Category: Work Outs (Page 5 of 6)

A Workout Wrap up from Last Week’s Fitness

August 27, 2018 / Chris Brown / 7 Comments

Most weeks I have a plan for working out but sometimes my week just rolls along. That’s how I felt about last week’s workouts.

Monday – rest day – restorative yoga

After lots of driving for sister weekend, Monday’s workout consisted of a restful day. I find that weekends are usually a busy time for me, so having a Monday yoga class at my gym fits well into the schedule. Restorative yoga is a workout for the brain where you help your body learn to relax. I am learning how to let go, focus on breathing and getting my body to relax.

Tuesday – slow jog

The goldenrod are just starting to open up in this field near my run/jog/walk.

The weather wasn’t cooperating very much on Tuesday, but I did manage to get a few miles in. Tricky with my Achilles Tendonitis acting up, so I keep the pace very slow and tried not to think about the 13.1 miles coming up the end of September.

Wednesday – 17 mile ride

This is my screen capture from Strava, an app on my phone that tracks miles, elevation and speed.

I had a nice ride with my bike riding group through Cuyahoga Valley. We started at Brandywine Falls and rode up to the lookout above Tinkers Creek. Two minutes into my ride, my Catseye mileage thing popped off my handlebars so I turned around to find it. Then I spent the next 5 miles really pedaling hard, trying to catch the front group. That got me breathing hard and it felt good. There’s one pretty big hill that also got my heart pumping hard, so by the end of the ride, I felt I had earned our potluck supper.

Thursday – missed a run

I had planned to run with a running group that I found through a woman at my gym, but ended up having to work late. Boo. 🙁

Friday – gardening

I didn’t get all my steps in, but managed to burn over 2000 calories anyway. Did a bit of gardening, but I feel can’t really call it a workout because I didn’t do a whole lot of heavy breathing. I did get some bending and stretching in.

Saturday – walk/slow jog

I notice when I walk instead of run, I tend to see more things. How many times have I run past this little mini garden without noticing?

When I woke up my ankle was acting up again. Feeling stiff mostly. So Saturday’s workout consisted of an hour of walking and slow jog. I listened to an upcoming podcast of Becoming Elli after doing some production work on it, so I was able to multi task to use the time to do an audio proofread of the podcast. I’m psyched about the one that is going to be published on Tuesday. I’m eager to hear your comments on it.

Meanwhile, I did some icing on my calf and ankle when I got back home, followed by heat from the rice bag. It felt better.

Sunday – 51 mile ride
My big cardio workout of the week turned about to be a bike ride instead of a run, which was more fun and a better workout than I would have gotten on my sore ankle. Four of us took the Valley Parkway up to the marina near the lake, had lunch and rode back. There was a big steep hill at about mile 48, but I managed to ride it all the way up for the final push. Definitely a big effort and a great way to start this next week.

After I got home, my husband and I went to the gym to go swimming. Definitely loosened up my muscles! A great way to finish the weekend.

Workout Wrap Up

This link goes to other women fitness bloggers who do a weekly workout wrap up accountability link up. The Weekly Wrap is organized by the rope-climbing Wendy and Holly, who’s starting a new empty-nest normal. I’m also linking to Liz, a writer who runs in ~~London~~ actually in Birmingham, in the Midlands. – Chris

Mid-August: Run Run Walk Run

August 18, 2018 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

I’m back to training for the Akron half marathon at the end of September. The MS150 ride is a great cross training for running, but nothing really prepares you for a long run than… well… running.

Despite the humidity, I love a mid-August run:

It is still officially summer
Lots of flowers along the trails
Time to reflect during the run
Great feeling of accomplishment after a good run

When I started this training run, I remember feeling a bit out of breath and had to remind myself, “Start slow. Give your body a chance to warm up.”

It’s funny. All these times I’ve been running, there is something that makes me want to go too fast at first. My blood has to start pumping a little more. Heart beating a little harder. And then about 7 or 8 minutes into it, I’m not sure what it is, but my arteries feel like they are open and I really like running again.

I’m pretty sure it’s not just me. Does this happen to you too, when you start exercising? I feel the most like quitting during the first 8 minutes. And then it’s not too bad.

It really gets good about a 30 minutes into it. The endorphins start pumping and I get that “You are rocking this” feeling. I guess that’s the runner’s high they talk about. I think that’s one of the many reasons I love running.

