I.e., when you need to go to bed and wake up in order to get enough sleep. 

If you struggle with oversleeping, everyday try to wake up 5-10 min. earlier than the day before. Until you wake up at the time you need.

If you struggle with waking up & snooze button is your bff:

Put your alarm clock as far away from the bed as possible.

Use alarm apps that make you take a photo, solve maths problems, receive a call from a stranger: Alarmy | Wakie | I Can’t Wake Up | More...

Drink a glass of water right after you wake up.

Pour another glass of water on yourself.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  (u do what u gotta do)

Prepare cold brew coffee, leave it by your bedside, drink it right after you hit your alarm. Alternatively, buy some caffeine pills and take one  with a big glass of water  right after wake up.

Have your blinds/curtains open the night before, so that it’s bright after you wake up.

ALTERNATIVE FOR EVERYTHING IF YOU’RE RICH AF: buy one of those wearable fancy health monitors, connect it to some fancy app and SAD lamp that will wake up up feeling refreshed and alive.

If you struggle with going to sleep on time:

Limit your caffeine intake to 6 hours before your bedtime.

Try to limit your screen time at least 1h before bed.

Install blue light filters on your phone/laptop.

Do something relaxing (read, meditate, journal, drink tea, etc)

Try not to eat a lot before going to bed.

Try bed sheet sprays, like lavender.

Basically, establish a nighttime routine with all of these (skin care, reading, change into pajamas, etc), pavlov condition your brain to get sleepy when you do all of those things.

If you still can’t fall asleep, and been lying in bed for hours, get up and do something relaxing, like reading or listening to music. Lying in bed awake can create an unhealthy link between your sleeping environment and wakefulness. Instead, you want your bed to generate sleepy thoughts and feelings only.

Try to keep your sleeping schedule consistent. It is really important to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Even if it’s weekend. Or even if that means getting less than 7hrs of sleep that day. I’d say waking up at the same time everyday is the most important step, which will help you the most with fixing your sleeping schedule.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH LONG TERM HEALTH CONDITIONS, OR ARE SEVERELY UNDERWEIGHT/OBESE, PLEASE IGNORE THIS STEP AND RATHER SEEK HELP FROM A DIETITIAN AND/OR YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR.

This step really depends from person to person, but firstly I suggest you take some blood tests to see if you have any deficiencies, etc. Especially, if you struggle with cravings.

Try intermittent fasting, if you struggle with binge eating or overeating. As it will help you to learn to listen to your body better: when it’s hungry, when it’s full, etc. It’s really simple, there are many methods of intermittent fasting, but I’d suggest 16/8 for the beginners. (You can find a short guide here or google for more information)

DRINK ALL THE WATER. Again, if you’re not drinking enough water, try to level up your water game incrementally. Download some water tracking app on your phone to help you. Drinking water will make you more energetic, increase your metabolism, and decrease you appetite (among many other benefits). If you really struggle with meeting your water intake:

Reward yourself when you meet your daily/weekly goals.

Drink through the straw - idk why, but you are going to drink much more if you use a straw. Trust me.

Get a nice water bottle.

Flavour your water with fruits etc.

Check this video for more tips

Track what you eating. I would really suggest tracking your meals for around a month. Because, most of the time people have no idea that what they’re eating is unhealthy. Again, download an app like this one for that.

Make your own meals once in a while. Not only this will save you money, but it’ll help you to see what’s really going into your body. Start by doing that once/week and build it up depending how much time you have.

Eat more veggies/fruits. Go to your local market and buy some veggies/fruits, you have never tried before. I’m sure you’ll find your new favs. LEARN HOW TO COOK THEM. Experiment: boil, stir fry, ~roast~...

Eat/buy less meat. Not only it’s good for the environment, but it is good for you, too. Get a veggie burger instead of the beef one, increase the portions of your veggie sides, try meatless Mondays, etc. (Here’s some more tips)

Cut dairy. Find your new favourite milk substitute. Advice: Oat milk is amazing with the tea and oatmeal/porridge; hazelnut milk is amazing on it’s own; cashew milk goes well with cereals.

Learn more about nutrition in general. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH! It will help you to make better food choices and it will make eating healthy much easier in general, because once you understand all the chemistry behind the food and what it does to your body, you kinda don’t want to make yourself feel terrible. Here are some free resources: -- Human nutrition course from Alison.com -- Crash course Metabolism&Nutrition: Part 1 and Part 2 -- The Health Nerd’s YouTube Playlist about nutrition -- What I’ve Learnt YouTube Playlist -- Free Nutrition courses on edX

Define your goals. Do you want to lose weight, do you want to get stronger, gain weight, be able to climb the stairs without losing your breath, run 5k, punch god in the face?

Remember - you’re already half-way there. Being physically fit has a lot to do with what you put into your body. So, if you fulfilled the previous step of eating healthy - you have done 1/2 of the work!

Make a plan. A Reasonable plan. Be honest with yourself. Alternatively, there are many already-made plans to save your time. E.g., Couch to 5k for running, Beginners 30-day exercise guide, 30 days of yoga...

Start small. Like, 5 min exercise in the morning. Or doing 10 sit ups per day. Don’t do anything overwhelming, like running 5k everyday if you haven’t run for the past 5 years.

Make sure that you kinda like what you’re doing. If you absolutely hate running - don’t do it. Hate doing sit ups in the morning? Try yoga instead.

Explore, until you find what you like. You don’t have to go to gym to get fit, especially if you hate it. Find a type of exercise that you actually like. Maybe it’s dancing or hiking, taking your dog for a walk. Sign up for several trial lessons at various sport clubs. Ditch ‘em, if you have to, until you find something that you love. Stick with that.

Do the small changes in your everyday life. Stairs>Escalator, Walk>Drive, Do some squats while brushing your teeth, switch from regular desk to standing desk, etc…  Find ways to incorporate being active into your everyday life as, unfortunately, evolution hasn’t caught up with out sedentary lives yet.

Track your effort instead of your progress. You cannot really control your progress that much (especially if your goal is to lose weight). However, you can always control your effort. So measure it instead. This will leave you more motivated as you will be able to see that you can do more and more everyday. Whereas, if you tracked your progress, you may not always get the result you hoped for, which might demotivate you and make you upset, wanting to quit.

Do the previous 3 steps and you’re 10 miles ahead as mental health depends A LOT on the physical health.

See a therapist/doctor. Depression is an illness requiring medical treatment. So, get it. Remember: there is absolutely no shame in having a mental illness as there would be no shame if you had flu, broken leg, or a headache...

Learn about it. Knowledge is power. Learning to notice unhealthy thinking patterns and dissociate yourself from them can help a lot. Here are some resources on depression: -- Short TED-Ed video “What is depression?” -- Long TED talk about depression -- MIND Understanding Depression Booklet -- “What causes depression?” by Harvard Medical School -- “Understanding Depression in Young People” online course -- “Understanding Depression and Anxiety” Open University course

Get extra support. Talk to your friends or family. Or maybe someone on the internet: 

7 Cups free chat services: website | android | iOS 

Subreddits: r/mentalhealth, r/depression, r/suicidewatch

Write it down. If you don’t want to talk - write down your thoughts. It can be just as helpful. It’ll help you to understand yourself better, notice errors in your thinking, etc. Buy a cheap notebook (or expensive one, up to you) and start a journal. Try being consistent by writing every morning or evening or both, but DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF if you miss some days. Read through your past entries. Analyse them. Extract the lessons.

Distract yourself from yourself. Get something to take care of, so that for a moment you can stop thinking about yourself. Try volunteering or get a plant, or a dog, a fish... Focus on them. On keeping them alive and well. 

Self-care day. Dedicate at least one day per week for self-care. Take yourself out to a museum or some fancy cafe, do some stuff you like, whatever your hobbies are, do some physical self care: bath, face mask, manicure, etc., listen to some nice music, watch a film...

Try self-help options. Sadly, therapy is not always available and your friends/family doesn’t always know what to do or say. Luckily there are TONS of resources online: -- NHS Low Mood and Depression: A Self-Help Guide  -- Pacifica (website | android | iOS ): offers psychologist-designed tools to address stress, anxiety, and depression based on CBT, mindfulness meditation, mood/health tracking.     -- Moodpath (website | android | iOS): interactive two-week depression, burnout, and stress test that tracks your emotional and physical well-being -- MIND self-care guide for depression

Manage your emotions. The biggest cause of procrastination is an inability to navigate negative emotions associated with doing a thing. You need to learn to recognize your negative feelings and realize that procrastination is primarily about "feeling good now". Studies have shown that mindfulness can help you with that. --Getting started with Mindfulness Guide.

Figure your reasons why. Procrastinators often suffer from lack of identity, don't know what they want to achieve, or why they want to achieve it. It’s hard to work towards a goal, when you don’t have one. Also, people who are 'social perfectionists' and are motivated to work because of other people's/society's expectations rather than their own sense of accomplishment are more likely to procrastinate.

Divide your tasks into concrete smaller goals. Sometimes things seem to be hard because they are very vague. e.g. "working on my thesis" or "studying for my class" often means doing nothing, whereas "reading 4 pages of a textbook to understand a concept I need to summarize in my thesis" is a concrete, broken down goal.

Celebrate your victories instead of mourning over your loses. So the only thing you’ve done today was write one sentence for your 20 page essay? Amazing! Buy yourself some candy for that!! I mean, you could’ve done nothing, but you didn’t - you wrote that one sentence and that’s worth celebrating. 

Redefine the success - doing something is a hundred million times better than doing nothing. Also, if something is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly. 

Do it for only 2 minutes. If there’s an important thing you’ve been putting off for a while, tell yourself that you will only spend 2 minutes on doing it. If after 2 minutes you don’t want to do it anymore, great, stop it. However, after 2min. you actually might want to do more. No pressure either way.

Track your productivity. Track how much time you’ve been productive that day. Try to increase that time by a little bit every day.

Always forgive yourself. So, it’s been a week and you’ve done nothing? Don’t sweat it. Let it go. Blaming yourself will bring you absolutely nothing. Nothing good will come out of your negativity on yourself. So stop it. Forgive yourself and start again. And again, if you need to. Never stop trying. Always pick yourself after you fall. Beating procrastination and increasing your discipline is a skill. And all skills can be build on. There is nothing in you stopping you from changing. Remember that. More resources here: -- “9 Reasons You Procrastinate (and 9 Ways to Stop)” PsychologyToday --  Solving Procrastination Website -- “Helping Students Who Procrastinate” lecture by Tim Pychyl

Visit your doctor, if nothing works and procrastination is severely  impacting your life. Sometimes procrastination can be a symptom of an illness, like Anxiety or ADHD. If you are chronically procrastinating for a long time and nothing seems to help, talk to your doctor and ask for a psychological/psychiatric assessment. You may be referred for therapy or given medication that will help to deal with procrastination. 

Go to google.com.

Type in: “How to do taxes *the name of the country you’re living in*”

Read the results.

Alternatively, if you like socialising, ask some adults, whom you know, about it. Trust me, older people love teaching the youth. Learn all the lessons you can from them.

Remember that just as with beating procrastination, making phone calls is a skill. And, again, skills can be learnt.

Get a new SIM card. Top it up.

Call some local business (cafe, restaurant, shop, vet, etc). Ask some random questions, write them down if you fear of forgetting them. Some examples: -- What time do you open tomorrow? -- Are you open this Sunday? -- Do you cater for people with dairy allergies?  -- My cat hasn’t eaten for the whole day, what should I do? -- Alternatively, you can pretend that you dialed a wrong person and talk about whatever until they stop you, e.g.: You: “Hey!! You won’t believe what I saw today! You: *start telling a made-up story*” Them: “Uhm.. sorry I think you’ve dialed a wrong number“ You: “Oh, my bad. Thanks, bye“ You: *hang up*

If you’re really struggling, write down and follow this format, rehearse it if you need: You: Hi, is this *the name of the institution”? Them: Yes, how can I help you. You: I was wondering *insert a question from a list* Them: *answer the question* You: Thank you, what about *insert another question* Them: *doesn’t know the answer* You: That’s okay. I will look it up myself / I will call you back later.  Thank you for your help. Have a nice day!

If you get uncomfortable or mess up - just drop the call. Use fake names. No consequences whatsoever. Or say “Sorry, wrong number”, “Sorry, I gotta go”, “ I apologise, I need to hang up, I’ll call you back.”

