Get Outta Your Own Way

So I am sitting here on my bed, wishing I was teaching my pool class, or packing for my Peru trip that has been one year in the planning and I leave on in less than 17 hours. Instead, I am getting to recover from getting sick yesterday so I can actually go to Peru. As I recover, I also get the chance to reflect on some pretty amazing things that  have taken place lately by way of "getting out of the way" of myself.

Last weekend we successfully hosted the Spitfire Ultra Trail Challenge at Menan Butte. We celebrated under clear skies and beautiful weather the doubling of participants from last year's event. This was an Amazing sight to see and experience! Several people asked me what made the difference and honestly, I don't know that I can pinpoint what it is. However, this thought comes to mind, I got outta my own way.

In prepping for the event we did a few things differently and reached out to some new people and then chose to step back and let things happen. That didn't mean we stopped taking steps but rather stopped trying to control the steps we had already taken. In doing so, events happened as they naturally would and magic took place. Another thing that came along with that magic was peace. I didn't have to get all tied in knots trying to make things turn out how I wanted them to be...it just happened and even better than I hoped for.

So, how does this apply to you?  What things are you wanting to accomplish at the moment and not seeing results as you would like them? This could be in your health, weight, family, business or other personal areas of your life.  Where are you standing in your own way and not letting things happen naturally and tying yourself in knots?

Be willing to pause for a moment and notice what voice you are listening too.  Your mind, which is wanting to "protect" you and control all aspects of your goal or your inner guide, which is peaceful and assists you in taking the next steps and letting go of what happens next.

Decide what it is you Really want to accomplish. Look at the "Why" and see if it is strong enough to fuel you and see you through to the end.  Look at what steps need to be taken to accomplish the task, break it down, start moving and get outta the way. Keep your eye on the goal and know your moving in that direction but also be willing to go with the flow and follow the curves that will come along the way and enjoy the journey. Most things do not come in a linear fashion and the only thing we can really control is our attitude about how we respond to what comes in our path.

Get out of your own way! Celebrate the unexpected and welcome what it can teach you as you move along the path to your desired outcome.  For example, this blog post, which I obviously didn't get posted on time and have been wanting to be hard on my self about. However, in getting to do it now, I have received a reminder of the awesome lessons I have been recently learning in some new and powerful ways. How cool is that?!  And now..I'll dance.

So, feel free to take action and then step aside and watch the magic happen.  Be amazed as you watch pieces fall into place and at the right times. Then..give thanks, celebrate and take your next step.

Until Next Time,
Go Be Great!

Jennifer Saunders
BS, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Reiki Energy, Intuitive Life Coach
ButtinGear

Interesting News on High Intensity Interval Training

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a type of training that has grown in popularity over the past couple of years, particularly with athletes and more serious gym goers. Rather than sustained exercise over a period of time, HIIT workouts are made up of short burst of exercise at a higher intensity, followed by a period of rest. Research suggests that HIIT programs provide numerous health benefits, some suggesting that it is more beneficial than conventional cardio exercising. Some commonly known benefits include improvements in cardiovascular health and increases in metabolic rate.

HIIT training is not necessarily limited to experienced exercisers. One new study in the journal Diabetologia has suggested that interval training may provide specific benefits for relatively sedentary adults that are pre-diabetic or diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The study consisted of three cohorts: one that walked 3 minutes at relatively high pace and 3 minutes at a recovery pace for one hour, a group that walked for an hour at a steady pace, and a control group that maintained a sedentary behavior. The completed this program every day for 4 months.

Interestingly, the group participating in the interval training saw a 20% improvement in glucose disposal (the body’s ability to take sugar out of the blood stream to places it as needed). The other two groups did not see any significant improvement.

The effectiveness of interval training relative to steady state cardio is not limited to blood glucose. Other findings have suggested better results in weight loss and lowering cholesterol levels.

Although there is a lot to be understood about why interval training programs seem to be more effective, experts suggest the bursts of energy require a higher demand for glucose and stimulate the allocation of it more effectively.

I would suggest that in addition, interval training for beginners is effective in that it requires people to consider how hard they are actually exercising. It is a way to understand how to get out of your comfort zone for a short period of time and into a work load that will yield results. It is too often that I see people walk at a comfortable pace on the treadmill for an hour without reaching a heart rate that will elicit the results they are expecting. Although they would likely see better results at an increased steady state, many are not comfortably at a higher rate, are not able to sustain it for a long period of time, or simply don’t realize they are not working hard enough. If anything, interval training is a great way to ease a more effective workout without feeling too overwhelmed, and an opportunity to better understand what an adequate work load feels like.

Try it!

Ahh-Ahh-Choo!

