What do you recommend? Books, Exercise Programs and Opinions

First of all, I need to tell you that I am in "password" hell. ( I debated if I should put that word in...it is the only one that fits) I am very good at making new ones up and then immediately forgetting them. I need help to simplify my life.

Any ideas?

A very young me...I had opinions even back then.

Since I love to read and had surgery on my eyelids so I could actually do that, I go through books at the speed of light. 

Any suggestions?

Last spring a friends suggest...no insisted that I begin exercising. I began and have continued through out the summer using Grow Young Fitness. It is wonderful and I will probably keep it up. But it costs me $30 a month. 

What do you suggest for someone that does not want to or can't afford that much?

My family often says out-loud that I have a lot of opinions. For example, I am not in favor of "abortions of convenience". I do, however, think that every woman should have birth control available to them at very little or no cost.

Do you have an opinion that you would like to share?

Let me know...!

b+

Walking My Bottom Off...Really!

My Tucson Home

It turns out that I have to exercise hard almost every day. Darn! I can tell you for certain that there really is nothing I like better than writing, having coffee in bed, reading and watching TV on Acorn. Yes indeed. Sunday might be my favorite day of the week. Or is that Sunday when you sit around and pretend to rest.

But I don't go to church because I don't sit still that well. You can see where I am going with this...I am a split personality with big exercise issues.

So, when my doctor told me I had to get up and move, I took it to heart and the very next day I got up in the morning, put on my tennis shoes and went for a walk. Since August I have walked almost every day.

Now I am going to have a brand new problem...my clothes will not fit for very much longer. My wedding ring will have to be resized and my shoes are even looser on some days.

So, when I say I have walked my bottom off, I am not kidding! I feel great and, because this has to be a lifelong habit, I don't plan on stopping ever. My split personality is coming together because, in the end I am happier when I am moving.

Best of all, I am having a whole lot of fun! Life is good.

How to Feel Younger in a Week

How many steps did you climb today?

Do you miss being young....er...ish? If you do what is it that you miss the most. I miss being active and seeing something accomplished at the end of the day. For that reason, I think the thing that I miss the most is the work...work until you drop into bed at night totally exhausted. When I was younger I would work until I absolutely could not even think. I loved pushing myself to the limit each day and get up in the morning and do it again.

My husband and I have been restoring an Arizona room on our park model. We have lifted and demolished and measured and planned until we both are ready to drop. I have only participated in the really hard stuff for a few days. It is coming back to me now how I love to work that hard. I embrace the pains and stiff muscles each day. Sleep? I sleep like a baby at night and wake in the morning refreshed and ready to go again. And I slim up really fast...notice I did not say lose weight. Muscle mass weighs more but is less bulky.

Could it be that the retirement that is all about "not working" is very bad for our health both mentally and physically? Do we feel older when we are not "working"? I think so. The truth is that we all need purpose and goals no matter what we are doing in our lives. I am not saying that you need to go back to work. I am saying that you need to get up and work, move, accomplish something. If for no other reason, do it because I said so and just trust me. You will feel better, sleep better and be mentally sharper. In fact I can almost guarantee that you will feel younger in one week!

Give it a try and let me know.

b+

Related articles

• How Many "Projects" Do You Have Left In You?

Retirement: Do you get so rested that you cannot sleep?

I have had so much fun this week reading other people's blogs. They have inspired me to talk about things I have on my mind all of the time. This morning Eileen Hopkins of Boomer Pot of Gold woke up very early (3 am) and wrote a post about the beautiful sunrise and birdsong. I could see her world in my minds eye.

Eileen is newly retired and just beginning the journey called retirement. Her days are filled with relief from the worry of a job that filled her day from dawn to dusk. I know how she feels. Even the part about waking in the middle of the night rings a very clear and nagging signal of what retirement holds for me. I suspect that most people have had the nagging experience.

The fact is a job just keeps our minds and bodies so busy that exhaustion set in and sleep is the only respite we have from that world. I know people that fall into bed each night and are asleep immediately. They will even nap on weekends. Sleep is a treasure to be pulled out when the world simply gets too hectic.

A walk with grandchild is
the perfect exercise. I do sleep
like a log after a day of
grandchildren!

Then we retire and slow down. For a while sleep is our friend...something we just never got enough of when we worked. Then slowly and surely sleep will come at odd hours...in the afternoon, for two hours at bedtime or maybe not at all. It ceases to be a respite and becomes a problem. Why? Well, the fact of the matter is we do need to work to stay healthy. Surprise!

Now, I am not talking about a 9-5 jobs. I am simply talking about moving, exercising getting up out of the chair and not setting back down until one feels a real need. It is a trade off in my world. If I want to sleep sound without any trouble I really just need to "work" at something that requires me to move about.

I am not an expert on sleep. There are studies and clinics and medications. As for me I find that when I am inactive, my mind has too much time to get busy thinking about stuff, I cannot sleep. Once the whirling begins inside my head it is very hard to it turn off.

I loved that Eileen enjoyed the sunrise...it truly is a gift each and every day. But as for me, I prefer to let it pass most days. Sleep is my friend.

