Physical Funness for the Motion Starved

Fit more fun into your fitness while exploring the outdoors.

Category Archives: Fitness


by Leave a comment

I am one filthy hot mess!

Since I workout outside, there’s never a time when I don’t finish a workout without some sort of chunkage attached to my body in one way or another. Along with the chunkage my clothing is always soaking wet and often salt (from sweat) infused. I look pretty bad sometimes. Today an old Chinese couple seemed very impressed with, or possibly concerned by my appearance as I bounded through my stair climbing/run. I have no idea what they said as they smiled politely and yammered, they had quite a bit to say. It was the hand gesturing that made me come to the conclusion that it was my sweat-covered body and dusting of salt that caught their attention.

My point — No mater who you are, post workout you need to take the time to stretch, eat and clean your body, preferably in that order. You need to stretch out your muscles, feeding them with oxygen rich blood to alleviate soreness, prevent injury and prepare them for future workouts.

Eat as soon as possible after an intense workout — The rule of thumb is to eat a small protein/carb rich meal within one hour of your workout. I eat as soon as I can muster the strength. This window of time is when your body is best suited to replenish what it’s used during your workout, supporting better recovery. Eat real food or suck down a “recovery drink.” I’ve used both, but I prefer real food.

Hit the showers — You stink and there’s fungus growing on those wet cloths and in all your cracks and crevices. The best thing to do is to immediately change out of your wet cloths, stretch and eat. After you’ve eaten, get in the shower and loofah up. Don’t forget to moisturize, all that sweating dries your skin.

After that I usually lay on the floor with my legs up to rest my legs. Do what you like, just make sure to be good to your body and let it recover so it’ll be even stronger for the next workout.

Ooh! Don’t forget to rehydrate with water while you’re doing the above!

P.s. If you liked this post, you may find this earlier MS post interesting.


by 1 Comment

The Hunt Report

Bird Bath

If you’ve been following along, you know that recently I challenged a group in Seattle to a Fitness Walk completion. Our walks take place every Wednesday night at 6:15. We walk here in San Francisco, and The Exercise Space walks in Seattle. Same day, same time.

Today The Exercise Space and Motion Starved participated in a scavenger hunt. We had a list of 30 items to find within an hour’s time. The team to find the most items won the challenge. Simple as that. The only problem was that I was a team of one and they were a team of four.

At the word “Go” we were off. The plan was to send each other photos of the items found via the magic of our iPhones. Immediately my phone rang with a photo of a palm holding a pine cone, next a berry, a dead-end street sign and then, garden gnomes. Ding, ding, ding… my phone kept screaming. Yikes…I better get moving I thought. Up the hill I went looking frantically from side to side with list, pencil and iPhone in hand.

As I crested the top of the first hill (one of the requirements of 2 hills) I realized that people were watching me. I must have looked a bit odd, as I was clearly hounding around, not the normal San Francisco woman on a walk.  At this point I decided to enlist the concerned onlookers and get them to help me on my hunt. I explained what I was up to, showed them my list and immediately they were game. Telling me, to go this way to find this and go that way to find that. They seemed impressed and genuinely interested. It was heart warming and more importantly made me realize that this is the exact sort of exercise we need in order to show folks that getting fit can in fact be fun!

In the end The Exercise Space won the challenge. It was well deserved, as not only did they find all the items on the list they braved a massive rainstorm to get the job done. My kind of crew!

So, I end this report with huge congratulations to Team The Exercise Space for winning the challenge and a thank you for sharing the joy of fitness and for encouraging a world of funness.  For me, I had an amazing time tonight. There’s something about participating in something knowing that there are folk’s miles away doing the same thing. It brings you together in a way I had not fully expected.

To those of you who missed the fun tonight. I’m sorry. If you’d like to join us in the future, contact me, next week we’re playing Simon Says. If you live in a far off land, you can still play. All you need is a little phone magic!

Be well…


by Leave a comment

Competition does a body good

A few weeks ago I got a little excited and challenged a personal trainer in Seattle to a little competition. At the time I had no idea who this woman was other that I liked what she had to say on Twitter. Yep, that’s right, I met her on twitter. Me, Kelley, the woman who only just recently opened a Facebook account and who refuses to open another one for Motion Starved. All this social media is a bit creepy, time-consuming and confusing if you ask me.

Anyway, as I was saying – I’ve committed to a weekly Fitness Walk Challenge with The Exercise Space in Seattle. From what I can tell The Exercise Space is a fitness center that offers classes and personal training. Just like me only these people have an actual address and have been in business for 4 years. Impressive, and it seems they have quite a few clients to boot. Something I’m still working to get even close to.

To be clear, The Exercise Space and I have not yet decided on the exact terms of the weekly challenge and that’s due to the fact that I’ve been lagging behind in the Fitness Walk participant department. However, once I get rolling, Dawn at The Exercise Space and I will surly come up with some fun ways to keep us all engaged and teeming.

