Gardening: The Next Olympic Sport

Well, maybe that's a stretch, but gardening can definitely serve as a good workout.

During these scorching days of summer, my husband and I have been watering the many plants in our yard by hand.  We used to have a sprinkler system hooked up in the back until the work on our new addition began.  And we haven't had a chance yet to get a new one hooked up since the completion of that project.  So at least once daily one of us goes out to water the plants with the garden hose.  Simple enough, right?  Ahh!

I'm short and my balance, although better than it used to be since I've been working out regularly, is less than optimal.  We have tons (I don't think I'm exaggerating here) of red lava rocks all over the back yard (desertscape), which are a bear to walk on.  I'm always twisting my ankles and losing my balance on the little devils.  

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Then there's the hose.  This 75-foot serpent is quite a challenge to maneuver around the yard.  In the course of a watering session (40-60 minutes)  I do the equivalent of triceps kickbacks, bent-over rows, arm raises, tug-o-war, pulling, pushing, biceps curls, squats and more.  Plus, I'm getting a heck of a cardio routine in.  Add in sunshine and fresh air and watering is a pretty awesome total body workout.

Some things to remember when gardening/watering:  

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen.  
• Wear a light-weight long-sleeved shirt and long pants to shield your skin from the sun. (I usually wear shorts, and usually finish up with muddy arms and legs and clothes.  Whichever is more fun for you, go for it.  Just make sure you protect your skin somehow from the sun.)
• Watch out for bees and other stinging critters.
• Don't drown your plants.  The "shower" or "mist" settings on your hose nozzle should work well.  Follow care instructions that came with your plants, or look them up on the Internet to make sure your watering them enough but not too much.
• Water early in the day or in the evening when the temperature isn't so hot.
• If you must water when it's toasty outside, take it slow, take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water.  
• Bring a spray bottle fan outside with you to help cool you off.
• Spray yourself with the hose once in awhile for some relief from the heat.
• Put "snakes" of stepping stones throughout your yard if you have rocks/stones in it.  The stepping stones will help pretty-up your yard and save your ankles and feet a lot of grief, pain, and potential injury.  
• Wear supportive footwear.
• Only work out at your appropriate level of fitness.  If you aren't used to working out, don't attempt to enter into an Olympic event such as Garden Hose Serpent Wrestling.  
• Seriously, don't overdo it.  Yes, you want to stay active, but, that said, you WANT to stay active.  So why overdo it and end up in the hospital or otherwise benched for weeks or months.  Not worth it.

I hope you're having a safe, active, and fun summer!  Take care.

Don't Be Afraid to Speak up

Do you speak up when you're not happy with your fitness training experience?  If so, great!  If not, listen up.  Here are some things you should definitely speak up about:

1.  Repeated Lateness:  Everyone has unexpected things come up occasionally that cause them to be late, but if it becomes a habit, you have to say something.  Tell your trainer that you're concerned about this situation and would like her to show you some courtesy by showing up on time.  I had this happen.  One of my trainers was late for the first session and never showed up for the second.  I found out later he had a habit of doing this and was fired.

2.  Pushing You Too Hard/Not Hard Enough:  A trainer has a responsibility to you.  He needs to take into consideration health issues and limitations when designing a program for you.  What exercises should you steer away from?  What are your strong points?  What areas need strengthening?  If your trainer is pushing you too hard, you need to speak up and say so.  Same thing goes for trainers who treat you like a fragile doll.  The latter happened to me.  I had a trainer who was used to working with people with special needs and, since I was born with spina bifida, he treated me with kit gloves.  I wanted none of that.  I joined the gym and worked with a trainer to get fit, not to be babied.  I barely broke sweat working with him.  Although some people adored this trainer, he didn't last long with me, let me tell you. My next trainer kicked my butt but good and I thought the world of him.  You just have to find the trainer that works for you.

