Fun Fitness After 50

Old enough to know how to have fun!

  • Running
    • barefoot
    • minimalist
  • Swimming
    • my Endless Pool
    • open water
  • Cycling
    • spin bike
    • mountain bike
    • road bike
  • Dancing
    • backyard
    • clubs and pubs
  • Strength Training
    • TRX
    • yoga
  • Hiking
  • Health Basics
    • nutrition
    • aging
    • weight and body image

5 Tips for the Older Athlete on Learning Physically Challenging Sports Activities

December 5, 2018 by Laura Blodgett Leave a Comment

Am I too old to learn something physically challenging?

Learning new skills and activities can feel overwhelming for an older adult. I know that beginning horseback riding lessons about 9 months ago was a mix of scary and wonderful. I worried that my body just wouldn’t adapt to something so new. I worried about injury.

I am going to continue with my riding lessons with more confidence than I started them. This is partly because I have learned some things about scheduling other workout activities, as well as enough about horses to think this is doable. Here are my tips for the older athlete who wants to pursue such a new and physically interactive activity:

  1. Make sure you have a foundation of physical strength. Consider cross training that will particularly strengthen muscles that will be needed for action and stability for the new activity you want to try.
  2. Don’t schedule other rigorous activities the day before or the day after. For instance, I can still go on a short to medium run either before or after, but not a run that is at the upper limits of my current distance.
  3. Rest your mind before a lesson. Learning something new takes a different level of concentration and awareness, both to avoid injury and to learn well.
  4. Get enough sleep. This goes with #3. If you are physically tired, your mind tends to be slower. Also, you tend to have less physical strength to use as needed.
  5. Talk to other older athletes that pursue said activity. It can be helpful to get a mix of those with long experience and those relatively new to trying.

I write more specifics about how to have a good experience learning to ride a horse at my age in Am I Too Old to Learn to Ride a Horse, over at the D&B Supply blog. As older athletes, it can be embarrassing to feel awkward at learning something new, but it is good for us in many ways. Don’t let your fears or the attitudes of others keep you from enjoying continued discovery in life!

My Interview on Super Human Radio About Running Barefoot

March 27, 2018 by Laura Blodgett Leave a Comment

Who wouldn’t want to be interviewed on a show with Super Human in the name? But really, people give me too much credit for running barefoot. It may take some hutzpah to go against social norms, but bare feet make running more fun!

I was interviewed during the first hour of this two hour show. We cover a lot of common misconceptions about barefoot running, as well as how to get started. If you think your feet are better off in the modern shoe, you might want to listen to my interview and hear how such footwear could be both limiting and hurting you. (Click on the link below to go to the interview. FYI, the second part of the episode title is the interview in the second hour.)

SHR # 2168 :: Why Does Grandma Run Barefoot? + The Role of Deuterium in Disease and Mitochondria Function ::

There were some points in the interview I’d like to explain, just for the fun of it. Like, at one point, Carl asks me about my feet being too ugly or rough for my husband to massage them. He put it in the context of watching TV.

I don’t like to sit and watch TV very much. We are frequently eating when we are both sitting and watching something, so not an ideal time for foot massages… Also, if I do sit for a show, I often have a crochet project or something I am working on.

It is also helpful to consider that everyone has their own “love language.” One of my husband’s is making things for me, like the incredible set up I have for my Endless Pool or my beautiful, handmade cement greenhouse table. I will take those things over a foot massage any day!

Besides that, I actually go in for a full massage pretty regularly (as does he), so we are in no way massage deprived. All that being said, my husband does occasionally massage my feet and he does not think they are ugly or unpleasant to touch.

Another thing I’d like to mention is that I believe feet were designed. Yes, by a creator. I don’t think wearing particular footwear is going to cause evolution. Instead, poorly shaped or inflexible footwear will only result in maimed or weak feet, even in the long term for the population.

