Grief, Retirement & Intermittent Fasting

It's been a minute since I've had the energy to sit down and write and I am not beating myself up over it.  Part of it is I just haven't been in a place to really expound/share on the loss of my mama. I was honestly busy working as well as giving myself time to experience the loss of someone so special and integral to my life and I wasn't really willing to share that time with anyone, let alone write it all down.  Now that it's been almost 2 years since mama has passed I have a better handle on my emotions and feel inspired to start writing again. If not for anyone, for myself.  So really this is for me but if someone out there reads this and it helps that will just be icing on the cake. An extra blessing, if you will.

 I feel mama's loss in a much different way than I did a year ago, it now feels a bit softer and not so sharp and painful. It's the feeling of acceptance and of opening myself up to another level of grieving. I honestly don't think grief ever goes completely away, especially when you love someone so completely and deeply. There are just new levels to experience and sometimes they are easier and other times not so much. I am in a good head space and have moved into a softer grief and for that I am ever so grateful. I miss you mama but I know you are in a better place and I will see you again someday.

ALSO... I am "retired" if you can call it that at 49. I started working at a Chiropractors office as a Chiropractic Assistant and running their front office in November of 2017 and retired this August.  Covid-19 hit us like everyone else but because we were a Chiropractic office we didn't have to close and couldn't practically work from home so it was business as usual. We did have some weeks it was pretty slow but all in all it wasn't too bad. Honestly, I loved working there but I was ready to be done especially because my M-I-L will be coming to live with us soon due to her Alzheimer's disease and I wanted some time for myself before that happened. (Side note, my husband has just retired as well so we have a lot of time to spend on our many projects and on us. I'm pretty excited about that.)

 

I have been diligently focusing on my health since I've been home and have made some big changes that are making a huge difference in my everyday life. One of those things is food related.  I have been on a weight loss journey since April and slowly over time I have lost 24.6 lbs. Slow and steady, right! I feel great and look great (if I do say so myself) and have a couple of new things I've added to my health regime.  Wait for it...

 So. . . I started this thing called intermittent fasting.  What, you may be asking is intermittent fasting? Well let me tell you. Intermittent fasting is simply time restricted eating. You fast for a certain number of hours and eat during a certain time frame. It can be a schedule of 16:8 or 18:6 or 20:4 or 5:2 and what those numbers mean is you can fast for 16 hours or 18 hours or 20 hours or however long you'd like. The second set of numbers after the : is the amount of time you have to eat your meals . The 5:2 fast, also known as The Fast Diet, is a popular intermittent fasting diet. It was popularized by British journalist Michael Mosley. It's called the 5:2 diet because five days of the week are normal eating days, while the other two restrict calories to 500–600 per day. 

*While I am fasting, I am also eating normal calories and for me that means eating between my BMR and TDEE (there are many calculators for BMR & TDEE online) although during my long fasts (23:1) I eat under my calories for obvious reasons. 1 hour isn't a lot of time to eat 1500 calories so naturally I eat less on those days*

I started fasting on August 19th 2020 with an 16:8 schedule. What that means is I fasted for 16 hours and ate within an 8hr time frame. It really has been super easy to implement into my life and I have noticed a huge decrease in my daily pain and fatigue.  

*Intermittent fasting helps to regulate blood sugar, insulin response in your body, fights cancer, and reduces inflammation.  It can also help with weight and fat loss. Another benefit of fasting is Autophagy.  *Autophagy is the body's way of cleaning out damaged cells, in order to regenerate newer, healthier cells, according to Priya Khorana, PhD, in nutrition education from Columbia University. “Auto” means self and “phagy” means eat. So the literal meaning of autophagy is “self-eating.”* This effect usually starts around the 18-20 hour of fasting with maximum benefits occurring around the 48-72 hour mark. Autophagy and it's benefit is still being studied*

So after doing a 16:8 schedule for a few days I tried an 18:6 schedule, then a 20:4 schedule and finally a 23:1 schedule. I just started a challenge for myself for the month of October where I will be doing 10,000 steps daily as well as 23:1 and 18:6 on alternating days. So one day I will fast 23 hours and eat within a one hour time frame and the next day I will fast for 18 hours and eat within a 6 hour time frame. For example, today was a 23:1 schedule day and it started yesterday at 3pm. I fasted from 3pm yesterday to 2pm today and ate from 2pm-3pm-ish and started tomorrows fast at 4pm today and that will end at 10am tomorrow morning. 

