Category: Health & Well Being

Rise And Grind…

I’ve never been much of a morning person in general. I know what you’re thinking; is ANYONE ever really a morning person? But in my case, it’s pretty much always been an issue of consciously forcing myself to function for the first few hours of my mornings. I’m often surprised that my posts are so coherent. During my school years, I always attributed it to just being a teenager. I mean, what teenager DOESN’T fall asleep in class, right? But considering it’s carried on into my adulthood, it’s pretty clear that I just can’t handle morning in general. At least not without several hundred milligrams of caffeine pumped into my system.

For years, I’ve tried to find a way to incorporate fitness into my morning routine. The thought behind this is pretty simple; increased fitness first thing in the morning will increase blood flow, raise my heart rate and start my day off with a kick. I may even potentially need less caffeine, if I’d manage to get my little dynamo pumping. But most attempts I’ve made have failed. What usually happens is when m,y alarm goes off, I’ll roll over, nope the fuck out of it and reset the alarm for an hour later.

The root of the issue is it has to start with you. No matter which way you look at it, you have to show up. Tired? Sore? Don’t feel like it? Too fuckin’ bad! Keep showing up and do it. It sounds ideal but most people, myself included, often can’t bring myself to do this. I’m not suggesting that you should work out if you’re injured or ill but otherwise, “pushing through it” is a very necessary part of a successful fitness routine.

A few months ago, I had this bright idea to get a membership for. A local swimming pool, since they have lane swimming that starts at about 5:30 in the morning. I figured I could sneak in there in the morning, hammer out 30 minutes of laps, grab a shower and make my way into work. I recall from my academy days that lap swimming is an incredible cardio workout and works almost all the muscle groups in the body. It would have been fantastic. Would have been. Had I been able to get myself out of bed to start doing it.

I needed to do something simpler. Something more straightforward. Something that allowed me to just jump straight into it without thinking about not and didn’t involve dealing with the public, first thing in the morning. This is where I came up with a simple circuit that I could do as soon as I woke up. It only takes about fifteen minutes, or closer to twenty, depending on how exhausted I am, I can do it in my basement before grabbing a shower and heading to work. I have a set group of exercises for Monday to Friday and I do it despite whatever structured workouts I do in the evening when i get home from work. I call it my “tragic warm-up to help embrace the pain.” Here it is:

Monday
– 30 jumping jacks;
– 30 push-ups;
– 25 high knees;
– 10 burpees; and
– 25 crunches.

Tuesday
– 20 squats;
– 35 push-ups;
– 35 crunches;
– 35 jumping jacks; and
– 35 high knees.

Wednesday
– 30 jumping jacks;
– 30 push-ups;
– 25 high knees;
– 10 burpees; and
– 25 crunches.

Thursday
– 20 squats;
– 35 push-ups;
– 35 crunches;
– 35 jumping jacks; and
– 35 high knees.

Friday
– 30 jumping jacks;
– 30 push-ups;
– 25 high knees;
– 10 burpees; and
– 25 crunches.

It’s reasonably gruelling, especially first thing in the morning. I’ve also had days where I’ve simply skipped working out in the evenings by virtue of having done this morning gem. But it’s had the desired effect, in that my caffeine intake has lowered and I have a bit more energy and drive. granted, I also bottom out and get tired as shit by the time the end of my day comes along, but this is when you should be winding down and getting tired so you can sleep a full night, right?

Anyway, because I believe that variety is the spice of fitness, I thought I would share this with you. To be honest, I printed off the sheet this workout is on so long ago, I can’t remember if I found it somewhere or created it, myself. But it suits the purpose. Tomorrow is Monday and I will once again be seeing if I can’t “rise” to the occasion and make my way through the circuit. But it’s definitely worth trying, if you’re looking for something quick and effective to kickstart your mornings. Enjoy! ☯️

Life Is A Lemon, May As Well Drink It Up…

I’ve been making a point recently of trying to consume more water. In general, the average male should drink just shy of four litres of water everyday. That being said, a lot of that will include the water contained in the foods one eats. But one needs actual water for proper digestion, immune health, blood pressure and even mood. Although drinking water should be reasonably straightforward (open one’s mouth and gulp), it can be challenging if you’re not thirsty or have other, more “fun” beverages to consume, like sodas, energy drinks and juice (and sometimes whiskey, sue me!).