If there are any other points in the interview you would like to ask about, you can email or ask in the comments. Of course, if it is answered well in my book, Why Does Grandma Run Barefoot, I might refer you to that. 🙂

And, finally, none of my grand kids wonder why I run barefoot. They think it is normal for me to go bare foot. Several of them prefer bare feet most of the time! However, when other people see me running, I often picture them wondering, “Why is that grandma running barefoot?” 

What Kind of Shape Will You End Up With While Getting In Shape ?

February 13, 2018 by Laura Blodgett Leave a Comment

What is your perfect shape?

Picture yourself in perfect shape. What do you look like? Wait. Think carefully. Is it really you? This is a mistake that is made too often. We form an ideal in our head that has no basis in reality. And we allow that imaginary ideal to rob us of enjoying both our progress and our temporary peaks of perfection.

What is your shape? Don’t tell me it is fat or something like that. We can discuss ideal weight later. Right now, just think about what your basic shape is. Or what would it be if it didn’t have some extra padding.

Everyone’s basic shape is made up of a combination of factors. Nearly everyone complains about their shape at one time or another and wishes they had someone else’s shape. There is a pervasive illusion that someone else’s shape would magically make staying in shape effort free.

Why do cartoons have extra large eyes?

Part of the problem is the way two dimensional images look. It is very difficult to capture the vitality of someone in photos, drawing, and even cartoons. All kinds of tricks are used to make up for this flatness. What often happens as a result is that we forget what normal bodies look like.

For instance, I remember the first time I realized that the drawings on sewing patterns always had extraordinarily long, thin legs. I have never seen anyone in real life with legs that long, not even when aided with high heels. This was a technique to sell the styles because that is how people want to look.

I also learned that how a real, photographed model stood might be hiding something about the pattern or at least giving a false impression of how the garment would usually look. She was probably also standing in a way that was almost cartoonish, meaning people just don’t stand like that a lot in real life. I learned to ask myself how often I would be in that actual pose.

Speaking of cartoons, have you ever noticed how abnormally huge certain features are made? This usually looks nice on the cartoon, but would look hideous on a real person. We need to be careful what we compare ourselves to.

What about our perception of real people?

There are two main pitfalls when it comes to comparing ourselves to other people’s “shapes.” First, we often concentrate on their desirable features and don’t notice their problem areas (or what they think their problem areas are). Secondly, we tend to see them at a particular optimum moment. If they are good at picking styles that work for their shape or just have good posture, we may misinterpret the effect.

Once when I was working out at the gym, one of the trainers came up to share something encouraging with me. She had just had an appointment with a newcomer. When asked what her goals were, the new woman had looked around and pointed at me saying, “I want to look like her.”

Obviously, I appreciated the compliment, but I was not who I would have picked to look like. Also, as I glanced at her, it was unlikely she would ever look like me. It is ironic that some of the features in myself that I think are “less than feminine” are often what give some women the impression of something they want to be. I say “impression” because I get a pretty good idea of what they think they are seeing. They don’t understand the whole package.

Like an amoeba

I’m getting better about not complaining about my shape. I try to spend my energy on working with it. One thing that has helped me is being realistic about how bodies change with things like position, use, time.

We move and our bodies change shape as we move. That is normal. Sometimes, some parts of us scrunch up, like when we bend forward in the middle. If there is no bunching of flesh when we do that, we are probably ghastly thin.

Our shapes, being a large part water, also change if we hang one way or another. My cheeks are notorious for this. I KNOW I use my mouth enough for my cheeks to “be in shape,” so it is not fair that they go with gravity at the slightest opportunity!

Because our shapes change as we move, clothes that are not designed to accommodate this will be too tight in some positions or too baggy in others. This does not mean that we are the wrong shape or that we are too fat (again, a subject for another time). This is why yoga pants are so popular. Even an amoeba might be able to wear a pair of yoga pants!

