We can Work it Out!~ Oprah's "I Feel Good" Challenge 2011

Great Article and a wonderful challenge!

www.oprah.com/health/Exercise-for-Yo ur-20s-30s-40s-50s-and-60s_1/3 


 No interest or desire to run a marathon. Knees will rebel!

It is nice to see someone have a balance view of healthy & balance workouts...
There is no one size fits most approach!

Hula Hoop? No problem!










Weights? (Can do in moderation):


There is absolutely different approaches for different lives and generations; its all in the weigh you do the thin(gs) we do!

Zumba (possibly in a few more months or modified right now): 

 

Jump Rope (maybe in time) 
 

Walking? Can do and Do: 
 

 


Swimming/ Not me but its a winner! 
 
Maritza Correi 
 






Meditation? Ah yes for flexibility lowering blood pressure: 

 


It's the Weigh We Do the Thin(ngs) we do!

 

Who knows maybe one day I could look like this although I have to lose 40 years and 11 inches   


 

Weigh to Roll: The Long Road Home...

 I have a most critical appointment this morning about a grant that will bring a tremendous change to my life.  

 And at 10pm yesterday,I get a call that my ride will not be able to carry me.  Stuff happens.. I have to do something  facilitate this move.

It was too late to make other arrangements so now I am face with a dilemma how I will do this.

Well what I'm going to walk to the appointment.

Fortunately, it is about 2.5 miles away from my home.  I have been able to walk up to 2 miles on my current walks,that being round trip but never 2.5 miles 1 way!

But I am so determined to keep that appointment I will not let anything deter me from keep that appointment!  Fortunately for me it will be a gorgeous day and its a scenic route. I am having now a power breakfast; on will come the earphones,stretch a bit, carry my water and off I will go!

The good thing is I will have probably a couple of hours rest time before making the return trip home.  I am going to find out today what I am made of, of what my body will do for me.

But when you are focused, one will find that weigh out of no way!

The end result will be worth it for me; I want that loft with the windows.  I want the 50% reduction in my living expenses, I want those windows  :=) .

I want to be DONE. 

So folks who when they sprout off about "THEY" as in "THEY don't want to work"; "THEY just want to live off the system" "all THEY have to do is.." "THEY should just need to lose weight" "THEY are too lazy"...  "If THEY would get off their butts" 

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

I am here to tell you 'taint so. It is not what you think and that is what you get for assuming & being dead wrong...

So if you see this 60 year old woman on a cane with earphones, sneakers with that fierce determination on her face getting to her destination...

That will be me. You can join me if you wish...

Please don't think let along say "why don't she lose some weight"?

Simply cheer her own her weigh and say

"Weigh to Roll"!

'cause I got it like that!

"Dead Last Finish is greater than Did Not Finish which greatly trumps Did Not Start." ~Unknown

Walk this Weigh~I am STILL Grinnin'

I am still grinning this morning albeit a wee bit sore as I took advantage of a beautiful day and a need to get my art shipped out for the show opening next week to walk to the post office.

Round trip it took me about 45minutes thereabouts as I was walking a tad bit slow to terst out the knees since I knew it was an increase in the distance in walking.

I had not been out in the last month because of the inclement weather which gave me plenty of excuses not to go although I did a lot of micro-walks inside my home.  Apparently it worked as apart from some minor soreness which indicated I gave my bosy a workout without over taxing it had me just a'smilin' this morning.

And I slept very well to boot!

I got to see another side of my neighborhood on streets I had not seen to see the still ongoing construction & re-sparking of homes still in disrepair from Katrina and was happy.  Some homes are far more modest but nonetheless gratifying to see what is happening.

I so wished I had my camera.

I enjoyed the birds chirping the sun beaming and the pure injoyment in the physicality of what I was doing!

And then I saw as I neared my street, first seeing him from a distance, a man who is an amputee very slowly on crutches taking HIS walk.  He had as I saw when I came up on him, had his leg amputated to his knee & the other leg was twisted inward.

But there he was walking away, inch by inch, step by step with his crutches.

He turned to come back in the direction I was so apparently he lived from where I was coming from and I lived in the direction HE was coming from.  I just ginned and spoke.  He smiled and we kept on our way.

I am going to make it a point to travel that street again in case I see him and perhaps on a good day we can walk together even if it is just a block.  I have no desire to invade his privacy or see him as a special case because he is an amputee, but as one disabled to another, we are telling the world we are "other able".

Today is suppose to be yet another glorious day into the low 60's & I will get out around noon-ish to walk again.  I had a healthy breakfast, get back to work for a couple hours of art and then get that walk going. My aim is to consistently walk 5-6 days a week as part of my current goals.

Oh oh, does it seem like my mojo is starting to work?

If it is to be, it is up to me. Author Unknown

Weigh to Goal~ Something I Never DO...

10-17-10 This is me today beginning this modest goal...