Knowing that feeling is coming helps me keep going to get over that starting hump that I’ve got to break through to get to the good part!

For this run, I forgot to bring my head phones, so I just let my mind wander a bit:

Was it only a year ago, running on this same trail and running a little more than 7 miles — that I farther than I ever did in my life! What a feeling of accomplishment.
What is a good mantra for today? Click thru to get the Becoming Elli list of mantras. I wanted to pick a simple one to say to myself during the beginning of this run. I ended up just using a two syllable mantra that I chanted to myself: “Elli! Elli” EL (left foot down.) LI (Right foot down.) EL (left foot.) LI (Right foot.). EL (left.) LI (right.)
I daydreamed about how in the heck did she beat Thor anyway? It must have been the training! Bet she was lifting weights and doing one legged squats.
Maybe doing more one legged squats would be good for me. Good for balance. Good for strength. Good for my Achilles. (I use straps, still working on “just” me.)

By this point I had captured my breath. Since the last few weeks have really been devoted to riding, not running, I didn’t want to over do it on my Achilles, so I adopted a run, run, walk, run pattern.

It was actually three minutes running, one minute walking, but I tacked the last run on after the walk, just because it helps me psych myself out by breaking up the run with a walk in between. I look at those four minutes as a set and then keep repeating it throughout the workout.

I tried not to think about the humidity. But I know my heart rate is faster and my pace is slower with the same amount of exertion, when the humidity is high.

Mid-August seems early for school to start, but it started around here this week. There were lots of kids standing at the end of their driveways, waiting for the bus.

Maybe that’s why I didn’t see very many people while I was out doing the run.

Over the 45 minute period, I saw one walker, one bike rider and one other runner. Ironically, I actually recognized two of the three people. They were from my gym. That makes me smile. Having the routine of regularly going to the gym keeps me staying fit, doing my exercise and expands my friendships. And I guess that works for other people that go to my gym too.

The more you do… the more you do. The more you can do.

All in all, I didn’t run extremely far. And I didn’t run extremely fast. But I was out there, putting one foot in front of the other.

I made my walking cool-down really fun by taking photos of some of the blooms I enjoyed during my mid-August run. Goldenrod. Queens Anne Lace. Joe Pye Weed. These flowers are fleeting and in another month, most will be gone. Just like the summer days!

8 Reasons Why I Should Love Pushups

May 12, 2018 / Chris Brown / 5 Comments

I shouldn’t start out saying I hate pushups… but that is pretty much the truth. Whether you spell it push-up, pushup, push up or even press-up – they all mean a real upper body challenge to me!

Arm strength has never been my thing. Pushups are great it that you don’t need any equipment to do them. Pushups are a “real” exercise. My arms feel like jello after doing them. I’m still struggling to do good form pushups and often complete the round on my knees.

I’d love to be able to do something like 25, from the TRX. I can do four, when I’m fresh and really feeling strong.

More often than not, I’m struggling to keep good form. I don’t want to have to go to my knees in order to keep my body straight. I also find I want to bend my neck instead of looking slightly forward. Good form, which is important for all exercises, is really important with pushups.

Photo credit – Form – via Unsplash.

I know I need to LOVE pushups. Why?

Here are some of the benefits of doing pushups:

I want to be strong. Carrying groceries, lifting boxes, putting a suitcase in the overhead bin – I don’t want to ask for help. Being strong is good.
Good upper body strength will help to catch me if I start fall or help me get up off the floor (after getting worn out trying to do pushups – ha ha!)
Pushups work my core. Each pushup has a bit of the plank in it. Its one of the most basic exercises.
Pushups definitely make stronger shoulders. That’s a good thing for me after a skiing crash on my left shoulder in 2015 that still bothers me when I’m sleeping from time to time.
They help with posture, because pushups work the shoulders, the back and the chest.
Pushups improve balance – very important for bike riding. (I didn’t realize this until I read about it this morning. It must be the core.)
Because they are so hard I feel like they have to be good. Maybe it is because I feel so accomplished after I actually can do them.
Even 85-year-old Ruth Bader Ginsberg does 20 pushups each morning – and not on her knees – in her Notorious RBG workout

They say form is most important. So I’m trying not to just flail up and down but really focus on my form. In fact, I find that when I break them up throughout the workout so my arms don’t get so fatigued, it helps me to complete more pushups with good form. (Okay, now I’m just trying to convince myself I don’t hate pushups.)

