I went to Nashville for a weekend to celebrate with some very special women in my life and had a great time. Before beginning our final activities on Sunday, I had the opportunity early that morning to go to one of my favorite places, the park.
After consulting the Googles for a park near the hotel, I spent a beautiful crisp morning at Whitsett Park, which is one of six segments of the Mill Creek Greenway. The paved trail which is approximately 1.2 miles accesses the creek, includes a playground, pavilion and community garden (which I did not locate).
The trail is flat, fast, mostly tree covered, and absolutely gorgeous. Though this was a fall excursion with perfect weather, Whitsett Park would still be good cover on a hot summer morning.
There were few people in the park, likely due to weather which was in the 40s (too cool for some folks), it being 8:00 am, and a Sunday. Yet, the park felt safe for those who want to be alone with nature.
If you are in Nashville and stay near the airport during your visit, I highly recommend a stop at Whitsett Park.
The day after Christmas I start seeing those ads, you know the ones from the big brands selling you a plan to lose weight, join a gym, buy the hottest home fitness machine or the newest wearable. Seeing these commercials again and reading this article got me amped about the cost of “wellness.”
Worldwide revenue for 2018 was $94 billion according to the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association ( IHSRA) and is expected to increase as health clubs/gyms enter emerging markets. What is driving this?
In an article from Forbes, Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO provides six reasons as to why there’s been such explosive growth in the industry ranging from decreased costs to employers who incentivize healthy living, availability of biometrics at one’s fingertips through wearables and lower priced gym memberships. All this is fine and dandy for the wellness/fitness industry but circling back to my original beef, why in the world are we paying all this money to be healthy? Here’s my unscientific opinion.
Prolifieration of certain beauty standards in the media – This is as old the first ad for a beauty cream. Buy a thing, achieve a look, unlock the secret to the fabulous life.
We spend money on stuff, period – Looking at the time period immediately following the Great Recession, folks in the United States, still spend money on personal consumption items even in periods of increasing prices.
source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
The brain – this is really number one. There are things that happen inside the brain that transmits to our bodies that causes actions whether they be physical or mental. We think, we act in simple terms. Scientists please weigh in, because I’m really saying is:
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been buying it, FOR YEARS. I’ve had gym memberships off and on since the 80s. “Donated” to Weight Watchers once because I couldn’t stick with the program, own 3 Fitbits, stream paid fitness classes and have so many freaking shoes, weights and things that you’d think I’d be buff like a mug, but I’m not. It should not be this way. It should not cost to be well, to be healthy. Yeah we certainly have choices. I made a choice to buy all the things, chasing that fit dream but now it’s not sustainable, it’s wasteful almost obscenely so. That said, I’m rethinking my personal wellness plan. I shouldn’t have nor want to give up a bunch of cash to healthy.
How about you? Is the cost of wellness on your last nerve? What low or no cost things you do for your health, Let me know in the comments. In the meantime I’ll be doing some free stuff utilizing what is already in my arsenal, eat well, exercise, sleep.
I was in the gym on the treadmill and I saw these two dudes. They were on some equipment along the mirrored wall. You know what they were doing right? Flexing. Watching dudes flex in the mirror is right up there with watching people nod off, I can’t see it without cracking up. Anyway, they were flex worthy I suppose but watching the gun show got me thinking about the chicken wings that are my arms, the donut around my mid section and the jello thighs o mine. If you notice all these parts are named after FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD of which I have partaken much of since my birthday which was, gulp, 3 months ago.
See what had happened was…..
I got my butt in gear around March of last year. I didn’t like the way I looked but more so the way I felt. Yeah I was working out, but I was still mad sluggish, combine that with my age and all of the lovely (horrible) things that come with menopause something had to give or be given up. So out went all the chips and cookies and in came the salads and fruits. Out went the cardio only and in came the HIIT and strength training. I was well on my way to losing some of the jiggle and gaining some energy, then a funny thing happened. I got sick. Not just me but several of us who vacationed in celebration of my dear friend and soror’s birthday. Now I’d lost about 20 lbs before then. By the time that pplague of an illness was gone I dropped 15 more in the months following. It was AWESOME. Yes yes y’all I was back in my “skinny jeans” , until I wasn’t.
