Sunday Snippets #9
3 Simple Ways to Test your Fitness, An App To Assess Food & Beauty Products, Navigating the Aches and Pains of Middle Age, Cindy's Sober Summer Continues and More! ๐๏ธ๐๐๐ธ
I recently came across a compelling article in The New York Times that outlined 3 important benchmarks to consider when assessing your fitness level. ๐๏ธ The grip strength benchmark really stood out to me. I can vividly remember the first time that I returned to the grocery store ๐ during the years of the pandemic and noticed how much tougher it was to carry my groceries to the car. ๐ Now that I am back to teaching my fitness classes, I make sure that I incorporate the โfarmers carryโ ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐พ into our workout regime! Hereโs a NYT gift link to the article.
Becoming fit can also mean some aches and pains along the way. ๐คทโโ๏ธ Itโs part of the deal BUT PLEASE DONโT LET IT STOP YOU!!! I have had several setbacks over the few years and with some persistence and help from great PTs and MDs, I have climbed my way back. Check out this โUsers Guide to Midlifeโ which discusses these aches and pains along with weight gain, perimenopause, stress and more.
A new client just introduced me to a FABULOUS app called Yuka. Yuka deciphers product labels and analyzes the health impact of food products and cosmetics. I used the app to scan several granola bars and was blown away by what I learned. The granola bar that I assumed was healthy landed in the poor category. The app will also suggest healthier alternatives. I highly recommend that you check it out. Yuka is also helpful for beauty products.
Since we are on the topic of food, ๐ฅฆ letโs talk about the glycemic index. For those of you who are not familiar with the term, the glycemic index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels. The higher the GI value, the greater the impact that food has on your blood sugar levels. Understanding GI can help you maintain healthy eating habits and manageย diabetes or pre-diabetes symptoms. Here is a glycemic index guide that you can use to assess some of the foods that you are eating.
My sober summer continues. ๐๐ป I have discovered Heineken Zeros this week and they are surprisingly good, especially if poured into a frosty glass. ๐บ Give it a try!
Although my Sober Summer started sometime in May, I did a fair amount of preparation work prior to giving up alcohol altogether. Iโll outline some of these steps in an upcoming article.
Have a wonderful week everyone!
โฎ๏ธ๐ฉท
~Cindy