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2021 Fitbit Goals Halfway Mark

July 15, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

It’s now July 2021 and it’s time to check on my 2021 Fitbit goals halfway mark. At the end of last year, I decided to go for it and set my step goal for the year at 5 million steps. That’s a lot if you ask me. It will be the most steps I’ve gotten in a single year since I started wearing a Fitbit many years ago.

I was going to say that I’m not sure if I can accomplish this goal but then I remembered we’re not supposed to say things like that. Instead, I must say, I will walk 5 million steps this year.

2021 Fitbit Goals Halfway Mark

I checked in at the end of the first quarter of the year. At the end of March, I had a total of 1,169,909 with an average of 12,999 daily steps.

At the end of June 2021, I had 2,269,020 steps with an average of 12,433 daily steps so I’m falling behind! I should have gotten 2,500,000 to be half way to my goal. I’m behind by almost 231,000 steps. I’m going to to have to kick it into high gear if I want to achieve this goal.

I will have to get a total of 2,730,980 steps for the rest of 2021. July through December to be specific. I’ll have to bump my daily average to close to 15,000 steps per day. That’s a lot of walking!

Penny had better get ready for more walking! She’s loving her Couch to 5K training so I guess we’ll need to do more of that. I get a lot more steps on my run days so I need to improve my commitment to running a few times a week. Here’s a picture of Penny on the couch. She needs to be doing more of the 5K part!

I’m lucky to have such beautiful trails near me for walking. I guess I need to be doing more of it. Walking that is.

How are you doing on your goals for this year? Let me know how it’s going.

Fit After 50 Forever with Lisa Bartlett

July 13, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

In episode 86, Jill and Chris talk with Lisa Bartlett about her running, health challenges and how she stays fit after 50.

Lisa Bartlett is an active member of the Becoming Elli community.

Last year she began to tell us about training for a marathon but then she ended up having to run it virtually because of the pandemic. She persisted and ran the race and even won first place in her age group.

Lisa Bartlett is a 53-year old mom to a 10-year old daughter and special needs teenager, and has a busy real estate business. Lisa was never athletic growing up. Her first athletic endeavor was taking karate lessons in the mid-90s, then she discovered running in 1998, lifting weights, and ice hockey. All that came to a sudden end in 2002 when she became very ill with Lupus, which went diagnosed and untreated until 2013. Now in proper medications, she started running consistently in 2019 completing her first half marathon in December 2019 followed by her first marathon in December 2020. Lisa strives to live a healthy lifestyle for two reasons, to feel good and set a good example for her children and others. And yes, she struggles every single day to make better choices.

We found it very motivational to learn how Lisa has developed a strong mind set and worked to build habits to support daily and long term goals.

We discussed:

* Dealing with illness
* Running the Virtual Buckeye Marathon during the pandemic
* Conditioning, strength and balance
* Lifting and physical therapy
* Her mindset of Fit After 50 Forever
* Her life coach and running coach
* Developing a C.T.F.A.R. mind set to reframe the facts: Circumstance – Thought – Feelings – Action – Results
* Her “go to” smoothie: Okra, strawberry protein powder, stevia, with Himalayan salt
* Her coaching group “Run Your Best Life”
* Exercising in the heat of Arizona
* Work out routines: Bike riding, ice hockey, lifting and running

Links:

Her Website: Fit After 50 Forever
Private Becoming Elli Facebook Group
Runkeeper training App
Hasfit video website

Canine Couch to 5K

July 1, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 4 Comments

What’s this about canine Couch to 5K? One of the reasons I got Penny, my crazy little Irish doodle, is that she’s an athletic dog. My plan has always been to teach her to run with me. I decided the easiest way to accomplish that was to use the Couch to 5K app that I’ve used in the past. I don’t know if there’s actually a canine Couch to 5K app. I’m just using the one that I’ve used in the past.

I waited until Penny was a year old to start to run with her. I gather it’s important that her bones are fully grown or something like that before she runs for any distance. Since we’re doing the run/walk plan with the Couch to 5K, she hasn’t really done a lot of running yet so I think we’re fine.

