Category: Fitness (Page 3 of 10)

Five Things I Wish I Knew About Fitness Ten Years Ago

February 18, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

Here are five things I wish I knew about fitness ten years ago or whenever it was that I really started focusing on being fit. If you want to know more about how I decided to focus on fitness, check out this very early podcast episode. Chris and I talked about how and why we began to focus on fitness. Since that time, I’ve learned some things. These five things that I wish I knew about fitness aren’t in any order of importance and certainly is not the only things I’ve learned.

Things change and that’s ok. Working out and trying to live a healthy life is not the only thing going on in our lives. I mean, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. There are family events, work changes, financial changes. Yes, there are even changes due to a pandemic. There are plenty of things that happen that are out of our control so it’s ok to adjust what you’re doing to accommodate those changes. My goals ten years ago are not the same goals I have today. To be honest, I don’t really know if I ever met those ten year old goals because I’m not sure what they were. I do know that I’ve figured out how to work out when living in a hotel for an extended period of time. I’ve learned how to train when I’m dealing with an injury. I’ve learned that it’s ok to take a break from training and just enjoy walking all over Italy and being glad that I was able to do all of that walking.
Nobody really cares what you’re doing. Go ahead and go to that bootcamp class if you think you’re ready, even if you think people will look down on you. They won’t because they’re too busy focusing on what they’re doing. Go lift weights in the free weight area. The people lifting weights aren’t going to care that you’re there.
Conversely, don’t worry about what others are doing. There will always be people who are stronger or more flexible or faster. The only person you’re really competing with is yourself.
Fitness and healthy living can change your relationships. Your friends and family may think it’s great that you’re getting fit and strong or they may think you’re doing too much. The physical changes in our bodies can cause changes in our relationships and we have to accept that. Accept that if you lose weight and your close friends or family are struggling with their own weight, they may struggle with what you’re doing. Focus on yourself and don’t worry about others.
Tracking really does help. Figure out what is important to you and track it. I like to weigh myself daily and I measure myself about once a month. I measure my chest, waist, hips, and thigh because it’s an easy way to see what’s happening. If you’re lifting weights, keep track of your reps and the weights you’re using. If you’re running, pay attention to the distance you run or your pace. You don’t necessarily have to track everything you do but pay attention to it periodically. Tracking food is a truly eye-opening thing. Want a big surprise? Try tracking what you eat for a week and see the results. Calories sneak in to what I eat and somehow I end up with extra fat or sugar.

I know that there are probably more than five things I wish I knew about fitness. I could easily come up with another five items, I’m sure. Is there anything you wish you knew back when you started on this journey? Share your thoughts, please.

Everyone Knows Women Can’t Do Dips or Pull-ups

January 28, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 4 Comments

Yes, “everyone knows women can’t do dips or pull-ups” is what I recently heard a young woman say. Young as in 28 years old. And who apparently goes to a bootcamp class somewhere.

She complained that she can’t do dips and said that of course she can’t do pullups. Because, yes, you got it, “everyone knows women can’t do dips or pulls.” The only good thing I can say is that at least she didn’t add any age to it. Her belief is for ALL women.

Women Can’t Do Dips or Pull-ups. Or, Can They?

Sheesh. Several women in the Becoming Elli Facebook group are working towards doing a pull up. I was able to do a pull up a few years ago. I can do a dip today. OK, maybe my arms might shake a bit but I can do it. And I guess I should say that I usually do bench dips or I use the dip machine.

I love the dip/pull-up machine. It’s one of my favorite pieces of equipment at the gym. And you know what? I see women use it frequently.

I get that doing some things can be hard. Difficult, even. But if you set a goal and work at it, usually you can get there.

If you go through life saying it’s impossible to do something, then of course it’s impossible to do it. If you don’t try, you can’t succeed.

I’m still impressed by Pam Sherman who we interviewed in Episode 59. She does pull ups every day.

Obviously, this young woman is struggling and so justifies her frustration by saying it’s impossible. That’s despite it clearly being possible. It makes me wonder if there’s anything that I’m saying is impossible that I could actually do.

