Push Outside That Comfort Zone (For Best Results and Happiness)

Feeling so accomplished today!
Feeling so accomplished today!

You know what they say… Change happens when you move outside of your comfort zone… If everything is easy, we don’t really accomplish too much…

This morning, did 30 minutes of intense cardio with Shawn T and then I also had chest and triceps on my workout calendar and I was not sure how I would find the energy for that… I had every excuse rolling around in my mind at that moment… Well, I really don’t have time, well I’m kind of tired, well I can maybe do it later, well maybe I’ll do this one tomorrow… And on it goes… I made a decision at that moment that I was going to do this no matter what. I got the 53-minute tempo chest and triceps workout done (wow, what a tough workout!) and then was super happy with myself afterwards and actually felt rejuvenated!

Why push ourselves?

It is true when we push ourselves outside of “easy” and outside of what we are comfortable with or what we WANT to do that we really make progress.

Shawn T week day number two is complete ✅ as well as day 79 of my 91 day beast and Core challenge✅. Feeling so accomplished now! ????. Time for my morning chocolate superfood and recovery drink then hit the shower to get ready for a super busy workday doing housecalls then 8 hours of walk-in clinic!

Have a great day!!!  Do something outside of your comfort zone today and see what happens!

#nevergiveup #determination #pushself #comfortzonessuck #athleticgrandma #muscles #accomplished #Happy

An Accountability Coach + Self Discipline = Success

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I remember those days when I only did things when I felt like doing them. It really didn’t do me any good since I was 40 pounds overweight and miserable. Learning self-discipline has been the key to success in all areas of my life. Self-discipline is doing things because you know you need to even if you really don’t want to. This morning, I really didn’t feel like getting out of bed at 430 am, but I pushed myself downstairs to get it done and definitely no regrets!

Getting those morning workouts and superfood in every day definitely sets the positive and energizing tone for the day and I love how it feels! The bonus is that it also moves me closer to my goals at the same time?

Do you have health goals for yourself that you would like to achieve? Consider getting yourself a free coach (like me) to help you out on your journey. For me, having an accountability coach was totally what I needed to be successful for the long term! It may be for you as well?

TO download FREE… 7 tips to improve your self discipline, enter your email address HERE!

#survival #nevergiveup #coachistheway #accountable #challenges #noteasy #helpingothers #dedication

Work Posterior Chain to Kill Back Pain

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Posterior chain work has so much benefit for our posture and our back muscles. If you are doing any kind of exercise program, be sure to add in posterior chain work . This could be deadlifts or it could also be some floor work like I am doing today.

What is the posterior chain?

The posterior chain is the back half of your body.  We tend to sit a lot and do work that requires use of the front half of our body so it tends to be stronger than the back half.  This can lead to issues over time with back and joints.  The posterior chain includes our back, hamstrings, triceps and more.

Why is this a problem?

Our posterior chain typically doesn’t get enough exercise during regular life and tends to make us hunch and have poor posture and poor posture leads to back pain.  With a weak posterior chain, when we actually go to do exercise, our joints are actually more prone to damage because of the strength imbalance!

Speaking of exercise… Had an excellent back and biceps workout today. Took a rest day yesterday so I was ready to kick butt today!! Day 32 of 91 day challenge is complete!! ✅

#posteriorchain #posture #reducebackpain #life #athleticgrandma

Having some troubles with your self-discipline?   Be sure to sign up here with your name and email address to get a free download containing 7 tips to improve self-discipline

Round Shoulders, Small Waist (it’s all relative)


There is something about working on developing strong round shoulders that has a way of making the waist look smaller…hmm what a novel idea!! In the video above is a 6 way move I did while working Shoulders this morning that definitely got my shoulders burning!

Muscles give our body nice shape and tone and pumps up our metabolism all day as well…bonus! Don’t wait.. get started now!

Have an awesome and active Friday!

#muscles #shape #tone #weightloss #health #relative
#athleticgrandma

 

IMPORTANT!!!

To have success in health and fitness, achieving a healthy weight sometimes takes doing something NEW and that we have never done!   If you have never tried superfood and professionally designed fitness to change your life, my gosh, contact me now and I will help you get started and to succeed!

Weighted Cardio Great Fat Burner (Tough but Effective!!)

 

Holy moly weighted cardio is hard work!  In this workout, we do fast weighted movements followed by 10 second hold then repeat 3 times.

These moves includes weighted burpees with plank holds, squat and sumo jumps with holds and more. Yike! Got a real good sweat going today and certainly feel my energy coming back today! Yesterday I was so pooped so it feels much better to have some Zip back!

If you want to do something to burn calories (and lose weight) fast, then weighted cardio is definitely a good option??  Excited to be done day #13 out of my current 91 day Challenge!  If you would like to see the amazing results you can get from doing a fitness challenge, be sure to contact me!

Have a great day!!!

#rejuvinated #energy #recovered #fitness #muscles #burn fat

To get a FREE download re: 7 ways to improve your self-discipline, enter your name and email here.

Fight For Your Health (and Lose Weight too!)


