Each year I like to select three words to represent the focus for the year. My three focus words for 2025 are: Stand Sleep Strength Stand refers to the average number of minutes I am standing up each day. My Apple watch automatically counts the number of minutes I am standing so it's an easy thing for me to measure. Not something I would have picked otherwise! Some of my strategies are: Getting off the computer...
Getting enough protein? Each year I work on eating protein and during 2024 I think I did a really good job getting protein in my weekly meals. I try to look at it by week, rather than by day because it's less tracking. Here are some of the things I put in my grocery cart when I shop each week. Firm Tofu - Although tofu doesn't have much of a taste, I have learned to like the texture and it's easy to flavor with anything else you eat. Often it ends up on the top of a salad. Or as a snack with a little peanut butter. I never ever thought it would be at the top of my list!! But I buy a carton of it...
We're always looking for a way to improve our health and fitness. Sometimes a new challenge is just what is needed. With that idea in mind, we have devised a 2025 Becoming Elli January Bingo card. Each of the 25 squares offers a suggestion to you for getting more fit and strong like Elli (the Norse Goddess of Aging who beat Thor in a wrestling match.) Although we can't promise you'll be up to beating Thor, this January Bingo 2025 does give you some new ideas and inspiration for the coming year. Feel free to download and print the PDF, or copy the JPG image to your phone! Let us know when you hit 5 across, down or diagonally! 2025 January Bingo Becoming Elli Card - PDF click...
Recently we talked with my friend Pat Bissell on the podcast. She shared a variety of ways she stays healthy by adjusting her mindset and with several types of exercises and food swaps. One food swap that really caught my attention was the idea of swapping out butter with a flavored red balsamic vinegar. Pat told us that gets her favored vinegar and gourmet oils at Olive My Heart, a near by independent shop that has a wide variety of choices. I mentioned in a post a few months ago that I have been watching my cholesterol. One of the ways I have been doing that is by using a little bit of olive oil in place of butter on my toast. I'll admit, it does taste...
Find Your Passion and Stay Healthy with Pat Bissell #168 Download | Open in New Window Pat Bissell talks with Jill and Chris about how she found her passion and has consistently found ways to stay healthy and fit. A long time friend of Chris's, Pat describes herself as a very active mature female. She has been active her whole life always enjoying sports, exercise classes and strength training for the past 25 years. We discuss: How important the social aspect is to enjoying exercise Working out with strength training on machines Types of cardio she enjoys Working through injuries and rehabbing after surgery Recently turning 70 and keeping fit Lifetime membership in weight watchers Her alternative to butter The key of using Small Steps when you are facing...
Mat Pilates for Women over 50? In our talk with Coach Adina O’Neill, Adina mentioned the value of doing Pilates as a cross training exercise. That motivated me to return to the Mat Pilates class at my gym. The first class I attended this time was a real eye opener. I could tell I was working my abs. I also really felt my hips moving in ways that I don’t do much anymore. Nothing really hurt but I was sore afterwards. Not injured but I could sure tell I’d used my body in a different way. Mat Pilates offers a way to improve strength, flexibility, and balance without the need for equipment other than a Mat. At Becoming Elli, we’re all about empowering strong women, and...
Download | Open in New Window In episode 167, Jill and Chris talk with Adina O’Neill, the founder and head coach at Team B*REAL, an endurance sport community where athletes of any size, color, identity, age & ability are empowered to achieve their personal goals. She helps her clients to build confidence, define their own goals, go at their own pace and stand out despite believing they may not fit in. Adina is a marathon swimmer and triathlete who has completed over 100 endurance events including the Paris Marathon, ice swims, a 13-mile swim, IRONMAN Mont Tremblant, and a 200 mile single day bike ride. She enjoys traveling, eating cereal and listening to live music with her husband, 2 children and their yellow lab Mel. We discuss: How she changed...
Download | Play in New Window Jill and Chris talk with Henry Howard who found running in his early 40s when he set out to achieve a bucket-list goal: run a marathon. Since then he has finished more than 40 marathons and ultras, including four 100-milers. Along the way, he has qualified for the Boston Marathon twice, become a running coach and launched his RunSpirited website. As a running coach, he guides awesome runners of all experience levels, backgrounds and fitness to achieve their amazing goals. As a professional writer and editor, he has merged his background with his passion for running and desire to give back to the community. RunSpirited offers coaching tips, interviews with inspiring athletes, product reviews and much more. We discuss: Setting goals, developing running...
I know there are benefits to doing squats. I end up doing a lot of squats though I don’t really enjoy them. They’re just not a fun exercise, at least I don’t think so. I find them to be challenging and it’s hard to see progress. If you’re lifting weights, you can tell when you’re getting stronger but that isn’t as evident with squats. So why do squats? One of the biggest advantages of squats is their ability to build lower body strength. Strong legs are essential for everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, and lifting objects. Squats not only build muscle but also increase functional strength, which translates to better performance in sports and day-to-day tasks. Additionally, squats help strengthen your core muscles, which improves...
My doctor told me to make sure I’m eating enough calcium to keep my bones strong. There may have been some grumbling because I’ve been trying to make sure I eat enough protein and fiber and now I have to think about calcium. I know I can use supplements but I’ve heard concerns about heart health from calcium supplements. When I discussed this with my doctor, she recommended that I try to get as much calcium through my food as I can. When I think about calcium, I think about dairy products like milk and yogurt and that king of dairy snacks, cottage cheese. However, if you are vegan, lactose-intolerant, or simply looking to diversify your sources of calcium, you need to find some nondairy options. What are...