Tag Archives: challenge

Tuesday Challenge

The Power of the Tongue: Are You up for a Challenge Today?

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We all have been in a place where we wish we could take back our words.  We also have been in a place where our words have really built someone up.

The power of our words is incredible.  They have study after study that shows the impact of our words in our lives.  Not only that, but it is ALL over the bible.

It says in Proverbs 18 that DEATH and LIFE are in the power of the tongue.

What comes out of our mouths?  Do our words uplift, or do tear down?

Do our words build bridges, or do they build walls?

Our words affect all around us, and in the book Hung by the Tongue, it talks about when we speak negatively, it’s like walking down the street with a hole in a feather pillow.  The feathers are strewn everywhere, blowing every which way, and once they’re out of the pillow, they are hard to collect again and put back in place.  Can you relate to that analogy?  I know I can!

So today, my challenge to you is this:  let what comes out of your mouth be LIFE-BREATHING, UPLIFTING, and ENCOURAGING.  A book I once read by Dale Carnegie says no criticizing, condemning or complaining is allowed if you want people to like being around you or if you’d like to influence people for good.  I affectionately call this the CCC’s.

Challenge:  Can you go about your day today without CCCing?  When you are tempted to CCC, replace it with something that encourages, shows gratitude, or edifies.  Now when you CCC in your mind (cuz we all know our mouths and minds are connected!), replace the thought with something positive, life-breathing.  Okay?

**Let me tell you, I’ve done this for years, and today the FIRST words out of my mouth were a failure!  So I asked for forgivness, and thank God for mulligans.  So don’t be discouraged if it’s tough to accomplish.  Any great journey is worth pursuing, especially when it’s difficult.  Are you up to the challenge?  Let it be said of you that you are positive, encouraging, and uplifting.  Watch this create joy in you and the people around you!

Now go get ‘em!

 

Healthy Resources: A Recipe a Day, A Challenge Worth Your Time, and AMAZING Exercises

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Hi all!  Today is filled with great resources.  I’d like to share some great tools I use for staying healthy.

We’ve been on a hiatus since the challenge.  I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July!

For a recipe a day, I subscribe to sparkrecipes.com.  They email me one healthy recipe a day.  Most are very simple, and it’s a great way to try new, healthy recipes.

30-day challenge.  Currently, I am in an “improve your wifey skills” challenge.  It’s 30 days, and it’s awesome.  If you aren’t a wife, if you aren’t a woman, there are other challenges you can do.  Other challenges in which you can embark:  TV-free! (say yes!),  Pray for your pastor, gratitude challenge, encourage your wife, just to name a few.  Click on 30 DAY CHALLENGE, and they will pop up.  I am doing the “Husband Encouragement Challenge.”  It has been seriously great.  Thanks, Katy, for the idea.  reviveourhearts.com  Pick one and GO FOR IT! (like the woman above is saying)

For good exercises, there are a TON out there, but I like to use the Nike Training Club.  I don’t have an iPhone (I know!), so I just use them from my computer.  You can choose levels of fitness:  beginner, intermediate, advanced.  You can choose to get toned, strong, lean, focused.  There are great mini-videos on moves, as well as music.  And it’s free!  http://www.nike.com/nikewomen/features/ntc?locale=en_US

or you can get it on iTunes.  Nike Training Club App.  I am pretty sure it’s just for iPhones though.  90% of my moves I get from this one!  So the secret’s out!  You will be in love, I promise.

That’s it for now!

Day 5 – Get Flexible!

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Ok, let’s get down to business. We know from my previous lecture that flexibility supports overall health, prevents injury, and promotes longevity.  we know we feel great when we have long muscles.  But we still don’t take the time.  Here are a few stretches for muscle groups that are (in my mind) the most commonly a source of problems.  Hopefully you can find time throughout the day to squeeze in a stretch or two!   Let me know what you think!  If you like them, we’ll include more going forward!

When to stretch?

Don’t stretch cold muscles.  for flexibility, it is best to get them warm first.  That means (you guessed it) AFTER you workout…at least after a decent warmup.  If nothing else, you can do a light jog to get the blood flowing.

