Posture Perfection....at any age!!

Do you remember when you were small, your parents and teachers would often say put your shoulders back? From an early age we tend to go for the most comfortable position often to our detriment.

Over the years I have tried my best to be aware of my deportment for my bones and my appearance. Certainly as we enter the senior years its even more important to take note of posture there is nothing more ageing than the sight of rounded shoulders which become more and more pronounced.  This image is even displayed on danger road signs of older people crossing the roads!  Apparently the government is looking to improve on this image as it is regarded as an old fashioned stereotype....I certainly hope so!

Some years ago I saw Diana Moran at a magazine event.  (Remember she was the "Green Goddess" from  Breakfast TV years ago.) Certainly her fitness regime which she demonstrated to so many people had paid off for her - she looked amazing, she stood tall with perfect posture and looked so much younger than her years.

Then last week I saw an article showing her today at the age of 77 looking as if time had stood still.  The thrust of the article made me think about my parents generation where they were encouraged to "take it easy" as they got older and "not do too much"! Not that my parents followed their advice they were very active people and enjoyed their productive lives.

Its really worth a read and may give you food for thought about making small changes to your life which will make for a healthier way forward.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4304654/Feel-ten-years-younger-no-gyms-no-diets-no-fuss.html

Finding the motivation.......

So what might encourage us to lead a happy healthy fit lifestyle? We are all facing the challenges of temptations around us every day but we recognise that sometimes we have to take stock.

At my age and that of my friends (50s and 60s) we agree the we need to take extra care.  The usual things come over again and again when we discuss health and fitness issues....which is often :)

- blood pressure
- cholesterol
- mobility
- tiredness
- health scares
- batwings
- tummy fat
- rolls of fat
- ill fitting clothes
- and the rest!!

They say that we end up with the "face we deserve" now we also end up with the "body we deserves".

Lets face it none of us are saints and have lapses of common sense but if we continue to give way to excess we will seriously affect our health and longevity.

The New Year made me revisit my previous resolutions.  I have managed to maintain my weight by having a low carb diet and being mindful of portion control.  I make 95% of our food from scratch, its healthier and despite what people say it is also cheaper.  You know exactly whats gone into the making of the food and no-one has sneaked in hidden sugar.  I heard a celeb on one of the chat shows say "you would be surprised how much sugar is in spaghetti bolognese" !!!  If you make it - one of the easiest meals - you won't have any sugar!!

My friends and family support each other and all try to be as healthy as possible.  We compare notes, we groan if we add on a few extra pounds and moan if a dress doesn't fit.....

If you feel you don't have thais kind of encouragement around you maybe a support group like Weightwatchers may be the answer where weight is monitored and advice and are offered and a team spirit provides the motivation to succeed.

On the fitness front, my trusty fitbit provided me with constant feedback on my daily progress - I know this may be a little obsessive but each to their own.

I read health and fitness magazines which provide useful advice and recipes and help to keep me on the straight and narrow!

I go to the gym where I also see regular attendees and we talk as we work out on cross trainers, bikes and treadmills and it is surprising how quickly an hour goes by. I aim to go every day but with other commitments it probably is about 5 on average and surprisingly I really enjoy it which wasn't the case at first. I can hear some saying "Im told older that".....in my gym there a soup of eighty somethings who exercise regularly and are keeping agile and they also enjoy the social aspect of regularly meeting up.

Today I attended my second Pilates class of the week.  I have had a years lapse on attending classes and was encouraged to revisit as I am having twinges in my back and shoulder probably from slouching on the sofa watching TV!!  So my resolution is to have a session once a week.  I have a Pilates DVD and I know some people find this works for them as they can exercise at home but I find that the class works better for me as you are pushed out of your comfort zone and achieve more.

Its never too late to make changes - you feel better, look better and have far more energy with a leaner, fitter toned body!!

It is a matter of finding out what works for you - a visit to your doctor would be sensible and have a checkup particularly if you fall into older category and then devise a plan!!

NHS Challenge!

My last post shows my Fitbit and meeting my fitness targets for the day. After returning from our Caribbean cruise I have become even more conscious of the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle . Let me fill you in on some of my observations on the holiday.

I am not keen on flying and so if we can sail from Southampton to Southampton I am more than happy. The downside if there is one that the period of time at sea may be long. So this holiday for me removed a lot of the angst. 

