Body building???

Hell yes, I do.  

I was at the Doctors the other day when she asked me what I do as far as exercise.  I told her that I walk, run and lift.  She immediately asked if I was a bodybuilder.  I paused and pondered... "no" I said, I just lift weights.  So on the way home I thought about her question.  When she asked if I was a body builder, I instantly thought of those steroid man looking women; so of course my answer was no.  But once I started to think about it I thought that perhaps I am. 

Knowing that our bodies lose muscle mass as we age; I am most definitely building my body so that I don't suffer from the effects quite as drastically.  Yes I am a body builder is what my answer should have been; but I also don't want people thinking that I am in the gym to look like those man/women.

Why do I care?  Because I'm not in the gym for a fashion statement; although my daughter has me decked out pretty snazzy via Reebok.  I am not there to get huge muscles nor there to compete with or look like a man.  I am at the gym to stay strong and try to reverse the effects of aging.  At 53 and a recent Grandma of 2 gorgeous little men; I am proud to say that Grandma lifts.  If you don't work your muscles to keep them strong and flexible then you will lose them and end up being a feeble old person at the an age that you should not be feeble.  I have met many people younger than myself who are feeble.  I have met people who think that dieting, losing weight and being skinny is what it's all about.  But asked to do something strenuous and they fail drastically.  

Just imagine how much harder it is to do anything when you have little to no muscle?  Your muscles ache when asked to do even the smallest of movements and your joints suffer under the pressure with no muscle to protect them.  It happens to all of us and you can either shrug your shoulders and say "I can't."  Or you can say "hell yes I can," and get moving.  Starting with very small weights and low repetitions, anyone who is not seriously ill can start to lift.  

So, the other day at the Doctors, I should have replied yes; when asked if I was a bodybuilder.  But the whole image of what many think of lifting weights got in the way.  

Back and back at it.

Back and back at it.  I've been away on vacation and actually took a whole week off of working out.  The first couple of days of our vacation were spent at a hotel so we were able to get a couple of quick weight room workouts in.  But from Saturday to Friday we basically rested.  It's a head thing at this point; I have to literally tell myself that we are resting and it's okay.  When you work out consistently hard you need to rest your body; but that can be easier said than done.  :)

So with a week off we are back home.  Our travel day back was horrible and turned into almost 24 hours when it should have been around 7.  With that behind us we hit the gym yesterday.  Another day off was not in the cards; I needed that just worked out feeling. 

On our vacation we were able to get a few physical activities in.  One was bike riding and it brought back loads of great memories.  I haven't been bike riding in years and years and it felt great.  Riding through the forest, pumping my legs and getting a cardio workout in was a great in-between activity.  I enjoyed it so much that I have decided to get a bike.  

We also got a big walk/jog in through the woods that felt wonderful.  When you are accustom to working out and the feel that working out gives you, moving feels great.  I even got to try out a quick paddle board but due to windy conditions, didn't get on it again.  But I loved it and it will be an activity that I continue as well.  

Taking a rest from intense working out does not mean that you have to stop moving.  I find it hard not to do something physical every day.  The fact is that working out makes moving easier and more enjoyable.  

Hitting the gym yesterday, even when still exhausted from our trip felt great.  That just worked out filling helps to get you going and shakes the sluggish feeling that traveling can leave you with.  It was great to be back in the gym; especially having rested a week.  Exercise is a life style and when it has been solidified there, it will do you good.  Moving does a body good.  

Blasting leg day

Yesterday was leg day.  When I got to the gym I wasn't really feeling it.  You know those days you hit the gym and sort of just do what you have to and then leave?  Well, it started out like that but very quickly turned into "blast the legs" day.  Being that I wasn't feeling it, I worked on my mojo.  I sat on the leg press machine where I start out light and worked up; which is my typically leg warm up.  

I start with 50 lbs and do two sets of 15.  I then move up two plates at a time doing two sets of 12 reps until I get to my highest weight, which is 210.  I could go higher but I don't want to blow out my knees; something definitely worth considering.  I see people on the leg press rack doing insanely heavy weight but if their knee goes, it's really going to go; as in across the gym type of explosion.  So building muscle is good but blowing out joints, not so much.  

