Mind/Body Compass - Learn to Listen

After my Summer of Self Care, I took a moment to reflect on how it went. Did anything change? Do I feel any different? I concluded that I do feel different. I feel a little bit more in control of my emotions (anxiety, depression, PMS!!, hangriness, dumb-male-syndrome, exhaustion, and others). How bizarre is it that some bubble baths, yoga classes, candles, peppy playlists and healthy mantras have actually changed the way I feel on a daily basis?

Learning to give my body what it needs gave me the power to change the outlook on my day. It gave me the power to help my mood not be sooo shitty. It gave me the power to calm myself when needed. It gave me the power to know that I can make myself happy. Now, this is nowhere near a completely honed skill, it is simply me understanding that I have the power to make myself feel better if need be. I can at least lessen the burden if not completely change my day.

The simple act of tapping into my thoughts, my body, and my mind on a regular basis and trying to measure how I am feeling has allowed me to add or subtract things that may help my day go in a more balanced manner. For example, if I’m anxious about a new client I can make sure to add in a meditation before their session. If I’m exhausted from a long day I can take a bubble bath, curl up with a book or just go to bed early. If I’m really sore or tight from a workout, or life in general, I can stretch throughout my day or plan to make a Yin Yoga class (this class is heaven if done right).

I also know that wine is not a good idea if I’m stressed to the max or depressed. I know that Happy Hour type of events aren’t the best for my sleep patterns on “school-nights”. I know that cooking dinner is way more satisfying than grabbing something quickly, however there will always room for take out! I know that a properly placed playlist can have me in a better mood in a matter of a few songs.

I have heard this concept being called the Mind/Body Compass. The coolest thing about this concept is learning that your body will tell you what it needs, you just have to listen. Are you always tired? Track your sleep and see if you simply need more or better quality sleep. Are you struggling to stick to your workout plan? Is it again because you’re too tired and need better sleep? Is it because you wait til the end of the day and no longer have the motivation or willpower to make it happen? Are you stressed to the max? Maybe taking a yoga or meditation class will help. Or again maybe you just need more sleep. If you spend some time listening to what you need you can then start to develop a game plan to make the necessary changes. Figure out the why and you can begin to move beyond just dealing with the feelings.

We are in charge of what happens in our lives. No one is going to willingly come and take care of us. I spent a long time playing the victim and blaming outside sources for certain situations in which I consistently found myself. Depression and anxiety played a huge role in that for me, but as soon as I realized that I was in fact dealing with depression and anxiety, I was able to figure out what made it better and what made it worse. I began using my self-care strategies to combat those gross depression feelings and have been able to completely change my overall depression story. While I still struggle occasionally, I can now keep myself from going all the way down the rabbit hole, just by listening to what my body needs. Be kind to yourself and take things slow, but make sure you are listening.

Self Care Summer Challenge

I have been on a serious self care kick, ever since I realized how much it can help with breaking old habits and creating new ones. I started taking bubble baths instead of drinking wine in the evenings. I started having mini dance parties in the living room when I was feeling sluggish and unmotivated. I started drinking hot lemon water in the mornings before I had coffee. I began a meditation practice. I did all of these things to help create more love in my life.

Don't get me wrong, I have a very loving group of friends and family but I still wasn't feeling all the love. I still have lots of days where I struggle with loneliness and stress over creating real connections with people, more than the superficial "how's the weather?" conversations. I still have days of struggling to live up to the personal trainer expectations I imagine that society has placed on me. I struggle with understanding depression and how I can make its effects better or worse with my coping mechanisms. I struggle with feeling that I am enough.

So how are bubble baths and hot lemon water suppose to help all of that? Well its simple really... "When we attack ourselves, we attack the world; when we love ourselves, we love the world." You've heard all of the other sayings too... "You can't love someone else until you love yourself." "You can't help to fill other cups if your cup is empty." But if we break it down to the most basic level its this... self-care, and extreme self-care when necessary, helps you to feel better. When you feel better you project a greater sense of positivity and happiness which spreads to the ones around you. This can work the other way too. When you neglect yourself and don't take care of your mind/body/soul the tendency is to live in discomfort, sadness, confusion, and negativity, which also spreads to those around you, resulting in less than stellar moments with the one's you spend the most time with, like friends, co-workers and family. No bueno.

