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Wellness through Movement with Shebah Caragna - 122 podcast

Wellness through Movement with Shebah Carfagna

January 10, 2023 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 122 – Wellness through Movement with Shebah Carfagna

In episode 122, Jill and Chris talk with Shebah Carfagna, an age-defying health, wellness and fitness professional with more than 27 years of training experience.

Shebah is well known for her commitment to her clients and their lifelong wellness journey.

Shebah has been a loyal fitness devotee for many years as a means to manage life stress and the responsibility of raising a special needs child. Realizing the importance of exercise as medicine for her autistic son and other special needs constituents, Shebah founded Panache Fitness Company in 2005 to offer these groups health and wellness opportunities.

Today, Panache Fitness Company offers traditional fitness services while still serving the needs of clients with specific health conditions and chronic diseases. Shebah encourages clients to think beyond their exercise program and to manage their habits to achieve a more healthy lifestyle and increased longevity. She has enjoyed significant success with her clients in both personal training and group classes.

Shebah holds professional fitness certifications: Spin, Pilates, BOSU, Boot Camp, TRX and Group Fitness and is the founder of the “AGELESS WORKOUT” presented by Panache Fitness Company. She is devoted to helping people achieve harmony between their fitness journey and a sustainable lifestyle.

We discussed:

What is a Sustainable Lifestyle
Developing her fitness company and having a flexible schedule
What she means by the ageless workout method
Her online classes where wellness through movement is stressed
The research she is preparing for the next publication of her book in the spring of 2023
How she works out and what her idea of a great workout is
Stumbling blocks to managing physical fitness and mental fitness
How she came back from a total hip replacement in 2018

Links to follow Shebah Carfagna:

Social media: @panachefitness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panachefitness/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/panachefitness
Website: panachefitness.com

Dark Chocolate

January 4, 2023 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

Many of us have heard about the health benefits of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate with 70% or more cacao solids has many vitamins and minerals, such as iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and phosphorus as well as antioxidants.

I try to only eat it during the day, as it also has some caffeine in it which interferes with my sleep.

Unfortunately recent findings of a Consumer Report study has been in the news about high levels of heavy metals in several brands of dark chocolate including Trader Joe’s, Green & Black’s, Theo and Lily’s (from Hershey.)

The news of this report was dated December 15, just in time for Christmas gifts. Of course, I received two nice big bars of dark chocolate in my stocking.

The same article said that sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots also had high levels, but that didn’t make the headlines.

The study used levels of heavy metals established by the California’s Maximum Allowable Dose Level, which is 0.5 micrograms (mcg) for lead and 4.1 mcg for cadmium. Of the 28 different bars tested, only five are considered safer and 23 were identified with higher than acceptable levels: eight are high in cadmium, 10 are high in lead and and five are high in both cadmium and lead.

The brand I got for Christmas was Sam’s Club, but this brand was not tested. Just because it wasn’t tested, I should not assume that it would fall on the safer list. I’m assuming it’s on the naughty list.

The article cautions to eat only a small amount at a time.Because the heavy metals all add up over time… it might be a good idea to cut back on spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes when you eat dark chocolate too?

The fact that they released the information just before Christmas makes me suspicious. I guess I am getting more and more cynical about what’s good for you and what isn’t. Maybe I feel a bit resentful in that in trying to eat healthy and be conscience of what I put into my body, it’s getting harder to win.

This report feels like the edge of too much.

My dark chocolate plan… eat only 1 ounce at a time with several days in between. I have no idea if several days makes any difference at all. And I plan to keep up on eating my carrots and spinach without putting any time frame on those vegetables. I usually save sweet potatoes for a holiday or Sunday meal.

How about you? Will this change your dark chocolate consumption pattern? Or do you find this just one more thing? Leave a comment below. Thanks!

Christmas Fitness Gifts

December 29, 2022 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

It’s a few days after Christmas and I’m enjoying my fitness gifts. This year I received personal training sessions and some passes to a new (to me) yoga studio in the area. Isn’t that a great way to go into the new year? Chris and I discussed what we want to accomplish in 2023 in our recent podcast so perhaps these Christmas fitness gifts will help out.

Yoga

I’m excited about the yoga classes because the studio appears to have a wide range of classes. I used to only want advanced yoga but these days I’m happy to indulge in some gentle yoga or restorative yoga. I can’t wait to sample a bit of both types. A bit more strenuous and a bit less. Sounds ideal.