Staying properly hydrated is incredibly important for someone with Type-1 Diabetes, as well. Considering I’ve spent most of my life dehydrating at the drop of a hat, I still have a lot of work to do, and my fitness routine also makes staying hydrated all the more important. My point is that I need all the help I can get, which is why I make a point of adding some lemon juice to my water. The jury’s out on whether there are any real and measurable benefits to consuming lemon water but I know one thing for certain; it’s tasty as fuck and makes it easier to guzzle down mass quantities. let’s take a brief lemon-flavoured journey…

I found a number of articles that outline the benefits of drinking lemon water and they all pretty much list the same things. According to an article posted by the Cleveland Clinic, benefits can include better hydration, better digestion, helps with weight loss, provides Vitamin C and Potassium and may help to prevent kidney stones. Those all sound like positive benefits, to me. The article also goes on to state that drinking lemon water may help prevent oxidation and contains phytonutrients, which will help your body against disease. Definitely a strong benefit for someone with an autoimmune condition like Type-1 Diabetes.

Another article posted by one of my favourite websites, HealthLine, also provides all of the same benefits listed by the Cleveland Clinic but one aspect I like is that they break down the specifics of what drinking a glass of lemon water provides your body. here’s the breakdown:

A glass of lemon water containing one 48 gram lemon, squeezed, contains:

  • 10.6 calories;
  • 18.6 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, or 21% of the Daily value (DV);
  • 9.6 micrograms (mcg) of folate, or 2% of the DV;
  • 49.4 mg of potassium, or 1% of the DV;
  • 0.038 mg of iron, or < 1% of the DV;
  • 0.01 mg of vitamin B-1, or 1% of the DV;
  • 0.01 mg of vitamin B-2, or 1% of the DV; and
  • 0.06 mg of vitamin B-5, or 1% of the DV.

Drinking lemon water will help one to avoid sugary drinks and less healthy alternatives but if any of you know anything about me, you know that I’m also going to provide the negative side for all the positives. First and foremost, if you’re anything like me, you may overdo it a bit, once you find something you like. I consider lemon water to be delicious and I drink it out of my 1-litre water bottle. I can easily rip through four or five of them sum-bitches throughout the course of a day. There is such a thing as too much water… Doing so can cause Hyponatremia. What is Hyponatremia? Hyponatremia is the medical term for a sodium imbalance in the body. A sodium imbalance can occur when excessive amounts of water are consumed, flooding the cells. I’ve had it a couple of times. It sucks.

There’s some limited information as well, that the citric acid in lemons could potentially damage the enamel of your teeth. The HealthLine article I linked above recommends drinking your lemon water through a straw to prevent this, followed by rinsing your mouth out with plain water afterwards. Granted, other sources state that since you’re watering it down, the risk is minimal. Providing you aren’t constantly sucking on lemons, your teeth should be fine. Granted, I’m not a doctor. Or a dentist.

So, there you have it! Suck back some lemon water for all the reasons above. The benefits far outweigh the possible negative aspects and will help you stay hydrated throughout the day. And the most important reason above anything else is that I enjoy it. And that just makes everything else icing on the cake. Or lemon in the water. Whatevs, it’s all the same comparison. ☯️

What’s The Use?

Everybody, Diabetic and non-Diabetic alike, is usually aware that insulin is commonly used by people with Type-1 Diabetes to control their blood sugars, since their own bodies no longer produce it as a result of their immune system attacking their own body. Most of my life, I’ve had people ask why I don’t just manage without it? After all, if food makes blood sugars go up and insulin and exercise make it go down, can’t I just eat less, eliminating carbohydrates and exercise more to keep my body’s blood sugar’s in check? The simple answer is no. No, I can’t. Besides the fact that one’s body needs carbohydrates as a source of fuel, it turns out that insulin has a number fo functions in the body that we need besides blood sugar regulation.

