gettinfitover40

Where did I go? Well, honestly, there have been some issues going on with the family right now. I’ll be taking a wee break, but I’ll be back.

 Until then, keep moving, keep eating right and keep staying fit over 40!

At work or at play, if you over use or repeatedly stress your bodies joints, you could developed Bursitis. Bursitis is a painful inflammation of the joint and can really throw a monkey wrench into your workout. Between your bones and among the joints and tendons of the body you have small packets of fluid called bursea. When they are performing normally, you won’t even know they are there. However if Bursitis strikes, you’ll know it.

Bursitis can be located in the shoulder, the hips, the knees, even the base of the big toe. Normally, bursitis pain will go away in a few weeks, if not, it’s time to seek treatment. Physical therapy can provide some relief with stretches and exercises to reduce pain. Often times rest and applying ice can also aid in healing the affected joint. And let’s not forget about over-the-counter pain relievers to help the body to relax and allow healing to take place.

Doctors sometimes prescribe an injection of corticosteroid into the bursa to relieve inflammation. This treatment usually provides quick relief and most people seldom need more than the one injection. Something to keep in mind is that Bursitis can also be caused by an infection, so it’s very important to work with your doctor.

The best treatment is prevention. Following these steps, at middle age, may help you to avoid Bursitis altogether.

• · Always stretch before and after physical activity
• · Strengthen your muscles
• · Take a break when performing repetitive tasks
• · Use a cushion for your joints such as foam knee or elbow pads
• · Move frequently – don’t be a couch potato!
• · Do not lean on your elbows – practice good posture

These simple steps and help you maintain healthy joints and healthy muscles.

The secret to keeping off those middle age pounds is strength training. I know you’re surprised but it’s true. Muscles are the furnaces of the body, the more muscle mass, the less fat. While eating a healthier more balanced diet will aid in your weight loss goals, building muscle is equally as important as cardiovascular training.

Many women, especially older women, avoid strength training for fear that they will “bulk up”. Fortunately, women do not possess enough testosterone to gain bulky muscles. We simply are not made that way. The building of muscle creates strong tendons and ligaments, supporting joints and the body frame. Strength training also builds strong bones helping us to avoid osteoporosis. In this way we decrease the likelihood of injury from other activities.

In the past, women have been told to lift very light weights. However a 3 to 5 pound weight is not sufficient to overload the muscle. Thus no fiber change will occur in the muscle. The goal to building strength needs to be in toning and reshaping the muscle, not mindless repetitions with light weights. Over working the muscle means that you are creating fatigue, allowing the muscle to work hard in short bursts thus changing the body.

It is also important to know that there are several ways to build strength. Lifting free weights using a home gym or joining a gym is one way. Resistance training, weight machines, even the Pilates elastic bands will enhance muscular strength. Working with a trained professional is very important. Make sure you understand what you are doing to avoid serious injury.

Strength training should be a part of every woman’s lifestyle. Whether you are focusing on being healthier or simply trying to maintain your body, building muscle mass is key in our fight against aging.

GERD. If you’ve got it, you know it. Some folks like to call it heartburn while others do not describe the sensation as burning, but of pressure behind the breast plate. Symptoms often include chest pain, difficulty swallowing, and nausea, while for me it actually makes me teeth ache.  

For those who suffer from Gastroesophageal reflux disease there is hope to not only get rid of the symptoms, but to be done with GERD all together. Simply put, losing weight will lessen the severity or cause the problem to simply go away.

I suffered with GERD for at least eight years and while over the counter drugs such as Tagament would alleviate the symptoms, they would return. I stopped eating acidic foods (tomato, citrus fruits), gave up coffee, and quit chewing gum. All of which helped, most of the time.

Eventually I found digestive enzymes which worked great. But I was bothered that I was chained to a pill in order to eat. I knew there had to be a better way. Which of course there is, it’s called weight loss.

Now don’t get me wrong, if I eat spicy foods or highly acidic foods, I’ll have heartburn. What I’ve learned is that as long as I stay below a certain weight, for the most part, I do not experience any GERD. None.

Having lost 18 lbs, I don’t sleep propped up in bed. I eat the occasional chocolate,chew gum, and even drink coffee. No Gerd.

Losing weight has so many benefits that it truly staggers the mind. If you suffer from GERD and are over weight, continue taking the medication that helps you, but consider losing some weight and see if it doesn’t cure what ails you. Keep in mind that the drugs that are used to treat GERD can often cause other problems, such as vitamin deficiency and loss of bone density.

