Friday Five

Hey, it's Friday!  This week has flown by and I am looking forward to the weekend.  A Sunday run is in the plans and it has been a bit too long since I have been out pounding the pavement.

But till then I have a few things I am excited about that I want to share with you.

First... have you checked out our Tommie Copper Review of their 2 great men's back support products... and there is a giveaway for Canadians and Americans, too.

Second...  several weeks ago I won a  Twitter contest josted by Fajo Magazine and Reebok Canada and the prize was a pair of Nano 5 shoes.  They arrived yesterday and I was all over  Instagram with them.... aren't they purty?

Third...  My carb cycling food plan is going really well... I am particularly loving my low carb days. 

Who knew?  It has helped me get away from the processed foods that I had started to gravitate toward and reconnect with whole, real food again.  YAY!  And yes, I am doing it all within my Weight Watchers program guidelines... those help me with making sure I am getting in my nutrients and watching my portions.

Fourth...  We are getting off the Island next weekend for a little getaway... going to make a circle tour and visit with family in North Vancouver, then head South to shop in Washington state for a few days before visiting a friend there for another few days. I love to cross border shop and my list is growing.  Trader Joe's... here I come!  Oh my... is it fortuitous that this month's Fearless Flyer is featuring wine?

Fifth...  I have been really loving this round of Metabolic Aftershock workouts.  I have been doing them Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and following each with a very brisk half hour walk.  I can feel that my shoulders and legs are getting stronger... and I can see shapely muscle in my arms and legs too.  It's good for me to take this break from traditional strength training and do these whole body workouts.  They are only 15 minutes long, after the warmup, and I feel the heat most of the day afterward.  

So.. how is your week shaking out?   

Do you have any non-perishable faves at TJ's that I need to hunt down?

Tommie Copper Men's Comfort Back Brace and Recovery Compression Core Band Reviews and Giveaways

Wow!  That is a long post title!

A few weeks ago I reviewed the Tommie Copper Women's Compression Core Band and the Tommie Copper Women's Comfort Back Brace and the company was very generous to give away 2 of each of those garments to 4 different women who won those giveaway contests.

Well, today, we are featuring my husband, whom I refer to as The Captain, because he has been wearing and testing the men's counterparts of these products for the past couple of weeks.  And we are going to be hosting a giveaway for one of each... so read on!

The Men's Comfort Back Brace is a taller version of the women's... makes sense as most men are longer through the torso than women are.  The Captain has been wearing the back brace during long periods of sitting at his computer, and also for doing strength workouts... particularly while lifting and doing planks.  He is actually better about remembering to wear it than I am about mine.  And darn, his posture is better than mine too!

It is a very easy garment to get in and out of... it opens completely and then you just fold one end over the other, in front... there is a lot of room for custom fitting... and he has been taking care not to make it too snug.  After all, you want your back and core to be supported, but you don't want them to have so much support that they don't do any work at all!  It can be worn over clothing for quick on-and-off, or underneath if you prefer to hide it.

The Captain said he would loved to have one of these Comfort Back Braces when he was still an active carpenter... it would have been a great help with all the lifting and toting materials around the job sites.  Actually it would be great for anyone who does any kind of manual labor... or gardening, too.

The Recovery Compression Core Band is quite different from the women's model. It is made to be worn around the middle so it is shorter, and it is also thicker.  But it still hides nicely under a shirt and it is really handy to have for back and core support while away from home when you don't want it to be seen... long periods of sitting in concerts perhaps?  It is also great to wear for after-workout recovery when the muscles are sore and tired.  The Cool Copper fabric has moisture wicking properties and also eliminates odors.  Nice.

The Captain says he will likely wear this Recovery Compression Core Band when we get back on the golf trail this Fall. He loves to keep his back very warm while golfing... with all the twisting and turning... and with the band, he will be able to avoid sweaters and vests till well into the late season.

So, are you interested? You know you are...

If you would like to win one or both of these garments for yourself or a man in your life, enter the giveaways through the Rafflecopter forms below.

The prizes will be supplied directly to the winners by Tommie Copper... and you can have an address in Canada or the U.S.A. to qualify.

Good luck to you!  The giveaways will run till 11:59 p.m. September 14th and winners will be named on the Rafflecopter forms and emailed the next day.

The giveaway is over and the winners have been notified.  

Thanks for your entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure to check out both of these great products on the Tommie Copper web site for yourself. If you are in Canada, you will be directed to a Canadian site where you can purchase these items. The Captain was given these products but the opinons are his alone.

Transitioning from Summer to Fall

We have had such an unually warm and dry Summer season that I almost hate to see Fall coming.  Not since the first year we lived on the sailboat... in the Summer of 2002, has the weather been as good as this.... only a fraction of the rain that we normally get, and hot, hot days.  Lovely.

But for the past couple of day it has been raining off and on... the temps are cooler and now that the days are noticeably shorter, too, it does feel like Fall cannot be too far away.  It is September 1st after all!

