Adapt and Adjust

I can tell that I am slowing down...or maybe life is just speeding up...time is just passing me by...how can it be that in about six weeks I will be 50...and my 49th year will be over...no more counting down...no more feelings to 50...in just a few short weeks (well...there are lots of holiday eating weeks to go through too...so it will feel longer)...I will be 50...this is all too much to handle.

But as Dr. Pamela Peeke, author of Fit to Live and Fight Fat After 40, says "I must be Darwinian...I must constantly adapt and adjust...I must stop thinking so much and be more like the Nike ad and "just do it"...I should stop with the shoulda, coulda, woulda...and "just do it."

Dr. Peeke says we should focus on our mind by adapting and adjusting...focus on our mouth by eating smaller quantities of food and eating more frequently...and focus on our muscle...or as she puts it "medicate with movement"...I like Dr. Peeke's advice...I'm glad I attended her stress seminar at the Pennsylvania Governor's Conference the other week.

So as I arrived home tonight...all stressed out...but looking forward to my Thanksgiving week vacation...I tried adapting and adjusting to ease the stress in my body...I decided to focus on my mind...I thought I would take a nice relaxing bath and clear my mind of all the stressful vibes floating around in my head...yes...a nice relaxing bath would do the trick.

I filled the tub (the nice shiny tub that my cleaning lady had cleaned today)...and I added some nice relaxing bath foam...and I eased my aching body and especially my aching feet into the nice warm water...and as I started to relax...I heard a ka-ching...ka-ching...ka-ching...yes, the water began to empty out of the tub...I did try to adapt...I jiggled the stopper but it didn't work... and I did try to adjust... I put my aching right foot over the drain...but the water continued to flow out...so I put my aching left foot over the other half of the drain...not good...nope, the gurgling continued...and after about 15 minutes I got tired of adapting and adjusting...my de-stress bath became just too stressful.

I guess I will have to work on the other two areas of Dr. Peeke's advice...she said we should also focus on our mouth...eat smaller quantities of food...and eat more often...I can do this I thought...yes...I can do this...this is easy...I will have my chamomile tea and only allow myself two cookies tonight (well maybe a few chocolate covered raisins that my dear friend sent me too...just two or three)...tonight I will focus on my mouth...that will be easier than adapting and adjusting...although...although later in the week this might become more difficult...after all...it is Thanksgiving...and I did order three pies for Thanksgiving dinner...I couldn't decide which one to get...my son wanted Pecan Pie...my daughter wanted Peach Crumb Pie...and the pieman told me about this fabulous Black Forest Berry Pie that is made with Rhubarb...ooh, ooh, ooh, my favorite...it sounded so good I couldn't pass it up...so I ordered the Black Forest Berry Pie too.

And after my pie-fest is over...then I'll do the last leg of Dr. Peeke's advice...I'll work on my muscle...I promise to "medicate with movement"...yep, I promise to be at the gym on Friday...and hopefully Saturday and Sunday too...yes...as Dr. Peeke says..."I'll walk the dog even if I don't have one"...
exercise is non-negotiable after 40 (and I guess that means after 50 too)...so as Dr. Peeke says "just shut the hell up and do it!"...and I will.

Judi

Lavender to the Rescue

Today I had my monthly facial...yes...I'm so proud of myself that I actually kept that appointment on my calendar...I usually find some excuse why I cannot make appointments that I schedule in advance...but I did not cancel this time...this time...I even arrived at the spa early...yes...as I approach 50 I have to start treating my body better...especially my face.

I just love the lavender oil that my facialist (is that what you call someone who does facials?) uses all over my face and arms...it is such a relaxing smell...I was just floating away for a whole hour this morning...shame it had to end...wonder if they have facials that last all day...wonder if I bought my own lavender oil if I could make the relaxed feeling last...I think I'll have to go buy some at Whole Foods...that's where my facialist, said I could find it.

Yes, I'm going to go buy some lavender oil and spray it on my pillows...maybe the scent will help me sleep better...and I'm going to put it in my closet...and in my vaccuum cleaner bag...then my entire house will smell like lavender...imagine if I had a stress-free home...maybe I'll take it to the office too...wouldn't that be great...a stress-free office.

According to Wikipedia, "If applied to the temples, lavender oil is said to soothe headaches. Lavender is frequently used as an aid to sleep and relaxation: Seeds and flowers of the plant are added to pillows, and an infusion of three flowerheads added to a cup of boiling water are recommended as a soothing and relaxing bedtime drink..."(Ooh, I'm not sure I could drink lavender...but perhaps I'll give it a try sometime.)