First and foremost, let’s discuss what insulin actually is… Insulin is a hormone that was created in the 1920’s by Dr. Frederick Banting, a Canadian of course, and Charles Best. once injected into comatose children who were thought to have Diabetes, they would regain consciousness and regain some augury of health. Insulin was originally made by extracting the required from the pancreas of pigs or bovine. Modern versions can be synthetically created or made from human sources. Insulin is usually taken by injecting it into the interstitial tissues beneath the skin.

So, this brings us back to the key question of what insulin is used for, in someone without Diabetes. According to an article posted by Endocrine Web, insulin helps your body turn food into energy. Further, it “controls the amount of glucose in your bloodstream at any given moment. It also helps store glucose in your liver, fat, and muscles. Finally, it regulates your body’s metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.” All those fancy words are to say that your body needs insulin production for a number of different functions in the human body.

To be honest, finding articles that list what a non-Diabetic body uses insulin for that doesn’t involve blood sugar control is surprisingly difficult. But it is required to prevent conditions like ketoacidosis, which can occur in anyone whose body can’t turn glucose into fat. plus, the bottom line is a healthy body’s pancreas WILL produce insulin, allowing for glucose to be processed and stored in the appropriate places in the human body and that body’s immune system doesn’t attack itself, which is the difference between someone WITH Diabetes and someone WITHOUT. So there you have it! Even if you don’t have Diabetes, your body still needs insulin. Don’t be afraid to hit up your friendly, neighbourhood endocrinologist for a deeper list of non-Diabetic uses for insulin. ☯️

Some Salty Facts…

I don’t think I could sit here and try and convince anyone in general that salt is good for you. For the most part, the average person goes on with their day, knowing that the consumption of salt can cause some pretty serious health complications in one’s body. That being said, it’s important to recognize that salt has its place in a person’s diet and isn’t ALL bad. This would seem like a good time to point out that I’m not a doctor or a health practitioner and the post that follows should not be construed as anything by my own option. Moving on…

First and foremost, salt will cause in most folks what I like to call the “diabetic endless cycle.” As you consumer heavier quantities of salt, you’ll become more thirsty. As your thirst increases, you’ll consume more fluids, which will kick your kidneys into overtime to expel the excess and you’ll urinate more often. Wash, rinse and repeat. This is about the closest someone without Diabetes could come top understanding one of the issues that happens to someone with T1D, as it relates to blood sugar, drinking water and frequent urination.

realistically speaking, the human body does need salt. Salt is typically composed of roughly 40% sodium and 60% chloride and people will often use the terms “salt” and “sodium” interchangeably. Although too much can cause harm, salt is used by the body for good muscle and nerve health, proper balance of fluid levels in the body and to help absorb certain nutrients that we need to stay healthy. For example, while consuming too much salt can lead to dehydration, so can too little salt. Since you need salt to balance the fluids in your body, cutting out salt completely (or trying to) can lead to some issues.

In fact, one of the issues that too little salt can cause, is a condition known as hyponatremia. This is a condition where your sodium levels are too low, which will cause bodily pain, nausea and a score of other health issues too numerous to name. I had a bout of this condition a couple of summers ago, where I went on a near 100 kilometres bike ride and guzzled down water for the hours I was out. The sun was blazing and it was hotter than hell. I was sweating profusely and expelled too much of my body’s mineral salts, which caused the symptoms of hyponatremia.

All of that being said and like all things in life, balance is key. While one needs salt to remain healthy and too little salt can cause significant issues, too much salt can cause bloating, dehydration, blood pressure and cardiac issues, kidney disease, kidney stones, stroke and a partridge in a pear tree. The key is proper balance and a healthy intake of sodium/salt that helps to strike that balance. Since every person is different and may have pre-existing health conditions that would contribute to this, you consult your family physician or health practitioner to determine what a healthy level of sodium may be for you. ☯️

Taking Care Of Oneself…

Self-care is undoubtedly the most important step one can take for self-health and a better life. Unfortunately, the shoemaker’s kids often go barefoot, which is a fancy way of saying that the average person will always focus on others’ wants, needs and expectations before dealing with their own. The result of this can include things like chronic exhaustion, burnout and depression, which can ultimately lead to nasty things like alcoholism, drug use and a score of other mental issues to numerous to list.

