Nordicman Fitness Online Coaching

Sometimes workouts are awesome and we cook a perfectly balanced meal.
Other times healthy living seems like work.
That’s ok.
Love it when it feels good.
Let it suck when it sucks.
Just keep going.

If you’re a Grand Parent who wants more energy and strength to keep up with the grand kids, comment “tell me more” below and I’ll reach out with more information.

Friday Fit Tip: Do your own fetching. If you need something from the kitchen, the TV channel changed, the mail or newspaper from the driveway, walk and get it yourself instead of sending the kids. Adding a little walking to your day will do wonders for you.

If You Enjoy Sports, You Need to Be in Shape

A record 11,978 athletes from around the world just wrapped up the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah. The event has been held since 1987 for athletes 50 and over in everything from track and field to bowling, from basketball to disc golf, and from softball to triathlon.

Those 12,000 people represent the growing enthusiasm behind “older” people enjoying sports.

They’re not letting age keep them from doing what they love.

And many of them know that training at a gym is the best way to build the strength, stamina and agility they need to excel.

How about you? Did you used to enjoy playing a sport or two? Are you hoping to take one up soon?

The truth is, regular exercise at a gym or studio can keep you ready for anything – even if you don’t care about playing sports.

“Be fit – or suffer the consequences,” says the US Tennis Association to anyone who wants to keep playing past middle age.

And it’s not just tennis! Many sports like golf, pickleball, and even running require endurance, flexibility, and power in the legs, butt, and arms. And a solid core will get you farther along in everything.

‘My Secret to Getting Older’

As the Baby Boom generation maintains activities, we’re seeing increases in all kinds of activities.

The number of golfers over 65 rose to 4.2 million in 2018, up 17 percent from the previous year, according to the National Golf Foundation.
Baby boomers make up about 20 percent of US skiers.
More than 15,000 athletes over 50 competed in track and field, softball, pickleball, swimming and more at the National Senior Games in 2019, another omnibus mega-event.

The oldest competitor at this year’s Utah games was Eva Sorensen, 101, of Alexandria, Virginia. She’s a top bowler and shuffleboard player, and she’s been participating in the event for 15 years.

"That's my secret to getting older," she told a TV station. "I'm not going to quit. I'm going to make 110 at least."

The Huntsman Games also boost health of participants with screenings for cancer, glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.

Even Runners Need Muscle

Resistance training has been gaining traction among even elite runners partly because humans lose muscle mass starting in midlife.

“My runners that are around 60 might only run three to four days a week and spend the rest of their training time in the gym,” Masters running coach and former Olympian John Henwood told Outside magazine.

Nordic walking is basically just walking with ski poles in your hands, which makes it a good upper-body workout. It’s low impact and easy on the joints.

And pickleball is taking over the world. It’s like a cross between tennis and ping pong, and it’s particularly popular among people over 50.

Sports are fun, social, and good exercise. And working out right helps you enjoy them even more!

Come see us now so you can keep enjoying what you enjoy – whether it’s sports, gardening, dancing, or just living!

It’s about creating a healthy lifestyle, not following a diet.
You can wipe the slate clean every minute, every day.
Stop punishing yourself.
Wipe the slate clean and start again now.

Friday Fit Tip: Hide the remote control from yourself. Remote controls are also evil when it comes to losing weight. If you didn't have a remote, you may not even turn on the television, which means you might find more active things to do. Get up and change the channel if you don't have a remote or go for a walk instead of watching TV.