I'm also going to try another tip from my facialist...she is just full of stress-free tips...that alone is worth the monthly visit...she recommends that I try iced-Chamomile tea...it may help my irritable bowl syndrome as well...I do like Chamomile tea...I've never tried the Lipton Chamomile tea...but I will now...and I think I'll have to make it iced too and add the honey like she said.

I may have to try meditation too...or maybe yoga...not sure this type A personality is ready for total reinvention...but it's worth a try...so glad I have an extra hour tonight to think about it...as they said on the radio..."Fall back the clock night" should be a national holiday.

Judi

P.S. - As I prepare to finish off my 49th year and compile my book, I'm eager to hear from my community...those who are in your 40s and 50s...what stresses you out...and how do you de-stress...share your tips...leave a comment...join the conversation.

The Treadmill of Life

I was on the treadmill the other day...at the gym that is...although sometimes I feel like I'm on a literal treadmill every day...busy...busy...busy...will life ever slow down?

But, while I was on the treadmill at the gym I decided to speed up...I punched up my usual speed of 3.5 ...then I noticed a chart on the side of the treadmill...it gave a range of heart rates depending on your age...ah ha...I thought...let's see if I can keep up the pace of a 50 year old...let's see...let's see.

There were different suggested heart rates for a Fat Burning - low intensity workout or a Cardio -high intensity workout. The different suggested target rates decreased with age:

Age 20 Fat Burning 130 Cardio 160
Age 30 Fat Burning 123 Cardio 152
Age 40 Fat Burning 117 Cardio 144
Age 50 Fat Burning 110 Cardio 136
Age 60 Fat Burning 104 Cardio 128

I put my hands on the hot spots of the treadmill and waited to see where I netted out...was I keeping up with my age group...or was I younger...I held on tight...oh what would the treadmill say...what will my treadmill age tell me...I couldn't wait for the numbers to pop up...I walked faster and harder...but nothing appeared...faster...faster...faster...I pushed my body...nothing appeared...is it broken I wondered...or is my body going at such a slow pace that the heart rate won't even register?

And then the magic number appeared...130...130...130...yes, yes, yes...not only was I burning fat for a 50 year old.....I was walking like a fortysomething who was burning fat...and a thirtysomething...and even a twentysomething!

As I kept going my heart rate fluctuated...130...128...125...but I was maintaining my pace...on the treadmill of life, I was at my peak performance for a fat burning almost 50 year old...and after 30 minutes I was truly proud of my body...my legs...my arms...and every part of me that kept this almost 50 year old body moving...even my arthritic knees...and I listened to the music on my iPod..."More that a Feeling...Never Feel This Way Again!"

Yes, the treadmill of life can speed up...but this soon to be 50 year old body is on the move...50...50...50...ready or not...here I come...nothin's gonna slow me down.

Judi

Hold Your Breath

Friday was my routine mammogram...I used to get excited about this routine screening...but this time I just went into the room...with that huge machine staring me down...and I was ready...no anxiety...I just can't worry about my breasts right now I thought to myself...there are other more important things to worry about...but it was important that I took the time to go do this screening...keeping up with my yearly mammograms is so important.

Then it was time...the technician slid my right breast and then my left breast under the machine (whatever little there is to slide...she slid...always wanted more to slide...but I was blessed with little breasts...and at 49...I'm not going to do any surgery to get bigger ones...it's too late now...however, I'm going to continue to do my mammogram each year to ensure my little ones stay healthy).

"Just two more pictures," said the technician, "hold your breath just two more seconds," she added....okay...okay...how can I do anything else...of course I have to hold my breath...you have my boobs flat as a pancake in this machine...who can breath...and you almost have my shoulders too......why is it every year I feel like I have to lean in a little bit more...and this year it seemed like I was literally hugging the machine...(I know I'm lacking bear hugs from my hubby, but hugging this machine was just not going to cut it)...after the silence and the click came the five golden words..."okay, you can breath again!"

I was talking to the technician (who was very nice by the way...considering the discomforting situation I've been lucky through the years to always have nice technicians)...we chatted about the new digital mammography that is now on the market courtesy of GE Medical Systems (thank you GE for thinking about women's health)...while this new technology will enable doctors to provide better screening...the process will still be the same...yes...the pancake routine will continue for the near future...but maybe GE will soon develop a machine so we can make muffins instead.

As I waited for the technician to check my xrays, I read the GE Medical Systems brochure that had some tips to reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer, including:

- Have your children before age 30 (okay...I had one of my children before age 30...but my son was born when I was 32...and there is no concern of anymore children when I'm 49...I'm not going to have anymore kids...not going to be one of those 52 year old pregnant women...like some I've been reading about lately...no comment on those women right now...everyone is into her own thing...for me...I love my kids but I'm preparing my empty nest.

