Body & Mind

For Your BODY:

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Fall 2022 Workout Pic!

The husband and wife in the video each loss 60 pounds using this workout program

Even if you workout at the gym, there will be days you simply can’t get there. However, it you’re serious about wellness, that’s no excuse for not exercising. So keep a few at home workouts in your portfolio; just in case. I tried this cardio workout and it’s no joke! Beginner?! Yeah right!

Take it slow and go at your own pace. Major perk for working out at home is there’s nobody to impress but yourself😊 -K-

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Milt Sharp, cyclist, social entrepreneur

Foam Rolling Hurts So Good!

Did you know that well documented clinical research has concluded 70 to 85% of all pain is believed to come from little, tiny knots in the muscles clinically known as trigger points? The sad thing is that not many doctors understand that these muscle knots or trigger points can be the root cause of their patient’s pain problems. Unfortunately for many, our instinct is to run to the doctor or reach for medication every time something hurts or bothers us.  If 70 to 85% of all pain is a result of these muscle knots or trigger points, then it is safe to say that finding them and fixing them are what you’ll need to do to be free of pain. The good thing is that the pain caused by these trigger points can be relatively easy to fix.  The power to get rid of trigger points is in your hands so finding and releasing your trigger points can save you from a lot of pain and suffering and help you once again enjoy a pain free life.

First, there are things that can be done by you to get rid of a trigger point. Some if not most can be fixed by applying pressure directly on the muscle until it goes away. This is muscle compression. What are the benefits of muscle compression you ask? There are several. Muscle compression warms up the muscles. Muscle compression is also beneficial to restoring muscle function. It helps to increase range of motion thereby increasing blood flow and improving nutrition to the muscles and other tissues. Muscle compression helps muscles recover their elasticity and range of motion. According to a study published in the journal of strength and conditioning research just two minutes of foam rolling increases your muscles range of motion by up to 10%.

So how do you get started? Foam rollers are an excellent tool for anyone who works out and even those who are inactive can see benefits. Foam rolling exercises can help relax muscles that may have become tight from sitting at a desk all day. Foam rolling is also helpful in breaking down scar tissue and maintaining normal muscle length. In the beginning, if you’re new to foam rolling, go lightly. It can be a little bit uncomfortable at first, especially when you roll over tight muscles. If you find an area that is painful decrease the pressure slightly by taking some of your weight off the foam roller. The best time to foam roll is when your muscles are warmed up. This is typically after a quick warm up before you start exercise or after a workout. Again, you don’t have to be “active” to see the benefits. A quick session in the morning or at the end of the day will do wonders. Aim for 3 to 5 minutes on each body part. Roll slowly and pause over the sore areas for 8-10 seconds and then continue rolling. If you can find 10 minutes of your day three times a week, you’ll notice a marked improvement in your range of motion as well as reduced pain. Foam rolling can feel like torture but over time if you stick with it, you’ll come to love it and see its benefits as an essential part of your self-care routine.

Hopefully you have found this information interesting enough to begin your own research! To further help you on the journey, I will be sharing a detailed full body foam rolling routine in my next blog post. You don’t want to miss it, so be sure to follow and come back for part II!

 -Milt-

Portion Control is Everything!

Portion control or a lack thereof, is one of the top destroyers of any weight loss plan. Serving your plate from a huge pot of whatever you cooked, is risky business. Especially, if it’s something that turned out super good! It can be really hard not to go back for a second helping; maybe even a third.  Meal prep eliminates the option of going back for more. It’s worked really well for us at our house. I highly recommend giving it a try for at least a month.  I try to cook healthy and meal prep for two, max three days at a time. That equates to my having to cook about three times a week.  Here are two turkey meatloaf dinners I recently made that turned out great!

-K-

6 Habits I GAVE UP to Lose 100 Pounds While Busy AF | STOP Binge Eating,...

Community SHARE - Elderberry Syrup
There are lots of lessons learned from the pandemic. Most might agree that one of them has been we all need to be more mindful about HEALTH and keeping our immune systems as strong as possible! Like you, I know people who, so far, have opted not to get the vaccine. Some have instead focused their attention on avoiding a positive test by ensuring their immune system is as strong and healthy as possible. To be clear, I’m fully vaccinated and a proponent of everyone doing the same. Still struggle to understand why some people resist. However, we must all learn to respect each other’s right to choose. Nevertheless, I thought it was worth sharing this discovery I made in the quest to strengthen my immunity. 

We were first introduced to elderberry syrup when Rich, who was fully vaccinated, received a positive test. We think it was due to contractors we had working in the house. When that happened, it was recommended that we begin taking it daily along with zinc and concentrated Vitamin C (3000mg).

While it’s certainly not a tested preventative against Covid, I do like the feeling that I’m doing something good for my body. There have also been a couple of times when I felt like I might be coming down with something and took a shot of elderberry (the shot cup comes with it) and within a couple of hours the symptoms had subsided. We don’t necessarily take it everyday anymore, but typically I take a dose a few times a week. This stuff is sold everywhere including grocery pharmacies and CVS.

I’m obviously not a doctor but, friend to friend, I thought I would share because we can all use as many tools as we can find on the journey to living healthy!

-K-

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Any information or comments presented represent my opinion and suggestions only.

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For Your MIND:

Tenille Ademiluyi

mental health therapist, LMSW

Two Strategies for Coping With Anxiety

Deep Breathing: 

Take a moment to get comfortable, preferably sitting upright and close your eyes. Take a deep cleansing breath in through your nose to the count of three. Notice your chest expand as you inhale. Exhale through your mouth to the count of three. Notice your chest collapse. Repeat this 5-10 times. Deep breathing is a signal to your brain that you are safe, and the body does not need to prepare to fight or flee.

Body Scan: (wet noodle)

In any position, mentally scan your body for any tight muscles. Starting at the top, notice if there are any tight muscles in your face. Is your brow furrowed? Are you clenching your jaw? Release those muscles and move down to the next part of your body. Notice your back, torso arms and legs. Intentionally release any muscles you were unconsciously tightening. At the end of this exercise (1-3 minutes) imagine your body as a wet noodle, completely limp. Like deep breathing, this exercise sends the message to your brain that you are safe.

For a demonstration of this techniques and many more, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEOEJXMt8Fg

Pay attention to how often you hold your muscles tightly as a result of a perceived threat.  Do you clench your jaw in traffic or tense your shoulders before a meeting?  Muscle tension is a signal that you are perceiving your situation as threatening. Your sympathetic nervous system is likely firing in these scenarios. Try one or both of these strategies the next time you feel yourself becoming anxious.

-Tenille-

tademiluyi@protonmail.com

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At my last job, senior managers were required to participate in training that went deep on Brene Brown. Especially, her concepts on the value of vulnerability. In this piece she discusses how to get your mind right to face the day. -K-

Body/Mind question(s):

What has been your biggest weight loss challenge? What’s working to help you overcome it?

(comment below)

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