I feel 100% better fasting than I did before and that is what I was after. Before I started fasting I was in constant daily pain and had chronic fatigue and was in bed a lot of the time. Since I started fasting my pain has decreased significantly and fatigue is nowhere to be found most days. In addition to fasting I am eating low-ish (under 100g) carb most days of the week, not sure that has anything to do with it but who knows. Another benefit of fasting, for me, is I don't feel like food has control of me anymore. What I mean by that is the act of counting calories forces you to be food focused and that can be either a good thing or a bad thing.  For me it was a bad thing. Now don't get me wrong I still count calories but am no longer obsessed with it or controlled by it. 

And that my friends is what I have been doing this past year.  Life is looking up and for that I am glad. May this find you happy and healthy. Blessings!

"Limitations only exist if you let them" Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. © 2020 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Oh The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow, Bet Your Bottom Dollar That Tomorrow...

 Hello lovelies, I hope this post finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying some sunshine. This last week was stormy and gloomy but on the positive side we (Oregon) are now for the first time since 2013 drought free.  So it's all been worth it and fingers and toes crossed hopefully this summer we will not be plagued by fires as has been the case the last several years.

My week has been glorious, other than the wet gloomy weather.  I am also down 10lbs officially, yay me!

Here is my fitness week in review~

Sunday 2/28 *20 minutes running *10 minutes brisk walk *45 minutes moderate walk
Monday 2/29 *15 minutes spin bike *30 minutes brisk walk *30 minutes mod. walk
Tuesday 3/1 *30 minutes brisk walk *105 minutes very brisk walk/run
Wednesday 3/2 *100 very brisk walk/run *28 minutes hill climbing
Thursday 3/3 *50 minutes very brisk walk/run *30 minutes moderate walk
Friday 3/4 *indoor walking *4.78 miles
Saturday 3/5 *indoor walking *6.26 miles

Total Steps *111,070
Total Miles *48.26
Total Calories Burned *15,998
Total Floors Climbed *77
Total Weight Lost This Week *1.2 lbs

May this week be a blessed one for you and yours.

Random weird fact ~In ancient Rome, trained walkers stepped along roads 1,000 paces at a time (approx. 4,800 ft, or just short of our current mile), marking the distance with stone obelisks. The markers were called milestones.

"Limitations only exist if you let them"

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

 © 2016 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Fitbit Rocks My World

G'day y'all.  I sincerely hope that this last week was as amazing for you as it was for me.  I have been moving like crazy the last several days. Do any of you have a Fitbit or something similar that tracks steps, sleep and activity? Mine is a Fitbit one and I am obsessed with it.

It's kind of like a noisy nag tiny motivator, truth be told. If you do have a Fitbit account look me up using my email madmammahas4kids@gmail.com and send me a friend request.  I get involved in challenges most days of the week and they are highly, well. . .challenging.

Here is how my fitness week looked like. All walk/run no bike.

Sunday 2/21 *35 minute brisk walk, 75 minute very brisk walk/run
Monday 2/22 *70 minute moderate walk/run
Tuesday 2/23 *42 minute brisk walk/run
Wednesday 2/24 *52 minute very brisk walk/run *18 minute moderate walk
Thursday 2/25 *30 minute moderate walk *55 minute very brisk walk/run
Friday 2/26 *easy walk indoors
Saturday 2/27 *30 minute brisk walk *34 very brisk walk/run

Total Steps *85,750
Total Miles *36.82
Total Calories Burned *14,498
Total Floors Climbed *29

I feel pretty good after all that and to top it off I lost another 2.8lbs last week making it 8.6lbs lost
since January 30th, 2016.  Honestly using myfitnesspal and my new fitbit one it has been hard as heck easy peasy. All I have to do is move more and watch my calories.  No, really it is actually a lot of work, counting and paying attention to what foods/fuels I put into my mouth, but it's so worth it and it pays off in so many ways.  I look better, feel better and my body is ready to get back to trail running as soon as the sun decides to come out and dry up the trails. Today I ran hill repeats on a steep but fun hill near where I live and my legs are trashed.  I suspect I will relax for the rest of the day.  