Sometimes I distract myself by doing different types of pushups. Here are various kinds of pushups that have been part of my group exercise classes in the last few years:

on my knees (which may seem like a copout, but I find can still get a good work out and keep form)
on a bosu ball, with the solid side up and the rounded side down. We did four pushups and then four mountain climbers – repeat – for one minute
on a raised step – either a bench with risers underneath or an actual stair step
doing pushups off the wall or a countertop – different angles works things differently I’ve found
putting your feet in the loops of the TRX strap and doing pushups while your feet are suspended (YIKES!)
pushup on dumb bells combined with one arm rows
adding a pushup in the middle of burpees (The reason I like these pushups is because then I am concentrating on hating the squat thrust part of the burpee instead of the pushup — ha ha!)
pushups as part of yoga in sun salutations or cobra style (love these!)
hindu pushups (I have not been able to ever do these, but I try. If you’ve never tried them, you gotta Goggle it and try it. Makes normal pushups feel so much better.)
dolphin pushups
suicide pushups – These are not as bad as they sound. Start in a low plank and then go to high plank. Then back to low plank. Switch which arm you lead with each time.

Pushups are a love/hate thing with me. I’d love to love pushups. The only way that is going to happen is for me to do them regularly and don’t give up. And stop saying “I can’t” or “It’s too hard.”

Are you doing pushups? What type do you do? How did you learn to love them? Leave a comment below.

What Should I Wear? A Guide to Workout Clothes

May 3, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

A young friend and I were talking recently and she said “I spent 20 minutes today trying to figure out what to wear to yoga. You should write about workout clothes in Becoming Elli.” I said, “great idea!”

Thinking about this made me remember the horrible gym uniforms we used to wear at school. They were one piece outfits with bloomers and they snapped down the front. Why did we wear those things? Anyone else remember them? Anyway, those days are long gone and now we wear whatever we want to work out in.

Workout Clothes

So here’s my quick list of what to wear for a few sports.

Yoga

I remember my very first yoga class. I had no idea what to expect. I went to the local drug store and bought new socks because I had this vague idea that I would need them. I got there and discovered that you typically do yoga in bare feet.

Here’s what I think is best for a yoga class. I like pants that come up high enough to my waist that I don’t have to worry about my clothing when doing something like a down dog. If you go with bell bottom pants, be award that the extra material may get in your way when you do some balance poses.

Also, shirts should be tight enough that they’re not billowing around your face when you’re doing a forward fold. I like my shirt to be fairly tailored for yoga class.

Running

Ah, running seems to entail a lot of wardrobe choices. You really shouldn’t need a lot for running but I’m always dealing with my clothes. Here’s what I deem important for running attire:

Running pants. If these are too short, you may experience chafing of your thighs. It hurts, believe me. I like capri length pants but of course that’s a personal choice. If you find running pants with pockets, BUY THEM! I love pockets and most running pants don’t include them.

I prefer a looser shirt for running but stay away from a regular old T-shirt and instead wear a “tech” shirt that is made from material that wicks the sweat.

Get a good sports bra. If it’s too small, you may have chafing. (Yes, chafing is a theme in running clothes.) You want adequate support and coverage and make sure it doesn’t rub under your arms. Because you know what will happen…chafing!!

I like a hat when I run. It keeps the sun out of my eyes and protects my head. If it’s hot, I might just wear a headband to help absorb the sweat.

Shoes…running shoes could have its own blog post and may at some point. This is where your money should go. Go to a running store and get yourself sized and analyzed. They should be able to analyze how your foot strikes the group and recommend the best style of shoe for you.

I bought compression sleeves for my calves and they helped tremendously. I was surprised at how much they helped. If you’re having problems with tight calves, invest in these.

Biking

Like any sport, you can spend a lot of money buying the fancy outfits and accessories when you take up biking. Here’s what I would say are the basics:

A shirt that wicks the sweat. You want this shirt to be tight enough that it’s not billowing about you as you pedal but you also want it loose enough that you’re comfortable.

If you can, get some bicycling pants. These are pants that have padding in the rear. I have a fancy brand of bicycling underwear. They have the padding but I have to put something over them. They’re not made to worn alone. I also have a pair of biking shorts that just have the padding and can be worn as is. Whether or not you get official bicycling shorts with the padding, whatever you wear should be tight on your legs. You don’t want loose leggings getting caught in the bike chain.