Choosing to show yourself care and love on a daily basis will not only provide yourself with what you need (nourishment, joy, rest, companionship) but will also help to create the habit of checking in with a concept known as the mind/body compass. This simple act helps you to evaluate where you are physically, mentally, and emotionally each day. This process is and of itself an act of self care. Additionally, you will learn to stop looking elsewhere for what you need. You will become the source of love and light that you need to be happy. 

So what is considered self care? It is any act that creates nourishment to your mind/body/soul, and does not harm us in any way. Everyone's list will look different but here is what mine looks like.

• Take a bubble bath
• Walk or play with my dogs
• Make a cup of tea
• Go for a long walk/run by myself
• Read in a quiet space
• Meditate
• Get a massage
• Paint my nails or get a mani/pedi
• Make a healthy meal or meal prep
• Get out into nature - I regularly need to put my feet in the dirt!
• Dance in the living room, kitchen, or any where! (This is a regular one for me.)
• Take a nap (This one can boarder on unhealthy when I'm stressed.)
• Journal
• Squeeze in an extra workout or yoga class
• Bake something like healthy muffins
• Watch a movie
• Color/Paint/Draw
• Take Photos (Love this one too!)
• Garden
• Call a friend for a phone date
• Turn off my electronics
• Use essential oils
• Write

Imagine if everyone in your circle cranked up their level of self care. Imagine if everyone was checking in and making tweaks so that they could feel their best each day. And even if their day was totally sucking, they'd have an idea of what they needed in order to relax and feel a little better, if even just a little bit. Imagine if all of these happy people interacted together to create one big happy group. Doesn't that seem amazing? This is why I am pushing a Self Care Summer with my clients. This is why it is a regular part of my day. 

I'll leave you with a quote. It's on a sign at the yoga studio where I'm currently getting certified (Warrior One!! Yaaassssss!) and I've read it multiple times, thought it was a good concept and enjoyed it. But, it just made so much sense as I was writing this. 

"Your spark can become a flame and change everything."

                                                                            - Ed Nixon (American Civil Rights Leader)

Use What You Have Workouts... Camping

“Start where you are.Use what you have. Do what you can. ”

— Arthur Ashe

I love this quote. So many times I have the urge to post-pone any actions until I am completely ready, until I have enough time or enough money, or until I know I can do it just right. The problem with this thought process is that the perfect moment can take a very long time to show or perhaps never show at all. Instead of waiting for the stars to align, I have found that if you just get started the rest starts to fall into place for you. 

This idea applies to health and wellness in such an awesome way. You don't need to have the latest gadget, the perfect workout, or the cleanest diet plan in order to start making changes. Just start moving and slowly you will see how new experiences will fall at your feet, begging for you to kick it up a notch!!

Below is an example of a workout I whipped up using a pair of dumbbells and a picnic table while I was on a recent camping trip. Don't have dumbbells? Use canned goods or water bottles.  

Don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff!! - Enjoy :)

Do this everyday.

I have been known to say, or should I say hashtag, #sweateveryday. I prefer this to "workout everyday" because when people hear the word workout they tend to get overwhelmed, thinking that this means they need to spend an hour at the gym or run a long distance, or attend a 90 minute yoga class EVERYDAY! When you break it down to simply doing something that makes you sweat everyday, this allows for your activity to align with your fitness level and takes away some of the loftiness of having to exercise everyday. 

This thought process can be applied to many different aspects of life but there are three areas that I would like for you to try and apply it to EVERYDAY! Everyday you should aim to do something to nurture your Mind, Body and Spirit. I understand that our to-do lists are already so jam packed but again, this doesn't have to be lengthy and time consuming, and more often than not these tasks will help to give you more energy, remain more focused and help you to have a more efficient day. Additionally, many of these overlap, helping to nurture more than one area. 

MIND

This area has always been at the forefront for me, possibly even more than nurturing the body. I love to learn and have a bad habit of looking up facts that I don't know the answers to in the middle of a conversation. Thank you Google. Sorry friends that I am in conversation with. Here are some simple ways to make sure that you are keeping your mind healthy on a daily basis.

