The 50's are a sandwich generation of fitness; we don't want to work out like we did 15, 10 or even 5 years ago, yet we aren't ready for the "senior" classes either. I'm revamping this blog to be a blend of health and fitness tips that I hope all of you "fiftysomethings" will find helpful.
***I am not a doctor or nutritionist.
Please consult your physician before performing any exercises or following any tips shown on this blog.
Today's stretching routine comes from JessicaSmithTV on YouTube. It is called "Full Body Stretching -- Relax and Restore". All you need is a mat or carpeted area.
I do recommend doing this after a workout, or after you have warmed up a bit. It is better to stretch warm muscles rather than cold ones.
I have Lemon Balm growing in my garden and have only used it to make tea by drying the leaves. I was happy to see this video posted to facebook by Dr. Melissa West on how to make a Lemon Balm tincture.
A tincture is a concentrated herbal extract created by soaking herbs in alcohol over a period of time. The benefit of this over just drying the leaves is that the tincture has a shelf life of 5 years--much higher than the dried leaves. They can be added to other teas or drinks for the benefits without having to seep the leaves each time and can also be added to baking and cooking in lieu of the expensive extracts that you can buy at the store. I have more recipes for some of these on my pinterest boards as well.
Lemon Balm (which I didn't know) is good for anxiety, depression, stress, flatulence, indigestion and insomnia.
I couldn't get the video to post here, but I installed the link below the picture.
I'm definitely going to try this with both the Lemon Balm and the Spearmint I have growing in my garden, and one of these days I'm going to buy some Vanilla beans and make my own Vanilla extract as well (I'll have the vodka I need!).
While searching for this video, I came across several others. I also have lavender in my garden and found this video for making infused oils using dried herbs:
I make herb infused oils for cooking all the time--I especially love Rosemary and Basil infused oils--these I do using fresh herbs heating the oil on the stovetop. The shelf life is less with these. I also like making herb infused vinegars--because of the high acidity, these have a longer shelf life.
There are even videos on how to make lip balms and salves.
So, make sure you pick those herbs at the end of the Summer. You can dry them, or make extracts, oils or vinegars from them to enjoy all year long.
I haven't forgotten about the BeFit in 90 series, have you? Today I'm posting all new videos from Phase 3, Day 61 in the program. These are more advanced workouts as a progression to the program.
The first video is your 5 minute warm up.
The second 10 minute video is entitled "Total Body Plyo."
If you have knee, back or ankle issues, please do NOT jump! You can modify and still get a great, safe workout.
If the push-ups get too intense, take them out and just do the arm movement in plank position.
The sumo jacks can be done without weight and without jumping--tap your leg out side to side to modify.
The third 10 minute video is a progressive cardio workout entitled "Plyo Cardio Blast."
Work at your own level and pace. Focus on doing what you need to do to get your heart rate up while maintaining good form.
Make sure you cool down for 5 minutes (just walk around or step touch side to side) before you go into the stretch video.
They list the Dynamic Sports Stretch to finish, but I want you to hold the stretches a bit more, so I'm going to post the 9-1/2 minute Sports Stretch from Level 1 which is more of a recovery stretch.
Today's workout comes from BeFit in 30 EXTREME. It is a full body workout that includes strength training, plyometric and aerobic exercises. It is broken into 3 circuits containing 4 exercises done for 60 seconds each with little rest between.
The workout is done with dumbbells--you can omit these if it is too intense. Be sure to control the weight--you never want to feel like you are throwing it around. If you do, go lighter, or lose the weights completely.
This is an intense workout. Please modify if needed--they provide some modifications and go at your own pace.
Be sure to do a warm up prior, and cool down and stretch after.
Yes you read that right--coregasm....hmmmm I have to say the name of this workout from Fitness Magazine intrigued me enough to check it out. Sorry I just had to include the picture of Meg Ryan from When Harry Met Sally...
It is a series of six videos of exercises that target your core. These exercises can be done alone, or in combination with another workout, be it cardio, strength or flexibility. The only downside is having to watch a commercial before each video. But hey, otherwise they are free...
Going along with the core workout theme, I am also sharing an article from Shape Magazine that they posted on facebook: 5 Must Dos for a Flat Belly. They are all great tips.
