Hacky Sack Knee Bounce!

Ok, don't laugh until you've tried this for yourself - it will surprise you!!

Truthfully I waited to post this until I was certain this was not just some temporary amusement and I am pleased to report this is a *seriously beneficial exercise* It has already made a big difference in my hip and thigh flexibility and fitness.

Hooked on this!!

Take a hacky sack and hold it out in front of you a short distance.  Drop the hacky sack and simultaneously bring the same side knee (thigh) up and bump/bounce the hacky sack back up in the air and catch it with either hand depending on which way it goes.  You can bounce it up anywhere on the top of your thigh or down toward your knee.

You can get a really good  rhythm going and *it feels great!!*  I do 50 reps in a row on each side and its great for toning the entire hip girdle - something normally hard to get at.  I am now hooked on this and plan on continuing it on a daily basis - I usually do it in the morning.  It's a great warm-up before walking.

You can of course expand into many other hacky sack exercises to work different parts of your lower body but I am honestly content with this one for a while.  *Try it - you'll like it!!!*

Lycopene Blast #2!

Personally I do not take supplements of any kind as I prefer to get the benefits from "superfoods" from daily foods and in "taste sensible" quantities.

I begin every day (after exercising) with a glass of low sodium vegetable juice (they are all about 90% + tomato juice in reality) as that gives me a daily healthy dose of lycopene in a sensible "food quantity" amount.  As mentioned in the watermelon juice post below, the benefits of lycopene are many and the link below details some more.

As I'm drinking this potent juice daily, it's the perfect opportunity to work in 2 more "superfoods":  turmeric powder and cayenne powder.  Both of these, but especially turmeric powder, have significant established health benefits you don't want to be missing out on.  Turmeric is a spice that can be difficult to use on its own but it blends in perfectly with tomato juice and actually enhances the flavor.  As I am a HUGE chili-head I add "Berbere Seasoning" (a North-African pepper blend) that gives me a nice dose of cayenne pepper and other healthy spices.

I like Penzey's for my spices but Turmeric powder is relatively inexpensive and is available everywhere (careful it stains!!).  If you're adding other spices I suggest you stick with a no-salt blend to keep the sodium levels down (tomato juice can be very high so choose a low sodium version) and there are tons of salt-free blends available.  Keeping this up on a daily basis will ensure you are maximizing the health benefits of these powerful health enhancing compounds.

https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/15-benefits-lycopene/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-cayenne-pepper

Turmeric and Cayenne Powders add extra potency to Tomato Juice

Wind Sprints!

Gyms and machines are great for heart building cardio but I suggest you add a dose of outdoor "old school" wind sprints to your fitness routine.  Essentially just short dashes back and forth (or along a circuit) wind sprints are a great, quick way to get winded on a daily basis.  

To quote the great Gary Player (a professional golfer who was way ahead of his time in the 1950's with an athletic approach to a sport that was largely viewed as skill):  "Whether it's climbing stairs in your house, riding an exercise bike or jumping rope, the key is to get at least slightly out of breath for 10 minutes.  It's practically impossible to be badly out of shape if you do this each and every day."  (I love that last part!)

While you can do these anywhere, I prefer a natural grass surface for cushioning and the slight variations in surface which enhance your balancing skills.  Natural athletic fields are great.

Just simply take off and run, jog, or sprint to in a series of intervals.  Simple back and forth sprints with a short break in between is easiest.  *This is something you need to adjust to suit your own needs and fitness levels - START SLOWLY AND BUILD UP!*

I've always felt like being able to make a quick sustainable dash is not only a great measure of your fitness levels but also an essential life saving skill!  Just remember to start slow and build up!

Watermelon Juice!

A freshly blended half a medium sized watermelon will supercharge your energy levels and carry you all the way to lunch.  For a period of several years I ate nothing but blended watermelon until noon and I felt great and lost weight without being hungry at all.  Now I do this seasonally about once a week - but I think this year I will do a lot more of it.  I highly recommend you try it.

This is so easy to do and is probably one of the healthiest things you can do for your body -especially men.  Watermelon is packed with lycopene (a powerful anti-oxidant with proven benefits for men's health) - but unlike other foods such as tomatoes which must be cooked for the lycopene to be accessible by your body, the lycopene in watermelon can be absorbed in its raw (uncooked) form.   

Watermelon also increases nitric oxide levels (promotes healthy blood vessels) and a host of other benefits.   

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/watermelon-health-benefits

Just Blend It Up!!

This really is an amazingly tasty!  You can easily down 2 quarts of this stuff - only drawback - it is 90% water so you'll need to think ahead if going on a long car ride, etc!  ENJOY!!

Creamy and Delicious!

Just cut the watermelon up in chunks and drop it into a blender - any blender - you don't need to add any water or ice.

You may need to push down on the watermelon chunks to get the blend going - do that safely.

You can of course drop in anything else you like (strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, etc.) but I really just prefer pure watermelon juice.

The Morning Walk

If you can manage it with your work schedule during the week I highly recommend a regular, consistent morning walk - even if it's a short one.  

You will have so much more energy for the day it's really incredible what a difference it makes in your body and generating a positive outlook and energy for the day.

I like to take a cup of coffee with me on the walk - sometimes I'll walk about a mile before taking a sip.  Picking a destination before taking that first sip is a powerful motivator to get your body moving and to your destination!

You can even take this up a notch with a full fledged *CAFFEINE POWER WALK*  If you have any place within about a mile or so (or more!) that you can get up - especially on the weekends - and walk to your morning cup of Joe I highly recommend this practice.  

I'm lucky enough to have a Starbucks about a mile and a half down the road so it is now a consistent year round ritual that every Saturday/Sunday morning I am walking to that Starbucks for my coffee in the morning.  This is now one of treasured health habits and I can't imagine a weekend without it.

I hope you have the opportunity to work in a morning walk as often as possible in your daily routine.

Some fresh mulberries in the park for breakfast this morning!!

Mulberry Tree!

The Evening Walk

If you are fortunate enough to have a safe space to take an evening walk after dark I can't recommend this practice enough for you.

This time of year I love leaving the house around 9:00 pm.  Traffic is light, it's cooler and quiet out and the darkness gives the walk an air of introspection - perfect time to reflect on your day or just simply enjoy the walk.

Returning home it's the perfect time for some chilled fruit and cold water.  An evening walk is also a great aid to relaxation and will help you get to sleep much quicker.

Take all common sense safety precautions:  know exactly where you are walking and if it's 100% safe or don't go.  Carry a flashlight and/or wear some reflective clothing.  NEVER assume a car can see you at night - carefully avoid all vehicles, take your time crossing intersections or streets.

Make this a part of your daily routine as often as you can - you will be glad you did.

Welcome To My Blog!!

Welcome to the blog!! 

Looking forward to sharing with you creative ideas for health and fitness.  Simple tips you can implement in your life right away to start positively impacting your health and well being.