A handstand - at home strength building

I stood staring at the wall.  Hmmmmmm, it was just me and Elsa (my Standard Poodle) at home.  What if I slipped?  What if I didn't make it?  What if I made it and my wrist broke?  It had been a VERY long time since I'd done a handstand.  It wasn't that big of a deal to do; but my confidence was a bit shaky being that no one was there to spot me.  PLEASE, if you are going to attempt something like a handstand; do it when someone is around to spot you.  

Spot:  to place or position on a particular place.  

This means that you want someone there, hovering when you make your first attempt.  

Working on balance

Of course I went ahead and just did it.  After staring at the wall, I just did it.  I didn't stay up there long, and quit while I was ahead. It felt amazing; nothing happened and it was easy peasy.  While I was upside down with my feet on the wall; I realized that although it was easy, it took a great deal of strength.  Handstands suddenly became a daily thing.  I was determined to make it no big deal at all. 

I use to walk on my hands when I was much younger; a handstand against the wall is the first step to maybe doing that again.  My first handstand was pretty far away from the wall.  I will get closer and closer, trying to retain the balance that was once very easy.  Having a wall close by is essential of course; flipping over and landing on your back when you are in your 50s is not like doing it as a teenager or in your 20s.   

More balance, by putting my feet on the wall with bent legs I have my body more straight up and down.

As you can see I'm having fun.  :)  Handstands everywhere now.  :)  Why not?

Where to start?????? Sleeveless season is just around the corner.

Push up work out lots of muscles.  Arms, chest, back....a great exercise staple.  

Beginning the process of working out can be intimidating as I have said many times already.  Where to start?  Where to start?  Many people don't start because it is so intimidating that they just can't get to it. Diving into the workout pool may be too much in the beginning so maybe set a small and doable goal first.  What is it that you'd like to get out of working out?  Why are you even considering working out? Or are you?  Maybe you just want to lose weight and this seems like the way to go.  Perhaps you don't need to lose any weight but you'd like to firm up, stop the jiggle?  

Whatever the reason, you should add in health.  With working out comes eating right; to work best, the two go together.  I talk about both a lot because you should keep both in mind when considering a goal.  If your goal is simply to get healthy then you are in the right place.  I like to look at health as the main goal in working out and eating right.  There are added bonus things like dropping weight, getting strong and feeling great too.  

You don't have to just have one goal, you can have a whole long list of goals.  But you should tackle them one by one in the beginning.  You don't want to set yourself up for failure; biting off more than you can chew as they say.  I think when you tackle one goal at a time; you are more apt to get there and move onto the next one.  

Results are a huge motivation; so when you get even the smallest result from working out it can fuel you onto doing more and keeping at it.  Whether that result is getting stronger, feeling better overall from eating well or liking what you see when you look in the mirror, it all helps.  

So start small and with motivating results, you will keep at it.  I like the idea of working out at home to start.  But, if you are not going to do it and need to either join a class or gym to get going, then do it.  But don't think that you need a class or a gym to get started; there are tons of things you can do.  Maybe just start walking, it is surprising how many people don't walk.  It's about the easiest thing to get started on and it's free.  :)  

Here I am doing tricep dips with push up handles.  They just happen to be there when I was taking pics so I used them.  You can use the edge of a chair, a step or anything else stable.

If you want to tone some body parts up, focus.  Lets say you want to tone your arms, very common.  You need to work out that flappy back part of your arms, your triceps.  Two easy exercises will get you started.  The very basic girl push up and the tricep dip.  Start slow and build as your strength grows.  You can do these easily at home.  The push up you can do anywhere and the dip just needs an chair edge, step or anything else that is sturdy and will keep you a few inches off the ground.  It is just the very beginning but these basics are tried and true.  

You can get started right this minute. :)

Fuel?

This was my salad last night, amazing.  I was out of arugula (yes I almost died because I eat it every day) so had a bowl of asparagus, broccoli slaw, pineapple, raspberries and red pepper.  I had on the side, a couple of turkey meatballs for protein.

Food is hugely controversial these days.  There are so many "diets" "miracle pills" and "secret drinks" out there to pick and choose from when you want to lose weight.  I for one am not a fan of fad diets, magic pills or drinks.  I am not a believer of the diets where you order your premade food either.  I strongly believe that if you want to get healthy then you must change your lifestyle.  That means thinking "healthy" choices, not feeling deprived all the time. 

 

Paleo chocolate mousse.  First time making this, it was pretty good.  I doubled the honey that they called for and chilling is a must.   

 

If we looked at food more like fuel, I think that we might have a better chance at "getting it."  Eating well or "clean" as is the "in" term these days takes thought and it takes breaking a lot of bad habits.  There will be those who balk at your choice of diet; but everyone has their own opinion as they should.  Everyone has to do what they feel good about doing and eating.  I try to share what I have discovered as far as eating correctly and I am always open to listening to more. 

My kids are a huge inspiration for me; they are the new and improved generation of health conscious people.  When we get together the topic of conversation often goes to exercise and food.  Oh yes, we are foodies, we LOVE good food.  We share recipes, diet (as in the food we eat, not weight loss) ideas and experience.

I watched a new advertisement on television last night.  It was obviously made to appeal to children.  The people were cartoon like and in a grocery store.  The Mom is grabbing box after box of processed food.  The boxes with a red mark on them donate food to hungry children when purchased.  Sounds nice but a sad marketing ploy in these days of "don't buy processed food." 

