Tag: Fitness

My Monday Workout “Upbeat Strength”

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This workout is one of many of this amazing program I’m currently doing. “Morning Meltdown 100”, which means 100 workouts.  Upbeat strength required light, medium weights so I decided on 10’s and 20’s.  Okay this workout is slow, then fast , and there are combined workout and normally 20’s combined (40) is medium weight but we are working out to music and the beat gets you moving but it is not the same.  These 20’s felt like 50 lbs and I had to switch out.

There are so many trainers and as I’ve said in previous blogs, they are all good  you just have to find the one that works best for you.  I’m also learning you must also have patience and believe in the trainer.  Morning Meltdown is a different approach to the usual lifting and cardio even with lighter weights you work up a sweat and muscles are worked, I’m huffing and puffing and no I can’t blow anything down because I’m just trying to make to the end.

So Upbeat strength gave me the notion of being strong mentally and physically because I had to dig deep and not stop.  I encourage myself just one more rep then two and then that set is over. Strength in weights and mind, we are able to accomplish a little more in workouts and in life if we are Patient, Believe, and KNOW –WE CAN ACHIEVE.

To a week of upbeating your workout and your life.

Being Strong- The Meaning

 

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I am constantly telling myself to be strong doing my workouts. This does not always mean increase my weights.  There times it means to stay focus in the workout and do one maybe two more reps, do not give in and I have this.  Sometimes I get in a funk and decide okay three reps is enough or I’m not good at this routine.  I then stop briefly to refocus my thought and tell my self I am strong and push through without injury.  Honestly its not that easy it takes focus and training the mindset.  I have to focus on my goals and decide if I want to waste time on working out at a level of 2/10 instead of 10/10.  Of course that 2 will eventually get me closer to my goal and it is better than doing no workout, but if its not my best then I’m wasting time. Not sure about you but knowingly wasting time is a no no.

Being strong also is what I tell myself when conversing with someone or several people and it is going south, like really negative and I’m unable to immediately remove myself and my inner self is bubbling to say “shut the F up the facts are wrong and just listen to yourself and so much more”  But I have to be strong until I can peacefully remove myself, which sometimes seems an eternity even if it is only five minutes.

Being strong again for me means “stay focus” and “be patient”.  For both of these focus and patience require strength.  Why because sometimes a focus regardless of the level of commitment, the end goal is unseen as well as being patience some times it appears as if the outcome is so far off.  I tell myself to be strong.

Sure seems like I talk to myself a lot, Uh huh I do.  I speak loud and silently to negate that thought changing my mindset, goals and attempting to weaken me.

To you, you’re not alone.  Let’s  BE STRONG in our goals in workouts, work place be it with an employer or if you are an entrepreneur and  all other life challenges.

Follow Your Strength

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Follow your strength is a nice and polite way of saying don’t under lift but don’t over lift. I recently listened to two guys brag about their weight lifting . One  said I may be able to lift that in a few days.   They had stated their lifting weight one with bulging arms ( time to buy new new shirts. The other you could see developing muscles but not yet bulging. My eyes really popped.  One thing I was listening and not part of the conversation but if you are lifting 45 pounds less than someone don’t think in afewdays you will be able to the same.  It is wise to follow your trainer or listen to your body it speaks to you.  Really.

First of all you don’t know how long it took an individual to get to their lifting weight, what is the routine. I know this because I workout with several trainer (beachbodyondemand) and it depends on the series of routine, the position, the pace and other factors which decides the weights to use.  Do my lifting increase, slowly yes.  Most of all good form and safety is important.

Speaking from experience and growth I say follow your strength, your body will tell you when its time to increase because the weights will seem lighter or you will do far more reps than you thought. Challenge yourself but again with safety and not too rapidly, which can cause injury.  Also it’s okay to challenge yourself with an increase in weights for a few reps then decrease.

Consistency is key, you will get there.  To weeks of challenges on weight lifting with great results.