What about you? Is there anything that you find yourself saying, “oh everyone knows that’s impossible.” Share with me if there is.

Mental Performance with Jen Borovica

January 26, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

In episode 75, Jill and Chris talk with Jen Brovoica about mental performance, triathlons, and overcoming trauma.

Jennifer Borovica is a three-time Ironman finisher and an avid triathlete. She coaches triathletes and specializes in mental performance coaching.

She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) in the State of Ohio. She currently runs her own private practice, called RebelRising Wellness where she does individual therapy and has created a sober active community for women in recovery.

Jen is a member of the Applied Association of Sport Psychology (AASP) and is working towards obtaining a Mental Performance Consultant Certification (CMPC) through AASP.

During the podcast we discuss:

How to find a sport community group of runners or bike riders
How her group helped her to make changes in her life
Why the nervous system can get “hijacked”
The effect of mini traumas on ability to be calm
The window of tolerance between hyper aroused, and hypo aroused.
How to control anxiety and deal with difficult feelings
Using power words and incorporating a mantra to manage emotions

She shares her story of overcoming trauma and addiction, learning how to deal with difficult feelings, and gaining strong mental skills to be able to perform.

With her mental performance coaching, she works with athletes on these topics:

Mindfullness
Mental toughness
Mental imagery
Mental rehearsal
Positive mental attitude
Positive Self Talk
Motivation
Goals & commitment
Concentration & focus
Managing emotions

For more information about Jen Borovica, check out these links:
RebelRising Wellness
AJ Baucco Coaching

Winter Running Requires Some Planning

January 21, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

I’ve tried to do my running outdoors this winter as much as possible. I’ve been lucky that the weather has not been too bad here this winter because I’m not really prepared for running in snow. My shoes are not winter running shoes, really.

What to Wear

Check out the photo of me. I’m wearing layers to stay warm while running. I have on my winter running tights from Under Armour. They do a great job of keeping my legs warm. I do have on my knee high compression socks just as an added layer for my calves. I have about three layers of clothes on top. It seems like it’s necessary to keep my core warm. I also have gloves, a hat, and a scarf thing that I recently bought.

Here’s my advice on running in the cold. Keep moving! Even if you just slow down, you want to keep moving at some pace. Otherwise you’ll start to cool off. When you’re waiting to get started, don’t stand around in the cold. You will get cold! If you’re waiting for a running partner, wait in your car.

I like to wear enough clothes that I get warm while I’m running though I might feel a bit chilly when I first start out. If I overdress, then I get overheated while running so it’s important to find that happy balance.

Staying Warm

You’ll notice that I have my Nathan water belt strapped around my waist. I took a bottle of water with me just in case. I probably didn’t need it because I only ran about three miles but I like to have the option. Obviously, during the winter, I don’t freeze my water bottles because I don’t need to have that cold feeling on my lower back.

When you’ve finished your run, you’ll want to get out of the cold and get out of your damp clothes. Don’t stand around talking in your running clothes because you’ll get chilled. Also, you might enjoy a warm drink or a cup of soup after your run. I’ve seen that some companies are coming out with protein mixes to make hot chocolate. I’ve not tried them but I bet they’re a great way to end a run.

Achieving 2020 Fitbit Goals

January 5, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 4 Comments

I ended up setting 2020 Fitbit goals when earlier this year I checked out my Fitbit stats to see what my annual numbers were. I discovered that I’d had a drop in everything in 2019. Even though I was more than half-way through 2020, I decided to set a goal of exceeding my 2019 numbers.

2020 Fitbit Goals

In this chart, you can see where I was at the end of August and then the new data for the balance of the year.

Year	Steps	Floors	Miles	Calories
2020 (Sept – Dec)	1,746,319	2260	777.75	292,848
2020 (Jan – Aug)	2,753,992	4030	1,227.36	561,806
2019	3,688,570	4274	1,649.06	812,909
2018	4,341,364	6801	1,913.71	896,669
2017	4,662,734	5635	2,118.93	910,336
2016	4,824,029	6836	2,182.38	868,856
2015	4,253,875	7124	1,971.57	810,115
2014	3,071,844	5713	1,365.49	778,890
2013 (Mar – Dec)	2,505,079	4481	1,101.9	731,658
Totals	31,847,806	47,154	14,308.15	6,664,090

I met my goal!