Ok, Ok, so maybe the sniffles and sneezes aren't really the focus of today, BUT allergies are. I am not one who has personally had food allergies nor have I attempted an elimination diet to determine if I have any food intolerance's. I do, however, work with clients that do and I thought this informational pictograph that I found today, would come in very handy. From the capable hands of Precision Nutrition, I present the "Elimination Diet" pictograph. Please remember, it is always important to consult your physician before setting off on a journey through eliminating foods from your diet, especially if doing so may impact your current health status negatively.

The capable trainers at the Health & Fitness Academy are always here to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to reach out and let us know how we can help you!

Until next time,

Hayley Jones, BS, CSCS, Pn1

hjones@mvhospital.net

208-557-2823

Mountains outta Mole Hills

Have you ever stood and looked at something in front of you and thought, "There is no way I can do that." Yet somewhere inside, you know you might just be able too and probably can. What is that thing that stands before us and creates internal warfare?  What is that voice that sounds so much like ourselves that tells us we can't and creates pictures of horror, distruction, embarrassment and more? Fear!

I recently had some opportunities to face fear by way of boxes.  I know, it sounds silly, and that is exactly what I thought as I stood before them and knew I could jump over or on them and yet my mind created Amazing pictures of me splayed on the ground, bleeding and broken if I were to attempt it. I saw myself not being able to participate in an upcoming trip I have been planning for a year. I saw my team mates standing above me with those looks of, "holy crap, did that just happen and are you ok?"  I saw myself being hauled off in an ambulance with my ego needing more mending than my body.

So what fears were these boxes holding?  Fear of not being good enough, fear of moving, fear of making enough money to follow my dreams, fear of making a difference and letting my light shine, fear of being accepted for who I am...no matter what, and so forth.

As I did my workout and jumped over a stack of weight plates, which was actually taller than the box, I could see the box out of the corner of my eye and could sense it laughing at me. I knew I couldn't leave the building without conquering the box and all it stood for.  So, at the end of my workout, there I stood, before the box, knowing I could do it and feeling the pull and hearing the voices shrieking in my head. I had plenty of support from those around me who knew I could totally do it and I was appreciative of that support.

As I was about to make my attempt, one girl said, "you can run 100 miles...you can jump over that box."  On those words I felt myself move forward and leap...up & over the box.  I saw it glide beneath my body in an almost surreal moment. My friends cheered and let me know how high above the box and how far I cleared it by. Their cheers made it easier to go back and do it again and again so I had a good body rememberance of the experience and to quiet the voices in my head.

What I realized as I was in the air was this...I had made a mountain out of a mole hill!  Actually making the jump took way less effort than I thought and was Way Easier than I thought or had imagined it to be. I had totally let my mind get the best of me in that moment and fear kept my feet on the ground, when it came to the box. The story I created was painful, the Leap was easy. Wow...what an experience! How many times does that play out in our lives?

That brings us to you!  What boxes are you facing?  What/whose voices are you listening too?  What dreams/goals are you wanting to accomplish but seem to be stuck in place because of fear?  What steps will you take to practice and quiet the voices as you prepare to make the jump over the boxes of your fears? Be courageous and listen too, look at them, sit on them, stand on them, whatever it takes to recognize what they are and that you are Bigger than they are.

If you want to run a race, climb a mountain, get a new job, try a new relationship, forgive someone, love someone, release some weight, get healthy and so forth...notice what boxes are in your path. What voices are speaking fear and keeping you stuck? Get a good picture and own them. Then reach out and talk to someone who can assist you in seeing things differently and make the leap.

Life is too short to continue making mountains outta mole hills. Be strong and notice your mole hills...then...jump!

Jennifer Saunders
BS, Certified Personal Trainer
Reiki Energy, Intuitive Life Coach 
ButtinGear

Time....

Quickie Cardio

When you think of cardiovascular exercise do you think of endless hours on the elliptical in a smelly gym next to other sweaty people? No wonder you are not motivated to get it done, nobody enjoys running that endless “dread mill” to nowhere.

Variety is the spice of life and your workouts should reflect that. One of the most harmful myths floating around the fitness community is that there is only one right way to do it. There are as many effective programming options as there are plates on the weight floor, you just have to find which one has the right feel for you.

Steady state cardio is certainly the staple but there are many other ways to get your heart rate up and burn some calories. Most professionals recommend 45-60 minutes of cardiovascular training daily depending on what your fitness goals are. The numbers of calories you burn during cardio sessions are strictly based on your intensity level and duration. Although, longer more intense periods of exercise are better for what we like to call metabolic after burn, three 10-minute heart rate elevating sessions can get us through those busy days. 

Here are a few quick examples;

Medicine Ball Monday (get your stop watch)

Squat jump

Crunch

Stiff leg Deadlift

Push up

Lunges

Time Intervals-40 sec Active exercise, 20 sec to change

4 rounds (approx. 20 minutes)

 Anytime/ Anywhere (Just need a patch of grass)

Push-ups             10

Spider Walk        15 meters

Body weight Squat          10

Burpees               10

Side plank           30 seconds each

8 rounds in 10 minutes

Remember…..to take time for yourself; change comes by the ounce not by the pound.