Repeat until you build up your game and your phone-call anxiety starts to diminish. You can also start with calling your friends/family first, if you’re comfortable with that.

Bonus tips for serious calls: 

Remember it’s okay to ask a person on the other side to repeat what they said, if you couldn’t understand it. Despite it being a 21st century, phone calls still give a crappy quality sound. Everyone knows that and will understand you. Just say “Oh, sorry didn’t hear that, could you repeat again”, “the signal seems to have gotten weak, couldn’t quite catch that, please say it again”, etc. Once, I had to ask it five times, but then again, the other time I’ve been asked to repeat myself 7 times, too. No one cares. It says nothing about your language, speaking, listening, or whatever abilities. 

It’s okay to take a short break if you’re overwhelmed or if you need to look up something. Don’t stress out about having to answer someone immediately. Just say “give me a sec, I’ll look it up”, “could you please hang on for a minute”, “Oh sorry, pizza man’s at my door, I’ll be back shortly”. Lie, come up with your own reason to get away. No one cares. Just let them know that you’ll be back on the phone soon.

Don’t be afraid to ask them what they’re thinking. Phone calls can be intimidating cause you can’t see another person’s face/reactions. But if you do want/need to know them, just ask. “What you thinking?”, “How do you feel about this?”, “Sorry, you went quiet, did I say something wrong?”. 

Don’t feel pressured to answer immediately or hate the “awkward silences”. If you need to think in order to give an answer, just say so: “Give me a minute to think about this”, “I’m not sure I can answer this right now, I need time to think it over”, etc... 

Here you are in your peak mental & physical health. Go prove all those haters wrong. Follow your dreams. Do what you wanna do. And when new issues arise, remember that there are tons of resources out there to help you out. The important thing is that you actually implement those resources. Information is out there, but you still gotta do the work. And you can do the work. Remember all the times you already did it. You learnt to walk, to talk, to read, to count, to ride a bike... algebra, a second language?, using a computer, driving... etc... You overcame so many obstacles so far. You learned from them. You can do it. It’s over for everyone and everything that wants you to think otherwise.

(before reblogging, click here to check for the updated version of this post)

#mental health #self care #self help #Resources #depression #seth everman #memes #sleep #health #self improvement #tips #lifestyle #Nutrition #science #psychology #exceli #excelli #original #life tips #help #masterpost #studyspo #studyblr #selfimprovmentguide

[michellelinkous]

Knees worthy of a dance

Snap.

Lou Ann Weber, 64, felt the snap more than heard it. She felt it in her left knee.

That was about six years ago, the Dorr, Michigan, resident said, and it was about a year later that she felt her right knee snap, too.

“I have a desk job at a bank, but I’m on my feet most of the day,” Weber said. “My knees hurt enough that I went to see a doctor about it.”

Joel Wolfe, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Shoreline Orthopedics in Zeeland, often performs joint replacement surgery at Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital for his patients. But he turned Weber away when the conversation turned to knee replacement surgery.

“Not yet, he told me,” Weber said. “Dr. Wolfe said I had to lose weight first. I had to get my BMI (down), and that meant I had to lose 60 to 70 pounds before I could have knee replacement surgery.”

Getting motivated

The extra weight puts extra strain on knees, causing pain, and it also raises the odds of complications during surgery, Dr. Wolfe said.

Weber acknowledged: the pain in her knees was strong motivation to lose the weight.

“I got into the right mind set,” she said. “Dr. Wolfe advised me that about 80% of losing weight was diet and about 20% was exercise, so I started by eating out less. I had to watch my sweet tooth, and I cut back on portions.”

Weber bought a recumbent bike to ride indoors, allowing her to sit back so her back took more of the stress rather than her knees.

“And I weighed myself every day,” she said. “It took about a year to lose the weight, but it really made a difference in how my knees felt. In fact, I wondered if I really needed the surgery anymore, but they did both slide out of place now and then, so I went to see Dr. Wolfe and I told him I was ready.”

Weber had never undergone surgery before. She confessed to having a bit of nerves about it but attended a class before the surgery to learn more about preparation and after-care.

“I learned about exercises I could do prior to surgery to strengthen my muscles,” she said.

With the class completed in May 2019, Weber went into surgery in June for her right knee.

“Easy-breezy,” Weber laughed. “On a pain scale, I would say it was a two out of 10. I had the surgery at 3 p.m. on a Monday, and I was walking that evening in the hospital.”

Weber had her second surgery, replacing her left knee, in September.

“After the surgery, your knees feel like they weigh a 1,000 pounds, but every day is a little easier,” Weber said. “The first two weeks I spent doing exercises, icing my knees and napping. I took six weeks off work for my first knee, eight for the second.”

Rachel Hughes, a physical therapist at Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital’s rehabilitative services, worked with Weber to help her ease into using her new knees.

“We worked with Lou Ann to make it fun rather than a task,” Hughes said. “Our approach is to encourage our patients and be open with what they are facing.”

Back into the swing of things

Adding pleasant scenery to her exercises made recovery easier, Weber said, as she and her husband headed north to a family cabin. With its circle driveway, it was the perfect place to walk in circles with her walker, later graduating to a cane.

“I’m happy I don’t have a third knee,” Weber laughs. “But I would do it all again in a heartbeat. It’s changed my life. By now, I’ve lost 67 pounds, although I’d like to lose 50 more. I ride my bike every day. Exercise has become a part of my lifestyle.

“Most important is that you have to trust your surgeon, and I’d highly recommend Dr. Wolfe. He tells it like it is, and he commended me for doing the work, before and after surgery.”

Dr. Wolfe acknowledged the vote of confidence and echoed the thought of knee replacement surgery being a life-changing experience.

“These surgeries are quite magical,” he said. “I’ve been a surgeon for 28 years, and I have seen how they can change the lives of my patients, taking people from a sedentary life to an active one. Many knee problems begin with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. When that gets to the point of causing so much pain that it affects your level of activity, it’s time to consult a surgeon.”

“I’m going to take good care of these knees,” Weber added. “I want to dance at my grandson’s wedding in May 2021. These knees will get me on the dance floor again.”

Knees worthy of a dance published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.tumblr.com/

[gordonwilliamsweb]

Knees worthy of a dance

Snap.

Lou Ann Weber, 64, felt the snap more than heard it. She felt it in her left knee.

That was about six years ago, the Dorr, Michigan, resident said, and it was about a year later that she felt her right knee snap, too.

“I have a desk job at a bank, but I’m on my feet most of the day,” Weber said. “My knees hurt enough that I went to see a doctor about it.”

Joel Wolfe, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Shoreline Orthopedics in Zeeland, often performs joint replacement surgery at Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital for his patients. But he turned Weber away when the conversation turned to knee replacement surgery.

“Not yet, he told me,” Weber said. “Dr. Wolfe said I had to lose weight first. I had to get my BMI (down), and that meant I had to lose 60 to 70 pounds before I could have knee replacement surgery.”

Getting motivated

The extra weight puts extra strain on knees, causing pain, and it also raises the odds of complications during surgery, Dr. Wolfe said.

Weber acknowledged: the pain in her knees was strong motivation to lose the weight.

“I got into the right mind set,” she said. “Dr. Wolfe advised me that about 80% of losing weight was diet and about 20% was exercise, so I started by eating out less. I had to watch my sweet tooth, and I cut back on portions.”

Weber bought a recumbent bike to ride indoors, allowing her to sit back so her back took more of the stress rather than her knees.

“And I weighed myself every day,” she said. “It took about a year to lose the weight, but it really made a difference in how my knees felt. In fact, I wondered if I really needed the surgery anymore, but they did both slide out of place now and then, so I went to see Dr. Wolfe and I told him I was ready.”

Weber had never undergone surgery before. She confessed to having a bit of nerves about it but attended a class before the surgery to learn more about preparation and after-care.

“I learned about exercises I could do prior to surgery to strengthen my muscles,” she said.

With the class completed in May 2019, Weber went into surgery in June for her right knee.

“Easy-breezy,” Weber laughed. “On a pain scale, I would say it was a two out of 10. I had the surgery at 3 p.m. on a Monday, and I was walking that evening in the hospital.”

Weber had her second surgery, replacing her left knee, in September.

“After the surgery, your knees feel like they weigh a 1,000 pounds, but every day is a little easier,” Weber said. “The first two weeks I spent doing exercises, icing my knees and napping. I took six weeks off work for my first knee, eight for the second.”

Rachel Hughes, a physical therapist at Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital’s rehabilitative services, worked with Weber to help her ease into using her new knees.

“We worked with Lou Ann to make it fun rather than a task,” Hughes said. “Our approach is to encourage our patients and be open with what they are facing.”

Back into the swing of things

Adding pleasant scenery to her exercises made recovery easier, Weber said, as she and her husband headed north to a family cabin. With its circle driveway, it was the perfect place to walk in circles with her walker, later graduating to a cane.

“I’m happy I don’t have a third knee,” Weber laughs. “But I would do it all again in a heartbeat. It’s changed my life. By now, I’ve lost 67 pounds, although I’d like to lose 50 more. I ride my bike every day. Exercise has become a part of my lifestyle.

“Most important is that you have to trust your surgeon, and I’d highly recommend Dr. Wolfe. He tells it like it is, and he commended me for doing the work, before and after surgery.”

Dr. Wolfe acknowledged the vote of confidence and echoed the thought of knee replacement surgery being a life-changing experience.

“These surgeries are quite magical,” he said. “I’ve been a surgeon for 28 years, and I have seen how they can change the lives of my patients, taking people from a sedentary life to an active one. Many knee problems begin with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. When that gets to the point of causing so much pain that it affects your level of activity, it’s time to consult a surgeon.”

“I’m going to take good care of these knees,” Weber added. “I want to dance at my grandson’s wedding in May 2021. These knees will get me on the dance floor again.”

Knees worthy of a dance published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

[jesseneufeld]

I Feel Unstoppable

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

Hi Everyone, my name is Jason. I am 37-years-old. I have a beautiful, brilliant, and ambitious wife, two teenage sons and a 2  1/2-year-old daughter. I am a business executive, entrepreneur, and a life long learner with a master’s degree in management, and not to mention what I consider a pseudo “doctoral degree” in lessons learned the hard way. Driven by my desire to ensure my wife and kids had everything they could ever need or want, not too long ago I changed career fields from not-for-profit to for-profit, moving from social work to the IT world. In three years I went from a consultant position to an executive running the company’s operations. I specialize in engaging people and moving the management systems toward a place of consistency and efficiency while capturing what makes the company tick and not losing that. I am very excited about my work. I enjoy what I do and like that I am able to help the people around me succeed, and as a result they help me.

While an increase in income had its benefits, it also had adverse effects on my health, which ultimately threatened my ability to enjoy the things I worked the hardest to support. Taking on more and more at the rate I did caused me to constantly live in a state of fight or flight. I worked crazy hours to maintain and never felt at rest.

Having children relatively far apart (my sons in my 20s and my daughter not until my middle 30s) had a major impact on my perspective, and was the true driving force in my choice to search for a healthy lifestyle. I needed to be healthy for a long time to come to see my daughter’s future, walking her down the aisle for example, but having two active teenage boys who were heavily involved in sports meant I also needed to be fit right now as well. Working out historically for me involved long, drawn out hours at the gym, and frankly, took away precious time I could have been spending with my family. I eventually sacrificed my highly time consuming exercise routines and focused on being a business executive, an entrepreneur, and a family man. This inevitably lead to a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Once I had my daughter and my activity decreased, it was obvious that the boys took notice, and they openly expressed how much they missed tossing the football and essentially just playing together.

Being heavily involved in sports since an early age, I was never obese, nor did I ever really struggle in a serious way with my weight. Being in shape and exercising was normal for me.

During 2010 – 2012 I was in peak physical condition, with a lifting routine coupled with biking or running on alternating days. I rarely took a day off, abiding to the ‘no pain no gain’ mindset, and really pushed my body to the limit. My diet consisted of steamed rice, veggies, chicken or fish, and some nuts. I would drink only water, coffee and the occasional ‘light’ beer. As a lover of a good local micro brew from time to time, this was rough. While I saw muscles in the mirror and could run for quite a distance, the LGN factor as Mark calls it, I felt aches and pains all the time. I even ended up with a kidney stone, which was probably the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. I really wasn’t even enjoying this ‘healthy lifestyle’! What’s there to enjoy about a bland, boring diet, hours at the gym, and super expensive supplements, to just feel rather mediocre at the end of it all.