I know I have to make some changes.. in my eats and in my food prep, and also in my workouts and most important of all, in my mindset and attitude.   I am one of the few people I know (other than The Captain who is like a heat-seeking missile) that has not complained about the hot and dry weather one time this Summer.  Yes, I know we needed the rain.  I am not complaining about that either, but...

I know I cannot forestall the changing of the seasons... I cannot control the weather, so I really must get ready and embrace what I do love about Fall in order to continue to have fun with my workouts and my eats and not be miserable.

I will miss the horse-drawn carriages that bring the tourists past my home... I will miss the turtles basking in the sunshine on the log in the lake across the street... and I will miss the beautiful Summer flowers... but there are so many things about Fall that I really do love.

Here are some of my favorite things about this time of year:

• Pumpkin everything!  I love pumpkins and squashes and so making soups, and stews, and exprerimenting with waffles, and pancakes and protein cakes is going to be amazing!

Love TJ's pumpkin butter and hope to pick up more soon.

• I have new rain jackets and rain shoes so I can get outside and walk and hike even when it is wet for days on end, and not be soggy!

I couldn't make up my mind between these Eddie Bauer jackets so I got them both!

• I like running in the cooler weather and would actually rather run in longer capris and long sleeved shirts than shorts and tanks.  

And on a gloomy day, bright colors make it all more fun.

• I love candlelight and now it is getting dark enough to light dinner candles again.  YAY!

Funny how our special at-home dinners often include sushi!

What about you?  What is your favorite thing about the changing of the seasons?

Is there anything you are particularly looking forward to with the coming of Fall?

Celebrating Girlfriends in August

I missed the boat!

It has just come to my attention that August 1st was National Girlfriend Day... but I am going to jump aboard now and get in on the fun before August is over!  I love my girlfriends and do celebrate them in a variety of ways,  and I also love to share great information with all of you.

I discovered this infographic recently from Oscar Insurance, as they are creating awareness on women's health and preventative care along with their  New York based health insurance.

It outlines the tests, screenings, and vaccinations that women might want to have at various ages throughout our lives, in order to stay on top of our health and wellness. it outlines the tests, screenings, and vaccinations that women might want to have at various ages throughout our lives, in order to stay on top of our health and wellness.

I know that I am somewhat lax occasionally about these things too.... but honestly, I have just booked a mammogram and a Pap test for the beginning of October when I return from a little time away.

Have a look... are there any items on this list that you need to take care of soon?

Are there any other tests or screenings that you think should be added to the list?

How do you celebrate the special girlfriends in your life?

5 Lessons I Have Learned From Exercise

I have been playing the fitness game for most of my adult life... as a child, I was a chubby bookworm, who would always opt for a book or a game or a puzzle rather than playing outside running or playing sports.  I loved to do crafts, and paint, and I spent lots of happy time alone with those activities.

But as I got older and opened my social circle, I was attracted to very active, very adventurous people and I wanted to tag along with them on their fun and exciting activities. It started with outdoor activities such as hiking and backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, downhill and cross country skiing, and even running.  But eventually I started working out to enhance my abilities in those activities. Soon exercise and fitness became part of my daily routine, and now I wouldn't have it any other way.

I really feel like exercise has been a gift in my life... and has taught me some amazing lessons. Here are some of them:

1.  Exercises gives me a feeling of empowerment and confidence.

I have learned that bearing down and pushing through a workout or a run when I don't really want to, or don't really feel like it makes me feel stronger both mentally and physically.  I have learned that I am more capable of challenging physical activities than I ever thought possible.  Hiking narrow, slippery, gravel trails in the mountains and also sailing in less than perfect conditions are mentally difficult for me, and the feeling of accomplishment these things have given me affords me mental strength to draw upon when I am faced with new and scary situations.


2.  Exercise gives me balance.

I still have a tendency to withdraw, be introverted, put my nose in a book or in my laptop, and spend idle hours in mental workouts. I know that being physically active helps me be more well-rounded, more social, and more outgoing.


3.  Exercise gives me a mental lift when I am feeling a bit down.

There is nothing like the endorphin rush from a sweaty, hard, outdoor run to put a smile on my face. If I am cranky or unsettled for any reason, putting on my running shoes and heading outside gives me a chance to sort it out and I always come back feeling better.  Getting sweaty offers me great mental release.


4.  Exercise gives me the opportunity to learn more about myself.

I love paying attention to the way my body reacts to various movements.  I learn where I am weakest, less flexible, and also how my body functions.  I have learned that I cannot out-work a lousy diet. It's all good information.


5. Exercise has taught me patience.

This is a big one for me as I was born a bit deficient in this area. I like to say my older Sister got all the patience and there was none left for me.  But training for a half marathon taught me to add mileage and distance s-l-o-w-l-y to my routine so that I didn't get hurt.  Weight lifting has taught me that building muscle takes time and effort. Nothing happens overnight.  I have learned not to give up, but to perservere, with patience and sometimes even grace!


What lessons have you learned from exercise?