From 10/2 on I ate, drank and was merry oh, and I worked, A LOT. Before I looked up, I was right where I was before the illness. I got sick with something else AND my back started cutting up, which meant more downtime, more eating and sparing exercise. Top that with a cherry of exhaustion and you get marshmallow woman. My only flexing has been fork, wine glass and cake to mouth. So, what does this have to do with Hans and Franz from the gym?
Well, strength training isn’t my strength, its well documented but there’s a few things I know for sure.
Strength training is good for older folks to maintain bone density
The stronger I am the fewer issues I have with back pain
I know I took the long way home, but I made it back. I’m picking up more dumbbells and eating less cake these days because it’s good for me and everybody around me. Because trust me an exhausted, grouchy old broad is no fun to be around. Plus, I want muscles.
It’s January 12th, in the Year of our Lord 2018, do you know where your goals are? Some, and I hope many, are crushing it right now. The rest of us mere morals may have already faced tests. Let me know if any of these scenarios are familiar.
It’s the 1st, no one really starts today anyway.
Is that you? If you’re off work on 1/1 you may be hungover and don’t have the head nor the stomach to do anything other than get past it. If you’re not hung over and at home you may just be feeling like a lazy snack monster and munch all day, throw in some college football and it’s a wrap on the diet tip for the day.
It’s the 2nd, you go to the gym and it is packed!
If you are a consistent gym goer, you know the deal. All the resolution folks are there. On top of it these noobs are using “your treadmill, your leg press etc., ” so you’re out of your routine. Your attitude is now stank and the subsequent workout is trash, because you’re focused on them using “your” stuff.
The holidays are over except at your job. It’s your co-worker’s birthday, cake and ice cream are being served.
You just got back to work, ready to roll on your new program, or restart your old one and of course without fail, here comes the birthday cake. There is always a birthday at work or some event that first week that involves food. I’m not talking about nuts and berries and salad but cake and ice cream and other sweet/salty/rich delights. Whatchu gone do? Eat the cake/chips/enter junk food name here of course.
I’m here to tell you that it will be okay. The universe is not out to get you and your love handles, this is just life. As a HUMAN we are always tempted by the stuff we are not “supposed to have.” Also as a human, you have choices and there not either or, nor punitive just be flexible. Hungover? Yeah you should probably take it easy. Noobs filling the gym? Celebrate the fact that they made a decision to get moving. Use their addition to the gym as an opportunity to do something different. Try some different equipment. Take your workout outside (weather permitting OR workout at home. There are tons of videos on-line for FREE that will do you just fine.
Don’t throw in the towel folks. Keep up the good work and if you fell off, get back up and try it again. Being healthy and fit isn’t a one day affair, it’s a lifetime of healthy habits. I know I’m going to keep it pushing.
Until next time, see you at the gym, the trail or somewhere else, because there ARE options.
2004 or thereabouts I just wasn’t feeling well, overweight, uncomfortable, sluggish not bad, but just not well. I had taken a fasting glucose test a couple of times where they make you drink that fake nasty wannabe Fanta drink and my doctor determined I was borderline diabetic and had “insulin resistance” or some nonsense. Well on that last fasting test I crossed on over into Type 2 Diabetes land. My doctor gave me a prescription for Metformin, a diet book from the American Diabetes Association and sent me on my way.
Anyone diagnosed with diabetes in the early 2000s had to have gotten the book. It was a colorful little book with pictures of fresh veggies and such and a meal plan with suggested foods. The calories were limited (I think) to about 1200-1500 per day. Needless to say, the way I was eating at the time, I lasted all of three days on that diet. First of all it was low-carb and no sweets which are of course my favorite things. THEN this plan recommended nasty food like cottage cheese. BLEH, who eats that? I couldn’t do it. I went into full scale rebellion mode, eating all the food, all the snacks and drinking all the pop. Of course doing so for the next two years only made matters worse.