• Meditation - This one seems daunting, but with the help of short guided mediations that you can find online, 5 minutes of mediation can do wonders. Just like anything else the more you do it the easier it becomes to turn off your mind and get a moment of peace. The simple act of following my breath in and out as I breathe has done wonders for my anxiety issues that I have suffered in the past. I use an App called Calm.com and I love it. I have also found others that I like on Spotify. (Mind, Body and Spirit)
• Read - Reading has been proven to be beneficial in so many ways. Not only is it entertaining and educational, it can help you to relax and sleep better (unlike TV and Computers which stimulate), and it can keep your mind sharp with the added possibility of defending your brain from Alzheimer's disease. Not sure what to read? Ask a friend or coworker for some recommendations and I am sure they will have a short list for you to try and possibly even borrow. (Mind and Body)
• Play Games - Card games, board games, logic and puzzle games all force you to strategize and think, keeping your mind in tip top shape. 

BODY

This is an easier area for me, but only because I adopted the "sweat everyday" mentality a long time ago. One day I will attend a 90 minute yoga class, the next I will have a five song dance party in my kitchen with my pups while I cook. Keep it simple and most of all fun.

• Sweat - Walk, jog, run, dance, swim, bike, skip, jump rope, hike, canoe, surf, skate, hoola hoop, climb stairs, climb trees, climb mountains, lift weights, stretch, do yoga, do an exercise video or class, 10/20/30 through out your day (10 push ups, 20 squats, 30 crunches or 30sec plank hold), play with your kids or pets. Vary these activities throughout your week for best results, choosing some longer activities and some shorter based on your allotted time. (Body and Mind)
• Hydrate - I cannot stress this enough. When people say they don't like drinking water or they just don't think about it, I tend to get really fired up. Forget about it being good for you for just one minute and realize how lucky you are to even have clean drinking water. According to dosomething.org, 884 Million people in the world lack access to safe water sources. Do you understand how for granted we take having access to water from a faucet or a store and not have to travel miles to get water from a semi-polluted source for your daily activities (hygiene, hydration, cooking)? Even if you don't like it, drink it in appreciation for your life and your body!! Just do it already. Another reason that everyone should drink more water is that dehydration can cause sleepiness. Anyone here ever too tired throughout their day and could use some extra energy? I rest my case. (Body and Mind)
• Sleep - Again, I sense some eye rolling here. Sleep is the time in which our bodies, and our minds reboot from a long day of activity. If you do not give yourself the proper amount of time to sleep (shoot for 7-9 hours) your mind and body never get to sort through the day before and recharge for the next day. Results of lack of sleep include but are not limited to: lack of alertness, impaired memory, relationship stress, and QUALITY OF LIFE!! What's more important than the quality of your life?? Do what ever needs to be done to create a sleep pattern that supports your MIND and your BODY.

SPIRIT

No matter what your spiritual beliefs are, the following activities will help to keep the one body that we have in optimum health. 

• Be Still - Meditation, prayer, and yoga all intend to quiet your mind from the incessant chatter that occurs inside us everyday. Take a few moments to sit and do nothing. This allows the universe, God, or a higher being to open your spirit to new possibilities. Don't believe me? Try it out for a few weeks and see what happens.
• Spend Quality Time - By quality time I mean time in which you can actually connect with one another. Not watching TV or amidst the hustle and bustle of a crowded place, but in a place where you are free to talk and listen to one another. Go for a hike, listen to easy going music, make a meal together. Also, analyze the people that you are spending that quality time with. Are they people that feed your soul or suck it dry? Life is too short and quality time is too scarce to be spent with people that leave you feeling tired or stressed.
• Play the Smile Game - I often see how many random people I can get to smile throughout my day. There are a lot of people that feel they don't have much to smile about or that are having a stressful day and there is nothing better than breaking their day of worry and sadness with a friendly smile, a gracious "Thank You", and even a chuckle from an oh-so-corny joke or pun (my specialty).

While there are many other activities that help to nurture your Mind, Body, and Soul but this list is filled with ones that overlap, making it easier to nurture all three as well as ones that are so easy that you can squeeze them into a busy schedule.

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts, your body with sweaty fun, and your spirit with both stillness and laughter, EVERYDAY." 

Break up with your bad habits.

Have you ever been through a break up? I have and I know it is not easy. Having to change your life in one fell swoop, where you live, your social circle, your normal routines, it's no joke. Majority of the time the reason this change is so hard is because of the familiarity of the relationship. No longer having access to that comfort zone sucks!

This is the same reason that we continue to put up with our bad habits. Skipping exercise, procrastination, overeating, overspending, living beyond our means, hoarding, binge drinking, and many more, are all habits that we continue even though they bring us no good and leave us depressed and filled with guilt. All because we know what to expect from them, we are comfortable in this crappy familiar comfort zone.

