Fitness – Claudia Fountain Fitness + Yoga

A little riff on time

November 2, 2024 by Claudia Fountain, posted in Fitness, newsletter

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.”
– Harvey Mackay

Maybe it’s the season. Maybe it’s an aging parent. Or, a sense of my own mortality. Milestone birthdays tend to bring up a lot of feels for me. Time seems to slip by faster and faster. Is it the passing of a decade, or the beginning of a decade? The most common theory on why we perceive the speeding up of time is that our perception of time is directly proportional to our neural processing speed, which slows as we age. Another theory by Cindy Lustig, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan: “When we are older, we tend to have lives that are more structured around routines, and fewer of the big landmark events that we use to demarcate different epochs of the ‘time of our lives,’” And, finally, another viewpoint by Steve Taylor, PhD, senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University, UK, is that our experience of time is highly flexible and subjective. The more information our minds process, the slower time passes. Time speeds up with increasing age because we have fewer new experiences and our perception is less vivid.

What all this really drives home for me is that we should never stop exploring, learning, and experiencing new things. We can’t stop time, but we can slow down our perception of it by living mindfully, and bringing in new experiences.

Get out and take those trips you’ve been dreaming about. Climb a local mountain, enjoy live music (and dance like no one is watching), ride in a hot air balloon if you’ve never done it–you won’t regret it! My point is simple, don’t wait. Do those things you’ve been putting off until “the time is right.” Right now is the perfect time.

In health & wellness,
Claudia

P.S. The fourth installment in my 5 Essential Exercises video series is up (The Plank), and a new yoga video have been added to my Vimeo platform: Glow Flow – Moon Salute.

HELLO SUMMER!

June 1, 2024 by Claudia Fountain, posted in Exercise, Fitness, strength training, Uncategorized

And, hello muscles! In this post, I continue the discussion I began last month on the benefits of strength training as we grow older.

Exercise, and particularly strength training, is critical to maintaining bone health. We achieve peak bone mass during the first three decades of life, which then begins to decline over the rest of our lifespan. For women, the losses accelerate after the onset of menopause (O’Flaherty, 2000). Contributing factors to bone loss are a sedentary lifestyle, low calcium and vitamin D levels, and hormonal changes. As we age bone remodeling decreases in both sexes leading to a negative bone balance at specific critical sites (Rosen et al. 1994). A large part of the solution is weight training, which has been shown to effectively increase bone mineral density in the spine and hips of post-menopausal women (Zehnacker & Bemis-Dougherty, 2007). [More research is needed on the effects of resistance training on bone density in older men.]

To reverse bone loss combine resistance training (exercises such as squats, leg press, leg extension, hamstring curl, hip extension, back extension, bench press, shoulder press, biceps curl and triceps extension) with high impact activities (jumping, skipping, hopping, jogging). If you already have osteoporosis, or other joint issues, then choose walking, hiking, or low impact aerobic classes.

How much resistance training is needed to affect change? Try doing 2-3 sessions per week, of 5-6 different exercises for both upper and lower body, 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions (70-90% of 1 repetition maximum), which can be done in as little as 20 minutes.

There’s no down side to adding in a few sessions per week. 😃 Increasing muscle mass equals better metabolism, better body composition, and better bones!

👙🩳🩱🦴

In closing, I offer you two new videos. The first video is the second in my 5 Essential Exercises series – The Push. I cover four of my favorite upper body exercises that just about anyone can do. The second video is a vinyasa yoga practice where I talk a bit about the fifth limb in Patanjali’s yoga system – Pratayahara (turning in).

May this summer find you thriving and well!

that fresh spring feeling…

April 3, 2024 by Claudia Fountain, posted in Exercise, Fitness, newsletter, Yoga

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
–Rainer Maria Rilke

A refreshing spring rain is falling as I write this, full of the promise of growth and new things. My Easter Sunday was spent wandering through fields of stunning tulips, watching the cloud studded sky, and feeling the cool breeze under colorful flying kites.

The first quarter of 2024 had me stepping back from some tasks on my proverbial “to-do” list. Writing has always been full of angst for me, and producing a monthly newsletter – for as long as I have been – is more of a push than a pull. I decided to take a couple of months off from it, and then to only do them bi-monthly. And so, here we are!

This newsletter is the first in a series. The focus–what I consider to be the 5 Essential Strength Exercises for good health and wellness. Building and maintaining essential muscle mass is critical to enhancing our metabolism as adults, particularly as we age. For every decade of life, we lose 3-8% of muscle mass, or 5-10 lbs of lean muscle. That loss of lean muscle has a direct negative effect on metabolism (it becomes harder to lose weight, and easier to gain it), and strength (opening a jar of pickles becomes more and more difficult, standing up from sitting gets harder, and climbing stairs feels like climbing a mountain).