Don’t forget your helmet!! That’s important. Get a decent helmet and wear it.

If you’re going to be doing a lot of bicycling, it’s probably worth investing in bike shoes. Make sure that the shoes you buy work with the clips on your pedal. Or make sure that the pedals you buy match the shoes that you have. However you do it, there are different configurations for pedals and shoes and you want to make sure they match.

Until you decide you want to make that investment, a comfy pair of running shoes will probably suffice.

Swimming

Really, what can you possibly need for swimming except for a bathing suit? If you’re going to take up swimming, invest in a swim cap to cover your hair. Also you will need goggles. It took me a while to realize this but swimming is much easier when you wear goggles. That’s pretty much what you need: suit, cap, and goggles.

If you’re buying a swim cap, consider spending a bit more and upgrading to silicon. They cost a bit more than the silicon ones but last longer. On the other hand, if you don’t know how much swimming you’ll be doing, buying the cheaper one to start with is fine.

If you want to buy more, consider buying water shoes. If you’re going to walk in the pool, you’ll definitely want some water shoes. Also, if you’re going to do open water swimming, you probably want something on your feet.

I’ve seen aquatic earphones that allow you to listen to music (or podcasts!) while you swim. I’ve not invested in these so I can’t tell you anything about them.

Lifting

When you’re lifting weights or working out at the gym, you don’t need a lot. A pair of comfy shorts or leggings and a t shirt is fine. Again, don’t wear the baggiest T-shirt you own because you don’t want to have to worry about it riding up when you bend over. I don’t seem to need the fancy tech shirts for this so much and it’s my chance to wear some of the t shirts I’ve gotten from various races.

People say that you should wear flatter shoes when you lift. I just wear an older pair of running shoes, the ones that don’t quite have enough support for actually running in and haven’t had any problems with this.

You often see people in the gym wearing gloves for weight lifting. I’ve not gotten to that and I like having calluses that I get from lifting the bar.

That’s about it for lifting. I haven’t figured out a way to spend money on this workout, other than my gym membership.

Here’s a helpful hint for all of these clothing items. You can often find great deals on sports apparel at consignment shops or thrift stores. I found some great bicycling shorts at the local thrift store.

New Inspiration from Taking Stock and Looking Ahead

April 14, 2018 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

I’m feeling new inspiration. Why? With 100 days into 2018 already, spring is here and winter is behind us (hopefully.)

Best of all… the Becoming Elli Facebook Closed Group is active now. Jill and I have had a dream of finding more women like us who are working on becoming (and staying?!) fit and strong. We started this website and our podcast series to provide a place to connect with others who may have some of the same struggles, concerns and goals as we do.

To that end, we are encouraging you to join the Becoming Elli Facebook Closed Group as a way to connect with other like-minded women.

Why I am personally excited about the Closed Group:

I’ve found I have to keep an eye on my weight – it is a still a struggle for me – and other women are going through the same challenges.
Having friends and acquaintances (or even strangers who I have a lot in common with) who are going through the same things gives me the feeling that I’m not alone in my struggles.
I’ve found that I will do exercise when it is fun, I know I won’t get hurt doing it and I have other people who are “in it” with me.
A closed group offers a more open conversation. It’s easier to discuss something on the internet when I know it’s not wide open to the world.
Sometimes just one person telling me “you can do it, I know you can.” gives me the added incentive to do what I’m trying to accomplish.
Hearing about someone else’s challenges and what they are able to overcome really motivates me

Why you may be interested in joining the group:

Motivation/inspiration
Looking at things from another angle makes a difference.
New ideas are helpful and reinforcing your existing ideas helps too.
Taking steps to do the action plan for a dream or a goal you’re working on feels really good.
You can have questions answered – or discussed with pros and cons – find others with the same concerns
Celebrate your “wins” – with weight loss, muscle gained or challenges met

Please use this link to join the group. Jill and I have a few common sense ground rules. We are eager to connect with you. We review and approve each person’s membership in the group so that it will not be a public group.

Maybe you are like me and are taking this change of season time to look at where things stand with your fitness.

I’m thinking about my fitness – the half marathon I committed to running is coming up fast. I’m thinking about my weight – ready to recommit to eating right by planning and keeping track of what I put in my mouth.