Our disclaimer:

Not everything we suggest here is for everyone.  Please consult your doctor before starting any exercises, and listen to your body.  If you feel sharp pain immediately discontinue.  Stretches should be to ‘the edge of discomfort’ and will take time.  Rushing through or forcing a stretch will have the opposite effect,and cause injury.  Please soften your joints, never lock them, and look for the ‘stretch reflex’ a point at which you should back off a stretch…when your muscles begin to shake, engaging to protect themselves from damage.  This sounds scary, but if you exercise common sense along with the muscles, you should be just fine!

public enemy #1: tight hamstrings.

Tight hamstrings are the source of back pain and fatigue, and can cause poor lifting technique by reducing your range of motion. One of my favorite stretches for lengthening hamstrings is gorilla pose.

  • start with your feet together (or a few inches apart for added stability).
  • Bend your knees REALLY BIG and bring your chest to your thighs.  (and i mean totally heavy on your thighs!)  hands come to the floor.
  • Tuck your chin, eyes look to your shins, top of your head to the floor.
  • Now begin to straighten your legs,  drawing your tailbone to the ceiling BUT keep your chest totally sealed to your thighs.  (this will force the stretch into the hamstrings group and away from the back)
  • I have tucked my hands under my toes for a little extra ‘oomph’.

why not Flat Back?

This may look familiar, but it has some specifics that make it really great for tight hamstrings.

  • Draw your body into a forward fold, bend your knees, and hang in the same way that you set up for gorilla.
  • Place your hands on shins, lengthen arms,  inhale breath into your spine…lengthen your head away from your hips.  make sure you are looking at the floor.
  • Draw your tailbone away from your feet, up towards the ceiling – feel the stretch!
  • you can adapt this if you like – support your body on a table or counter while in a forward bend. the important part is to draw your tailbone up!

#2 on my posture hit parade: a good chest stretch.

you know how we all sit hunched over our steering wheels/computers/cell phones/bikes?  well, our lovely chest muscles just get shorter and shorter…and without attention, we start to slouch.  this can snowball into neck pain, headaches…well you get the idea.  So let’s start with…Bridge Pose.

  • Begin on your back, feet flat, knees in alignment. (please note that in the pic my feet should be closer!! whoopsie!)
  • peel your spine off the floor, squeeze your butt.  now, squeeze your butt MORE!!
  • create an arc from your knees to your shoulders. (you may need to have a partner tell you if you are getting high enough in your hips)
  • Walk your shoulders underneath your back, clasp your hands – palms together, and press through your arms all the way to your pinkies.  now, really focus on releasing through your chest.
  • OH!  don’t let your hips drop!! squeeze the boo-tay!

Alternate chest stretch: on the stability ball.

  • sit on the ball, feet hip distance  for stability.
  • walk your feet away from the ball, drawing it to your back.
  • Allow your arms to open up to the side.
  • gently release your neck, supporting your head with the ball.
  • keep squeezing your butt to protect your back.

#3 The hot mess: Hips/IT band

In general, we all need to loosen our hips.  (a totally predictable comment made by folks who peer longingly into Zumba classes: “I can’t move like that”.)  truth is, it’s all about specificity: if you DO it, you get BETTER at it.  If you’re still not quite ready to make the step into dance class, the following stretches will help you get more limber while you build your confidence!

IT band stretch (especially great for athletes!!)

* you’ll need a towel, strap, or dynaband for this exercise.  don’t worry about getting too fancy: i am using a cut-up t-shirt.

  • lie down on your back, legs extended flat on the floor.
  • bend your knee, draw your right leg in, and hook your strap (or whatever) over your right foot.  Flex your foot.
  • Place the strap in your left hand, extend your right arm away from your body for balance
  • lengthen your leg (leave a slight bend if needed) and gently draw your leg across your body.  ZOWIE!  do you feel tight from your knee to your hip?  that, my friend, is your IT band.  love it, be gentle, treat with care.
  • When you are done, bend your knee, draw it to your chest, and gently release.  Then repeat on the other side.