Can Being 100 Be A 50

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That sounds so controversial and I know you’d think no way .  Well yes it can.  I’m not speaking in the terms of grading or money I’m speaking in giving the best of yourself .  For me for now I’m speaking of my workouts. There are days and not consistently but my workouts are not what we say “100” and it maybe a 50 compared to the previous day’s workout; BUT if my energy is down, or I’m fighting off an illness or for no apparent reason a 5 lb weights feels like a 40 lbs.  Now with any of these  known factor if I give my best I am giving 100.

Just to share as I had this conversation recently if you give your best and not holding back you are a 100.  To 100 in each of your workouts as I will continue to give 100 in each of my workout.

Can Skinny Be Healthy

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Can skinny be healthy, well there are two answers to the question, I know confusing but there is an explanation. Sometimes individual appear to be skinny but they really are not. Let me explain.  Skinny.

Skinny is unhealthy if you have an eating disorder as I have experienced.  Skinny by means of skipping numerous meals, this is UNHEALTHY.

Skinny because you’ve changed your eating habits, increased proteins, decreased carb intake, healthy fats, working out and the pounds are shedding with increased muscle tone, this is HEALTHY. Also this skinny which it is not, but strong with toned, lean muscles appears to others to be skinny.

So there are the answers simple and easy to understand.  There are other factors to each but I wanted to make it simple sometimes a long explaination is not necessary.

To a HEALTHY week,  no a HEALTHY LIFE.

Is Your Weight Loss Healthy

Is it, I know all weight loss should be considered a great move, BUT all weight loss is not healthy. This sounds confusing but don’t read into it and don’t think I’m trying to confuse you. NOWAY.

I have a few friends 👬 on weight loss journey and feel they are doing good and they are. Their concerns is not their workouts but their nutrition because they are not sure if their current nutrition will be forever.  First changing your mindset in nutrition is a plus x 20. This takes discipline and a lot of it.  However if your change is a FAD hmmm, probably needs to be evaluated.

A change in nutrition should be a lifestyle change one you are getting  adequate nutrition to sustain your body’s requirements and will be able to follow for the rest of your life.  Temporary change does not assist in a healthy you, its like placing a board on a hole in the road. You want to be lose fat, build muscle be it lean or bulky, also know everyone lose and build at a different rate. I should know because there are months my change is slower than a snail or a turtle.

As mentioned in previous blogs find the change that works for and with you, because an unhealthy weight loss can be as damaging to the body as overeating.

To a journey of healthy weight loss- STRONG and HEALTHY is the new Skinny.

The App or The Containers

I know you are wondering what the heck? An app or containers, what does it all mean.  On my fitness journey I am really focused on my intake, with any fitness journey  change is NOT made by exercise alone. NUTRITION has a major role and with my years of eating disorder I must always be knowledgeable of my intake. This does not mean I don’t eat carbs I do, pastry of all types included.  Do I sometimes in celebrating go over, yes just not daily or weekly.  Before you think I also have those weird cravings and I again satisfy my cravings but not overly.

Having an eating disorder too thin, too thick, too skinny, too fat.  I just want to be a healthier me without undereating or overeating.  I do use an APP and I am guilty for not using it daily but I’m good for 5-7 days a week.  The APP keeps me focused monitor my calories and breaks down my macros and micros all good also calculates my fat content.  The APP as much as I like it it does not break down exactly how much proteins, vegetables, healthy fat, carbs I should take in. Am  I  saying APPs for nutrition are bad, NOPE they do work, you just need to know which is important.

Now to the containers, I am a team beachbody @teambeachbody.com fan, loaded with over 700 workouts with different trainers, and each have a nutrition plan with 95% of the food you already eat via use of containers or a method 2BMindset.  Both are so awesome.  The containers break down how much of it should each day to promote healthy intake as well as see results of your workouts.  I’m getting better but I still need improvement.

When consuming the right amounts of food there is a lot of food, and when I’m really 100 on my nutrition I notice a greater results to my workouts.

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Which do I choose, both sometimes I am so amazed as to how much food I consume with the containers and still be under versus just eating and inputting for macros and micros. They both work, its up to the individual to decide which works with their life style and workout.  It’s also up to the individual to decide which APP is best for them.

My journey consists of the containers and  Lose It APP.

To a week of Happy, Healthy, Good eats and Great Workouts.