3.  Choosing Exercises You Don't Like:  Everyone has favorite exercises.  Personally, I love burpees, dips, push ups, walking, ball exercises, interval training, and circuit training.  But if a client doesn't like those particular moves, I'm not going to push the issue.  You have to let your trainer know when an exercise just doesn't work.  You have to do what you enjoy or your routine will end up being a bore.  And boring routines tend to make you lose interest in fitness pretty quickly.  That's not something you want to have happen.

4.  Has an Annoying Personality:  You're shy, he's outgoing.  You love to laugh, she is all business.  You need to find a trainer who matches your personality or the personality traits you feel comfortable with.  I suggest that you work with several trainers before picking one you'll want to work with long-term.  Work with each trainer for a few weeks to see which trainer's training style and personality mesh with what you're looking for.

5.  Not Keeping Track of Your Progress:  Ouch!  I've experienced this one.  Tracking your progress is one of the most important ways to stay motivated and accountable.  If your trainer doesn't make a point to do that...well, it makes no sense.  Talk to your trainer about this issue.  If she continues to slack off the weights and measures, or needs to be repeatedly reminded, find yourself another trainer.

6.  Not Paying Attention to Your Nutrition:  Nutrition is a huge part of any fitness program.  You can't out exercise an unhealthy diet.  So, your trainer needs to pay attention to your eating habits.  A few of my trainers over the years have been great at this. They had me keep a food log, at least on a short-term basis, to see what me eating habits were, then they made suggestions on how to improve.  Your trainer doesn't have to be a registered dietitian to offer basic healthy eating suggestions.  Ask if the subject doesn't come up.  If he starts prescribing a special diet for your specific medical conditions, though, well, that's a no-no.  Unless he is a registered dietitian as well as a trainer, of course.

7. Insulting You:  This is totally unacceptable.  Don't put up with it.  Okay, well, it could be the trainer's weird sense of humor creeping into the session, but still, it's not cool.  If it continues, report her to the training manager and find yourself another trainer.

8.  Talking About Other Clients:  This just puts a bad taste in my mouth, especially when names and details are given.  Confidentiality is important in the training profession, and I think talking about other clients crosses that line of unacceptability.  That said, occasionally I've had trainers who mentioned annonymously a client who inspired them and made them happy they went into the fitness field.  I have no problem with that.  They're not divulging personal information; they're giving an example to motivate their client and promote bonding.  If you feel uncomfortable with a specific conversation topic, let your trainer know.

9.   Leaving Your Session to Help Someone Else:  No, no, no!  Do not put up with this--ever.  Again, you're paying for that session, not the other person.  Your trainer needs to stay with you at all times unless they're going to get equipment in another room to use during your session or there's an emergency.  Otherwise, that trainer is out of line and you should tell him so.  I had this happen once, I think.  The same trainer that treated me with kit gloves left to talk to another client during our session--another reason why I dumped him.

10.  Leaving Your Session to Chat with a Buddy:  See #9.  Speak up and let your trainer know you would appreciate her full attention during each session.

11.  Not Following Up on Your Requests:  Say you have arthritis and your trainer tells you he'll contact your doctor  for exercise recommendations and have them ready for you the next time you meet, but doesn't come through.  Or she says she'll have copies of your workouts ready for you to take on vacation and you never get them.  Not good.  Ask for an explanation.  If it's not a darn good one, and if this becomes a habit, dump that trainer.   

You are paying your trainer to help you on your fitness journey.  During that process, your trainer should act in a professional, friendly, caring and responsible manner.  If this isn't the case, break ties and look for another one who is a better match.

Happy 4th of July!  Enjoy your weekend.  Be safe!

Outside Workouts: The Best!

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Hey there!  I hope your weekend was full of fun and lots of physical activity.  My husband and I spent some time landscaping the back yard.  We put in three new bushes--a Russian Sage, Chaste Tree, and Lemon Bottlebrush--and tonight we'll put in a new palm tree.  