As you can probably guess, I became rather burned out, eventually giving up my rigorous exercise routine and transitioned back to the SAD. I put on a little weight, but nothing shocking, so I didn’t worry. Around 2015 I truthfully stopped working out all together. It didn’t help that when my wife became pregnant in 2016, pizza was all she could tolerate with her severe morning sickness, and I allowed myself to eat as many pepperoni slices as she did.

I began to notice my mental performance and overall energy levels were low. I was increasingly irritable and found it hard to be patient. I was feeling sick all the time with what seemed to be cold like symptoms. I felt just so heavy and not as physically capable as I once was. At one point I was in the shower and lost consciousness and my wife found me lying down. I was not sure what caused this, but it was very scary and definitely a symptom of declining health. I had a very serious infection that ultimately ended up causing vertigo. After a trip to an urgent care to be checked out, he promptly sent me to the ER for a full work-up due to my family history of stroke and heart disease in conjunction with the scary symptoms I was experiencing. To top it all off, Sophia was born in 2016 and it finally hit me—I had three kids who were all going to need me to be around for a long time. I had gone from 170 lbs to 207 lbs. It was time for a change. Enough was enough.

My wife started a journey of weight loss and self discovery after delivering, and began to research paleo and primal lifestyles. She purchased a copy of The Primal Blueprint, and though I was familiar with Mark’s Daily Apple, I had never really engaged. I picked it up and read it along with another favorite of mine, Dr. Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel. I took the next few years doing my own research and fully digesting what it all meant. Watching my wife begin this journey, sampling some of her food, and seeing her energy levels increase along with her overall health improvement, in July of 2018, I decided to dust off our copy of The Primal Blueprint and try the 21-Day Total Body Transformation.

As mentioned earlier, I do have a family history of heart conditions and stroke, so I knew genetics were at play. Knowing what I had read about ancestral health and what Mark refers to as gene expression, I was skeptical that I couldn’t control these systems and even reverse some of them through just eating and living primally.

I chose to dive in to commit. I really engaged in the primal way of eating and I was amazed at my general overall improved health and well being. I almost immediately experienced mental clarity. Tasks that used to overwhelm and frustrate me due to brain fog became trivial and easy to think through. Being fat adapted was key and in a week in I noticed a definite change in my demand for food, especially in the morning. I would start the day with coffee with heavy cream or occasionally a rendition of “Bullet Proof” coffee, and this could take me until 1 p.m. At that point, I would feel a dull signal to eat when possible, but not the crashing hunger or a brain meltdown like I used to have when I was a sugar burner. Being free from the all consuming demand to eat with out of control blood sugar levels and insulin spikes is amazing—I feel like the machine is humming the way it should and I do take comfort in that.

The biggest thing for me in all of this is just once again being able to enjoy life. When I was at my least fit and most unhealthy, my sons commented on missing the days dad was ‘a beast’ or ‘like a super hero’. This hit me hard. I remembered the times I would be climbing the trees in the park with them and how I was able to keep up and not get winded, often getting social media shout-outs from teenage boys on how ‘the old man can keep up!’ I took on more and more professional responsibility and left myself, health, and most importantly what it felt like to just live a thing of the past.

Mark speaks to the idea of incorporating natural movement into your routine every day. I bought a kid carrier for my mountain bike to pull Sophia. She loves it and my wife joins us as well! I converted my garage into a workout area and invested in some padded floor squares. My son, the wrestler, and my wife, the Martial Artist, especially love this addition. I use this space for my essential movements, lifting heavy and other fitness experiments I find at MDA. I hooked up a sound system for extra motivation during tough workouts, and my daughter particularly loves dancing to Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones, so everyone wins. I have always enjoyed photography, so I invested in a professional grade camera and now go on nature hikes, scavenging for local flowers and other beautiful wildlife I can catch in the moment. I usually carry a heavy weighted rucksack for added resistance. I now press the record button and chose to watch television shows later in the evening after I have completed a long, challenging but gentle walk, leaving my phone and other distracting devices behind. Being able to disconnect has ironically helped me stay clear minded and level headed during working hours when I need to be connected. I read books, prep meals, and engage in activities that relax and rest my mind, while also challenging it. Speaking of meal prep, I absolutely love the avocado based dressings and Primal Fuel with the Grass-fed Collagen is awesome post workout. Incorporating movement and my newfound healthy lifestyle into my daily rituals and allowing it to also touch my wife and children’s lives is a priceless investment for all of us for years to come.

In the end, once I was able to get over my own analysis paralysis, and simply follow the primal principles, things fell into place. Mark’s references all the time to living 80/20 and really engaging in the rich experience of the journey has made it easy. I feel unstoppable, like I can take on anything life throws my way.

After recently listening to a Primal Blueprint Podcast in which Mark introduces his mantra of ‘Living Awesome!’, it resonated with me, and I truly feel like I am able to live awesome for my family and for my personal and professional goals. This lifestyle has allowed me to be a better husband, father, colleague and have so much more to give in lifting them up in their own goals and life dreams.

Mark’s Primal Blueprint has given myself and many others a second chance at achieving the best versions of ourselves, and it is something that should be shared. I am truly excited to use my newfound health coupled with my business, operational, leadership, and executive skills, with inspiration from the Primal Mission, to inspire others to live their best lives as well. Thank you Mark!

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The post I Feel Unstoppable appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

I Feel Unstoppable published first on https://drugaddictionsrehab.tumblr.com/

[milenasanchezmk]

I Feel Unstoppable

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

Hi Everyone, my name is Jason. I am 37-years-old. I have a beautiful, brilliant, and ambitious wife, two teenage sons and a 2  1/2-year-old daughter. I am a business executive, entrepreneur, and a life long learner with a master’s degree in management, and not to mention what I consider a pseudo “doctoral degree” in lessons learned the hard way. Driven by my desire to ensure my wife and kids had everything they could ever need or want, not too long ago I changed career fields from not-for-profit to for-profit, moving from social work to the IT world. In three years I went from a consultant position to an executive running the company’s operations. I specialize in engaging people and moving the management systems toward a place of consistency and efficiency while capturing what makes the company tick and not losing that. I am very excited about my work. I enjoy what I do and like that I am able to help the people around me succeed, and as a result they help me.

While an increase in income had its benefits, it also had adverse effects on my health, which ultimately threatened my ability to enjoy the things I worked the hardest to support. Taking on more and more at the rate I did caused me to constantly live in a state of fight or flight. I worked crazy hours to maintain and never felt at rest.

Having children relatively far apart (my sons in my 20s and my daughter not until my middle 30s) had a major impact on my perspective, and was the true driving force in my choice to search for a healthy lifestyle. I needed to be healthy for a long time to come to see my daughter’s future, walking her down the aisle for example, but having two active teenage boys who were heavily involved in sports meant I also needed to be fit right now as well. Working out historically for me involved long, drawn out hours at the gym, and frankly, took away precious time I could have been spending with my family. I eventually sacrificed my highly time consuming exercise routines and focused on being a business executive, an entrepreneur, and a family man. This inevitably lead to a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Once I had my daughter and my activity decreased, it was obvious that the boys took notice, and they openly expressed how much they missed tossing the football and essentially just playing together.

Being heavily involved in sports since an early age, I was never obese, nor did I ever really struggle in a serious way with my weight. Being in shape and exercising was normal for me.

During 2010 – 2012 I was in peak physical condition, with a lifting routine coupled with biking or running on alternating days. I rarely took a day off, abiding to the ‘no pain no gain’ mindset, and really pushed my body to the limit. My diet consisted of steamed rice, veggies, chicken or fish, and some nuts. I would drink only water, coffee and the occasional ‘light’ beer. As a lover of a good local micro brew from time to time, this was rough. While I saw muscles in the mirror and could run for quite a distance, the LGN factor as Mark calls it, I felt aches and pains all the time. I even ended up with a kidney stone, which was probably the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. I really wasn’t even enjoying this ‘healthy lifestyle’! What’s there to enjoy about a bland, boring diet, hours at the gym, and super expensive supplements, to just feel rather mediocre at the end of it all.

As you can probably guess, I became rather burned out, eventually giving up my rigorous exercise routine and transitioned back to the SAD. I put on a little weight, but nothing shocking, so I didn’t worry. Around 2015 I truthfully stopped working out all together. It didn’t help that when my wife became pregnant in 2016, pizza was all she could tolerate with her severe morning sickness, and I allowed myself to eat as many pepperoni slices as she did.

I began to notice my mental performance and overall energy levels were low. I was increasingly irritable and found it hard to be patient. I was feeling sick all the time with what seemed to be cold like symptoms. I felt just so heavy and not as physically capable as I once was. At one point I was in the shower and lost consciousness and my wife found me lying down. I was not sure what caused this, but it was very scary and definitely a symptom of declining health. I had a very serious infection that ultimately ended up causing vertigo. After a trip to an urgent care to be checked out, he promptly sent me to the ER for a full work-up due to my family history of stroke and heart disease in conjunction with the scary symptoms I was experiencing. To top it all off, Sophia was born in 2016 and it finally hit me—I had three kids who were all going to need me to be around for a long time. I had gone from 170 lbs to 207 lbs. It was time for a change. Enough was enough.

My wife started a journey of weight loss and self discovery after delivering, and began to research paleo and primal lifestyles. She purchased a copy of The Primal Blueprint, and though I was familiar with Mark’s Daily Apple, I had never really engaged. I picked it up and read it along with another favorite of mine, Dr. Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel. I took the next few years doing my own research and fully digesting what it all meant. Watching my wife begin this journey, sampling some of her food, and seeing her energy levels increase along with her overall health improvement, in July of 2018, I decided to dust off our copy of The Primal Blueprint and try the 21-Day Total Body Transformation.

As mentioned earlier, I do have a family history of heart conditions and stroke, so I knew genetics were at play. Knowing what I had read about ancestral health and what Mark refers to as gene expression, I was skeptical that I couldn’t control these systems and even reverse some of them through just eating and living primally.

I chose to dive in to commit. I really engaged in the primal way of eating and I was amazed at my general overall improved health and well being. I almost immediately experienced mental clarity. Tasks that used to overwhelm and frustrate me due to brain fog became trivial and easy to think through. Being fat adapted was key and in a week in I noticed a definite change in my demand for food, especially in the morning. I would start the day with coffee with heavy cream or occasionally a rendition of “Bullet Proof” coffee, and this could take me until 1 p.m. At that point, I would feel a dull signal to eat when possible, but not the crashing hunger or a brain meltdown like I used to have when I was a sugar burner. Being free from the all consuming demand to eat with out of control blood sugar levels and insulin spikes is amazing—I feel like the machine is humming the way it should and I do take comfort in that.

The biggest thing for me in all of this is just once again being able to enjoy life. When I was at my least fit and most unhealthy, my sons commented on missing the days dad was ‘a beast’ or ‘like a super hero’. This hit me hard. I remembered the times I would be climbing the trees in the park with them and how I was able to keep up and not get winded, often getting social media shout-outs from teenage boys on how ‘the old man can keep up!’ I took on more and more professional responsibility and left myself, health, and most importantly what it felt like to just live a thing of the past.

Mark speaks to the idea of incorporating natural movement into your routine every day. I bought a kid carrier for my mountain bike to pull Sophia. She loves it and my wife joins us as well! I converted my garage into a workout area and invested in some padded floor squares. My son, the wrestler, and my wife, the Martial Artist, especially love this addition. I use this space for my essential movements, lifting heavy and other fitness experiments I find at MDA. I hooked up a sound system for extra motivation during tough workouts, and my daughter particularly loves dancing to Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones, so everyone wins. I have always enjoyed photography, so I invested in a professional grade camera and now go on nature hikes, scavenging for local flowers and other beautiful wildlife I can catch in the moment. I usually carry a heavy weighted rucksack for added resistance. I now press the record button and chose to watch television shows later in the evening after I have completed a long, challenging but gentle walk, leaving my phone and other distracting devices behind. Being able to disconnect has ironically helped me stay clear minded and level headed during working hours when I need to be connected. I read books, prep meals, and engage in activities that relax and rest my mind, while also challenging it. Speaking of meal prep, I absolutely love the avocado based dressings and Primal Fuel with the Grass-fed Collagen is awesome post workout. Incorporating movement and my newfound healthy lifestyle into my daily rituals and allowing it to also touch my wife and children’s lives is a priceless investment for all of us for years to come.

