Have Fun, Work Up a Sweat, and to Rehydrate When You're Done

In today's BWD, dance like you just don't care who's watching, maintain your progress, and turn the task of drinking water into a treat. May it bless you.

BURNING FAT BY SHAKING YOUR BOOTY

Bad news for the No Pain No Gain crowd, especially when it comes to burning calories.  The graphic says it all. If you really want to abuse your fat storehouse, put on your dancing shoes.

The folks at SilverSneakers have put together a persuasive argument for making Zumba part of your wellness plan, especially if one of your goals is weight reduction. You will burn more calories in an hour long class than you will running that 5K.

And if I might add my own editorial note here: nobody looks more awkward than I do in a Zumba class, but I can't think of anything I've done at the Y that made me laugh as much while sweating. It really is a joyful way to be around great people, keep your mind working, and your smile muscles in olympic condition.

And the musical fusion of Caribbean, African, Hip Hop, and Latin rhythms? Awesome!

GETTING OFF THE PLATEAU
It happens to everybody if they stick with their workout long enough. When you start, your enthusiasm grows as the pounds on the scale melt away and the pounds on the barbell increase. You can't believe you waited so long to start exercising. Visions of your new, fit body fill your imagination as you plan your new wardrobe. Then after 8 to 12 weeks, everything seems to stop changing. Your times on the road aren't getting any faster. You can't even add those little 2 1/2 pound plates to your bench press. And the scale has started mocking you. Do you need to work harder? Maybe not. Logan Franklin's Gray Iron Fitness Newsletter targets senior exercisers, but the principles he describes in Avoiding Plateaus are sound no matter what your age or fitness level. You hit a plateau when your body adapts. Franklin offers some ideas for making changes to keep your progress moving without losing the fun.

Logan Franklin:
Not a bad looking 79 year old...

Train with variety. Mix it up. Change your routine. Do high reps for a while. Then switch to medium reps with heavier weights. You get the idea. 
Most people make greater progress training this way. And most enjoy their training more. Regular exercise requires self-discipline, but the enjoyment aspect has to be part the lifestyle if it’s to be lasting.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
Water. Essential, right? Of course, right. But boring? Oh, man. You know how important water is to everything your body is and does, but sooner or later gulping down all that H2O starts to feel like a chore. You could dump an envelope or squeeze some colored weirdness into your glass. But who knows what that stuff really does to your body? Here are some recipes from LIVESTRONG for using real food to put the pleasure back in your water without turning hydration into a chemistry experiment.

Ahhhhh...

Sleeping, Stretching, and Ways to Enjoy Summer Tomatoes.

In today's BWD: Getting the sleep you need; keeping a flexible foundation: and what to do with all them "maters." May it bless you.

 

Sleep can be kind of a hassle. Nothing seems to get accomplished when you're asleep. Sleep takes up a whole room in most of our homes. It creates tons of laundry, can sometimes scare the daylights out of you, and some of us can never seem to get enough of it. According to the documentary Sleepless in America, from National Geographic, 40 % of adults and 70% of adolescents are sleep deprived. The consequences of sleep loss are all bad. Without sleep, our reactions slow, our thoughts cloud, memory weakens, emotions become more erratic, and our immune system grows less able to protect us. In almost every sense of the word, losing sleep makes you sick.

What to do to get better sleep? In an article on his web site, Mercola.com, Dr. Joseph Mercola has pulled some great ideas together, including:

• Avoid TV and Computer screens for an hour before bedtime
• Get out in the sunshine during the day
• Keep your bedroom dark
• Take a hot bath 90 - 120 minutes before bedtime

I'm always preaching that if exercise makes you weak, then sleep makes you strong. Only when you are sleeping does your body have the time and resources to rebuild the damage that your day's activities and stresses have done to your mind, body, and spirit. And of course, sooner or later every preacher has to listen to his own advice.

Last week, after complaining to my doctor about the fatigue that has persisted since my cancer treatment ended, I had a sleep study done. I wasn't sure what to expect, but found it to be interesting and strangely relaxing. Here is my blog about Pennsy's Night in the Sleep Lab. If you are concerned about the quality of your sleep, or if your partner has to wear hearing protection because of your snoring, you might want to look into this procedure.

Flexible legs can be the difference between agility and agony. What's the use of working to get strong muscles if they aren't flexible enough to do the things you want to do? To paraphrase Dr Joseph Pilates, if you are stiff at 30, you are old; if you are flexible at 60, you are young. Stretching is a simple, but crucial part of any wellness plan, no matter what your age or level of activity.

Here is an easy to remember, 4 minute Lower Body Stretching Routine from, SparkPeople that will help keep your legs and hips limber and ready to take on whatever your day has in store.