There's nothing like digging in the dirt.  My mom considers it therapeutic, and I tend to agree.  Picking out plants and soil, planning placement, digging the holes, settling the plants into their new homes, bedding them down.  It's hot, sticky, dirty work, but feels so good!  It was kind of like playing in the sandbox as a kid (we live in the desert), actually, only a little bit more work than that. We were thankful for the occasional breeze.  My whole body ached when I was done, but I didn't mind.  I knew I'd gotten just as good a workout doing that as I do at the gym, plus the bonus of fresh air while I was at it.

Things to Remember

When you're working in the garden, remember these tips:

1. Wear sunscreen and a big floppy hat to protect your skin.  I usually wear a baseball-type cap, but this time I chose the biggest, floppiest hat I have.  It was a bit much, I admit.  I couldn't even see out from under it sometimes, it was so big.

2.  Wear appropriate shoes:  If you're going to be using a big shovel or tiller, or the ground is rough, be sure to wear sturdy shoes with good support.  This is not the place for flip-flops or thin canvas sneakers. 

3.  Wear light, lose-fitting clothing to help keep you cool.  I wore shorts which added to the mess I had to clean up afterwards, but they were cooler than long pants would have been. My legs were covered with dirt by the end of our planting project.     

4.  Try to garden in the early morning or late afternoon/evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.  It was still toasty even then for us this time of year, but we were able to handle it pretty well.

5.  Do not sit on hot rocks/patios/etc. with short shorts on:  I learned my lesson well a couple years ago when I was trimming bushes in the back yard.  I decided to sit down on the stone pathway near one the bushes to get a better angle for snipping.  I was sitting there for 10 to 15 minutes when I put my lower leg down on the stone surface.  Oh man!  I winced.  It was boiling hot.  When I went inside to changed clothes, I realized I'd been sitting on that same stone surface with my bare skin (my shorts had ridden up).  My butt got burned badly.  I don't have much feeling in my upper legs due to spina bifida, so I couldn't feel the heat generated by the stone.  It was frightening, to say the least.  I spent the rest of the summer paying frequent visits to a wound clinic until it finally healed.  Luckily, I didn't need surgery.  I've got a nasty scar that reminds me never to sit on hot surfaces again.  Over the weekend, I wore quite long shorts, thank you very much.  I'll always remember! 

6.   If the bugs are out and driving you crazy, apply bug spray, roll-on, or lotion to ward them off. There are a variety of products available, including those which are environmentally friendly, and safe for sensitive skin.

7.  Put some extra muscle into everything you do in order to get a harder workout from gardening.  Hoe faster, dig with gusto, and dance or walk in place while you're watering your new plants.  But be sure to pay attention to the weather and your fitness level.  You don't want to get heat stroke just for the sake of exercise.  Exercise smart; garden smart.

8.  Drink plenty of water.  I always have a bottle of water with me, whether I'm working, gardening, playing, working out, whatever.  Water is good for you, vital for heath, and definitely needed in the summer heat.

Have you got any other gardening tips to share?  Leave comments below.  I'd love to hear from you.  

Making Fitness Fun 2014 Tour Video

Hope you enjoy the tour.  If you have any questions, just ask.  Take care.

No Pain, No Gain? No Dice!

I've seen many posters online with saying such as "No pain, no gain," and "I'd rather suffer the pain of a workout than the pain of humiliation and regret from not working out."  I've read a lot of comments along the same lines from trainers on the Internet.  Don't buy it.

Sure, if you're sore after your workout--even a couple days after--that's okay.  You've been working your muscles; some soreness can be expected.  But never, ever work out through sharp, throbbing pain.  It's not safe, it's not worth the damage it could cause, and it's just not smart. 

It's difficult to stop when you're on a roll.  I get that.  You're getting into your workout, you're psyched, you're energized and feeling pretty good about yourself.  But then, it happens.  You feel something snap, feel a sharp pain run though your body.  Aw, come on!  You think maybe you'll be fine.  You just need to shake it out.  But that doesn't work.  

It's time to stop.  

If you experience pain, stop immediately and seek medical attention.  The longer you work out with an injury, the worse it can get.  Take the time you need to rest and recover.  