In the end, once I was able to get over my own analysis paralysis, and simply follow the primal principles, things fell into place. Mark’s references all the time to living 80/20 and really engaging in the rich experience of the journey has made it easy. I feel unstoppable, like I can take on anything life throws my way.

After recently listening to a Primal Blueprint Podcast in which Mark introduces his mantra of ‘Living Awesome!’, it resonated with me, and I truly feel like I am able to live awesome for my family and for my personal and professional goals. This lifestyle has allowed me to be a better husband, father, colleague and have so much more to give in lifting them up in their own goals and life dreams.

Mark’s Primal Blueprint has given myself and many others a second chance at achieving the best versions of ourselves, and it is something that should be shared. I am truly excited to use my newfound health coupled with my business, operational, leadership, and executive skills, with inspiration from the Primal Mission, to inspire others to live their best lives as well. Thank you Mark!

The post I Feel Unstoppable appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

[cristinajourdanqp]

I Feel Unstoppable

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

Hi Everyone, my name is Jason. I am 37-years-old. I have a beautiful, brilliant, and ambitious wife, two teenage sons and a 2  1/2-year-old daughter. I am a business executive, entrepreneur, and a life long learner with a master’s degree in management, and not to mention what I consider a pseudo “doctoral degree” in lessons learned the hard way. Driven by my desire to ensure my wife and kids had everything they could ever need or want, not too long ago I changed career fields from not-for-profit to for-profit, moving from social work to the IT world. In three years I went from a consultant position to an executive running the company’s operations. I specialize in engaging people and moving the management systems toward a place of consistency and efficiency while capturing what makes the company tick and not losing that. I am very excited about my work. I enjoy what I do and like that I am able to help the people around me succeed, and as a result they help me.

While an increase in income had its benefits, it also had adverse effects on my health, which ultimately threatened my ability to enjoy the things I worked the hardest to support. Taking on more and more at the rate I did caused me to constantly live in a state of fight or flight. I worked crazy hours to maintain and never felt at rest.

Having children relatively far apart (my sons in my 20s and my daughter not until my middle 30s) had a major impact on my perspective, and was the true driving force in my choice to search for a healthy lifestyle. I needed to be healthy for a long time to come to see my daughter’s future, walking her down the aisle for example, but having two active teenage boys who were heavily involved in sports meant I also needed to be fit right now as well. Working out historically for me involved long, drawn out hours at the gym, and frankly, took away precious time I could have been spending with my family. I eventually sacrificed my highly time consuming exercise routines and focused on being a business executive, an entrepreneur, and a family man. This inevitably lead to a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Once I had my daughter and my activity decreased, it was obvious that the boys took notice, and they openly expressed how much they missed tossing the football and essentially just playing together.

Being heavily involved in sports since an early age, I was never obese, nor did I ever really struggle in a serious way with my weight. Being in shape and exercising was normal for me.

During 2010 – 2012 I was in peak physical condition, with a lifting routine coupled with biking or running on alternating days. I rarely took a day off, abiding to the ‘no pain no gain’ mindset, and really pushed my body to the limit. My diet consisted of steamed rice, veggies, chicken or fish, and some nuts. I would drink only water, coffee and the occasional ‘light’ beer. As a lover of a good local micro brew from time to time, this was rough. While I saw muscles in the mirror and could run for quite a distance, the LGN factor as Mark calls it, I felt aches and pains all the time. I even ended up with a kidney stone, which was probably the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. I really wasn’t even enjoying this ‘healthy lifestyle’! What’s there to enjoy about a bland, boring diet, hours at the gym, and super expensive supplements, to just feel rather mediocre at the end of it all.

As you can probably guess, I became rather burned out, eventually giving up my rigorous exercise routine and transitioned back to the SAD. I put on a little weight, but nothing shocking, so I didn’t worry. Around 2015 I truthfully stopped working out all together. It didn’t help that when my wife became pregnant in 2016, pizza was all she could tolerate with her severe morning sickness, and I allowed myself to eat as many pepperoni slices as she did.

I began to notice my mental performance and overall energy levels were low. I was increasingly irritable and found it hard to be patient. I was feeling sick all the time with what seemed to be cold like symptoms. I felt just so heavy and not as physically capable as I once was. At one point I was in the shower and lost consciousness and my wife found me lying down. I was not sure what caused this, but it was very scary and definitely a symptom of declining health. I had a very serious infection that ultimately ended up causing vertigo. After a trip to an urgent care to be checked out, he promptly sent me to the ER for a full work-up due to my family history of stroke and heart disease in conjunction with the scary symptoms I was experiencing. To top it all off, Sophia was born in 2016 and it finally hit me—I had three kids who were all going to need me to be around for a long time. I had gone from 170 lbs to 207 lbs. It was time for a change. Enough was enough.

My wife started a journey of weight loss and self discovery after delivering, and began to research paleo and primal lifestyles. She purchased a copy of The Primal Blueprint, and though I was familiar with Mark’s Daily Apple, I had never really engaged. I picked it up and read it along with another favorite of mine, Dr. Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel. I took the next few years doing my own research and fully digesting what it all meant. Watching my wife begin this journey, sampling some of her food, and seeing her energy levels increase along with her overall health improvement, in July of 2018, I decided to dust off our copy of The Primal Blueprint and try the 21-Day Total Body Transformation.

As mentioned earlier, I do have a family history of heart conditions and stroke, so I knew genetics were at play. Knowing what I had read about ancestral health and what Mark refers to as gene expression, I was skeptical that I couldn’t control these systems and even reverse some of them through just eating and living primally.

I chose to dive in to commit. I really engaged in the primal way of eating and I was amazed at my general overall improved health and well being. I almost immediately experienced mental clarity. Tasks that used to overwhelm and frustrate me due to brain fog became trivial and easy to think through. Being fat adapted was key and in a week in I noticed a definite change in my demand for food, especially in the morning. I would start the day with coffee with heavy cream or occasionally a rendition of “Bullet Proof” coffee, and this could take me until 1 p.m. At that point, I would feel a dull signal to eat when possible, but not the crashing hunger or a brain meltdown like I used to have when I was a sugar burner. Being free from the all consuming demand to eat with out of control blood sugar levels and insulin spikes is amazing—I feel like the machine is humming the way it should and I do take comfort in that.

The biggest thing for me in all of this is just once again being able to enjoy life. When I was at my least fit and most unhealthy, my sons commented on missing the days dad was ‘a beast’ or ‘like a super hero’. This hit me hard. I remembered the times I would be climbing the trees in the park with them and how I was able to keep up and not get winded, often getting social media shout-outs from teenage boys on how ‘the old man can keep up!’ I took on more and more professional responsibility and left myself, health, and most importantly what it felt like to just live a thing of the past.

Mark speaks to the idea of incorporating natural movement into your routine every day. I bought a kid carrier for my mountain bike to pull Sophia. She loves it and my wife joins us as well! I converted my garage into a workout area and invested in some padded floor squares. My son, the wrestler, and my wife, the Martial Artist, especially love this addition. I use this space for my essential movements, lifting heavy and other fitness experiments I find at MDA. I hooked up a sound system for extra motivation during tough workouts, and my daughter particularly loves dancing to Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones, so everyone wins. I have always enjoyed photography, so I invested in a professional grade camera and now go on nature hikes, scavenging for local flowers and other beautiful wildlife I can catch in the moment. I usually carry a heavy weighted rucksack for added resistance. I now press the record button and chose to watch television shows later in the evening after I have completed a long, challenging but gentle walk, leaving my phone and other distracting devices behind. Being able to disconnect has ironically helped me stay clear minded and level headed during working hours when I need to be connected. I read books, prep meals, and engage in activities that relax and rest my mind, while also challenging it. Speaking of meal prep, I absolutely love the avocado based dressings and Primal Fuel with the Grass-fed Collagen is awesome post workout. Incorporating movement and my newfound healthy lifestyle into my daily rituals and allowing it to also touch my wife and children’s lives is a priceless investment for all of us for years to come.

In the end, once I was able to get over my own analysis paralysis, and simply follow the primal principles, things fell into place. Mark’s references all the time to living 80/20 and really engaging in the rich experience of the journey has made it easy. I feel unstoppable, like I can take on anything life throws my way.

After recently listening to a Primal Blueprint Podcast in which Mark introduces his mantra of ‘Living Awesome!’, it resonated with me, and I truly feel like I am able to live awesome for my family and for my personal and professional goals. This lifestyle has allowed me to be a better husband, father, colleague and have so much more to give in lifting them up in their own goals and life dreams.

Mark’s Primal Blueprint has given myself and many others a second chance at achieving the best versions of ourselves, and it is something that should be shared. I am truly excited to use my newfound health coupled with my business, operational, leadership, and executive skills, with inspiration from the Primal Mission, to inspire others to live their best lives as well. Thank you Mark!

The post I Feel Unstoppable appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

[thegloober]

I Feel Unstoppable

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

Hi Everyone, my name is Jason. I am 37-years-old. I have a beautiful, brilliant, and ambitious wife, two teenage sons and a 2  1/2-year-old daughter. I am a business executive, entrepreneur, and a life long learner with a master’s degree in management, and not to mention what I consider a pseudo “doctoral degree” in lessons learned the hard way. Driven by my desire to ensure my wife and kids had everything they could ever need or want, not too long ago I changed career fields from not-for-profit to for-profit, moving from social work to the IT world. In three years I went from a consultant position to an executive running the company’s operations. I specialize in engaging people and moving the management systems toward a place of consistency and efficiency while capturing what makes the company tick and not losing that. I am very excited about my work. I enjoy what I do and like that I am able to help the people around me succeed, and as a result they help me.

While an increase in income had its benefits, it also had adverse effects on my health, which ultimately threatened my ability to enjoy the things I worked the hardest to support. Taking on more and more at the rate I did caused me to constantly live in a state of fight or flight. I worked crazy hours to maintain and never felt at rest.

Having children relatively far apart (my sons in my 20s and my daughter not until my middle 30s) had a major impact on my perspective, and was the true driving force in my choice to search for a healthy lifestyle. I needed to be healthy for a long time to come to see my daughter’s future, walking her down the aisle for example, but having two active teenage boys who were heavily involved in sports meant I also needed to be fit right now as well. Working out historically for me involved long, drawn out hours at the gym, and frankly, took away precious time I could have been spending with my family. I eventually sacrificed my highly time consuming exercise routines and focused on being a business executive, an entrepreneur, and a family man. This inevitably lead to a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Once I had my daughter and my activity decreased, it was obvious that the boys took notice, and they openly expressed how much they missed tossing the football and essentially just playing together.

Being heavily involved in sports since an early age, I was never obese, nor did I ever really struggle in a serious way with my weight. Being in shape and exercising was normal for me.

During 2010 – 2012 I was in peak physical condition, with a lifting routine coupled with biking or running on alternating days. I rarely took a day off, abiding to the ‘no pain no gain’ mindset, and really pushed my body to the limit. My diet consisted of steamed rice, veggies, chicken or fish, and some nuts. I would drink only water, coffee and the occasional ‘light’ beer. As a lover of a good local micro brew from time to time, this was rough. While I saw muscles in the mirror and could run for quite a distance, the LGN factor as Mark calls it, I felt aches and pains all the time. I even ended up with a kidney stone, which was probably the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. I really wasn’t even enjoying this ‘healthy lifestyle’! What’s there to enjoy about a bland, boring diet, hours at the gym, and super expensive supplements, to just feel rather mediocre at the end of it all.

As you can probably guess, I became rather burned out, eventually giving up my rigorous exercise routine and transitioned back to the SAD. I put on a little weight, but nothing shocking, so I didn’t worry. Around 2015 I truthfully stopped working out all together. It didn’t help that when my wife became pregnant in 2016, pizza was all she could tolerate with her severe morning sickness, and I allowed myself to eat as many pepperoni slices as she did.