Now I am going for a walk.

Just a thought!

b+

You might also enjoy a post I wrote in 2012: Why Are You Getting Old The Two Year Old Asked!

Related articles

• Senior Independent Living...7 stages of retirement "grief"!

Small Space Living: Channeling my inner goldfish!

Channeling my inner goldfish....

I heard once that a goldfish only grows as big as the container in which it lives. That is why you see big "goldfish" in big ponds and tiny ones in a glass. I really don't know if that is true but it does sound very interesting. Oh, and I have been told that if you feed a goldfish too much it might die. That is important to know if you buy one.

...or channeling my inner whale? (Sea World photo by b+)

Last night I began to wonder if I was finally reacting to the fact that my my husband and I live in a small park model all winter. Is my inner goldfish telling me that I need to get rid of a few extra pounds or my house will be too small to hold me? After all, I should fit into my tiny house. That may be the reason I have begun to enjoy walking again.

When I walk, I lose weight...AND that is the only way extra pounds are going away. There is no hope that I will change anything much about my eating habits at this stage in my life. Thank heavens I am not like a goldfish. I might eat myself to death in one day.

When I return home to Oregon, I will have 1500 square feet of living space. Plus, I have a yard, a patio in the front and the back. There is a small park across the street. I don't even know what to do with all that room when I get back. But, believe it or not, the goldfish in me will adjust and before long I will feel like I cannot live with less.

As for my weight...pray for me. Up until now, I have managed to not expand to fit the space in Oregon. Let's just hope I don't slip a gear or something and begin to channel my inner whale. My goldfish self would have a tough fight against that big creature!

Be well,

b+

An invitation to link: 5 Small Things To Do...Everyday

There are things that I think we should do everyday...not big things but small things, doable, and real.  Why? Because big elephants need to be eaten one bite at a time. When we look at the whole, we become discouraged and stuck. Think about these small things. This is an invitation to link to this post in the comments with your blog post about your 5 things:

1. Savor waking up every morning.  Have you ever thought about the miracle of sleeping and waking every day of your life?  It is one of the most amazing things. Begin each day slowly, savoring the joy of being awake to greet the day.
2. Walk fast for a little distance. Time is no problem because a short distance can take a matter of seconds. Who knows, if you begin with a very short fast walk, you may find yourself walking fast for a little longer each day. Don't pay attention to how long or far...just walk until you are done and then be done!
3. Smile at someone. Is there a scientific reason we should smile?  I don't know nor do I care. I just know that it is something we need to do everyday. The more the better.
4. Be a little grateful.  Not to much because I do know that too much forced gratitude will dilute the quality of your thoughts.  Focus.
5. Make yourself shine...the very old saw cleanliness is next to godliness may be true. Take the time to wash and brush and reflect on the wonder of the vessel given to you that you may live another day.

Thoughts on my 5 things:

My Garden and Sanctuary

• Savoring Morning sets the tone for the whole day, each and every day. I personally make myself sit up and hold a cup of hot liquid in my hand, sipping myself awake each and everyday. It is not a task to do or a time for prayer. It is savoring the time of day. I am more creative, happier and rested when I start the day. When I was working I would do this each morning for just ten minutes. By the time I climbed out of my bed I was ready to face the day with joy.
• Walking Exercise is important. We all know that BUT when it becomes onerous and time consuming, it weighs on our minds and soul. But a short fast walk? We can all do that everyday. Exercise is like a good book in that we need to start at the beginning to appreciate and love it.
• Smiling Human contact is one of those things we need to remain alive. When denied human love, babies actually die. Talking care of basic human needs will not keep them alive.  Smile at a human, talk to a human, be alive.
• Gratitude The reason I think that a the focus for our gratitude is important has come to me over a long period of time. Have you noticed that when you say "thank you" to a friend for a kind deed, the thank you is more meaningful the first time than after you have said it 10 times?  Gratitude is like that.  One or two thoughts of gratitude are enough for one day...at least for me. Then I try to focus on those thoughts.
• Cleanliness...it can help Clean teeth actually helps your mental functioning. Frequent hand washing keeps disease away and so on. I want to add to that list. I think that people that live long value their life and the body they are given. Beyond breathing and eating which are not choices in our daily life, up lifting daily habits result in a quality life. (Information from 17 Day Plan to Stop Aging (review here), Dr. Mike Moreno)

What are your 5 things?  I would love have you think about it and write a post.  I invite you to leave a link in a comment.

b

Note: The 17 Day Plan to Stop Aging (available on Amazon)

I reviewed this book on Blog Critics recently. The book is jam packed with so much information. The book reinforced the daily habits listed above. I received the book as a gift from Free Press

There is a blog called 5 Things to do Today. I should give credit where credit is due...the writer of 5 Things to do Today inspired me!

Interesting pdf file (put text in Google search):  (Spirituality and health:  What we know, what we need to know Linda K George; David B Larsons; Harold G Koeing; Michael E McCullough
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology; Spring 2000; 19, 1; Psychology Module)