Here’s what the annual totals look like.

Year	Steps	Floors	Miles	Calories
2020	4,500,311	6290	2,005.11	854,654
2019	3,688,570	4274	1,649.06	812,909
2018	4,341,364	6801	1,913.71	896,669
2017	4,662,734	5635	2,118.93	910,336
2016	4,824,029	6836	2,182.38	868,856
2015	4,253,875	7124	1,971.57	810,115
2014	3,071,844	5713	1,365.49	778,890
2013 (Mar – Dec)	2,505,079	4481	1,101.9	731,658
Totals	31,847,806	47,154	14,308.15	6,664,090

I met my goal of beating my 2019 numbers but I also beat my 2018 numbers.

2016 remains my banner year so perhaps I should set a goal of making 2021 my highest year in steps. Looking at the numbers, perhaps I’ll aim for reaching 5 million steps for the year. I was going to say, “I don’t know if that’s doable or not but I’ll try” but then remembered that we’re supposed to say things in a more certain way. So, let’s go with, this year I am able to break the 5 million mark in steps.

2021 Goal: 5 million steps

Pursue Your SPARK with Heike Yates

November 24, 2020 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 71

In episode 71, Jill and Chris talk with Heike Yates, a fitness and nutrition expert who has helped women worldwide to stay fit for over 30 years.

Her passion is empowering women over 50 to say YES. I CAN. She helps them to take back their health and strength by showing them how fitness, nutrition, and mindset strategies combined create a winning team.

Heike has developed a reputation for creating real-life solutions and lasting results. She is the creator of Pursue Your Spark, the 4 Week Lean Out Program, and host of the Pursue Your Spark podcast. Heike is also a body builder, an Ultra Marathon runner and completed an Ironman Triathlon.

We talk about the five parts of her Pursue Your SPARK program. Each letter in SPARK stands for S=scan, P=plan, A=action, R=roadblocks, K=Kickass. We discuss the mental aspects of fitness along with nutrition and exercise. Heike talks about how to incorporate little changes into your week. She suggests that you start today. Seize the day by repeating a repeatable process and you’ll consistently get results.

She has many fitness and nutrition certificates including:
* American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer certification
* Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) Pilates
* Precision Nutrition (PN) Nutrition Certification Level 1
* Road Runners Club Of America (RRCA) Certification
* Pink Ribbon Program
* Pilates Breast Cancer Coach

Website: https://heikeyates.com
Podcast: https://heikeyates.com/podcast

Heike offers a Free 5 For 50 Kickstarter Guide For Women 50+ on her website (look on the media kit page near the bottom!)

How Many Steps Do I Take in a Year?

September 24, 2020 / Jill McCauslin / 3 Comments

Someone recently asked me how many steps do I take in a year. Apparently I don’t think big enough because I’ve never set an annual goal for myself. I have tinkered with a daily goal of steps and I have had weekly goals but I’ve never set an annual goal. My daily goal is set currently at 10,000 . I’ve changed that number in the past but I just leave it as is now.

The question about an annual goal made me curious about what I’ve done in the past so I logged into the Fitbit dashboard and got some numbers. This was a lot easier to do on my laptop. Using the Fitbit app on my phone was more difficult to get the totals. If you want to check this out, I suggest you use the web version of Fitbit.

I remember Chris sharing her Fitbit data a few years ago. It’s always interesting to look at those totals.

How Many Steps in a Year

Here’s a breakdown of my totals per year for as long as I’ve been wearing a Fitbit.

Year	Steps	Floors	Miles	Calories
2020 (Jan – Aug)	2,753,992	4030	1,227.36	561,806
2019	3,688,570	4274	1,649.06	812,909
2018	4,341,364	6801	1,913.71	896,669
2017	4,662,734	5635	2,118.93	910,336
2016	4,824,029	6836	2,182.38	868,856
2015	4,253,875	7124	1,971.57	810,115
2014	3,071,844	5713	1,365.49	778,890
2013 (Mar – Dec)	2,505,079	4481	1,101.9	731,658
Totals	30,101,487	44894	13,530.4	6,371,242

This is interesting. I had a drop in steps in 2019. Basically that was the year that I moved out of my much larger house that also had stairs in it. That might be enough to account for the drop in steps.