I began to notice my mental performance and overall energy levels were low. I was increasingly irritable and found it hard to be patient. I was feeling sick all the time with what seemed to be cold like symptoms. I felt just so heavy and not as physically capable as I once was. At one point I was in the shower and lost consciousness and my wife found me lying down. I was not sure what caused this, but it was very scary and definitely a symptom of declining health. I had a very serious infection that ultimately ended up causing vertigo. After a trip to an urgent care to be checked out, he promptly sent me to the ER for a full work-up due to my family history of stroke and heart disease in conjunction with the scary symptoms I was experiencing. To top it all off, Sophia was born in 2016 and it finally hit me—I had three kids who were all going to need me to be around for a long time. I had gone from 170 lbs to 207 lbs. It was time for a change. Enough was enough.

My wife started a journey of weight loss and self discovery after delivering, and began to research paleo and primal lifestyles. She purchased a copy of The Primal Blueprint, and though I was familiar with Mark’s Daily Apple, I had never really engaged. I picked it up and read it along with another favorite of mine, Dr. Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel. I took the next few years doing my own research and fully digesting what it all meant. Watching my wife begin this journey, sampling some of her food, and seeing her energy levels increase along with her overall health improvement, in July of 2018, I decided to dust off our copy of The Primal Blueprint and try the 21-Day Total Body Transformation.

As mentioned earlier, I do have a family history of heart conditions and stroke, so I knew genetics were at play. Knowing what I had read about ancestral health and what Mark refers to as gene expression, I was skeptical that I couldn’t control these systems and even reverse some of them through just eating and living primally.

I chose to dive in to commit. I really engaged in the primal way of eating and I was amazed at my general overall improved health and well being. I almost immediately experienced mental clarity. Tasks that used to overwhelm and frustrate me due to brain fog became trivial and easy to think through. Being fat adapted was key and in a week in I noticed a definite change in my demand for food, especially in the morning. I would start the day with coffee with heavy cream or occasionally a rendition of “Bullet Proof” coffee, and this could take me until 1 p.m. At that point, I would feel a dull signal to eat when possible, but not the crashing hunger or a brain meltdown like I used to have when I was a sugar burner. Being free from the all consuming demand to eat with out of control blood sugar levels and insulin spikes is amazing—I feel like the machine is humming the way it should and I do take comfort in that.

The biggest thing for me in all of this is just once again being able to enjoy life. When I was at my least fit and most unhealthy, my sons commented on missing the days dad was ‘a beast’ or ‘like a super hero’. This hit me hard. I remembered the times I would be climbing the trees in the park with them and how I was able to keep up and not get winded, often getting social media shout-outs from teenage boys on how ‘the old man can keep up!’ I took on more and more professional responsibility and left myself, health, and most importantly what it felt like to just live a thing of the past.

Mark speaks to the idea of incorporating natural movement into your routine every day. I bought a kid carrier for my mountain bike to pull Sophia. She loves it and my wife joins us as well! I converted my garage into a workout area and invested in some padded floor squares. My son, the wrestler, and my wife, the Martial Artist, especially love this addition. I use this space for my essential movements, lifting heavy and other fitness experiments I find at MDA. I hooked up a sound system for extra motivation during tough workouts, and my daughter particularly loves dancing to Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones, so everyone wins. I have always enjoyed photography, so I invested in a professional grade camera and now go on nature hikes, scavenging for local flowers and other beautiful wildlife I can catch in the moment. I usually carry a heavy weighted rucksack for added resistance. I now press the record button and chose to watch television shows later in the evening after I have completed a long, challenging but gentle walk, leaving my phone and other distracting devices behind. Being able to disconnect has ironically helped me stay clear minded and level headed during working hours when I need to be connected. I read books, prep meals, and engage in activities that relax and rest my mind, while also challenging it. Speaking of meal prep, I absolutely love the avocado based dressings and Primal Fuel with the Grass-fed Collagen is awesome post workout. Incorporating movement and my newfound healthy lifestyle into my daily rituals and allowing it to also touch my wife and children’s lives is a priceless investment for all of us for years to come.

In the end, once I was able to get over my own analysis paralysis, and simply follow the primal principles, things fell into place. Mark’s references all the time to living 80/20 and really engaging in the rich experience of the journey has made it easy. I feel unstoppable, like I can take on anything life throws my way.

After recently listening to a Primal Blueprint Podcast in which Mark introduces his mantra of ‘Living Awesome!’, it resonated with me, and I truly feel like I am able to live awesome for my family and for my personal and professional goals. This lifestyle has allowed me to be a better husband, father, colleague and have so much more to give in lifting them up in their own goals and life dreams.

Mark’s Primal Blueprint has given myself and many others a second chance at achieving the best versions of ourselves, and it is something that should be shared. I am truly excited to use my newfound health coupled with my business, operational, leadership, and executive skills, with inspiration from the Primal Mission, to inspire others to live their best lives as well. Thank you Mark!

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Source: https://bloghyped.com/i-feel-unstoppable/

[kidsviral-blog]

51 Tips To Start Getting In Shape From People Who Have Been There

New Post has been published on https://kidsviral.info/51-tips-to-start-getting-in-shape-from-people-who-have-been-there/

51 Tips To Start Getting In Shape From People Who Have Been There

Realistic advice that works for real people, from real people. No more crash diets and get-ripped-quick schemes.

We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their best tips for getting in shape. Check out what they shared — inspiring and actionable ways to get in shape and love doing it.

Push your limits.

View this image ›

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

1.

Be willing to try any workout class at least once, and recognize that your workout preferences may change with your fitness level. —katier4bba4c003

2.

Always be willing to push your limits. It may be scary — trust me, I know — but it is well worth it. I dreaded trying to run and do other types of workouts, but when I did I loved the results and stuck to it. Heck, it helped me lose 40 pounds so far! —natashac14

3.

I challenged myself, in pouring rain and snow, to run eight kilometers. If I did it, it would prove to me that I can do anything I set my mind to. I did it, and now I love running every day. —alvan

4.

Become comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable. You will be hungry, tired, sore, and sweaty. But true change doesn’t come unless you push yourself outside of your comfort zone. If you just accept the temporary discomfort for long-lasting results, it helps you get through. —jackayb

Join a gym or work with a trainer.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

5.

Girls, if you are too intimidated to do heavy compound exercises in the gym because you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing, one option is to make an investment and enroll in CrossFit for a couple of months before returning to a cheaper gym membership. You get one-on-one training from coaches to learn the proper form and technique of weightlifting for a bigger price — but it’s totally worth it! —kyrac480bf58ad

6.

Join a gym. Not just a chain, but a local gym with real people that have group fitness classes. DO those group fitness classes! And whatever you do, don’t stop. Start with one day a week. Then when you’re ready, try two. Then three, and so on. Don’t quit. —gnarwy

7.

Get a trainer. Learn what to do then fire them. —Janet Guerra

8.

Find a gym environment you feel comfortable in and set up a schedule and plan you can stick to. The personal trainers will love to help you achieve the goals that work with your body and fitness level. Trust me, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made in regards to fitness. Also, it’s good to get your fitness level evaluated so you know your current limits. —brittanyr4de56b426

Eat more mindfully.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

9.

Eating clean just means avoiding processed foods. Shop from the outside perimeter of the grocery store. —reneed49e0b5534

10.

Replace unhealthy foods around the house with healthier choices. Normally have a bowl of ice cream after dinner? Have frozen blueberries instead. They’re delicious and much better for you. And have lots of healthy things that you can snack on when you feel the urge to binge. Everyone does it sometimes, but you can reduce the damage by making your snacks things that are good for you. —hazell49da6b9e2

11.

Food Network Magazine‘s weeknight cooking section has an awesome variety of meals with nutritional info. That was a huge help to me on my weight-loss journey. Now I’m down 80 pounds! —katier4bba4c003

12.

Meal prepping has helped me a bunch! I plan out all my breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks for the week, buy everything, cook it all, and pack it all up at the beginning of the week. Then I’m not tempted to just go for easy, not-so-healthy options, and I don’t have to worry about not having anything to eat at all! I also make sure to throw in some indulgences throughout the week, like if I’m absolutely craving some thin mints I only have one or two to satisfy the craving without ruining my week. —Melissa Nicole Kight

13.

Don’t focus on cutting food/calories out of your daily intake, but start to focus on putting good things into your body. I try to follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of the food you eat should benefit your body; “healthy” foods. Twenty percent is the amount of empty food you should have a day. Empty foods are foods that fill you up, but provide no nutritional value to your body whatsoever. —blakes4737c6dfa

Stay hydrated.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

14.

Quit drinking soda, coffee with sweetener, energy drinks, etc. Make water your go-to choice of beverage when you’re out to eat and at home. After I did this for two weeks, I had more energy, slept better, my skin cleared up, and I didn’t feel sluggish in the afternoons. Trust me, this is a small trick that makes a huge difference. —peijaa

15.

I bought a water bottle that has a dial so I can keep track of how many full bottles I drink per day. I keep it with me at all times and try to drink five bottles a day. —Elena Michele

16.

My biggest saving grace has been to drink at least a gallon of water every day. Not only does my skin and effortless sleep schedule thank me, but doing this helps me to feel less bloated and recover from binge-eating episodes — which happen more frequently than I’d like to admit. Everyone always says to stay hydrated, but few actually do it! —Helen Bierko

Find fitness activities that you love.

View this image ›

Jenny Chang

17.

Always change it up. If you are getting bored with your exercise routine then find a new exercise that you enjoy doing and alternate. Getting sick of that same old salad for lunch? Find a new, healthy recipe that you will look forward to eating, and then when you are bored of eating that, find another! If you’re always keep changing it up to keep yourself interested then getting in shape won’t feel like a constant uphill battle and it just becomes habit. —Rebecca Betts

18.

I am one of those people who can’t be bothered to work out unless I am enjoying the activity. Running? Haha, no. My advice is to find an activity or sport that you ACTUALLY enjoy for reasons other than fitness. I found boxing. I love it, so I am thrilled to go EVERY DAY and fitness is just a happy by-product of my fun. There are tons of classes and team sports out there. Find something you love. —Alyssa Kate Pierce

19.

Do something that you enjoy doing. I have been wanting to try freeletics but I don’t enjoy high-intensity workouts so I compromise the intensity. I still do my burpees, squats, and sit-ups followed by 20 minutes of biking. I love biking. Don’t force yourself into doing something intense (if you are not into it), instead listen to your body and challenge yourself to do something that you love, every day. —citraischu

20.

I refuse to eat anything that isn’t delicious (it better be worth the calories) and I refuse to do exercise I hate (no running). I walk a lot and dance some, too. —francesjoys

21.

Do something fun and call it a workout. I go rock climbing all the time, sometimes I’ll go on a short hike, or ride a bike. The trick is to increase the actual workout you do incrementally. Maybe do a harder route, or do it faster. —jays4ed036bcf

Stick to it and make it a lifestyle.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

22.

Realize that what you see in the magazines, if it’s real, is the result of long, hard hours at the gym and absolutely no cheating on an incredibly specific diet. Not to mention weeks on weeks of training. Balance your daily food intake, eat clean (unprocessed) foods, and exercise to the point of feeling uncomfortable four to six times per week. The rest will happen on its own. Dedication and moderation. —briannel46a86785b

23.

Stick to it. No matter what. Getting into a daily routine can drastically change your mood, attitude, and, of course, your health. —sleepl3ss

24.

Make one small change at a time. For example, if you are a very sedentary person, suddenly going to the gym and working out seven times a week is tough to motivate yourself into doing. Start by adding an after-lunch walk to your routine, or cut out the sugar in your coffee and build from there. Smaller changes are easier to incorporate in your lifestyle and you won’t lose the motivation. —thatlittlelightbulb

25.

From someone who’s lost a significant amount of weight: There is no magic pill, diet, exercise, tips, or tricks that will make you lose weight. YOU are the only thing in your way. It is not in any way fun, hassle-free, and definitely not easy. It’s a full-time commitment, a complete lifestyle and mind change. But after all the struggle and time, it does get easier. And the way you feel about yourself makes up for everything. No one ever promised it’d be easy — they promised it’d be worth it. —Caitlin Barlow

26.

Don’t set your expectations too high — you’re not miraculously going to get those abs or better muscle definition in a few days or even weeks; you need to work for it. —ravenbard

27.

