Truth2BeingFit.com

World Cancer Day

2012-02-04T05:00:00Z

Saturday February 4, 2012

Light a Candle in Support of World Cancer Day

February 4, 2012

We invite you to light a candle in honor or in memory of someone in support of World Cancer Day. Take a moment to think about the light of the person's life and to allow it to brighten your own. Then click on the image below, find an unlit candle and click on it to share the light with your message.

or View the Candles

This online event is brought to you by the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative. Sarcomas are not preventable, but many cancers are. We encourage you to take steps to prevent cancer in your family. For those cancers that are not preventable, awareness and research funding are critical, and you can help! Together we are stronger.

On February 4, CDC joins organizations around the world in supporting World Cancer Day to promote ways to reduce the burden of cancer. Each year globally, 12.7 million people learn they have cancer, and 7.6 million people die from the disease. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease; it kills more than half a million Americans every year.

For those that have been with me for a while, you know that my mom died from liposarcoma. You can read more about it on the green sidebar of my blog. I have also lost other loved ones to cancer & have other loved ones fighting it right now. Please light a candle & do what you can to spread the word. Thank you!

Blueberry Chia Jam & More Chia Recipes;Wear RED Day!

2012-02-03T04:56:00Z

Friday February 3, 2012

National Wear Red Day - Go Red for Women! Make a difference!

Overview - More women die of cardiovascular disease than from the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. But 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking. Make it your mission to learn all you can about heart attacks and stroke — don’t become a statistic. CALL 9-1-1

If you missed my "Commercial Post" yesterday, please check it out!

So many of you may already know that Carla has been posting & doing videos on her love of all that is chia! In one post, she had a video of her making strawberry chia jam. Right after that, I read a recipe for the same thing in Oxygen Women's Fitness Magazine.

So, after all the yammering by Carla, MizFit, I had to get some chia! I already use flax but why not both & switch it up!

I bought this brand of chia seeds below:

Per the Carla video & the Oxygen Magazine recipe:

1. I took my chia seeds & placed them in about 2 ounces of water. You can vary this depending on how much you want to make for yourself. I mixed it up & let that sit for about 30 minutes or more while I did other stuff. It formed into a gel like substance.

2. I mashed up my organic wild blueberries & mixed them in with the chia gel. I added a little bit of stevia to sweeten it up - just me.

Voila! That is it & you can use any fruit you want to - frozen or fresh. I only had frozen so I defrosted in the microwave first & went from there.

I put it on my toast like the pic above - first some of my all natural, no salt PB mixed with chia & flax**. Then I added the BB chia jam. You only see a bit in that pic because that was my first try & I was being careful not to ruin the whole piece of toast in case I did not like it.

**For those that have read me for a while, I always have mixed in flax to my PB. Now, I am doing a mixture of flax & chia! I like the extra healthy punch!

TASTES GOOD TO ME! I also have added it to my oatmeal & my 0% Fage yogurt. Hey, you can put it on your fave healthy pancake recipe, on an apple or anything your heart desires!

Do you eat chia now? Will you try after reading my post & watching Carla's video? Want to pass on a chia recipe - PLS DO!

Another recipe for you to check out by PowerCakes: Chocolate Chia Pudding! She has lots more chia recipes over there!

The Jody Commercial!

2012-02-02T04:55:00Z

Thursday February 2, 2012

OK - got ya! No, I am not in a commercial BUT I am promoting myself to brands & companies out there looking for very "seasoned" people in the health, fitness & workout arena! I have been there & done that many times over. I have learned from my mistakes- oh yes I have!!! I have also collected a wealth of knowledge from all my years of doing this & I want to share it with the world!

FUN FACT: I was using stability balls in the many ways that came out 1-2 years after I started with them - oh yes, true!!! If only I knew then what I know now!

What I Know: For me, this is life, my lifestyle. I don't look at it as a diet or maintenance or anything like that - I never have. I went into this to lose weight way back when I was young. I knew then that this was life & I would always be working out in some way. I knew then that I could not go back to eating like I did before I lost the weight. I NEVER LOOKED AT IT THAT WAY! Yes, I had to learn how to balance the foods so that I could still enjoy treats but the choices I made to get fit & healthy - that was always the way life was going to be... all I did was evolve over time & learn more!

