Try Hanging to get the body stretched out…

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Today, try hanging (safely) from something sturdy and stable. Count how long you can hold. It’s absolutely ok if you can’t manage this just yet. Be patient. In time, you may find it possible. See if you can find and practice an easier version till you get stronger. Also, keep in mind that any extra weight will make this more difficult. For those that can already do a pull-up, great, you might try adding in “breathing” pauses at the top (or bottom) to change things up. The point of all this is to get some regular hang-time in each week, if not daily. The body needs to expand. This is an easy way to accomplish this. Hanging lengthens the spine and gets our arms overhead, something most of us don’t do often enough. It may sound crazy but most folks find this strangely addictive once the habit is formed. My body has actually learned to crave stretching in this manner. It’s also worth noting that the “big fitness 3” (Flexibility, Strength & Stamina) can all be improved if appropriate variations are applied. Practice. Enjoy. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Dec 10, 2018 at 7:57am PST

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Priorities during Disruptions: Travel, Vacation, Holidays, Company in town…

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Vacation. Travel. The holidays. It’s important to enjoy some down time. It’s also important to spend time with family & friends. Maybe it’s just you? That’s great too. Alone time is also very important. But what are the priorities for someone who is trying to shed unwanted body fat during such disruptions? The most important thing is your total calories each day (aka “how much we eat and drink). Don’t worry so much about exact numbers. We are all aware of what “reasonable” and “obnoxious” looks like. Aim for more reasonableness, less obnoxiousness. Don’t worry so much about exercise either. By all means, if you can or want to, do so. Enjoy. Just know that your main secret weapon will be walking as much as possible. Every single day. All day long. Walk your ass off if possible. Of course, that’s not possible. Good thing too. Personally, I like to do short 5-10min workouts most mornings. Not because I may burn a few calories, which is probably less than 100 calories in this particular case (less than a can of soda). I exercise because it makes me feel better, gives me energy plus helps maintain my basic strength levels and lean muscle mass, which increases in importance as we age. I suppose I could do a longer workout but why?! At some point, exercising longer just to burn a few more calories becomes counterproductive, disruptive and unhealthy. It makes much more sense to consume fewer calories to begin with. I hope you see my point. I was just gone for 2 weeks. Each morning I did 10 deep squats, 10 pushups and 10 pullaparts with a old rubber tube that I typically travel with. I did 3 rounds of that, stretching between each exercise. That’s it. Nothing too complicated. (The details here are not really too important.) I have said this before and will say it again now: what we eat & drink (and how much) affects our body-fat levels much more than exercise ever will. Exercise is super important, for many other reasons besides being a tool to help burn calories. During such temporary disruptions, control what you eat and drink. That way there’s less to deal with later. Be reasonable. Reasonability, in most situations, is a very good friend. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Dec 3, 2018 at 12:59pm PST

Food for thought…

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Food for thought (pun intended). Our bodies adapt to what we demand of them. Meal frequency is certainly a good example. There is no perfect (or best- or correct) number of meals to aim for. Some people do well eating as many as 6 meals a day, some as few as 1. Just about anything can work over time, barring we don’t have any medical issues. Why does most everything work? Because our bodies were made to adapt to what we do (or don’t do) to them. This happens with learning, movement, environments we become immersed in over time, etc. This is essentially how we adapt, survive and evolve. Nothing happens over night but over time. Again, I’m not recommending one specific way of eating or meal frequency. Each of us must search and find what works best for any given goal or situation. Personally, I do know that the more often I eat each day, the more likely I am to over-consume calories. Also, the more times a day i “need” to feed, the more high-maintenance I become. Eventually, hunger becomes a major distraction, something I’m not interested in at all. (Interesting side note: there are studies that have demonstrated that the human body may in fact better resist disease and aging by simply consuming less food over a lifetime. However, as these are still theories…). For years I ate 5 meals a day. It might sound like pure joy but it’s not when you eat healthy. I didn’t enjoy having the burden of 5 meals and wanted to feed less but was honestly afraid I’d lose muscle or somehow harm my health. I eventually experimented with 2-3 meals a day, which was difficult at first. It took a couple of months for my body to adjust. Now it’s easy. I never lost muscle. I never lost energy. I actually feel better than before. This was a great fit for me. I made this change after turning age 40. Like I said, I’m not recommending you do what I did. My point is to tell you not be afraid to experiment and challenge your “norms”. We each must find what works for us. There are also theories now that suggest incredible benefits from limiting “feeding” hours to 8-10 hours each day. Things to ponder. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Nov 12, 2018 at 7:22am PST

Push-up Ideas…

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The PUSH-UP. There are literally dozens of different ways to do a push-up. There are versions that could work well for both a beginner and the most advanced. Just know this, the reason push-ups are important is because they strengthen many of the major muscles of the upper body. We need these muscles to be healthy, strong and durable. And yes, push-ups can also help improve the appearance of these particular muscles which do include the chest, shoulders, and arms. No matter what level you’re starting at, there is a push-up version that you can do starting today! #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Nov 6, 2018 at 12:40pm PST

You don’t have to be Perfect. Just don’t be crap.

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We are about 8 weeks out from the new year. We are now officially in the Holiday Season. Don’t stress out about trying to be perfect with everything. Enjoy yourself. After all, this is why we do the many things we don’t want to do, so we can earn the right to have some fun. Play. Get out there. Life is short. Time goes quickly. Just don’t let discipline and responsibilities go to crap completely. Push them along. Use that wonderful brain. Use that beautiful heart. Navigate around obstacles more effectively so you can live your best life. I want to motivate you. I believe motivation is important for us all. But motivation does run out. Then what? Always remember this, self-discipline is your best friend. Treat it as so. Practice those habits that you want to keep. Enjoy the process! #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Oct 31, 2018 at 4:01pm PDT

How to Make a Simple-Inexpensive-Healthy Smoothie

 

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How to Make a Simple-Healthy-Inexpensive Smoothie at home using 4 Ingredients. Here is an example: 1) Choose a frozen berry or a fruit. I recommend either a handful of frozen Blueberries or cutting up a Whole Apple. 2) Choose a Dark Leafy Green. I recommend either a handful of frozen pre-washed Kale or Spinach. 3) Choose a spoonful of your favorite natural nut butter. My choice is Natural Peanut Butter. 4) Choose 1-2 scoops of a tasty Protein Powder. Taste is VERY important here. There are many choices, both animal and non-animal proteins. I personally prefer a chocolate Whey Protein Powder or a Vanilla Pea Protein Powder. Lastly, add some cold water to your blender full of ingredients. I usually fill it up to the half-way mark of whatever I put in my blender that day. Experiment with everything to get things how you like. Smoothies are a great way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Smoothies are best after exercise or when you’re in a hurry. I highly recommend them. You can add other ingredients. I put about a dozen different goodies in mine. To me, my smoothies are like daily medicine. Keep it simple. Enjoy. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Oct 15, 2018 at 9:46am PDT

Align Purpose with Passion

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Passions. Talents. Love. Purpose. Etc. Never stop refining a better you. It’s never too late to go deeper. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Oct 10, 2018 at 11:42am PDT