The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way! All it takes is 20 minutes, two to three times per week, of some kind of strength training to improve our functional fitness, health, and wellness. The 5 Essential Strength Exercises cover the critical areas of leg strength, pushing, pulling, and core. Choosing 5 different exercises, performing 2-3 sets of 10-12 repetitions, done on 2-3 non-consecutive days a week is enough for measurable improvements in overall strength.

The first essential exercise is the squat–basically what you do every time you sit down and stand up. There are many, many ways to perform a squat. At its most basic, using zero gym equipment, is a wall squat. All you need is a wall! The second most basic, sit-to-stand. Using a chair, a bench, a stability ball (that is bracketed so it doesn’t roll), your sofa, your bed, sit and then stand up. Repeat. The third, weighted squats using dumbbells, kettle bells, weighted balls, etc. I cover these, and a fourth option, in my latest exercise video (find it HERE).

Future newsletters will cover the next four essential strength exercises, so stay tuned! In closing, I hope you find the information useful, and that it inspires you to consider adding strength training to your health and wellness efforts.

🙏🏿🙏🏾🙏🏽🙏🙏🏻🙏🏼
Claudia

P.S. Also, find a new YIN YOGA – FOR ANXIETY video HERE. PLUS, 🌸 I have some fresh spring lovelies on sale for 25% off 🌸 in my Etsy shop: MADEWITHMANTRASHOP

Step Into The River

July 11, 2023 by Claudia Fountain, posted in newsletter

“Oh the places you’ll go.”

–Dr. Seuss

As I was driving home from a visit with my new chiropractor, I realized what has been influencing me this month. Many things, so many things, but they all fall under the same umbrella. Exploration. From the endless desert vistas and calls to prayer of Morocco that struck my heart in surprising ways, to the rush and burble of water over my feet as I stand in the middle of a creek bed here in the Pacific Northwest on a warm summer day and contemplate the nature of change. We are like the running water, always changing, passing, transforming. Nothing to hold onto. Nothing is static. Not even stone, as it is shaped and smoothed by the flowing water.

Over the past few weeks I’ve added a few new books to my night stand. The one that is holding my attention at the moment–The Tibetan Book of the Dead for Beginners. It’s a wonderful distillation of an essential Tibetan Buddhism text. I think of it as a starter book, accessible and easily understandable; and particularly pertinent as I navigate being there for my mom as her life changes in dramatic ways. Compassion is the guiding light and force as I explore how it changes me and my relationship with my mom. Side note: this book is for both living and dying.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn to the beauty and magic of Native American flute music. Just north of Bend is the Warm Springs Reservation that is home to an artist and musician who crafts the most beautiful Native American flutes from Northwest Cedar, black walnut, and other woods. I am now the grateful owner of one his beautiful trail flutes, and am now learning how to play it. I may never be good at it, but it really doesn’t matter. It’s about the journey, after all. Oh, the places my imagination takes me as I hold the flute, smell the fragrance, and make sounds with the simple application of breath and fingers. If you’re curious about the flutes and the artist–Charles Littleleaf–find him here: https://www.eaglecanyonflutes.com/

Along with my ramblings on change, life/death, exploration, and learning new things–here are links to two new videos: Exercise Video of the Month [Moving Quad Stretch], and a 50-minute Yin Yoga [Wall Me Up] class that uses the wall as the major prop–super accessible.

In closing, I leave you with a prayer called the Four Immeasurables:

May all beings have happiness and
the causes of happiness.
May all beings be free from suffering
and the causes of suffering.
May all beings rejoice in the wellbeing of others.
May all beings live in peace,
free from greed and hatred.

🙏🏿🙏🏾🙏🏽🙏🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🏼

Summer Ready

June 5, 2023June 6, 2023 by Claudia Fountain, posted in Exercise, Fitness, newsletter, Recipes, Yoga

Hello my friends!

I blinked, and it’s June already. The iris and lilacs are blooming, the sun is shining, and I’m ready for some summer fun! Visiting with family last month was the perfect inspiration for me to connect with my roots, and to refresh my personal goals. So, here we go!

Personally, I am adding more activities into my daily routine that are beyond my regular fitness program. Activities such as those listed below help boost non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). In a recent study (Ostendorf et al. 2018), researchers emphasized a major finding from their research on weight loss maintainers. These folks spent significantly less time in sedentary behavior. NEAT boosting activities are relatively low in physical demand, and can be sustained for long periods of time.