Meanwhile during this past week:

I’ve done 2 really strong workouts – the kind that leave you sore the next day in a good way. Not hurt, but my muscles are building.
I was able to get a couple of shorter runs completed.
Jill and I attended a health fair at my gym that inspired us. I found some new ways to maintain better health and we discovered some new podcast topics. While at the health fair, we took advantage of some free screenings. I was excited to see good test results on blood pressure and bone density, but I found I still have a lot of muscle to gain! More about all that in a later post.

If you live anywhere near me in Ohio, you may be excited that the weather has actually become spring. I’m going to wrap up this post so I can get outside and enjoy the weather. I better be fast to beat those April Showers!!

Don’t forget to connect with us with the new Facebook Group. – Chris

P.S. Leave a message in the Becoming Elli group about why you’ve joined. I’m eager to hear from you!

Indoor Cycling: Go for the Class

March 23, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

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 lot more bicycle miles so I’ve been riding the indoor cycles there whenever I have a chance. I also have managed to take some cycling classes and I will say that the classes are much better.

For one thing, they’re more challenging. Your tempo changes, the instructor makes you stand up and pedal hard, you do interval training. Riding on your own, it’s hard to achieve the variety that the teacher and class provide.

I think that riding a bike indoors with no one else around is just plain boring. I’ve been using this time to listen to my podcasts (feel free to listen to the Becoming Elli podcast if you’re cycling indoors!) which is good. I’ve also tried listening to music with a strong beat. I’m usually pretty interested in audio things but I’m really struggling with this. The only time it seems to get interesting is when somebody wanders by and begins a conversation. I think perhaps the trick is to find something that’s so interesting that you’re distracted and forget to track the time or distance.

There is now software you can use at home with your bike to make life more interesting. Check out Zwift if you have a bike trainer and a bike. I haven’t used this but it might make bike riding at home more interesting.

Swimming is a much more introspective thing, at least for me. I find it easy to go off into my own thoughts and just zone out and swim. We probably shouldn’t discuss the lengthy ruminations I had while swimming on the life and breathing habits of whales.

Running indoors on a treadmill can be a challenge but because I can do it at home and watch TV or listen to podcasts or music, I seem to handle that better.

Outdoor bicycling is a completely different thing. The constantly changing scenery and the sounds and scents of the outdoors makes bicycling much more enjoyable.

So, if you want to do indoor bicycling, consider cycling classes.

Training with Your Smart Phone– Fitness Apps

February 21, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 10 Comments

Today I’m thinking about fitness apps. In one of our recent podcasts, I made the comment that I like to be told what to do for my workouts. Sometimes I use a personal trainer to keep me on track. That’s not always an option and not everyone has the resources for hiring a trainer or doesn’t have a trainer close by. Of course, you can figure out something to do on your own but if you’re like me, and want that little bit of extra guidance, what do you do?

I realized this weekend that I have several apps on my phone that I use for workout routines so I thought I’d share some of them with you. Presumably, most of us have found different apps so please feel free to share the ones you like in the comments below. The ones that I’m listing are free though many of them have premium membership if you’re willing to pay a fee.

I’ve always used an Android phone so these apps are all available in the Google Play Store. I’m assuming most of them are also available for the iPhone.

Mixed Training

Fitbit Coach: This is part of the Fitbit family. It provides a wide range of workouts with instructions, including times and ratings of easy, medium, and hard. (I noticed some easy mediums and medium hards in there too.) Obviously, Fitbit is best known for counting steps but Fitbit Coach includes both strength and cardio workouts. There’s a lot of good advice in this one.

SparkPeople provides a lot of training videos and exercise routines. I tend to think of this site as more of a weight loss site but they provide exercises. SparkPeople does have an app so you’re not tied to a desktop.

Strength

7 Minute Workout: This app is put out by Wahoo Fitness and is meant to be used with their heart rate equipment but you can download and use this app without any equipment. This is a basic full-body workout that can easily be done at home. If you have seven minutes, do this. If you have 14 minutes, do it twice.

Scientific 7 Minute Workout: This is the app that I believe New York Times promoted. This includes options to set the length of breaks between exercises. It also is a basic full-body workout. In fact, I think these two 7 minute workout apps have the exact same workout. You can check out both apps. I noticed that this one has a fair amount of advertising in it but also has a timer and the ability to set it to multiple rounds.

Stronglifts 5×5: This app is a good option if you want to do the standard lifts. It is designed to do five main lifts in sets of five:

squat
deadlift
bench press
row
overhead press

This app asks you a few start up questions and then:

tells you what to do
suggests the weight to use
provides instructions on how to do the lifts
tracks your workouts too
recommends you when to increase the weight.

