I signed up to Omnivore at the end of last year. I’d been mainly using it as a ‘Read it later’ store for articles until last month when I switched over to using it as an RSS reader, and a newsletter receiver. This has made a big difference to my daily reading. I spend a lot less time in my email client, and I am being more deliberate about what I read.

Omnivore stores an archive of my read articles but also allows me to export any highlights and notes I’ve made. I have been doing this and storing them in Diarium which allows me to see what I’ve been engaging with.

What I’ve been reading

As context, I joined a gym in May so I’ve read a few articles about strength and fitness routines.

For instance, from Strength Training Exercises for Women Over 50

strength training is important for everyone, helping to keep our bodies functioning effectively, maintaining fitness, and reducing the risk of injuries.

as we get older, bones get weaker.

Strength training causes the muscles and tendons to pull and push on the bones, which leads to bone cells becoming stronger and denser. This can help to prevent, and even reverse, bone loss!

I joined the gym mainly to focus on strength work. I already run 2 or 3 times a week. I do some form of yoga and stretching every day. But I do relatively little strength work. I recently read Next level and that helped to convince me that I should get started. In turn, that introduced me to Feisty menopause.

From the Feisty menopause newsletter: 🏋🏻‍♀️ Training to Turn Back Your Body’s Age:

high volume sports activity (about 13 hours a week in this study) was associated with slowed biological aging. Given the decades of research we have on how regular exercise, even at lower levels, keeps our hearts, brains, muscles, and more strong and healthy, it’s safe to say, you can reap plenty of benefits with fewer hours per week as well.

moving more and reducing long stretches of sitting time is key to keeping your body from prematurely aging. Walking just two minutes an hour can help offset the negative effects of a sedentary job.

Walking is pretty much good for every aspect of your mental and physical health. And as a new study shows, though walking won’t necessarily build muscle, it can help preserve muscle mass in your lower body.

time and time again, research finds one of the most valuable training metrics is how you feel. It’s a reminder that we should never let numbers override our knowledge of self. We know when we’re tired. We know when we’re fresh. Listen to–and believe–your body. It always knows best.

And also from Feisty Menopause: How Menopause Affects Your Feet:

mixing up your footwear is crucial for foot health. If you wear the same shoe all the time, you’re using your foot muscles in the same way. The more you mix up your footwear, including going barefoot sometimes, the more you distribute the stress and strain on your feet in different ways. Think of it like cross-training for your feet.

I have a tendency to lazily reach for the same shoes all the time!

And then from the Women’s Running news feed: Mental Health Awareness Week: why running is so good for our wellbeing:

any physical activity is an effective way to enhance our mental health. It prompts our brain to release feel-good hormones. These hormones boost happiness, self-esteem and improve the quality of our sleep. Studies have found that physical activity reduces your risk of depression by up to 30 per cent. And it doesn’t just have a preventative effect: a large recent study found that exercise is 1.5 times more effective at reducing mild to moderate symptoms of current depression than medication or cognitive behaviour therapy.

And on nutrition, The Guardian: I went a week without ultra-processed foods. Here’s what I learned which follows on from Ultra Processed People which I listened to as an audiobook in the autumn

Recently, I’ve stopped thinking of UPFs as food at all. Scientists will instead call these “food products” as a reminder that they’re made not so much of food, but of products extracted from food – fats, starches and added sugars – and additives.

Of all the definitions, I find Wikipedia’s the most concerning: “Ultra-processed food is an industrially formulated edible substance.”

I’m still using Zoe and am still logging my food intake week on week. UPF is a category that I get “scored” against. It is hard to get that to be 0% but I do sit beneath the target of 15% every week. The main bits of UPF that I consume are chocolate, and soya milk.

And finally, via a boost on Mastodon, Explore the London Greenground map

Imagine, if the underground map was on the ground and instead of stations it links together green spaces, waterways & walking paths. London Greenground Map aims to reimagine London in a new way, inspiring to explore the city in a more sustainable, open and healthier way via its green & blue spaces.

I loved exploring this map.