What do you do for exercise and fun? Stop by and leave me a comment letting me know. 
 I will leave you with a video of a guy who amazes me! A fruitarian and an ultra-runner.

 

"Limitations only exist if you let them"

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

© 2016 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

I'm Alive & Well & A Plant Eater

Hello everyone..

 As the title says, I'm alive and well and a plant eater. The last time I posted I was going through a really rough time physically, emotionally and relationally.  I am happy to say that my marriage is better than it has ever been and I am blessed to be back at home with my family.  As far as my physical pain goes, some of it is the same and some of it is improving.  Personally, I deal with a lot of inflammatory pain and swelling as well as the chronic pain from my broken pelvis but I am finding that food truly does heal the body.  

Research has enlightened me tremendously.  Eating a plant based diet like fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes as well as super foods like chia seeds has improved my daily life a great deal so far.  I also make my own "milk" using almonds and or unsweetened coconut shreds and that feels amazing. 

Family updates..

My oldest son "G" (21) is living on his own with his girlfriend and their fur baby Nyah.  He will be staying with us for a bit while he finds a new home for his little family.  They are relocating from Klamath Falls to Medford Oregon.  My middle son "J" (19) is in the Navy @Cory Station in Florida studying. His daughter just turned one and has been a huge joy to our family.  We watch her while her mama and other grandparents work and sometimes when we need a little laughter in the house. He will be back home in August.  Our youngest son, another "J" (18) is getting ready to graduate high school in a few weeks.  He is working and going to school plus he is getting ready to go to college.  Thankfully he will be staying at the house while he works and goes to school, so that will save him money etc. Last but not least our daughter "M"  (15) is getting ready to graduate 8th grade and start her high school experience.  All of our children are doing exceptionally well considering what our family went through last year.  I am so thankful to God for saving our marriage and our family.    

What I am doing..

Like I said before I am making a lot of our food at home rather than buy it in the stores.  The food we get in the grocery stores is highly processed and not that healthy.  For health reasons I have gone vegan-ish once again and I feel so much healthier.  My husband and I just bought a juicer and can't wait to try out some new recipes. So far we are making carrot, cucumber, celery apple juice. It really isn't bad at all, in fact it is quite tasty. 

Anyhoodles, just wanted to say hello I'm alive and well.  Drop me a note and let me know how you all are doing.  I miss being on the blog and seeing how and what everyone else is doing.  So stop by and drop me a short note y'all. 

Recipe Time..
 
How to make your own coconut milk and almond milk..

Coconut Milk
2 cups unsweetened coconut shreds 
4 cups hot water (no need to boil)

Combine ingredients in your blender and let sit 10 minutes then blend for 2 minutes.  Pour mixture into a fine wire mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or cotton towel and squeeze all liquid out into glass jar.  Put liquid into refrigerator and chill.  Don't worry about the separation of liquid and cream, that is supposed to happen just shake before you drink. You can take the left over coconut pulp and dry it in the oven on the lowest temp, usually 170 degrees, overnight and in the morning you can take that pulp and grind it up in the blender to make coconut flour to be used in other recipes.

Almond milk
1 cup raw almonds that have been soaked overnight in at least 4 cups of water.
Pour off soaking water and add almonds plus 4 cups of fresh water to your blender and blend 2-4 minutes. Pour your fresh almond milk into a fire wire mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or cotton towel and squeeze all liquid out into a glass jar. Put your fresh almond milk into refrigerator and enjoy after it chills.  You can take the almond meal that is left over and toast in it the oven to use in recipes later.   


"Limitations only exist if you let them" Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. © 2014 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

I'm Doing It...13.1 Here I Come

It's final...I'm running my half marathon next Sunday! How, you ask? Well let me tell you...

About two weeks ago I started to really stretch and roll my muscles in hopes of getting some sort of relief...and, it worked!  I have been running, working out, stretching, rolling etc and I'm amazed at the difference.  It really is a miracle, a total surprise to me.  I have had little pain in two weeks, except for one day...it has been wonderful.