I rarely ever do this "I want to lose XYZ amount of weight by_________"

So I am trying a modest objective.

It began because of something I did not follow through on that of being this past week despite my intentions, I did not get one day of real walking in although I did small increments of some movement. Somehow the week got a'weigh from me.

But now I learned my eldest daughter's Commencement is January 14,2011 in California and oh course I will be attending with rings on my fingers & bells on my toes! She has worked so hard for this.

They (my daughters, SIL and 8 of the 9 grandchildren have seen nothing but a few pictures of me since the surgery. The people who see me locally comments all the time about my weight release.

But now it is the appropriate time to gear up. I am writing this not as a commitment, but a contract to myself to move more to walk a bit further.

My goal will be to release about 30 pounds before travel. It only comes to 10 pounds per month or 2.5 pounds a week.

Since I will be heading to the West Coast after Commencement, I will travel onto the Pacific Northwest to vist my son & his family & if I dare perhaps a fast "holla" to a friend in Washington State on my return back. I love the train so it will be fun to gadabout.

And to see family & friends especially in the case of the ones in the PNW it will be over a year, 2 in some since I've seen them all.

So back to walking I go. Fortunately our winters are temperate & I like walking in the cold. I will do that before beginning the rest of my day so I won't get distracted. There will have to be some tweaking on time because as much as I like chill I will not be doing the 7am in the dead of winter.

Dancing, dancing, DANCING Machine...Yeah baby!

Two-stepping may add fun to aerobic workouts, studies show
By Serena Gordon,HealthDay Reporter
www.sparkspeople.com

FRIDAY, June 5 (HealthDay News) -- One reason many people don't stick with exercise is that it's often not that interesting. But what if you could dance your way to improved health?
Two new studies suggest that you just might be able to do that.


Presented recently at the American College of Sports Medicine meeting in Seattle, one study found that salsa dancing could improve cardiovascular fitness, and the other found that less vigorous ballroom dances such as the fox trot or tango -- although not as much of a workout as salsa -- can add 2,000 steps or so to a person's daily walking total.


"Learning to dance can be a fun, social, local and friendly way to enjoy low-intensity physical activity and skill learning," said the author of the second study, Stephen Cobley, a senior lecturer in skill acquisition and sport/exercise psychology at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.


Dancing, or at least watching dancing on TV, has soared in popularity recently. In the United States, "Dancing with the Stars" draws a significant audience each week, and its British counterpart, "Strictly Come Dancing," has more than 8 million viewers, according to Cobley.
Because this show was drawing so many viewers in the U.K., Cobley and his colleagues thought to capitalize on its popularity and conducted a study by offering a 12-week series of introductory ballroom dancing lessons to a group of sedentary adults.


The average age of the 27 study participants was 53, and most -- 22 -- were women. The once-a-week, two-hour classes were led by an instructor and included dances such as the tango, fox trot and cha-cha.


The classes replaced what was usually sedentary time for the participants and added about 2,000 steps to their daily total, the researchers said. Experts recommend 10,000 steps a day for good health.


"Ten thousand steps per day is the recommendation, but how many seniors are getting that?" asked sports and lifestyle nutritionist Molly Kimball, from the Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. "Two thousand steps is still good, and every little bit helps."


But, she said, different dances, such as the salsa, would provide a much greater aerobic workout.

Salsa was the focus of the other study, in which Italian researchers measured heart rate and oxygen consumption in dancers who were doing a typical salsa during lessons, salsa dancing at a night club or doing a group dance called rueda de casino.


The study included 11 pairs of dancers who were, on average, 36 years old. Maximum heart rate increased between 58 and 75 percent for those doing any of the three dances, and oxygen consumption went up between 41 percent and 56 percent, depending on the dance. Nightclub salsa dancing appeared to be the most aerobic of the three dances, though all increased heart rate and oxygen consumption, the study found.


"Salsa is a spirited dance," study author Gian Pietro Emerenziani, from the University of the Studies of Rome, in Italy, said in a statement. "With this form of dance, you are clearly getting a workout. All three types of salsa in our study, practiced frequently, will have a positive impact on health and fitness."


And dancing has other things going for it, fitness-wise.


"With dancing, you don't necessarily have to go to the gym, you don't have to run in the heat, but you're still benefiting," Kimball said. The trick, however, is to make sure you're not swapping dancing for a higher-intensity exercise, she said.


She suggests that new dancers check their heart rate while dancing to make sure they're getting the same workout they got from a spinning class or a run.


Another caveat, she said, is to make sure you don't negate the benefits of all your two-stepping by having high-calorie drinks or snacks while you're out sashaying the night away.

I'm Walkin' Yes Indeed...

I thought this is an excellent article until I got to the part that made me say "Oye Vey"...My neighborhood lends itself very nicely to all I need for a walking program except there is no grassy area I can walk on. I do indeed have joint challenges and need a giving surface to not add further distress to my knees. I will have to now search out another way or tread very carefully ...