Now THAT is something worth fighting for!!! My health is something that I do not take for granted any longer! No way!

I spent too many years out of shape, in pain, digestion not working worth a crap (literally), painful knees, fatigue, poor sleep, constant lower back issues and miserable in the head too! That’s no way to live!! I am so happy that I made the decision 2 years ago that I was going to change this!

The decision was made after going through every medical test known to man including colonoscopy and finding out that there was nothing medically wrong with me!!! Ultimately I was just unhealthy, fat and out of shape! What an epiphany that was!!!

I said NO MORE and started working my ass off, superfood and professional fitness every day and clean eating and my body totally transformed. …and guess what? My whole mental health and mood transformed with it since my body was now running efficiently and my hormones were better balanced too! And you know what happens when you become a happier and more fun person? Your whole life changes!

Oh yes, believe me, the decision I made 2 years ago was the best decision of my life and I will NEVER EVER go back to how I was.

To transform your body and your health, be sure to join me for my next accountability and support group for superfood and fitness.  There are programs for everyone from beginners to even the most conditioned athlete!  CONTACT ME NOW to get started!

To get a free download containing 7 ways to improve your self-discipline, be sure to enter your name and email HERE!

Challenge Yourself to Achieve (Easy Won’t get you there)

Lots of grunting, groaning and heavy breathing with the challenging strength workout this morning! Started a new 91 day fitness challenge today and I am determined to get ‘er done no matter what!

I remember what my last trainer told me…If it was easy, there would be nothing achieved! Working out to achieve fitness goals is supposed to be hard! ?. As a result of what she said, even though it is HARD, I push myself harder all the time…after all this work, I at least want to see and feel progress!

Lets do this!

Day 1 of 91 day program completed and feeling fired up for my Monday today!?   Now to have an Icy and delicious superfood shake for recovery and then time to hit the shower! Hope you have an awesome Monday!

REMEMBER THIS…. “Choose Your Hard”…  Working out and being dedicated to a program is HARD, but looking in the mirror and being unhappy with how you look and feel is also HARD.  Which HARD do you pick?

Beware….exercise and healthy nutrition can lead to strength, flexibility, happiness, improved relationships, prevent disease, a longer and healthier life, better quality of life, a healthy weight, solid balance, reduced chance for injury and so much more!  Who wouldn’t want all of these things in their life?  Make the DECISION to choose the fitness and health “HARD” today and transform your life for the better!

To download your FREE copy of the 7 tips to improve self-discipline, be sure to enter your name and email address.

 

To find out more about upcoming fitness challenges that you can join with me, CONTACT ME HERE!

The Benefits of Core Work (and How You Can Improve Your Life Too)

Working the core can be SUPER fun if you find the right program
Working the core can be SUPER fun if you find the right program

There are many benefits that I have noticed from working on my core strength. I used to have intermittent severe back pain that would incapacitate me for days, back aches, hip soreness, and even knee and neck pain.

If you have experienced this you will know what I mean here… Lower back issues that are acutely flaring up can cause the pain and muscle tightness to spread all over the back and body even leading to neck issues, headaches and more! In addition, having pain issues even intermittent, can lead to decreased mood, frustration and the use of pain killers which come with their own wonderful side effects to endure.

So what can be done about this?

Core strengthening leads to greater stability of the muscles surrounding the spine, hips and abdomen. By having greater stability here, it reduces movement within the spine that can lead to inflammation and pain.

I am currently on round 3, day 12 of this core blasting program and I notice a huge change in how I feel, my core feels super strong and agile and having no more back pain! What a relief this is! Being without pain is totally life changing!

Why strengthen Core?

The “core” is a term used to describe just about everything on your body that isn’t your legs and arms. This means you can think of your glutes, hips, abdominal muscles, inner abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and scapula as your core. Your core is where your power is generated in order to carry out any movement. While abdominal and inner abdominal muscles do play a large roll in core stability, they don’t make up the core all by themselves.

Beyond the management of pain and disability, working the core can really improve our performance in other activities as well.. with a strong core, we will be a better runner, horse back rider, jumper, court sports performer, hockey player plus have more stability in every-day activities such as picking things off the floor, lifting children or grandchildren, hauling in groceries, cleaning the house and so much more!  To be able to do all of these functional activities with power, confidence and without injury is what we want, isnt it?

Tips to Strengthen your Core…

If a person is just a beginner with core work, the exercises should look a little different and please don’t focus only on the ab muscles in the front with crunches.  Only doing crunches in the setting of an already weak core can have a negative impact on your spine!

It is important to start gentle if you are a beginner with core work.   Timothy Bell does a good job giving you 5 exercises to start with to get your core muscles working for you…Check out the 4 minute video below that explains each exercise for you.  Perform each exercise back to back for the below prescribed time and reps and do this every day for the most benefit

  1. Bird Dog – 10-second holds, 8 reps per side
  2. Band Anti Rotation – 10-second holds, 8 reps per side
  3. Dead Bugs – 8 reps per side, alternating sides each rep
  4. Clam Shell – 10-second holds, 10 reps per side
  5. Tummy Vacuums – 5-second holds, 8 reps

Once you have built the strength of your core and you would like to consider more advanced core training, you may want to consider joining a Core Blasting Fitness Challenge with me.  CONTACT ME once you are feeling ready for this.