I’ll admit that I’m guilty of neglecting myself and am likely the worst one, when it comes to helping others and doing more than I should. By the time I finally decide to throw in the proverbial towel and take a break, I’ve usually crashed and need almost more time to recover than what I used to take care of others. This is why it’s so important to take care of one’s own mental health before anything else. I recently found a poster at my work that was provided by the Canadian Centre for Occupational health and Safety. They listed 10 healthy habits for mental fitness and I found the list interesting, so I thought I would share. here we go…

1. Schedule some “me time,” daily…
I’m a big fane of this, and make a point of trying to do so. Whether it’s ten minutes to myself when I get home to decompress or an evening workout, it’s important to have time for oneself. This isn’t selfish and in fact, will put you in a better state of mind to help care for others.

2. Reward yourself…
Stuffed-crust pizza, anyone? In all seriousness, whether you’re trying to save money or simply don’t abide having too many belongings, rewarding yourself for your accomplishments is important as it keeps you motivated and hungry to accomplish more.

3. play to your strengths…
This is a tough one, especially if you’re like me and believe you can do anything you set your mind to. But let’s be realistic for a moment… I’ll never be a theoretical physicist. I love and excelled in maths and physics, but I didn’t have the time, money or resources to study to the degree that was required (pun fully intended) to achieve that particular dream. I’ll never be an Olympic swimmer because my body encompasses at least two swimmer’s bodies and I have the centre of gravity of a rock. I am, however, quite adept at the martial arts and I’ve played to that particular strength in a number of ways. So while one shouldn’t be discouraged from trying something, it’s important to recognize one’s strengths.

4. Ask for and offer help…
This one isn’t just important for good mental health but for life in general. It would be ignorant to believe that one would never need the assistance of another person in life. It would also be wrong NOT to provide help when someone else asks it of you. Not to be confused with being UNABLE to help, of course. But we’re all trying to muddle through life as best we can; helping each other should be something that comes naturally.

5. De-stress your diet…
Honestly, I don’t know what the fuck this is supposed to mean… maybe it just means don’t eat buffalo chicken bites an hour before bed because you’ll spend all night roiling and in pain. Maybe it simply means making sure you eat healthy and from the proper food groups and try not to eat like a seagull…

6. Press pause once in a while – downtime is good…
frankly, I love this list but I can’t help but feel this is a repetition of #1. I mean, maybe not; downtime and time to oneself could be interpreted as two separate things I guess. Whatever. Go re-read #1.

7. Get regular physical activity…
That’s the gospel, right there! And likely the solution to a vast majority of mental and physical health problems that people face. And I don’t need to remind all of you how often I’ve written about exercising regularly. yet another aspect I could stand to improve on.

8. Set goals and stay on target with a journal…
Meinh… journals can be a good thing for some people. I believe quite deeply in setting goals and working towards them. If using a journal or some form of documentation to track your progress, it can’t be anything but good, right? But setting those goals and keeping your eyes on the prize is extremely important.

9. Practice relaxation techniques and get enough sleep…
I consider myself well versed on the former but I could certainly use some work on the latter. Meditation or even just deep breathing will help will lowering blood pressure and calming you. getting a proper night’s sleep is valuable for a variety of reasons that I’ve written about often.

10. Choose a positive attitude…
This is probably the most difficult one, if I’m being honest. having a positive attitude or outlook on life can be difficult, especially if you;’re constantly dealing with the negative aspects of life. it’s absolutely possible but as humans, we tend to bitch, whine and complain about things watt faster than choosing to be positive.