For this week, we’ve challenged each other to a Scavenger Hunt. Each group will go for their walk on the same day, at the same time, and hunt for things on a list of 30 items. The team that finds the most things in an hour wins. We’ve agreed that the final winning team will receive a bottle of wine made locally (you can see why I like her!).

In spite of the fact that I’m currently behind in this challenge it’s been fun. Fun meeting people of like mind (even if I never actually get to drink wine with then in person). Fun coming up with new ideas and sharing those ideas with others. And like it or not, being challenged, pushed to rise to the occasion. That’s the beauty of competition, it forces you to push yourself harder or strive for more than you would otherwise.

Remember, there are lots of challenges in life, you win some and you lose some, but the act of participation is reward in itself.

Team Motion Starved SF vs Team The Exercise Space Seattle
Those of you in Seattle, check out The Exercise Space
In San Francisco, Giddy up! Team MS needs you!
For more information on joining Team Motion Starved in the Fitness Walk Challenge
check out the “Schedule” page.
Disappoint me & you’ll pay!


by 1 Comment

I don’t wanna freak you out but…

Lets see some skin!

Do you realize that if The World doesn’t come to an end on Saturday as some believe it will, then there will be only 33 days left until the first day of summer? I’m just sayin’, if you want to shape up before you’re forced to wear a swimsuit and show some skin you might want to get started. You wouldn’t wait until race day to start training would you? You wouldn’t get very far if you did.

I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m here to help you make positive chances to your lives, be it through your food choices, exercise routine or mental state (more positively referred to as “emotional well-being”). I don’t know how many of you are choosing to take my advice, but I would guess that not enough of you are. This assumption is based on the fact that I continue to hear things like “Ugh, I really need to get back into exercising.” And, “I feel like shit, I need to do something…”

Let me tell you that I understand, it’s hard. In fact it is very hard to take that first step but once you start rolling it does become easier. I promise.

With that I leave you for the weekend with a gentile suggestion that you seriously think about what you’re willing to commit to, to make changes in your life. Think about it and come up with a firm plan. If you need inspiration or suggestions let me know and I’ll send you some. After all that’s why I’m here…

Enjoy your weekend; we’ll talk on Monday.

P.s. Remember GP-2011? I apologize for not giving you an update on her progress earlier but GP has been very busy with all her mom, daughter, wife and work duties so I’ve not seen her. However, I’m happy to report that GP-2011 has reached her goal of loosing some weight, toning up and feeling comfortable in a two-piece swimsuit for her trip to Hawaii next week. GP says…“I feel good, my abs are really strong, they just have a little tuft of fat covering them. I actually look pretty good in my new two-piece.” Unfortunately GP has not sent me a photo of her in her new suit so I can’t share it with you. Obviously she knows I’ll post it so you can’t blame her, no matter how good she looks.


by Leave a comment

Bootyliscious

Seriously?

I don’t care who you are, as you age your butt starts to sag and flatten. Even you fella’s. Seriously, nobody wants to look at a saggy booty!

The gluteus maximus is the largest and one of the strongest muscles in the human body. That means, it burns more calories than any other muscle. Work it, feed it, make it strong and it’ll respond by burning fat and standing up, rather than flopping down, looking bad and not meeting it’s potential.  Get my meaning?

My suggestion – Try this 15-minute booty toner. Do this workout three times per week with at least one day off between. If you’re ambisous do the circuit twice and/or add to your regular fitness routine.

Each week mix up the order of the exercises to keep your muscles guessing. Do the routine for a month and you’ll clean the junk outa your trunk. Beginners do only 10-15 reps each exercise and everyone should watch the attached videos for instruction. You don’t want to break your booty. There’s nothing worse than a broken, flat ass.

Have fun; let me know how you do!


by Leave a comment

Walk about Wednesday

Today I would like you all to go outside and go for a walk. Sounds simple but think about it. Many of us do very little recreational walking in our day-to-day lives. The idea is to change that. Decide that you’re going to go for a walk. Walk around your block, around your campus, around your neighborhood. If you live on a farm take a walk around the pasture. Explore the world you live in, get lost and find your way back if you dare. While you’re out there, breath in the fresh air. Look around, and notice all of the things you have to be grateful for. If you’d like, take your favorite music or simply listen to the world around you. Appreciate what you have and be grateful.

I hope you’ll take my suggestion. It’s free and it’s wondrous.

Enjoy…


by Leave a comment

Hey now… It’s Work Out Wednesday!

Not the duckies I saw but nice photo!

If you haven’t already guessed, I love animals. I do. It’s because they’re so simple and real. Not fake or mean, they’re intuitive and loving (even the ones that might eat you, are only doing what’s natural to them). They’re so completely sweet and real.

