I just learned a new term and it describes our weather perfectly. It's called the "Goldilocks Zone", not too hot and not too cold, referring originally, of course, to her bowl of porridge. It's actually a real term used to describe habitat zones on the earth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitable_zone), but also works well to characterize our weather for the week. We are sandwiched in between an upper level trough currently just off the coast with high pressure ridging centered over the desert southwest/rocky mountains. This leaves 
us in a quiet weather pattern through the week with near normal high temperatures and dry conditions with a stable southwest flow. It just doesn't get any better than this.
I guess this is my week for new terms. I heard another new term last week from a friend, "Muscle Confusion". I immediately got a mental picture of me dancing, but that's another story. Apparently it's a very in vogue term made popular by the infomercial for the P90X workout video and refers to a "form of cross-training that achieves maximum results and avoids the plateau effect, allowing muscle groups to continuously improve during phases of controlled yet unfamiliar movements." (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Horton_(exercise_instructor)). It seems that when we do the same exercise or activity all the time, our muscles get more efficient at it, which reduces the benefit of the time spent exercising as well as leaving other muscle groups untoned. As an example, getting more efficient at the same activity would make sense if your goal was to gather food by running after wounded wildebeests across the Serengeti plain, but if overall cardiovascular health and toning is your goal, you need to confuse those muscles.
As I thought about this concept I got another related idea from an article I read. It was about a man preparing to move and the whole packing process got him thinking about the things we do that don't make sense any more. Without the pressing decisions about what to keep and what to throw away that packing up a house forces, we just keep on doing the same things. Unless we're forced to think about them, we just blindly keep repeating them because we always have. Why do I still write in my checkbook ledger and file paper statements when I do everything online now? Why do I eat the same thing for breakfast every morning when there are so many other choices? Why do I always go to the same restaurant when there are so many others to choose from? You get the idea. All our lives are different but stop and examine the things you do regularly and if a routine makes sense, keep it, if it doesn't lose it and try something new.
The concept of muscle confusion, keeping our muscles from getting too comfortable doing the same thing over and over, and abandoning things we do without thinking that don't make sense anymore both speak to routines. We all have them. Some are good, like paying our bills every month. But we all could benefit by examining our daily routines and changing them where it makes sense. If you routinely use the stair stepper at the gym, try tennis a couple of days a week instead. If jogging is your thing, go biking instead. If you consider exercise the "E" word, just go for a walk. Not only will you be healthier and better balanced, but you'll have added new excitement to your day. Also, just like cleaning your house when you move and throwing out the things that don't make sense anymore, you can benefit by doing the same with your routines. Your life will be more interesting and efficient for it.
What does all this have to do with life in the Sierras and Olympic Village Inn? We're located in the middle of the perfect playground to confuse those muscles! In Summer swim, jog, cycle, golf, play tennis, hike, kayak. In Winter downhill ski, crssscounrty ski, snowshoe, ice skate, build a snow man. If you're a part time resident or vacationing, don't forget to think about your routines away from home, too. When you're here, try going to a play instead of a movie. Go to Lake Tahoe or Donner Lake for a picnic instead of that same old restaurant. Routines are meant to be broken. Check our Olympic Village Inn Facebook Events page and Twitter updates for ideas to spice up your day and your life. Have a great week!
I guess this is my week for new terms. I heard another new term last week from a friend, "Muscle Confusion". I immediately got a mental picture of me dancing, but that's another story. Apparently it's a very in vogue term made popular by the infomercial for the P90X workout video and refers to a "form of cross-training that achieves maximum results and avoids the plateau effect, allowing muscle groups to continuously improve during phases of controlled yet unfamiliar movements." (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Horton_(exercise_instructor)). It seems that when we do the same exercise or activity all the time, our muscles get more efficient at it, which reduces the benefit of the time spent exercising as well as leaving other muscle groups untoned. As an example, getting more efficient at the same activity would make sense if your goal was to gather food by running after wounded wildebeests across the Serengeti plain, but if overall cardiovascular health and toning is your goal, you need to confuse those muscles.
As I thought about this concept I got another related idea from an article I read. It was about a man preparing to move and the whole packing process got him thinking about the things we do that don't make sense any more. Without the pressing decisions about what to keep and what to throw away that packing up a house forces, we just keep on doing the same things. Unless we're forced to think about them, we just blindly keep repeating them because we always have. Why do I still write in my checkbook ledger and file paper statements when I do everything online now? Why do I eat the same thing for breakfast every morning when there are so many other choices? Why do I always go to the same restaurant when there are so many others to choose from? You get the idea. All our lives are different but stop and examine the things you do regularly and if a routine makes sense, keep it, if it doesn't lose it and try something new.
The concept of muscle confusion, keeping our muscles from getting too comfortable doing the same thing over and over, and abandoning things we do without thinking that don't make sense anymore both speak to routines. We all have them. Some are good, like paying our bills every month. But we all could benefit by examining our daily routines and changing them where it makes sense. If you routinely use the stair stepper at the gym, try tennis a couple of days a week instead. If jogging is your thing, go biking instead. If you consider exercise the "E" word, just go for a walk. Not only will you be healthier and better balanced, but you'll have added new excitement to your day. Also, just like cleaning your house when you move and throwing out the things that don't make sense anymore, you can benefit by doing the same with your routines. Your life will be more interesting and efficient for it.
What does all this have to do with life in the Sierras and Olympic Village Inn? We're located in the middle of the perfect playground to confuse those muscles! In Summer swim, jog, cycle, golf, play tennis, hike, kayak. In Winter downhill ski, crssscounrty ski, snowshoe, ice skate, build a snow man. If you're a part time resident or vacationing, don't forget to think about your routines away from home, too. When you're here, try going to a play instead of a movie. Go to Lake Tahoe or Donner Lake for a picnic instead of that same old restaurant. Routines are meant to be broken. Check our Olympic Village Inn Facebook Events page and Twitter updates for ideas to spice up your day and your life. Have a great week!
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