Have you worked out with an injury?  Let me know what happened as a result.  I'd love to hear from you.

What Are Your Reasons for Not Joining a Gym?

You don't have to be the strongest, fittest, most confident person on the planet, but you can work on improving your fitness level with regular exercise and healthful eating.  It can be intimidating going to a gym full of jocks, muscle men and women, and co-eds with 2% body fat.  I know. That happened to me.  In my 40s and out of shape, I walked into the gym wondering what I was thinking.  I'd never make it.  My mega-muscular trainer would throw me around and end up killing me.  It makes me laugh to think of it now, but at the time those were real fears.  The important thing to realize is that the gym is a place where you can become stronger, faster, more confident, and so on.  Your goals can be met at the gym.  But you have to be willing to put the effort into your workouts and diet.  Trainers, gym staff, and fellow patrons can encourage, educate and support you, but they can't do the work for you.  Nobody can.  You have to take the first step, give yourself time, get moving and believe that you can get into better shape, lose weight--whatever your goal is.  And remember--make fitness fun!  

What are your reasons for not joining a gym or working out?  Let me know.  Take care.

How to Stay Motivated

Photo courtesy of Pixabar.com

It's easy to get all excited about fitness when you're just beginning, but what happens down the road when/if you start hitting plateaus, seeing less progress, and the "newness" of working out wears off?  That's when you dig deep to find some motivation.  Here are so tips on how to stay motivated to exercise.

Change up your workout program:  Every 4 to 6 weeks or whenever your program gets stale or too easy, change it up.  Swap out exercises you don't particularly like or you're tired of and replace them with fresh, new ones.

Change up your workout music:  If the same songs keep coming up on your Ipod you might get bored.  After the first 10 to 20 listens, your favorite playlist can get old.  Every now and then, refresh your workout playlist with new songs that energize you. 

Surround yourself with positive people:  This is huge.  Leave the negative Nellie's behind and surround yourself with people who are upbeat and supportive of your fitness journey.  This doesn't mean you have to ditch your long-time friends or your family just because they aren't jumping on the fitness band wagon with you.  It just means you may want to distance yourself from those people and spend more time with the supportive ones.
As with any life change--from smoking cessation to giving up alcohol--you need to separate yourself from those buddies with the old habit you want to break, especially if they aren't supportive of your new lifestyle.

Keep a fitness journal:  Have sections in your journal for weights/measures, food intake, exercise, positive affirmations, comments, etc.  Make it personal.  Record compliments you get from loved ones and strangers alike, your weight, healthy foods to try, new exercises you'd like to introduce into your program, and so on.  Look back now and then to see how far you've progressed and where you need to improve.

Create a vision board:  A vision board helps you organize your goals--what you want out of your fitness program, life in general, or any number of aspects of your life--made with poster board and magazine cutouts, PowerPoint, or Pinterest, to name a few.  Do it however you want. Let's take fitness, for example.  You could have a Pinterest board for your goals and how to get there, another with fitness tips, another for your favorite exercise demos, another board for clothes you'd like to get when you lose weight, and another for positive affirmations.  Keep checking your board (s) and reorganize as needed.

Set SMART goals:  Make sure your goals come from way down deep inside and are:

• Specific:  Decide why you want to lose weight and how you'll get there. "I will lose 20 lbs. by August 1."
• Measurable:  This goal above is measurable.  You'll weigh yourself regularly and be able to see if you've lost 20 lbs. by August 1 or not.
• Attainable:  Take into consideration your fitness level, health issues, work, family, community involvement, and so on.  What can you physically do and where can you fit it into your schedule?  It's fine to squeeze in 10 minutes of exercises 3 times a day to get the recommended 30 minutes.  You don't have to be a superman or woman, shoving aside everything else in your life to exercise for hours on end.  Another example is, if you want to run a marathon but have never done it before, you need to realize that you won't be ready in 2 months.  Work up to it.   Do what you can and stick with it. 
• Relevant:  Set a goal that is important to you, not one that you think you should set because your friend said it would be a good idea.  Setting a goal to exercise and lose weight because you want to lower your blood pressure is good, while exercising because your mother told you to is not.  Again, it has to come from a place deep inside you or you will have a harder time sticking with it.
• Time-sensitive:  Set a start date and stick to it.  "I will start today toward losing 20 lbs. by August 1," has a starting and ending point to determine whether or not the goal is met.  On August 1 you'll either be down 20 lbs. or not, but it's something to work toward, with a sense of urgency attached to it.