So I decided since the pain is soooo much better, I'm going for it.  I will never be fast or place in my age group (most likely) but that is not why I run, I do it because I can.  I'm alive and I can run, so I do. I'm a survivor and I'm gonna keep on surviving.  

I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I was going to miss my half...again, for the second year in a row. Now I'm on my last week of running and gearing up for the big day! Can you believe it?  Me either!  

Remember awhile ago I mentioned I was being interviewed by Live Fitter blog....well It came out September 11th.  Here is the interview, I hope you enjoy it.  The pictures are not the best but they were all I had.  

The kids have all started back to school and I could not be happier.  It is so nice to get some quiet time to myself for a change.  My youngest son (not my youngest child) is working part time and has 3 AP classes, so he is one busy dude.  My oldest son (also oldest child) is moving to Klamath Falls at the end of this month...I love him but glad he is going off to find his future, I hope he is successful in all he does. My daughter just started 7th grade and is loving it, she gets to be an office aide for her 1st elective so she is pretty excited about that, and my middle child who is my second oldest son is in his last year of high school so it's a bittersweet year for him...and his father and I.  He will be going into the military after he graduates as they will help him get into college and become a mechanical engineer...he wants to build/design bridges and stuff like that. So there you have it.

Some pictures I took recently...

 
That is what I have been up too...how about y'all?

Anyone have a race they wanna tell me about? I love to hear what y'all have been up to, so drop me a line. 

Blessings and hugs!

 



"Limitations only exist if you let them"

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

So Very Frustrated!

Warning:  This will be a whinny post full of my sadness and frustrations, so if you don't want to hear it feel free to move on, I won't hold it against you!

I am feeling sorry for myself.  This pelvic pain has been a constant reminder of my bodies inadequacies for running.  Maybe that is not the right word, yet it is how I feel.  The doctor ordered new x-rays that of course showed no new fracture (surprise, surprise).  The fact that the x-ray showed no pelvic fracture does not surprise me, as x-rays rarely show a pelvic fracture, but now the doctor has me off running for a week (it's been a week as of Saturday 8-24) and the pain hasn't really changed, I still cannot sit for long and the pain is still present. 

That being said, running wasn't bothering me while in the moment, but I think that it was/is exacerbating the problem.  I have been good this last week and have not run one step.  I did go to the gym and use the non-impact machines and yesterday I walked for 49 minutes so I have gotten in some exercise, just not my preferred exercise.  

While on my walk yesterday morning I started to talk to God again.  We have (or I should say I have) been incommunicado lately. I realized that running has been an idol and I have put it above my relationship with God,  I had to lay running at God's feet and give it to Him and repent.  It is heartbreaking to me that I have put running above the One who loves me most, and it saddens me that I may not be able to run (ever) again due to my physical problems.  

My relationship with God should be more important than running or anything else and sadly it has become a distant love and for that I am solely to blame and it's up to me to fix that,  for it is me that has gone off on a tangent, God has always been here waiting for me. He is always there for me (and you) just waiting for me to lean on Him and rest in His loving arms and look to Him for answers instead of trying to do my own thing.  

Doing my own thing has always led to disaster, yet here I am again.  Thankfully God does not look at us like we think He does, we assume when we do something wrong He looks at us sternly and says "OMG how could you do this" or maybe "I am so disappointed in you"...Thankfully that is not how He sees us.  If we are His children He looks at us with love, forgiveness and mercy and because He loves us it saddens Him when we decide to do things on our own (and put other things/people above Him) especially when those things/people take us down paths He would rather us not go (because He knows the pain and anguish that awaits us).  I thank God that He loves me and forgives me when I repent, and takes me into His arms and comforts me (like now) when my heart is broken.  

Running is/has been my passion and I'm sad I can't run right now,  but even more I want God to be my passion and I only ask that I can one day run without pain, if that fits into Gods will for my life.

Physically I may have another pelvic fracture or it may be osteoporosis, or it could be bone cancer as thyroid cancer will metastasize to the bones of the pelvis first. The doctor did inform me that for some reason my body does not metabolize vitamin D, either from the sun or a pill, very well, and that I have been chronically very deficient for some time and most likely will be for the rest of my life. I went to the Herb shop and found some fast absorbing Liquid Sunshine with 5000 I.U. and am now taking that every day.  I am also having a problem getting in enough protein which is essential for bone growth, maintenance and renewal, so I am working on that in regards to my food.  