JEFIT: This app has a wider range of workouts than the 5×5. The beginner routine follows a traditional weight lifting schedule of days divided into:

chest and triceps
back, biceps, and forearm
shoulders and legs
abs

This app tracks what you do and provides instructions on how to do the lifts. You can find workouts of increasing difficulty. I think this is an excellent choice for those us looking for something to use in the gym.

Running

Get Running is a couch to 5K type app published by Splendid Things. I used this app to learn how to run. It really worked even though I had to repeat weeks sometimes because I wasn’t ready to progress. So, instead of taking 12 weeks, it probably took me closer to 18 weeks to run for 30 minutes straight. I love the woman’s voice on this: she has a charming British accent and is enthusiastic without being mushy. She also doesn’t speak all the time. As the runs get longer, you hear her less often. I keep this app because I find it useful now for running intervals. Plus I just like her voice.

RunKeeper tracks your runs but also includes training programs that you can access from your phone. You can select different distances that you’re training for and get a plan.

Map My Run lets you (you guessed it!) map your run. You can track your runs and get feedback on your performance.

Strava lets you track bike rides and running. It also provides a social media service; you can see your friends’ workouts and update your own via your Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, or other sports watch.

This is a pretty good sized list and now that I’ve made it, I begin to understand why the guy at the phone store once called me the Queen of Apps. However, I suspect my list is a drop in the bucket, so feel free to share the apps that you like. These are great ways to track your performance and get lots of support, regardless of your sport.

Less than 100 Days to Go – Weekly Wrap Up

February 19, 2018 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

This week I got more serious about my training program for preparing to run the Cleveland half marathon on May 20th. Something about seeing less than 100 days on the count down clock makes me realize I better get on the bus, my rear in gear and work the plan!

My week, of course, did not exactly follow the plan, but I managed to get in some strength, conditioning, stretching and running in this week.

– Monday – got a good hour of spinning for cross training. Great music and heavy hills (resistance on the knob.)

– Tuesday – too much desk time. This resulted in a very satisfying yoga workout (via youtube videos) as well as important balance work. I specifically work on my ankles and calves to help with my reoccurring Achilles tendonitis.

– Wednesday – up early (4:30 am.) Busy circumstances required that I only got 10 or 15 minutes cardio at a time. Taking the stairs is my “go to” on a day like this and it always gets the heart pounding – 7 flights, three separate times, plus a fast 500 steps to the parking deck twice. Glad I wore my Brooks Ghost shoes.

– Thursday – Rest day with only 38 active minutes and almost 8,000 steps spread out pretty evenly during the day. I think the 8 floors of stairs were a just a result of catching up on laundry.

– Friday – 30 minutes of spinning and 30 minutes of body weight workout (burpees, side planks, side lunge, squats, hold the squat, v-ups, triceps)

– Saturday – walk/run the indoor track for 30 minutes, then 10 minutes on the treadmill and 45 minutes of full body (core, arms and legs) sitting, bouncing and “dancing” on an inflatable exercise ball to peppy music. I know that going to the grocery store when you’re starving is never a good idea, so I was glad I brought some protein powder with me to mix in my water to hold off the hunger pangs.

– Sunday – Beautiful spring like weather in Ohio means outside I go! That’s what I’m talking about!! I got in 4 miles with an easy, steady pace. It was a great run and I felt I could have done double the distance, but I know I’ve got to build the distance over several weeks! The photo looked a bit wet, because my phone got fogged up from me sweating – I sweat no matter what the temperature!

– BONUS: Sunday night Jill and I recorded an awesome podcast with a powerful woman who is a personal trainer and gym owner. Check back later for the release in Becoming Elli – fit, strong women over 50 – podcast #4.

Are you training for a goal in less than 100 days? Let us know how you’re doing on your quest to become more like Elli – fit and strong. Leave a message in the comments.

Reducing Painful Achilles Tendonitis Episodes

February 17, 2018 / Chris Brown / 5 Comments

I have to be careful about Achilles Tendonitis. Some people call it Achilles Heel.