I was having WILD swings in my blood glucose. I would spike up to 280-300 and drop down into the mid 50s. The lows were really scary because I would start sweating and shaking and being all panicky as is wasn’t helping. My diet was trash and I knew it but was it THAT trash? I went back to the doctor, told him about the wild swings and you know what he did? He gave me some more medicine. This time a shot that I had to administer every day right into my fat stomach. That was 2006. The medicine worked I was still eating whatever I wanted but I wasn’t having all the wild swings anymore. Byetta was a life saver, a least for the moment.
I started a new job in 2007. I recall going into the restroom at the job, every morning, listening to make sure no one was coming so I could expose my stomach and shoot up. I wasn’t good enough at it where I could just look down and handle my business within the confines of a stall, I needed a mirror. I felt better but NEEDING to do this every day sucked and I very much wanted to not need it anymore. That same year a member of the management team at my job passed away suddenly. He was only 3 years older than me at the time. Not only did the entire office mourn is passing, but I was scared sh***ess. I went to my new doctor at the time, an absolutely awesome lady doc who kept it 100 at all times and told her I didn’t want to take any of those meds anymore. She said getting off the medication required getting the weight off. I complied and have been Diabetes drug free since then.
That’s the long and short of how I became Type 2. Do I do right all the time? Nope, my struggles are well documented, but I do the best I can most of the time and when things start getting out of hand, my body and my doctor of the last 4 years, Dr Diva, let me know and I get back on track in. Diabetes is nothing to play with, complications can be severe, however with proper management you can still live your best life.
#thisisdiabetes
What about you? Are you Diabetic? Want to tell you story? Hit me up in the comments or in the usual spaces. I’d love to have you do a guest post here on Powered By Soul sharing how you live your best life with Diabetes.
Until next time, see you at the grocery store, where hopefully you’ll see me reaching for broccoli, instead of Tostitos.
Way back during the times that dinosaurs roamed the earth I was a teen living in the home of my mother and father. In one house (my fave), was a nice sized kitchen. Open, eat-in style with plenty of cabinet space and a walk in pantry. The upper cabinet closest to the pantry housed the family pharmacy. In it were all the prescription meds, otcs and vitamins. We certainly had medicine cabinets I just don’t recall medicine being in them. The kitchen was it and looking back it makes sense because the kitchen is where the beverages were and required for taking meds, unless you’re a person with snake-like tendencies swallowing pills whole without water. None of us are snakes.
I am now my mother.
Around age 37 or so the proverbial poo hit the fan. I thought I was having a heart attack, madamoiselle drama queen called the nurse advice line who told me to call an ambulance and go the hospital. Now EMTs weren’t an unusual site in my townhouse community as there were a few neighbors who were seniors. I was NOT a senior and was getting hauled off to what later became a more frequent hangout spot, Northside Hospital.
I was a big lady, am now too but even bigger then. I tell them I’m having chest pains and can’t breathe and these fools put my big butt on a treadmill on INCLINE. They kept speeding it up until I was running. Then they looked at me crazy because I was running. I’m like, “don’t get it twisted I’m a 200 lb cardio queen.” But I digress, they finished the stress test, told me my heart was fine and that I was having an asthma attack.
Whaaaaat??
They used to say that you “outgrow” asthma. Those famous theys lied. I’d gone 20 years without problems but the greenery of the metro and the smog had me jacked up. After painful allergy tests, allergy shots which I still get, Ct scans (just had one last week) and alllllllll the meds I’ve become my mother, the lady with the kitchen medicine cabinet except my kitchen is far less spacious and said meds are kept In a basket. Most of the basket is filled with vitamins, however meds are ever present to handle all of my various maladies. Do I like it? Nah. Are there alternatives? Yeah sure, just haven’t found anything that doesn’t cause HIVES. So for now, I do what is required in order to keep all my fluffiness upright and above ground.
What about you? When was the moment that you became your mom/dad/grandmam? Let me know in the comments or the usual places. Until next time, see you in the vitamin aisle or the pharmacy where I’ll be trying to maintain.
