“This is where I shine”

When you are in the middle of a workout and it starts to get hard, what do you do?

1. Say, “Well, I guess I’ve reached my limit today,” and stop

2. Ask yourself, “Why is this so hard for me? I’m in terrible shape. Why do I even try?”

3. Tell yourself, “Bring it on. This is where I SHINE and when it counts the most!”

Here’s another example: 

Over the past few days, you’ve been swapping out your not-so-healthy snack with healthier choices. Suddenly you are hit with a MAJOR craving for cookies — but you’re not even that hungry. What do you do?

1. Say, “I’m just going to eat the cookies anyway because life is short and who cares.” 

2. Ask yourself, “Why I am so weak? There must be something wrong with me to get all of these cravings.”

3. Tell yourself, “I’ve got this! This is a chance to show my old cookie habit who the real boss is around here!”

Here’s a sneaky secret about both of those scenarios that very few coaches are willing to talk about.

Making changes – even healthy changes — can be HARD sometimes. 

It’s because you’re moving out of your comfort zone … which is a good thing!

“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ― Roy T. Bennett

It’s a sign you’re making REAL progress. Not just physically, but also mentally.

And things WILL get easier. And easier. And easier.

And soon you won’t even have to think about it that much … because it’ll become a HABIT.

Do this next time you’re in front of the TV

I’ve got a feel-good post for you today …

…. because it’s packed with THREE stretches that will open up your hips from every direction!

These all feel GREAT while you’re doing them, and they’re perfect for the next time you’re watching TV or want to unwind after work.

Before we dive in, here’s the deal with your hips: they can get tight either by being active (running, biking, etc.) or inactive (sitting or standing in one place).

And that tightness can set you up for a chain reaction of pain and/or discomfort:

• Sore knees

• Low back pain

• Sore glutes

• Pain and shuffling when you get up and walk

If you experience any of these, you’re going to LOVE these stretches…

1. Kneeling Lunge Hip Flexor Stretch

Get into a half-kneeling position on the floor. Your left knee should be on the floor, with your right leg in front of you, knee bent at a 90-degree angle, and right foot on the floor.

Tuck your pelvis slightly to keep your spine aligned as you feel the stretch in your hip flexor. Hold for 5-10 seconds, relax your hips, and repeat for a total of 10 reps. 

Next, target your inner thigh by moving your right leg out to the side so that your right foot is pointed slightly toward the side wall. Gently let your body sink toward your knee, and hold for 15-30 seconds, then return to the starting position. 

Repeat on the other side.

2. Leg Crossover Stretch

Lie on your back on the floor, your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Your arms should be stretched straight out to your sides from your shoulders, palms facing up.

Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back from your ears and try to hold that position during this stretch.

Cross your left leg over your right, with your left ankle on your right knee. Gently press your left knee away from your body to increase the stretch.

Now, slowly drop your knees to your right, so that your left foot rests on the floor, trying not to arch your back. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

3. Seated Butterfly Stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs folded in front of you. Sit tall, and brace your abs to keep your spine stable.

Tip forward from your hips, lowering your elbows so they rest on your inner thighs to press your legs toward the floor.

Keep your spine and neck aligned (don’t round them forward). Hold for 15-30 seconds and return to the starting position.

Try doing those exercises as a circuit, and repeat 2-3 times through. Your hips (and core!) will thank you.

How to know if your core is weak

Want an easy way to test your core strength and endurance? Let’s do it! 

Proper form is EVERYTHING in this test, so before you start, make sure you know how to get into (and hold!) a perfect plank position.

You can get a form check from an experienced coach who can walk you through it, but a DIY way is to set up a video camera before you do the test so that you can see your form yourself.

Your only goal? Hold your perfect plank as long as possible.

Here are the details:

Get into a forearm plank position so your upper body weight is supported by your elbows and your legs by your toes.

You can get into this position by lying on the floor on your stomach, and then pushing your body up so that your elbows are on the floor below your shoulders, and your forearms are extending straight out in front of you (hands not touching).

Your hips should be off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels – your face should be looking toward the floor.

As soon as you get into this position, start a timer, and hold your plank as long as you can with good form. Don’t let your hips rise or fall, or your shoulders hunch or sag. Also, be sure to breathe!

Your test is done when your form starts to suffer.

Here are the scores:

• Less than 15 seconds – Very Poor

• 15-30 seconds – Poor

• 30-60 seconds – Below average

• 1-2 minutes – Average

• 2-4 minutes – Above Average

• 4-6 minutes – Very good 

• Longer than 6 minutes – Excellent/Elite 

How did you do? 

Ready to ramp up your core strength without wondering if you’re doing it the most effective way? Book a leave a comment to see how personalized coaching can help you stay active and energized well into your 80s, 90s, and beyond!

Also, I have a great core strong guide out for the month of March -- snag yours for FREE here: Core Strong.

Oh, and let me know how you made out on the plank test

The boring truth about health & fitness

You know those nights when you crawl into bed feeling exhausted — and you realize your sheets are clean and fresh out of the laundry?

Your bed feels SO cozy and comfy. But it doesn’t just feel good… it also makes it easier to get a good night of sleep! 

