biking

The dawn of double-nickels

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Age 50 didn’t daunt me as much as 55 is looming. Maybe because I was still grieving my late husband at 50, while trying to just get through day to day. Now, the perspective is wider as life has continued to move forward. At this junction, I feel far more alive! But living doesn’t mean living well. I’m within a week of 55. I clearly realize now, 55 isn’t nearly as old as I thought it was in my 20’s. 55 isn’t old at all. I had proudly said at the big 5-0 birthday that “50 was the new 30”. I believed it too, because I was the fittest I had been in years. What I didn’t know then, but I do now, is that at age 30 you start to lose muscle mass. Dang! We all know that “Aging is inevitable but aging well is not”(gethealthy.com). We have already touched on all the benefits exercise has in store for us in other blogs, but the bottom line is that exercise actually wards of the affects of aging. Exercise is the fountain of youth. The loss of muscle mass is the greatest contributor to the symptoms of aging. According to Muscle, Ligament and Tendon Journal the aging process is defined as “changes in the muscle mass and strength with decline of muscle strength after the 30th year of life.” Fortunately, muscle loss is reversible.
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I feel like the pieces are falling together better now, at almost 55, but they seem to be physically falling apart too. What’s up with that? Additional inflammatory issues, more degenerative disease, throw in more arthritis and have a happy birthday! Really? Yea…that’s not the gift I was wanting. But THAT won’t stop me. I have been working out like some crazy women. I watch calories, record everything, weight and strength train, stretch, run stadiums, hike, bike, don’t drink alcohol, but intake a lot of water, eat mostly a raw and vegan diet with a significant caloric deficit with TINY results. But results non-the less. I think it has to do with my age…. darn it. It’s been documented that “muscle loss nearly doubles after age 50.” (Humankinetics.com) Geezzzzz. That is motivation for me to keep it up with the strength training and keeping the cardio workouts too. If we can add even a small amount of heavy weight training, we’re combating against a lot of degenerative diseases caused by the aging process” according to Nikki Warren, founder and CEO of Kaia FIT, a women’s workout franchise with strength training and HIIT training as its core.

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strength training for all parts of your body is important-including your core


Happy Birthday to me. The best, most long-lasting gift I can give myself is strength and better health, bringing with it stamina and fortitude (and hopefully my slim clothes body back). We are our own best asset. With that idea, I take everything a bit more serious these days looking at the consequences while seeking results. But I still have a loud laugh that accompanies my sense of humor. I am happy and healthy. I live. I love and love to laugh. Every single moment counts. It’s a lifestyle choice to live longer. So, hit the gym and the trails. Just do it. Keep moving. Use it or loose it. I have adventures planned for my body, so I better take the very best care of it. Accept challenges. Break past your comfort zone. Expand. Live out loud and defy the aging process. Appreciate that you are ALIVE. The longer you live the more important strength and health become because the deck begins to stack against you. You can do it! Happy Birthday to everyone. Give yourself the best gift possible filled with love… be fit, be trim and be strong … for YOU. You are worth it!
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rise with the sun and stretch……its good for the body and soul


55 and alive. I’m looking forward to an outstanding year to come. I’ll celebrate and make it great. And I’ll keep hiking and working out too.

Cheers!

-Kat

Checking in on hips and giggles…..

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Here we are almost through the first quarter of the new year. I thought by now my hips would be long gone like the holidays. They are still with me and I have fitness goals that are around the corner. So is my birthday. I will be 55 in April and it seems harder these days to lose the extra weight I have put on this last year. I have researched caloric deficits, appropriate water intake, all the while trying to find out what I am doing wrong.  I exercise at least 5 days per week. I eat healthy. I have documented over 150 days of what I have put in my mouth healthy and not so healthy. Not much has changed. I still can’t fit into my cute clothes. So I kept searching. I think I found the missing piece. I stumbled upon the importance of my heart rate range. The fat burning range instead of the fitness range with a high intense workout seems to be important.

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That was it. I needed a heart rate monitor to be aware of  the range I was working out in. My mom bought me a monitor for an early birthday present….Thank you Mom. I needed to find my fat burning heart rate range by  knowing my maximum heart rate. With that you could find where you should be while doing your exercises. (Your maximum heart = 220 – your age. The fat burning range is 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate.) My monitor display in on a wrist watch and also reads through my phone via apps. The apps are a great way to store the data and look for  fitness improvements in hiking, biking and running.

