Motion is Important

For the past few days I have been doing daily walking. Partly because I am dog sitting and the dog has a set walk schedule. I have just about let the dog walk take the place of my power walking because he has a mile dog trail we cover 3 times a day. That is a lot of dog walking. It is a little different because it is stop and go walking. There is a stop at just about every mailbox so he can hoist a leg. It is still exercise though. That is the key. Motion.

Motion as much as possible is the key. It shakes everything up and does burn calories. His owners will be back in three days then I am on my own as far as motivation to walk. It will still be there. The fall weather is so nice that it easily lends itself to my wanting to go outside.

The other thing I have been contemplating is my bike. I have a brand new woman’s mountain bike that is just begging to be ridden. It was a gift to me 4 years ago and I have yet to let my butt hit the seat.

It looks real good chained to the patio. It looks like a biker is in the house. I do need a helmet. That is the one thing I do not have. With this weather being so nice, I do want to ride. That will help as well. Every little bit of motion will help. It will help to with keeping my knees loose. When the weather changes there tends to be some stiffness now.

I am a firm believer that if you do not use it you do lose it! I am trying desperately to hold on to what I have now and to improve. So motion is it. Motion wherever I can get it! Walking. Biking. Zumba. I am committed to more movement.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Reducing Belly Fat

I have a little mini-me and it is my belly fat. I am waging war with it now. How to get rid of it. I see all the pills and things on the market but I am very hesitant to take anything. It is best to loose it the old fashioned way...sweat it off. On the radio, not to long ago I heard a commentary that the fat is stored in kind of in a mesh pocket of stomach muscles and that over time the only way to reduce that mesh pocket of fat is to work it off. What is the best way? Food? Pills? Targeted stomach exercises? The only way seems to be to expend more calories than you are taking in so that pocket of reserve fat in the mesh pocket will be used up. It sure got there easily and it snuck up on me. Now why is it so hard to get rid of it?

Tips on Losing Belly Fat

1. Exercize: Get that jelly roll, rolling! Often. No more sitting around on the sofa. Get up and get moving. Join the gym. Walk at least 30 minutes a day. If you fall to temptation and do eat something sweet, then immediately walk for 30 minutes after or get on the stairmaster or eliptical trainer.
   
2. Alcohol: Avoid at all costs. Beer in particular has lots of calories and will help grow your beer belly. Other alcohol like margaritis and mixed drinks have all sorts of sweet sugary sodas or heavy creams that are full of sugars, fat and calories
3. No eating after 8 PM: This is a rule of thumb that works. No eating after 8pm as our bodies do not have time to digest all that food before we go to bed. It all just turns to fat when we go to sleep on a big full stomach of food.
4. No Junk Food: Junk food is like fuel to belly fat. We are what we eat. If you eat chips you will be a fat potato chip. Avoid junk food at all costs. Switch to fruits and vegatables when you yearn for something weet.
5. Eat only the Good Carbohydrates: We all need carbs but eat only the good ones. Switch to whole grain breads and avoid white bread. Again stick to fruits and vegetables and then drink them. Use the juicer. You know I am a big fan of mine.
   

Follow these tips and stick with it and soon that belly fat will be walking out the door. Right now what am I doing? I am getting ready to start the day. I am putting on my shoes and going walking before work. I need to shake up my mini-me. I need to let it know, it has to find another place to live.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~

Thinner!

Like the novel by Stephen King written under the name of Richard Bachman, I do believe, I am thinner! I got on the scale and I had lost another 5 pounds. I was very motivated this morning. I got up and walked for about 40 minutes. Of course the horrible "lack of circulation itch," was happening. Now I feel all broke up! Lack of excercise and then trying to get back into it will do that to you. I feel good today but I can tell I used muscles that have not been used in a while.

Breakfast was yogurt and granola. Lunch was cottage cheese and melba toast spread with gorganzola cheese spread. Water was and is the drink of the day. Thinner! I like that.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~

Native American Nike: Air Native N7

Nike unveiled Tuesday what it said is the first shoe designed specifically for American Indians, an effort aiming at promoting physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates.

The Beaverton-based company says the Air Native N7 is designed with a larger fit for the distinct foot shape of American Indians, and has a culturally specific look. It will be distributed solely to American Indians; tribal wellness programs and tribal schools nationwide will be able to purchase the shoe at wholesale price and then pass it along to individuals, often at no cost.

"Nike is aware of the growing health issues facing Native Americans," said Sam McCracken, manager of Nike's Native American Business program. "We are stepping up our commitment ... to elevate the issue of Native American health and wellness."

Nike designers and researchers looked at the feet of more than 200 people from more than 70 tribes nationwide and found that in general, American Indians have a much wider and taller foot than the average shoe accommodates. The average shoe width of men and women measured was three width sizes larger than the standard Nike shoe.

As a result, the Air Native is wider with a larger toe box. The shoe has fewer seams for irritation and a thicker sock liner for comfort.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~

Maintaining

When I stepped on the scale about a week ago I had lost a fewmore pounds. Now to 215. I got on the scale this morning and I was the same. Now that is not good because I have not been able to walk my mile a day for the last week and 1/2. I have been way too busy with work. I feel like I am missing out when I do not walk now. I have to get back into the routine. It is the only way I will loose. I need the activity.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~

Itching When Walking

I had not been walking in about 10 days and began again today. In about 10 minutes into it I was in itch misery! I have had this happen before from time to time, but I really wanted to find out why it happens. This morning was the worst it has ever been. Here are some of the reasons why this happens. I guess I just got out of the routine.

It usually occurs during exercise performed after a long period of inactivity. The itching is not on the skin, it's inside the actual limbs. There are millions of tiny capillaries and arteries inside our muscles which expand rapidly due to the demand for more blood that is brought on by exercise. When fit, these capillaries remain open allowing maximum blood passage, but when unfit and inactive they tend to collapse, allowing only minimal blood passage (which is sufficient for a sedentary person however). The rapid expansion of these vessels causes adjacent nerves to send impulses back to the brain which are interpreted as an itch.

According to Prevention Magazine:

Believe it or not, itchy legs is a common complaint, particularly among new walkers. Some experts believe that it may be due to poor circulation. If sluggish blood flow is to blame, the itching should subside as your body gets acclimated to your new activity.

So the cure: Keep walking. The better your circulation the less itching. The more you excersize, the itching will eventually stop altogether. The key that I have found is not to touch it. When the itching begins resist that urge to scratch. It only makes it worst. What happens to me is that the skin will stop itching and begin to feel really warm. From circulation, I think. Then I will just have really warm legs and eventually once I walk about 20 -30 minutes no more itching.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~