After my leg press work I was pumped.  With my power mode back in place I decided to blast my legs.  Legs are strong, far stronger than most people think.  I know that I have a hard time working them out to feel any pain the next day.  Yes they will be wobbly when I really blast them but it's tough to get that next day burn for me.  My legs are the strongest thing on me for sure.

Leg workout 

- My leg press work
- leg extension, start at 50lb and work up to 110lb
- leg curls, start at 30lb and work up to 70
- squats, 4 sets of 15 with a 40 lb bar
- dead lifts 3 sets of 8 with 40 lb bar
- glute press, 3 sets each leg 70lb

Then I worked my abs, bigtime.  

So I blasted and it felt amazing.  Having strong legs is so important, especially the older you get.  Muscle mass helps with balance.  Having strong legs just makes sense; strong legs help you get around really easily.  Stretching and working on balance are also very important.  Doing these three things:  building muscle, stretching and balance work will have you skipping and skittly skatting you through your day to day.  When is your leg day?

Get off

Are you one of those people who step on the scale every day anxiously awaiting the news?  So what does it say?  Are you going to have a bad day or good day?  It all depends on what the scale says right?  You'll either feel good about yourself or bad.  Feeling bad about YOU is bad.  What if you think you look pretty good?  You've been working out like crazy, eating great... you're pumped.  You're pumped until you step onto the evil scale.  Instantly you are sent spiraling down and out.  You look in the mirror and see a fatty.  You thought you looked good, now you don't, now you hate yourself.   Hmmmmm. 

 I don't weigh myself, I just don't.  Recently I was at the Doctors where I knew that I'd have to get on the scale.  I did some soul searching and wondered whether it was worth the fight with the nurse to try to avoid the scale.  I decided against the fight.  Instead I told myself that I wasn't going to care what it said, and I don't.  

We are far more than a number; we should not be measured by a number.  If you want to know, then by all means step up and find out.  I prefer to set my goals by photos of myself  (few that there are) and go from there.  That or I put my jeans on and they tell me what's going on.  Just the other day I put a pair of jean shorts on and could not believe how differently they were fitting me.  They were quite lose but the biggest difference was the fit.  Looser where the fat had left and tighter where my muscles have grown.

Everyone is so concerned with being skinny; losing weight to feel good about themselves.  If you don't like what you see in the mirror, change it.   Don't decide whether or not you are happy by what a stupid scale says.  Do you feel good?  Are you fit and healthy?  That should be your goal, not a number on a scale.  The number you are given from the evil scale has nothing to do with your diet or your exercise.  It simply tells you what you are weighing in at.  You could actually be a very skinny, out of shape and unhealthy lightweight on the scale.  Ever think about that?

Stepping on a scale is a personal decision.  My choice is not to, I don't care what it says.  I care about how I feel and if I am happy when I look in the mirror.  If not then I have work to do.  :)  

Lumber Jacking

Conquered

Yep, today was my day off, sort of.  I was going to do some yoga but then I thought of the tree that needed to be chopped.  I've taken all of the leafed branched off and what is left is the stump and larger branches.  They are all at least 4-5" across and the stump is about 10".  So I decided to take some of the bigger branches down so I can finally get to the stump.  "Easy" she said, now that all the lethal thorns are gone with the leaved branches.  Hmmmmm, not so much.  

Of course it would probably have been much easier if I was using a sharp bucksaw, which I wasn't.  It was easier than the smaller saw I'd been using but I had to saw my butt off to get through one branch.  I do have to say that it was an amazing workout.  I hit muscles that I could never hit in the gym.  After about five big branches my arms were about ready to fall off; so I moved onto pulling the horrid asparagus ferns that are trying to take over my slope.  

Again, crazy workout.  I pulled and pulled and pulled and pulled.  My triceps, lats and upper back felt all the pulling.  My Achilles tendons felt the stretch from working on the slope and my legs got a good workout simply from keeping me on the slope and not flying off  when the ferns let go.  It is very satisfying getting a great workout and seeing progress as far as tree downing and weed removal.  