My highest number of steps occurred in 2016. I was running a lot then and it’s also the year that my weight was the lowest.

I have four months left in 2020 to get over 900,000 steps to beat last year’s steps. Although I never set a yearly goal, this has now become one. I just want to beat last year’s total.

My complete total for the past seven years is over 30 million steps. Doesn’t that seem like a lot? I can’t quite comprehend that many steps! I guess you just break it down until you get back to 10,000 steps per day. Actually, I did some very rough calculations to figure out averages and it comes out to approximately 11,000 per day since 2013. I feel great about that!

If you have Fitbit data, feel free to share it with me. I’d love to hear what you have done.

Getting my activity minutes but a tree down across the bike path

Activity Minutes Regroup

August 31, 2020 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

I was looking at my average activity minutes for this year. Since I’ve been wearing a FitBit for several years, it is just a click of the button.

Because the school year has started and the weather is changing, I feel like it is time to set new goals and regroup with my fitness activity minutes.

Today I feel the movement of time. Change of season. Change of moon. Change of tide.

Usually I don’t think about things like this, or feel it as strongly.

The last of summer feels like it is slipping away and we’re heading into fall. Yesterday was a cool bike ride. Usually when I finish I’m almost overheated, but yesterday I should have worn a light jacket or sweatshirt. It would have been a perfect day to go running.

We had a lot of storms last week. Trees down in my front yard and the bike path also had felled trees.

This all reminds me that I need to put together a new workout plan to stay fit and strong during the coming months.

A recent podcast with Ren Powell reminded me of the 3 days and 3 days style of workout that I used to do all the time… until my weekly rhythm was thrown off by the pandemic. This is a Monday Wednesday Friday workout coupled with a Tuesday Thursday Saturday workout. The two different workouts focused on working different muscle groups and doing different activities.

During this summer, I’ve been focused on walking, some weights and a weekly bike ride. Very light for me.

My years of tracking in FitBit reminds me that my average activity minutes have significantly dropped during the pandemic.
I averaged 78 minutes per day in 2016, 77 in 2017, 80 in 2018, 82 in 2019… but only 53 in 2020. While the random recommended average is 150 active minutes per week (around 22 minutes a day), I know I personally need much more at this stage of my life to stay fit and strong.

I know that summer is my busy time for activity, but from June 1 to August 31 I only averaged 57 minutes.

My goal is averaging 60. Usually with my many long bike rides in summer (and training for a half marathons in 2017 and 2018) I have hit those goals easily. It’s time for me to regroup and figure out what to do with the rest of the year to improve.

I like hearing about other people’s workouts as this motivates me, but I realize I need to write down a schedule and plan it into my week!

How many minutes to aim for as an average each day? Do you even track your active minutes or think about it?

Personal Training at Home

August 13, 2020 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

Is it possible to have personal training at home? Yes, indeed, it is. If you’re flexible on what equipment you have available to use, working with a trainer away from a gym is certain possible.

Several personal trainers around me are offering at-home services. One of the trainers said he is only meeting with clients outside, whether in your yard or at a park. I think with many gyms having been closed and then opening with limited services, there’s a great opportunity for trainers to expand where they conduct training sessions.

Personal Training at Home

I had an at-home personal training session recently. The trainer brought some dumbbells and resistance bands. That, coupled with some body weight exercises, made for a great workout. I worked up a sweat, that’s for sure. I think I may have to add a fan to my workout room.

My workout focused on the whole body. Getting back into working out means I’m not back to the point of having multiple sessions targeting different parts of the body.

I did some squats, lunges, mountain climbers, biceps curls, shoulder presses, and we slipped a few push ups in there. It’s been ages since I’ve done push ups. I’m glad I only had to do a few.