Success Story: A Setback Didn’t Stop Him
Here’s a story about one positive step leading to another… and then another…
When Jerry Murck took up exercise two years ago, he focused one on activity, rowing, because he loved it and enjoyed doing it almost every day.
He lost about 100 pounds over 18 months and felt better than he ever had.
Then he fell and injured his tailbone, making his rowing workouts impossible.
Jerry, 65, didn’t hesitate to find other things he could do while injured: yoga, high intensity interval training, and others he’s sampling via ClassPass. (That’s Jerry above, before and after.)
“I’ve done something every day since my injury – 12 days,” he says proudly. “It’s been fun to have free license to figure out what else I could do. Who knew I could do yoga?”
Jerry says the injury encouraged him to try new things. But, truly, many people in his position might have used that injury as an excuse to give up new healthy habits.
Not Jerry.
“I’m doing my best,” he says. “I’m doing it for me, not for anybody else.”
2 Key Lessons Already
Jerry’s story illustrates two key points for anyone over 50 or so who’s getting into shape for the first time.
First, find something you like. For Jerry, that was rowing at a studio that teaches group sessions resembling a spin class on rowers.
Second, when life throws you a curve, don’t quit. Instead, make a new plan and carry on.
By the time of his injury, Jerry says, exercise had become fully integrated into his life – “like brushing my teeth every day.”
His rowing time did more than help him lose so much weight. He’s able to get down on the floor and back up again, to “actually kneel on my new knee” and to begin focusing on building upper-body strength, which he’s never been confident about.
“It was never important to have muscles, per se,” says Jerry. “But as I’ve gotten older and the more I understand about health, I’m at the point where I know it’s important.”
Experts recommend at least two weekly strength training sessions, along with at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise. Strength training lessens age-related loss of muscle mass, improves bone strength, fights obesity, and more.
Part of His Bigger Plan
Jerry also learned to eat better, crediting what he learned on Noom to helping him build a new relationship with food.
“Eating healthy actually feels good,” he says. “Before, it was a penance and just another thing I could use to beat myself up.”
With the help of prescription weight-loss medication and social support, he has built a wall of resources to help him keep going, tailbone injury or not.
“They’re all positive for me. The bonus with exercise is, the more I do, the better I feel physically,” Jerry says. “I’m in the best shape of my life and the lowest weight I’ve been since high school. I want to feel as good as I feel today for as long as possible.”

Healthy Recipe, Red Lentil Tomato Soup
Split red lentils differ from the larger green and brown ones in that they cook much faster, have a somewhat sweeter and nuttier taste, and because they break down more easily are often used as thickeners, particularly in Indian dals and curries. But like all lentils, they’re loaded with nutritional attributes: filling; gluten-free; and high in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients such as iron and folate. This easy, economical vegetarian soup (vegan if you skip the Parmesan), makes a delicious case for stocking them in your pantry. It’s lightly adapted from one in “Pass the Plate” by Carolina
Gelen and consists mostly of staples already in your kitchen. Serves 4-6. -- Susan Puckett
Ingredients
1 quart water
1 ½ cups red lentils
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
Kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
Freshly ground pepper
½ fresh lemon or splash of vinegar (optional)
½ cup finely chopped parsley
For serving: toasted sturdy bread, extra-virgin olive oil, chopped parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Place the lentils in a heatproof medium bowl, cover with the boiling water, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and a teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Drain and rinse the lentils until running water, then add them to the pot, along with the tomatoes, another teaspoon of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Stir to combine.
Use the back of a spoon to crush the tomatoes against the side of the pot. Using one of the empty cans, measure and add 2 cans of water (or about 7 cups total). Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft, tender, and broken down and the soup is quite thick, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Add more water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
Taste and season with more salt, pepper, cayenne, and a squeeze of lemon juice or splash of vinegar if desired to brighten the flavor.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
Divide the soup among bowls and serve with toasted bread, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of parsley and a grating of Parmesan.

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.

Don’t focus on what you want to happen.
Focus on the next step.
You can’t control what happens.
You can control what you do next.
What step are you going to focus on next?

Friday Fit Tip: Expand your walking perimeter. Yes, there was a time when people didn’t have automobiles and people had to walk to their destinations. If work or the grocery store is not far away, consider walking there or riding a bike instead of jumping in your car. It may take you longer, but you're getting your workout in at the same time.