I also saw that the woman who owns this studio used to run a yoga program at a local gym. When I went there many years ago, she had a class that I loved. It was a strength training yoga class, though it was called a Mind-Body class. It was yoga with some Pilates mixed in and some dumb bell work. I see that she teaches a Strength Training class at this new studio so I’m eager to try it out.

I’ll keep you posted on my adventures at a new yoga studio.

Personal Training

The personal training sessions are with my usual personal trainer at my gym. I was feeling a bit uncomfortable with how much I spend on personal training so getting some sessions as a gift is wonderful. I’m really grateful for such a thoughtful gift.

Some years I’ve received gear for my various activities and that’s been great. This year, though, I don’t really need anything like gear so receiving gifts that allow me to do things is excellent.

Let me know in the comments if you received any good Christmas fitness gifts. It’s great when people recognize the work you’re putting into being fit and strong.

End of 2022 with Chris and Jill

December 27, 2022 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 121 – End of 2022 with Chris and Jill

In this episode, Chris and Jill reflect on 2022, books read, podcast guests interviewed and healthy eating tips mentioned throughout the year.

Some of the topics we discussed include:

- Eating fiber first, then protein, then carbs. So eating your salad or vegetables first makes sense, then the protein, and then whatever carbs you’re eating.

Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspe

Jill recently read the book “Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspe” and we talked about some insights that she learned from it.

Water? Before after during? Drinking water before a meal might help you eat less. I’ve read that drinking during or after a meal does not affect your digestive enzymes so it’s ok to do.
Not in the car, not in front of the computer (not with a fox, not in a box)
Mindful eating… chewing certain # of times
Pam Sherman – not looking at what you are taking away but what you are adding (healthy food first)
Idea of intermittent fasting
Food Prepping

We love this colorful food prep example that Nancy Gardner at NG Energy shared with us in the Becoming Elli private Facebook group.

Recipes with protein ideas, other fan favorites.
Rice and Beans being a complete protein
2 cups of veggies or fruit handy for the drive or when you’re feeling weak
Tofu – yes or no? How to make it more yummy
Protein powders that we like and how we eat them other than a protein shake

We also reviewed highlights from episodes in 2022 with inspirational guests:

You can listen to the Rock Climbing and Yoga podcast with Carol Simpson here. If you’d like to join our private Facebook group called Becoming Elli, please click here!

We were excited to learn that FeedSpot ranks Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast as #2 for Best Women’s Fitness Podcast among the thousands of podcasts.

15 Best Women’s Fitness Podcasts

The best Women’s Fitness podcasts from thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. “Here are 15 Best Women’s Fitness Podcasts worth listening to in 2023:”

Thank you for telling a friend about our podcast. We know that is the #1 way people learn about our Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast

Whoo Hoo!Ranked number two for best women’s fitness podcasts by Feedspot.

Some of the topics we plan to cover during 2023 (based on suggestions from Facebook Becoming Elli Group … plus what we like to cover)
• Pelvic floor exercises
• Hip and knee replacement
• Research on staying fit in 70s and 80s. There’s barely any research on this for women older than 50 so don’t know what we can find about this.
• Meal preps and recipes
• More ways to vary protein sources

What was the best thing you learned from the podcast in 2022? What are your fitness goals for the coming year?

Ultra Trail Runner Brenda Bland

December 13, 2022 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 120 – Ultra Trail Runner Brenda Bland

Jill and Chris met Brenda Bland in the Becoming Elli Facebook group and knew she should be on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast.

Brenda Bland is an endurance athlete who has been running, hiking and biking most of her life. She took up running longer (for fun) in the late 90’s while helping her teenage daughter get more fit and healthy. Running her first ultra in 2003 at age 44, Brenda has run dozens of ultras all over the US, which is one of her favorite types of road tripping.

Brenda considers herself an average runner and has worked hard to build and maintain her health though diet, physical and yogic exercises. During a long journey of varying degrees of joint pain, GI issues as well as Seasonal Affective Disorder, she continues to research better ways of having a longer HealthSpan than is currently thought possible.

As Brenda continues to grow in her 60’s, she plans to keep enjoying the great outdoors as long as possible.

During this podcast we discussed:

Running the Leadville 100 at the age of 50 at high altitude
Completing the 80-mile self-supported Tuscobia Winter Ultra sled pull at the age of 62.
What are Fat Ass style runs?
How she plans solo mountain hiking in Colorado
How she trains for all these events – exercise, fueling and mental focus
Better ways of having a longer health span
What motivates her in the face of adversity

Links we discussed:
Trail Sisters
Brenda’s Instagram account (Note: I love her incredible photos in the mountains! Chris)

Making Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

December 1, 2022 / Jill McCauslin / 2 Comments

My new favorite thing is making hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot. I like hard boiled eggs because they’re good for a snack and can be added to a salad. I also make deviled eggs once in a while.

