Tag Archives: advice

Getting Older And Keeping Fit: What You Need To Do Differently

10/20/2019 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

getting older, keep fit, aging, healthy, exercise, fitness — *Image by Michael de Groot from Pixabay*

There is no getting away from the fact that we are all ageing, there’s no way of reversing it, delaying it or stopping it. We get older each day, and our bodies get more tired, and everyday tasks become more of a challenge as we don’t have the same energy that we used to. We all know how important it is to exercise and this doesn’t change as you get older, in fact, it’s probably more important than ever to make sure your body performs as well as it possibly can. You might need to invest in new equipment such as compression socks from https://legioncompressionsocks.com/ or treat yourself to more massages or time in the jacuzzi afterwards and while exercising as you get older doesn’t require you to train much differently to how you would when you were younger, there are some factors to consider in order to make sure you get the most out of your training and stay injury-free as you get older.

Recovery Is Key

As we get older, our bodies don’t recover from intense exercise like they used to. Recovery time will vary for each person, but if you find you’re always feeling sore and low on energy, you may find that you need a longer recovery time between exercise sessions. You might also need to be more respectful of the recovery process, make sure you get enough sleep, you’re well-hydrated and have a nutritious diet as this will aid in the regeneration and recovery process.

Strength Training Is More Important Than Ever

As you get older, your muscle mass and bone density decline, so because of this weight training becomes vital. Increasing your muscle mass and strength will also improve your posture and balance, and will reduce the chances of getting injured. Also, having more muscle mass will mean you have a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR), so in terms of your body composition, you will experience changes with more lean tissue and lower body fat.

Longer Warm-Ups

Ageing unfortunately often means stiffer joints which means that you can’t get away with getting stuck straight into the workout ‘cold’. You’ll likely need a longer warm-up with more mobility at the start of the workout in order to ensure your body is ready to exercise and prevent injury. More stretching and mobility sessions outside of your regular exercise sessions will also be beneficial.

Look After Your Muscles

Muscle pain and spasms after a strenuous workout are no joke and therefore need to be checked out by a professional. For example, when you work out, your muscles contract and lengthen in different ways than they usually do with regular use. Because of this, they can get injured or fatigued more easily. Everybody experiences neck pain from time to time, especially if you are getting older. It’s a normal part of life that happens when you overexert yourself during a workout or sleep in an awkward position. Although neck pain can be incredibly annoying and painful, and it’s usually nothing to worry about, you should get it checked out by a neck pain doctor should you experience chronic or severe neck pain that doesn’t go away on its own. Most neck pain problems can be fixed with a quick adjustment by a professional or by stretching the muscles out yourself at home after consulting with a doctor.

Good Technique Is VitalGone are the days when you can get away with dodgy squats and questionable reps. The quality of your movement is paramount if you want to keep your body injury and pain-free. If you’re not nailing your technique without weight, then don’t put yourself in a comprising position where you can load the spine. However, if you have been lifting for years, and your body is robust, then go ahead and load the bar. If you’re unsure of your technique or something doesn’t feel right then make sure you speak to a professional and get them to check your technique.

Life, Parenting

8 Things Dads and Kids Should Experience Together

10/01/2019 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

dads, kids, fatherhood, parenting, family

Calling all dads: It’s not rare to want to spend more time with your kids one-on-one (or two, or three…) While many families spend time together regularly doing things like eating dinner, going grocery shopping, or attending family events, outings with just dad and the kids can seem few and far between. With busy schedules, contradicting interests, and a lack of ideas, it can feel nearly impossible to plan fun things to experience with your children. But, fear not! We’ve compiled a list of ten things all kids and dads should experience together to give you your next Saturday plans.

Daddy-daughter dance. Sure, this one is a no-brainer, but seriously! If you’re a dad who happens to have at least one daughter, the daddy-daughter dance is a must-experience for both parties. It’s a night to dress up with your little girl and take her out on the town, maybe even teaching her some cool moves. It’s an excellent way to bond with your daughter in an environment specifically set up just for the two of you – and you’ll leave with absolutely precious memories.

Shopping for school supplies. Not to stereotype, but more often than not, it’s moms taking their kids shopping for school supplies. Whether it’s because they had snatched the list out of the mailbox first or simply know where all the best discounts are, convincing Mom to sit this one out and allow you, as a dad, to take your kids shopping for school supplies, is an excellent way to start important conversations about school and (literally) invest in their next school year. They’ll leave knowing you care about their academic performance, and think of you every time they pull out their new favorite notebook.

