One of my absolute favorite things is to make extra veggies with my dinners. Especially roasted veggies. Then for breakfast or lunch I heat them back up in a skillet and do one of two things.
Our first thought when we prepare to make a nutrition change is, "ugh, I won't be able to eat my . . . " Instead of dwelling on the deemed loss, today I want you to dwell on the gains. Sit down and make a list of the things you are excited to add. You read that right, make that brain work for you and flip your train of thought. Take each of those negative thoughts captive and replace them with a positive one. Does that sound so elementary? The truth is our thoughts are a huge battleground. If we can control what's happening in our head it is much easier to make the rest of the body follow. Honestly there are so many things to be gained. Here's a short list for me:
We are all on a wellness journey, whether we recognize this truth or not. Do you remember that wellness spectrum I shared with you a while back? Here it is, but if you don't remember seeing it before I would encourage you to go read the post here! This continuum reflects the fact that our health may be quantified by various measurements and that these markers reveal our quality of health. As I previously asserted, we are all on a wellness journey. We are gliding along that curve - sliding one way or the other - we just may not be making a conscious decision about which direction we're headed. Or, perhaps we are, but we're not really thinking about where that is leading us. Sit for a minute, think about your life.
Here's the thing, I care about your lifelong wellness. Are you sick of hearing that from me? I hope not. I hope that the more you hear me say that the more you think to yourself, "hey, I care about my lifelong wellness." I hope you hear me saying you are worth living a life that is full, a life lived well! The thing is, I believe a full life and wellness go hand in hand. If you are suffering through sickness - struggling with extra weight, battling a volatile relationship with food, suffering from chronic ailments (maybe movement related or perhaps it's internal - like gut problems or blood pressure issues) - you just cannot enjoy life to the full. Years ago my dear daughter was a disaster. We had no clue what was going on with her. She would complain of belly problems - like curled up on the couch crying problems. She would regularly experience headaches. She was lethargic. In addition, she was a perpetual stick of dynamite with a super short fuse that was easy to light! After over a year and a half of experiencing these issues off and on we knew things were not right. We went in for a routine check-up, after completing labs and then seeing a Gastroenterologist we found out she had Celiac Disease. Why do I tell you this? Because I know what it looks like to live with sickness. I know that joyful living is sucked from you, that sometimes you'd rather crawl under a rock with your symptoms than be a part of living. Living in and with sickness is not pleasant. Yet, so often, we surrender our life over to sickness. We throw up our hands in frustration and feel like there is no solution. Let me tell you that I believe with my whole heart that there is a path to wellness. From wellness there is a path to abundant life - fitness. This is my heart for each of you. I say all of this to you because I want you to think about what you're getting yourself into. I want you to ponder why you want to exercise. Why you want a "diet?" Why you want the changes you want? I get it, you "just" want to lose 20 pounds. But listen to me. 20 pounds is not just about extra weight you are carrying around. 20 pounds is a burden on your heart and soul. It's a lie that you live in - a lie that tries to define who you are. When we shed the 20 pounds we are still the same soul, but this amazing thing happens. Our confidence rockets. We walk tall. We feel good. We feel worth it. Lean in close and hear me - I want you to feel these truths before the 20 ever comes off. I want you to know that all the "work" you feel like I'm asking you to put in is worth it because you are worth it. So, as we prepare to take on the Whole 30 know that I am rooting for you! I am hoping and praying that through this process you will learn a little something about who you really are. My heart is that you will feel a glimpse of living the well life . . . the abundant life . . . and that you would grab hold of it and never let go! Are you resting? This is your reminder that your body needs rest. This can look like a lot of different things based on the work you've been putting in. Assess your condition and feed your body the rest it needs.
This could be:
Remember that your body needs balance. Just as much as a hard workout can be rewarding, so can a properly placed period of recovery. Treat yourself to both! There are only so many skills we have time to develop in the garage at a given time. There are a few things, three really, that I really recommend people put in work on at home. This would be core work, push-ups and conditioning.
The main reason I suggest core work is because it translates into all other work. Seriously. Your core is the center of power for all movement. It is also the piece you have to maintain control of through your movements to keep a stable and safe spine position. A lot of conditioning doesn't have core specific work because the work naturally requires you to properly engage your core to maintain effective and safe movement. The main reason I suggest push-up work is because it requires effective use of your core (sly dog move there) and builds upper body strength (which most women complain they lack). Also, both are easy to scale to the individual and their unique location. Lastly, for conditioning, I recommend doing a Tabata jump rope - best bang for your buck! So, if you feel like adding in a little extra work in your spare time or while you're watching your favorite show, pick one of these go to town! Core Work:
You can create any combination of movements you want to keep yourself challenged and from being bored with the routine. Some ideas for Tabatas:
Push-up
If you want to boost your conditioning do this:
These are great, simple ways to help yourself outside of the garage! Not mandatory, but if you're looking for a little more take one of these on. Really commit to it, give it a solid month of commitment and see the return you'll get. You'll be amazed! |
AuthorMy name is Tiffany and I am the owner and trainer at Frank Fitness, a garage gym. I provide workouts to increase/maintain cardiovascular wellness and build strength. My goal is to help athletes maintain life-long wellness. Archives
January 2018
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