Why do I keep posting things about using my Instant Pot? I like using it because I can walk away from it and not have to worry about something boiling over on the stove or basically paying attention to what’s cooking. If you do a search on this website for Instant Pot, you’ll find a number of different recipes. We also discussed this on the Fit Strong Women over 50 Podcast, Episode 112 FAQ – Ask Us Anything with Chris and Jill

It’s not hard to make hard boiled eggs on the stove but once again I think it’s just a bit easier using the Instant Pot. It’s not faster at all but still easier.

This is really easy. Put your eggs on the wire rack in the Instant Pot and then add a cup of water.

Put the lid on, being sure to move the knob to pressure. Using the Pressure Cook setting, set the Instant Pot for five minutes.

It will take about five minutes for the Instant Pot to come to full pressure and then five minutes to cook. You can then release the pressure after about five or ten minutes.

Put the eggs into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

You then have perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs.

If you want soft boiled eggs or medium boiled eggs, just reduce the time. I would think 3 minutes for soft and 4 minutes for medium.

Let me know if you make hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot or if you have any good ideas on things to do with the eggs no matter how you cook them. I’d love to hear your ideas.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

November 24, 2022 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

It seems to be a tradition that I post my Thanksgiving thoughts here. I don’t think I’ve posted every year but I’ve caught a few.

As you know, this time of year is Thanksgiving here in the US. It’s a day we’re supposed to spend with family and friends, enjoy a large meal, and maybe watch football or play board games.

This year we are celebrating the holiday at my house. My son and daughter-in-law are spending the day and are bringing a friend who needs a place to go for the holiday. My brother will also be here as will my boyfriend.

It has sort of become a tradition now that we all provide the food that reminds us of our family traditions. I’m roasting the turkey and making the potatoes. My son and daughter-in-law are bringing pies, macaroni and cheese and green bean casserole, because that is Mary’s family tradition. My brother is bringing creamed onions and a squash casserole because that is his tradition. It’s a fun way to spend the day. We also usually play a game or two and enjoy some time together.

What am I thankful for this year? I’m pondering this.

This was a difficult year for me. I don’t know why but this year seemed more difficult than the earlier two years though that was when we were dealing with shutdowns and pandemics. Maybe it’s the aftermath that made me feel down.

I had a couple of moments that really made me feel broken. I don’t know why but they both involved friends. So usually I say I’m thankful for my friends. And that is true, I am thankful for friends but I’m also thankful that I can carry on with life regardless of others. I suppose that’s an important thing, being able to overcome hurt feelings and loss.

I’m thankful that Becoming Elli continues to thrive and that our podcast Fit Strong Women over 50 is going strong. I get so much enjoyment from all of this and I learn a lot too.

I hate to say it because it seems so cliché, but I’m thankful for my health. Again this year has been challenging and I’ve felt very frustrated that I really tried to be living a fit healthy life and still ended up with health issues. But I’m still able to do much of what I want and am trying to get back on track.

I’m happy that my family is close by. It makes life easier not having to travel to see everyone. I hope I can see my sister next year.

My Thanksgiving thoughts don’t seem to be as chipper as some years in the past but I’m trying to focus on the positive. I’m grateful that I can imagine better times coming my way.

I hope everyone who is celebrating Thanksgiving has a great day.

We’re heading into the holiday season when many of us spend time with family and friends and eat more than we intend. Let me know what your plans are for the next month or so.

Nutrition Mechanic Dina Griffin - 119 BE

Nutrition Mechanic with Dina Griffin

November 22, 2022 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 119 – Nutrition Mechanic with Dina Griffin

In episode 119, Jill and Chris speak with Dina Griffin, a Sports Performance Dietitian with a passion for optimizing women’s health and providing personalized nutrition to endurance athletes.

Dina Griffin, MS, RDN, CSSD is the Owner and Founder of The Nutrition Mechanic, a nutrition coaching and resource company based out of Boulder, Colorado. As a Sport and Performance Dietitian, Dina works with all levels of adult endurance athletes to optimize health, vitality, and performance. She blends science-based and evidence-informed strategies along with “real life” considerations to devise personalized and sustainable nutrition plans.

Dina has a particular passion for working with women’s health, peri- and post-menopause, masters and ultra athletes, and supporting individuals who have a metabolic condition.