This is the 2nd week of January and I’m sure you’ve read, listened to and watched all things regarding health and fitness goals. You have set some goals for yourself and allow me to be the first or fifth person to say YAY YOU for setting those goals!!!! I’m wishing you much success and give you a gentle reminder that you’ve got to the put in the work. While you’re working toward those goals though, I need to add just a few more things to your clean and healthy plate. I mean you didn’t think that was all did you?
Ye olde broad is no stranger to the “doctor’s office.” I’ve been a regular since my arrival on planet earth 50 years ago. However, some of you may not be. In fact, some of you avoid the doctor’s office like the plague, or you consider doctors to be the plague. Whatever the case maybe, if you are insured/have means/have access get over yourself (jokingly) and don’t be afraid (seriously) to get some of the recommended screenings for your age and sex. So what types of things are on the table?
WOMEN: we need to test ALL the things. If you want to stick around for a while, suck it up buttercup and get these recommended screenings:
Screening tests
Ages 18–39
Ages 40–49
Ages 50–64
Ages 65 and older
Blood pressure test
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Bone mineral density test
(osteoporosis screening)
Again these are recommendations and your doctor may recommend more or fewer screenings. When you do see your provider, (and you will see one, right?) have a thorough and truthful discussion about your health and your family history. They are doctors, you can tell them ALL OF IT, that’s what they are there for.
MEN: you are not all of the hook. There’s a honey do list of screenings for you as well:
Screening tests
Ages 18–39
Ages 40–49
Ages 50–64
Ages 65 and older
Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening
Get this one-time screening if you are age 65 to 75 and have ever smoked.
Blood pressure test
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80).
Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.
Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher.
Cholesterol test
Starting at age 20 until age 35, get a cholesterol test if you are at increased risk for heart disease.
Starting at age 35 and older, get a cholesterol test regularly.
Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.
Get a cholesterol test regularly.
Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.
Get a cholesterol test regularly.
Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.
Get a cholesterol test regularly.
Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested.
Colorectal cancer screening
(using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy)
Starting at age 50, get screened for colorectal cancer.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it.
Get screened for colorectal cancer through age 75.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it.
Diabetes screening
Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure.
Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure.
Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure.
Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure.
HIV test
Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.
Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.
Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.
Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.
Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.
Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.
Get tested if you are at increased risk for HIV.
Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse.
Syphilis screening
Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk.
Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk.
Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk.
Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk.
ERRRRBODY: Get a dental and an eye exam. Your healthcare provider can give you recommendations on how often and your insurance provider (if you are insured) will tell you how often you can go and what’s covered.
Now I likely should have prefaced this entire post with a recommendation for you to see your healthcare provider before starting any diet and/or exercise program, but you already know that, right? That said, I challenge you to take a holistic approach to your health. Treat yourself the best way possible by shooting for a healthy lifestyle that includes preventive medical care.
Until next time, see you at the doctor’s office where I will be getting prodded, poked and weighed, like the human I am.
Photo: MsThorns
Note: For the uninsured, there are still options. The board of health in your county/parish/township generally provides low and no-cost healthcare services as well as free clinics in larger metropolitan areas. Local charitable/non-profit organizations are also resources for free community health events that provide a variety of medical and dental services and referrals.
I’d heard a few months ago what was about to go down. I thought to myself haven’t they been there before? I didn’t Google it, didn’t want to know, didn’t want to confirm, didn’t want to believe but alas, ’tis true. I went by the spot and saw for my own eyes, Sports Authority is going out of business. I’m undone.
My love for the sporting goods store goes back over 30 years. My dad took me to our local spot, Dunham’s to buy my first pair of running shoes. I’ve been hooked ever since.
I’ve shopped specialty stores and even worked in one back in the late 80s but the all purpose sporting good store has always been best for me especially as my needs changed. I got hooked on Sports Authority specifically because they:
Always had specials
Always had what I need
Weren’t so gigantic that you couldn’t get help
Staff was always cool
Locations were always convenient
I tried that huge chain that starts with D and found success all of three times. When I was looking for the super thick Thorlos, Sports Authority had them. Different thicknesses of yoga mats? Sports Authority. Reasonably priced gym bags, yeah they have those in spades. Stuff I didn’t even need but thought was cool, SA sold it to me.
