Action Netball for the Over Forties

I must be honest, I don't have a clue what the cartoon is about, but I found it highly amusing nevertheless.  Being close to 50 and never having played netball in my life, I now find myself on a team in one of the lower leagues of our local action netball club.  The vast majority of the team being in their twenties, I consider myself a veteran.


Violence on the Court
As the cartoon suggests, action netball is actually a violent contact sport to an over forty sedate (wink wink) woman.  I played hockey and women's football in my day, yet I find action netball to be far more fast and furious.  In 2 practices I have seen 2 of the women sprawled across the court in a most unladylike manner.  I woke up this morning after last night's practice with extremely stiff tendons in my ankles.  For goodness sake, it is my flabby tummy that needs to feel stiff, not my very slender tendons in my ankles!


How to be a Succesful Over Forty on the Netball Court
In 2 practices I have learnt quite a lot while leaping around with young, nimble, athletic girls.  So, for all you over forty women out there looking for a fun workout, take heed. 


1.  Look agressive -  actually it is quite easy to look aggressive just by the size of my over forty body, in comparison to the young gazelles playing with me.  All I have to do is put a scowl on my face and grunt repeatedly.  I wonder why young Candice keeps rolling on the floor with laughter..


2.  Move continuously and jump a lot - unfortunately after 5 and a half minutes of such behaviour I may have to be removed from the court to prevent a heart and lung failure.  My goodness, I do need to get fit.


3.  Act like you know what you are doing - when they shout, "foot error", "net abuse" or "handling", nod your head and tut tut under your breath.  Learn a rule or 2 and keep shouting them out authoritatively when others abuse them.  My pet rule is "3 feet away!" when my opponent is crowding in on me.  


4.  Go to the loo just before you play or practice - oh my goodness, at my age when I put to much enthusiasm into a leap, I find that I nearly wet my pants with the effort.  The ensuing squeals of laughter from my team mates when I mention it, make me join in the squealing and the need to pee is even stronger..


As I learn more, I shall pass on my secrets.  Meanwhile I am preparing for my next practice on Sunday afternoon and my first game next Wednesday night.


Olympic Games, here I come!

How to be an Optimist

I have been told on many occasions that I am one of those people who see the glass half-full. Being optimistic seems to come naturally to me.  In recent times, I have had to face quite a few disastrous situations, yet I somehow always believe that it will all work out.

I've noticed that most people around me allow circumstances to get them down.  So, instead of judging them for their pessimism, I thought about ways to help others to be an optimist.

Focus on Something Positive

No matter how harsh circumstances are, there is always something positive to focus on.  When I ran out of cash in December, I focused on the fact that my holiday accommodation had already been prepaid.  I once heard the illustration of a man driving up a winding road when a ladybug flew onto his windshield.  As long as he focused on the bug, he nearly drove over the edge, but as long as he focused on the road ahead, he drove perfectly well.

There is Always Someone Worse Off 

No matter how bad things seem to be, there are always others in a much worse situation.  When we realize that, we are grateful for the blessings in our own life, no matter how few they may seem to be.

Help Another Person

There is something healing about reaching out and helping someone else.  We can help in so many different ways - volunteering our services or time at a shelter or babies home, clearing out our cupboards and giving away decent clothing to those less advantaged than ourselves, sending a depressed friend an encouraging message, etc.  

Smile

Smile at other people during the day.  It is surprising how people respond.  A smile is such a small thing and it brings others joy.  The vast majority smile back and the minority who don't are not worth worrying about.

Sing

Music is a great mood enhancer.  When we choose our favourite music and sing or hum along heartily,  we'll feel positive in no time.  

Use Our Senses

We all know the saying, "take time to smell the roses".  I say take time to enjoy all of our senses.  Listen, taste, smell, feel and look.  Sensual enjoyment is a very positive experience, but we need to slow down to participate in them fully.

I bet that practicing these regularly will cause optimism in our lives - which the world surely needs.

10 Healthy Ways to Weight Loss

The battle of the bulge seems to be a never-ending struggle, however the following 10 tips will help us to lose weight, or at the very least, maintain our weight in a healthy fashion.

I am on this struggle at the moment and I have found that these 10 things definitely do work.

1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day - firstly, it is the amount of water our bodies need, secondly it makes us full, and thirdly we are so busy trying to take in our allocated amount that it doesn't leave space for us to drink fattening drinks.

2. Eat loads of fruit and vegetables - the recommended amount of fruit and veggies are 5 portions a day. Once again, they keep us full, they are healthy and nutritious and they are water based foods which will not cause us to gain weight.

3. Eat low GI foods - low GI foods keep us full for longer and are always the healthier option. These days they are well labelled in the stores too.

4. Eat smaller meals throughout the day - this keeps our metabolism busy, but does require some planning. Have a light breakfast, a mid morning snack, a light lunch, a mid afternoon snack, and a small dinner.

5. Don't skip meals - every time I get into the habit of skipping meals due to busyness, I gain weight.

6. Find healthy snacks - instead of giving in to the craving for chocolate or crisps, find healthy alternatives like popcorn, biltong, dried fruit, and crudites. Be imaginative.

7. Eat slowly - the faster we eat, the more we eat. Taste the food and enjoy it. Chew the food properly to slow down. The longer we take to eat, the sooner we feel full.

8. Use a smaller plate - we tend to dish ourselves portions which are too large, but a smaller plate will make the portion look bigger than it actually is.

9. Fun exercise - find a way of exercising which is enjoyable. If we enjoy the outdoors, walking will be a better option than gym. If we enjoy something, we are more likely to make it a habit.

10. Always choose the better option - in different situations where our healthy eating may be compromised, just choose the healthier option available. For example, when eating out and we cannot choose our menu, turn down the starter or have a smaller portion of dessert.

All of these tips need to be incorporated into our lives as a lifestyle, rather than a "once-off". The more we do them, the easier they become. And they really do help.

Do you know of any other healthy weight loss tips to share with us?