Fitness

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Be Careful Out There

Endorphins, Fitness / By

Exercise is important to good health.  We all know that.  Yet as we age, the list of what exercises are safe for our bodies starts to decrease.  

We read an interesting article in Babyboomer.com called the Faulty Five.  The article suggests that folks over 50 be very cautious with martial arts, running on hard surfaces, plyometrics, Crossfit, and yes, even yoga.  It’s worth reading.  

The website usually has some pretty darn good information on a variety of subjects for Boomers.  Meanwhile, at Buzzed Boomer we will continue to promote escapes from reality (e.g. Painkiller cocktail, consumed responsibly of course).  Okay, the article doesn’t say to stop doing the exercises we used to enjoy; just to be careful, consult your doctor, etc.  While those healthy endorphins become more and more elusive we will continue to find a way. 

Can you say water aerobics?

– Jet Cannon

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The Only Exercise machine You’ll Ever need

Endorphins, Fitness / By

Men’s Health has a great article on fitness fads.  It’s a trip down memory lane for sure and some of them really work when actually used on a regular basis. 

We think the best fad of all is the Vibrating Belt.  No, they didn’t really work from a weigh-loss standpoint but the appeal of just standing in place and losing weight is pretty irresistible.  

Not surprisingly, there are variations still out there and even some claims that the vibration can be beneficial for obese folks.  That is not an endorsement.  Just a head-scratcher.

So dig through the closet, pull out the fads you bought and get back to exercising!

  • Bowflex Home Gym
  • Tae Bo
  • Vibrating Belt
  • Body By Jake
  • ThighMaster
  • Jane Fonda Videos
  • 8-Minute Abs
  • Roller Blading
  • The Shake Weight
  • Diet Pills
  • Ab Roller
  • Wii Fitness
  • Boot Camps
  • Power Plate
  • Pilates
  • NordicTrack
  • Couch to 5K
  • Cleansing/Juicing
  • Medicine Balls
  • Richard Simmons
  • Spinning/Soul Cycling
  • Toning Shoes
  • Pole Dancing Classes
  • Sauna Suits
  • Power Balance Bracelets
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ZZZzzzz

Endorphins, Fitness / By

We like sleep but sleep doesn’t always like us.  Getting enough sleep is key to heart health, eye health, immune health, productivity, coping with stress, and workout energy.  There are a number of possible causes of sleeplessness and the good news is there are answers.  See your doc for a referral to a specialist and sleep like a Baby.  Boomer. 

– Jet Cannon

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Another Excuse Bites The Dust

Endorphins, Fitness / By

Sometimes we feel too old and tired to do our strength training, even though we know about the positive benefits of lifting weights.  Then we saw Edith on goodnewsnetwork.org.

“Reaching the age of 100 in good health and good spirits is an accomplishment in its own right, but training to take home your next weightlifting trophy truly takes the (birthday) cake.  At the age of 98 years and 94 days, great-great-grandmother Edith Murway-Traina already had a Guinness World Record (GWR) as the “oldest female competitive powerlifter” under her belt—and she successfully deadlifted 150 pounds to do it. Traina’s storied win will be featured in the Guinness World Records 2022 edition.” And she’s not done.  She’s going after more.

What’s her primary motivation?  Not the trophy.  It’s applause.

Well, maybe no one is around when you finish your workout and you haven’t set any records.   Give yourself a round of applause anyway.  For Baby Boomers who are staying fit….. everyone gets a trophy.

– Dumbell Cannon

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Yak Butter Tea

Caffeine, Endorphins, Fitness, Food and Drink, Good Clean Fun, Travel / By

Seattle writer Tantri Wija regularly amazes us with unique alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages featured in The Seattle Times.  Recently, she wrote about Himalayan butter tea which powers sherpas up Mt. Everest and the like.  Wow!  We want some.  She describes it as a power smoothie.  Okay!  Except…. We don’t have any yak butter on hand or pu-erh tea.  We could probably find grass-fed cow butter as a substitute but that would require a trip to the store.

Yet being anxious to prep for today’s Sherpa-level rowing workout, we dropped some regular butter in some regular black tea.  Let’s just say we never tasted anything quite like it (and possibly won’t ever again).  But what about the workout?  Coated-tongue in mouth, we climbed on the rower and quickly exceeded all our previous workouts.  Not really.  Our workout plan usually includes a pre-workout concoction that includes caffeine.  But telling people that our workout regimen includes cow butter tea, well, that’s worth something!  And we’ll be sure to order Himalayan butter tea, the real thing, if we ever get to the Himalyans.

Next, butter coffee.  Yeah.  That’s a thing, too.  We’ve apparently not been paying attention.

Climb every mountain…..

  • Jet Cannon
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Buzzed Boomer Fitness

Endorphins, Fitness / By

Today we’re dispensing with any Buzz other than that gained from a good workout.  No alcohol, weed, caffeine, or other substances.  

Now, there is only one thing you need to know about your fitness capabilities and needs.  And that’s what you and Dr. Spock need to figure out.  Everyone is different.

There are many fitness options for seniors including walking, water aerobics, resistance band training, dumbbell strength training, pilates, yoga, rowing, and cycling, to name a few.  To release some endorphins you’ll need to get the heart rate up to a safe-but-elevated level appropriate for your age and physical condition.

What really matters is to do something physical.  Regularly.  Beer bicep curls do not count.

