More on Coffee and Exercise

There is new research on the effects of caffeine on exercise induced muscle soreness. I wrote about this topic before here. The recent research as reported in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2009, was done at the University of Illinois and looked at college aged males performing high intensity 30-minute cycling workouts. They were given a pill containing either a dose of caffeine equivalent to 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (about 2-3 cups of coffee) or a placebo. The cyclists reported a reduction in quadriceps muscle pain after consuming the caffeine. The researchers believe the reduction in pain is due to caffeine blocking adenosine, a biochemical in the brain that is involved in pain processing. If this reduction in pain leads in a greater likelihood that you will continue to exercise on a regular basis, it could be a helpful addition to your daily routine. I wouldn't suggest that you get your caffeine through one of those $5 calorie laden drive-through drinks, but maybe a couple cups of regular coffee have their place in a healthy lifestyle.

Walk On!

It was sunny, if a bit chilly today, and my husband and I headed out for a long walk by the river. There is a well maintained rail trail that passes through our area and we headed for a section that is several miles outside of town. We spent a peaceful hour and a half walking, talking, and pointing out the wonders of nature to each other. It was good for the body, mind, heart and soul. Such a delightful and simple thing. This was the perfect walk for today!

Now on other days, I have other kinds of walks. Sometimes I want to challenge my heart and lungs and I walk where there are hills or staircases to climb. I tie a bandanna around my forehead to catch the sweat as I push myself forward, straining my legs as well as my heart and lungs. Those days I sometimes have to give myself a pep talk to get out the door for the walk, but ten minutes in I am committed and know I will see it through.

On yet other days, I grab my Nordic walking poles, my ipod loaded with a continuing education lecture, and I head for the rail trail for a steady, moderate intensity walk. Study and exercise all in one, multitasking at it's best!

And then there are the days when I am worried about family or business matters and I walk while I ruminate and problem solve, looking for a path of wisdom to emerge if I keep plodding forward. On those days the walk is a moving metaphor.

There was a walk last week, where I came to a spot on the trail that I remembered as the spot where I had to turn around when I first started walking in Morgantown in 2004. I was new in town and 70 pounds heavier than I am now. I was trying to get my health and fitness back and I had to start slowly. When I walked past that spot on the trail last week, I reviewed all the many times I have walked ( and yes, sometimes even run) that trail since that day and felt proud of the accomplishments that have come as I have continued to walk towards my future.

I don't ever recall going out for a walk and coming back wishing I hadn't gone. Such a simple and healthful pleasure. Have you been for a walk today?

Preparation Meets Opportunity

The landscape of my life is illumined by optimism. I have had a great week! The bitter cold we have been experiencing in West Virginia has temporarily dispersed, the sun is out. I began teaching a new class this week and my ongoing class quadrupled it's attendance! I've signed with two new clients and was able to up the ante on my resistance training workouts after a period of lighter workouts while working on a back pain problem. The news broke on a national level this week that my town, Morgantown, WV is considered to be recession-proof and has the nation's lowest jobless rate - just 2.7 percent. Truly, it has been a great week.

Why is it that I am having such a good week, when the country seems to be in such dire straights? In part, I am lucky to be living in Morgantown, where we are buffered from the worst economic disasters, at least in the short run. But I think there is a bit more going on as well. I have been concentrating for the last 3 years on learning everything I can about my work and my passion for health and fitness. I have followed any lead that seemed interesting to me, even when I couldn't see a direct correlation to my current work. I've been reading blogs written by some of the best trainers in the business, and I have been learning the way the fitness industry works at the local level. I have been preparing myself for change in my life. And this week, preparation met up with opportunity. If you had asked me two years ago when that might happen I would have had no idea, but I prepared anyway. Had I not prepared, the opportunities might have been lost.

What are you preparing for? What are you doing today to get your body, mind, and soul ready for the day when your preparation meets up with opportunity? Invest in your own growth and development. The opportunities will come. Be prepared for success.