A solid half hour of working out was a treat. It felt good to be getting back into the routine.

Moving Forward

Who knows how long we’ll be dealing with a pandemic? I sure don’t. I can’t keep waiting around for things to return to “normal” because that may never happen. Or, if it does, it could take a while. I need to keep working out and I know that I prefer to use a trainer. I’m not sure what it says about my personality but I do a lot more when I have a trainer to tell me what to do.

I’ll probably end up using a trainer at the gym again now that I’ve returned there for now. I’m sort of working between both worlds right now, trying to make the best of everything right now.

What are you doing to keep becoming fit and strong? Please share your thoughts with me.

Keeping Healthy Routines When Life Gets in the Way

August 8, 2020 / Chris Brown / 3 Comments

It’s been a crazy summer for me and I’m having a difficult time keeping healthy routines because life is getting in the way.

I’d like to blame the virus. It certainly didn’t help.

My time the past month has really been refocused as a caregiver, so while I don’t have free time, I do have “hang out” downtime.

My normal summer routines include:

Hours of bike riding. Usually two rides a week
A two hour short ride and a longer really fun day ride with a big group on the weekend.
Group exercise at the gym
Big veggie salads at potlucks with friends
Some summer fun on the lake
A week vacation on the ocean beach with lots of walking and contemplation

This summer has been very memorable, but not a good workout way. I’ve been squeezing in ways to keep up my fitness

Bringing hand weights and dumbbells with me
Bringing my bike in my car (along with helmet, gloves, bike shoes, water bottles and fanny pack) and taking the opportunity when I can go for a short ride, even just for 15 minutes!
Walking in a parking lot before doing the “pick up” at the grocery store
Doing more stairs while carrying small loads while doing laundry and cleaning out old faded holiday decorations
Switching dinner from a “meal” to an earlier in the evening small snack to reduce my overall calorie intake

I’ve also had to do a lot more driving in my car in the last month, so I’m trying to focus on getting back into my positive mental attitude by listening to uplifting podcasts again. Of course I have been revisiting some of my favorite Fit Strong Women Over 50 episodes. They always inspire me.

To me being fit and getting stronger is about strengthening the mind to become more resilient as well as the body.

Mental fitness has been a big focus for me. Here’s what I’ve been doing to stimulate my para sympathetic nervous system (the relax and restore response instead of fight or flight response of the sympathetic nervous system):

5 or 6 minute meditations (close eyes, focus on breathing and letting thoughts slide by like passing cars on a street)
Yoga nidra for deep relaxation (especially at night or early morning.) One of my favorites is a 10 year old podcast from UCLA with 3 short episodes as well as Dr. Melissa West for longer guided yoga nidra meditations
4-7-8 breathing (4 inhale, 7 hold, 8 mouth exhale for 4 rounds)
Remembering and reciting in my some of my favorite “hang in there” mantras. This too shall pass. You can do hard things. Just for Today.
When I feel anxiety start to build, I may do some EFT tapping.
Focus on the horizon, the longer term instead of what is directly in front of me

I’ve especially been trying to keeping food in perspective. With my eating this summer, probably the thing that is serving me best is planning ahead. I have been focused on two parts: meal planning and meal prepping.

By making plain chicken in the slow cooker for the week ahead, I can add fresh vegetables, some cheese or other sides to switch it up, but not require lots of cooking while away. Using pick up from a grocery store helps cut down time (as well as avoid exposure) and helps me not impulse spend as well.

Full disclosure – don’t get the idea that I have it all together! I’m still trying to get a handle on it all. Forgetting to set the timer is not a good way to make cabbage steaks. I usually love sliced cabbage with some olive oil roasted in the oven for about an hour (turn once) but I forgot and when my nose smelled something I realized I really should have set the timer.

Cooking Fail — Crispy cabbage was not what I was going for…

I have a little cooler that has been really helpful on these hot days. Keeping water and healthy snacks in it has made a good difference. Because of the changes in routine, I’ve been fighting the urge for stress eating as well. I keep reminding myself, it doesn’t solve anything.

What tricks do you use to keep your good healthy and fitness when your normal routines are completely changed?