Currently I am waiting to hear back from the doctor to see what he wants me to do now that I have taken a week off from running, I fear his response will be "Continue doing what you are doing". He was going to see if my cancer doctor wants to move my scans up and have them done now to check for bone cancer in the pelvis and also whether he wants to order an MRI or a bone density scan. 

So for now I am not running and trying desperately (probably foolishly) to hold on to the hope that I can still run my half next month.  In my mind I could still run it, even knowing that it will cause me more pain. (and possibly injure me more) Physically I know I can do it, mentally I know(-ish) that I shouldn't run it as it could cause a more serious condition that may cause permanent damage etc. End of rant.  

So that's it folks, that's all she wrote, as the saying goes. May God richly bless you all.  I hope that your week turns out to be a beautiful one.   
Blessings and hugs.

 


"Limitations only exist if you let them"

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

80lbs Down!

I honestly don't know why the weight loss is working now as opposed to before.  The only thing I can think of is I have changed the way I think.  I have become a determined individual, and not only that but someone who needs to see what life is like as a healthy fit and happy person.  I feel great and love the life I can now live.

It's been awhile since I've been on, life has been busy.  My 16yr old son got a job and it's been an involved process, I am a proud mama for sure. He has a four hour orientation tomorrow a few towns away and since driving for that long in the car hurts me, his father is going to drive him.  While he is there the hubs and my 17yr old son will go to the in-laws and play cards while they wait.  I will stay home and if I'm lucky and the smoke lifts I'll get a long run in outside.  If the smoke doesn't life I'll go to the gym and get my run in there...ugh!  

In other news...The sciatica is still here but not quite as bad...I still cannot sit for long without significant pain but it's all good.  The acupuncture helped a lot with some of the other symptoms of the sciatica so it's all good.  I'm done with acupuncture for now, but may try it again in the future if need be.  

My workouts the last week or so...

July 29th

• Arc Trainer 30 minutes (3 miles)
• Weights 15 minutes

July 30th

• AMT Trainer 21 minutes (2 miles)
• Weights 15 minutes

July 31

• Ran 57 minutes on Dreadmill (4.3 miles run/walk)

August 1

• Rest day

August 2

• AMT 23 minutes (2.3 miles)
• Ran 35 minutes on Dreadmill (3 miles run/walk)
• Cleaning Susan's House 120 minutes

August 3 

• Rest day...Niece got married!

August 4

• AMT 51 minutes (5.3 miles)
• Weights 14 minutes

August 5

• AMT 41 minutes (5 miles)

August 6

• Rest day

August 7

• AMT 20 minutes (2 miles)

• Ran 47 minutes on Dreadmill (4.04 miles run/walk)

August 8

• Ran 47 minutes outside! (4.1 miles)

Current obsessions...

• Catching up on all my favorite TV shows (On Demand)
• Onion bagels
• Yogurt with Cheerios
• Soaking up Vitamin D (The sun when it appears through smoke)
• Reading "Collapse" and "Under The Dome" on my Kindle Touch
• Beyonce' Heat Rush Shimmering Body Spray Mist
• Brazilian keratin therapy Flat Iron Spray
• Spritz Cookies 

Clearly I've been enjoying my summer...it has been such a great relaxing and semi-peaceful summer thus far. How about y'all?  What has your summer been like and what are your current obsessions?

Here's a cute picture of my fur baby Weenie girl with her makeup on (chalk)

 

Blessings and hugs!

 



"Limitations only exist if you let them"

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

 © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

It's A Happy Day

I don't know about y'all, but mornings around my house can be less than happy.  I have 3 of my teens living at home and it's hit or miss with the happiness bug.  My oldest lives on his own now, thank goodness, he was the worst to deal with in the morning.  When my hubby and I decided to have kids we wanted to have them close together...so now we have all these teens on our hands...I guess we got what we asked for!  Don't get me wrong, they are all great kids...there's just so many of them...and one is a girl, need I say more!  