Choosing a Walking or Running Route:
On the Road to Fitness

By Rebecca Pratt, Staff Writer



Fitness can be incredibly simple. Sometimes, the most effective workouts don't need celebrity spokespeople or a payment plan. Walking and running are excellent ways to stay in shape year-round. These basic workouts are convenient, feasible almost anywhere, and require only a good pair of shoes- all you need is a place to go!Depending on the time of year, as well as your fitness goals, you can map out a route to suit your needs. Some things to consider include:

The Scenic Route

Don’t underestimate the motivation of a scenic route—enjoying your surroundings will make your walk or run more fun, and keep you coming back for more. The variety of changing seasons and new routes are advantages of exercising outdoors, although practical considerations sometimes require some indoor workouts. Some research suggests that simply being outdoors, especially in more "natural" surroundings, has a positive effect on your health.

Look for routes that include green spaces such as parks, woodlands, and the countryside, as well as waterside walks along lakes, rivers, canals and the beach. In cities, look for tree-lined streets with interesting buildings, attractive public open spaces, and low traffic roads. You may even want to use a "promoted route," such as a bike path, that’s been designed for fitness pursuits and displays distance increments for you.

To measure the distance you’ve gone on any route, consider using a pedometer.

Terrain Variety

Keep in mind that the most effective routes for walking/running are those with varied terrain: flat levels for a brisk but steady pace; gentle hills for a challenge; and steep slopes, which are more demanding on the way up and require better balance on the way down. Walking up a hill with 15% slope uses about a third more energy than walking on a flat surface, while walking downhill takes about the same energy as walking on level ground-- unless the hill is very steep, in which case your muscles must work harder to keep your balance.

Ground Surface

Contact with a poor ground surface is one of the five leading causes of injury for outdoor exercisers. The best surfaces for both walking and running are uniform, cushioned surfaces such as grass or loose granular tracks. Uneven, yielding or sticky surfaces, such as rough stony ground, mud, or sand, take more work and concentration, and will likely slow you down, especially if hidden by grass or other vegetation. Especially if you have bone or joint problems, you’ll want to avoid hard surfaces like asphalt, concrete, and rocky gravel. Minimize your risk of injury by wearing good quality shoes with proper cushioning, support, and traction for those slick spots.

Water Stops and Resting Places

When possible plan a route that has water stops: park fountains, spigots outside buildings, neighbor’s hoses, or your own. Consider an "out and back" circuit in your neighborhood that allows you to stop at home for a quick drink, or carry water with you.

On hot, humid days, look for ways to get wet: pass through a sprinkler or splash yourself from a water fountain or tap.Even experienced walkers and runners can sometimes use a rest; novice walkers even more so. Routes with seats, shelters, or café stops may be welcome respites that allow you to re-hydrate before you push on. If you’re working out in hot weather, you may also want to pick a shady route that’s cooler and provides protection from a broiling sun.

Safety

Last but not least, always consider safety. Avoid high-crime or deserted areas, but also look for areas that are not overly congested, either with cars or other types of traffic such as roller-bladers or cyclists. Wear light-colored clothes or reflectors so that drivers can see you, walk or run facing traffic, and use sidewalks whenever possible. Employ the buddy system—especially during the early morning and late evening hours.

Article created on: 3/9/2005

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And other visual feast...

Reboxed...

I had a big kick the other day when I got a real find...$2 brand new Rebox walking sneakers. I had planned all day to get to Fred Meyers, the store & one thing after another delayed things almost to the point when I started to say forget it. In arriving I was rushing as I had to be somewhere else in 15 minutes and I had already lost 10 of those 15.

Anyway I went barreling through the shoe dept just knowing I would not find something in my size & price range when lo & behold the store was having a 50% off clearance on Rebox sneakers which that alone came under my budget. But it turns out all the discount coupons & rebate coupons I had on my list, I ended up only paying $2 for the Rebox.

Now I have good sturdy walking shoes which will get thier maiden walk tomorrow when we are to enjoy 70 degree weather for at least a week.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, er, store, I opted to return the next day to actually buy groceries as I wanted to stick to my list and one important thing was to stock up on herbs & spices.

Oh I plan to have a fresh herbal garden but considering I will be leaving in 6 weeks I do not want to start something I will have to stop. But I got beautiful red cabbage, on the vine tomatoes broccoli , jasmine rice, fixin' for salads . Funny thing which has been strange for me here has been the lack of variety of dried beans. It could be I'm in the wrong spot but I will probably have to try another store.

Can I say now for sure that it really is spring in PNW? I will have my trusty camera with me on my Reboxed maiden vogage walking as there is a block 2 streets over where there are magnificent blooms I have never seen before that I want to shoot ! I will give credit to Eugene as there are glorious gardens and breath taking trees to enjoy

So good shoes burn calories and beautiful blooms.

Now how cool is that?