Given all my “dietary indiscretions” this past month, the following words certainly caught my attention this morning. . .

“Late-breaking study reveals how to NOT pay dearly for dietary indiscretions… and slim down, plus improve your insulin sensitivity. The trick? Just do your workout at this time of day. Results so amazing, it’s almost criminal…”

Since just last night I made a vow to myself to get back to the 5:30 am Jazzercise class (starting this morning), I was ripe to hear about amazing, almost criminal results.

The article found on www.mercola.com reveals a study demonstrating that exercising in the morning, before eating, can significantly lessen the ill effects of a poor holiday diet.

“Researchers recruited healthy, active young men and fed them a bad diet for six weeks. A group of them that exercised before breakfast gained almost no weight and showed no signs of insulin resistance. What’s more, they burned the fat they were taking in more efficiently.”

Why do I exercise before breakfast? One simple explanation: because I don’t trust myself if I don’t. If I exercise as soon as I pop out of bed, I get it done while I am still sort of unconscious. I can have all the best intentions to exercise later in the day, but a flurry of excuses about “no time” always sabotage my plans.

Nice to know there are side benefits for just getting it done and out of the way.

The article scientifically explains how exercising on an empty stomach will effectively force your body to burn fat. It emphasizes another important key is to only consume water while exercising, not sugary drinks.

OK, ready to join me in setting the alarm tomorrow morning? We can get it done while we are still unconscious and enjoy all these side benefits.  :  )

Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., gave me a lot to think about with her discussion about exercise in her “Menopause Power Webinar Series.”

About a year ago I heard a similar discussion but discredited it because the thinking was so foreign from the “norm.” Now hearing it again, in such elaborate detail, the theory is making much more sense.

As discussed in yesterday’s article, http://rosiebrownrn.com/menopause-power-and-stress/, I listed the five steps in Dr. Schwarzbein’s program. Step Four is “Appropriate Amounts and Types of Exercise.”

See what you think about the notes I took from the webinar:

Exercise does not give you energy and does not make you healthy. You have to have energy and be healthy to get the benefits of exercise.

The goal is to build the body, not break it down.

Cardiovascular exercise creates more stress in the body and breaks your body down. You never need to stimulate with exercise.

When you “over-exercise,” as in cardiovascular exercises, you are breaking yourself down and over-aging. You increase your adrenalin, cortisol, and blood pressure, all of which break you down.

Before age 35, exercise is ok, but not necessary. After age 35, you are just breaking yourself down, over-aging – especially if you are not getting enough sleep or good nutrition.

“Calming” exercise, such as yoga, chi gong, and tai chi, bring stress hormones down. You can do these types of calming exercises every day, if you want to.

“Adaptive” exercise such as pilates and weight training are good. When exercising with a set of weights, your heart rate goes up a couple of minutes and then comes down a couple of minutes. It is not a continuous stress.

Interval training is OK also. You have a burst of energy, such as in a wind sprint – you start and then you stop. There is high intensity for a short period. Interval training can be done 3 – 4 x a week.

The entire webinar focused on the importance of building the body up, not breaking it down. This information on exercise flies in the face of what we have always been taught about the importance of cardiovascular exercise, thought to be critical for good health.

Hmm, so, what do you think?

As I read the www.RealAge.com messages this morning, I reflected over yesterday’s “river walk adventure.” More about that in a bit, but first, note some key inspirational messages found on the site this morning…

• The deceptively simple path to a fit bod begins with the easiest activity in the world: walking.
• A physical activity program that builds stamina, strength, and flexibility can make your RealAge as much as 8.1 years younger.
• America, it’s up to you to stop the aging crisis facing our country. Dr. Oz is hitting the road to bring health, happiness and longevity to your town – 10 years younger in 60 days.
• You have the power to slow down the aging process; you can EXTEND your life! It’s time to start understanding and automating your body’s biology so that you can reboot to your original factory settings.

I thought about all these points as I reflected back over yesterday morning’s adventure. Visiting Jasper, Indiana, and finding no Jazzercise facility in the area, I was forced to explore another avenue of exercise…my feet.

I had heard about Jasper’s “River Walk” walk/jog/bike trail. I waited till the sun was peeking over the tree line for safety reasons, since the area seemed remote and uninhabited by people.  I parked my car, and was immediately drawn to the beauty of Nature, finding a paved, lighted path leading over a wooden foot bridge and following the tree lined winding path of the river.

Not a soul around but me, the birds, and an occasional squirrel, I was overcome with the inspiration to jog, something I had not done in several years. The tranquility of the gorgeous trees against the bright blue backdrop of the sky was simply breathtaking.  

The brisk 35 degree morning temp awakened my senses as I slowly jogged farther and farther away from the town. How can one be stressed smelling the earthy aroma of trees, leaves, and the yet unpicked corn fields?

Slowly I drank up all that Nature had to offer. I turned around to return to my original point of origin and decided to take the trail in the opposite direction. On this part of the trail, I passed by three other people who were also taking advantage of the serene walk in the woods, following the path of the river.

Off in the distance, I saw a man open his satchel and sprinkle corn in a pile on the ground. I was immediately touched by his extra effort to provide food to the wild life. When I approached him, I thanked him for his sweet action. In delight, he told me to watch, just around the bend I would come upon a mother deer and her baby – eating the corn he had left behind.

Sure enough, just around the bend, there was a magical sight to behold. The momma and her baby picked up their heads to study me with curiosity. I slowed my pace so as not to frighten them. I started speaking softly to them, and they continued eating, allowing me to pass by, 3 feet away. What beauty there is in Nature that we could co-mingle on the path this first brisk day in November.

As I listened to the St. Joseph Church bells toll in the distance, I gave thanks for this gorgeous hidden secret in southern Indiana – and for there not being an available Jazzercise class. Had there been a class, I would not have been forced to discover the thrill of combining exercise with the beauty and tranquility of Mother Earth.

Yes, RealAge, the easiest activity in the world to “reboot to our original factory settings” is to take a walk. I highly recommend over-the-top benefits by combining it with the tranquility and peace of a Nature adventure.

Today when I got up, I put on my exercise clothes, but as I looked over my to-do list, I tried to talk myself out of going on that walk.

Every morning I pull an Angel card to see what special message I will be given for the day. Today the card I pulled spoke to the need to exercise, even if I think I am too busy. Well, if that is not fitting!

Today is the day before my very first book signing/seminar. I have twenty-three “must-dos” written in my planner for today, and ten of them are written in red ink. I made my to-do list as the very last thing I did last night before my head hit the pillow. I knew I had to be organized in the morning, ready to jump right in.

With the impending deadlines these past two weeks, every morning has been the same – I have been telling myself “I don’t have time to walk the dogs this morning.” In the interest of too much to do in so little time, I simply have not been taking the time for the walks lately. The card I pulled this morning set me straight:

“You have received strong guidance to engage in exercise, and this card serves as additional validation. Physical movement is essential to realizing your dreams, desires, and intentions. It gives you the energy and vitality that will help you begin and complete your projects. It opens you up to new, creative ideas.”

The summary statement says, “I know that you’re a busy person, but I promise you that the increased level of energy you’ll feel after exercising will give you the equivalent of more hours in your day.”

Well, if there is certainly anything I need in this day, it I more energy and more hours. I guess I’ll be taking the dogs on that walk….and then return to tackle that 23-item list!  :  )