Working on and optimizing your core strength can totally change your life.  It has for me and to no longer be suffering with pain, or use of medications is a much better existence overall!

If you become a follower on this page, you will get notified by email when there is a new TIP available…plus you will get a free download about how to improve your self-discipline!.

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Working Out for Beginners (and Grandmas), and the surprising way it will change your life.

...to be healthy and fit feels fabulous!
…to be healthy and fit feels great and is worth the work!

Thinking of working out, but you’re a little afraid?

Or maybe you’re afraid of getting bulging muscles. (Don’t worry ladies, that’s highly unlikely.)

Think you’re too weak or too old or too lazy, but you want to at least give it a try?

Good.

Then I want to quickly tell you how it’s going to change your life. I mean even in your everyday stuff. I’d also like to give you a bit of direction about how to start.

 

How Working Out Will Change Your Life

The first thing many want when they start on their fitness journey is to look different. Thinner, smaller, tougher, lean. And that may happen, but you need to know right at the start, you’ll get much more out of it than just looks.

Your energy will increase. Assuming you’re eating clean and getting enough calories, the adrenaline and other hormones released into your body by exercise will affect your energy.

Your body will work better. Exercise affects you even at a cellular level. When you’re active, the body will use food more efficiently, and many parts – like the thyroid, endocrine system, pancreas, digestive system – will all signal and function better as a result. It’s pretty amazing how movement (or non-movement) affects the body.

You’ll feel better. Client after client has reported feeling more positive, less depressed or lethargic, more motivated and a feeling of being more capable. Exercise improves mental and emotional health, not just physical.

You can do more normal stuff. I’ve noticed this in my own body. Since I began working out, I can do a lot more on my own. I can bring in all the bags of groceries by myself without huffing and puffing afterward. I can shovel snow without pulling a muscle. My joints are stronger. And, if I need to move the couch or fridge, I can do it easily on my own – all important things for a single grandma!

 

Working Out – Where to Start

It’s a bit tough to say where to start, because it really depends on where your body is at.

A person recovering from back surgery or a teenager will need a whole different routine than an overweight mid-forties woman who’s otherwise healthy.

 

It’s always best to get the personalized advice from a coach who can advise you based on your specific needs and fitness level. (I can help with that) So please take the following not as specific personal advice for you to follow, but more as a general guideline.

That said, it’s often best to start slow. For a few reasons. If you’ve been especially sedentary or have health issues, this is especially true. A good beginning for you might be to stretch daily or every other day, and go for a walk or bike ride. Keep it light to start – pushing too hard right off will only destroy your motivation and invite injuries.

The next stage would be to increase intensity by either lengthening the time of your walk or bike ride, or increasing the difficulty, perhaps by traveling uphill or going faster for portions of the workout. A person could also add a cardio workout routine or consider joining an accountability group!  Click HERE to ask how!

 

The (Most Important) Thing Beginners Forget About

Most people stop there, forgetting to add the vital element of weight lifting (resistance training).

Wait ladies – before you envision giant barbells and bulging muscles – that’s not what I mean. Not at all.

Here’s the truth about muscles.  If you don’t make them work, they weaken. They weaken a lot and actually shrink (atrophy), becoming nearly useless.  A lack of exercise leads to atrophy of skeletal muscle, which essentially leads to a smaller number and size of the muscle cells!

 

Lifting is Easier Than You Think

Just so you know, lifting doesn’t have to be this big, demanding ordeal. I’ve been working out for years, and only lift 2-3 times a week. The rest is cardio. It doesn’t take huge amounts of time to get results.

It may suit you best to start out with smaller weights (3-5 lbs) even once a week, and work up to 10 or 15 as you gain strength.

 

The bottom line: if you don’t use your muscles, they’re going to leave you.
You need them. Work them. Even just a little at first. Starting small is okay.
The important thing is that you start.

To get tips about getting started on clean eating, click HERE.

To join the athletic grandma community, enter your email address HERE and get a free download about how to improve your self-discipline!

It is simple to get healthy

Keep it simple
Keep it simple

To become healthy is very simple.

I really only had to learn about a half a dozen things in order to become fit and healthy…a half dozen! Anyone can learn only a half dozen things!

When you boil it down to the simplest of choices that move us in the right direction, it all starts with an apple. Yes!! An apple!!

We have all heard the saying …”an apple a day…”
The basis of our choices really does begin with choices this simple… We can choose to have an apple a day or we can choose to have a Hershey bar (or something similar) per day. By choosing our food, we are choosing how we want to feel and ultimately how our health will be in the long run. Yes, we choose how we will feel by these simple choices ?

The key thing is that I only had to learn a half dozen things in order to turn my health around. It’s truly simple. It may not be easy, but it is simple and not hard to learn ??

#keepitsimple #FitnessGal1969 #AthleticGrandma #healthissimple #noteasybutsimple #choices #choosehealth