- Breast feed your children. (Didn't do too well here...I was not a "good cow" as my doctor told me years ago...I tried to breast feed my children...they both received about an ounce or too...I was so determined to breast feed my daughter 21 years ago that I rented an electric pump...I tried hard to pull a few ounces out of each breast each day...if you think being a pancake is tough...having your boobs squeezed by an electric breast pump 21 years ago was 10 times more painful...so my kids both went on formula after a week...but maybe since I did try...this counts on the positive side...and for my son...I used a manual breast pump and got a few ounces out too...so he had his few ounces of breast milk the first week of his life as well).

- Limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day. (I do this...I'm not drinking too much...a little more now that my husband is ill...I do like my glass of white wine at dinner...Pinot Grigio is my favorite...I did purchase a wine stoppper...one that actually works...so now after each glass I can close up the bottle...and since reading this tip...I'll try extra hard to keep my intake to one drink...anything I can do to keep my little breasts healthy is all for a good cause.)

- Maintain a healthy weight. (I'm trying to maintain my healthy weight...not much of an appetite lately with my hubby being ill in the hospital...but I am trying to keep my weight up...and eat healthy food...I made hard boiled eggs the other day...couldn't remember how long to boil them...I looked the recipe up in The Joy Of Cooking...the Joy said to cook them for 10-15 minutes after the water boils...very specific directions to follow...and I followed each one down to the very last step when I poured cold water over my very warm eggs...I was so proud of my perfectly hard boiled eggs.)

- Exercise regularly. (I'm trying to exercise too...a little lax at times with everything going on in my life...but I'm trying to get to the gym about twice a week...and with the NuStep recumbent cross-trainer...I'm doing double time...wonder if I can count this as really four times a week at the gym since the NuStep is a cross-trainer?)

Now that my mammogram is over for my 49th year...next up is my nuclear stress test in early August...never had one of those...but don't think I will need to hold my breath for that test...they will want me to rev up my breathing...to see how fast I can go on the treadmill...better start practicing at the gym...I'm going to pick up the pace and get ready to go the distance.

Judi

To learn more about breast cancer prevention, check out the Komen Foundation at www.komen.org

Chin Ups

Lately I feel like I'm doing chin ups...yes...I'm trying to keep my chin up at all times...with my chin up I know that things will get better...and my husband will mend...it's also harder to shed tears when your chin is up...and it may prevent excess lines from forming on my neck too...which is a good thing.

I'm also trying to get back to some type of exercise routine now that my gym has finally reopened...it is truly a fabulous gym...especially for a female baby boomer body that is approaching 50...they have all new equipment...too much for me to handle...too much for me to learn...too much for me to take in all at once.

The other day I did find a new piece of equipment that quickly has become my favorite piece of equipment...it is just right for my 49 year old(almost 49-1/2 in a few days...July 8th to be exact) body...it is called a Nu-step recumbent cross-trainer...I love it...I absolutely...I positively...love this machine...I may have to think about trading in my recumbent bicycle in my bedroom for a new recumbent cross-trainer...why not cross train and work two parts of the body at the same time rather than just one.

Today after I finished my circuit training (keeping my chin up at all the times)...I went straight to the recumbent cross-trainer and spent 30 minutes on this absolutely...this positively...wonderful new machine...arms going back and forth...legs going back and forth...just like the Precor elliptical machine (which is my least favorite machine in the gym...always was...and always will be...don't know how people synchronize their bodies to work the elliptical machine...my 49 year old body can do about 5 minutes on a Precor elliptical machine and then I feel like I'm going to fall down)...only I was sitting all comfy on a padded seat...listening to my favorite music on my Ipod...the trainer at the gym said this is a very popular machine for rehab patients.

My hubby who is now in the hospital would really like this machine...when he gets stronger...and is ready for rehab....I'm going to buy him one of these machines for our bedroom...(maybe we can extend our bedroom and add a gym with a recumbent cross-trainer and a Lazyboy to sit in afterwards...after we're all done cross-training).

Guess for now I'll just use it at the gym...and maybe try out all the other new equipment...I may have to get myself a personal trainer...I do need a personal trainer to teach me how to keep my body in shape for my 50+ years...and how to use all the new equipment at the gym.

I need all the extra strength I can get to weather through this stormy time in my life...can't let my chin fall...nope...chin ups are permanently in my exercise repetoire for now.

Judi

Looking Great While I Exercise: Isn't it wonderful that a new women's activewear store opened near my house...just in time for me to get all new exercise clothing to wear when I work out on my new favorite recumbent cross-trainer machine ...and they sent two $20 coupons to me to try out their store...the store is called LUCY...you can find this activewear at lucy.com too (and they are having a great sale right now) ...I just love the name LUCY and I love their exercise clothes...mostly cotton and comfy fabrics...and they have great capri exercise pants...just the kind I like...not too short for my legs and not too long...a little expensive...but worth it...need to look good on my recumbent cross-trainer...don't want to wear old exercise clothes on a new machine.

