Stroke risk--it's our weight

Move more. Exercise is one obvious way to burn off calories. But another approach is to increase your everyday activity wherever you can — walking, fidgeting, pacing while on the phone, taking stairs instead of the elevator.

Skip the sipped calories. Sodas, lattes, sports drinks, energy drinks, and even fruit juices are packed with unnecessary calories. Worse, your body doesn't account for them the way it registers solid calories, so you can keep chugging them before your internal "fullness" mechanism tells you to stop. Instead, try unsweetened coffee or tea, or flavor your own sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime, a spring of fresh mint, or a few raspberries.

Eat more whole foods. If you eat more unprocessed foods — such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — you'll fill yourself up on meals that take a long time to digest. Plus, whole foods are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber and tend to be lower in salt — which is better for your blood pressure, too.

Find healthier snacks. Snack time is many people's downfall — but you don't have to skip it as long as you snack wisely. Try carrot sticks as a sweet, crunchy alternative to crackers or potato chips, or air-popped popcorn (provided you skip the butter and salt and season it with your favorite spices instead). For a satisfying blend of carbs and protein, try a dollop of sunflower seed butter on apple slices.

Pilates in Pink

I stopped at the Half Price book store yesterday and found this exercise DVD for $2.00 with the pink resistance band.  I’m watching it now, and think the warm up exercises for the arms and fingers are well worth the price.  I think this may be slightly different than the $10-15 DVD still available in stores, but I’m enjoying my bargain. Finding a good spot where I can see it from the floor will be challenging.  When I was getting therapy for my shoulder/rotator cuff injury about 15 years ago I had a set of bands.  However, once they develop a tiny hole, it’s all over.

Don't slow down

Walking and Weight Watchers does the trick for this airport worker

Airport employee sits for 10 years and reaches 370 lb. Starts walking the halls of the airport--loses 200 lb. and her diabetes. Plus she was an overweight child.

 http://www.kcci.com/news/she-walked-off-more-than-200-pounds-at-the-airport/29295568

Stress and weight gain

I'd love to blame stress in my life for my weight gain. But, browsing the changes recommended, I just don't fit the profile. I also don't fit into most of my slacks. I'm eating more, exercising less. Works every time (to add weight). http://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/mood/slideshow-decrease-family-stress

Osteoarthritis

A public service announcement: Osteoarthritis. "Being overweight, even just moderately, impacts weight-bearing joints and can increase the pain of osteoarthritis. As you walk, your hips, knees, and ankles bear three to five times your total body weight. For every pound you're overweight, the equivalent of three to five pounds worth of added pressure is added to each knee as you walk. In contrast, a 10-pound weight loss causes 30 to 50 pounds of extra stress to be relieved from the joints." So what to do (I think I have it). What about exercise?

Osteoarthritis: The Benefits of Exercise

There are many benefits to starting an exercise program — whether you have osteoarthritis or not — but for people with arthritis pain, there's added incentive to get moving. Regular exercise can help to: Reduce joint pain. Osteoarthritis destroys cartilage, special tissue that cushions our joints. “Exercise increases the lubrication to the cartilage of the joint, thus reducing osteoarthritis symptoms of pain and stiffness,” says Anne Menz, PhD, a physical therapist at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, Mass. It may seem counterintuitive, but not exercising actually leads to stiffer joints and worse osteoarthritis. Strengthen muscles. As we get older the muscles and tendons that support our joints tend to get weaker. “Exercise strengthens the muscles around the joints to protect the joints and provide [extra] support,” says Menz. More information

Exercises to Avoid With OA of the Knee or Hip:

Running and jogging. “The difference between how much force goes through your joints jogging or running, as opposed to with walking, is sometimes more than tenfold your whole body weight,” says Arslanian. Jumping rope.

High-impact aerobics.

Any activity where, at any time, you have both feet off the ground at once, however briefly.

Fortunately, that leaves a lot of activities that are OK for people with knee and hip osteoarthritis and that can help keep you mobile. There are three key areas you need to focus on: weight-bearing cardiovascular activity, to keep your bones strong and your heart healthy; muscle strengthening activity, to relieve strain on the joints; and flexibility and range of motion, to help prevent falls and keep your joints mobile. More information.

Finally had time to find account for blog and passwords. Broke wrist the end of January - back to normal now. Still working and walking as much as have time for and am doing 5K walks/runs, plus did a 10K in July. No more running, but am at a 15 - 16 minute mile. Hours at work changed so walks are now after work except on weekends and days off. Miss those early walks during the morning twilight and sunrise hours, but at least have 5 of those walks during a 2 week time. Usual path plus another mile, so full course is 5 miles. This last summer, have added some creatures seen along my walks in addition to the usual critters: a family of ducks - Mom and Pop and 4 babies, a pileated woodpecker (have seen only twice in 10 years), deer (does and bucks), a family of 4 broad-winged hawks. I'm calling the next 4 and 1/2 years of my walks - walking to retirement. Hopefully, although my position is term, I'll be able to work until April 2018. Then, full retirement and lots do catch up on my acre, both inside and out.