MY "COMMERCIAL":

As a FitFluential ambassador, we will have opportunities to work and/or write for health & fitness brands. That EXCITES me! I want to show men & women of ALL AGES that it is worth it! I have done things wrong & learned from my mistakes & that is what it is about – never giving up! At 54 years old, I can speak from experience about the ups & downs, the hard times with 60+ hour work weeks, the age related changes & more. I feel I have what it takes to be a prime example for the many brands and companies out there looking to show people how health & fitness is doable and can be done with longevity!

I may not be the biggest loser, as they say, but I am a great example of how to lose AND maintain long term!

I have been living health and fitness for over 30 years. I have maintained & improved so I obviously know “how to do it”. Brands, it is time to talk to me! By the way, 24 Hour Fitness, I have been a member since 1982. What a great campaign to show members what can happen if you stick with it long term! Hint Hint!!!!

Well, I know you want to hear more, so here is my story!

I have been living the health/fitness life for over 30 years! There were times I did things wrong! My 30 plus years have taught me much including my motto – always learning & always evolving! My ability to learn over time & change things as I aged has allowed me to live this healthy life for this long. I intend to be at it well into old age or my grave as they say….

I lost my initial weight in high school after getting fed up with how I felt being overweight. It also took an emotional toll on me being teased about being fat when I was younger. Many can relate to this! Those feelings stick with us way too long and rear their ugly head when we least expect it!

I lost the weight at first by changing my eating habits. I stopped eating too much & too much of the wrong things. I was active in high school drill team but it was not like I was working out other than that. I went to school, worked & changed my eating habits.

In college, I kept some of it off but a few pounds landed on me due to a full schedule of school and working.

Once out of college, I joined a local women’s gym. Yes, they had them back then & I took advantage of it. I worked on getting better at eating & started working out regularly, including weights, which was not "in" for women 25++ years ago!

The thing was – I really was not eating right even though I thought I was eating right! I was eating based on what I heard other women say – salads & not enough protein & not enough healthy fat & TOO FEW calories!

I joined Family Fitness in 1982. They are now known as 24 Hour Fitness. I would take aerobic classes but I never stopped my love of lifting weights so I was still doing that as well – one of the few women in love with weights that I knew of back then.

In my late 20’s I began running & I started running 5K’s. I did well & even won & placed in my age group. All along, I kept weight training as part of my routine. When my knees started to bother me in my early 30’s due to the hard core running, I switched over to "NOT racing" but still running & cross training in the gym with other cardio machines – CROSS TRAIN - SO IMPORTANT!

Yes, you know this is coming – I still kept up the weight training. In my mid 30’s, a guy in the gym asked me if I ever thought about competing. Competing in what was my first thought? That is what lead me to train & compete in amateur bodybuilding in my late 30’s. I competed 2 years & won for my age group & overall both years! Even though I already loved lifting weights, I was now hooked forever. I love lifting! There is nothing like the feeling of being healthy & strong!

I now do a circuit training routine that many people half my age may have trouble doing! I mix it up with my cardio but also maintain a hardcore weight routine along with stretching & core work. I make sure I cover all the bases! I intend to be doing this in my 80's and 90's! Taking care of myself and not relying on others as I age is important to me!

Every day is a new experience for me. I always want to allow myself to learn & improve & evolve & live this amazing healthy life long term. At 54, I look forward to helping others experience how wonderful this feels at all ages! I want to inspire young people to start early & see that they can maintain long term and I want to let older people know that IT IS POSSIBLE!

Who knows if anything will come of this BUT it does not matter. I am still very proud of all I have accomplished thru the years!

Thank you for reading & thx to my readers out there that inspire me every day! If you are interested in being part of the FitFluential team, click here!

Getting Healthy with Self-Love!

2012-02-01T04:55:00Z

Wednesday February 1, 2012

credit

I have written about the Miss Representation campaign before & recently wrote about the challenge to compliment people on their accomplishments & talents rather than their physical appearance HERE.

Their next healthy challenge is:

Our next step in getting healthy involves looking critically at our notions of perfection as they relate to our appearance, personal lives and professional lives. Given America's unhealthy obsession with youth and beauty (not to mention the fact that media is everywhere), it is nearly impossible to completely avoid appearance-based judgement. However, what if we set our own standards of beauty, rather than accepting those projected onto us? What if we stopped criticizing ourselves when we looked in the mirror and instead celebrated that which is unique and authentic to each of us (like our strong muscles or our kind eyes)?