It turns out that when I am running, Penny just has to walk more briskly. She’s rather confused by it. She keeps looking at me, as if to say, “what are we doing, Mom?” I think the important thing is for Penny to know that when we’re running, she can’t just stop to sniff something or dart off in a different direction. We’re working on learning to run beside me.

My daughter-in-law bought us a running leash, one of those things that go around my waist. We’re just starting to use it so I can’t really report on its efficiency. The leash lets me have my hands free while I’m running. I know that will be convenient as well as a more safe way to run with a dog.

We’re still working on this so I’ll keep you posted on how Penny is doing with her canine couch to 5K program. Any advice on how you trained your dog to run? Let me know in the comments below.

Staying cool by walking around a lake in the shade — I'm trying to stay cool by getting near water, shade and walking later (or earlier) in the day.

Staying Cool during the Hot Days of Summer

June 29, 2021 / Chris Brown / 2 Comments

Is it just me, or is getting harder to stay cool? It’s been very hot outside and I’ve noticed my body isn’t adjusted to the hot temperatures of summer yet!

Too Hot to Handle
My 22-mile bike ride this past weekend required two 24 oz water bottles, a scarf with pellets to soak in water to keep my neck cold and a large ice water from the restaurant at breakfast. Even so, according to my FitBit I had an hour and 23 minutes of peak heart rate, which by any of my standards is too much. Although I enjoyed breakfast in the middle of the ride, it pushed the second half of the ride later in the day and we didn’t finish up until almost 1 in the afternoon.

My FitBit heart rate Sunday morning bike riding and the importance of staying cool.

Next weekend I’m riding earlier in the day.

During 4th of July weekend two summers ago, when I volunteered to park cars at a local fireworks retailer, I also had some heat problems. Even with electrolyte water, ice water and a cooling scarf, it’s hard to keep my body cool enough when the outside temperatures are high 80’s! Here are some other posts I have written about staying cool! I guess this happens to me every year.

Relaxing and Staying Cool
I have a friend that I have been meeting with once a month since about 1998 where we review goals, accomplishments, and set action plans. Of course the pandemic put a big wrinkle into our get-togethers, but we were able to have a relaxing time this past weekend, drinking ice water (we skipped the wine) while enjoying country scenes and catching up with life.

We enjoyed munching on a Charcuterie — a fruit, cheese and meat plate. While the crackers aren’t part of my usual food, every once in a while I still indulge. It was a great way to spend an afternoon and recharge my batteries.

stay cool with a walk in the shade around a lake

I’m trying to stay cool by getting near water, shade and walking later (or earlier) in the day.

Later I took Peanut, my grand dog, for a walk around the lake in the shade after things got a little cooler.

How have you been staying cool during this heat? Suggestions welcome!

Salmon and Sardine Patties Recipe

June 24, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

I love salmon patties. They’re quick and easy and taste great. I was trying to figure out how to get more sardines into my diet. I had a number of cans of sardines in my pantry so it made sense to use them but also sardines are supposed to be good for you. Sure, salmon is too but I find it harder to work sardines into my eating patterns. I’ve written about this before so I guess it’s an ongoing challenge for me. This time I wanted something warm for dinner, not a sardine salad so I came up with the idea of salmon and sardine patties.

Because we’re doing the 2021 Veggie Challenge, I wanted to be sure to add some vegetables to this. Normally I would have used only onion but this time I used diced onion, celery and red peppers. I also added ground flax seeds because flax seeds are rich in fiber, nutrients, and omega 3 fats. I often look for ways to get flax seeds into my diet.

Salmon and sardine patties

Ingredients

1 can salmon (6 oz.)
1 can sardines
2 eggs, whisked
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup red pepper (You can add more vegetables or remove some of these.)
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
Salt
Pepper
Avocado oil or olive oil or oil of your choice
Spinach
Lemon slices

Directions

Prepare patties:

Drain both cans of fish and fork into a small mixing bowl.

Add eggs and mix.

Blend in the diced vegetables, mustard, garlic powder, flax seed, salt and pepper.

Mix well and then form patties.

Refrigerate patties for half an hour or longer.

When ready to cook the patties, heat oil in cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet.

Add the patties to the pan.

