fitover60

Running while the Joe Pye Weed is in bloom.

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My summer of fun has turned into my summer of rehab. I am currently going to occupational therapy and physical therapy. Six weeks ago, I fell running uphill in the woods. I was training with my friend who is a faster, stronger runner than me. I didn’t want to lose her in the woods, and was doing my best to keep up. As we came to the end of the hot and humid run, I went down running up a hill. I actually fell twice on the run. The second time, I fell on my shoulder and ended up not being able to lift my arm without pain. The diagnosis was tendonitis and bursitis. I can’t be at my best if my body is hurting. So how do I fix it? I started OT and PT. I decided to include PT because I was concerned about my balance and falling down. Was there an issue with my brain/foot connection, my progressive glasses, my balance, or all three? I don’t want to be the kind of old person who is always afraid of falling. I will figure it out! I did get a shot of cortisone in my shoulder, which is like magic. Within a couple of days, my shoulder felt so much better.

I just got back from a hour long run in Huber woods with my friend Dorian. We did 8 long hill repeats. It was another hot and humid run. You could actually feel the steam rising. It is beautiful at Huber Woods. It is another world in the middle of New Jersey. I feel like I am running in Vermont. The Joe Pye weed is in bloom along the trail and the grass was recently mowed which makes for an incredible run. I am so grateful to be able to run again.

September is right around the corner. Are you interested in cold plunging with the plungettes this year? It is a good idea to start cold plunge training in September when the water is warm and just keep on going. It is amazing how the body can adjust to the colder temperatures. I have really missed it this summer. Last year, I would put 32 pounds of ice and add it to my bath water three times a week. I didn’t want to be that crazy about it this year. I only did it once.

Benefits of cold water plunging.

  • Reduces inflammation and pain.
  • Increases metabolism.
  • Boost your mood.
  • Improves immune system.
  • Improves mental resilience.
  • Gives your hair a lustrous shine.

Interested?

Love,

Mary

I feel so much better!

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I feel so much better.

Sunday, I walked the CROP walk with Rosanne, the minister’s wife. She said, “Mary, I think you are being way too hard on yourself. Enjoy your glass of wine with dinner.” It felt like divine intervention. I am happy to say I am back to one glass of wine with dinner. Thank you, Rosanne!

I am a little embarrassed. Last week, I posted that I stopped drinking. I reached out to many friends and trusted family members for support. After stopping for 9 days, I am back to my glass of wine. My one glass did not turn into a bottle. It was turning into a glass and a half. The 9 days off was a good thing to do. I took really good care of myself. I meditated, did Wim Hoff breathing and jumped into the ocean a few times with Rosanne.

Saturday night, I went to my husband’s high school reunion and didn’t have a glass of wine. They were handing out champagne as we were waiting to sign in and get our name tags. I said no thank you. I had a nice time at the reunion. I set the intention to have fun, with no drinking and enjoy a nice dinner without overindulging. It was fine.

Have you heard of gray area drinking? My friend Jessica sent me this video which I found very helpful and maybe you will too.

Jolene Park, the Functional Nutritionist in the video, talks about gray area drinking. It is the area of drinking where there is no rock bottom. You use alcohol to manage your stress and anxiety. You feel bad about how much and how often you drink. She also talks about how naturally boosting your neurotransmitters, Gaba, Serotonin, and Dopamine, can help you if you want to stop drinking.

Here is my plan, and I have had a great week! I am focusing on boosting my Gaba, Serotonin, and Dopamine levels. Gaba has a calming effect. Serotonin increases happiness, and Dopamine is associated with pleasure. I plunged in the Atlantic Ocean with Rosanne 3 times this week. It absolutely makes you feel better to be outside in the sunshine at the beach and jump into the 62 degree water for 5 minutes! It feels like a new day. Every night, I enjoy one glass of wine in a beautiful crystal glass and I feel all is well.

Go out and Boost your Neurotransmitters! OutdoorFit will boost your Gaba, Serotonin and Dopamine!

Thanks for reading.

Love,

Mary

We make a cute couple!

I am doing something new.