Monday 

• Ran 30 minutes
• Walk 6 minutes
• Rowing 10 minutes

Tuesday

• Adaptive Motion Trainer 35 minutes 

Today was weigh in day and I lost another 1.6 lbs making my total loss so far 65.2 this makes me a very happy girl. I haven't been this small or this fit ever and I can see that all my hard work, sweat and tears is paying off big-time.  Make a goal, do the work, reach the goal...bask in the glorious rewards.  Yup that about sums it up!

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

I Is For...Interval Training

Interval training is defined as follows...

1. Training in which a runner alternates between running and jogging over set distances.
2. Training in which an athlete alternates between two activities, typically requiring different speeds, degrees of effort, etc.

I like to alternate between awesomeness and mediocrity personally.  In all seriousness, I try to do interval training almost every run, unless I'm racing. It is easier on my body and at my age you gotta take care of the temple otherwise it rebels on you. Can I get an Amen? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

 

I love that movie! 

Anyhoodles, moving on! Interval training is very beneficial, in that you get the cardio, or high intensity training and then the benefits of rest and recovery.  Rinse and repeat several times and you've got yourself a great workout. Your Online Fitness explains HIIT and other interval training methods for fat loss.

When I personally head out for a run, I like to start off with a 5-10 minute warm up (brisk walk) then I run for 5-10 minutes, (more if I am feeling especially energetic) walk for 3-5 minutes and repeat for as long as I want or am able to.  

• How do you do your Interval Training?
• Do you bike, run, swim or walk?
• If, while out on your walk/run, you spy a rare spotted dingbat in the tree ahead of you, do you turn around and quickly go home or do you stop and chat awhile? 
• Did I make you smile? I was hoping to. 

 Blessings and hugs to y'all! Have a FANTABULOUS Day!

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

H Is For...Heart Rate Monitors

We hear a lot about heart rate in the fitness world and on shows like the Biggest Loser.  Should you do HIIT (high intensity interval training) or should you keep your heart rate in the "fat burning mode", let's be honest, it can all be a bit confusing.

One day we hear "keep your heart rate up to blast off the fat", and the next thing we hear them saying is "keep your heart rate in the "fat burning" range". The very next day they are telling you that there is no such thing as a fat burning zone. Oy Vey, what's a person supposed to believe? It can leave your head spinning like the wheels of your bike after you crash and burn headlong into your neighbors hedge. True story, only the hedge may or may not be fictional.

Running For Fitness is a great place to find out what your "zones" are. Just plug in your numbers and it will break down your zones into 4 segments and explain each one.

Heart.com has a great chart explaining heart rate basics.

Top End Sports explains how to measure your heart rate, and this method can be used for resting or exercise heart rates. I personally use this method. 

Heart rate monitors are the best for measuring and recording your heart rate during exercise. 

REI has a great article on how to choose your heart rate monitor as well as who can benefit from having one.  I know a lot of runners who use fitbit, polar fit, body bug etc...the list is seemingly endless. LIVESTRONG gives a great article on what heart rate monitors do and what would be best for you.

Anyone can use a heart rate monitor. Not everyone needs a heart rate monitor.  Some hrm's can be frustrating, some can be easy peasy, I can't tell you which one you would like, you'll just have to go research that yourself. I have yet to plunk down my money for one...I think I'll just stick to the old school way of counting heartbeats for 10 seconds and multiplying by 12.

Blessings and hugs to all who came by to read my running blog today.  May you have sunshine on your shoulder (be sure to wear sunscreen) and joy in your life today and while your at it, spread some of that joy around. 

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. "Limitations only exist if you let them" © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

F Is For...Fitness Calculators

Fitness calculators are used to assess many things. For example you can use a BMI calculator to find out where you are on the Body Mass Index, or you can use a BMR calculator to find out what your basal metabolic rate is.

Here are a few fitness calculators for you to check out...

BMI (Body Mass Index)
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
Body Fat Percentage (self explanatory)
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
Pace Calculator (calculates your running pace)
Lean Body Mass (how much lean body mass you have)

BMI stands for Body Mass Index or more basically where you fall on the chart that ranges from underweight to obese.  It is an index for assessing underweight and overweight people. A measure of 25 or more is considered overweight. This does not take your muscle mass into account and should not be the standard by which you judge yourself fit or fat...it was really created for population studies.