Awesome hip stretch for all levels!

good posture  :)                                                       bad posture :(

  • Feet on the ground, knees bent.  Palms facing behind you, arms & neck long.
  • Lift up your butt.  pick up your left leg, cross ankle over your right knee, and FLEX YOUR FOOT. (safety first!) Now lower your butt to the ground.  pull your shoulder blades together (sneaky bonus chest stretch!)
  • Draw your chest towards your shin.  Press your left knee away from you – you should feel this in your hip!
  •  if your posture is kinda cruddy, move your legs further from your butt.  if you need a little more (and your posture is great) walk your foot in closer!

more hips + inner thighs: Hindi Squat

  • Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. (you may need to make adjustments as you work this pose.)
  • Drop your butt down, and as you do. hands in prayer position, draw your elbows on the inside of your knees.
  • use your shoulders to power through your arms and maintain an inner thigh stretch.
  • It is important to work your hips down, shoulders back, spine tall, and knees toward pinky toes.

That’s all for now – please note that you should NEVER EVER do these stretches or any yoga with your bare skin on a dilapidated deck. I was alone, in a rush to get these pics done, and realized that my mats were in in the other car!  I soldiered on, but spent about 30 minutes pulling rotten splinters from toes, hands, and shins.  :(   no fun.  Also, not having a safe spot kept me from achieving great posture n many cases – so i really can’t overstate the importance of an awesome mat!  Mine are from LuluLemon…and i love them!

What spots do you need help limbering up??

stretching: the brussels sprouts of fitness.

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Stretching just isn’t very romantic.

I find that to be really interesting, because being flexible is captivating.   (at least to me it is!) Look at this woman’s poise and strength!

When I lift, i get the shaky, exhausted, ‘man- i-just-worked-hard’ feeling.  plus the reward of being a little bit sore so i can manage to slip into casual conversation that i am sore from lifting…implying my studliness.  If i do a great cardio workout, i am all sweaty and stinky.  EVERYONE knows I worked my butt off.  But stretching?  I can barely maintain focus long enough to make actual headway (i can’t tell you how many people i see texting in the stretching area at Gold’s -  they get halfway into a stretch and then check email.)  I can’t blame them.  especially when I stretch after a workout, i am tired!  stretch becomes nap – or at least just spacing out.  So eventually, when i am in a rush, i skip my stretching.

Well, today we’re going to discuss this necessary yet elusive discipline.  Best times to stretch, how to get optimum results, and a few stretches for common tight muscles.

first off, my mini lecture…(try to contain your joy)

when you think of your fitness plan, imagine a triangle.  The three sides are cardio, resistance, and flexibility.  All three pieces need to be part of a well designed fitness plan. We’ll go into greater depth on this later…but for today, let’s talk about the one side we most often leave out. There are so many great ways to incorporate flexibility, it’s really about finding what works for you.

Flexibility is defined as the ability to move one’s joints and muscles through their full range of motion.  One would think that staying fairly active would keep us flexible enough, but that is not true.  Repetitive motion can actually hinder flexibility. Other things that work against us are being sedentary, poor weight lifting technique, and muscle imbalances.

Repetitive motion and muscle imbalances are huge issues and can be linked.  If you are a person who self identifies with a specific type of exercise (for example, if you are a runner), you will have muscles developed for that sport.  But for optimal function in your body, you need your opposing muscle group to be equally developed and supple.  Think triceps and biceps for a moment.  If one muscle group is grows, the opposite muscle group will lengthen.

Check out the bicep on the left.  as the muscle engages to flex the elbow, the opposing muscle group (triceps, running along the back of the arm) will lengthen to allow the movement.  The opposite is also true.  as the triceps engage (and shorten) to extend the elbow, the biceps must lengthen to allow the movement.  So you can see if there’s a muscle imbalance, it would prohibit the opposing group from it’s range of motion, eventually causing the muscles to be less flexible, having a smaller range of motion.

Tight, inflexible muscles can lead to knee pain, poor posture, and injury.  In later years, your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion can lead to balance issues, which is very dangerous. Start today for your best overall health!

have i talked you into including stretches in your routine? i hope so!!  want specifics?  try these!

Day One: Fitness at a Glance

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Heyoo!  I am so glad you’ve decided to join us!  This is an endeavor to get healthier, more informed, and to try NEW things to create good change for the next few weeks. 

So what are your goals?  What do you want to see changed?  How do you want your life improved?  These are things to keep in mind to GET MOTIVATED!  Write them down, post them on your mirror, in your car, keep them close. :)   You can do ANYTHING you put your mind to.