So there you have it. I thought this list was pretty decent and offers up some good suggestions on how to better maintain one’s mental health and increase one’s overall happiness. ☯️

Slide Into This Feel-good Post…

Last Saturday, Nathan finally asked me to make our way to the sliding hill on the east side of our neighbourhood. I say finally because he’s usually spent the last few winters asking to go sledding as soon as there was snow on the ground. This year, he didn’t seem to be so into it, preferring to stay inside and melt his brain with his Netflix kids and Nintendo Switch. I’ve managed to get him outside to play in our yard, which is easy for him to come back inside and resume his hermit behaviour. So it was quite a surprise when he decided he wanted to go sledding.

The weather was quite mild at only -4 degrees and it was a perfect day to go hit the slope for an hour and get some fresh air. We slipped on our winter gear and made our way outside. Nathan had received a snow scooter for Christmas, which is basically a razor scooter with skis instead of wheels. I was anxious to see him use it but he refused, claiming he felt he would wipe out too easily. I brought it along anyway, in the event he changed his mind (and because I wanted to try it myself). We had the hill to ourselves as no one else was there. Not surprising as it was the weekend and it was before the noon hour.

Despite the mild weather, it was quite chilly once we got to the top of the hill and lost the protection of the houses and trees at ground level. Nathan had a blast, whipping down the hill and alternating his runs with his plastic toboggan and crazy carpet. I took a couple of short sprints down on the snow scooter and let me just say that I’m glad no one else was on the hill to see my sorry attempts. besides the fact that the handlebar was too low for me, the foot board was too small and I couldn’t keep both feet on it. This made it extremely hard to keep my balance.

At one point, we had a race with Nathan on his crazy carpet and me, using the plastic toboggan. My heavy weight, whipping down the hill, allowed my gratuitous posterior to feel every bump, groove and edge that was present on the slope. The result was every joint in my body objecting and asking what the fuck I thought I was doing… It was enough to get Nathan laughing at all the moans, groans and the sound of a hundred mousetraps closing as I tried to get up. Where has the time gone?

As with all things in life, despite the fun we were having, some negative aspects reared their ugly faces. The cold temperature and the exertion of climbing the snow hill over and over caused my blood sugar to drop below 4.0 mmol/L, which was a problem since we had only planned on being gone for an hour and I hadn’t brought anything with me. The cold also drained the battery on my pump, which is a bit more of a problem since having the battery go dead for more than a few minutes wipes out all my settings. I really should write that shit down somewhere. But it was fun and we got to spend some time outside, getting fresh air and exercise. ☯️

Are You just Listening Or Also Hearing…?

Relationships involve a lot of work. I’m sure that isn’t news to any of your reading this post, but people often forget that the Beetles were wrong… You most certainly and absolutely do need more than love. I remember a few months before one of my close friends got married. We sat in my garage and had a few cold ones and smoked a couple of choice cigars and talked about his upcoming nuptials. One of the things I explained is that’s although it’s extremely important to love the person you’re with, there are other important components that are required.

Arguably, compromise, understanding and the ability to communicate honestly and openly with the person in question are just as important as loving them and in some cases, more so. And this applies to any relationship in one’s life, friendship, marital or otherwise. Having the ability to be honest and communicate are integral to maintaining the relationship AND maintaining good mental health through it all. Often, relationship failures can be traced to a failure in one or more of these other components and not so much the fact the pair didn’t love each other. But I digress…

The important lesson in today;s post is that as one makes their way through the challenges of life, one needs to do more than just sit and listen. It’s important to actually hear what the other person is saying, as important as it is for them to actually hear you. Often, one person will be trying to start a conversation or impart a message that the recipient simply isn’t getting and this can often be attributed to a lack of hearing, or stubbornness. this can lead to misinterpreted messaging, hurt feelings and a general sense of misunderstanding that will often lead to a breakdown in effective communication. Certainly not conducive to any sort of relationship.

each person is a free-thinking individual with their own thoughts, opinions and positions on whatever matters of the day may be facing them. But the only way to approach such things is with an open mind and an ability to hear what the other person is actually trying o communicate and asking for clarification if you don’t understand. only then can you begin to truly communicate effectively and find the means to compromise and understand the other person’s perspective, which is important to maintaining good relationships. Food for thought… ☯️

