Taking a little Rest and Relaxation…

Time off is essential to rejuvenate our lives and keep us motivated to seek out new goals and ambitions. With that said, I will be taking time off until October 12^th.  I hope the topics and thoughts that I’ve shared over the past few months will provide a few exercises and things to work on while I’m away! 

I’ve written about various exercise options, ways to change our mindset (even when we don’t want to!) and touched on healthy food options. I look forward to taking some time to away to reflect on what I have shared, and come back reenergized with many more ideas on how to get the most out of life every day. I will be addressing ways to stick to an exercise routine through the holidays and healthy recipes to share with loved ones.

I enjoy spending a little time with you each day to share inspirational thoughts, and I look forward to sharing more with you in October.

We start with a clean slate every day so, make today a healthy living day!

Is your workout routine slipping away?

Prioritize: It’s essential to put your workout into your weekly schedule as an urgent appointment. Find 30- 60 minutes in your day. Start by finding a minimum of 4 days per week. Commit to your schedule for 10 weeks- Remember, it takes 66 days to form a habit!

Plan: What is it that you want to do? Then consider your schedule- Are there limitations to what you can do? If so, instead of making an excuse to not workout, it’s important to get creative and make it happen. Remember, you’ve already decided this is a priority- It’s only 30-60 minutes of your day and it will leave you feeling more energized then when you started.

Prepare: Don’t just lace up your running shoes, and head out for a 3-mile run, if you haven’t been running in months. Start with realistic expectations and goals.  Be patient with yourself and allow your body time to get into a routine, but remember, once you make a goal, stick to it and you’ll be proud of your accomplishment and progress.

Looking ahead to next week- Think of some exercises that you can put on your schedule…

Key Exercise Moves

If you're limited on time, there are a few essential moves that will keep you feeling strong and looking your best:

1. Pushup- On your knees or toes. Start with 10 repetitions and try to do 3 sets. Gradually increase this to 20 per set.

2. Hover- Elbows under your shoulders and wrists facing forward- Hold for up to 5 minutes. (Yep! That’s not a typo) Start with a minimum of 2 minutes, and challenge yourself to add more time. This move often requires some motivation from a workout partner. Grab a workout buddy and see who can hold it the longest; your core will thank you! Keep in mind you can add onto this move by sliding forward and back. Add leg lifts as an additional challenge.

3. Dips- The backs of our arms can be neglected, so tricep dips are useful to maintain or increase strength and definition. Start off with the same number of reps as the pushups. You can use the back of a chair, chest or coffee table if you don't have access to a gym.

4. Wall Squats- Find a wall, squat down and  start by holding it as long as you can- Then increase your time by 30 second increments. Once you have increased your time to 5 minutes- Add a weight to your shoulders- hold, add over head press and/or frontal raises for additional shoulder work.

5. Lunges- One of my favorite exercises. Lunge your way across a room and add upper body twists side to side. If you have stairs accessible, then double up your steps on the stairs to lengthen and tone your legs.

As I’ve mentioned before, walk everywhere you can! Park far away, avoid the elevator and if you’re unsure of how much you’re moving each day, try a pedometer to help you gauge your average number of steps per day. 10,000 + steps per day means you’re keeping active.

Expect the Unexpected

It’s helpful to plan your schedule and know ahead of time what you’ll be doing, however it’s not always the case!  Remember, just because it didn’t happen the way you planned it, doesn’t mean you can “throw in the towel”.

 Initially the change in plans may seem overwhelming. We might find ourselves thinking with tunnel vision and not able to carefully adjust to the situation at hand.  First, realize that everything in life can be reworked, (even if it doesn’t seem possible the very moment that you hear the news). Essentially, it’s a matter of how we approach the task at hand. Try to take a few minutes to think through the options which can be considered to resolve or adjust the issue. Next, try to talk to a family member or friend about it. Someone who is not directly involved can help shed light on adjustments that can be made. Once you talk through your ideas, (write them down if needed) you’ll come up with something that will work. Now, it’s time to take action! This step is sometimes easier said than done. Be sure to follow through on the game plan you created, and you will be proud of the outcome because you were actively involved in making it happen!

Sometimes we need to checkout...

Life doesn’t always make time for us to slow down, but sometimes it’s inevitable.  If we demand too much of ourselves by continuing to move full steam ahead then eventually it catches up and life come to a screeching halt!

We need to remind ourselves that life is a journey, not a destination. We will have our laundry list of household chores, commitments to social engagements, obligations to our career and precious moments to spend with our family. It’s essential for us to listen to our body when it’s asking us to slow down.  As the season is changing from summer to fall, we are seeing reminders everywhere to get our flu shot, and cold medicine commercials are in full swing as we gear up to strengthen our immune system in an effort to prevent the drudgery of not feeling well.

Start by making sure you’re taking a multi-vitamin every day. With the hours of daylight decreasing, it might be necessary for you to add Vitamin D into your daily regimen as well. Make sure you’re moving throughout the day- it’s a perfect time of year to keep a pair of sneakers in your trunk. Take 20 minutes at lunch, after work or whenever available to go for a walk. Keep your hands clean by keeping sanitizer available for when you need it. Doing all of this provides excellent prevention, but if you do become under the weather, then take time to go to the doctor if necessary, stay hydrated and get plenty of rest. It’s a busy world out there and we have to be healthy to enjoy it!

Be the best that YOU can be...

We’ve heard this before, but oftentimes we look around at others “best” to determine what our best should “look” like. We find ourselves comparing our personal best. We hear about accomplishments of our colleagues, friends, peers and even people we don’t know because we have read about them in a newspaper or magazine. While there isn’t anything wrong with keeping up with the productivity of others, comparing it to our personal accomplishments doesn’t help us to grow.  Remember, we only have control over ourselves.

We determine our goals, set our goals, and follow through with them.  These responsibilities are our very own and require work and planning. Personal and professional growth is different for everyone. If you’re experiencing a moment in time which you aren’t growing at a rate which you feel is helping you to move forward, then stop and take a look at the current issues in your life that require special attention.  Make a list of issues that need to be addressed. Create a plan to conquer your stumbling blocks. Consider: Who should you contact, what reading/research materials are available and design your POA.  Be sure to include a timeline and share with someone to ensure accountability. Saying it outloud brings a new dimension to making it happen!

Mind over matter...

Often easier said than done, however when we make a conscious decision to do something and stick to it, we are almost always satisfied with the results. I often refer to this phrase when I’m coaching classes at the gym. We only have one hour, so it’s important that we give our all while we are there. The goal is to  push ourselves to meet and/or surpass our expectations. 

Mind over matter can be applied to your workout, food choices, work habits, or even your shopping budget.  Try to pay attention to what you expect from yourself this week and take a quick minute to write down a short list. Keep it in your view ALL week. Perhaps it’s the bedside table, fridge, by the front door, or in your wallet. Check each one off as you reach your goal- There’s nothing better than checking things off your list… because you accomplished it!