BMR stands for basal metabolic rate or what your body would burn (at rest) if you stayed in bed all day, doing nothing. 

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure or in layman's terms, it is made up of your BMR plus anything else you do in a day. This would be the number of calories you need to consume to maintain your current weight.

These calculators are fun and informative to play around with, especially when you are trying to lose weight/fat the healthy way, or you just want to find out where you are health-wise.  I like the BMI calculator because it is found on the Mayo Clinic website, which I have found to be a very trustworthy and knowledgeable site. I also find the Body Fat Percentage calculator to be pretty accurate (as accurate as these online calculators can get) or at least it's one of my personal favorites.

Thanks so much for stopping by for today's post. Blessings and hugs!

Have you ever used a fitness calculator?
If so, what is your favorite?
Do you care about this stuff?
If not, let me know why?  

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

E Is For...Empty Calories

Empty calories is basically anything you eat that has no real nutritional value.  

For example, a Hostess twinkie (some people actually love these monstrosities) has no real substantial (or otherwise) nutritional value.  Sorry to all you twinkie lovers out there, this is only my opinion (as far as the word monstrosities goes), I mean no disrespect.

When you hear people, doctors, or nutritionists talk about empty calorie foods they are usually talking about junk food and the like. Here are some examples...

• Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
• Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
• Cheese (contains solid fat)
• Pizza (contains solid fat)
• Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
• Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)

See what I am talking about, this stuff is pretty much empty calorie heaven (foods we love to eat but loathe what they do to our bodies).  I, much like some of you, love these foods, yet I rarely (if ever) eat any of them.  That pretty much means I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, very little fish and very little eggs (less than 5 a week).  I'm what some people refer to as a flexitarian or someone who eats primarily vegan/vegetarian but adds in fish (or some other lean meat)...I don't eat or drink milk products.

The food I consume is healthy and does my body good! (yes I get the pun..Milk, it does a body good) When I am in need of something sweet I'll have a Ghirardelli dark (72-74%) chocolate square. When I want pizza I make my own using a large tortilla baked in the oven til it's crispy...top with my favorite veggies, a meat substitute and soy cheese, and voilà (french pronunciation please) I have pizza too!  

Okay, so soy cheese is probably considered, by some, an empty calorie food but it's my substitute for milk based cheese, and it works (tastes great on pizza or in something, not so great on it's own) for me. So in summary, eat less empty calorie foods like cake and twinkies and more nutritionally stacked foods like an apple or a salmon fillet.

Thanks so very much for stopping by, hugs and blessings.

What type of empty calorie foods do you like best?
What type of nutritionally stacked foods are your favorite?
  

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Family Time At The YMCA

Thursday's gym time...

Arc trainer 16 minutes
Bike trainer 10 minutes
Total calories burned...310

My hubby asked to go to the YMCA with me and then told all the kids to get ready to go workout. This is pretty shocking, since my husband does not like to work out, at all, on the machines due to the fact that he is a big guy! 

I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. I have wanted my husband to work out with me for a long time.  Last summer when I was recovering from my pelvic stress fracture we spent a lot of time together in the YMCA pool and had a blast as a family.  I am hoping that he continues to have this desire to go to the gym with me, lose some weight and get healthier.  He stayed on the bike for a whole 20 minutes today.  (last night he even asked me to go for a short walk with him)

On another note...Completely off topic

I spent some time at my Oral Surgeons office today talking about my surgery that is coming up next month.  I have bad teeth due to genetics and cancer treatment so I am having 4 upper teeth and 1 broken bottom tooth extracted.  I will also have an upper cast partial put in place at the same time.  I only have about 24 teeth total due to having several teeth extracted about 13 years ago (4 of them were wisdom teeth) which means I will only have 19 of my own teeth after this surgery. 

I have been unlucky in the dental department. The upper partial will replace the teeth I've had extracted and am having extracted.  I will have chewing teeth again.  Please pray that everything goes well and that there are no complications, as two of my teeth have roots very close to my sinus cavity.

Have a great day and weekend everyone, blessings and hugs.

P.S. Yay, my lateral hamstring tendon is feeling much better and I should be able to try running again soon. 

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

 © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.