Back at it!

HAPPY MONDAY and beginning of November! Its only been a week of not posting but it feels like forever! I was a little under the weather last week and then catching up with work which made it difficult to carve out blogging time BUT I’m back and happy to be reading and sharing with the word press world!

The weather here has dropped and I am greeted by a frosty breeze each morning! This makes hitting that dreaded snooze button all the more inviting! I guess there is nothing wrong with another 15 minutes snuggled under the warmth and comfort of my bedding!

This week is all about getting back at it – blogging, eating and exercising…though a recent fall at my local Whole Foods has prevented me from doing any of that third agenda item. I slipped on some spilled spinach from the salad bar and smashed up my knee…fingers crossed its nothing serious but needless to say physical activity is an impossibility at the moment!

I am remaining positive, focusing on the things I can do rather that what I can’t and concentrating on diet and healthy habits over exercise this week (lots of sleep, staying hydrated, focusing on anti-inflammatory foods)!

Here’s to getting back at it!

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On my way…

The weekend is almost here and I am in a particularly good mood because I got a great workout in this morning! Even though I incorporated my alarm into my dream resulting in a few more hits to the snooze button then I wanted, I still made it to the gym a few minutes before 6am.

The beginning was a little rough: ‘Why am I doing this? My body hurts!’  were the thoughts swirling in my head for several minutes but with a quick flip of the Pandora station, I got into a groove. After about an hour I wanted to do more but that thing called a job, and the shower required to show up, was calling my name!

I am going to start taking pictures once a week…not to be posted until I see actual results…as an additional motivation and encouragement. I am already feeling better after a few days which helps me know I am on my way!

We’ll see how yoga goes tonight!

Yes, I can!

I’ve shared in past posts that life and all its wonderful trappings have been negatively effecting my fitness and diet. I used to be more disciplined about regular exercise and thoughtful consumption but over the last few months, not so much! I have been logging 1-3 workouts a week and eating more indulgently than I should – its not a treat if you have it every day!

I am a big fan of ‘all things in moderation‘  but it is time to get myself back on track! Since I am not trying to kill myself here, I came up with a few simple changes to get  back on track:

• Step #1: Yoga and Cardio 3x a week – balancing and maintaining my exercise is great for the body and mind!
• Step #2: No alcohol during the week – while delicious, my nightly glasses of wine are slowing my metabolic rate!
• Step #3: Indulge on the weekends – chocolate isn’t a multivitamin, I don’t need to have it everyday!

No weighing myself every week or obsessing over every little thing I put in my body, just positively reminding myself ‘Yes, I can!’ when the voices of doubt creep in!

Master your Moods

Happy Hump Day!

Do you ever find that skipping one workout leads to skipping another, which leads giving yourself excuses to completely slack on your routine?

Work and life have been crazy lately and I found myself skipping a workout here and there. I didn’t think it was a big deal but I was really only getting my sweat on once a week. You want to know what I noticed?!?! I became irritable, easily depressed and generally grouchy (such a joy to be around!) the longer a went without regular exercise.

Yesterday was definitely my breaking point – I was majorly road-raging, crying out of frustration at my desk, cursing everyone for every little thing as if the world was out to get me – it was bad! So I took my butt to the gym and got a solid workout in.

Well don’t you know I left feeling much better about life and literally woke a new woman this morning! I forgot how much happier and more pleasant my mood is when I exercise. Whether its a yoga class, a run outside, a few rounds of interval training, a walk, a spin class, etc… dedicate yourself to getting regular workouts in and I guarantee you’ll become the master of your moods!

 

Rethink your routine!

With Spring in full swing, gyms are packed with active adults trying to tone up before the coming beach season! Whether you’re an all year round exercise addict or someone who exercises just when necessary, consider the following five as ways to get more out of each gym session.

1. Breathing: During weight training, tough intervals, yoga, and even cardio, wayyy too many people hold their breath. Focusing on proper breathing through your workout can help get you push through harder sets. Paying attention to your breath can keep your mind and muscles calmer by flooding them with oxygen. Breathing is essential to maximizing your workout potential!

2) Skipping warm-up/cool down or stretching: Its essential to allow your body to set up for and recover from workouts. Jumping right into exercise can spike your heart rate and give you nothing to build towards resulting in a shorter work out. Similarly, going from 60 to 0 results in your heart rate suddenly dropping and not getting all the benefits of your hard work. Also, actively stretching before and after working out is KEY to preventing injury, quick muscle recovery and overall better muscle health.

3) Don’t get Stuck: A lot of people get so obsessed with their routine and forget to mix it up. Even worse, exercise can become so habit driven that if something in the day throws off your routine, you’ll skip the work out entirely. Keep it interesting by taking a series of different classes throughout the week or try different types of circuit training on your own. Also, if you miss a class because of a meeting, or a last minute dinner date, have a work out back up plan – even if it isn’t as intense as your normal routine, its better than skipping all together.

4) Fuel for Success: Making sure your body has want it needs before, during and after a work out is paramount to seeing results. Giving your body fuel before cardiovascular activity, 90 minutes into activity and within 30 minutes after will ensure your body gets the most out of each workout. When your body doesn’t have the fuel it needs, it turns to breaking down muscle tissue, NOT FAT, for energy.

5) Hydrate: Before, During and After activity, proper hydration is a must! Life requires proper hydration but when you’re active, your body needs that much more. Its recommended an individual consume 16oz of water before beginning activity and 8oz for every 20 minutes of activity throughout the session.

Try and incorporate one or all five of these workout tips into your routine and see if things improve!

Rise to Shine

Dragging in the morning? Finding it hard to get your day moving? I’ve noticed that starting the day with some cardio gets the blood pumping and positive juices flowing!

Not a morning person? That’s okay! Truth be told, I had 6am practice before school through most of my youth and I still struggle most mornings! I inevitably have to negotiate my way out of bed and into my sneakers to even get up the street to the gym. Admittedly, it takes a solid 10 minutes before I ‘get into it’ and really begin to wake up, but by the time I am done, I feel amazing!

Hitting the gym in the morning, or at all, isn’t for everyone and I completely respect that! You don’t have to be a fitness fan to give my little theory a shot. Take a few minutes when you get up in the morning to do some jumping jacks, push-ups, sit ups, burpees, knee highs, run your stairs…something to get your heart rate up a bit and your blood flowing.

Give it a try and see if your days aren’t a little brighter!