Feelin’ The Burn…

It’s not secret that I enjoy trying out new workouts. More than anything else, I fell it’s an important step in keeping things fresh, which in turn will help to keep things interesting when trying to stick to a fitness regime. But different workouts will work different muscle groups and provide different short and long term results, so it’s always good to mix it up and try something different. A couple of years ago, I found a simple body weight workout used by submarine occupants. The idea is that they needed something that could be done on a confined space, without the use of much equipment.

I bring it up because I did the workout the day before last and I’m only today feeling the deep, muscular pain associated with it. But it is a genuinely fantastic workout that works all the large muscle groups and helps to increase strength and stamina. It only takes twenty to thirty minutes to perform and I often use it as an alternative if I’m staying in a hotel or need something quick and easy because I don’t have time for anything else. Admittedly, the portion I use is only part 1 of 2 but believe me when I say it’s enough to get a solid sweat and have your limbs praying for mercy. Here we go…

The circuit is pretty basic. You start with 15 normal squats (pictured above, go all the way down and don’t be lazy) followed by 10 diamond push-ups (push-ups where your hands are touching in front of you, below your chest), 10 regular lunges and 15 regular push-ups. Once you’ve completed that circuit, you start again but this you’ll be doing 14-9-9-14. Keep repeating the circuit and dropping everything by one rep for every circuit. Make sense?

As you work through it, the entire workout should look like this:

Squats/Diamond P-Ups/Lunges/P-Ups
15-10-10-15
14-9-9-14
13-8-8-13
12-7-7-12
11-6-6-11
10-5-5-10
9-4-4-9
8-3-3-8
7-2-2-7
6-1-1-6
5-0-0-5
4-0-0-4
3-0-0-3
2-0-0-2
1-0-0-1
Fall to the floor and pass out… Kidding!

I normally take about 30 to 45 seconds to rest and sip water between each circuit. That being said, once the first and last exercises reach 5 and I’m no longer doing diamond push-ups or lunges, I try to hammer through the last five circuits without resting. It tends to provide that added little bit of burn at the end when one typically wants to throw in the towel. Your lunges can be done with some light dumbbells, if you have them.

For myself, I’ve started doing the entire workout with a 20-pound weighted vest, which has certainly made it more challenging and has given me a better appreciation for folks who live their everyday with 20 pounds more weight than I carry. It’s amazing how such a low addition of weight to one’s overall body makes a significant and noticeable difference. Despite how taxing the workout is, it’s low impact and simple, making it extremely flexible in terms of adding in extras or modifying the exercises.

So there you have it! If you’re looking for something that’s quick, simple and provides an insane burn to your muscles, look no further. I’ve also noticed that this workout doesn’t seem to drop my blood sugars in any significant way. If anything, it sometimes rises by a half point. Remember to stay well hydrated as this circuit will have you sweating out every drop of bodily fluid you may have. And as usual, if you feel unexpected sharp pains, shortness of breath or dizziness, you should stop immediately. Even if the circuit takes a little less than 30 minutes, there’s no reason not to take more time to complete it during the first few times you use it. Stay healthy! ☯️

Trying To Shut ‘er Down…

We’ve all been there… It’s several hours into the night, you should be asleep but you’re tossing and turning before finally staring absently at the ceiling, unable to slip into the sandman’s warm embrace. Although I’ll be the first to admit that there can be medical reasons for this phenomenon, often and for the most part, it’s caused because most people lack the ability to shut down one’s brain. And one would think that we would be in control of our own brain but it just never seems to happen that way…

I talk a big game but I’m notorious for allowing the events of the day and the plan for the upcoming day to dwell in my head, rent-free. This often occurs when I should be slipping into slumber, unless it’s Friday night and I’m enjoying a few libations but that just causes a different kind of poor sleep. But i can certainly attest that whether it’s running through things I’ll say on my way to work, rethinking choices and tasks performed at work on my way home or simply laying in bed worrying about it all, I need to do a bit more practicing what I preach. And now, we’ll get on to the preaching part…