Life experiences may alter our shape potential. For women, the most obvious example of this is child birth. An abdomen that has been stretched to that degree will rarely get back to pre-birth shape.

As we age, all of us have to face decreasing skin turgor and comparative loss of muscle capacity. We can recognize this and still make amazing progress toward both a healthy and visually pleasing shape.

Before you whip yourself into shape…

If you want to make progress toward your optimum shape, there are realities you need to be aware of.

  • Good health is not limited to a certain shape.
  • Not everyone is attracted to the same shapes.
  • People tend to gain weight in different places.
  • Use of devices to obtain a certain shape will restrict and weaken the body.
  • How you feel may be at odds with your idea of the perfect shape.
  • Zero body fat is not very shapely.

We each may have to experiment with what weight and muscle tone combination results in a shape we can be happy with. We also need to choose to be happy along the way to our occasional personal peaks of perfection. We need to give ourselves permission to be satisfied with our bodies in general. It is not selfish or vain to be content with the body that you were given. You can do that at the same time as working on keeping it in good shape, for both aesthetic and functional reasons!

 

 

How to Make Each Workout a Success with 3 Easy Steps

December 22, 2017 by Laura Blodgett Leave a Comment

[Week 8 of 12 Weeks to a Healthy New Year]

Three important things to keep in mind for an individual workout.

Most people have a bad habit of coming away from their workouts telling themselves all of the things they could’ve, should’ve done better. What we all need to learn to do is enjoy our accomplishments at the same time as we evaluate goals. You should always find something to be happy about with your workout.

There are 3 basic steps to make this happen for yourself:

  1. Plan your workout with positive realism
  2. Engage in your workout honest flexibility
  3. Evaluate your workout with humble self-encouragement

Getting a handle on positive realism for your workout

Planning your workout will always be easier if you workout regularly, because you will have a much better idea of your current capabilities and limits. However, even people who exercise regularly tend to set goals for individual workouts that really should be overall or longterm goals.

The emphasis in planning a single workout should be based on that day. Have you been extra stressed lately? Have you exercised hard recently? Have you just had a rest period? Is the weather going to impact your efforts? Did the visiting grandchild or puppy get you up a lot last night? If you are realistic about your current state of being, you will plan for a more appropriate workout and be much more likely to do it to your satisfaction.

Still, individual workouts should never be used as a true measure of accomplishment. Sure, you can enjoy something that goes particularly well, but we all have good days and bad days. Pinning our hopes on one workout, or even race, leads to inaccurate evaluation. This can lead to discouragement or injury.

Teaching yourself when to be flexible during a workout

Once you have started a workout, you are not locked into it. Use the plans you have made as motivators, but not as slave drivers or excuses. Possibly you have planned to bike a certain distance, but the wind is much fiercer than you realized. Maybe you were only going to swim half a mile, but feel fairly fresh at the planned end point. In each case, you body is probably giving you clues that you should listen to.

If you push yourself on with a planned goal, but your body is tired, you risk injury or unhelpful exhaustion. When you skip doing a bit more when it feels right, you miss a good opportunity to safely and comfortably gain strength. Either way, the overall effect is to diminish your progress toward your overall goals.

How you talk to yourself during a workout needs to be honest, too. Do not treat yourself like a professional athlete who is paid to exercise. While exercise is very beneficial for everyone, we all have different amounts of time we can spend at it.

Don’t talk to yourself like you are a marshmallow either. We all have muscles, lungs, and hearts that have incredible capacity to reward our efforts. Be thankful for yours by letting them do their jobs.

Why it is important to encourage yourself

It is misplaced humility to always say degrading things about yourself. Everyone has their challenges or advantages. If something is really bothering you, ask yourself what can be done about it. Maybe you can be motivated by that, or maybe you need to adjust your perspective. Just realize that being negative has the effect of demotivating you. It saps your energy and your relationships.