Yesterday, while trundling* through The Presidio, I spied a mamma duck and about 6, of her fresh, out of the shell, fuzzy-little baby-chicks. The sight was so heart warming that I nearly cried. What made me feel even sappier was a sight of a young fellow who had appointed himself crossing guard for the waddling family.  As the ducks slowly negotiated the hot asphalt, the young man stood far enough away as not to startle the group, yet keep oncoming traffic to a calm, slow stream. As I passed I asked if he would like any assistance but he declined and promised he’d see that the ducks got safely across the busy intersection and on their way to wherever they were going. As I trundled off I wondered where they might be headed, maybe to visit the Yoda fountain I hoped. They’d be safe there.

Here’s my suggestion for today, Work Out Wednesday. Go find some wild life. It’s out there. Dogs don’t count but cats do as they roam free (for the most part). Take a walk, run or a ride, go some place where you might find some critters. All you have to do is find a park. A dog park will do but while you’re there look for some pretty birds or bugs, even gophers count. There are lots of ladybugs and bees flying around these days. They all count. Just pay attention for a change and enjoy what you see. Take a second to stop and watch. This might sound silly but trust me you’ll return home feeling better than you did when you left. And, you may see something really amazing! Like my duckies!

I’d love to hear your Work Out Wednesday Wild Life Report so please feel free to share!

May the force be with you…

P.s. Tomorrow is Bike to Work Day. Mo will be greeting and feeding visitors at the Ferry Building Energizer Station in the morning. Go see her, I’m going around 8.

*Trundling is a Kelleyism for a slow run or jog.


by Leave a comment

Eyes are a good thing!

Max Px2

This is Max. Max doesn’t know it yet but he’s destined for greatness. Given his genetic make-up Max will grow become a champion Time Trialist, Soccer Striker or Hip Hop Dancer. It’s a given.

While Max has yet to discover his destiny, he has begun to delve into the world of high style as it relates to eye protection. Let me share with you what Max already understands.

How many times have you been riding your bike or walking and experienced a head-on with a bee or some other airborne property? With all the critters and chunkage flying around in the air it’s bound to happen. Myself, I can proudly boast that I’ve survived dozens of flying critter crashes and it’s all thanks to the fact that I wear some sort of eye protection every time I set out.

If you partake in sports or basically walk around outside you should be wearing eye protection. It’s wise to protect your eyes not only from the sun but also from things that could potentially poke into them. Flying debris, elbows, tree branches, you get the idea. The best plan of action is to use lenses that have a built-in ultraviolet protection and are made of shatterproof polycarbonate. If you already wear glasses, you can have your prescription transferred to the safety eyewear for your athletic activities. Obviously the degree of eye protection you’ll require is directly related to the type of activities you are participating in.  You won’t need ski goggles to wear on a run. Technically you could wear them but why look like a dork?

Maintaining an eye-saving safety-mission doesn’t mean your civvies need suffer. These days there are many fashionable yet functional eye protection manufacturers. Do some shopping and make sure you have a pair of shades for sunny days and pair of clear lenses for rainy or dark days.

For best results choose eyewear that underscores your personal style. Max possesses a confident, brainiack, fresh, athletic “I’ll crush you in a few years” sort of attitude. With that he’s chosen eye protection that is functional as well as dashing, making a statement that supports his beliefs and active lifestyle.

Max’s moto, save your eyes and look marvelous doing it.


by Leave a comment

What motivates you?

I’ve been doing a lot of reading on the subject of motivation lately. Mostly what I’ve found is that people are motivated by the desire to impress. We do silly things like go on starvation diets so we can fit into dresses and look good for our lovers. The desire to impress doesn’t stop at fitness or physical appearance. We’re motivated to work hard so we can keep our boss’s happy, make money and pay for things that will make others think we’re cool. Essentially we’re motivated by the need to “win” approval.

While the above seems a bit shallow to me, I am no different. I tell myself that I don’t care what others think, but I do. Life would be so much easier if I could ignore the need to be better than I am and just lay around all day drinking wine and eating cheese. Who cares if I get so big that the fire department would have to cut me out of my house when I die? There are so many interesting things I could do with my day if I didn’t have slave to impress “The Jones’s.”

It must have started earlier, but the first substantial effort I remember making to impress started with riding my bike. It started on a dare; my friend Michelle dared me to ride a century bike ride with her. I did it but not because I wanted to but because I didn’t want her to get the better of me. I wanted to “keep up.” Then came bike racing, if you think I ever wanted to race my bike you’re insane. Racing hurts like hell both emotionally and physically. But I started racing and continued to race for years because I wanted to impress and then I couldn’t stop because I’d then let the hordes of people down that I had worked so hard to impress. The circle is viscous and exhausting.

Anyway, the question posed is what motivates you? Right or wrong we all have our motives and hopefully they keep us from becoming big fat lazy, boring people. Over the years I’ve relaxed my desire to impress, in fact I often take the completely opposite route just to test people, or maybe it’s to shock them into being impressed? I’m not sure. The bottom line is, figure out what motivates you to take action and work it.

Motivate yourself and impress someone.