How I Am Staying Active with an Eye on Bone and Joint Health

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This shop, Staying Active with an Eye on Bone and Joint Health, has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone and should not be taken as medical advice. #Caltrate3in1 #CollectiveBias

Even as a young adult, I have had an eye towards a healthy lifestyle.  A family history of heart disease on my dad’s side sparked part of my growing passion for healthy living. Older female family members showed signs of osteoporosis which had them severely limiting activities that could lead to broken bones. As a youth, I lived in fear of my allergies and asthma. This had me leading a more sedentary lifestyle through my teen years which did not sit well as I approached college. By my senior year in high school, I made the decision that while I might have genetics stacked against me for some things, I do not have to take it lying down!

I can still remember my initial foray into weight lifting in college.  I had read plenty of articles suggesting a bit of resistance training was needed and with a free gym on campus I saw no reason to not add it to my regular walking. Even though I kept things light as a trainer showed me all the equipment, I spent a Friday night unable to get out of my chair without help from a friend. Of course, the next week was easier and I felt better for the effort. Even in my first years of graduate school, I found a way to hit the school gym to keep my muscles (and bones) strong along with my weight in check.

Then came an episode of depression followed by the birth of the boys. It was like those steps forward had been forfeited by a giant leap backwards as weight gain had me feeling like I couldn’t ever recapture the health I’d enjoyed for several years. Depending where we lived, I occasionally had years of being a gym rat where I could use equipment to help condition my body and make those tiny steps forward. Moving to Alaska saw an end to the gyms for me as the cost was prohibitive, especially when you factored in child care for my boys.

Who needs a gym when you have mountains?

 

I started by joining the family on local hikes at a slower pace.  Those first few hikes were not easy for me and my older boys complained about mom bringing up the rear with the youngest boys. However, I valued the family time and loved the gorgeous surroundings those hikes provided. I just needed to work on my health on the days between those hikes.

I began doing more routines from the comfort of my home with DVD programs to help build endurance and strength.  For a while, I went to a weekly Fit Club on Saturday mornings where we rotated programs used in the hour allotted. I’ve even had my husband and older boys join me in TWO cycles through P90X3 which has a true balance of aerobics, strength training and stretching. 

Spending time working out in my home made me stronger and allowed me to have more enjoyment on those family hikes. A side benefit was that some of the joint pain that was starting to make an appearance got better.

Keeping physically active is just one prong in my routine for keeping healthy. Nutrition is another huge component.  They say we are what we eat and as much as I enjoy my treats, I do my best to each a nutrient dense diet.  Also, I’m sure my mom’s participation in a food co-operative during my youth contributed in part to this desire. (Well, maybe not her obsession with carob chips instead of regular chocolate chips…) Up here in Alaska, eating an optimal diet can be a real challenge as not everything can be grown up here and the cost of fresh produce and meat can be mind boggling. I do love the fresh romaine lettuce grown here in Alaska, though, which is why I eat a lot of salads in the summer.

 

As I can’t always get what my body needs from the foods I eat, I have opted to include supplements like Caltrate ® Bone & Joint Health in my regimen. Just one tablet daily provides calcium and vitamin D3 for bone strength along with UC-II and extra minerals for bone flexibility.  Finding it was as easy as visiting my local Walgreen’s where they also have a $5 off coupon currently available. Quick and simple is the name of the game for this busy mama.

Living a healthy lifestyle is NOT a one time choice.  Rather it is something I consider every day whether temptation to stray arrives in the form of an ache making me want to skip a workout or a donut after church begging to be eaten with no real nutritional value.

While I might find myself succumbing to those temptations, I know that making positive choices will allow me to enjoy the Alaskan outdoors with my family into my 50s and beyond without worrying about my bone and joint health.

 

Here’s hoping to lots of salmon next weekend when we go fishing! 

 

This is how I stay active and confident with Caltrate ® Bone & Joint Health. What would you do with more bone and joint confidence?