Becoming healthy and fit isn’t something that happens overnight or from a gimmicky, fad six-week diet. It is a journey and a lifestyle you fall in love with when you find your “soulmate” workout and feel amazing from eating REAL food. Four years ago, I ate nothing but takeout, didn’t know a thing about nutrition, couldn’t cook, and never worked out in my life. I was miserable and obese as a result. I decided one day to start educating myself and making small changes (which snowballed) every day. Since, I’ve lost 80 pounds, and live for fitness and nutrition. I LOOK FORWARD to my workouts and CRAVE whole foods. It’s all about COMMITTING to yourself, making small changes every day, not being afraid to try new things, surrounding yourself with like-minded people, finding workouts you ENJOY that are sustainable for YOU, and THEN your new lifestyle will fall into place. There really isn’t a quick fix or easy way out. Make the decision, commit to it, and you will succeed. —ashleighj474ebc193

Consider strength training.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

28.

Short, intense bouts of weightlifting, every second day. Basically, a less intense version of the “Body for Life” workout technique. I am, however, incredibly good at putting on muscle so results may vary. MODERATION IN ALL THINGS! That is key. —Nancy Lorenz

29.

No matter if I’m doing aerobic training or strength training, the one exercise I do almost every time I work out is the deadlift. —Samantha Fong

30.

Women: Seriously, start lifting weights. Heavy. Fucking. Weights. No more four-pound dumbbells and machine workouts. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, and all the other fun stuff in between. It is A LOT more fun than cardio, and I promise you that you won’t get bulky. —Butterkitten

31.

Compound movements like squats, deadlifts, cleans, and presses yield the quickest and most effective results. Lift heavy, lift often, and push yourself every time you step into the gym. Every increase in weight is a step forward. Five additional pounds is still five pounds, and an additional five pounds added every week for four weeks is 20 pounds more than week one. —brangieri

Set goals and track your progress.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

32.

Tracking food, exercise, and weight with the LoseIt app was the BEST thing I ever did. It helped me to realize I was eating close to twice the amount of calories I needed. And getting to add my exercises in made me motivated to work out so I could record them. Plus, nothing felt quite as good as watching the chart with my weight go down, down, down. I find I actually enjoy eating healthily and working out. It’s about lifestyle changes, not crash diets. —nicolee407d98e0a

33.

I got an app — Argus — that tracks my steps. It’s free and I get a little rush from hitting my goal daily. I also set up a system to reward myself for every X pounds lost. The rewards are stupid things like markers or socks, but there are also some big items, like a new tattoo once I hit my goal weight. —francesjoys

34.

Write everything down. Record what you do and always try to lift more, run further, run faster next time. I wrote an app to help me do that in the gym. —Things a T-Rex does

35.

Be vocal about your goals — it makes you accountable. If you want to run a half marathon, tell people. They’ll inevitably ask about it and who wants to admit that they gave up? And the support you’ll receive will help push you towards success. —susanrebeccah

36.

Set a concrete goal of something you want to accomplish, not just the vague idea of “getting fit.” Towards the end of college, I wanted to get in shape, so I picked a hiking trail to do with a friend after graduation. Whenever I would struggle with workouts, it was really helpful to think how the work I was doing would help me on the trail. —audreyw4191fb5f5

Treat yourself.

View this image ›

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

37.

Good headphones for the gym make a difference for me. —Mashaya Sulser

38.

When you start working out, the music playlist can make all the difference. Sometimes, I’ll be plugging away on the elliptical, watching Scandal on my iPhone, and I feel like the minutes are going by so slow. If I flip on the music instead and some amazing, upbeat, kickass song comes on (or even something terrible that has a great beat), I just feel PUMPED. I have a few different workout playlists for different moods and I’ll tell you, they work great. —Kim Casey

39.

I’m a lazy girl that’s trying to get into fitness. What’s really gotten me into working out are the simple things like getting new, colorful workout gear to get in the mood. It’s like wearing a sexy bra under your clothes at work, but BETTER. —Daksha Córdova

40.

Remember to celebrate every little victory! Did you do five more minutes of running than the day before? Awesome! You took the stairs instead of the elevator? Great! Picked the healthier option even though you really wanted the bad-for-you one? Amazing! Celebrating all those little things really helps to stay motivated and so you aren’t always beating yourself up when you don’t see the immediate results that you wanted. —katceekay

41.

Treat yo’self to some new workout clothes. If you are anything like me, you’ll want to wear them STAT. —allisonelloyd

Fit exercise in.

View this image ›

Jenny Chang // BuzzFeed

42.

If you’re watching TV, do some core work during commercials (sit-ups, planks, Russian twists, etc). It keeps you active on your breaks and off days, and will also keep you from feeling *too* lazy! Small, simple steps along with your workout routine make a big difference! Give it 100%. —Daksha Córdova

43.

Walk everywhere. If you have to drive or take public transit, park far away or get off at the stop before/after your desired one so you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Educate yourself, and just try to find a rhythm that works best for you. It is important to understand that what someone else is doing might not work for you, and fad diets aren’t going to work or be healthy to upkeep in the long run. —jbradz

44.

I bought a workout mat and started doing a new YouTube exercise video every day at home. Some are short, doing a different one every day keeps it interesting, and I don’t have to go all the way to a gym. —Elena Michele

45.

Exercise any time you have available. Even if it’s five minutes — set your treadmill (or whatever) and by the time it goes by, you’ll be in the zone, and won’t want to stop. —alex ari

46.

Walk 30 minutes a day. It doesn’t have to be many miles eventually; you’ll work in a faster pace. Maybe plan a goal, like work your way to a mile and then two, whatever you want it to be. Walking will get you there! —Mannybr22

Stay positive and love yourself.

View this image ›

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

47.

Love yourself as you are right now — lasting change cannot happen unless you take your blinders off and make peace with where you are right now. You are lovable and deserve love and deserve self-love no matter what. —Amy Abrams

48.

The most important thing in fitness is keeping it positive — don’t start working out because you hate your body, because you’ll never be happy. If you start from “I like my body, but I feel better when I take care of myself,” you’ll feel better about every improvement you see and you won’t be as down on yourself when it takes more than one workout. —Valerie Hemminger

49.

Understand that how you look is secondary to how you feel. Where fat develops on your body is purely genetic, and if it doesn’t develop in a way that shows off your six-pack, you’ll only be able to get one through dangerous, unhealthy means. —Jason Gillis

50.

Never compare! Everyone is at different levels. Find what you love to do — that will make it 10 billion times more enjoyable and easier to stay on track! —amandamarie85

51.

Do it for you. Don’t get in shape only to impress somebody, whether it be that you’re envious of your BFF’s killer legs or a jerkface ex that ruined your self-esteem. Fitness should be an opportunity to appreciate and admire your own beauty without needing reassurance from those who’ve made you feel inferior. Sure, they can be your motivation to inflict insane jealousy, but looking and feeling good should be your own prerogative! Confidence is at the root of all fitness, and that comes from within. —gabriellev450b7c435

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#fitness #flipped #real people #tips

[lularoemomlife]

I used to run.

Really I did.  I played field hockey and lacrosse in middle school, high school, and even club in college.  I also danced from the time I was 5 until I was 18, with some college classes thrown in.  

I was that crazy chick on a beach vacation who would run through the marshy lowlands in the hot sun at 3pm in the afternoon in order to get my work out in.  Mostly, I loved the feeling of jogging at about 8pm on a summer night.  I would seek that perfect weather to night ratio and I still ache for it.  

But, that would mean I would still have to be a runner- or at least a jogger or even a slow walker.  Nope.  I don’t even walk my dog anymore.  She is way too hyper and crazy and has been on outside restriction since her dog fight incident that scarred me for life.  Don’t even ask.

I walk my children in the stroller when necessary or when I get a moment of motivation before remembering how heavy it is to push and how awkward the wheels are.  And tonight I sprinted across the street in my flip flops when my dog escaped as my oldest was trying to get in for the potty.  Again, life scarring dog fight incident......

Sadly, though, I don’t make the time to exercise.  I could say I don’t “have time,” but it’s really not true.  I saw a kick ass mama at the playground the other day doing squats and lunges as her daughter played nearby.  I was annoyed because this was living proof that all mothers can fit something healthy in if they care enough.  

See, I was one of the lucky ones.  I struggled to lose baby weight after my first was born, but my second baby sucked all of the fat out of me in the 14 months he nursed.  Seriously, the pounds dripped off and the flab, bloat, and girth disappeared.  I know you all hate me now, but it is just a fact.  In the year after that, I was blessed with two very active toddlers who were 15 months apart.  This meant I rarely sat down and was able to keep weight off.  I was definitely muscular from carrying them around together.  My arms were more defined than during my athletic days.  It was a definite perk.

But, now my kids are 3 1/2 and 2.  They are more independent.  They play while I watch.  They often want their hands held and don’t beg to be carried as much.  I remember the first time I was able to sit on a bench at a playground for a few minutes several months ago.  I said to myself, “Uh oh, there goes my weight loss plan.”  And, it was true.  I haven’t gained tons of weight, but my flabby baby belly that I cherish as a right of passage is starting to fill out and it is not flattering.  I’m thin in most places so if I don’t suck in I’m walking around looking at least 6 months pregnant.  And, I’m not.  

Often when I drive by a neighbor’s house, I see their teenage son doing crazy exercise moves in his driveway or yard.  Sometimes he is sprinting down the street.  He is apparently a cross fit super star and wins competitions in his age bracket.  I glance at him as I drive by, sedentary in my vehicle and wish for an ounce of his motivation.  Oh, to be young.  

I have friends my age who are rocking it too, though.  A few are doing Whole 30 and some do Beachbody and it’s all documented on Facebook.  I’m so proud of them and happy for them for taking charge of their health.  But, the whole thing is daunting for sure.  

Last night, though, I had to bring my car to the shop to get the air conditioning fixed.  This morning my 3 1/2 year old asked what we were going to do with no car.  Then she said, “I know!  We can take a stroller walk to the playground.”  I pushed away the thoughts about it being 90 degrees out.  I decided not to shower and to get dressed in work-out clothes.  For me, that’s athletic shorts and two tank tops- one that fits tightly and one that is more flowy.  I put my hair up and my sneakers on and got ready!  

Then I realized how easy it was to feel motivated if I just dress the part!  Duh!  I’ve been so engrossed in wearing LuLaRoe everyday all day that I never thought to put on work-out clothes.  Yes, LuLaRoe makes athletic leggings, but that’s not what I would wear to push 60 pounds of children and a heavier stroller through the humid, hot summer.  So, yes, I’ve been dressing the LuLaRoe part and marketing what I sell for the good of my business.  And, I love the clothing- leggings, Randys, Classics, and Carlys are especially mom friendly.  But, once I shower and get LuLaReady, any form of exercise has left my mind.  

So, maybe if I just start with work-out clothes on mornings when we don’t have plans, it will be a beginning towards better health. And, the stroller walk was great for my kids too.  We talked about the color of every car that passed and the flowers we saw along the way.  This was good for my 2 year old since he thinks everything is green.  We saw roofers working in the hot sun and stopped (for way longer than I would have liked) to watch.  We talked about what they were doing and why so now they know about a new profession and why it’s valuable.  It also encouraged me NOT to send a whiney text to my husband about how hot and sweaty I was when those dudes have probably been up there all morning.   Ah, perspective.

So, while I don’t run anymore, I can say I’m out there doing something.  Up next?  Naptime for the kiddos, shower time for me, and back to my comfy LuLaRoe to work the business!  

#lularoemomlife sahm getit

[albertcaldwellne]

Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

Did you know – in addition to 150 minutes of exercise per week – over-65s should be getting at least two sessions of strength training a week that work all the major muscles.

But in our recent survey we found that over half of over-65s were not doing this, with 40% doing absolutely no strength training at all.

And it doesn’t just have to be hitting the squat rack – the NHS recommends the following suitable strength exercises:

Carrying or moving heavy loads, such as groceries

Activities that involve stepping and jumping, such as dancing

Heavy gardening, such as digging or shovelling

Exercises that use your body weight for resistance, such as push-ups or sit-ups

Yoga

Quality of life is more important than longevity

Life expectancy is the highest it has ever been. Men aged 60 in 2013 can expect to live until they are 82 years old, and women aged 60 until they are 85 years old.

But a longer life also means “the proportion of life spent in good health is falling”, according to the Office for National Statistics. People can expect to live just over three-quarters of their life in good health.

Sarah Caul, Senior Health Researcher, ONS says:

“Improvements to healthcare and living healthier lives mean that as a nation we are living longer. However, while we are living longer, we are spending a smaller proportion of our overall lives in good health, which puts a greater challenge on health services.”

According to the NHS, the over-65s are the most sedentary age group, spending 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down.