Offer yourself healthy rewards:  Give yourself a weekend away, a spa day, a new gym bag--anything non-food related and within your budget--as a reward for mini goals reached. 

Visualize goals being met:  Fantasize about stepping on the scale and seeing that you've lost those 20 lbs.  How does it feel?  How do you react?  How do others react?  Imagine yourself buying smaller clothes.  For the first time in years you can fit into your favorite pair of jeans.  Imagine enjoying a stroll through a Farmer's Market, picking up great new fruits and veggies to try.  Imagine walking with a lighter step.  Drink it in and make it happen for real.

Don't compare yourself to others at the gym:  Everyone is different with different goals, body types, health issues and so on.  Concentrate on your program, your goals, and your needs, not someone else's.  So you don't look like the co-ed with 2% body fat ripping up the treadmill.  That's okay.  Go at your own speed and do what's right for you. 

Believe in yourself:  You can do it.  It took you a long time to gain the weight you want to shed.  Give yourself time to lose it.  Be good to yourself.  Be understanding.  If you have a bad day, so be it.  Get back on track the next day.  Weight loss will happen if you believe in yourself and your ability to develop a healthy lifestyle.   

Take it one day at a time:  This may be frustrating, but weight loss takes time and patience.  A good weight loss rate is 1-2 lbs. per week.  Forget the miracle drugs and starvation diets.  Do your body a favor and lose weight by eating healthfully and mindfully, getting at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, getting proper sleep, reducing stress, and ditching bad habits (excessive alcoholic consumption, tobacco use).

Have a great weekend! 

  

My Stress Busters

Image Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Although some stress is healthy, continuous stress can cause health problems such as high blood press and depression.  Here's what I do to de-stress.

1.  Write it down:  Keeping a journal is a great way to relieve stress.  If I get bogged down with a lot of stressors, I write down each one and then, beside it, a possible solution.  It enables me to get the worries out of my head and onto paper or computer screen.  When I organize them, and really think about how to fix them, it makes them seem much less intimidating and worrisome.  No, all problems can't be solved by a simple phone call, for example, but this exercise tends to help lessen the intensity.

2.  Talk it out:  I tell a trusted friend or family member about my concerns.  I even have done a fair bit of talking to myself, taking both sides of an issue. Sometimes just talking things out will help me work through my problems, find answers, and make me feel better.  When that hasn't helped, I've consulted my  physician for an evaluation and been referral to a psychologist (Let's just say I had some big-time issues with being born with spina bifida.  It's still no picnic, but I've adopted a generally positive attitude about it).  Talking things out with a professional can put things into prospective and help me discover ways to solve problems.  Getting professional help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a sign of being serious about getting help.  Helping yourself can benefit loved ones as well.

3.  Daydream:  I have used daydreaming for stress relief practically my whole life.  I think I spent too much time in a dream world, though.  Basically, when I wasn't in school, I was up in my bedroom creating a whole different world for myself in which I was totally healthy and popular.  Years later, a psychologist told me that's actually a healthy way to deal with stress.  I never smoked, drank alcohol, took illicit drugs, or practiced self-mutilation.  I daydreamed.  I had no idea I was doing something healthy.  Go figure.

3.  Guided relaxation:  I've got CDs and books on relaxation techniques which have helped somewhat.  One exercise that worked the best was to imagine my feet sprouting roots, grounding me, relaxing me.  I've never been able to stick with meditation though.  My mind won't quiet down long enough to concentrate on it.  But I do think meditation is a viable option for stress relief. 