For more information on GERD visit these helpful sites: 

http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-gerd-ess.html

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/acid_reflux.html 

Diets fail because the dieter doesn’t change their lifestyle. It’s really as simple as that. Yes, you will lose weight on any number of diets on the market today, but will you maintain it or will you return to your former eating habits? To affect real change stop dieting and start eating healthy.

The word “diet” has a negative connotation to it. To the female mind it can mean repression, guilt, avoidance. It means to give up. My challenge to you today is avoid the entire concept of dieting. When asked, I tell people I’m not dieting and I mean it. I count calories, I track my food (each and every bite), and I think before I eat.

It hasn’t been easy. I’ve blown it here and there. But interestingly enough I’m finding that it is easier to say no to foods I would have wolfed down before. Why? I’ve retrained my brain. It goes something like this:

I can have a donut if I want to, but I’ll have to pay for it later. By paying I refer to the extra time working out or the veggie dinner I’ll be enjoying while everyone else eats pasta. For me it’s about choosing to eat what I want, when I want.

Counting calories has changed the way I think about food. For instance, if my family wants to go out for dinner, I decide what I’ll eat before we leave. I no longer guess how many calories something might have. I eat dark chocolate, but I also eat tons of vegetables. I try to avoid fried foods, but enjoy a slice of pizza every now and then.

 I eat smaller portions of meat and carbs. I eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. I drink coffee and an occasional diet soda. Is there anything I won’t eat? Not really, but I’ve learned to cut servings in half and still enjoy a meal. Basically, I eat what I want and because I’m not feeling deprived (and I’m still losing weight) I can see myself sticking eating this way for the rest of my life.

“That’s fine for you”, I hear you say, “but I don’t like vegetables. What am I supposed to do?”

If you truly don’t like vegetables, then I have only one suggestion for you: portion control. A woman I know has digestion issues and simply cannot eat very many vegetables. In order to lose weight and control her diabetes she started cutting her portions in half.

She stopped using a regular size dinner plate and instead used a dessert plate. She carefully choose smaller portions at meal time and allowed herself snacks (for instance the 100 calorie snack packs that are so popular) throughout the day. She stopped drinking three or four sodas per day and instead opted for one 6 ounce soda per day. In two years this woman lost over 100 lbs by portion control alone.

Losing weight is hard work. It’s as much mental as it is physical. Learn to think about food as fuel and not as comfort. Eat to live, but don’t live to eat. Enjoy a treat every now and then.

The strength you’ll find in controlling how and what you eat will empower you to succeed. Take it one day at a time and remember you’re NOT on a diet you are getting healthy and taking control of your life!

I love fruit and amazingly enough I didn’t realize how sweet and yummy fruit truly is until I stopped eating processed, sugar laced goodies. Fruit is amazing! Today I’d like to take the opportunity to share some great fruits that not only taste wonderful, but do your body a world of good as well.

Bananas

• 93% carbs.
• They have 5.9 mg of calcium.
• And 0.3 mgs of Iron.
• Americans consumes over 28 pounds of bananas each year.
• Bananas contain tryptophan which good for treating depression
• Bananas are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C
• Considered a “runners” food because it kicks in and stays with you
• It is said that bananas contain everything a human needs and they contain all the 8 amino-acids our body cannot produce itself

Blueberries·       

•   84 Calories per cup·        
•   21 grams of carbs·        
•  The leader in antioxidants·       
•  They have natural anti-inflammatory properties·        
•  Blueberries may be effective inhibitors of both the initiation and promotion stages of cancer.·   
•  Like Cranberries they promote urinary tract health·        
•  They are heart healthy and also promote healthy levels of cholestrol

Watermelon·        

•  46 calories per cup·        
• 12 grams of carbs·        
• The watermelon is really a vegetable and a cousin to the cucumber·        
• Watermelon is a great source of Vitamin B6 and B1as well as being packed with potassium and magnesium.·        
• One cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the RDA for vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the RDA for vitamin A.

Apples·        

• 65 calories·        
• 17 grams of carbs·        
• A good source of soluble fiber which helps to prevent cholesterol. ·        
• Always eat the skin of an apple as it contains almost half the vitamin C underneath the skin. 
• Apples slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream thus helping to control insulin levels.

For more great foods and fun ways to incorporate the five a day philosophy into your diet, visit http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/

Last time we spoke about Osteoporosis and some of the ways we as women forty and over can help to lessen our susceptibility to this disease. Interestingly enough, I came across an article in the Oregonian stating that many drugs used to build bone may actually do just the opposite.

Patients who have used bone building drugs called bisphosphonates for more than five years complain of weeks or months of aches and pains in the thigh bone. Some people have suffered fractures that are typical of an auto accident and even report that they believe the break happened BEFORE they hit the ground.

