Welcome to Becoming Elli

We want to be like Elli because she was the Norse Goddess of Aging who beat Thor in a wrestling match. We want to be like Elli, fit and strong as we age
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Monday - Friday working out
Saturday - Sunday and eating right!

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Fit Strong Women Over 50 Podcast

Northeast Ohio

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Author: Jill McCauslin

Becoming Elli / Articles posted by Jill McCauslin (Page 11)
back to the gym

Back to the Gym

I returned to the gym this week. Everyone I’d talked to said there weren’t many people there and that the staff was cleaning things compulsively. I decided to give it a try. Back and Shoulder Day Since I’d been doing some chest press work over the past few months in my boyfriend’s basement gym, I decided to start with back work. I started off with the rowing machine and did about 250 meters. Then, I did lat pull-downs and rows. I definitely felt it later that day and again the following day. It felt great to feel those muscles complaining a bit. Because it’s been months since I’ve been to a gym, I was wary about overdoing it. I didn’t go with the heaviest weights and tried to...

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a new puppy in my house

A New Puppy in My House

I have a new puppy in my house. My son and daughter-in-law decided that I should have a dog so they found this puppy for me. She’s adorable. I named her Penny because of her color. She looks like a lucky Penny.  Chris and I talked about her in our recent podcast episode. Training a Puppy The last time I had a puppy was when my son was young and my husband was around to help with puppy chores. He loved dogs so he did most of the basic house training and then I worked on things like sit, stay, come. Therefore, I'm feeling rather inept on dog training. Penny is doing a good job of learning though I’m wondering who is actually getting house trained. Is it...

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Improving as an Endurance Athlete Jess Elliott

Improving as an Endurance Athlete: Jess Elliott

Improving as an Endurance Athlete -  Jess Elliott Episode 62 Download | Play in New Window Please Subscribe: Apple Podcasts  (iTunes) | Google Podcasts | Android-Google Play | Stitcher | Player FM | Castbox | Tunein | Spotify | RSS Fit Strong Women Over 50 – Episode 62 -  Jess Elliott Jill and Chris talk with Jess Elliott, owner of TAG Performance, a Sports Performance Coaching & Education company, located in Boulder, Colorado. Angie Ridgel and Pam Semanik, who talked about performance training in episode 44, met Jess at a conference and recommended that we speak to her. It was a great suggestion. Improving as an Endurance Athlete Jess has an extensive coaching background in strength and conditioning, working with athletes of all ages and backgrounds, from high school students to professional athletes. In this episode, we start off by discussing strength and conditioning for endurance athletes and then move...

Fit and Strong on a Road Trip

Can You Be Fit and Strong on a Road Trip?

I’ve had to make a few trips out of town this year and I’m wondering if it’s possible to be fit and strong on a road trip. It’s definitely a challenge, Eating While Traveling My trips this year have been road trips. I’ve learned to pack food for the journey because trying to eat on the road is not great. Stopping to eat at a restaurant takes time and choices aren’t great anyway. That leaves eating at a fast food restaurant or grabbing snacks from a gas station. I remember reading Michael Pollan’s Food Rules. One of the rules was don’t buy food where you buy gasoline. There’s a reason for that. Gas stations are now mini restaurants; some have fast food franchises tucked inside the station....

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Return to the Gym

Should I Return to the Gym? Deciding What to Do

My gym opened this week and I had to decide if I should return to the gym. That was a tough decision and I’m feeling ambivalent about it so did what any person would do. I avoided the decision. I put my membership on hold for a year with the understanding that I can reactivate it at any time. Reasons to Return to the Gym I miss going to the gym. Consistency and Strength: I’m not getting in the strength training that I was while regularly going to the gym. I do some strength training but not much. I’m doing better at cardio but even that is not consistent. I obviously do better when going to the gym is on my schedule. Social Life: I also miss the...

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Cooking Cabbage in the Instant Pot

Cooking Cabbage in the Instant Pot

Cooking cabbage in the Instant Pot is so quick and easy. This recipe is perfect for nights when you need some vegetables quickly. One of the things I like about the Instant Pot is that you can cook things quickly and easily. You load it up and turn it on and only deal with it again when the Instant Pot turns off. I just have to share this recipe even though it's another cabbage recipe. We provide a lot of ways to cook cabbage here at the Becoming Elli website. We've posted recipes for cabbage soup, keto cabbage, spicy cabbage in the crockpot, and others. Just go to the website and do a search on cabbage. You'll see what I mean. You only need three items for this...

Creating a Home Gym

Creating a Home Gym

Creating a home gym has turned into a bit of a process. My gym closed along with many others this spring so I was left with having to work out at home. I had a treadmill so I knew that would be the centerpiece of any home gym I could come up with. My condo has a first floor bedroom that I intended to use as a guest room. My treadmill, however, had to be on the first floor because nobody was going to carry it up the stairs to the second floor. It is heavy. Instead, I moved the guest room upstairs. I have so few people who visit me overnight that it's really not a critical thing for me. I did put a single...

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What's the New Normal

What’s the New Normal? Coming to Terms with Staying at Home

I've been mulling over this question: what's the new normal? Everything I read or listen to seems to be related to staying at home, avoiding contact with others, quarantining ourselves, and trying to not get sick. It’s difficult to think about other things. However, we just learned that killer wasps have entered the country and the coming hurricane season is predicted to be a rough one. Wow, it’s hard to know what to think or do these days. It's overwhelming. Marketing Have you noticed that commercials have all gone to this sentimental but serious tone as they try to sell you a new car or new windows for your house? It would almost be funny if it weren’t so sad. We're here for you and we'll help...

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home roasting coffee beans

Home Roasting Coffee Beans

I’m home roasting coffee beans these days. My son decided that I should get back to coffee roasting and bought me a new roaster for Christmas. Since I’ve been home for several weeks and have more time, I’ve been roasting frequently. One of the things we discussed in our podcast episode 57, Improve Your Healthy Immune System with Dr. Victoria Shaw, was doing things by hand.  Nobody brought up roasting coffee beans but I think it works. How does it work to roast your own coffee beans? It’s not difficult and there are a variety of ways to do it. I have a Fresh Air SR540 roaster which is a small hot air roaster. Some people use popcorn poppers to roast their beans, which is one of...

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taking care of ourselves

Taking Care of Ourselves

There’s been so much talk about taking care of ourselves during the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t know about you but I’m feeling emotionally drained. It’s hard to get motivated to do the things I normally do to stay fit and strong. Strength training has been erratic. Cardio has been not as vigorous as usual. TV watching is up; exercising is down. Eating is up; vegetable consumption is down. This is a challenge, that’s for sure. I am struggling with my emotions, fluctuating from feeling fine to feeling grief and sadness and then moving on to anxiety. Such a great time, really. Are you fighting the same battles? I think many of us are struggling with taking care of ourselves. I’ve been trying to think of what I can...

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