As human beings, we have a tendency to dwell on the past and worry about the future. We think back to things we’ve said and done and tasks we’ve accomplished and we wonder if we could have done them better or differently. We worry about the future as it relates to life and one’s finances. Will I have enough money to cover the rent this month? Can I afford to put gas in the car or do I need to keep taking my bike? Do I have job security? Can I retire in twenty years without working? There’s absolutely no limit to the things that roll around in one’s head at any given time.

However, having this happen when you’re supposed to be getting sleep is not only wrong but potentially harmful. As I’ve written about in previous posts, lack of proper sleep can lead to a plethora of physical and mental issues, not limited to poor cognitive function, increased blood pressure and anxiety. I don’t know about you, but none of that sounds like a fuckin’ spa treatment. This is why it’s so important to ensure you get a proper night’s sleep. And there are a few ways to help that process along.

First and foremost, one needs to learn to shut their mind off. For me, I make a point of blasting some awesome music in the car on my way home and sing along with no apologies (well, the music is awesome to ME, anyways). This helps to reset my mind from the work environment to the home environment. This is a fantastic first step to decompressing and allowing oneself to switch gears. The idea and the whole point is that work should be kept at work. Although some jobs and positions may require some after-honours attention, once your day is done and you go home, work is the last thing you should be dwelling on.

Once you’re home, get on some things that you can do at home. This is more important than we realize because most people have the reflex of getting home and wanting to flop down on the couch and veg out. As appealing as this sounds, sitting idle is one of the worst things you can do, as sitting still gives you too much time to dwell on things. Get up, help make dinner, do the dishes, help your kids with homework and if all else fails and none of that applies to you, hammer out a solid workout, followed by a hot shower and some meditation. Not only will this get you through your evening in a productive manner but it’ll also prepare your body for sleep, which is kind of the whole point.

All the usual things that we all tend to hear about apply as well. Don’t eat to close to bedtime, cut caffeine about mid-afternoon and avoid backlit screens about an hour before bed. All of these things will contribute to helping you nod off faster. Once you’re in bed, closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing is an excellent exercise to help you fall asleep. Focusing on your breathing takes your thoughts away from whatever you may dwell on, otherwise. Long, steady breaths are definitely better than short ones. White noise machines are a light-send, as well. You should try to avoid being like me and using your cell phone to stream Netflix to go to sleep.

All in all, it’s pretty easy to say “shut your mind off and go to sleep.” Accomplishing that isn’t quite so easy. Life brings its own unique sets of challenges, stressors and aspects that cause anxiety so it’s no big surprise that some or most of that will keep a person up at night. But the important aspect to remember is that unless you plan on getting out of bed and going straight in to work when your mind dwells on it, there’s nothing you can do about it in the moment and you should let it go and focus on the task at hand, which is sleep. Food for thought… ☯️

Frosted Fun In Milder Weather…

One of the big things that makes winter drag on for me, is the inability to use my bicycle or my punching bag. Oh, sure… I could be like of those sorry idiots you see riding the city streets on a bike in the snow. But I value my life a little too much for that. And the issue with the punching is imply managing to stay outside in the cold for that long. Even if I only use the bag for a half hour, the extremes colds we get in Saskatchewan are often enough to make it unwise, if not outright dangerous.

That’s why let weekend was a welcome gift, with temperatures actually rising above 0 degrees. Recently, my wife and I have started sending our oldest outside to play on the weekends. That likely makes it sound like we didn’t before and I should probably clarify… Because he now has a Nintendo Switch as well as a disabled iPhone on which to do homework and stream Netflix Kids, he very rarely wants to do anything else. Getting him to play in the great outdoors has become something of a challenge, despite the vast plethora of toys and gadgets he has in his play shed that he can use to entertain himself. but I digress…

On Saturday, I noticed it was only -1 degrees outside. As usual, I shut down all of his devices and coaxed him outside to play. He put in his hour and came back in, citing fatigue. Once he was curled back up in a corner and playing his games, it dawned on me that I should have joined him. The milder weather would have been an excellent opportunity to hit the bag. Instead, I ended up doing a workout inside, as I usually do. Recently, I’ve been trying to push myself to workout on a daily basis so that I can hopefully start to shed some of the winter blubber from my mid-section.