A break up pushes us out of that comfort zone, forcing us to make new routines and a new level of familiarity. If you have been through a break up and weeks, months, or years later, realized that it was for the best, that it allowed you to let someone else into your life that made you feel fantastic and filled your life with positivity, then you might be able to understand how kicking a bad habit to the curb might also give you that same feeling. If you haven't, well you're just going to have to trust the process. I'm sure someone in your life has gone through a break up and been super happy that they did. 

This is my challenge to you, and to myself... pick one bad habit that you know you should have "the talk" with. Sit down and either mentally, or even on paper, tell that bad habit that you are no longer going to put up with it's bullshit and that it is time to go your separate ways. Then make a game plan to find a better habit that will fill you will positivity and pride. No sitting on the couch with ice cream and a sad movie, we already know that this will be for the better!!

For example... Let's say that the bad habit we'd like to break up with is sleeping in and then missing our exercise for the day. After telling Sleeping In, "It's not you, it's me" (although we all know that it really is YOU), pack up their crap and throw it away. Then develop your new habit game plan. There is no such thing as Match.com for healthy habits so you actually have to make this happen.

1. Go to bed a little earlier so that you have extra sleep, making it easier to get up.
2. Set out your workout clothes, or even sleep in them, making it easier to start exercising.
3. Pick out your work clothes and get them ready before bed, making it easier to get ready.
4. Pick your exercise or even plan to meet up with a buddy, making it easier to accomplish.
5. Set your alarm with an energizing song that pumps you up and then start dreaming of how awesome you will feel, not just after your workout but all day long!

"Out with the old and in with the new." "One door closes and another opens." These are phrases that embody the idea of ridding your life of people and/or things that bring you down and contribute negative thoughts and feeling to your life and replacing them with ones that pump you full of energy and leave you with butterflies and happiness, just like the kisses from a new someone special. 

Ladies Who Lunge Workout Playlist

I was asked twice this week what kind of music I like to listen to when I workout. I am super motivated by music. If I enjoy the music, my workouts fly by. I use Spotify to create my own playlists, that are tailored to my tastes, which includes a little rock, some that border on punk, pop, and some that float on the electronic side. Either way, I thought I would share one of my current faves. It is my Ladies Who Lunge playlist that is filled with all kinds of music with bad ass chicks taking the lead!!

Warning, there are some lovely expletives in some of the songs :)

Cardio + Core = A Core-dio Workout

Perform each movement for 45 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds. Move through each exercise until all exercises have been completed. Take a 2-5 minute rest and then perform next round. 2-3 rounds will complete your workout!! Once you are able to breeze through 3 rounds, you can use this as your warm up!!

1. Alternating Cross Crunch
2. Alternating Cross Crunch w/ Squat
3. Jumping Jacks
4. Side Crunch (one side)
5. Side Crunch (other side)
6. Jumping Lunges
7. Front Kick Crunches (one side)
8. Front Kick Crunches (other side)
9. Skaters
10. Single Leg Chops (one side)
11. Single Leg Chops (other side)

4 Advantages of Slow and Steady Weight Loss

In our instant gratification society, people want what they want, and they want it now! People want their fitness results to happen as fast as possible. While personal trainers make their money by getting their clients results, there are so many factors that can change the speed in which those results come. I briefly want to explain why having a little patience with your weight loss goals will benefit you in the long run. 