What surprised us however was the number of seriously obese passengers and we surmised that maybe it would have been impossible for them to fly and so again this cruise suited them but for different reasons. Out of  approximately 2000 people on board we estimated that about 60% were overweight. I have mentioned the obesity problem before however this time we were shocked by the body size and the extent of immobility of many. 

We witnessed eating to the point of absurdity. This may seem far fetched but let me give you just one example - one woman who was very jolly and pleasant and almost the width of a corridor would struggle each morning to collect her breakfast from the buffet. She could hardly breath and could only move by conducting a side to side rocking motion. Her plate was filled with several pieces of toast stacked in such a way that bacon, eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes could be trapped between the layers - the arrangement was completed with baked beans poured over the top. 

This level of gluttony was not unique. When you see this with your own eyes your amazement turns into real concern that clearly she and many of the others couldn't help themselves. 

The obesity crisis is something we all have to take seriously and the solutions have to be quite radical. A sugar tax would not make any impact whatsoever. The age group primarily 45-70 on this ship, should really know better and realise that they are killing themselves. They also are suffering from many ailments including diabetes, having to endure operations to hips, knees and the rest. 

Ww

We listened to passengers who openly talked about their failings but made light of it by saying "I'm just a real foodie" and "you see I just love my food"!

Plenty of wonderful food was available, lots of variety and choice but for many they stuck to what I heard referred to on a TV programme as "the beige diet" (fat v carbs BBC). Lots of potatoes mainly in the form of chips, bread rolls with every meal, rice, pasta.....

We reflected on the challenge facing the NHS and what could be done. There are no simple answers but there needs to be strong messages about the consequences of this overindulgence. We seem to care more about sensitivities than tackling the problem.  If the behaviour I have described is replicated across the country no wonder the NHS can't cope.

Needless to say the gym on board was used by about 20 people on a regular basis. However others did visit the gym .....to use the scales. Some including my husband preferred to walk 3 times round the promenade deck (1mile) on a daily basis.- just as effective particularly when walking briskly

Diet and exercise are regular topics in newspapers, magazines, TV programmes, websites, Government and NHS guidelines so why aren't people listening???

What do you think? 

New Year Resolutions for dummies :)

When you reach this age you feel you have done resolutions ...but then you realise that instead of dismissing them recognise that you have reached a state of realism and acceptance and a rebalance of expectations.  You know what you should be doing and the benefits.....but you also know its all in your hands. So with this in mind what am I going to aim for this year?

1. Maintaining health, diet and fitness
2. Developing my hobbies and interests
3. Making the most of every day
4. Be more disciplined with my blog
5. Ration time on twitter and Facebook
6. Cherish every moment with my family

So looking at Number 1 ....I feel I am top of my diet..protein, lots of veg and low carb....works for me.  Not a fan of fruit but will endeavour to consume some :(  Also watch portions...greed can sometimes over-ride common sense.

Fitness - if you read my blog regularly you will know that I take this seriously.  I have a regime that works for me.  I go to the gym regularly and take every opportunity to walk rather than use the car.  You don't have to belong to a gym just keep moving!  Particularly when you reach your 60's - what separates the men from the boys is the investment you have made in your lifestyle and the measures you have taken to sustain the benefits derived.

Interesting that you usually get the usual influx of new recruits in the gym in the New Year - however its been a bit thin on the ground so far! This morning I virtually had the gym to myself and the same has been true over the past few days.

It is recommended that we should do 10K steps a day to maintain a healthy fitness level.  I really didn't appreciate what the is meant until my children bought  a  "fitbit" for my birthday.

I am into gadgets so I can understand the choice of present.  However I didn't realise how useful this would be.  It measures number of steps taken in a day, calories burnt  and sleep patterns and you can also record your diet and much more. All can be synchronised with an app on your iPhone.  Now I know this does not appeal to everyone just nerds like me - however the point I wanted to make is that we can kid ourselves as to whether we are really active in a day.  So far I have achieved 10k steps on a handful of occasions ..days when I have spent at least an hour in the gym and have completed many tasks at home - so you do have to up your game to achieve the goal.  Worth investing in a bog standard cheap pedometer if you want to check your progress.  Find out what works for you!!!

Back to Good Habits!!

I hate to say it but these past few days I have missed my daily gym routine! Inevtiably Conference means you have to sit for hours on end and your joints start to complain.  Certainly mine felt decidedly uncomfortable.  Yes I know I probably could have fitted in some exercise but it wouldn't have been easy.