Too often we reach for literally impossible goals when it comes to feeling good about ourselves, despite studies showing that 86% of women say they actually feel most beautiful when they are happy and fulfilled in their lives.

This week's Get Healthy action is about giving yourself the gift of self-love and acceptance. It's time to stop being so hard on yourself, to let go of "perfectionism," and to celebrate your authenticity.

Take 10 minutes this week to step back, breathe and appreciate who you are and where you are in your life. Write down or think of three things you love about your appearance, your personal life, and your professional life. Use these notes as inspiration during the rest of your week and don't be surprised if feelings of gratitude arise!

From Jody: I think this is really important, especially for women that do get caught up in the need to be all for their kids & loved ones & husband & work & whatever else they do in life. Along with that, the media hits us with how we should look & how young we must be.. it can be very overwhelming & devastating to our self-esteem.

It is pretty hard to achieve your goals or lose that weight when you don't think you are worth it. YOU ARE but the learning to get there is often hard. Know you are worth it. Maybe the Miss Representation exercise above will help you.

Honestly, when I lost my weight and even at times when I got fitter over time, I was not always in the "I am worth it" stage BUT I kept at it anyway. DO NOT LET THAT INNER VOICE that says "you can't do it or you are not worth it" SILENCE YOU! If you keep at it, you can silence the inner voice that tells you otherwise!!!

Carla wrote a great post HERE Monday & with that post, how about we all try to do the Miss Representation exercise here or the other or both! What we do here can be put in that box Carla writes about over there!

After I wrote this post - Carla wrote THIS. That was me & sometimes still is ... I try anyways... I may have to fake it to at least get started but getting started is what counts & then you go from there!!!

Awesome Arms - Banish Bat Wings! Happy Bday!

2012-01-31T04:55:00Z

Tuesday January 31, 2012

We are having a power outage here today - not sure all the times BUT I may be out of commission on the computer until later so if you don't see me out in social media, that is why!

First, happy bday to my son-in-law, Kevin! He is married to the youngest daughter who lives here in southern CA. He is a great son-in-law, like them all, so ENJOY if you can - I know - a work day! :-O

On to ARMS! One exercise with at least 20 different ways to do it. I want to show you how you can take any exercise & find different ways to do it - and it will feel different when you do it too! Mix it up - keep what many say is boring weights to a minimum. I had this ready to post but Marian wrote a great post too over HERE!

Today I am just talking about the triceps - may women like to call them their bat wings since they tease that they flap all around! YES, you have to work all parts of the arms but I am just talking triceps today... and only one of may exercises for the triceps with variations on how you can change it up. I am also talking DB's and barbells BUT if you are at home, you can use anything you have around the house (water bottles, bags of sugar or flour, detergent bottles or even an empty one filled with water, cans, outside tools that may work for a bar, exercise bands - get creative!)

USE PROPER FORM AT ALL TIME THOUGH!!!! Do NOT sacrifice form for more weight!!!

Overhead Triceps Extension:

1. Dumbbell (D overhead triceps extension - This link is from ACE, American Council on Exercise. You can do it standing, sitting or sitting on a stability ball.

2. Single DB triceps Extension - doing 1 arm at a time. Do it standing, sitting or sitting on a stability ball.

3. Lying DB extension - using 1 DB (don't knock your forehead!) & I do mine a tad different but this is a good safe video, using both arms with a DB in each hand , 1 arm pronated DB extension.

4. All of the above exercises with barbells OR if you have a EZ curl bar which may be easier on some people's wrists - do the exercise above that you can with a bar! I sometimes use just the bar depending on where I am in my circuit & how heavy the bar is - some are heavier than others even with no weight. DON'T feel bad about that!

5. The reason I put the previous link to the EZ curl bar incline skull crusher is to show you another way to do this exercise on an incline bench with dumbbells, barbells, EZ curl bar or anything you have at home if you have a bench there.

6. AND, you can do all of the above on a decline bench as well!

Listen - so many ways to work the triceps inside & outside the gym. YES, I took a little liberty with the exercises I showed you for the triceps extensions but I really want to show you how easy it is to change it up. HERE is a link to the website & many more triceps (bat wings) exercises. You can check out all body parts too!

