I have a very short entry today because I want the picture I post to speak for itself. While I was reading health articles this week I came across a picture, “50 Reasons to Exercise.” I have read it several times and the more I read it the more I find that there are lots of reasons why exercise is great for you. It may not always seem fun, but it has tons of benefits. 
So, I shall end this week with saying, HAPPY EXERCISING! 🙂
~jj
Hooray for a new year! Hooray for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and so! Hooray for new goals! One thing that I love is setting goals for myself that are challenging and rewarding. Rather than making new resolutions in January every year I typically have goals each month for myself throughout the entire year. They can be simple goals such as setting a Christmas budget for myself in September, jotting down all the ideas I have for people on my Christmas list in October, and then finishing my Christmas shopping by the end of the first week in November. Further, rather than setting “negative” goals and resolutions I try to set goals that have a “positive” spin. So rather than setting a goal of losing weight, I would set a goal of eating healthier. For example, set a goal of eating out for lunch once a week and eating an apple with peanut butter or caramel with your lunch so your goal doesn’t become dreaded and can easily be incorporated with your typical lunch routine.
Weight and eating resolutions are typical goals every year, but all too often these resolutions fail, not because the person doesn’t try or doesn’t care, but because the person loses motivation when he/she doesn’t see instant results or becomes wrapped up in the chaos of daily life. While I know it is not New Year’s yet, there’s no perfect time to set new goals or resolutions for yourself. Rather than putting off what you can start today, make a plan, set your goals, and make yourself accountable for what you want to accomplish. One of my favorite sayings to remember is, “Why wait until tomorrow when you can start or do it today?”
So, rather than waiting until January to make a plan because you just want to “get through the holidays” aka eating the scrumptious candies and desserts and the exhaustion of finishing your Christmas shopping consider making yourself accountable during the holidays so you don’t feel so guilty in January. Many people feel guilty in January because of all the food, chaos, and stress from the holiday season. Then once New Year’s rolls around, people make resolutions to help make up for it. The problem with this is that we often tend to make goals that are unattainable in order to fill the gaps and inefficiencies from the holidays.
My suggestion is to START NOW! Happy day, month, and year of positive goals and accountability. Change starts now, not tomorrow, not next week or next month or next year. Change starts with yourself, not with an organization or group of friends, so start your goals today. You will thank yourself tomorrow for what you accomplish today. Cheers to the new year from me to you!
~jj
Today, I wanted to take a moment to talk about something that impacts everyone, especially during the holiday season, yet something that I and many others are guilty of not keeping under control. It is something that tends to increase during the holidays and is something we, ourselves, can typically control. What in the world do you think it is? If you guessed stress then you are right. Stress is something that we can control based on our response to things that are said, things that happen, and by how we choose to deal with daily trials and tribulations, successes and failures. It is something that can impact your health greatly if it is not managed and dealt with properly. Further, it can cause digestive problems, cramps, headaches, anxiety, exhaustion, and multiple other major and minor health concerns.
It is important to channel within yourself the proper tools that will help you control and conquer stress. Tools that are up to YOU to find, determine, and explore, because while I will provide suggestions and help, we all deal with stress differently. You have to find what fits for you (this is continuously echoed in my posts). Like everyone, I still deal with stress everyday, BUT the difference is I now know how important and helpful it is to have solutions to counteracting stressful situations.
So here’s a few pointers that I have been given and learned over time: 1) First, meditation can help even if it seems like an odd way to deal with stress. Trust me, I thought it seemed unfitting for me, but meditation can be as easy as sitting with your eyes closed and counting to ten, taking deep breaths to control your breathing. It allows you to cool off, release some steam, AND best of all, allows your heart rate to slowly begin to return to normal. Other great options include 2) drinking camomile tea (or other hot beverage) which has a calming effect, 3) removing yourself from the area that is causing the frustration and stress for 5-10 minutes, 4) taking a hot bath with sea salts (ease aching muscles) or peppermint oils (calming and relaxing effect). Of course, my ultimate way to de-stress is to 5) workout–run, stretch, weight lift, interval train. Exercising and working out is one of the most effective yet underutilized ways to take away stress. So, while the holidays, work, relationships, etc. can be the subject of great stress, REMEMBER that it’s how YOU choose to respond to the stress that makes it impact your life.
~jj
My inspiration this week comes from watching, listening, and absorbing the hardships, difficulties, stress, compassion (lack of) from those around me. I work retail so I hear a lot of scenarios, parenting, stress evoked responses, etc. throughout my day as well as from my own family, friends, and boyfriend. It is the holiday season, a joyous time, but also a time that typically includes heightened stress, chaos, and even sometimes frustration and disappointment. I completely understand the mixed emotions and feelings, but part of being healthy is maintaining a healthy view on life that allows you to succeed and be emotionally healthy.
Stress greatly impacts your health and if you don’t believe that, take the time to read some of the things stress can cause to your digestive health such as stomach pain. I can speak on this firsthand, as someone with digestive problems, it has been very important for me to learn to control my stress level each minute throughout the day to ensure I don’t further worsen my symptoms and health. Rather than going on and on about my own life learning experiences surrounding emotional stability, I want to use the following quotes to help show why exercise, compassion, and realizing that each person is facing an unforeseen battle for which we may not know is important to remember.
