A Friendly Nudge
...because we all could use a little encouragement!
Texas is normally hot in the summer, but this summer feels a little hotter and drier than usual.
And that sort of begs for something cool to eat. I guess there’s a reason we say that that something is as “cool as a cucumber.”
So this week we’re making two cucumber salads that are easy and delicious.
Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta Salad
Watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese, mint, basil, lime juice, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil combine for a delicious salad that can take your mind off of the sizzling sidewalks and the rising mercury.
Ingredients:
1 lime, juiced
2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
1-2 TBSP of Honey
A handful of mint and basil each chopped.
1 English cucumber, cubed
Equal amount of watermelon, cubed
¾ cup Feta cheese (or small block), crumbled
Build the salad in a large bowl and adjust the amount of herbs that you add to suit your taste.
Mix the honey, lime juice and EVOO and pour it over the rest of the ingredients.
I bet you feel cooler already.
The next bit of coolness comes your way via a cucumber, dill, tahini salad.
Cucumber, Dill, Tahini Salad
Ingredients:
1 English cucumber - I cut my cucumber into 3 inch wedges, this makes salting them a little easier
1 medium shallot - Sliced as thin as you can manage
2 tbsp or small handful of Dill - large stems removed and leaves chopped.
2 pinches of kosher salt
1 generous tbsp tahini paste (Ground up hulled sesame seeds)
½ lemon juiced
Cut up your cucumber, salt it with a couple of pinches of salt and put it in a colander over a bowl and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. This pulls excess moisture out of the cucumber and gives you time to finish the prep.
Chop the dill & slice the shallot
Add the tahini paste to a bowl and add lemon juice. Stir to combine.
Add just a touch of water if you want to thin the consistency of the dressing.
Remove the cucumber from the fridge, pat try and add to bowl with the dressing.
Add the shallots, dill, dressing and combine.
Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice to your liking.
Enjoy!
Now let’s look at this week’s workout.
Foam Rolling Duration: for 2 minutes & up depending on your level of soreness/stiffness
Remember to avoid the front or back of knees, armpits, neck or low back. Check with your doc if you are under medical care or have any condition like osteopenia or osteoporosis.
With foam rolling you’re looking for tight spots and you want to hang out on them and relax for 20-30 seconds. Then go in search of the next spot that is begging for attention.
Warm Up Duration: 1-2 minutes
This is just an quick warm up to take your muscle, joints and connective tissue through an easy range of motion. You’re just priming your body for some exercise.
Side Shuffle Duration: 1 minute but rest as needed
This is one of my favorites from past physical therapy warm ups. Take your time and don’t try to go faster than is safe for you. This should be an easy warm up not a sprint.
Surrender Duration: 45 seconds-1 minute
I love this exercise because it builds leg strength, balance and coordination but using your hands is OK if you need the assistance with balance or getting up or down.
Hip Flexor March Duration: 10 reps per side
Most of us sit too much and sitting for long periods of time shortens our hip flexors. Hip flexor stretches are great, but most of us also need to strengthen our hip flexors.
We’re using a mini resistance band for this one and I’d use a wall or door frame for balance if needed.
Overhead Press with Resistance Band or Mini Band Duration: 8-12 reps on each side
I want to be able to put my own suitcase in the overhead compartment of the plane when I’m 90 and that means that I have to get busy.
Resistance bands give us a convenient low cost way to work on overhead press.
You’ll notice that my arms and shoulders are angled slightly forward, this helps protect our shoulders during the exercise.
If you’re using mini bands, you can vary the difficulty of the exercise by the thickness of the band and where you hold the other end of the band.
Use a resistance that will let you do 10-12 reps on each side.
Air Squats Duration: 8-25 reps
Squats are a basic human movement pattern and they’re something that impacts our quality of life and our independence as we age. And they’re a movement that a lot of us struggle with as we age.
You’ll hear me talk about screwing your feet into the ground. This means externally rotating your hips while keeping your feet more or less facing straight ahead. Think of it as gripping the ground with your feet to resist moving outward and rotating your right leg slightly clockwise and your left leg counterclockwise. This externally rotates your hips, gives you more stable hips, knees and ankles and keeps your knees from collapsing inward during the squat.
Start the squat like you are going to sit down in a chair. Your butt moves back and your torso leans forward, loading your hips and hamstrings instead of asking your knees to do the heavy lifting.
You’ll need to maintain the external rotation in your hips throughout the exercise. On the way up let your glutes and hamstrings do the work.
Wobble Cushion with support Duration: up to 1 minute per side
This one is great for balance by forcing us to fight for stability on an unstable surface.
I like it because it also gives my ankles a workout.
I’m using a balance stick because I wanted to extend the time that I’m able to sustain the effort.
You could use a chair beside you or do it next to a wall or some other surface that gives you extra balance support. I’ve had someone tell me that they use a tennis ball under their other foot to help with balance. They put just enough pressure on that foot to maintain balance.
This is one that I’m trying to do at least 3-4 days a week.
Resistance Band Assisted Chin Ups Duration: Up to 12 reps
This may not be one for everyone because it does require a pull up/chin up bar.
We’re focusing for now on chin ups because I think those are a little easier to do than pull ups. They’re both great exercises but let's start with chin ups.
Using the resistance bands for assistance will allow you to focus on the eccentric or lowering part of the exercise and this will build arm, chest, back and core muscle strength as well as grip strength.
Use a platform or some stable surface to get you into position to put your feet into a heavy resistance band that you’ve attached to the bar.
Use the band to help you get to the top of the movement and then slowly lower yourself to the bottom and pull yourself back to the top of the movement and slowly lower yourself again.
Getting out of the band can be a little tricky so be attentive in your dismount. I’d practice it while you’re fresh and don’t wait until you’re gassed at the end of a set.
Knees Over Toes Calf Raises Duration: 25 reps
This one should be feeling familiar by now.
It’s a great exercise to do while you’re waiting on the coffee to brew.
Stand about shoulder width apart, bend at the knees so that they’re over your toes and do calf raises. If it’s too easy with both feet, then do it with one foot. I haven’t graduated to that version yet.
Bird Dogs: Duration Up to 12 reps per side
This is like the Swiss army knife of exercise. Balance, core, shoulder, back,glute, hamstring strengthening - that checks a lot of boxes.
This is one where you want to double brace your core (suck in your gut and then tighten your gut like someone is going to punch you) and think about pinching a pencil between shoulder blades and have a proud chest.
You’ll start on your hands and knees (quadruped position) and extend one arm and the opposite leg. Hold for a count of 4, lower back to starting position and repeat with the other arm and leg and hold for count of 4. Lower back to starting position.
That’s one rep.
We want to get where we can do a set of 12 but these are tough and perfect form is more important than squeezing out another rep. A set of 5 perfect ones is a great place to start.
This week’s exercises can be done as a circuit and repeated with minimal rest between exercise to create a longer workout or they can be done as individual exercise snacks to be spread throughout the week.
I hope that you have a wonderful week and that you make a point to experiment with or play with your food a little. See if you can discover some new flavor combinations that delight your palate.
Until next week,
Jim