Happy Talk Show Host day!
Have you ever been on or been in the audience of a talk show?
I haven’t. It’s on my list though!
However, I can’t help but be excited about the one time a quick fitness tip of mine made it onto a talk show.
The Drew Barrymore Show!
If you’ve been a Just Muscles fan for awhile you know the story.
If you want to loosen up your back you’ll want to watch the tip above!
Hint: you’ll need two tennis balls in an old sock!
Happy Monday and here’s to balance, strength, and happiness!
🙂 Laura
Happy Meatloaf Appreciation Day
I have been eating this high protein program for a little while and I really like the consistent energy it gives me.
I was lucky enough to be up in the San Juan Islands last weekend, and I ran past many happy cows munching on their gorgeous green pastures.
It made me wonder: what is true about carbon emissions and cows?
We get a share of a happy cow raised locally, and I use that meat as a primary way to stay on top of my 120g of protein a day program.
But am I making a bad environmental choice?
So I did a little research.
This is what I found:
“Look at the environmental costs of producing feed though, and there’s really no contest. Grass-fed cattle, despite their increased methane production, represent significantly less greenhouse gasses.” (From https://newzealmeats.com/blog/grain-fed-vs-grass-fed-beef-greenhouse-gas-emissions/#:~:text=Cattle%20Greenhouse%20Gasses%20Due%20to,represent%20significantly%20less%20greenhouse%20gasses. )
What about Impossible burgers?
They were supposed to be the environmental solution,
however, “According to Samuels, Impossible meats are particularly problematic. “This product is highly processed,” she says. “Ultra or highly processed foods are foods that have additional artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives to promote shelf stability, preserve texture, and increase palatability. (From https://www.byrdie.com/is-impossible-meat-bad-for-you4796655#:~:text=According%20to%20Samuels%2C%20Impossible%20meats,preserve%20texture%2C%20and%20increase%20palatability. ) Feb 12, 2022
Therefore, I am sticking with my happy cow protein source.
I do not need more highly processed food in my life!
I was running by these happy cows on beautiful Lopez Island, and the video above shows their beautiful pasture.
Do you agree or disagree?
Here’s to balance, strength, and happiness to all creatures,
🙂 Laura
Happy Bosses Day (Mon the 16th)
You might want to give your boss a big shout out today, if you have one. If you are your own boss, give yourself a big pat on the back!
Speaking of boss-y, I can’t help but think about quads.
Dang quads are soooo bossy! They drive me bananas.
They hang out on the front of the legs, all 4 of them, getting ridiculously strong with every literal step you take.
If you participate in straight ahead sports, it is even worse.
What do I mean by straight ahead sports?
My walkers, hikers, bikers, runners, and swimmers.
Of which I am one some of the time!
So, what can you do to get those bossy quads to calm down and let their best friends and antagonists the hamstrings work instead…
Beat on them with a roller, massage gun, fascia tool, or a gentle stretch.
Watch the video above to see my quick product review of 3 fascia tools as one way to get those bossy quads (or any of your muscles) under control.
Here’s to balance, strength, and happiness,
🙂 Laura
Happy FriYAY the 13th!
Are you superstitious?
I sure am.
I like to keep certain things exactly the same in the hope that I can get a similar outcome.
Ha! I am sure the Universe laughs at this feeble attempt, but I am attempting nonetheless.
Do you believe the broken mirror superstition?
7 years bad luck?
Maybe you don’t need that mirror if it does happen to break.
What?
I was in yoga the other day, and my instructor Dena made a super interesting comment about mirrors.
What did she say?
Listen to the <1 minute video above to find out!
Happy FriYAY the 13th and here’s to balance, strength, and happiness!
🙂 Laura
Happy Take Your Parents to Lunch Day!
I am lucky enough to generally get to see my dad and stepmom once a week, but usually after lunchtime.
They ask me about ideas for sore muscles once in awhile, and I make sure they have the right equipment to execute these ideas.
One of these pieces of equipment was a foam roller.
Last July, my dad needed reminding of how to use his short foam roller, so I hopped on Zoom to give him a quick reminder lesson.
The video above is him in action while he was using it.
Recognize that look?
The still photos will remind you that everyone gets ‘that look’ on their face when they are rolling their quads, and outsides of legs in particular.
Those muscles can get tight!
Just remember, he was 80 when I took those photos. He’s 81 now.
So: are you ever “too old” to roll out your muscles?
Absolutely not.
In my opinion, you’re never “too old” to do anything!
Here’s to balance, ageless strength, and happiness!
🙂 Laura
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!
Our favorite Canadian was in town visiting the other day- none other than the fabulous nutritionist Margaret Floyd Barry.
One thing I do obsessively with all of my clients to help them unlock the secrets of what their body is doing is film them moving.
Most people haven’t ever thought to film themselves, nor have they ever had any feedback on how they move and what might be going on.
I can do it virtually very easily as I keep multiple devices nearby, and as long as I can see you I can film you.