Learning to ride a bike. Every kid has to do it – through tears, falls, cuts, and scrapes, learning a bike is total dad territory! It’s a symbolic experience because you – who have always tried to protect your kids from harm and do things for them – must literally push them off and let them try something new for themselves. Though it may be hard to let go of the handlebars at first, this experience will teach your kids that you believe in them – and help you realize just how capable your little babies are.

Carving a pumpkin. Pumpkin carving is a Halloween favorite, and for good reason! It’s messy, it’s spooky, and you can even get some yummy pumpkin seed snacks out of it. This is a great experience for dads and kids because you can encourage their creativity and help bring their vision to life. Once all is said and done, you will have a finished project that you both can take pride in having created together.
Camping. What better time would there be to teach your kids all your survival skills? Okay, maybe you’ll only be cooking s’mores, but camping is a great way to get away from distractions of the technical modern world and simply be with your kids. From sleeping under the stars to starting fires for dinner, it will be an experience neither you or your kids would trade for the world.

Learning a sport. Playing catch is an easy way to spend time bonding while learning an important skill and doesn’t require a lot of equipment. For instance, you can get all of your baseball hitting equipment delivered right to your house. But, whether it’s baseball, softball, volleyball, or golf, teaching your child a sport creates a bond by giving you two an activity you can enjoy together for years to come. The relaxed and casual outside atmosphere is perfect for teaching your kids the harder lessons of sports, like perseverance and confidence – and, of course, having lots of fun. Keeping positive is an essential during this activity, and free courses like this free positive parenting class can help you do just that, making for an excellent day at the park.

Reading a book (a long one!) Reading to your kids is an amazing way to bond with them, even after they can read for themselves. Starting a chapter book neither of you have read and reading a chapter aloud to your children every night before bedtime is a great way to establish routine and give you something in common to be excited about. What will happen next? They’ll be looking forward to your next late-night reading session to find out.

Going to dinner. There’s something to be said for taking your kids out to a special dinner, whether it’s somewhere homely or a fancy restaurant. Not only will you give Mom the night to herself, but you’ll be able to physically sit down with your kids over a good meal and really talk to them about their lives. As they grow older, these opportunities will dwindle, so take advantage of them while you can!

As you can see from our list, having amazing experiences with your kids does not have to be difficult, break the bank, or be intimidating. There are hundreds of activities you can do over the years that will create a strong bond between you – and give you both sweet and fun memories to cherish.

Comment down below with your favorite memory with your kids or with your own dad – what made it so special?

Life, Parenting

Growing Pains: Helping Your Child With Their Teenage Anxieties

09/17/2019 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

anxieties, teenager, child, parenting, kids, growing up — Pixabay – CC0 Licence

While you might think that once you get past the toddler stage, it is plain sailing! After all, the idea of a good night’s sleep went out the window when they were born, and you look forward to reclaiming that later on. But, you could very well struggle with this issue again when they become teenagers. Not because of the general day-to-day duties, but because of something far deeper. Teenage anxiety is, as you will remember, incredibly unique. And in fact, it can be argued that it’s worse today than it ever was. But what can you do to help your child with their teenage anxieties?

Pinpointing The Actual Problem

It’s not always about asking them directly, but it’s about casual observation. It can take time to get to the root of the issue but it may very well be a straightforward problem, like acne. In which case you might very well be able to help in this respect, by pointing them in the direction of the right medication, or take them to the doctor. Or in fact, make your own acne cream with RU58841 5% solution! It’s better to take a step back and observe so you can see what the main issues are and if it’s something that, in the grand scheme of things, is cosmetic, this is something we can aim to fix.

They May Not Want To Speak To You About Their Problems

If this is the case, can you point them in the direction of someone who can help? It all depends on the nature of the problem, but what you can help with is to give them a way to express themselves. This is something that as a parent we have to realize that we might not be able to directly influence the outcome. But what we can do is to point in the right direction either in terms of counseling, or giving them the opportunity to vent with someone else. But what they don’t want us to do is interfere. This might be a bit heartbreaking because you want to help your child, but if they don’t want to speak to you directly, it’s important to remind them that when they are ready to talk to you that you are there.

Be Careful With Positivity

Ultimately you might have been there before, and experienced all the same issues, but now you feel okay. But when you try and communicate this to your child, it’s important that you don’t hurry them along to get over it, because what they’re going through his seemingly insignificant in the grand scheme of things. It’s difficult for them right now, and as much as you can tell them to be more positive, this might not be what they need to get to the core of the problem. Sometimes we have to just let them ride it out. But we can do as a parent is to ensure they know we are there.

Maybe their problems are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they’re going through a huge state of anxiety. Whatever your opinion is this can be more stressful than you think. Keep your perspective, and remember, you were there once!