Cook patties for several minutes until browned and then flip and brown on the other side.

Serve on bed of spinach or other greens with slices of lemon.

A side salad or other vegetable completes the meal.

I think you’ll find this to be a delicious, easy dinner to make. It’s versatile and tastes good. You can add or delete as many vegetables as you want.

Healthy Aging with Gail Lind podcast episode 85

Aging Strong with Gail Lind

June 22, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

In episode 85, Jill and Chris interview Gail Lind, who at age 65 discovered she had a passion for lifting weights. She starting working out, became a personal trainer and class instructor at Anytime Fitness in Alabama. Gail offers insights and inspiration to women about aging strong in the second half of their life.

We discuss:

How being fit changes aging
Benefits of getting fit
How she started
How she got off the “treadmill to nowhere”
How she changed her workout after she hit a plateau
What changed her life – physically, emotionally psychologically
“You got one body”
What inspires her to keep aging strong
How she revised her diet and nutrition with protein and fiber

She talks about the best way to start in the weight room. (Interested in getting started at a gym? Read Jill’s recent article about how to get started at a gym.)

Being strong and fit allows Gail (right) to hike with her sister (left) and enjoy her life more fully.

Her gym: Anytime Fitness Hampton Cove

Changes in the Gut Microbiome Due to the Pandemic

June 17, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

What’s this about changes in the gut microbiome due to the pandemic? I was listening to a podcast and heard a researcher comment about this. I don’t mean changes in the gut for people who had COVID-19 but for the everyone else who was socially distancing and washing hands frequently. Apparently researchers have found that the gut microbiome has changed for many of us, with a decrease in diversity. This appears to be due to the decreased exposure to bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.

Changes in the Gut Microbiome Due to the Pandemic

The pandemic led many countries to have a lock down and travel restrictions to reduce transmitting viruses. These restrictions were mainly hand washing and use of antibacterial soaps, limited travel, and many people working from home. Therefore we weren’t sharing any microorganisms, including of course the COVID-19 virus. The result of that is a less diverse gut microbiome.

Because of the pandemic, many people did not see their doctor for routine health care. This resulted in having health issues escalate for many people.

Nobody really knows what the implications are for this but the more diversity in your gut microbiome, the better has been the consensus. Well, for the most part. Obviously there are some things that are better not to have.

Remember when Chris and I talked with Kristin Kirkpatrick and she mentioned the increase of alcohol consumption during the shutdown? Well, alcohol changes the gut too. There were also changes in diet and exercise for many of us too, all of which can change our gut diversity.

What Does This Mean?

Who knows what all of this means? I suspect nobody but it might be interesting to see how it matters long term. The combination of changes in eating, drinking, and exercise habits, exposure to microorganisms, and mental health changes all work to change our microbiome.

Those of us who are dealing with chronic illnesses may see some changes in our ongoing health so it’s probably important to be sure to be eating foods that support our health and to be getting adequate exercise and sleep. That sounds like the usual advice, doesn’t it? I guess all we can do is move forward and take care of ourselves as best we can.

If we experienced changes in the gut microbiome due to the pandemic, I’m assuming we can continue to make changes by focusing on being fit and strong.

Why I am Focused on Staying Fit

June 12, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Why stay fit?

It’s hard sometimes to remember why. And then I have a couple of weeks like the past two weeks that remind me in so many wonderful ways.

Vacation:
My family took a vacation to the beach and I enjoyed it immensely. Although we have traveled to this same beach many times during the past 28 years, I think this year had special meaning. Following the pandemic, I am so very very thankful for my good health and strong body.

I spent a lot of time at the beach walking the dog early morning and late afternoon. We walked for hours on the beach, listening to the waves and enjoying the smells of salt water.

The weather didn’t always cooperate, but I still loved it.

It was Peanut’s first trip to the beach and I think she loved it too!

Vacation time with family was indescribably fun. I particularly am grateful for a strong body that allows me to lift a squiggling toddler over and over again! It was great to play with my grandson without worrying about if I am strong enough to pick him up. (Doing lots of reps with weights means I can lift him over and over and over!)

When we got back:
I completely enjoyed having a delicious meal with friends that I hadn’t seen in months and months without keeping a 6 foot distance and wearing a mask.