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I was at a Memorial Service in August. Afterwards, I sat outside eating wraps and cake with Andrea, a fellow church lady. We started talking about having your kids go off to college the first time and the stress and anxiety that it can cause. She said she had been working on some breathing techniques to help calm herself. I asked her if she had heard of Wim Hoff the “Ice Man”. She said yes and that it was working for her. I said we need to start jumping into the ocean. Wim Hoff is a big believer in cold water plunges. We waited until after Labor Day when the beach crowds had left, and started plunging for 5 minutes. This was a huge deal for me! I have lived 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean for the past 40 years. I never really cared too much. I have never gone in the ocean without a lifeguard sitting on the chair watching over me. The whole plunging routine was making me so nervous. I would start getting anxious waiting for a possible text from Andrea, asking me if I want to plunge, and get worse from there. It felt like the old days when I was a competitive runner. I would get so nervous before a race. I hate feeling nervous, It is very uncomfortable, but I know if I don’t push myself I will never try anything new. I am getting better at it.

Plunging in the ocean has been life changing for me in so many ways. I am doing something new which I am usually very resistant to. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and my routine. It is so worth it. I have become good friends with Andrea. We are outside, doing something with a touch of craziness to it. I pick Andrea up in my Honda CR-V along with our friend Rosanne. My car is the beach car because I belong to a car wash club. Rosanne, another church lady heard what we were doing and she wanted in. Rosanne loves the cold water. She loves cold showers and plunging in her pond in upstate NY. We head off to the beach where there is always a free parking spot. It is beginning to feel like our beach. We have a turn around time of an hour and there is no food or drink involved. It is simple. It is the best!

Benefits of Cold Water Plunges:

Improves circulation.

Aids fat loss.

Boosts immune function.

Increases endorphins.

Decreases stress, increases glutathione.

Helps your sleep.

Builds confidence.

If you have been following me you know I have not been dealing well with my stress this past year or so. I was taking supplements to help me manage. Since I started plunging, I have been able to stop the stress relieving supplements. I feel so much better. I am grounded, I sleep better and I have lost 5 pounds. I am taking better care of myself. I want to be strong, lean and able to handle the ocean in the winter months. I started eating liver and I have upped my weights at OutdoorFit. The liver is a bit of an adjustment. I am sharing it with Sophie the Golden Retriever. She is enjoying it!

Rosanne and I are in our 60’s and Andrea is a youngster at 50 something. It makes plunging even more special. It is never too late to try something new.

Fit and Fabulous…Aging Optional!

Rosanne and Andrea in our Neoprene Team Caps~

He was Smart, Athletic, Good Looking and Drove a 1961 Red PV 544 Volvo.

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He was Smart, Athletic, Good Looking and Drove a 1961 Red PV 544 Volvo is the title of a 3000 word chapter that I wrote, and after much personal anguish, didn’t submit. I joined a women’s group last spring called The Wild and Wise Women. They decided they wanted to write a book together. We were each asked to write a chapter about the effect of the pandemic on our lives, and the importance of community during this time. On some level, I thought it would be good for me to write a chapter. I love the idea of being a writer, even though it has never come easily to me. I envision being Diane Keaton in the movie Something’s Gotta Give. I am sitting at my desk overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, writing an amazing chapter that everyone wants to read, and finds fascinating. The truth is, I spent months not writing it, and when I did sit down to write, I didn’t enjoy the experience. I ended up with a knot in my right shoulder from bending over typing on my Mac computer.

The deadline for the rough draft was the end of September. I read the draft again and again. My editor is my husband Dan, who is also the smart, athletic, good looking guy who drove a 1961 RV 544 Volvo. He read my chapter, and told me I was all over the place, but I could change it around. I knew that, but I didn’t want to spend another minute on it. I spent the afternoon having a melt down. Why? Was it because I wasn’t handing in my homework? Was I quitting on myself, or was I upset I was letting the Wild and Wise women down?

The real question is why was it so hard to decide one way or the other? I got together with Vicky of 2 Grandmas and A Microphone, and we talked about resistance and self sabotage in the video. Do you struggle with making a decision ? Do you procrastinate ? We all do. It was helpful to talk with Vicky. I hope you will find it helpful as well.

“Answer the call to what excites your spirit.” Rumi

Thanks for reading and watching.

Enjoy,

Mary