Time to De-Stress

I can take a great deal of stress...just hit me with it...hit me again...hit me harder...and even at 49 my mind, body, and soul bounce back...but this week...this week...the powers that be were really testing me...yes, every so often those stressbusters try to break me down.

Those stressbusters were in full force this week...things escalated when my husband went into the hospital yesterday...I was managing okay until they told him that his heart rate was racing almost twice of what it should be and his asthma was not behaving either (after sitting in the emergency room for four hours I realized why I never wanted to be a doctor or nurse...and I don't think I'm going to change my mind anytime soon...in fact, as they gave my husband his medicine to lower his heart rate...I thought mine was going up...I really did...I thought they were going to have to admit me alongside him)...luckily they got things under control...I was so exhausted I went home and took a nap

Those stressbusters didn't stop there...I had to calm myself down again when I found out that my 17 year old son drove my car to Barnes and Noble...after I told him he could take the car to school and back...funny...I don't remember anyone building a Barnes and Noble between my house and the high school...was it built overnight...was it built that afternoon...I DON'T THINK SO!

Then my daughter called after her first day at her new summer internship in NYC...it was supposed to be so exciting...but after getting up at 5:00 am that morning so I could drive her to the bus so she would be on time for her first day at work in NYC...I was even too tired to listen...but I did...and like any loving mother should tell her 21 year old daughter, I said "Don't worry...it will get easier...you'll make it through the 10 weeks...and afterwards you'll realize how much you learned...even if you didn't like it along the way." (did I really say that...why did I say that...I shouldn't have said that...at 49, I am really starting to sound just like my mother.)

I needed time to de-stress...put the focus back on ME...time to open up my new bottle of Johnson's "Melt Away Stress Dreamy Night" Lotion...the lotion that says on the bottle that it is clinically shown to help you sleep better and melt away daily muscle tension ( it sounded great to me in the store and sounded even better now)...according to the advertisement, 4 out of 5 women felt more relaxed after using it...and if I was so inclined I could go further and discover the feeling at www.johnsonsforyou.com and take the Melt Away Stress Challenge..."Challenge, who wants a challenge" I thought to myself, "I just want to massage this lotion all over my body and melt away my stress...or better yet, just guarantee me that dreamy night and I'll buy a few more bottles."

The lotion won out...no challenges for me...I had enough challenges for one day...I was ready to give my mood a boost...so I massaged the lotion all over my body...on my neck and on my back on my feet and on my legs on my arms and on my hands on my stomach and under my nose...yes, even under my nose...hoping this fast absorbing lotion enriched with chamomile and an exclusive AROMASOOTHE fragrance with a hint of lavender...as the back of the bottle said...would relax my senses and help melt away my daily muscle tension.

Fully bathed in the lotion, I breathed deeply and prepared for a dreamy night's sleep...hoping for a better days ahead.

Judi

Is Exercising Really A Hobby?

I try to exercise at least twice a week and once on the weekend. Well, maybe that is stretching the truth a bit. Oftentimes in the winter, I end up as a weekend athlete. I get home late and always seem to come up with a reason why I cannot go to the gym...too cold...too tired...too much work to do...yada, yada,yada. I say that exercising is one of my hobbies, but the more I think about it, I don't think it is really a hobby. A hobby is something you really enjoy doing. I think exercising is more of a stress releaser, but most of all it helps me maintain my weight.

I've been doing circuit weight training for the past 8 years. My goodness, I cannot believe it's been 8 years that I've been doing the same thing. It's boring, but I do find it works for me. I build muscle and my clothes seem to fit me better...that is until I turned 49 and it all went downhill or should I say "down to the hips." I also use a reclining bicycle. I bought a reclining bicycle several years ago...put it in my bedroom so I would use it more frequently. I had big plans for that bicycle when I first bought it. I was going to wake up 30 minutes earlier each weekday and take a ride as part of my morning routine. Have I done it...nooooooooo! I get up at 5:30 am as it is...5:00 am is just too early for me . Plus, after all these years I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I am not a morning exercise person, except late mornings...and only on Sundays. I've also started using the treadmill at the gym. I walk fast and it seems to work on the hips.

One of these days I also want to try the eliptical machine that everyone at the gym is using. I tried it once and only lasted about 5 minutes...just could not get the arms and legs moving in unison.

Enough about my exercise routine...if anyone has ideas on how to make it more fun or more worthwhile...let me know.

Judi