Instead, go ahead and be happy about what you have done in a particular workout. So what if it was slower or shorter than your ideal plan. Who cares if the person next to you was lifting more weight or had “better” form. Chances are they are also dissatisfied with themselves. Even if they are not, you are not on their journey. You are on yours. Celebrate every step you take on it.

Remember that youth is fleeting and perfection is temporary at best. You can humbly admit your weaknesses without wallowing in them. Say a few kind and positive things to yourself after each workout. Write them down and post them if it helps you remember. Be your own nicest coach.

Accidentally coaching others

What you think has a tendency to show on your face and come out of your mouth. Whether it be during a workout at the gym or later with a friend, your good attitude will probably encourage someone else. You don’t have to be a fitness expert to positively influence others about their own efforts. You just have to be a example of how your treat yourself.

I have made a mini-poster listing the 3 steps to make each workout a success. Use the button below to sign up to get it for free. Don’t forget to check out the previous installments of 12 Weeks to a Healthy New Year. 🙂

 

 

 

Don’t Let Your Health Goals Get You Down

November 30, 2017 by Laura Blodgett Leave a Comment

[Week 5 of 12 Weeks to a Healthy New Year]

How goals can be like good friends

Goals should be like friends. You should pick them wisely. They should be something that you like to be around, that encourages you, and that comforts you.

A good friend helps you keep perspective when things get rough. He or she knows just what to say when you are making a mistake or forgetting something important. When you make your goals, you should create friends for yourself.

Too many people treat goals like enemies – something to be conquered, something in the distance waiting to crush them. Enemies are something to be avoided, and certainly not trusted.

You want your goals to be something you look forward to spending time with. They should always be beckoning you with a cheerful, “You can do it!” They should greet you with a, “Good job!”

Designing friendly goals

So how can we design friendly goals?

  1. Make sure the goals are suited to you. You need to have things in common, like schedule, body type, and priorities.
  2. Have goals that aren’t always gossiping about other people. Your goals need to be about your improvement and satisfaction, not constantly comparing you to others. Comparison for positive example is one thing, but if it is discouraging you, then don’t do it.
  3. Find goals that are reasonably flexible. Good friends know there is always some give and take. Things come up that we have to attend to. Misunderstandings need to be worked out.
  4. Choose positive goals. It wears a person down to be thinking negatively. Instead of a negative goal like “not be so tired all the time,” think in terms of “I want to have fun hiking with my family.”
  5. Build depth of meaning into your goals. Instead of the one-dimensional “I want to firm up my abs,” think of filling out the goal with things like, “I want to have a stronger back, I want to be able to feel more confident when dancing, I want to wear a bikini on my next trip to the beach.”
  6. Make goals that have a strong element of fun, both in the journey to them and at the result. Be ready to mountain bike some great trails during the summer or prepare to be able to garden to your heart’s delight in the spring.
  7. Design your evaluation to provide positive feedback. Avoid telling yourself, “you should have done better.” If you always do that it is setting yourself up for failure and it can discourage you from further goals. We can almost always do better, but we need to give ourselves credit for the progress we make first. Only after we have done that is it time to set new goals.
  8. Pick time frames for your goals that are a balance of giving you enough time to make some progress, but not so far out that that they seem irrelevant. Experiment with time frames if you need to. Like any friendship, spending time together is important.
  9. Don’t make goals you have no intention of keeping. We all have those acquaintances who say they are going to call, but never do. They never really become friends, no matter how friendly they act when you see them once in a while.

You are never too old to make goals

Making goals is the beginning of creating a plan to get you the results you want. We all have limits and we all have opportunities. We all have physical strengths and weaknesses. We all have likes and dislikes. Be honest with yourself and you will make better goals. Better goals means goals that you are more likely to reach and rejoice in. Reaching your goals will provide a good foundation for the next goal.

We are never too old to make goals or enjoy progress. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Just continue being an example of the results of well designed goals and you will probably inspire people of all ages.

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