Tomatoes are thriving in the hot, rainy, Bluegrass summer this year. One of the perks of my job as a fitness instructor is that when people are overwhelmed by the bounty in their gardens, they like to bring me gifts like these. Only trouble is, there aren't any presidential candidates coming to Lexington any time soon, and I don't know what to do with all them 'maters before they go bad.

This link will take you to one of those irritating slide shows on WebMD called Ten Ways to Serve a Tomato, but be patient. There are a few ideas in there that may make you look at the "Love Apple" in a whole new way.

Recipies to Warm Body and Soul

In today's Sunday edition of BWD, soups and stews to take the edge off of winter's chill. May it bless you.

Cooking always feels a little different to me in the winter. The closed up windows hold in the warm aromas of baking and stewing. Bread seems to rise with more enthusiasm. Wine feels better going down. And the crock pot is always within arm's reach. I remember my Grandmother chopping carrots and celery; the smell of the boiled chicken as she pulled it off the bone; the thump and whirr of the rolling pin as she pressed out dough for noodles. On another day, Mum might be dicing potatoes and browning beef for her legendary beef stew with dumplings while the kitchen windows fogged up with steamy promises. Yeah, winter is soup time. Here are a few ideas from my Pinterest board for you to try.

Variation on the Classics

Chicken, Avacado, Lime Soup

Low Calorie French Onion Soup

Slow Cooker Southwest Chili

Or, if you're feeling more adventurous..

Shrimp and Crab Gumbo

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

  Bon Appétit y'all!

The Kitchen Junk Drawer

It wasn't really junk. More like a collection of treasures too specific and odd to fit in one of the other categories that Gramma used to keep her meticulous little kitchen organized. You never knew what marvels might be in there. String from bakery boxes. A ball of rubber bands. Twist ties for garbage bags. The big, heavy red handled kitchen scissors. A bottle opener or two. An old letter. A tiny hammer with a handle that unscrewed to reveal an even tinier screwdriver hidden inside. A couple of those Fun Size Snickers bars that she used to sneak to the dog. And a little envelope full of coupons and recipes snipped from cereal boxes, can labels, and any other source that might come along. I don't think she ever really cleaned the junk drawer out. But I remember pulling everything out of it and spreading it across her kitchen table, just to see what all was in there. It was like being a treasure hunter. I have a little drawer like that on my computer. Here is a collection of treasures I found while sorting through my own junk drawer this morning. May it bless you.

Be Well,
Bob

SEEDS, ROOTS, NUTS, AND SPICES

Christopher McDougall's ultramarathon classic Born To Run
turned me on to Chis Seeds. Dig the possibilities.

Aw, nuts!

Joe Cross, producer of Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead
on the new root in town.

You can make THAT with protein powder?

RECIPES

Yummy summer salad.

Pesto from Beet greens? Why not?

Warm, fresh Naan:
One of my favorite things about Indian dining.

Unstuffed Bell Peppers? Gramma would have loved this one.

10 recipes for cornbread? Somebody pass the Sorghum.

I've never had much luck with home made pizza crust.
But this one looks promising.

NUTRITION

Fact or Fad?

Trying to steer clear of salt is like trying to avoid
Pennsyltucky potholes.

70 pictures of what a 200 calorie serving looks like.
It's a good news/bad news kind of thing...

Food IS medicine

Wellness That Feels Good, Tastes Good, And Makes You Smile

Today on BWD: a look at the fact and fiction that surrounds that macho legend about "No Pain, No Gain"; a look at an August garden treasure; and the joyful marriage of two great loves. May it bless you.
Be Well,
Bob

MIND: No Pain, No Pain

It's time to change the way you think about DOMS, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Much of what we're taught turns out not to be true. This thought provoking piece from The Daily Burn challenges the myths and offers some truths about the No Pain, No Gain ethic that keeps so many people away from the gym, and exercise in general. Maybe wellness doesn't have to hurt!

BODY: If You Can't Beat 'Em, Eat 'Em.

Indulge me. Today's Run Bob Run celebrates that ubiquitous and much cursed August vegetable, the Zucchini. I've collected a pantry full of recipes to help you enjoy the squash that just won't go away until pumpkin time. There are a couple of old favorites, and one or two that sound so weird I'm just going to have to try them. Enjoy, as we celebrate ZUCCHINIPALOOZA! 2014.

SPIRIT: Do What You Love; Love What You Do

The universe rejoices when two great passions come together. Poetry and Music. Hitting and Fielding. Chocolate and Peanut Butter. Running and Knitting? You bet. The story of David Babcock's Kansas City Marathon will make you smile. It just will.