Here are some suggested ways to add more movement:

Get up and walk around your house upon awakening each day.
Take a walk after dinner.
Take a brief walk every time you refill your water glass.
Walk around the grocery store before you start shopping.
Bring your groceries into your house one bag at a time.
Wash the car by hand.
Walk to a co-workers desk instead of emailing or calling.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator when possible.
Walk in place or do alternating knees lifts during TV commercials.
Every 30 minutes get up and move briskly for 1-3 minutes.

There are many, many more ways to add just a little more movement into the day. 😃

This month I’ve added two new video offerings to my Vimeo platform. (Opportunities to move! 😉)

Exercise Video of the Month: Walking Knee To Chest (find it HERE)
Glow Flow Vinyasa – Upward Facing Bow. This is a flowing vinyasa class with the opportunity to practice upward facing bow. Bridge pose is offered as an alternative.

Start your day–or finish a virtual class with me (please find my teaching schedule, and link for booking classes HERE)–with a delicious high anti-oxidant fruit smoothie. (🍊🥬 recipe👇🏼)

In closing, may the start of your summer be filled with fun activities, delicious food, and family and friends.

Claudia

SPINACH – ORANGE SMOOTHIE

Spinach is a powerhouse of nutrition, including vitamins K and C, and lutein–a potent antioxidant. According to JAMA and The Journal of Nutrition, higher intakes of lutein are linked to healthier cholesterol levels and improved eye health. Adding spinach to your blender helps spinach retain the highest amounts of lutein. Cooking methods such as boiling or frying cause spinach to lose lutein, particularly the longer you cook it. Liquified greens provide the biggest anti-oxidant punch, and adding dairy fats increases solubility. This delicious spinach and orange smoothie is a perfect quick breakfast, or post workout refresher.

3/4 C milk, or non-dairy alternative
1/2 C baby spinach
2 T hemp seeds (hemp hearts), chia seeds, or ground flaxseed
1 t honey
1 t lime zest
1 medium orange, peeled
1 C ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Happy Beltane!

May 1, 2023May 1, 2023 by Claudia Fountain, posted in Fitness, Nutrition, Recipes, Yoga

The growing season has begun. 🌞 And, I’m eagerly anticipating fresh lettuce, basil, and tomatoes–among other delicious edibles being planted in the garden. 🌱🥬🍅🍓🫐

This month I’m proud of myself for getting this newsletter out at the first of the month! 😃 It’s another short, but sweet, one. I am taking a few precious weeks off from teaching for a personal re-set–and some much needed travel time. In the meantime, you can still practice with me on my VIMEO platform. This month marks the start of a monthly series of new yoga classes (one new full class video a month) that I will be making available on VIMEO. May’s video: My 6 Essential Yin Yoga Poses. You will also find my Exercise Videos of the Month Series there. These videos are all FREE. 🌟😃🌟

In closing, please also find a delicious Raspberry-Granola Chia Pudding recipe (soluble fiber = protection against cognitive decline). And, this month all gemstone bracelets (in Spring fresh colors) are 15% off in my little Etsy shop–MADE WITH MANTRA.

In Health & Wellness,
Claudia

As reported in Nutritional Neuroscience, soluble fiber was found to be protective against cognitive decline. Better management of blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure are thought to be the mechanisms. Sources of soluble fiber include: flax, oats, barley, apples, peas, beans, berries and chia seeds.

RASPBERRY-GRANOLA CHIA PUDDING

1/2 C milk or unsweetened nondairy milk
1 C plain Greek yogurt
1 C fresh or frozen (thawed) raspberries, plus more for topping
2 T fresh mint (optional)
2 t honey
1 t lemon zest
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t cinnamon
6 T chia seeds
2/3 C low-sugar granola

Place milk, yogurt, berries, mint (if using), honey, lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Divide mixture between two wide-mouth jars. Add 3 tablespoons chia seeds to each jar, and stir to combine. Seal jars, then place in refrigerator to chill overnight. When ready to serve, top each jar with ½ cup of granola and a sprinkling of raspberries. Makes two servings.
***Source: IDEAFIT.com***

Recipe for Health: Turkey Pumpkin Curry Soup

My Insight Timer Meditation: Resting in Gentle Awareness

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.”– Harvey Mackay

“When everything is moving and shifting, the only way to counteract chaos is stillness. When things feel extraordinary, strive for ordinary. When the surface is wavy, dive deeper for quieter waters.”–Kristin Armstrong

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”–Rainer Maria Rilke

“Oh the places you’ll go.”

SPINACH – ORANGE SMOOTHIE

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.”
– Harvey Mackay

“When everything is moving and shifting, the only way to counteract chaos is stillness. When things feel extraordinary, strive for ordinary. When the surface is wavy, dive deeper for quieter waters.”
–Kristin Armstrong

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
–Rainer Maria Rilke