In 2006 I walked around the local Girl Scout camp all weekend in mud boots. Without a support lining! High arches and too much weight turned a bonding experience with my daughter and her troop into a long painful education about a tendon called Achilles. What is Achilles Tendonitis? If you’ve never heard of it, you probably haven’t had a problem with it. The Achilles Tendon connects the calf muscles to the bone on the heel. The “itis” part means chronically inflamed. It can be painful, at least that has been my experience.

During that year, it got pretty bad, to the point I didn’t want to stand up and walk across the room. When I would first wake up, it hurt. During the night, it would stiffen. Even now during sleep my toes tend to relax and point out, so when I step out of bed, my heel lands on the floor, stretching the tendon and pulling it. I gained a lot of weight that year and ended up going to a sports doctor, who sent me to physical therapy. That helped quite a bit. Twelve sessions of various exercises and treatments got me moving again.

Then, about a year later when I was consulting my family doctor for a sinus infection, he noticed I was limping. So, he sent me to another round of therapy, which greatly improved it. Five years later, Achilles Tendonitis started coming back again. I got myself to a Sport Chiropractic doctor who treated it before things got bad and gave me a series of exercises to do consistently at home, which has really helped.

What causes Achilles Tendonitis?

For me, it’s a combination of things. Some things I can do to improve the situation. Other things I’m stuck with.

- Too much weight – Having to carry around extra pounds makes it hard on all my joints, tendons and ligaments. I guess that is no surprise to anyone.
- High arches – Can’t change genetics.
- Tight calves – Bouncing on my toes tends to tighten my calf muscle. It’s like I can almost feel it tighten with each up and down. My calf muscle gets tight which in turn pulls too hard on my tendon. I avoid the bouncing step moves in Zumba and don’t do a regular jump rope jumping where you take off from your toes and land again on toes. I tend to take off and land on one foot at a time instead of both toes each time.

I prefer prevention to treatment. Strengthening my ankles in particular, really seems to help. Conditioning helps the little muscles in my feet.

What works for me to combat my Achilles Tendonitis?

I do a variety of things to keep it at bay. I do other things when I have a flair up. This is what works for me:

- Balance exercise – I start by standing on one foot on the floor. Then swing my leg. Progress to a pillow. Without my shoe. Then a stability cushion. And a bosu ball. I stand next to a chair or wall to catch myself. Building strength in those little muscles in my feet has made a huge difference. It also has helped me not to take a spill on the ice during the winter and helps me catch myself when one of our cats affectionately tries its very best to trip me in the morning!
- Massage – a good sports massage helps to attack that one calf muscle that still tends to get too tight. I also do a self massage with a tennis ball or lacrosse ball and a roller on the calf muscle which helps to release the tightness and not lead to that constant pull on my Achilles.
- Stretching – After a workout when my body is limber, I slowly lower my heels while standing on a step, and then raise back up to lower again (only when my Achilles tendon is healthy, not when it is sore and swollen.) There is an old Swedish study which followed two groups. The group that did this exercise improved. The other group not so much.
- Physical Therapy – when it gets bad, I’ll go to my doctor and have had a series of things: ultrasound, Graston technique (painful but works) and an inflatable massaging boot. Plus exercises to do at home.
- Strengthening – I’ve found that consistent strength and conditioning – my ankles, my glutes and my core – really seems to improve my luck with my Achilles tendon. I like to use the stability cushion; it helps to strengthen my ankles.
- Shoes – I use inserts in most of my shoes, especially the mud boots. I have a pair of expensive insoles designed for ski boots always in my mud boots. I use SuperFeet insoles in my running shoes. I do NOT wear flip flops because there is zero support and the chance of tripping and pulling tendon/muscle/ligament etc. is huge with flip flops and me. I buy good supporting shoes over cute shoes. And I am very picky about sandals.
- Warm Up – before doing anything, especially running, walking, hiking, working out in general, I try to do a dynamic warm up of mild stretching to get some blood flowing to the calves and massage my tendons.
- Ice/heat – after a long run, I put a bag of frozen peas under my tendon and prop my leg up. Just for a short time. Then I move my ankle around, and alternate ice with a warm rice bag. The idea of the ice is to reduce swelling. The warm rice bag helps with blood flow.
- Tape – (update) I’ve had some success with using kinesiology tape and have tried different patterns around my ankle.

I use a variety of tools including the foam roller, pillow, stability cushion, bosu ball, lacrosse ball/tennis ball and stair steps with a railing. These tools are all part of my on-going effort to strengthen the tendons and ligaments.

