I’ve realized that to the reader, the photos that accompany the articles on this site seem to have no meaning or relation to the content. I would like to explain…
Each of the images that can be found on this website are taken by me. Although not directly related to the content, they are a reminder of the awesome places we can visit, explore and experience on this Earth. They are much more readily available for us to enjoy with optimum health and fitness.
All the photos can be found in my stock portfolio at Dreamstime.
Most have been featured previously at It’s About Travelling.
Optimum Health and Photography [Connection]
So many times, often between the hours of 4am and 6am, I’ve cursed my fitness level in the past. The mad scramble for a sunrise shot can test whether you’re working with optimum health or not. My morning chase for photographs/video often includes hiking or kayaking a distance, mostly in the dark or twilight.
There’s the huffing and puffing on the journey. There’s the physical strain of balancing yourself precariously in the unbalanced world of nature, trying to get the perfect angle. All the signals of less than optimum fitness are certainly amplified in those relatively silent hours of the day. In fact, the growling of my stomach is often been mistaken for the growling of a wild animal…
I believe, once we get our freedoms fully back, my photography is going to excel simply because my lifestyle shift towards optimum health and fitness will allow me to get to many more great locations. More locations equals more and (hopefully) better content.
Images As Inspiration
In general, art leads to better health. Music is at the top of this list. Music is an underestimated healer. But, photographic images along with video footage are close behind. To see a photo of a spectacular location that you’ve either been to or desire to visit can get the positive juices running through your body.
A photo is a simple reminder that there’s more to life than just working, sleeping, eating and watching TV. A photo allows you to visualize where you really want to be. That visualization will inevitable lead you to experience that location in the real world.
I hope that through the photos at this site, I can inspire you in some way to get out and explore this world of ours.
Personal Lifestyle Shift Update
It’s January 5, 2021. I’ve yet to really go into any concrete goal setting. My weight continues to drop slowly, now at 173 pounds (over 40 lbs since October). I have been on a few short runs. My heel is still not 100% so I’m taking it nice and slow. I thought I had reinjured it a few days ago and thought I’d be out of commission for a week or more.
It turns out, within two days, I could take jogging breaks while on a trail hike with no major pain. I credit the continued strength training along with the Wim Hof Method and intermittent fasting for the fast recovery. After all, if the WHM can cure a hangover in 20 minutes, it should be able to fix an injury pretty quick too, right?
Christmas brought a few new items for the lifestyle shift. I became a ‘Fitbit Guy’ for the first time, picking up a Fitbit Charge 4. It’s certainly been an interesting couple of weeks monitoring health stats. It turns out, my improved sleep is not just in my mind. According to watch, I have an excellent nightly sleep score. I do seem to be having trouble getting my heart rate up into Active Zone territory. I went for a pretty brisk trail hike the other day and only got into the zone for four minutes (110 bpm and up, I believe).
My wife bought me my first kettlebell. It’s just a single 20lber but I’ve already incorporated it into a few isometric exercises. Add to that a pair of ten pound dumbells that I do extreme high rep exercises with. Previously, I used eight’s.
On the way is a blood oxygen saturation monitor. I won’t get it until the end of January. After much reading about the Wim Hof Breathing Method, I really have an interest in how my oxygen saturation reacts.
A blood pressure monitor will be the next health tool to get ordered. I have no concerns about my blood pressure but am quite curious to see where it sits after so much physical change over the past few months. I have a history of somewhat elevated BP. Even when I was training for and running half marathons and even my one single full marathon, my BP was higher than you would expect.
I do IF too, and used to do Wim Hof, but to be honest, that short practice is much more stressful than my 5km run. Do you do three sets? Anyway, good luck with your health goals!
I usually do 4 sets of 40 breaths, the first three followed by a breath out hold and the 4th by a breath in hold. I always start the day with it and usually do another round at some other point during the day. I do find it really helps with muscle recovery and any pesky pains I’m experiencing – I’m sure coupling it with IF makes for some interesting chemistry at the cellular level.. All the best to you too, Stuart, on your health goals!