It is my kind of work, I love it.  This type of task is definitely made easier by being strong.  I remember when we first moved into this house and I'd spent hours on the slope.  It had been a lot harder than it was today; I am in better shape now than I was eight years ago.  Physical chores can seem daunting but if you look at them as a great workout; you can actually enjoy them, maybe.  That is if you are into getting filthy and exhausted.  I love it.  :)

Real food

Part of Saturday nights dinner.  

Walking into the tiny "health food" store near my place, it's packed.  Things appear to be changing.  When I hit the regular grocery store, it is empty.  The isles filled with perfectly stacked processed food sit there on the shelves alone.  People seem to be eating better these days.  Of course not all people but from looking at the crowd ratios, the healthy stores are being frequented far more often, at least here in SoCal. 

As I walked around the VERY tiny area filled with fresh and organic food, it hit me.  Funny how we call this health food; when it is in fact just real food that is good for you.  It is like the term "people food" put onto real food that is given to dogs.  Fresh food is simply real food.  But if we are going to call it health food then we should call what lines the shelves in a normal grocery store unhealthy food, correct?

Everything having to do with humans goes in waves.  The 60s and 70s were horrible as far as nutritional eating.  Much of the fast, corner cutting, preservative filled foods today came from those years.  It was all about simple and easy.  As television grew, so did their advertisements and we bought into them.  But now things are different and if you look around you will see it.

More and more people are turning away from the processed stuff and going for the "real food."  It is a change for the better, most definitely.  Sadly many people have a difficult time finding an option to buy healthy food.  Their town may not have grown enough to have a healthy choice to purchase food in the area.  But where there is a will, there is a way.  

Often when there is only one option for healthy food, the costs are crazy high.  But if you are dedicated to finding healthy foods, you will.  Many farmers are joining up with organic co-ops.

Coop directory service 

Organic consumers

Cornucopia

Organic Valley

There are many, many more.  These few just came up first.  So if you really want to eat healthy and don't have a healthy grocery store option then check out a coop or online distributor.  

The better the food you eat the less of it you need.  It is amazing how little food we actually need compared to what we want to eat when hooked on processed crap.  You may spend more on good food but it is for that one body that is going to haul you around for your lifetime, spring for the good stuff.

Yoga and muscles

Waking up this morning, my eyes were not even open and I could feel my back.  "What the heck did I do yesterday?" I thought to myself.  Climbing out of bed to get my morning coffee, I was still in that fog before you wake up.  Wow, I felt like I'd done 500 push ups.  My upper back felt like it had an intense workout but I couldn't remember what I'd done... That is until I remembered my yoga.

I did a long yoga session yesterday.  I focused on plank moves with lots of variations.  Ahhhhhh that is where my back got worked out.  I've only been squeezing in a few short yoga sessions lately so yesterday's full on major yoga workout paid off.  I felt it and it felt great.  I love the feeling of an intense workout, not too much pain; just enough to know that you did a great workout. 

That old saying "no pain no gain," not true.  You can stay in shape without pain but if you want to build muscles and get stronger there will be pain.  But there should not be too much or you are doing too much.  Muscle pain comes from using muscles that you haven't used for a long while.  Sort of like "hey you, behind the shoulder muscle, wake up."  When you work a muscle that doesn't get much action, they kick into gear.  A little pain and the muscle is better and stronger, ready for the challenge. 

I workout hard most of the time but I've had to cut back on my pulling (rowing type) moves until my elbows heeled.  Yesterday's yoga plank workout really worked my upper back.  I am still amazed at how good yoga is for you.  Not only does it work your flexibility, mobility and balance but it is crazy good for your strength. 

Yoga does not involve any additional weight; only your own that can be extremely tough to lift.  You don't have to be heavy to have a hard time lifting your weight.  It can be tough if you don't do it regularly.  Things like push ups, planks and hand stands are all wonderful strength building moves that simply use your own weight.  Can you lift yourself?

Now, off to the gym, it's leg day.