TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Sometimes you just need to really listen to your body and have a lighter week of activity....an active recovery week.  So, even though I still did something every day, I kept the volume and intensity down.  In addition to the usual ADLs, I made time for:

3 Table Rock hikes
1 Jacksonville Forest Park hike
1 BB & DB chest workout
1 bodyweight back workout
1 heavy bag workout

What did you do for your health and fitness this past week?

~No Challenge, No Change~

6 Not-so-healthy Health Foods

6 Not-so-healthy Health Foods
If you've been fooled into thinking that a food was healthy only to later learn that it isn't quite as good as you thought, then you’re not alone. We hear this same complaint from our clients all the time. Here, we share a few foods to look out for so that the wool doesn't get pulled over your eyes!  read more

TOPFIT says:  There is, however, a serious controversy surrounding quinoa.  If you're the type that likes to "think globally", do a Google search to learn more.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Back Workout
I concluded my low volume and intensity week of training with a few hours of play time with the grandkids and a workout of chinups, susp. pullups, susp. rear delt flyes, and hanging scapular depression/retraction.
I'll hopefully spend next week working back up to the usual higher intensity and volume workouts.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Fitness linked to lower death risk in older men

Fitness linked to lower death risk in older men
No matter what age a man is, cardiovascular fitness may buy him more years of life, according to a new U.S. study of men over 70 with high blood pressure.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
Still keeping things on the light side.  Other than general ADLs I only made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.  One more day of light activity and I should be ready to start hitting it hard again.

~Feelin' Alive!~

How Food Companies Court Nutrition Educators With Junk Food

How Food Companies Court Nutrition Educators With Junk Food
When hundreds of California nutritionists and dietitians gathered for their annual conference in April, their Friday lunch was a bacon ranch salad, chocolate chip cookies and a pink yogurt parfait, all courtesy of McDonald's.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Hike
In keeping with my lower volume and intensity week, I again avoided anything too strenuous.  But, I still needed some activity, so I spent some time hiking Lower Table Rock.  I even had a snake encounter.....just not a rattler :(

~Feelin' Alive!~

Frugal health and fitness tips for travelers

Frugal health and fitness tips for travelers
I'm all for enjoying travel to its fullest, but all the down time in cars and on planes and buses can throw even the most disciplined workout schedule into disarray. That's when attention to calories and consciously including more physical activity in your itinerary can really pay off in spades. Can't afford a higher-end hotel with a large fitness facility? No worries. You still have a variety of options at your disposal.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Chest Workout
I'm continuing a short period of lower volume and intensity in an effort to let my body recover from a few weeks of higher levels of activity.  In addition to some basic gardening chores, I made time for a moderate intensity workout of BB bench presses, DB flye/press supersets, and ring pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Failing grades for physical activity

Failing grades for physical activity
It's probably no surprise that the majority of Americans are not active enough. Only about half of adults meet even the minimum recommendation for physical activity of 30 minutes per day, five days per week. Compounding this problem is the fact that many people spend much of their time at work and home being sedentary – some spend more than 12 hours per day sitting!
What may be surprising is that this is a problem for children, too. Less than half of children ages 6 to 11 are active for 60 minutes per day. Among teenagers, it is less than 10 percent! The health effects of too little activity in kids is similar to that of adults.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike
From the Halls of Manzanita to the Shores of Jackson Creek........
Even though I didn't feel like a run today, I still felt the need to get out on the trail.  So, I spent a couple of hours hiking on the Jacksonville Forest Park trails.......Rail Trail > Ponderosa Snag > Rail > Ridge View > Cantrall Canyon > Granite > through the Halls of Manzanita > Naversen > Ridge View > Rail.  Quite a maze of trails going through everything from humid, heavy undergrowth down by the streams, to hot, dry and dusty up at the top of the Granite trail and through the Halls of Manzanita..

~Feelin' Alive!~

The Real Reason We're All Overweight

The Real Reason We're All Overweight 
Just think about America’s breakfast of choice for school-age children: Sugary cereal and a glass of orange juice. When they arrive at school, 50 percent of them will be served fast food for lunch. Sometimes it seems like we’d rather send our kids to the doctor, or even surgery, like one 400-pound boy in the film who ultimately signs up for gastric bypass surgery, than to provide proper meals for them at home and at school.  read more

TOPFIT says: Although the food companies do share in the blame, each and every person is still responsible for their food choices.  But we are, by and large, a society that needs to place the blame on others and not take responsibility for out actions.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Hike
It was another low energy day, but I still needed to do something.  So, after taking care of morning sessions, I went to Upper Table Rock for a relaxed hike.

~Feelin' Alive!~