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I have a hiking trip in May to explore the UK, a 175 mile through hike in July and a marathon in August, as side from the daily desire to just feel healthier. Plus packing extra weight while hiking, biking or running makes doing so more difficult. The fat burning heart rate range during my exercise routine has been beneficial  but I still wanted something to “shake up” my metabolism and get the process of weight loss to really be on its way. Again I started to research methods to do just that. I came across lots of information about fasting for several days to intermittent fasting as well. It turns out we humans have an innate ability to fast without negative consequences to our bodies. In fact the research supports more pro’s than con’s when it comes to fasting.  After I read all about fasting I decided to buy raw cold pressed organic fruit and vegetable juices to help me through the fasting process of the first few days.

The first day of fasting we utilize our glucose supply. The second day we start to use our protein supply which is our muscles. The third day we get into our  lipids which is our stored fats. I started my fast with drinking juice every two hours about 8-16 ounces and drank lots of water. I exercised daily up to 3 hours a day. I used the steam room, the jacuzzi and massage to help drain my lymphatic system. I did not feel hungry. I did not have a headache. I felt great. It was much easier than I thought it would be. By the third day I was still feeling great but thought for my first fast 3 days was plenty. I re-introduced fruit and protein shakes on the fourth day and by the sixth day my eating habits were back to normal. I weighed myself and I had lost 3 pounds. This set the stage for more weight loss and reset my metabolism. I was on my way to being lighter.  I’m finally seeing the results I sought. Yippee.

With all this due diligence I am hoping to stay on track and continue to condition and train while losing the extra pounds. I do however keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat so results may come slower if you are weight training. The weather is getting warmer here in sunny Tucson. The snakes have already come out to bask in it but that doesn’t stop me from hiking. Hiking is actually a fantastic way to get out doors, exercise and burn fat. So here’s to all who seek a lighter self…..get out there and be smart. Work out in the fat burning range and see the results you want faster and consistently.

Workout smarter not harder!

-Kat

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Wanderlust: A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel or wander

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297I have THAT! Do you? It has been a life-long condition for me. I’m not sure there is a cure (nor do I want one). I have immediate and affordable remedies that help the ailment on a day to day basis. My first aid to the never-ending desire is to ‘HIKE’: being outside in nature releases some of the irresistible feelings of that “gotta go” sensation for me. Exploring your neighborhood to the local trails can curb some of the desire. I’ve lived in Tucson for almost 30 years and I continue to find “new-to-me” trails that sound just as exciting as the regular ones I always hike. Just a little bit of time and research can bring you to different destinations that will allow the desire to explore to flourish.

That wanderlust feeling creeps into my head and heart often and usually I start to set my sights on far-away places. Of late I have been taking a deep breath and refocusing on closer areas in Tucson or Arizona to satisfy the impulse. There are a lot of exciting places to discover  within minutes or a couple hours distance in the state. I bet it is true for you as well if you just did a little research to see what exists near you. Social media has assisted my search for the exposure to locations around Tucson and Arizona. Facebook hiking groups from Tucson and all of Arizona consistently add new destinations of wonder that I hadn’t heard about that are added to my growing list of must -sees!

Some where in my mind as long as I have a plan to go investigate a new location the bubbling feelings of wanderlust calms down. The desire to learn something new, be exposed to a different area or find an incredible hidden gem all propel the wanderlust in me. If you too have such an infliction you might try my remedies. Investigate your immediate areas by foot or by bike. Tucson just added a new leg of the already existing bike trail.  It connected existing parts of the trail making for longer distances easier to travel. Does your town have a bike trail?

At my age I have come to accept the feelings that float inside me. I continue to try to appease myself with budget friendly solutions. Hiking and biking my own town and surrounding areas can be the answer. It takes less planning and has immediate gratification. The familiarity you ultimately end up with adds to the comfort you can feel calling your town your home. I love Tucson and the surrounding areas that continue to surprise me with such unique beauty. I’m thankful I live in a place where my wanderlust compulsion can be satisfied.IMG_1176[1]

Honestly, it doesn’t mean I don’t dream of far-away places……it just means that while I’m in town I don’t need to stay in one place. GO explore!

-Kat