4 Advantages of Slow and Steady Weight Loss:

1. Ensures Safety - Slower weight loss allows your body to adapt and not resist weight loss. Rapid weight loss can result in your body thinking something is wrong and puts tin a state of stress. While I am always a fan a visible changes, safety is of upmost importance. If not done correctly, fast paced weight loss can result in:
   • dehydration
   • malnutrition
   • electrolyte imbalances
   • gallstones
   • headaches
   • irritability
   • fatigue
   • dizziness
   • constipation
   • hair loss
   • muscle loss
2. Prevents Muscle Loss - Extreme calorie cuts or the use of any crazy fat burning pills or fad diets usually do not result in fat loss. Instead you loose water weight and even muscle loss, which is the exact opposite of what you really want when trying to slim down. This is why they are not long term results. By changing your diet to include food that are high in protein, fiber and nutrient while being low in unhealthy fats, sodium and sugar, your body still has the right fuels to provide weight loss as well as maintain your lean muscle. Remember, lean muscle helps you burn more calories on an everyday basis, it is necessary to reach your fitness goals.
3. Keeps Weight Off Long Term - With consistent small changes in your diet and exercise you will see your weight slowly drop. This gives both you and your body time to adapt to your new "normal". Habits tend to stick better when they happen slower. Changing everything at once is overwhelming and usually results in a lack of follow through. Habit change, as well as weight loss, is not black and white, there is a entire gradient of grey in between. 
4. Reduces Fatigue - Once again, when you dramatically change your calorie consumption or take anything that messes with your metabolism (fat burners, diet pills, etc) you are more than likely going to suffer from fatigue. Fatigue is the opposite of what we are looking for when trying to live a healthier lifestyle. On the flip-side, if you take your time and slowly increase your exercise while eating a diet full of energy boosting foods, you will have the energy to not only exercise but tackle life!!

I always tell my clients that I can get them super fast results. I will give them a list of fairly bland and restricted foods that they will have to follow to a tee and they can train with me 4-5x per week. If you have an event coming up and need to get in the best shape fast, it will require a significant amount of time, energy, money, and dedication. If your goal is to simply loose weight and keep if off so that you can live a more active and fulfilling life, take your time and learn to enjoy the process. 

Why I was injured at a Bootcamp.

I have been debating talking about this for a little while now. If you know anything about me and my thoughts on exercise, you should know that I am a fan of all sorts of fitness activities and am not the kind of person to throw negativity around, especially if it involves health and wellness. However, I thought that if I was injured during a bootcamp that there was probably a strong chance that it could happen to others. So for this reason I want to share what I believe should be apart of any fitness and exercise activities that you choose:

• It should be safe - You should never feel like you don't know what you are doing. New forms of exercise might take you out of your comfort zone but you should have a decent grasp on what you are doing and how to do it safely. If you don't have this grasp ask more questions. Its much better to ask questions than to hurt yourself.
• Warm Up and Cool Down - These do not have to be elaborate but they should happen. jumping right into a workout without preparing your body for activity is not wise. Additionally, finishing a brutal workout and then just walking out the gym without giving your body a moment to readjust is just silly. It can result in dizziness and possibly even fainting. It is also the best time to get in some stretching, as your body is warm and ready to stretch. 
• Tell your coach/instructor/trainer about any injuries, aches, or pains. - The first question I ask my clients EVERY TIME I see them, is "How does your body feel?" If your not being asked this question, make sure you communicate so that your instructor can give you modifications. This is not "wimping out", this is listening to your body so that you can get the best workout on that day. 

After looking back at my bootcamp experience, I realized that there were things that I could have done differently to protect my bum shoulder and there were things that should have been done differently by the instructor.

Not all bootcamps are unsafe, but when the groups start to get too big, the trainers are unable to watch your form throughout the entire workout. When they try to jam too much into the bootcamp time frame, they tend to leave out important things like warm ups, movement prep, cool downs, and stretches. As the trainer grabbed my weight and forced me into a position that was seriously straining my shoulder, I should have stopped immediately and informed them of my tricky shoulder. Instead I kept it to myself which resulted in a tweaked shoulder and left me unable to fully use it for the next 2 weeks. Silly me, I should know better.

If your BootCamp leaves these important things out, make sure you take it upon yourself to rectify the issues. If you're trainer makes you feel uncomfortable for addressing these issues, maybe give another trainer a shot. Who cares how many calories you burn in one workout, if you hurt yourself and can't workout for the next 2 weeks. 

My Gratifying Morning Routine

Hey! If you've read any of my previous posts about creating a morning routine, you will know that this has been high on my list of priorities. While this routine still doesn't happen every day or as early as I would like, it is definitely my favorite part of the day when it does happen. 

This isn't really a follow along video, it is simply a demonstration of how I go from sleepy and stiff to feeling loosey-goosey and energized in a manner of minutes. Yes, music and coffee are involved. 

In the time it takes to listen to two songs, I was able to stretch my spine, foam roll my troubled hip areas, squeeze in some core work and get my heart rate up a little with some good old fashion dance/hula hooping. Followed with lots of water and a healthy (protein and fiber filled) breakfast, and I'm ready to tackle my day.

If you dread moving each morning try adding some of your favorite things to make it as enjoyable as possible.