This week will be packed with ideas to get FITTER!  It’s about getting active!  **Please know that these are only suggestions for you.  You can always hire a personal trainer to help you too! :)   We (Camille and I), have a heart to help people, and we would LOVE to hear how we can help you.  Give us feedback! 

Let’s talk about lifting weights and cardio.  You should be doing both, and how much of each really depends on your goals.  (This is where a trainer or doc can come in!)  Generally speaking, you should lift 2-3 times a week, and do cardio 4-5 times a week.  Each should be 20-40 minutes, again depending on your goals and time you have each day.

Weights:  I am going to structure the lifting moves into 3 sets of 12-15.  The last set of 15 should be HARD TO FINISH!  If it’s not, add more weight.  It will NOT get you bulky! :)   This will help create change in each muscle group.

Cardio:  When you do a “cardio” (short for cardiovascular which means heart and blood) activity, you are working your heart and lungs, along with all other systems and structures within your body.  You should sweat!!  You can alternate between steady cardio–being able to chat with a friend, and higher aerobic cardio, ie. intervals–feeling breathless at times.   

Let us know if you have any questions so far. 

BEFORE I post a workout, let me ask you something:  How would you do if you had to cut out sugar from your diet?  Are you shrieking?!  No, I’m not asking you to do that, but I am just challenging you to be aware of the sugar you take in.  Remember, 4g=One teaspoon of sugar.  A cup of that ‘healthy’ yogurt or juice has 18+grams!  Check out the soda below.  Could you cut out sugar for one meal a day?  Yeah?

Sorry--I had to! This website is eye-opening!

This week while we endeavor to BE ACTIVE, just be aware of what you are eating.  Use the recipes we’ve posted so far to try!  We’ll get more specific about what to eat week 3, so in the meantime, be aware of your sugar. :)

I’m posting some LEG exercises later today! :)   Let’s giddyup! 

Remember, small steps add up, and before you know it, you’ll be @ the top of your mountain! 

Don’t forget to subscribe!  We have some GOOD giveaways!

Re-June-vinate: It’s a Get Healthy Challenge

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It’s a 3 week “challenge.”  Decide what you want changed in your life, and then go for it! 

From the start line:

On your mark, get set….

 This mini-challenge will run 3 weeks.  Each weekday we’ll give you tips on how to live a healthier life.  It takes 3 weeks to make or break a habit.  So here we are. :)   And here are some tips to keep in mind. 

In order to create change in your life:

1.  Start with baby steps!  We are talking about lifestyle changes!  You can’t sprint for the rest of your life.  I see so many people who start out these types of challenges sprinting–meaning working out 3 hours a day, not eating enough food, and trying to “lose weight” fast.  Keep your enthusiasm, BUT, incorporate things a bit at time.  Try new things, but remember, it’s about keeping a balance here. 

2.  You have to sweat.  You have to get your heart rate up so you’re a bit breathless.  A.K.A. cardio.  And your muscles might get tired.  I’m not saying you’ll be in pain, BUT, you do need to push your body to create change.  It improves your heart and lungs’ functions, among MANY other benefits. 

3.  You have to do some resistance training.  It will not get you looking like Arnold.  But to create a strong, healthy body, you need to create resistance so your muscles improve function.  This also helps protects your body, helps sustain you, and you will be able to move better! 

4.  It’s all about what you eat!  Seriously!  Okay, it’s at LEAST 75% of your success in being physically healthy.  For the first couple of weeks, use the recipes already posted to eat balanced.  Remember, think “low to the ground’.”  If you can pluck it, pick it, grow it, it is probably healthy for you, and meant for you to eat.  More details on this in the coming weeks.

5.  Being mentally and spiritually healthy is the other side of the coin.  You can be fit as a fiddle, yet unhealthy spiritually, which means you’re unhealthy emotionally, too.  And what’s the point of life then?  That is the true meaning of empty!  We want to be full of SUBSTANCE!!  We want to live a life that leaves an impact on people!  So we’ll give you tips to stay grounded in the ride we call “life!” 

Now that you’re still reading, here’s the good part.  Subscribe to this blog to get the latest updates sent to you, and we’re having a giveaway!!  I’ll let you know what it is soon. :)

All right!  Fitness ideas start tomorrow! :)