New Inspiration from Taking Stock and Looking Ahead
I'm feeling new inspiration. Why? With 100 days into 2018 already, spring is here and winter is behind us (hopefully.) Best of all...
Fit and Strong
Hop for Hope 5K Recap: First Race of 2018
The first race I ever ran was the Hop for Hope 5K. When I ran it the first time, we started at Hale Farm in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, ran on a little side road down to a covered bridge and back. It was very scenic and also very hilly. The hills were indeed a challenge. [caption id="attachment_1089" align="aligncenter" width="199"] 2014 Hop for Hope 5K Finish Line[/caption] I ran the 5K twice on that trail. Then the race changed to a main road in the park and now the course is much flatter. It’s not quite as scenic but I’m guessing people complained about the hills. [caption id="attachment_1088" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 2015 Hop for Hope 5K[/caption] Then in 2016, I ran the 10K. This year I returned to the...
Diane’s Workout Secrets: An Everyday Woman Shares What She Has Learned
Podcast: Play in new window | Direct Download Subscribe: Apple (iTunes) Podcasts | Android-Google Play | Stitcher | Tunein | Spotify | RSS Becoming Elli Podcast #7 Diane is an everyday woman who works a lot of hours at her job, has children and grandchildren, and is active in her church. She finds time to work out in some way six days a week and looks and feels fantastic. A few years ago Diane Berkley decided to see how strong and fit she could become. In episode number 7 of the Becoming Elli Podcast, Jill and Chris interview her and she shares her workout secrets with our listeners. In this episode, you will learn: How she works out What she did to gain muscle How she has added running into...
Getting Psyched for Bike Riding this Spring
It took me a while to really love-love-love bike riding. There was a lot I had to "get over." Of course I had to work on my stamina, endurance, and muscles, but that's not what I'm referring to! Like everything else with exercising and having fun, when I started bike riding, I had to "get over it." The helmet hair. Socks with sandals. Lycra spandex bike pants. Funny form fitting shirts with pockets in the back (most of them meant for guys, not women.) Weird sun tan lines around my eye from wearing sun glasses. Self doubt if I could keep up. Lots of laundry with sweaty bike clothes. [caption id="attachment_2713" align="alignright" width="300"] Taken on a ride to Cleveland, July 23, 2018 during a lunch break at the...
Five Ways to Maintain Weight Loss
There’s lots of talk about people dieting, losing weight, and then gaining the weight back. There was the Biggest Loser study that was released last year that I think made a lot of people feel like why should they bother trying to be a healthy weight. But, I think we can ignore the Biggest Loser because most of us (all of us?) are not losing weight by starving ourselves and working out at a high intensity for 8 hours each day. So, we lose weight more slowly and I think that means we can manage to maintain weight loss. Also, even if you don’t lose weight, for most of us, it’s a reasonable goal not to gain weight. So how do we maintain our current weight? Have...
Finding Inspiration from My Birthday
[caption id="attachment_1041" align="alignright" width="217"] This is what 61 candles look like on a cake![/caption] Yesterday was my birthday. Sometimes on birthdays I just feel older, but sometimes I feel really lucky. This year is a lucky year! While each birthday is really "just another day" in the year, I find that the blessings of another birthday provides me with one of those pivotal times to look ahead and look behind. A way to gather motivation and inspiration to do better, be better and appreciate life more. A little bit like my very own "New Years Day" or that feeling in early September of new beginnings as the school year gets started. I really like to draw inspiration from my birthday, instead of bemoaning another year older. My birthday is a...
Taking Care of Yourself, When You are Taking Care of Others
Podcast: Play in new window | Direct Download Subscribe: Apple (iTunes) Podcasts | Android-Google Play | Stitcher | Tunein | Spotify | RSS In podcast #6 “Taking Care of Yourself, When You are Taking Care of Others”, Jill and Chris discuss ideas and strategies to keep eating healthy foods and squeezing in time for exercise when it is really inconvenient. Whether you are called out of town to care for a loved one who is ill, or waiting at the hospital while a friend or loved one is undergoing a procedure, you have to take care of yourself first. Sometimes it sounds easier than it really is. Logically we know that we can’t take care of others, if we don’t take care of ourselves first. It's like the...
Insulated Handheld Water Bottle Review
Long story short...
Indoor Cycling: Go for the Class
One of the things that keeps coming up in our podcasts is the difference between working out on your own, with a trainer, or in a class. I am now the firm believer that if you want to do indoor cycling, take the class. Chris wrote about indoor cycling a few months ago and when I went back to read what she had to say, it's pretty clear she goes to classes and doesn't sit by herself pedaling away. Actually, it's hard to imagine Chris going off by herself and bicycling indoors solo. I don't think anyone is going to hire a trainer to supervise bike riding, though I guess you never know. We’re doing a challenge at my gym and I have to get a...
To Weigh or Not to Weigh?
After losing weight several years ago, I'm still weighing in everyday. I know that there is some discussion online if it is a good idea to weigh or not to weigh everyday. For me, the choice is to weigh. I was reminded of this when something popped up on my Facebook feed in the memories section. It was about weighing in and BMI. 5 years ago on Facebook - March 2013 - Had a great day the gym yesterday...