I was feeling very happy about being able to do the physical work of moving rocks and cleaning out the pond at my mom’s house. While this was hard, the fact that I’m able to help do this at 64 years old feels great.

This past week I felt real joy of doing a “summer bike ride” on a hot spring day that was humid and 85 degrees which felt a lot more like a summer day.

Doing more makes me want to do more. It is funny how using energy gives me more energy. My “why” of being fit is filled with all of these. To be healthy enough to say “yes” without wondering will my body fail me.

What is your why?

Five Things to Know When Starting at the Gym

June 10, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 1 Comment

Five things to know when starting at the gym? Obviously, there could be many more than this but I thought I’d share a few ideas.

Many of us don’t go to the gym regularly so that when we sign up, we feel overwhelmed. It can be intimidating to go to the gym but it can also be enjoyable. Here are some tips to help make starting at a gym a rewarding experience.

Don’t overdo it. We get excited to start our new fitness routine and tend to over do it with weight or repetitions when we first get there. After all, if some is good, more is better, right? Wrong, in this case. All you’ll end up doing is hurting yourself. Your muscles will be too sore to return to the gym in a couple of days and that will be the end of that. Instead, start easy. Focus on form. Maybe don’t even use weights. Just do the workout without the weights and do a few more reps. I suspect you’ll still feel it the next day but you should be able to return to the gym in a couple of days, still feeling enthusiastic.

Go to the gym two or three times a week. That way you can begin to build a routine and begin to challenge your body in a consistent way. Your body needs to have a change to repair itself in between sessions so be sure to have some rest days. You can also throw in a day or two of cardio and perhaps a day of gentle yoga.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your gym has trainers available to answer questions and show you how to use a piece of equipment or how to set up something. That’s what they’re there for and they are happy to help you. (If they’re not happy to help, you probably need to find a different gym.)

Check out the classes. Most gyms have group classes. This is a great way to learn some new workout routines and get challenged in some new ways. If you’re a social person, classes help you get to meet people. If you’re not social, there’s no need to chat. Just focus on what the instructor says and enjoy the class.

You’re the important person here. Do not worry what others are doing. Don’t discourage yourself by wondering why someone can lift twice as much as you. Your workout is all about you and your progress. Just focus on your own workout and don’t let competition with others discourage you. You really want to be competing with your past self. Each workout is a chance to do a bit more in some way.

There are certainly more things you can do to make going to the gym a rewarding experience but these five things to know when starting at the gym should help you get off to a good start. If you want some more suggestions about working out at the gym, check out this article about gym etiquette I wrote a couple of years ago.

What advice would you share with others? Let me know at jill@becomingelli.com or comment below.

10 Tips for Healthy Eating Motivation

June 8, 2021 / Chris Brown / 3 Comments

Episode 84

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In episode 84 of the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast for the Becoming Elli community, Jill and Chris discuss motivation for healthy eating.

We all know that losing weight is hard, but many of us in the Becoming Elli community are committed to keeping the weight off means by maintaining a healthy eating lifestyle.

During this episode we discuss healthy eating motivation:

Set a Goal

Anticipate your weaknesses

Plan your food

Prepare and Prep ahead

Weigh and track progress

Swap out for healthier choices

Find a friend/community

Keep it simple

Make routines

Use a mantra

During other podcasts we’ve talked with nutritionists, dietitians and women who have lost weight and kept it off. Some people enjoy a keto lifestyle, or vegan, vegetarian, paleo, LCHF (Low Carb High Fat), or a Mediterranean diet. Others use intermittent fasting.

We don’t specifically talk about different foods, but more about the motivation to eat in a healthy way. We have found that having discipline will carry your through when your motivation is lacking.

In many episodes of our podcast we talk about motivation for exercise and many of the same tips work for keeping the healthy eating motivation. Remembering your WHY. Working with other people. Having a meal plan and “go to” options.

Thanks for listening! We’d love to hear from YOU! How do you maintain your motivation to eat healthy? Did we miss an important tip that really works for you? Let us know by leaving a comment below or leaving a voice mail at 330-970-6662.

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