Why do YOU workout? Is it to lose weight? To be healthy? Is it just a healthy hobby that you have?
Personally, I use fitness to be healthy, not to lose weight, but to have my body in the best possible shape and condition that I can. I also use it as an outlet to de-stress at the end of the day when I could really use some me time, some time just to work on myself and clear my mind of any chaos from the day.
Right now, I'm doing Body Beast and let me tell you, it's intense weight training, more intense than I'm used to. Weights that I could lift with ease in other programs have suddenly become heavier and I really feel the burn. and no, it's not because I've been on a fitness hiatus.
I gauge my fitness level and strength my different postures that I can hold and for how long I can hold them. Plus, I gauge progress by how much I'm able to lift.
I have been determined to master the crow. Some yogis may feel, "wow! piece of cake!" But I haven't had enough upper body strength (until now) to hold it for too long without falling flat on my face! Last week, I was able to do the crow and hold the pose for about 2 minutes. Which was huge for me! I didn't fall on my face, I merely let myself down out the pose, just because I didn't want to get overconfident and end up with a broken nose!
Every day is a new opportunity and a new accomplishment in my fitness journey. I will continue to get stronger, more confident in myself and in my abilities, and to be a healthy example for my child.
Have a wonderful day!
Last night, my body was telling me to rest. After an exhausting work week, I settled to bed around 930pm, and my daughter didn't call out to me until 730 this morning (which is rare, she's usually up before 630). Today, even though in bed for those extra hours, during the work week I'm up at 530 and to bed around 1130, I am still feeling super tired today! They say, "the more sleep that you get, the more that you want" right?
How can we make sure that we are getting the most restful night's sleep? Here's my top 5 tips for a better night's rest.
1. Keep the electronics out of the room. I tend to have 2 cell phones at my bedside every night. My personal phone, which I use for the alarm, and my work phone. I tend to find it hard to refrain from not looking at a phone before bed.
2. Watch what you eat and drink before bed time. Avoid large meals, alcohol and stimulating drinks before bed to help your body relax. Opt for tea.
3. Make sure it's dark. A dark room helps the body recognize that it's time to sleep and helps the production of Melatonin to make the body tired and it helps to regulate sleep patterns.
4. Regular exercise helps for a more restful sleep.
5. Routine. I am very much a creature of habit. I like routine, I like structure. The same routine night after night will make the body recognize that it's time for sleep. Give yourself time to wind down, a warm bath, a good book, soft music.
Make sure to relax! Happy sleeping