No problemo!
So, in the case of Margaret, I happened to be running at the same park she was in, and plopped down on the ground to catch her running by.
The result is the still photos and video above.
Another cool feature of videos is that you can freeze them and capture still photos, so that’s what I did for her.
See anything that might be amiss in her still photos? (I do!)
If you haven’t watched yourself move before, set up your phone and take a look.
It can reveal all sorts of exciting details.
Happy Monday and Canadian Thanksgiving!
Here’s to balance, strength, and video secret revealing happiness,
🙂 Laura
Happy World Smile Day!
The saying goes that when you “turn that frown upside down” you get a smile. That seems easy and quick!
Recently I was listening to a podcast where the hostess and guest were speaking about the book Atomic Habits.
In the book, one of the interesting recommendations was to tie your habit you want to cement to your identity.
One example: I like to draw and sketch. Before this podcast, I would never identify with or tell the world that I am an artist.
However, if I want this drawing and sketching habit to stick, I can just be bold and announce that I am an artist!
If you are just getting into an exercise habit, or never considered yourself to be an athlete, be bold and announce that you are an athlete!
That will help make that habit stick.
So, back to smiling.
I have talked about my cute 80 year old neighbor ladies.
One had back pain, and the other had IT Band pain down the outsides of her legs.
I went to the park with my doggie Nova the other day, and saw someone skipping along while walking her dog.
That caught my attention.
She immediately spun sideways, and I knew it was my neighbor with the IT Band pain.
The delightful part was: She wasn’t just walking sideways, she was hopping sideways!
I caught her in the quick video above.
By the way: That upgrade from walking to hopping was allllll her idea.
Walking sideways: all the kids are doing it ….causing big smiles.
Happy FriYAY!
Here’s to balance, strength, and smiling happiness,
🙂 Laura
Happy National Golf Day!
I had the good fortune to watch the LPGA women’s tournament here in Portland recently.
Those women were for the most part very petite in build, but boy could they whack the heck out of the ball.
What was interesting was that the scores at the end of the day were big numbers: -12, -17, -22…meaning 12 strokes under par, 17 strokes under par, and 22 strokes under par.
I don’t know a ton about golf, but it seemed to me that this course was underestimating the power these women could wield, otherwise why would they be so many strokes under par?
So: what makes them so powerful?
The ability to twist, leading with your hips. (It’s always the hips!)
One time I had a client who was a golf pro. He said his back was tight, so we tried a few hip exercises, and then I had him show me his ability to rotate or twist.
When he was on his side, I instructed him to then twist and let the arm open up across the body.
His arm was sticking straight up towards the ceiling.
I said, “Okay, quit messing around, go ahead and let your arm open up now!”
He frowned, glared at me, and said, “I AM, Laura!”
Aah. Super tight. That’s why he was here! 🙂
The video above is a demo on my favorite lazy Sunday twist to work on opening up your shoulders and getting some nice deep rotation for those twisty sports.
There is a key move to execute after twisting that is also mentioned in the video, so don’t forget to watch the whole minute and 1/2!
Happy Wednesday to you!
Here’s to balance, strength, and happiness,
🙂 Laura
Happy National Name Your Car Day!
What is the name of your car?
Ours is “Bluetiful” after the crayon of the same name.
Have you ever tried doing a handstand as a way to get into your car?
This cool lady named Dr. Kaye Cleave decided it was a great idea.
This is her idea of fun and “aging creatively”!
I tried it.
Harder than it looks. 😊
One secret: I think she also has a right hand drive car…the steering wheel gives your feet something to hook onto. 😉
If you want to do something else in the car, and have a tight upper back or neck or shoulder, watch the less than 3 minutes video above.
It is designed to help loosen things up on while you are on the move!
Here’s to loose necks and having fun with your car, balance, strength, and happiness!
😊 Laura
P.S. Here is the full handstand video in case you want to see the action sequence:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqzlvS6JUnK/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==
Happy Confucius and Chinese Moon Festival Day!
Funny Confucius quote: “Confucius say, man who sit on upturned tack, rise above all!” 🙂 (there were some super saucy ones in there, too!)
Serious Confucius quote: “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
So if we take the serious Confucius quote seriously, we can figure things out three ways:
Thinking about it, mirroring it, and experiencing it.
Apparently, the path of least resistance is to copy someone who has been there already.
That is why I send out exercises to try.
If you try them, and get good results, then you hopefully don’t have to go the bitter route.
I have been experimenting on myself and with others for the better part of 25 years, and I am always trying to dial things down to the absolute nitty gritty that will get you where you want to be… pain free and zipping around doing all the things you want!
Happy FriYAY, and how about we talk about opening up rounded shoulders: it’s the end of the week, and you might need to give them some love to get ready for the weekend.
Here’s a <1 min video above to give you an idea!
Here’s to balance, strength, and shoulder happiness …
🙂 Laura
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