Many of been shut down already, those that are not closed as yet? I won’t be going by for the “Going Out of Business Sale“, it’s just too much to bear. I have no plans of trying a big box substitute. If I need to go into a store, I’ll get that fix the next time go home. Going forward though, looks like that Prime membership is really going to get a workout.
How about you? Is there a spot in your town that you use to frequent, park, court, gym, store etc that broke your heart when it closed? Come let us grieve together in the comments, or here or here.
Until next time, see you online where I’ll be checking out my virtual cart of stuff I can’t touch until it’s delivered.
I see you all you little clean eaters, with your meal prep, tasty recipes, and pretty smoothies, I LOVE IT. I’ve been inspired by it. I said to myself, olde broad get your diet together, one cannot live by popcorn and milk duds alone so I did it.
Prepping wasn’t hard I’ve always done that. I chop every Sunday for salads, cooked meals and juices for the week. So I continued to do so. Getting junk out of my cabinets and fridge was easy as well, I ate it ALL. I work hard for the money I ain’t ’bout to throw out some perfectly good Tostitos. Having polished that off I was on my way.
Week 1 – my head was hurting, I was having junk withdrawal, and was HOOONNNGGRRRYYY and evil without my snacks but I persevered. Week 2 – I weighed in and was back to where I was at the start of the summer. Week 3 – 2 more pounds. Shouldn’t this be faster? Oh yeah I’m old and my schedule was getting crazy so the workouts slowed down. Weeks 4-5 I’m bored and tired of eating like this. I stop weighing in. Week 6 – I turned 49 ate ALL the things and have been eating ever since.
In that 6 weeks, the net loss was three pounds. Needless to say with that amount of sacrifice I was sorely disappointed. So much so that I haven’t tried again since. However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Not a day during that time did I have digestive issues. I stopped rolling like a hot dog roller all night and slept well for the first time in foreverrrrrrr, and did not have a headache after that first week. Yet I titled this Eat Clean For What?
In spite of my perceived failure I was on to something. The focus on eating real food affected my quality of life in a positive way and that is very important as you get older. In fact eating whole unprocessed foods can:
Losing weight is really the cherry on top of that clean smoothie. I think those benefits plus those I’d experienced during my first attempt are well worth going for it again and I will, as soon as I finish this last bag of Lays.
So how about you? Are you a clean eater? How long have you been? What’s been your experience thus far? Let me know in the comments, on Twitter, or Google+. Until next time see you at the store, in the produce aisle of course.
Shortly after the last post, my doctor released me into the wild and instead of going HAM as is my usual fashion, I took it slow. A couple of walks with some yoga. Went back to the gym which was sorely missed to work on regaining my Queen of Treadmill title because its too freaking hot here to walk outside in the evening and I even hit the weights, machines of course and boy I got a lonnnnnnnnngggg way to go to get some strength back, even so I am THANKFUL.
I have explained to some and damn near shouted to others who don’t get it that a person who is use to moving can be in a bad way when they’re not. Let me tell you I was SALTY as a mug during that time I was down. I was drinking all the haterade and was downright indignant watching folks running and biking and lifting and doing all things physical from the sideline.
MsThorns
I was a sorry patient and a depressed one. I knew sideline time wasn’t final, nevertheless it sucked. During that sucky time, I learned that my ability to move should not be taken for granted. You think I would have learned it before but these time, well, was just different.
I count my blessings now.
I actually DO stop if I see bunnies and butterflies, I actually do listen for the sounds of birds and crickets, I actually do look at every flower and stay on the look out for Smokey and Yogi because it seems every summer there is some bear running around, usually in Sandy Springs but still I watch 🙂 I still work out my problems on the trail and EVERY time I have a little talk with Jesus because a lot of times, actually most times I need him to fix it.
MsThorns
I’m thankful for this body I live in it and all of its perfect imperfections. I’m thankful that it can move and that it serves me well in all that need and want to do. It’s the only one I’ve got and you best belief I want it to to keep moving.
What are you thankful for? What lessons have you learned on your journey. Let me know in the comments and alltheusualplaces.
Until next time, see you somewhere, I’ll be the one moving with a smile on my face.
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