It’s one of life’s little pleasures…

… all made possible thanks to a boring habit.

Seriously, how many people wake up saying: “Woohoo! I get to change my sheets today!”?

(Answer: Very few. ;-)) 

But we do it anyway because of the payoff.

The irony is that almost every small pleasure in life — and every success! — is built on a foundation of everyday habits. And a lot of those habits are (yes I’ll say it) boring. 

Those habits affect

• Your health

• Your fitness level

• Your skills

• Even your relationships & retirement account!

There’s nothing sexy about the process — it’s just a matter of continually making good choices, and showing up and doing the work. 

• Choosing to eat healthy foods (even when you don’t want to)

• Choosing to exercise regularly (especially when you don’t want to)

• Choosing to keep trying a new skill until we master it (even when you don’t feel like it)

 

The payoffs are definitely WORTH IT.

But there’s something else you need to know.

There’s another habit a lot of people develop in life: the need for instant gratification (wanting what we want, when we want it — right now).

Overcoming that habit means learning a new skill: delayed gratification. 

You can learn it like you learn every other skill in life (driving, playing an instrument, cooking, writing):

You practice it… one day at a time.

So,

What’s ONE habit can you practice — starting today — that will help you move the needle toward a healthier & fitter body?

Leave a comment and let me know. 

Meal prep time savers

You know that feeling when you have a project hanging over your head and you just can’t get it started…

But once you get it going, you wonder why you dreaded it so much?

Meal prepping can feel that exact same way! 

The thing is, once you get started, it can save you SO much time, money, and stress.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a quick list of meal prep time & money savers for you. Ready for them?

6 Meal Prep Time & Money Saving Tips:

1. Keep it simple. Don’t expect to become a meal prep pro overnight.
   Pick ONE meal that gives you the most stress – like lunch – and start making those meals ahead of time. Once you get into a routine with lunch, you can branch out into other meals.

2. Double up on your meals. I’ve mentioned this one before but that’s because it’s so easy. Just make extra when you cook dinner! It can easily turn into tomorrow’s lunch or dinner.

3. Have a game plan. If you are planning to cook a few different dishes at the same time, read all of the recipes through, create a plan, and do as much chopping/rinsing/pre-prep ahead of time as possible.
   
   This will help keep you organized, allow you to clean up as you go (a huge time-saver), AND chances are… you’ll actually enjoy making your meal!
   
   

4. Cook up bigger batches of protein-rich foods. This saves time and money. Think about it: it takes just as long to cook up 2 lbs worth of turkey burgers as it does 1 lb, and buying in bulk usually results in a lower per-pound/gram cost!
   
   

5. Use your rice cooker and/or slow cooker. Both are inexpensive “set it and forget it” cookers that will save time and effort – and they both make delicious food!
   
   

6. Make it fun. Listen to your favorite music or podcast, or download an audiobook to keep you company while you get busy in the kitchen.

Those tips should help make your next meal prep session a breeze. 

Have questions about your health/fitness goals? Grab a time on my calendar to chat for just 15 minutes so I can walk you through our step-by-step approach and answer any questions in real time. Set up a time here: Initial consultation.

Do you REALLY need 10k daily steps?

Have you taken a walk today? If not, you may want to pay close attention to this.

You might have heard that 10,000 steps is a MUST for optimal health…

But new research shows that only 8,200 steps is enough to protect you from some of the most common chronic diseases! 

In a recent 4-year review of over 6,000 FitBit users in the “All of Us” medical project, researchers found that just 8,200 steps can protect you against:

• Obesity

• Sleep Apnea

• Heartburn & Reflux

• Major Depression Disorder

That’s just 4 miles or 6.4 km per day.

Not only that, but researchers said the risk for most health problems continued to go down as the number of daily steps went up past the 8,200 mark.

What’s more, they also found that overweight people can cut their risk of obesity by 64% if they boost their daily step count from 6,000 to 11,000! 🤯

That’s a pretty good incentive to get out and walk, right?

Almost everyone struggles with this…

Can I let you in on a not-so-secret secret? 

Almost everyone struggles with sticking to a healthy diet from time to time.

Yes, even me.

In fact, it seems like every week, a client (or potential client) confesses that it’s their #1 issue getting in the way of their health goals.

That’s why this month I’ll be sharing a lot of time-tested tips to make eating a healthy diet easier. Sound good? Good!

The thing is, what you eat matters a lot…

And, your eating habits can:

• Help you live longer

• Boost your immunity

• Help you reach & maintain a healthy weight

• Support your muscles and bones

• Keep your skin, teeth, and eyes healthy

• Lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers

• Help your digestive system do its job

• Support healthy pregnancies & breastfeeding

Not to mention give you more energy, cut down on aches & pains, help you sleep better, and improve your workout performance and recovery. Pretty amazing.

Here’s an easy tip to get you started:

Every time you make dinner, make extra! This way you have leftovers ready and waiting for you for lunch or tomorrow night’s dinner.

So instead of cooking up a pound of ground turkey for tonight’s tacos, double it.

Yes, it really can be that simple — and that is why it works so well.

Let me know how it works in the comments below!