4.  Go for a walk:  Whenever I'm stressed, a walk helps immensely.  It helps clear my mind and provides exercise at the same time.  It doesn't have to be a strenuous walk; I just keep a pace that's comfortable.  Sometimes a walk helps me think of fresh new ideas on how to solves problems, while others times it helps me to forget the whole crazy situation and just enjoy the natural surroundings and sunshine.

5.  Work out at the gym:  Stressful situations can put a damper on my motivation.  When I force myself to go to the gym even on the most "blah-feeling" days, I come home feeling refreshed and much less stressed out.  A good workout can really boost my mood and enegy level.  Plus, getting out and seeing acquaintances at the gym can be a picker upper, too.

6.  Watch something funny:  There are certain TV shows and movies that crack me up.  Watching any old thing doesn't cut it, though.  It has to make me laugh from down deep.  It can't just spur a, "oh yeah, that's funny, haha," response; it has to be "the-cats-are-looking-at-me-like-I've-gone-completely-insane" kinda laugh where I can't stop, can't talk, can barely breathe.  That's what de-stresses me.  Two movies that have succeeded in the past have been "Sister Act," and "American Pie."  I was surprised that I found American Pie so funny, because I'm not usually the party-hearty-high-school-antics-movie type of person, but I about died laughing through that whole movie.

For more information on stress, check out this fact sheet from WomensHealth.gov  Stress and Your Health Fact Sheet, 

I'd also like to hear how you de-stress.  Feel free to e-mail me at iwrite41@yahoo.com, or post your responses in the comment section below.  Have a great weekend!  Take care.

Flying Safety: Remember to Move!

I have done my share of air travel and I'm amazed at how many people stay in their seats for the duration of the flight.  No bathroom break, not stretching, nothing.  All they do is sleep, read, or tap, tap, tap away on their computers.  Up until 2003 I probably wouldn't have noticed as much.  That was the year my husband Jim fell off a ladder (actually, it broke in two while he was on it) and landed facedown on the concrete walkway in front of our house.  Doctors didn't think he'd survive, but he did.  He's basically fine, but does have his share of negative effects from it, including partial hearing loss and a blood clot in his leg.

Long plane rides are prime breeding grounds for blood clots because of the extended sitting involved and the cramped seating arrangements.  I'm short, and on some flights I even feel cramped and wish for more leg room.  That's bad!  They should yank out at least a row of seats on each side of the aisle to give us more wiggle room--for comfort and safety.  

Most recently, on a cross country trip to visit my mother in New York, hardly anyone got up.  I made Jim get up at least once every hour on this nearly 5-hour flight. I did the same.  Plus, I wiggled my toes and stomped my feet while I was sitting.  

On flights where Jim and I can't sit together, I stare at the back of his head from afar trying to remind him to get up.  If that doesn't work, I get out of my seat, go over, poke him, and say, "Get up already!"  This is no laughing matter.  He's had blood clots before.  He knows it's serious and I doubt he'd want to go through that ordeal again.  So it's worth it for him to tear himself away from the magazine he's reading, excuse himself to his seatmates, get up and move. 

Something else I noticed on this latest flight:  the flight attendants didn't have the passengers go through their group stretching session until about 20 minutes before the plane was due to land!  That's crazy!  It should be done at least halfway through the flight, if not once an hour.

Next time you fly, remember:

• Stretch at least every hour 
• Get up and walk at least once an hour, or as much as you can (I know, turbulence can hamper this)
• Take bathroom breaks whether you need to go or not. (Again, turbulence messes with this sometimes)
• Wiggle your toes
• Rotate your ankles.  
• Flex your feet up, down, left, right and hold for 10 seconds each time.
• Stomp your feet on the floor.
• Roll your shoulders up and back
• Bring your ears to your shoulders 
• Rotate and hold your head for 10 seconds to one side then the other, slowly.

Check out this link from the University of Maryland Medical Center about Deep Venous Thrombosis.  http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/deep-venous-thrombosis

Safe travels!