42% of people aged 50-64 who are working have one or more health condition, while almost half (46%) of people aged 55-64 who are no longer working retired due to at least one chronic medical condition.

The most prevalent health conditions affecting people aged 50-64 are musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal conditions are disorders of the bones, joints, muscles and spine. They can cause pain, stiffness or a loss of mobility and dexterity that can make it difficult to carry out everyday activities. These conditions affect 21% of people in this age group.

According to the Department for Health:

“Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading causes of pain and disability in England, particularly osteoarthritis and back pain. These conditions accounted for the second largest annual NHS clinical commissioning group budget spend of £4.7 billion in 2013/14 and result in substantial productivity losses.

“Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of sickness absence. People with musculoskeletal conditions are less likely to be employed than others, and tend to have lower household income and retire earlier. In 2013, 30.6 million lost working days were attributed to musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal health has been called a public health priority. Tackling readily modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, would lead to major health benefits.”

Public Health England advises that musculoskeletal conditions can be prevented through physical exercise:

“Regular physical activity and exercise at every stage of life can reduce the risk of many musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, falls and fractures. A healthy balanced diet is also important for good bone health, to prevent osteoporosis and falls in later life.”

Women over 65 at most risk

Britain’s oldest personal trainer, Dr Eddy Diget, 72, is an advocate of strength training for the older generation, especially for women:

“In my opinion, females aged 50 plus are most vulnerable to musculoskeletal conditions. They lose calcium in their bones and their joints become dry through lack of ‘lubrication’ (myosin) as they get older. This can give rise to various bone (they become thin) and joint problems as they do not have much muscle density.

“If they fall, they are more prone to break a bone. Even more common is splintering of the bone. Not unlike a glass breaking on a solid floor – it’s very hard to repair and this can have devastating effects on the individual and or family.

“Because of this lack of muscle density, the joints become ‘sloppy’ as the ligaments and tendons lose their elasticity and the bones/joints become unstable as age progresses, just like the elastic in a bra will go first not ‘holding’ nor fitting correctly!

“But regular strength exercise will keep the muscles tight and joints lubricated, improving posture, flexibility, fitness and health as it tightens these important elements within the body!

“Men, on the other hand, tend to already have muscle density, and because of this, they do have stronger muscles, ligaments and tendons to hold the bones in check and help their flexibility, minimising the risk of broken bones if they fall. Also myosin, (joint/muscle lubrication) is constantly being generated, due to testosterone.

“Working with weights for both men and women, no matter their age, causes muscles to contract and expand and will go a long way in avoiding loss of calcium, posture, strength, balance and joint or bone problems.”

It’s never too late to start training

56-year-old IronMan competitor Ian Oliver tells his story:

Ian Oliver is a company director from Bury, Greater Manchester. He’s currently training for his first IronMan in Bolton on 16 July 2017 and recently completed the Manchester Marathon.

“I exercise regularly to follow my aspirations. I never thought I could swim so I wanted to challenge myself to something I’ve never done before.

“I believe keeping fit is an investment in later life and you won’t enjoy old age if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy it.

“My typical week of training consists of:

2-3 swim sessions per week, 1 hour per session at a distance of 2k

2-3 run sessions per week, 1 hour sessions at a distance of 10k

2 bike rides per week, 2 hour sessions at a distance of 50k

1 gym session per week of light exercise like Pilates”

Ian’s advice to people his age who don’t currently exercise is:

“Ask yourself why not. Try it and you’ll like it. Lose weight and keep healthy and your old age will reward you. Join a club to be around like-minded individuals. I joined a triathlon club and if all your friends are training you’re more than likely to follow suit.”

When asked about retiring, Ian said he will “carry on for as long as I can. Anything is possible and I can’t imagine myself slowing down any time soon!”

What do his friends and family think of his passion for exercise?

“The friends in the club all supportive generally my family and friends look at me in sheer admiration.”

Discover more tips and find out how to build muscle, including the best exercises to do and what to eat for your goals.

The post Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement appeared first on DW Fitness Blog.

http://ift.tt/2rnbn7r

#Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

[neilmillerne]

Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

Did you know – in addition to 150 minutes of exercise per week – over-65s should be getting at least two sessions of strength training a week that work all the major muscles.

But in our recent survey we found that over half of over-65s were not doing this, with 40% doing absolutely no strength training at all.

And it doesn’t just have to be hitting the squat rack – the NHS recommends the following suitable strength exercises:

Carrying or moving heavy loads, such as groceries

Activities that involve stepping and jumping, such as dancing

Heavy gardening, such as digging or shovelling

Exercises that use your body weight for resistance, such as push-ups or sit-ups

Yoga

Quality of life is more important than longevity

Life expectancy is the highest it has ever been. Men aged 60 in 2013 can expect to live until they are 82 years old, and women aged 60 until they are 85 years old.

But a longer life also means “the proportion of life spent in good health is falling”, according to the Office for National Statistics. People can expect to live just over three-quarters of their life in good health.

Sarah Caul, Senior Health Researcher, ONS says:

“Improvements to healthcare and living healthier lives mean that as a nation we are living longer. However, while we are living longer, we are spending a smaller proportion of our overall lives in good health, which puts a greater challenge on health services.”

According to the NHS, the over-65s are the most sedentary age group, spending 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down.

42% of people aged 50-64 who are working have one or more health condition, while almost half (46%) of people aged 55-64 who are no longer working retired due to at least one chronic medical condition.

The most prevalent health conditions affecting people aged 50-64 are musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal conditions are disorders of the bones, joints, muscles and spine. They can cause pain, stiffness or a loss of mobility and dexterity that can make it difficult to carry out everyday activities. These conditions affect 21% of people in this age group.

According to the Department for Health:

“Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading causes of pain and disability in England, particularly osteoarthritis and back pain. These conditions accounted for the second largest annual NHS clinical commissioning group budget spend of £4.7 billion in 2013/14 and result in substantial productivity losses.

“Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of sickness absence. People with musculoskeletal conditions are less likely to be employed than others, and tend to have lower household income and retire earlier. In 2013, 30.6 million lost working days were attributed to musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal health has been called a public health priority. Tackling readily modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, would lead to major health benefits.”

Public Health England advises that musculoskeletal conditions can be prevented through physical exercise:

“Regular physical activity and exercise at every stage of life can reduce the risk of many musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, falls and fractures. A healthy balanced diet is also important for good bone health, to prevent osteoporosis and falls in later life.”

Women over 65 at most risk

Britain’s oldest personal trainer, Dr Eddy Diget, 72, is an advocate of strength training for the older generation, especially for women:

“In my opinion, females aged 50 plus are most vulnerable to musculoskeletal conditions. They lose calcium in their bones and their joints become dry through lack of ‘lubrication’ (myosin) as they get older. This can give rise to various bone (they become thin) and joint problems as they do not have much muscle density.

“If they fall, they are more prone to break a bone. Even more common is splintering of the bone. Not unlike a glass breaking on a solid floor – it’s very hard to repair and this can have devastating effects on the individual and or family.

“Because of this lack of muscle density, the joints become ‘sloppy’ as the ligaments and tendons lose their elasticity and the bones/joints become unstable as age progresses, just like the elastic in a bra will go first not ‘holding’ nor fitting correctly!

“But regular strength exercise will keep the muscles tight and joints lubricated, improving posture, flexibility, fitness and health as it tightens these important elements within the body!

“Men, on the other hand, tend to already have muscle density, and because of this, they do have stronger muscles, ligaments and tendons to hold the bones in check and help their flexibility, minimising the risk of broken bones if they fall. Also myosin, (joint/muscle lubrication) is constantly being generated, due to testosterone.

“Working with weights for both men and women, no matter their age, causes muscles to contract and expand and will go a long way in avoiding loss of calcium, posture, strength, balance and joint or bone problems.”

It’s never too late to start training

56-year-old IronMan competitor Ian Oliver tells his story:

Ian Oliver is a company director from Bury, Greater Manchester. He’s currently training for his first IronMan in Bolton on 16 July 2017 and recently completed the Manchester Marathon.

“I exercise regularly to follow my aspirations. I never thought I could swim so I wanted to challenge myself to something I’ve never done before.

“I believe keeping fit is an investment in later life and you won’t enjoy old age if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy it.

“My typical week of training consists of:

2-3 swim sessions per week, 1 hour per session at a distance of 2k

2-3 run sessions per week, 1 hour sessions at a distance of 10k

2 bike rides per week, 2 hour sessions at a distance of 50k

1 gym session per week of light exercise like Pilates”

Ian’s advice to people his age who don’t currently exercise is:

“Ask yourself why not. Try it and you’ll like it. Lose weight and keep healthy and your old age will reward you. Join a club to be around like-minded individuals. I joined a triathlon club and if all your friends are training you’re more than likely to follow suit.”

When asked about retiring, Ian said he will “carry on for as long as I can. Anything is possible and I can’t imagine myself slowing down any time soon!”

What do his friends and family think of his passion for exercise?

“The friends in the club all supportive generally my family and friends look at me in sheer admiration.”

Discover more tips and find out how to build muscle, including the best exercises to do and what to eat for your goals.

The post Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement appeared first on DW Fitness Blog.

http://ift.tt/2rnbn7r

#Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

[ruthellisneda]

Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

Did you know – in addition to 150 minutes of exercise per week – over-65s should be getting at least two sessions of strength training a week that work all the major muscles.

But in our recent survey we found that over half of over-65s were not doing this, with 40% doing absolutely no strength training at all.

And it doesn’t just have to be hitting the squat rack – the NHS recommends the following suitable strength exercises:

Carrying or moving heavy loads, such as groceries

Activities that involve stepping and jumping, such as dancing

Heavy gardening, such as digging or shovelling

Exercises that use your body weight for resistance, such as push-ups or sit-ups

Yoga

Quality of life is more important than longevity

Life expectancy is the highest it has ever been. Men aged 60 in 2013 can expect to live until they are 82 years old, and women aged 60 until they are 85 years old.

But a longer life also means “the proportion of life spent in good health is falling”, according to the Office for National Statistics. People can expect to live just over three-quarters of their life in good health.

Sarah Caul, Senior Health Researcher, ONS says:

“Improvements to healthcare and living healthier lives mean that as a nation we are living longer. However, while we are living longer, we are spending a smaller proportion of our overall lives in good health, which puts a greater challenge on health services.”

According to the NHS, the over-65s are the most sedentary age group, spending 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down.

42% of people aged 50-64 who are working have one or more health condition, while almost half (46%) of people aged 55-64 who are no longer working retired due to at least one chronic medical condition.

The most prevalent health conditions affecting people aged 50-64 are musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal conditions are disorders of the bones, joints, muscles and spine. They can cause pain, stiffness or a loss of mobility and dexterity that can make it difficult to carry out everyday activities. These conditions affect 21% of people in this age group.

According to the Department for Health:

“Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading causes of pain and disability in England, particularly osteoarthritis and back pain. These conditions accounted for the second largest annual NHS clinical commissioning group budget spend of £4.7 billion in 2013/14 and result in substantial productivity losses.

“Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of sickness absence. People with musculoskeletal conditions are less likely to be employed than others, and tend to have lower household income and retire earlier. In 2013, 30.6 million lost working days were attributed to musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal health has been called a public health priority. Tackling readily modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, would lead to major health benefits.”

Public Health England advises that musculoskeletal conditions can be prevented through physical exercise:

“Regular physical activity and exercise at every stage of life can reduce the risk of many musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, falls and fractures. A healthy balanced diet is also important for good bone health, to prevent osteoporosis and falls in later life.”

Women over 65 at most risk

Britain’s oldest personal trainer, Dr Eddy Diget, 72, is an advocate of strength training for the older generation, especially for women:

“In my opinion, females aged 50 plus are most vulnerable to musculoskeletal conditions. They lose calcium in their bones and their joints become dry through lack of ‘lubrication’ (myosin) as they get older. This can give rise to various bone (they become thin) and joint problems as they do not have much muscle density.

“If they fall, they are more prone to break a bone. Even more common is splintering of the bone. Not unlike a glass breaking on a solid floor – it’s very hard to repair and this can have devastating effects on the individual and or family.

“Because of this lack of muscle density, the joints become ‘sloppy’ as the ligaments and tendons lose their elasticity and the bones/joints become unstable as age progresses, just like the elastic in a bra will go first not ‘holding’ nor fitting correctly!