How about you? Do you deal with Achilles issues? Have a suggestion on how to strengthen, stretch or otherwise manage this tendon? Please let me know by leaving a message below in the comments!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or an expert on Achilles Tendonitis. I am just sharing my experiences with treating it and avoiding it. Consult your doctor or physical therapist.

Ten Ways to Avoid the Gym

January 28, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 2 Comments

So, let’s say your idea of fun is not going to the gym and working out but you know you need to get some exercise to stay healthy. How do you avoid gym? Whether it’s because you don’t have a gym nearby, you don’t want to spend the money on gym membership, or you just don’t like gyms, you still need to get some exercise, right? We all know that fitness depends on moving our bodies. What should you do? I have some ideas to share.

Get a Fitbit and count your steps. We all hear this, get 10,000 steps a day. Well, get a Fitbit or some other step counter (pedometer, Apple Watch, Garmin watch) and see how many steps you get in a day. I was shocked when I first started to track my steps. Working in an office was not conducive to walking. If you’re only walking 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day, you probably shouldn’t make your first goal 10,000 steps. Instead, add 1,000 steps to what you walk normally and see if you can get that. Continue to bump up your goal until you get to the level you want and can meet it frequently.I adjust my goal for steps depending on what’s going on in my life. These days, I try not to lower my goal below 10,000 steps but if I’m in a period where I can walk a lot, I’ll bump my goal up. Then, if I know that I’m entering a period where just getting the 10,000 steps is a challenge, I’ll reset my goal.
The important thing to remember is that you get to control those goals.

Nunu on a hike.
Continuing with the walking theme, join a hiking club and get in some lengthy walks and enjoy nature. This can be an excellent way to meet people and to enjoy some exercise without having to really think about it being exercise. If you have a dog who likes to walk, take him along with you. Dogs make great hiking companions.
There are other kinds of clubs you can join. There are biking clubs and skiing clubs. All of these are a great way to combine social activities with fitness. Ride your bike, go skiing, do whatever appeals to you and that you can find a club. I just recently learned of a mountain climbing club near me. I’m in Ohio and there’s not a lot of mountain climbing here but it turns out, this group meets at a local wilderness supply store and uses their climbing wall.
Think about the things that you enjoyed as a kid or teenager. If you loved playing sports, look for some adult leagues for baseball or softball, basketball, soccer, or touch football. Many recreation departments in different towns offer sport activities for adults. If you think you want to do this, check out the team and make sure that they play at the level you’re looking for. Don’t forget bowling. The last time I went bowling, I was shocked at how much I had to use my arms. That’s a serious arm workout.
Maybe you loved dance as a kid. If so, many dance studios and rec departments offer dance classes for adults. You can find all types of dance available to you. Whether it’s ballet, tap, or ballroom dancing, put on your dancing shoes and enjoy!
Dance
Don’t forget sports such as golf and tennis. These can be great ways to get fit. Look for local leagues to join.
Check out yoga studios or yoga classes offered through rec departments or churches. You’ll often find places that offer yoga classes that are reasonably priced and set up for those of us who are as flexible as we once were. A lot of barre places have opened. These are a combination of ballet, yoga, and Pilates and uses a ballet barre for balance. This might be a good option for you.
In the same vein, Jazzercise classes or similar types of classes are offered in a variety of locations. This might be a good solution to doing something without having to join a gym. I just recently saw a place that is offering a class called Blessercise. It’s a religious based fitness class and was housed in a small retail area. You just pay by the class or pay for a monthly membership.
Let’s not forget the favorites of running and bicycling. Neither require a membership to anything and you can do both without a lot of preparation. A good pair of running shoes is the minimum requirement for running and a bike and helmet works for bicycling.
Chris Running
If you really want to just do a workout in the comfort of your home, check out what’s available online for help. Many women enjoy Leslie Sansone. You can buy a DVD or borrow one from your local library or check her out on YouTube. You can get some exercise equipment to use at home. Many people enjoy rebounders at home. Rebounders are like mini-trampolines. Others like to have some dumb bells at home for workouts. Don’t forget simple things like jump ropes. You can invest more money and get a treadmill or elliptical or even a Pilates Reformer machine. If you don’t want to invest in any equipment, do body weight exercises like pushups, lunges, and squats.
Jump rope

I’m sure there are lots of ways that I’ve not thought of to get exercise without joining a gym. Feel free to share what you do. We all need help on our way to becoming like Elli.