While doctors are stressing that these types of fracture are very rare, they are still happening. Bisphosphonates, which include Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva, have been prescribed to help patients avoid breaks. But long term use, over five years, seems to be doing just the opposite.

All of which leads to the importance of keeping your bones strong NOW. My last blog pointed out some ways to avoid Osteoporosis. For more information about your risk factor visit www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX

Source:

Parker-Pope T. (2008, July 24). Bone-Building drugs may do the opposite. The Oregonian, pp. E7

What exactly is Osteoporosis and how will it affect me, a woman over forty? Osteoporosis is a weakening in bone strength. As we age and estrogen levels fall, bones can weaken and the possibility of a fracture or broken bone is more likely to occur. While all the causes are not known, there are certain factors that place a woman at a higher risk of developing Osteoporosis.

Age, diet, activity level and family history all play a part in determining if a woman will lose bone mass. And while other factors take a role in deciding whether a woman is a risk, the important issue is to stop bone loss before it happens.

The first step to take is to meet with your doctor to discuss your risk factors and have a bone density test done to determine if the disease is present. You should also stop smoking and limit alcohol consumption. The more physically active you are the better and make sure your exercise routine includes strength training. Osteoporosis threatens nearly 55% of the American public over age 50, by taking some simple steps now, you can avoid a broken hip later.

Are you at risk? Take this short questionnaire to find out:

• Do you have a small, thin frame?
• Are you Caucasian or Asian?
• Are you postmenopausal?
• Did you enter menopause early – either naturally or surgically induced?
• Have you been treated with Chemotherapy?
• Is your diet low in calcium rich foods?
• Are you physically inactive?
• Do you smoke?
• Do you drink excessively?

The more times you answer “yes” to any of these questions, the higher your risk of Osteoporosis.

A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is essential for bone health. Food suggestions include low fat dairy products, almonds, cooked spinach and broccoli, and don’t forget lean meats which provide protein for muscle maintenance. Exercise such as walking, jogging, running, weight lifting, low impact aerobics, and balance exercises add strength to both muscle and bone.

Do not be fooled into thinking you are too young to worry about Osteoporosis. This silent disease can attack at any age. Fighting it now can help you stay healthy from the inside out for years to come.

Further reading:

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_web/fnic/page_images/diet_and_disease_section_bar.gif

http://www.medicinenet.com/osteoporosis/article.htm

The fitness ball is an essential weapon in your weight-loss arsenal. It allows you to not only strengthen the core muscles, but it tones the entire body. Balance, resistance, and flexibility add to the over all benefits of using a fitness or exercise ball.

When purchasing a fitness ball it is important to choose a burst resistant ball. Unlike other, flimsier balls, a burst resistant ball will not burst as a balloon does. Instead, if punctured, the burst resistant ball will deflate in a slow manner. Thus the user will be safer.

Another important thing to remember is to purchase the correct size. Yes, it’s true: size does matter (at least when it comes to fitness balls!). Follow this basic guideline when purchasing the ball:

If you are 4’11” to 5’3” choose a 55cm ball

If you are 5’4” to 5’10” you’ll need a 65cm ball

And if you are 5’11 or taller purchase a 75cm ball

Using your new fitness ball can be as easy as following the suggested exercises that your ball comes with, popping in a DVD (such as the total body workouts from Gaiam), or visiting a website to find the right exercises to fit your level of fitness.

I have found ExerciseBallworkouts.net to be very informative and useful. Youtube also has many short videos to get you started.

No matter what fitness level you are at, an exercise or fitness ball can help you achieve the body you want. Remember to stretch out, work hard, and have fun.

You’ve pulled a muscle, torn a ligament, or something simply isn’t right. Now what? Working out with an injury can be done with some careful thought and planning.

First, it’s very important to get a diagnosis from your doctor. Exercising while in chronic pain will not lead to anything good. You run the risk of further injury and possibly permanent damage. Always see your doctor at the first sign of injury.

It is always a good idea to ask your doctor about doing alternate exercises when you’ve been injured. If you have a lower body injury, why not work on the upper body. You’re not doomed to the couch simply because you can’t go to the track. Be creative. If you’ve experienced an upper body injury shift your focus to your lower body. There are a multitude of exercises that can be done to work various muscles groups while give the injury time to heal.

The key to exercising with an injury is to listen to your body, apply some common sense, and listen to your doctor.

I’ve posted this video of chair stretches to give you some ideas of what can be done from a sitting position. These short stretching exercises are great for any time, injured or not.