AND DO NOT FORGET PUSH-UPS!!! You all know I love my push-ups & they can be done anywhere in many ways! The diamond shape & close grip push-ups really work those arms!!!

SO... how boring is it now??? I know some of you will still say it is BUT I am trying to help you mix it up!

You have a fave triceps exercise. I like so many! I do love dips - hands on one bench & feet on another & weight plates on my lap! I know they hurt some people's shoulders but I don't have issues with that. I also really love the incline triceps extensions with DBs & EZ curl bar! Don't forget all the attachments at the gym for cable machine work too!!!

Gratitude Monday & A Healthy Heart; Squirrel Nut Zippers

2012-01-30T04:48:50Z

Monday January 30, 2012

Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here!

Today I am grateful for being healthy at age 54! I have worked hard for many many years & have had few injuries over the years so that is a great thing!!! Yes, I wore out the balls of my feet but my Hoka shoes have solved that - THX SHERI! Also enjoyed some amazing southern CA weather this past weekend - loving that!

I am also excited to share Lori's Blogger's Healthy Heart Weekend! Here is what she wrote:

On this weekend, do some kind of activity on 1 of the 3 days of Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. You don’t have to have a blog in order to join, either.

Like last year, I just want this to be a focus on getting healthy. If you want to walk, that’s fine. Elliptical bunny? Knock yourself out! Take a long bike ride? Go for it! The only stipulation is that you need to take a picture of yourself before, during, or after your event and send it to me. I will post the pictures here. Get creative, too! You don’t have to have your face in the photo if you don’t want to, so have fun with it!

Date: Just before Valentine’s, of course! February 10th, 11th, and 12th! Feel free to chose Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to complete your event.

Distance: Your choice. I know many of you are training for an event, so you can use whatever distance fits in with your training plan. It’s all about a healthy heart, not a specific distance or time.

After you complete your event, please email me the photo and what you did at javaqueen01 (at) yahoo.com .

Please post below if you would like to participate and what you plan to do! Feel free to post about it on your blog if you have one and see how many people we can get to participate! You may grab the logo above and link as well. Last year we had 50 sign ups, but only 36 actually did it. Let’s get at least that many this year!

I will be giving away some prizes, too. I just have to think of some. You can be from wherever in the world since I am the one sending – you don’t have to just live in the US.!

I know 1 prize will be some coffee roasted by yours truly. Or some local tea if the person selected doesn’t drink coffee (GASP!!).

I need to come up with a couple other prizes, but I wanted to get this sign up post going.

OK - head on over to Lori's place & sign up!!! Maybe you will win that special coffee of hers!!! It is not a contest or like you have to go crazy. Why not invite others & get the family involved too!

Happy Gratitude Monday! For those that will not stop by tomorrow, they are having a power outage for us tomorrow. Not sure when I will be on & off the computer so if I am MIA, that is why.. YIKES, I might have to clean the house1

Had to share this funny pic. Saw these over the weekend - did not buy but gave me a good laugh!

Social Media/Work - How Important Is it?

2012-01-27T04:55:00Z

Friday January 27, 2012

I had a different post for today but something happened so I decided to write this one instead.

Yes, I know social media is very important in the scheme of things these days. Yes, most of us have to work to survive.

BUT, do either of those things notice the smile on your child or loved one's face? Do either of those notice the frown or sad look on your child or loved one's face?

I got some UGH news yesterday - not about me but someone close to me.

I had already decided to step away from the social media for a bit yesterday & enjoy our beautiful weather. BUT, then I got the news... I was so glad I stepped away!!! I stayed away longer than I first planned for - I sat & thought about life & how we get so caught up in the trivial.

Yes, many of us have to work & often we let that work take control of our lives. We forget that the little things in life become the big things in life. The older you get, the more you will understand this so PLEASE try to learn this at a younger age. When we are young, we tend to think that we always have another day or another week or another month but that is not always the case....

Let me tell you from experience! It is a very hard lesson to learn the hard way.

Social media AND work can be crazy. We get caught up in it & miss those little things that can mean so much.

Can you all just take a little time out of your day today to step away from the craziness & enjoy the small things - whatever that may be for you - PLEASE! Each day, can you take just 10 minutes if that is all you have to give your full attention to the little things?