I must confess today is my first day back in the gym and I have started to change my routine.  Before we went away I had an assessment on "Body Composition".  This has been made available at our gym with the first session free so I thought I might as well. Below is the blurb on this which explains what it provides much better than I can.   you just need to stand on the base and hold the hand grips for a couple of minutes and the machine then comes up with a variety of calculations which is produced like a supermarket till receipt.

I was quite sceptical about this at first but the results were impressive - the trainer takes you through your weight, muscle etc.  just as it says below.  I was amazed how I was carrying a little more fat in one leg than the other, arms were about the same....anyway the upshot was that I needed to work on my upper half more ....the core and so more weights!!  I also have to vary the routine in the gym - I do tend to concentrate on the cross trainer but now will alternate with other pieces and combine with weights.

Whats for sure is that there is no room for complacency.

I will have a further assessment in 3 months time and see if I have made progress with the various measures.

I returned home today feeling much better, energised and very warm and my knees felt much more flexible.......I know I will ache tomorrow but it will be worth it.

http://www.tanita.com

The addition of hand grips to Tanita's standard platform-based electrode system allows the BC-418 body composition analyzer to calculate regional body composition, empowering healthcare professionals to better determine health risks associated with abdominal fat.

Tanita is proud to introduce a significant improvement to the calculation of Basal Metabolic Rate. Instead of simply relying on weight, age, and gender, Tanita's proprietary formula takes into account Fat Free Mass, providing a higher level of accuracy compared to current BMR. Through the use of 8 polar electrodes, the Tanita BC-418 Segmental Body Composition Analyzer can show separate body mass readings for the right arm, left arm, trunk, right leg and left leg. It also prints out a complete body composition profile in seconds: including Weight, Body Fat Percentage, Body Fat Mass, Body Mass Index (BMI), Fat Free Mass, Estimated Muscle Mass, Total Body Water and Basal Metabolic Rate. The all-in-one compact column mount design, with integrated printer, makes the BC-418 perfect for use in small, dedicated spaces.

Tanita's professional Body Composition Analyzers provide weight and a complete body composition analysis in less than 30 seconds. All professional models use a single-point load cell weighing system in the scale platform to guarantee absolute precision and unbelievable longevity (up to 300, 000 uses before calibration.)

All political parties have been discussing the NHS  and the pressures it is facing.  Of course prevention is better than cure.  Most people will do what they can but others don't seem to feel that they need to........the obesity crisis which is a major concern was touched upon in a Q&A sessions. Many have opinions on the use of gastric bands and what can be done as alternatives.

Education is seen as one solution or part of the solution.  Personally I think we are all exposed to so much information on eating healthily and  about the need to combine with exercise but people choose to ignore the advice on offer and nothing you say or do will change their ways.

At our hotel this week, a couple appeared at the buffet breakfast and sat at the next table to us.  The man was slim and the woman was quite overweight. They were probably in their early 40s. Both went to collect their cooked breakfast.  The man returned with a modest plateful of food.  The woman had a considerable amount on her plate...sausages, bacon eggs, hash browns, baked beans......  She ate all of this and then followed with toast and fruit salad.  After a few minutes we heard her say she was still a bit peckish and she returned with another cooked breakfast......

I found this quite depressing - I don't have the answers. I do feel however the person needs to change themselves and to find what will it take for them to stop bad habits. Sadly for some it is when a significant medical issue arises........

Body Monitoring.............

About 2 years ago I bought the Omron Body Composition Monitor. It measures your weight, body fat, visceral fat, BMI and skeletal muscle.

 It was quite a party piece - every visitor wanted to have a go.  Some were quite smug about the results others quite worried.  This may have prompted the latter to do something about their adverse results, hopefully visit their GP.   

I monitored myself for about 6 months and the readings were fine and so I  lost interest and the monitor ended  up in a cupboard.

Just recently there have been health programmes on TV and more emphasis on the benefits of exercise and the impact on the body.  I remember that one of the concerns was about the fat that you can be fine weight wise but you could be accumulating fat around your internal organs (visceral fat) and if this is significant you may wish to examine your lifestyle. 

So curious to see how I was faring  I resurrected the Omron and have started monitoring again. All my readings were fine apart from the body fat which was just a tad over the ideal scale even though I am a regular exerciser.  So maybe for my frame I need to lose a little weight..........

Amazon have a similar item on offer for £49.95 (RRP £119.95) - I know I paid much more than this.


It is a useful tool if you are concerned about health and fitness and your general health.  It is also useful as I have found to revisit  from time to time to make sure that there haven't been major changes.