Our bodies take us through life; yet we often think about our body very last.  We stop and grab fast food and gobble it down because we are hungry and in a hurry.  This body is the only one we will ever have; we need to take care of it as such.  No one else is going to keep our body healthy and in shape; that job is all on us.  We can or cannot put our body first.  Eating right and moving is the best way to keep our body functioning throughout our life.  If you don't who will? 

Staying healthy is work; but so is hauling around a body that is overweight and under exercised.  It is completely our choice to make. 

Plodding along

Are you stuck in a rut?  Either you haven't started to workout and want to, or you've been doing the same thing for years and years and years.  I see folks at the gym all the time who have been doing the same thing for as long as I've seen them and they look exactly the same.  That's fine if you are wanting to just waste time, but why bother?  If you aren't getting into shape then you need to switch it up.  If you aren't moving, then you need to start. 


One of my very first recommendations for anyone wanting to work out is to get some great looking and comfortable new duds.  You need something that you will feel comfortable in, both how you feel and look.  If you feel comfortable and not self conscious then you're on the right track.  The more comfortable you get with being in the gym or moving and getting into shape may have you looking for something a litter cuter down the road.  

Perhaps it is that I am a result driven person but I could not keep going to the gym; doing the same thing day in and day out with no results.   The folks I see at the gym are doing the identical movements I saw them doing years ago and they don't look any fitter than before.   Variety is the spice of life; but taking that first step may be needed first.  If you are just thinking about it; stop thinking and do.  Take that leap of faith and move.  

If you have been doing the same thing for years and years without seeing any results, stop!  Think about doing something else.  Perhaps lifting weights, doing yoga, stability ball or walking.  Whatever you've been doing hasn't worked.  Maybe it's because it's really just repetitive easy movements that barely work any muscles.  Or you've been doing it for so long that your body could do it in sleep mode.  You need a change, you need a kick in the ass.  

Taking that first step can be scary; so make it a small step, one that you can manage.  If you step too big too soon, it may lead to frustration which can lead to halting all together.  That my friend is not the goal.  

This much I know is true.  The more you move, the more you can move and the easier it is to move.  If you just sit there doing nothing; then you will atrophy.  Your joints will suffer from lack of muscle, tendon and ligament protection and you will become weak and unsteady.  

Along with my lifting I have added yoga and the stability ball. I also walk a lot and I have seen a big change since I started focusing on walking further and further with added jogging.  I am working very hard on my core and balance which is great for anyone and everyone to start doing.  

Take that first step today.  

Freeze your fat away? Really??????

As I was heading home from the park today, I heard an advertisement on the radio for freezing your fat away.  The woman on the radio was boasting about how she'd had two treatments already.  "Bikini season is right around the corner" she added.  Okay, so the big push is on right?  Simply freeze your fat away!!!! I sat and thought about all the miracle things that are out there to get rid of fat quick and realized that it all has nothing to do with changing how we eat or move.  So if you freeze it off, I guess it can come back?  Google time.  

This is the first and last article I read on the subject.  At least it explains what it is all about.  I don't care to read anymore.  

Daily Mail - on Cool Sculpting

The issue with these type of "quick fix" methods of getting rid of fat is that none address the problem.  That is, how the fat got there and remained there for so long.  

We (humans) are always looking for the next big thing.  That big secret that will rid us of the fat we don't want and get us in shape.  Well, the reality is this; the best way to do it is the hard way.  Work!!  Eat nutritionally dense foods and move.  IT MUST become a way of life; worked into our lives for it to remain.  

Every so often I have a moment of dismay, when I realize that I have to work out forever.  But that changes when I think about how lucky I am to be able to work out.  I can look however I want to; you can look however you want to.  It is completely up to us and how dedicated we are to get there.  I do not believe in the magic pill, drink, diet or workout.  It is all hard work and freezing your fat off sounds stupid to me. 

Moving through life

My daughter Nicole doing situps, being timed by my son Brad. 

Moving is such an important part of life.  The more you move the more you can move.  I know people who have a difficult time getting up out of a chair or walking down the driveway.  Their problem stems from lack of movement.  "Use it or lose it" could not be more true.  When you don't move, as in exercising type movement your muscles atrophy.  When you offer no challenge to your muscles, no job to do on a regular basis they go on vacation.  But you can get them back from their vacation; it will just take work and dedication. 

I like to do a wide variety of exercises.  Of course weights is my favorite but my stability comes a very close second.  There are so many strength exercises that you can do with a stability ball.  I am really starting to love yoga and I do love my daily walks with Elsa, which now include jogging.  I'm not a huge lover of jogging for several reasons but the biggest reason is the impact.  Everything in moderation, so for me a little jogging goes a long way as I prefer to do my distance by power walking. 

Moving is the most essential part of keeping the ability of moving intact.  How many people have aches and pains and sit on the side lines; only to worsen their ability to move?  Too many.  We need to move, we need to exercise and keep our muscles, tendons and joints fluid.  When we move, we ask our body to oblige; if our body has nothing to use to move then it makes it very difficult.  The more you move, the move you can move. 

I am debating movement today.  Will I head to the gym or grab my yoga mat and stability ball?  Not sure yet but I do know that I will be getting ready to exercise.  Putting on my workout clothes is the first step in getting some movement in.  Even if I'm not in the mood, I will throw on my workout gear and then I am in the mood. 

Now get up out of that bed, off the couch and MOVE.