PLEASE DO THIS FOR YOU & YOUR LOVED ONES!

Thank you & I hope you are walking away from the computer right now, if only for a bit!

IT IS NOT "COOKIE DAY" FOR ME BUT I MAY HAVE ONE ANYWAY!

Have a wonderful weekend!

The 65 Pound Soda!

2012-01-26T04:55:00Z

Thursday January 26, 2012

Got ya on that title, didn't I!

So, I know most of you out there realize and know that drinking soda leads to weight gain. Many "losers" out there lose weight just by cutting back or quitting drinking soda all together. Don't forget that fruit juices, even if they are 100% fruit juice, can add up in calories as well. One might do better to eat a piece of fruit & get the fiber as well vs. drinking it and especially to excess.

A regular 12 ounce can of soda has approximately 140 calories. Some have a bit more or less. On top of that there is around 40 grams of sugar!!!

Let us assume that 140 calorie number. If you drink 3 sodas per day, that is 420 calories per day. If you do that 7 days a week, that is 2940 calories per week. There are 52 weeks in a year so that adds up to 152,880 calories extra per year!!! There are 3500 calories per pound so that is about 44 pounds extra per year!!!! YIKES!!!!!!

So back to my 65 pound soda. My hubby & I ended up talking to a young guy while we were out one day. He had a Kings Hockey pin on & my hubby likes the Anaheim Ducks so that got the conversation started - hockey talk.

Somehow we got to the subject of his weight. He told us he had lost close to 100 pounds!!! He showed us a pic of him at 300 pounds! Of course I wanted to talk to him about this since this is my love - health & fitness!

I asked him if he changed his food, added in exercise or both. This is what he told me:

1. He used to work a desk job but quit that & was now a server at a local restaurant. Along with that, about 2 months ago, he took up ice hockey.

Now he lost the weight over a year or more so I knew it had to be food....

2. He told us he used to drink AT LEAST a 6 pack of soda a day!!! He said he lost his first 65 pounds doing almost nothing but NOT drinking soda!!!!

I think people lose track of how calories add up & small changes add up. Even if he had cut back to 3 sodas, he still would have lost about 33 pounds! Add in changing your food choices & exercising - well, it adds up to weight loss & a healthier life!

If you are one that has a 65 pound soda OR juice addiction OR even half of that, try to take small steps to reduce the amount you drink. You don't have to do it all at once! Baby steps lead to big results!!!! You can do this with food too BUT you have to know what you are taking in. Ya got to be honest with yourself & read labels so you are armed with the knowledge to take the small steps!

Anyone else out there have a weight loss story based on cutting out soda or too much juice?

PS: Alcohol has a lot of calories too so beer drinkers or excess wine or hard liquor drinkers - take note!

Silence the Sumo Wrestler in You!

2012-01-25T04:55:00Z

Wednesday January 25, 2012

This is a guest post from my friends over at Shmirshky. If you are in your late 30's-50's OR a women OR a loved one of a women, this is for you - understanding is key! As you all know, to me, this is an important subject because I have & am still living it!

Also, if you are looking for a doctor to help you, DO CHECK OUT THE Menopause Doctor Directory. "It has a list of doctors recommended by YOU—satisfied patients—and finding one is as easy as typing in your zip code. If you can’t find a doctor close enough in our directory, ask your friends or family if they have any recommendations, ask a doctor that you know excels in his or her field, use local media like magazines or message boards, or check the practitioners at the North American Menopause Society. The great thing about doctors is that if you’re unsatisfied, no divorce papers are needed to go on to the next one! (If you have a doctor you’d like to recommend that isn’t in the directory already, email his/her information to info@shmirshky.com!)

Budgeting Your Energy In Menopause - by Ellen Sarver Dolgen

It’s not your fault. You’ve been programmed to think that you’re not good enough, pretty enough, skinny enough, or perfect enough. It’s on the cover of photoshopped magazines at the grocery store, reinforced on TV, and referred to in current — and unfortunately catchy — songs that objectify women. So much of what surrounds us today is appearance-driven, and there’s a natural tendency to adapt to our surroundings. This unfortunate marriage between societal pressures and our brains has birthed a critical voice in our heads telling us that we are quite simply not good enough. Picture a sumo wrestler sitting on your brain. He is huge, powerful and controlling (and HEAVY!), but does he wrestle you down or are you tripping over your own shoelaces? It’s never too late to reevaluate the budget of your energy wallet, and make sure that sumo isn’t taking more than he’s owed!