“But regular strength exercise will keep the muscles tight and joints lubricated, improving posture, flexibility, fitness and health as it tightens these important elements within the body!

“Men, on the other hand, tend to already have muscle density, and because of this, they do have stronger muscles, ligaments and tendons to hold the bones in check and help their flexibility, minimising the risk of broken bones if they fall. Also myosin, (joint/muscle lubrication) is constantly being generated, due to testosterone.

“Working with weights for both men and women, no matter their age, causes muscles to contract and expand and will go a long way in avoiding loss of calcium, posture, strength, balance and joint or bone problems.”

It’s never too late to start training

56-year-old IronMan competitor Ian Oliver tells his story:

Ian Oliver is a company director from Bury, Greater Manchester. He’s currently training for his first IronMan in Bolton on 16 July 2017 and recently completed the Manchester Marathon.

“I exercise regularly to follow my aspirations. I never thought I could swim so I wanted to challenge myself to something I’ve never done before.

“I believe keeping fit is an investment in later life and you won’t enjoy old age if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy it.

“My typical week of training consists of:

2-3 swim sessions per week, 1 hour per session at a distance of 2k

2-3 run sessions per week, 1 hour sessions at a distance of 10k

2 bike rides per week, 2 hour sessions at a distance of 50k

1 gym session per week of light exercise like Pilates”

Ian’s advice to people his age who don’t currently exercise is:

“Ask yourself why not. Try it and you’ll like it. Lose weight and keep healthy and your old age will reward you. Join a club to be around like-minded individuals. I joined a triathlon club and if all your friends are training you’re more than likely to follow suit.”

When asked about retiring, Ian said he will “carry on for as long as I can. Anything is possible and I can’t imagine myself slowing down any time soon!”

What do his friends and family think of his passion for exercise?

“The friends in the club all supportive generally my family and friends look at me in sheer admiration.”

Discover more tips and find out how to build muscle, including the best exercises to do and what to eat for your goals.

The post Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement appeared first on DW Fitness Blog.

http://ift.tt/2rnbn7r

#Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

[johnclapperne]

Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

Did you know – in addition to 150 minutes of exercise per week – over-65s should be getting at least two sessions of strength training a week that work all the major muscles.

But in our recent survey we found that over half of over-65s were not doing this, with 40% doing absolutely no strength training at all.

And it doesn’t just have to be hitting the squat rack – the NHS recommends the following suitable strength exercises:

Carrying or moving heavy loads, such as groceries

Activities that involve stepping and jumping, such as dancing

Heavy gardening, such as digging or shovelling

Exercises that use your body weight for resistance, such as push-ups or sit-ups

Yoga

Quality of life is more important than longevity

Life expectancy is the highest it has ever been. Men aged 60 in 2013 can expect to live until they are 82 years old, and women aged 60 until they are 85 years old.

But a longer life also means “the proportion of life spent in good health is falling”, according to the Office for National Statistics. People can expect to live just over three-quarters of their life in good health.

Sarah Caul, Senior Health Researcher, ONS says:

“Improvements to healthcare and living healthier lives mean that as a nation we are living longer. However, while we are living longer, we are spending a smaller proportion of our overall lives in good health, which puts a greater challenge on health services.”

According to the NHS, the over-65s are the most sedentary age group, spending 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down.

42% of people aged 50-64 who are working have one or more health condition, while almost half (46%) of people aged 55-64 who are no longer working retired due to at least one chronic medical condition.

The most prevalent health conditions affecting people aged 50-64 are musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal conditions are disorders of the bones, joints, muscles and spine. They can cause pain, stiffness or a loss of mobility and dexterity that can make it difficult to carry out everyday activities. These conditions affect 21% of people in this age group.

According to the Department for Health:

“Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading causes of pain and disability in England, particularly osteoarthritis and back pain. These conditions accounted for the second largest annual NHS clinical commissioning group budget spend of £4.7 billion in 2013/14 and result in substantial productivity losses.

“Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of sickness absence. People with musculoskeletal conditions are less likely to be employed than others, and tend to have lower household income and retire earlier. In 2013, 30.6 million lost working days were attributed to musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal health has been called a public health priority. Tackling readily modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, would lead to major health benefits.”

Public Health England advises that musculoskeletal conditions can be prevented through physical exercise:

“Regular physical activity and exercise at every stage of life can reduce the risk of many musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, falls and fractures. A healthy balanced diet is also important for good bone health, to prevent osteoporosis and falls in later life.”

Women over 65 at most risk

Britain’s oldest personal trainer, Dr Eddy Diget, 72, is an advocate of strength training for the older generation, especially for women:

“In my opinion, females aged 50 plus are most vulnerable to musculoskeletal conditions. They lose calcium in their bones and their joints become dry through lack of ‘lubrication’ (myosin) as they get older. This can give rise to various bone (they become thin) and joint problems as they do not have much muscle density.

“If they fall, they are more prone to break a bone. Even more common is splintering of the bone. Not unlike a glass breaking on a solid floor – it’s very hard to repair and this can have devastating effects on the individual and or family.

“Because of this lack of muscle density, the joints become ‘sloppy’ as the ligaments and tendons lose their elasticity and the bones/joints become unstable as age progresses, just like the elastic in a bra will go first not ‘holding’ nor fitting correctly!

“But regular strength exercise will keep the muscles tight and joints lubricated, improving posture, flexibility, fitness and health as it tightens these important elements within the body!

“Men, on the other hand, tend to already have muscle density, and because of this, they do have stronger muscles, ligaments and tendons to hold the bones in check and help their flexibility, minimising the risk of broken bones if they fall. Also myosin, (joint/muscle lubrication) is constantly being generated, due to testosterone.

“Working with weights for both men and women, no matter their age, causes muscles to contract and expand and will go a long way in avoiding loss of calcium, posture, strength, balance and joint or bone problems.”

It’s never too late to start training

56-year-old IronMan competitor Ian Oliver tells his story:

Ian Oliver is a company director from Bury, Greater Manchester. He’s currently training for his first IronMan in Bolton on 16 July 2017 and recently completed the Manchester Marathon.

“I exercise regularly to follow my aspirations. I never thought I could swim so I wanted to challenge myself to something I’ve never done before.

“I believe keeping fit is an investment in later life and you won’t enjoy old age if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy it.

“My typical week of training consists of:

2-3 swim sessions per week, 1 hour per session at a distance of 2k

2-3 run sessions per week, 1 hour sessions at a distance of 10k

2 bike rides per week, 2 hour sessions at a distance of 50k

1 gym session per week of light exercise like Pilates”

Ian’s advice to people his age who don’t currently exercise is:

“Ask yourself why not. Try it and you’ll like it. Lose weight and keep healthy and your old age will reward you. Join a club to be around like-minded individuals. I joined a triathlon club and if all your friends are training you’re more than likely to follow suit.”

When asked about retiring, Ian said he will “carry on for as long as I can. Anything is possible and I can’t imagine myself slowing down any time soon!”

What do his friends and family think of his passion for exercise?

“The friends in the club all supportive generally my family and friends look at me in sheer admiration.”

Discover more tips and find out how to build muscle, including the best exercises to do and what to eat for your goals.

The post Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement appeared first on DW Fitness Blog.

http://ift.tt/2rnbn7r

#Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

[almajonesnjna]

Seniors need to lift more weights for a healthy retirement

Did you know – in addition to 150 minutes of exercise per week – over-65s should be getting at least two sessions of strength training a week that work all the major muscles.

But in our recent survey we found that over half of over-65s were not doing this, with 40% doing absolutely no strength training at all.

And it doesn’t just have to be hitting the squat rack – the NHS recommends the following suitable strength exercises:

Carrying or moving heavy loads, such as groceries

Activities that involve stepping and jumping, such as dancing

Heavy gardening, such as digging or shovelling

Exercises that use your body weight for resistance, such as push-ups or sit-ups

Yoga

Quality of life is more important than longevity

Life expectancy is the highest it has ever been. Men aged 60 in 2013 can expect to live until they are 82 years old, and women aged 60 until they are 85 years old.

But a longer life also means “the proportion of life spent in good health is falling”, according to the Office for National Statistics. People can expect to live just over three-quarters of their life in good health.

Sarah Caul, Senior Health Researcher, ONS says:

“Improvements to healthcare and living healthier lives mean that as a nation we are living longer. However, while we are living longer, we are spending a smaller proportion of our overall lives in good health, which puts a greater challenge on health services.”

According to the NHS, the over-65s are the most sedentary age group, spending 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down.

42% of people aged 50-64 who are working have one or more health condition, while almost half (46%) of people aged 55-64 who are no longer working retired due to at least one chronic medical condition.

The most prevalent health conditions affecting people aged 50-64 are musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal conditions are disorders of the bones, joints, muscles and spine. They can cause pain, stiffness or a loss of mobility and dexterity that can make it difficult to carry out everyday activities. These conditions affect 21% of people in this age group.

According to the Department for Health:

“Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading causes of pain and disability in England, particularly osteoarthritis and back pain. These conditions accounted for the second largest annual NHS clinical commissioning group budget spend of £4.7 billion in 2013/14 and result in substantial productivity losses.

“Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of sickness absence. People with musculoskeletal conditions are less likely to be employed than others, and tend to have lower household income and retire earlier. In 2013, 30.6 million lost working days were attributed to musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal health has been called a public health priority. Tackling readily modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, would lead to major health benefits.”

Public Health England advises that musculoskeletal conditions can be prevented through physical exercise:

“Regular physical activity and exercise at every stage of life can reduce the risk of many musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, falls and fractures. A healthy balanced diet is also important for good bone health, to prevent osteoporosis and falls in later life.”

Women over 65 at most risk

Britain’s oldest personal trainer, Dr Eddy Diget, 72, is an advocate of strength training for the older generation, especially for women:

“In my opinion, females aged 50 plus are most vulnerable to musculoskeletal conditions. They lose calcium in their bones and their joints become dry through lack of ‘lubrication’ (myosin) as they get older. This can give rise to various bone (they become thin) and joint problems as they do not have much muscle density.

“If they fall, they are more prone to break a bone. Even more common is splintering of the bone. Not unlike a glass breaking on a solid floor – it’s very hard to repair and this can have devastating effects on the individual and or family.

“Because of this lack of muscle density, the joints become ‘sloppy’ as the ligaments and tendons lose their elasticity and the bones/joints become unstable as age progresses, just like the elastic in a bra will go first not ‘holding’ nor fitting correctly!

“But regular strength exercise will keep the muscles tight and joints lubricated, improving posture, flexibility, fitness and health as it tightens these important elements within the body!

“Men, on the other hand, tend to already have muscle density, and because of this, they do have stronger muscles, ligaments and tendons to hold the bones in check and help their flexibility, minimising the risk of broken bones if they fall. Also myosin, (joint/muscle lubrication) is constantly being generated, due to testosterone.

“Working with weights for both men and women, no matter their age, causes muscles to contract and expand and will go a long way in avoiding loss of calcium, posture, strength, balance and joint or bone problems.”

It’s never too late to start training

56-year-old IronMan competitor Ian Oliver tells his story:

Ian Oliver is a company director from Bury, Greater Manchester. He’s currently training for his first IronMan in Bolton on 16 July 2017 and recently completed the Manchester Marathon.

“I exercise regularly to follow my aspirations. I never thought I could swim so I wanted to challenge myself to something I’ve never done before.

“I believe keeping fit is an investment in later life and you won’t enjoy old age if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy it.

“My typical week of training consists of:

2-3 swim sessions per week, 1 hour per session at a distance of 2k

2-3 run sessions per week, 1 hour sessions at a distance of 10k

2 bike rides per week, 2 hour sessions at a distance of 50k

1 gym session per week of light exercise like Pilates”

Ian’s advice to people his age who don’t currently exercise is:

“Ask yourself why not. Try it and you’ll like it. Lose weight and keep healthy and your old age will reward you. Join a club to be around like-minded individuals. I joined a triathlon club and if all your friends are training you’re more than likely to follow suit.”

When asked about retiring, Ian said he will “carry on for as long as I can. Anything is possible and I can’t imagine myself slowing down any time soon!”

What do his friends and family think of his passion for exercise?

“The friends in the club all supportive generally my family and friends look at me in sheer admiration.”

Discover more tips and find out how to build muscle, including the best exercises to do and what to eat for your goals.

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