Quote 1: “Exercise is not a chore. It is a luxury to take time out of your busy schedule to take care of your mind and body.”
Quote 2: “Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.”
Quote 3: Wise words from Mother Teresa:
-People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
-If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
-If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
-If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
-When you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
-If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
-The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
-Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
-In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.
~jj
Sometimes going to the gym and doing the same repetitive workout can get boring. Maybe you’re sick of running on the treadmill or doing your usual cardio workout. One important thing to remember about exercising is that incorporating a variety of exercises and switching up your workout routine is important for you and your body. This ensures that you get the most out of each individual workout without allowing your body to become familiar with the routine, and therefore not maximizing your results. While it is easy to stay on a routine and schedule, be sure to do different exercises so that different muscles and body parts will be used and worked.
So, while the leaves are falling, colors are changing, and we move into another season, take the time to switch up your workout routine by taking a break from the usual and doing some fun fall activities. Go play outside (with your kids or without). Carve pumpkins and rake leaves into a pile and jump in! I know I did it as a kid, and I don’t mind having the excuse as an adult to do it again! 😉 Be a kid again and go outside to run or walk, rake leaves, go hiking, or whatever suits you. Outdoor recreational activities are a great way to get exercise. Biking, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor sports such as tennis, basketball, soccer, etc. are a few great ways to get a workout in and give you a break from being in the gym. Also, it allows you to get some Vitamin D in the process! 😉
If that doesn’t suit you, you can really channel your inner child by hula hooping or jump roping. Make it a game and have a contest with your kids!
~jj
Today’s tip focuses on breathing, form, and rest time. Often times, people struggle with maintaining the stamina and energy to go for a long trail run or workout without getting too exhausted 10-15 minutes after starting. One thing that really helps me (and is a learned technique over time) is to maintain controlled breathing. In order to do this, you really need to find a steady rhythm and flow (which often takes time and patience to develop), but counting your breaths as you breath in and breath out can sometimes be helpful. Further, steady, controlled breathing while exercising will help you conserve energy and push you through your workout. This will help you gradually improve your stamina and energy over time, which in turn will allow you to go for longer runs, maintain higher intensity workouts, and make you feel less exhausted during your workouts. Be patient because finding your rhythm and flow for controlled breathing can be challenging when first starting out.
Next thing to think about is your form when you are doing exercises. Along with your breathing, stretching and increasing your flexibility will really help move you forward in your workouts. It helps warm up your body and prepare you for what is ahead without using too much energy too soon. Additionally, remember that while you may feel more successful when you do many reps of each exercise, if you are not using the correct form when doing exercises such as squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. then you are not only hurting yourself, but you aren’t utilizing your energy efficiently to obtain maximum results. In order to use the correct form, go at a slower pace if necessary and modify or adjust exercises to fit your level and lifestyle. For example, do “girl” push-ups at first if you need to and work your way up to doing a normal push-up. I like to remind myself that when exercising, “quality” of correct form, trumps “quantity” of reps per exercise. Eventually, once you master your quality it will become second nature and you can then begin quality and quantity at the same time during your workouts! 😉
My last part for today, is to remember that rest time throughout your workout and at the end of your workout are as important as your actual workout! It is very important to stay hydrated when exercising, so I always have a water bottle alongside me. In order to refrain from stopping frequently to take drinks and rests (which also means a break in your heart rate), I have timed, controlled breaks to maintain a steady pace for myself. For example, I might give myself five 30 second breaks during a 45 minute workout, but do whatever works best based on your fitness goals and lifestyle. During your 30 second rests, remember not to take big gulps of water when you rest as this can lead to heavy breathing, using more energy. Instead, take several small sips when you take your 30 second rests to conserve your energy and give you additional energy to continue. Lastly, a great way to help yourself ease into your post-workout is to have a post-workout routine. Rather than ending a long run with sitting on the couch to return your heart rate back to its normal rate, walk for 3 minutes or have a stretching routine. This is important because you don’t want to stop a workout with your heart racing, but rather you want to steadily bring it back down. For example, I do crunches and hand weights to slowly allow my body to return to normal. Happy exercising2behealthy! 🙂
~jj
One thing about working out and exercising is that you need to find a way to motivate yourself during each workout and keep yourself motivated. We are all different so what works for me may not work for you, but I will share a few things that help keep me going and loving my workouts!
First, I love the challenge of a hard workout and I am a fierce competitor against myself. So, part of what motivates me is to try to beat my record from my previous week. For example, if I did 130 crunches last week then I want to do at least 131 crunches or more. Yes, I may only do one more, but that one extra crunch equals a win for me. Baby steps forward are a success, big or small. These steps, no matter what the size, count as successes and those successes motivate me to challenge myself to do better each week!