Have you ever tried to silence the sumo with a louder voice telling yourself not to think so much? Over-thinking is something many women do and have done their entire lives. That sumo is only reinforcing negative thoughts, impairing problem solving and throwing a wrench into everyday life. When women enter menopause, several of their symptoms (MayoClinic) can work together to create a menopause monster. Weight gain and insomnia can partner with depression to make a tornado of negative thoughts and feelings that seems impossible to diffuse. Society’s obsession with slowing down the aging process is unhealthy, yet difficult to avoid. It’s easy to slip into an energy-sucking ocean of negative thoughts when you’re in a sinking boat. Stewing over a hot flash can bring you to an archive of bad feelings you’ve had in your journey through menopause, leading to an unproductive, negative self-reflection and confusion, and if there’s one thing you don’t need more of when you’re in menopause, it’s confusion!

Your sumo wrestler erodes your ability to solve problems by keeping you fixated on the analysis phase. So how can you think positive, take action, and repurpose your energy to achieve hormone happiness in menopause?

Do not suffer in silence.

Remember, 50 million women are currently in menopause in the United States. You are not alone. Find a perimenopause and menopause specialist to be your menopause partner. Reach out to your friends and family, and consider throwing a Menopause Party. Sharing your experiences with other women who are going through menopause is not only a wonderful source of comfort, but it can boost your self esteem. Get the help and support you deserve.

Put yourself on the top of your to-do list.

Make time for you! Yes! Take time to pamper yourself — read a book, grab lunch with a friend, take a long luxurious bubble bath, or go to the movies. Whatever you do, enjoy it.

Be mindful of healthy eating. CNN reports that this will help balance out your plummeting metabolism, mood swings and might even help you sleep better. According to MSN Health, metabolism does slow with age. Find a form of exercise that makes you feel good. Call a friend and go for a walk, bike ride or join that gym that you’ve been talking about. Release some endorphins — it feels good and Reuters says modest exercise will also help lower your blood pressure.

Be less self-critical and more proactive.

Send your sumo packing! Listen to your body and start recording your symptoms in a Menopause Symptoms Chart. Then take this chart with you to your perimenopause and menopause specialist so that your doctor will understand exactly how you are feeling and be able to develop a personalized program for you.

Imagine your negative thoughts as bubbles floating by that you can acknowledge as you please and pop when you want. It’s difficult to control your thoughts, especially when they are reinforced by everyday norms. You will find when you shrink your sumo, you’ll spend less energy on feeling terrible, refocusing it on finding solutions and celebrating your happiness and progress.

Try to live SUMO FREE!

Remember: Reaching out is IN. Suffering in silence is OUT!

"E" is the pen name of Ellen Sarver Dolgen, author of Shmirshky: the pursuit of hormone happiness -- a cut-to-the-chase book on perimenopause and menopause, filled with crucial information and hilarious and heartfelt stories. It condenses a confusing, daunting medical topic into an easy-to-understand, purse-sized guide which can be used as a reference throughout your PM&M experience. Reading Shmirshky is like getting a big, comforting hug from a dear friend, who happens to know a lot about menopause!

Follow Ellen Sarver Dolgen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@Shmirshky

Have you managed to silence the sumo wrestler? Don't suffer in silence! If you have a doctor you love, don't forget to send an email to info@shnirshky.com.

My Hip Hurt. Dynamic Stretching & RumbleRoller

2012-01-24T04:55:00Z

Tuesday January 24, 2012

Long post below BUT worth the read so bookmark or come back later if you don't have time!

A while back my right hip started to give me problems - it was hurting, changing my gait, tender to the touch & more. Let me say that I do have flat feet and I am a major overpronator. The older I get, the worse the feet get AND the pronation.

I still absolutely LOVE my Hoka OneOne shoes & will not go back but up to now, I have not used special inserts in them. I have recently started to do that & will write about that in a different post because I am testing & will be reviewing some inserts! The inserts are for my overpronation, not my fat pad/balls of feet issue SO I STILL WILL NEVER GO BACK FROM WEARING MY HOKA ONEONE RUNNING SHOES!

