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About Maggie Downie

Thank you for giving your time to stop and read my blog. I hope it encourages you to keep moving. Move and the body will be happier. And when you're moving you can hike, run, swim in Jell-O, race over non-Newtonian fluids, travel the world or build igloos--if that's your thing. If not, you can watch me do it. This is just a spot to try and feel good about life.
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Achey from Raking

This time of year we want to be carving pumpkins, picking apples, sipping cider, and leaf-peeping. But at some point, we’ve got to rake the yard and sweep up leaves that work their way into the house

Since raking only has to be done once a year our body isn’t always in shape for it, and we can get sore during or after. Luckily the very tool making us sore (that rake) can help us do some great stretches.

Try the chest opener, side bend, and standing cat stretch in the video below.

And if you want to add a few warm-up moves before you start raking, do some marches trying to tap the rake with your thighs.

Household items like a rake or a broom can become your friend. Use them to your advantage. They can actually deepen the sensation of certain stretches in a beneficial way. Try for yourself:

Keep Reading

Looking for more exercises to boost strength? Check out Maggie’s recent blog on the importance of Grip Strength!

Click here to learn more ways to boost arm strength!

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Achey from Raking2023-11-01T18:25:41-04:00

Grip Strength

Multiple research shows a correlation between overall health markers and grip strength.  There seems to be a particular correlation with cardiovascular health (based on a study of 140,000 people over 4 years).  Some researchers think testing grip strength might be a cheap, easy way to assess general heart health.

This matters because grip strength often starts to diminish between the age of 50-55 (I don’t know about you, but that sounds young to me).  And Millennials have lost grip strength compared to their adult counterparts from the 1980s.  This loss is more pronounced in men than women, but both have lost their grip.  (Note: the research on this did not indicate they are concerned this is causing heart issues in adults today, more just that as a population we do less manual labor.)

The real issue is that grip strength has such practical applications in life, so if and when you lose it, you notice it daily.  If your grip strength is still good you might take for granted using a fork, pumping gas, vacuuming, lifting a water jug, or opening a jar of pickles, but all these tasks require grip strength.

Grip strength is interconnected with wrist health and forearm strength.  So […]

Grip Strength2023-09-28T12:46:41-04:00

Movement Snacks

Movement snacks are short bursts of movement throughout the day much like you’d have a snack between meals.  They are not meal substitutes.  It would still benefit you to get a workout in, but whether you workout or not, adding small bursts of movement throughout the day is vital to health.

If you absolutely don’t have time for a full workout, adding in movement snacks is better than nothing.  More and more research indicates that any movement you can make time for is worthwhile. A recent study out of Japan found doing one bicep curl a day increased muscle strength by 6-12 percent. Our body really responds to any movement we give it.

The goal of a movement snack is to figure out how movement can fit into your day.  I’ve provided some suggestions below, but really you want to think about what will actually work in your day. Consider what is a new habit you can form.  In the video below Taylor Kinzler from NBC CT LIVE mentions how she could fit in a movement snack while her videos are uploading at work.  That’s the idea…think like that.  But if you need some tips… try some of these:

 

Wake Up & Pandiculate

Your […]

Movement Snacks2023-08-29T13:45:18-04:00

Trip to Disney Star Wars

I don’t like Star Wars (un-American, I know).  But I love someone who loves Star Wars.  So I found myself on the Disney Star Wars Galactic Space Cruiser.  My presumption was that we’d have an interesting, albeit cheesy experience.

Having taken this ride with Disney, I can say they did something impressive, and I also understand why it’s failing.

From the moment we boarded the “shuttle” to our space cruise, it was fully immersive.  The set was all consuming and the entire crew played along.  Audience member costuming was mixed, but most came in costume and many had elaborate backstories they had prepared—some even with props.

I didn’t fully know what I was getting into until I was there. It’s a new style of tourism, and Disney’s advertising didn’t make it seem appealing. But, what they designed is a ton of fun and clearly took a lot of work.  In addition to games and puzzles on your phone and throughout the elaborate, large spaceship, there is a cast that basically puts on an 8-hour play each day.  They move the story along.  They have lines they need to get through, but when they aren’t […]

Trip to Disney Star Wars2023-08-22T11:32:03-04:00

Tips for Healthy Hiking

Tips for Healthy Hiking

Hiking is one of my favorite pastimes.  And it feels so much better when your body is ready to trek up a mountain.  So how do you train for a hike? Here are some tips:

 

Pack Your Weight

Wear your pack when you train and put some weight in it.  If you know how much weight you’ll be carrying on hike day, build up to that quantity.  Getting a pack filled with weight can take time and extra effort.  If that’s getting in your way of prepping, start moving without the pack.

Trekking Poles

Trekking poles are a lifesaver.  If you want to hike into your 70’s and 80’s you want to get trekking poles today.  Not only do they save your knees, but they turn the hike into a more full-body workout.  On a typical hike, the arms aren’t that involved.  Add trekking poles and now your arms and shoulders get a workout too.

Cardio

Any hike will feel better if you are ready for the cardio it will require.  You can build up by hiking, biking, running, or picking up the pace when you go for a walk.

Core

It’s easy to forge

Tips for Healthy Hiking2023-08-01T14:00:29-04:00
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