– Jet Cannon

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boomer Paralympians

Endorphins, Fitness, Travel, Trending / By

Paralympians compete in their 50’s and sometimes, in past Games, into their 70’s.  Among the 240-member Team USA per AARP, the incredibly impressive over-50 Paralympians include archers Lia Coryell (56) and Andre Shelby (52); cyclists Alicia Dana (52), Freddie De Los Santos (51), Aaron Keith (50), Monica Sereda (54), Jill Walsh (58) and Joe Berenyi (52); rower Russell Gernaat (55); table tennis player Michael Godfrey (57); shot put thrower Scot Severn (53); and wheelchair fencer Terry Hayes (63).

Go USA!

CBD for You and Me

Fitness / By

Megan Rapinoe, soccer superstar, is a vocal proponent of CBD products as a topical pain reliever.  Cool.  Except she owns a company that sells those products.  Hmmmm.  So…. When our friend Jean, who had never touched a marijuana-related product in her life and has no financial interest in same, shared that her CBD cream really works to relieve mild arthritis and other muscle and joint pains, we listened.  If Jean says it works, it works. 

I’m getting some. It’s not cheap but I want to believe it and try it.  Generally, I can come up with a new muscle pain just getting out of bed in the morning.  Stand by for updates on our perceived effectiveness.

– Jet Cannon

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Baby Boomer fitness buzz

Caffeine, Cannabis, Endorphins, Fitness / By

Here’s the good news about exercising.  Vigorous exercise can release euphoric endorphins.  “Runner’s high”.  All natural!  So that’s great news if you’re physically able to safely get the heart rate going.  (Consult your doctor blah blah blah and before getting out of bed in the morning.)  

But that’s not all the good news about exercising!  Staying in shape as we age allows up to enjoy responsible amounts of alcohol, caffeine, and weed… which you may not even want so much if you’re able to work in two or three hours of exercise a week.  

Walking is good.  So is swimming, cycling and rowing.  Or online aerobic workouts.  All good.  A little bit, like 15 minutes, a couple times a day adds up and also helps keep the weight down.  And summertime opens up more of those exercise options.

Healthline.com offers lots of good information about health and fitness including tips for us older, but better, Baby Boomers.  See you at the next Olympic Trials!

– Jet Cannon

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Superiority in Numbers

Cannabis, Endorphins, Fitness, Food and Drink, Good Clean Fun, Trending / By

There are approximately 70 million Baby Boomers living in the United States right now.  70 million!!  And some interesting things are emerging.

  • We are the most intelligent of all the generations
  • Our musical tastes are acknowledged to be more sophisticated than those of other generations
  • We make the best cocktails
  • Our exercise habits are second to none
  • If video gaming is added to the Olympics, Baby Boomers are expected to dominate despite advancing age.  We’re just very good at games
  • We travel more than other generations and are steadily chipping away at bucket lists
  • Our sexual skills are advanced and imaginative
  • We have mastered utilization of marijuana hybrids and CBD  to achieve a perfect Buzz while minimizing pain and facilitating deeper sleep
  • No other generation comes close to Baby Boomer BBQ skills

Now, none of the above is backed up by any facts or data.  But does it matter?  It feels good!  It feels right!  It must be true!

– Jet Cannon

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Olympic Medal Fitness

Endorphins, Fitness, Trending / By

Jagger Eaton’s bronze medal in the street skateboarding event at the Tokyo Olympics inspired us to take up skateboarding again; learn new tricks, slide down steep rails, and do spin moves over concrete stairs.  What a great way to stay in shape!  Gym is closed.  Weather is good.  Enjoy the outdoors.  Perfect for Baby Boomers.  All except for the skateboard part.  

More appropriate for Boomers is walking or biking.  If there’s a park nearby, throw in some bench push-ups and rail pull-ups (beware of skateboarders sliding down the rail).  Stairs?  Take a few careful trips up and down.  Access to a pool?  Swimming engages the whole body and is low-impact.  Access to a body of water?  Kayaking or canoeing works the upper body.  

Fitness for Baby Boomers is perhaps more important than it is for the younger set.  That said, we need to select sports that make sense.   Save the BMX biking and skateboarding for those whose bones mend quickly.

Olympic couch-surfing is great for inspiration but remember to get out there and stay fit! 

– Jet Cannon 

Photo courtesy of Arizonasports.com

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Dehydration And Me…. and You

Fitness, Travel / By

Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.  Dehydration occurs daily in three out of four people.  So when I saw a promotion in Costco’s magazine for Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier, I bit.  For performance, heat/sun, travel and wellness, yes, that’s me!  We’re told that an optimal ratio of nutrients like sodium, potassium, glucose, and water will result in 2-3 times more hydration than water alone.  Liquid I.V. has 3 times the electrolytes in typical sport drinks.

Signs of dehydration can include dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, confusion, muscle cramps, increased heart rate, thirst, bad breath, muscle fatigue, dark urine, brain fog, and dry skin.  I have all except one of those.  GIVE ME SOME LIQUID I.V.   STAT!  

I’m always skeptical about this kind of stuff but I’m giving it a whirl.  It tastes okay.  Only 45 calories. Now just waiting for those symptoms to fade away.  

– Jet Cannon

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Sleep To Buzz Another Day

Fitness / By

Ah, a good night’s sleep.  We’ve tried this Yogi Soothing Caramel Bedtime herbal supplement tea and it seems to work.  I don’t care if it’s the placebo effect as long as it works.  It’s got Chamomile Flower, which has a reputation for providing relaxation, plus other ingredients like Skullcap so you know it has to be good.  Sweet dreams!

– Jet Cannon