Dina is also the co-host of the Inside Sports Nutrition podcast, which covers a wide array of topics on all things related to “real life” sports nutrition.

“Consider a variety of things: How fast do you eat? What do you eat? Quality of the food? How much? Timing of the food.”

Some of the tips she mentioned: Prioritize vegetables for fiber rich foods. You’ll need a combo of nutrition and exercise to maximize metabolic efficiency. It’s the pattern of nutrition changes that affect it more than the exercise. Focus on food that is protein rich, with non-starchy complex carbs and healthy fats. The more you can stabilize your blood sugar curve, the more your fat stores become available.

We discussed:

peri and post menopause
how nutritional needs vary for women over 50
nutrition for female endurance athletes
how much protein to eat based on your body size
metabolic efficiency
testing for women over 50 available at her website
supplements
recipes and food plans

Links:

Website https://nutritionmechanic.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mechanicdina/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nutritionmechanic
Podcast https://insidesportsnutrition.com/

Lava Shorts Review

November 17, 2022 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

I’ve been using my Lava Shorts for a while now and thought I should write a review of them. I’m not a strong swimmer but I’ve been trying for a while now.

Lava shorts are basically wetsuit shorts. They’re made from neoprene. The point of wearing them is that they help make you more buoyant. They lift your hips to help with swimming. Since you can’t wear a wetsuit in a pool, these shorts help simulate that to help with training for open water swimming.

For some reason, I blocked on the name Lava Shorts and simply called them my “floaty pants.” They do make a noticeable difference in your swimming style.

I think if you’re training for a triathalon or if you have issues with keeping your hips up while swimming, investing in these shorts is worthwhile.

They’re not particularly inexpensive. I found them on Amazon at around $80.

Here’s what I dislike about them. The Lava Shorts are unisex so that supposedly they fit both men and women. I think they’re actually designed for men and it was easier to say they’re unisex.

I had to go up in size to get a pair that fit my hips. When I wear them, I really need to yank tight the string tie at the waist because they feel like they’re going to fall down. Basically, they fit around my hips but then the waist is weird. They don’t actually reach my waist. They hit me between my hips and waist so they feel awkward.

I don’t want you to think that they’re loose because they’re not. I squirm around to get them on and then tighten up the waist as best I can. That’s the nature of neoprene suits. They’re supposed to be snug.

Once I’m in the pool, they don’t feel too bad though I notice that I am sometimes tugging them up when I stop swimming. I have had them work loose and had to stop to yank them back into place. Nothing like standing in a pool, pulling your shorts back up.

I’ve never mastered flip turns so I can’t tell you how these do with them.

If you need help with elevating your hips in the water, try these or if you know you’re going to be wearing a wetsuit in open water, try these.

I’m not sure they’re worth the investment if you just want to swim laps.

If you wear lava pants, let me know how you do with them. If you just like to swim, let me know that too.

Fitness, Health and Mindset with Brian Keane

November 8, 2022 / Chris Brown / 2 Comments

Episode 118 Fitness, Health and Mindset with Brian Keane

In episode 118, Jill and Chris talk with Brian Keane, an online personal trainer, nutritionist and best selling author. Over the past seven years, Brian has gone from working full time as a school teacher to one of Ireland’s and the UK’s leading thought leaders on all things health, fitness and nutrition.

Brian is the author of two best sellers: The Fitness Mindset and Rewire Your Mindset. On top of his ever-growing social media platforms, with over half a million followers, he also hosts one of the world’s top health podcasts which is regularly featured #1 on the iTunes Health Charts.

He has spoken at major wellness events around the world such as Wellfest Ireland, Mefit Dubai and was a Keynote speaker at Google HQ in Dublin for their 2018 wellness event.

Among his many fitness and athletic achievements, Brian has transitioned from a professional fitness model to ultra endurance athlete running through the Sahara, the Arctic, and completing a 100 mile ultra marathon.

We discussed topics of fitness, health and mindset:

Finding the best diet to fit a lifestyle and schedule
Improving the relationship with food
Setting clear goals for fat or weight loss
Building a mindset of mental toughness
Looking at fitness in a holistic way
Nutrition for weight or fat loss

Links mentioned:

Brian Keane Fitness Website: https://briankeanefitness.com/
Brian Keane Fitness BKF Podcast: https://briankeanefitness.com/podcast/ (over 400 episodes!)
Tiktok workouts and jokes: https://www.tiktok.com/@briankeanefitness
Quick Links: https://briankeanefitness.com/quick-links/