Next, I make sure to find music that speaks to me and my lifestyle. I challenge you to do the same! By this, I suggest finding lyrics (words) that truly dig deep and make you want to reach your fitness, nutrition, and wellness goals rather than simply listening to music with an upbeat tempo. This way when your workout gets tough, you can listen to those lyrics and words to help push you through your workout. For example, I love the lyrics of Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake music because I can relate to the words and emotions. This helps push me farther, makes me work harder, and dig even deeper during my workouts. I also tend to listen to music that provides a certain sensation or feeling. For example, I love the television series Alias and I often download music that I hear during Alias episodes. Then when I am working out and I hear a song from Alias, it brings me back to the episode and stunts that Jennifer Garner does during the show. For those who haven’t watched it, she plays a fierce and strong female spy, so basically she’s a badass! 😉
Lastly, consider finding an athlete that motivates and inspires you. I know that as an avid tennis lover and watcher, I love the athleticism of Andy Murray (the accent doesn’t hurt either) ;-). He appears in a new commercial where he is working out, so I often think of that commercial and use the motivation that he has to help me get through my workouts. Another workout commercial that I love is the Nike “I will run to you” commercial that frequented television screens about a year ago. It has to do with working out and it is fitting for my trail runs and outside workouts.
~jj
When you are running errands such as going to the grocery store, shopping at the mall, eating out, etc park as far away from the door as possible. Take the opportunity to get in some exercise without wasting the time of circling around the parking lot or waiting for a close parking spot! This allows you to get some walking in, and while it may not seem like very much, it is still a great way to get some extra steps in during the day. I also like to park in one lot and walk to all the places I need to go rather than re-parking each time when I have several places to go that are within walking distance of each other (i.e. strip mall, my grocery store is located next to Kohl’s). So next time you are making several stops, remember to get some exercise in too!
~jj
Don’t have extra time to hit the gym today? Don’t have time in general to ever be at a gym? Can’t afford a gym membership? Use your surroundings to your advantage and remember that exercising doesn’t have to mean paying for a gym membership! Have stairs at work or at home? Use them! Go up and down the stairs during breaks, to and from meetings, and over your lunch break to get some exercise! Go for a walk or jog outside after work or even during your lunch break! Can’t afford weights? Use canned goods or other food products to lift! Are you sick of using the treadmill and other exercise machines? Remember that there are a variety of “self-sufficient” exercises that can be done in the comfort of your own home, using your own body weight, and don’t cost a dime! Jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, mountain climbers to name a few!
Using your surroundings is an efficient way to fit in some exercise during your day. I find that doing these “self-sufficient” exercises (jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, mountain climbers, etc) are great because I use my own body weight and natural surroundings. For me,”self-sufficient” exercises are the best workout because of the variety and flexibility that they provide. I can do a different variety of exercises each day without getting bored, can do them inside or outside, at home or away from home, and the workout can be long or short. It is a very convenient exercise routine because I can workout anywhere easily without an excuse. Further, I have found that using my own body weight is easy, fun, and has proven to be better because machines were hard on my joints. Hence, next time you think you don’t have the time or money for a workout, try using your own body weight and surroundings to get ahead!
~jj
One thing I always like to do is set goals for myself whether it be in my personal life, fitness/exercise life, career life, etc. These goals can be daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly goals. I like setting goals because they are a great way to push me forward, provide a stronger purpose during my workouts, and give me something to strive for. So, today’s tip is to make sure to set fitness, nutrition, and wellness goals. You might be asking yourself, what is the difference between a fitness goal, nutrition goal, and wellness goal? A fitness goal might be walking for 45 minutes 3 times a week. A nutrition goal might be to eat at least 5 fruits and veggies each day. Lastly, a wellness goal might be to sit and relax for at least 15 minutes a day to allow your mind and body to unwind and de-stress.
Typically, I like to take it a step further by setting objectives within my goals to help challenge myself even more. For example, my fitness goal might be to workout five days a week. Within that goal, I may make several small objectives, such as doing a 25 minute trail run on one of those five days. That 25 minute trail run will then help set an objective for the following week. Since I did a 25 minute trail run on week 1, the following week (week 2) I will make my objective be a trail run of at least 25 minutes (equal to or longer than week 1).
While making fitness, nutrition, and wellness goals for yourself are important, it is equally as important to maintain commitment to your goals. One way to help ensure commitment to your goals is to write them down so that you can visit them often. Consider buying a small notebook or calendar that will encourage you to do this. You can even include fitness quotes and motivational tips within the notebook or on the calendar as I often do. This will help you be accountable and allow you to keep track of your progress. Using the above example, you might write down next to week 1 that the 25 minute trail run objective was met and write the distance you ran. Then, the following week when you reach the objective of running at least equal to that 25 minute run or longer you can write down the number of minutes as well as the distance to see how you improve over time.
In closing, remember that it is important to reward yourself with something small (fitness, nutrition, or wellness related would be most appropriate and beneficial) once you reach a goal that you have set for yourself. I like rewarding myself with a new sports bra, ice cream with fresh fruit on it, or even a few pieces of dark chocolate. Be sure to find something that will really motivate you and encourage you to reach your fitness, nutrition, and wellness goals. In other words, put something big on the line!
~jj