The following day held weather just as nice, so I decided to join Nathan outside and do a 30-minute punching bag circuit that I have on my phone. It involves striking the bag for a full minute, then taking a 30-second break. Wash, rinse and repeat for a half hour. It’s pretty good at working up a sweat and as long as you put in the effort, it’s a pretty good way to burn calories and tone the arms, as well. I got through the circuit and made my way back inside the house, tired and sweaty but satisfied. I noted some pros and cons to working out on the bag in colder weather. And I’m gonna share ‘em with you now…

On the positive side, it was remarkably easier to breathe. Since I usually spend time on the bag in the summer, the heavy humidity and high heat not only make it difficult to breathe but it also brings me closer to dehydration with every punch. I didn’t have that issue. I also didn’t need to stop for water as often or sweat as profusely into my eyes. That being said, now is a good time to remind everyone that just because you’re not sweating, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work to stay hydrated. That can be a bit of a slippery slope, kind of like neglecting to use sunblock in the winter.

Another good thing is that I had to keep moving in order to stay warm. Granted, it was only about -4 degrees but wearing a long-sleeved dry-fit shirt under a sleeveless hoodie didn’t do much to keep the chill at bay. This resulted in a need to keep moving constantly in order to maintain my body’s warmth. The result is less stopping and less breaks throughout the workout, resulting in a better burn. I’ll be the first to admit that I tend to lag and slow down once I reach the halfway mark of my bag workouts. This was an easy way to ensure that didn’t happen. Keep moving or get cold.

Of course, as with all things in life, there is a con to every pro and this workout was no exception. Although it was great to get out on the bag and blow off some steam, there were some negative aspects to this workout. The first is that my Bluetooth speaker died. Kaput. Done. Useless. Despite having nearly a full charge when I went outside, the cold weather drained the battery and the music died. Don McLean would have a conniption. Worst part is, it died in the last ten minutes or so of the workout, which is when I’m at my most fatigued and need that slight boost that good music gives you, in order to push through.

This same effect happened to my phone, having gone outside with a battery nearing 100%, only to step back inside at less than 25%. Although neither of those things may seem like a big deal, and I’ll admit that they’re not, they still affect the overall workout. But neither of those were as important as the fact that the battery to my insulin pump also drained. Not completely, thankfully, but it still drained. The user’s guide for the pump also clarifies that it should not be kept in constant heat or cold, and this would be one of the reasons why. A more ideal solution would have been to disconnect the pump for the 30 minutes I was outside and preserve the battery. Hindsight, am I right?

Lastly, were my blood sugars. Working out in colder weather has a harsher effect on the body. Not only are you working out but your body is actively trying to warm you up/keep you warm. As a result, my blood sugars dropped quite drastically over the 30 minutes that I slammed the bag. No big deal for someone constantly prepared for blood sugar issues, but less than ideal. And that’s something to bear in mind, should one decide on a workout that takes them away from the house, like jogging or skiing. Close monitoring of one’s blood sugars and good preparation can mean the difference between being in danger or enjoying the milder but still cold, weather.

All in all, it was good to get out of the house and get back to the bag. It certainly renewed my appetite for the striking aspect of my training. Although forms and shadow boxing are great, sometimes you just need to actually strike something in order to properly develop your techniques. I would say that being outside was a positive influence on Nathan but the little lazy ass came and sat in the garage for the entire time I was outside. Despite being supposed to play and get some exercise, he opted instead to just sit there. Bloody kid! My attempts to get him to use the punch pad didn’t fly, either. Oh, well. Here’s hoping next weekend is just as nice and I can put my lessons learned into practice. ☯️