What I want to write about today is what I did & AM STILL DOING for this hip issue.

I have always done a full stretching routine after my workout when I am fully warm & have not cooled down yet. The one thing in all my years I did not do was dynamic stretching. I had posted about it HERE with an ACE video but had not incorporated it into my routine. Here is another article on dynamic stretching from Runner's World.

***After I had written this post, I saw this great video on strengthening the hips from one of my fellow FitFluential ambassadors. I do a lot of these but I see many more I will incorporate!!!

Just as my hip started to hurt & progressively got worse, I was reading an article in the November/December 2011 issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine. It was a dynamic stretching routine that seemed effective for not only my hip issue but just to add to my routine long term. I have NOT STOPPED DOING IT SINCE THEN!

For me, I knew my feet & overpronation were part of the issue. I also try to work my 54 year old butt & that little area between the butt & hamstrings very hard - age is not nice to that area! So I think it was a mixture of things.

I immediately started doing dynamic stretching both in my workouts & at home too. The one thing for me is that I do still warm up a little bit before the dynamic stretching. At the gym, I might be on the treadmill for 5-10 minutes before I start the dynamic stretching. The dynamic stretches that worked the best for me for my hip thing were the leg swings (high kicks) to the front/back, the side leg swings, the spider stretch, the hack-sack (in Runner's World video) and lots of hamstring stretches. For me, I think my issue was a combo of both & I already stretched my hamstrings a lot but I did even more. Google hamstring stretches, IT band stretches & hip stretches & read the REPUTABLE sources on these. Also, check the videos above!

I do more stretches & if I can ever figure out the video for my site, I will do a video.

I will say that adding dynamic stretching has been huge for me along with the roller below!

I also have started to get on & off the treadmill during my intervals & HIIT (instead of slowing down) & doing these leg swings throughout the whole treadmill workout. It really has been a HUGE help! Not only that, the dynamic stretching keeps me breathing heavy so it still is a workout doing that in between the intervals! I am not off the treadmill more than 45 seconds.

Of course, I still do my static stretching at the end of my routine when the bod is warm ALONG with the dynamic stretching. I KNOW, many of you are thinking - I CAN'T DO ONE MORE THING! Well, for me, age has a way & I want to be able to exercise into my very old age! Stretching has been part of my routine for ages & now it is more important. Do it while watching TV or in the kitchen cooking - you can find a way if it means staying healthy long term!

Here is one more article I saw on Twitter about the myths of stretching.

In addition, I started to use the RumbleRoller rather than my regular foam roller. I read about this roller in my ACE newsletter. Read the 5 star review here. Here are some additional images for you. The pic above is the standard roller. The firm roller is black.

I wrote to the company & asked if I could review both their standard size RumbleRoller and their compact/TRAVEL SIZE firm RumbleRoller. Both the standard & the firm come in both sizes. You can see them HERE.

I love this roller because those little bumps on it really get into the areas I need worked... yes, at first, it took some time getting used to the firmer roller & I worked into it - I did not put my whole weight on it at first.. BUT NOW I AM SOLD! You can read more about the comparisons to other tools here and frequently asked questions here. PLUS, a travel size for those that travel a lot & IT WILL fit in a carry on!!!

This roller does not "squish" either. Holds its shape, you can work it to meet your needs & I am loving it!

The RumbleRoller is used for "myofascial release, a type of massage that focuses on correcting restrictions of movement. "Myo" is Greek for muscle, and "fascia" is the thin sheath of silvery connective tissue that envelops the outer surface of each of your muscles. Injuries, repetitive motion, or even prolonged inactivity can lead to the development of trigger points, which are localized areas of muscle and fascia with compromised function. Professional massage is the best way to counter this problem, but few people can afford to employ it as often as it's needed. The RumbleRoller provides you with a more convenient and economical self-treatment option.

That link to myofascial release above was sent to me by a dear friend & is packed with very important info that I intend to follow up on soon! It is long but print it or bookmark it & read it later!!! It is not from the RumbleRoller company!

OK, your thoughts on dynamic stretching... do you do it or will you do it now? Anyone tried the RumbleRoller? Thoughts on myofascial release?