The Health and Fitness Academy staff is always available to you, do not hesitate to throw any questions you might have our way.

ghouston@mvhospital.net

Feed a cold? Starve a fever?

     No matter the time of year, sickness can always be an issue. Lately, it seems a cruddy cold has been hitting most people and usually lingering for weeks at a time. Eating healthy meals isn't easy when you don't feel well, especially if you have a serious or chronic illness. You may be too tired to prepare food for yourself. Medicines may make food taste strange or unpleasant. Mouth sores or swallowing problems can make eating difficult. Or nausea, which is a common symptom and a common side effect of some medications, may make food the last thing you want to think about.  

"Fortunately, there's a lot you can do, even when you're not feeling well, to get the nutrition you need," says Veronica McLymont, PhD, RD, director of food and nutrition services at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

     Along with the fun pictograph below provided by Precision Nutrition, www.webmd.com has a few recommendations of it's own.

•      Lack of appetite
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Larger meals may be overwhelming when you don't have much of an appetite. Keep quick easy snacks readily available such as nuts, veggies, fruit, and yogurt.
•      Mouth sores, dry mouth, trouble swallowing
• You may need to avoid foods that require a lot of chewing. Smoothies and soup would be good choices. If you are having trouble swallowing, try chewing gum or sucking on hard candies like lemon drops that stimulate saliva production. Consult your doctor if it persists.
•       Nausea
• Choose bland foods. Eat smaller meals, even smaller than you would when you are healthy. Eat slowly. Hard candy, peppermint, and ginger may ease nausea. Consult your doctor if it persists.
•       Fatigue
• When you're sick and tired, sometimes the last think you feel like doing is cooking or making food for yourself. You can keep easy, ready to eat snacks available like nuts, veggies (raw or even veggie steamer bags), fruit, yogurt, and hardboiled eggs.
•       Diarrhea
• Eat soft, bland foods. Avoid greasy foods. Drink plenty of water as dehydration is common with diarrhea. You may need to supplement with electrolytes.
•       Constipation
• To help prevent constipation, eat foods high in fiber. Getting up and walking can help get your digestive tract moving.
•       Unwanted weight loss
• If you're losing weight and shouldn't be, consider taking in some extra calories through shakes and snacks like nuts, seeds, cheese, and hardboiled eggs.
•       Unwanted weight gain
• Some medications may result in unwanted weight gain. Consult your doctor if it persists.
•       Falling short on nutrients
• If you're having real trouble eating a balanced diet, you may benefit from a multi-vitamin and other over the counter supplements. Consult your doctor before beginning a supplement regimen, especially if you are taking medication, as some medications can interact with supplements.

*The Health & Fitness Academy hopes this blog post finds you healthy and well and not battling a sickness, BUT if you are, we hope the information from webmd and Precision Nutrition help you recover quicker and get back to doing the things you love*

Pictograph provided by: Precision Nutrition

Until next time,

Hayley Jones, BS, CSCS, Pn1

hjones@mvhospital.net

MVH Health & Fitness Academy

To be Strong or Not to be Strong

February is about to close and March is soon upon us.  How are you doing with your plans to create newness in the coming year?  Still on track? Taken a few side roads?  Fallen off the wagon all together?  Wherever you are at in the journey, it is Never too late to review &  reboot if necessary. Heck, count it as a Win that you are aware enough to know where you are at in the process and willing to own it.

Speaking of reviewing and rebooting, I had a huge ah-ha moment about 3 weeks ago that made me stop and take pause and have some powerful soul searching moments.  I walked out of the gym after a challenging workout of heavier squats than I had ever done and an unprovoked thought/realization smacked me right in the head. The realization...I am afraid to be strong!  What?!  I like to be strong.  I pride myself on being strong. (Not the best idea to pride myself on this)  Yet...it was true...at least in the past 3 years.

The thought caused me to take a good look at some things, and I continue to do so, that are a bit uncomfortable to admit and look at. However, in doing so, I have been able to shed some light on the truth of this thought by way of some events that have taken place, which I attached a belief too as proof of  "it's not ok to be strong."

So, let me take a moment to Dare Greatly and be vulnerable and share what I have discovered...in part. As my life and identity were changing in what felt like drastic ways I was afraid to be strong for fear I might not receive the help I thought I would need to survive.  I was also afraid to be strong because in some instances it would make me stand out and go against the norm and I already felt different as it was.  I had friends leave my life because they said I was too strong and in charge...something I had worked hard to learn as I overcame deep codependency behaviors from my past.  I also realized that being strong physically made me stand out and I didn't always like the comments people made in those regards either, because they say things like, "I am weird or crazy or obsessed." Not what I want to hear when I have worked hard to achieve something.  These are just a few of my ah-ha's in my "I'm afraid to be strong" realization.

Where to go from here. First, I had to get honest with myself and own the thought so I could do something about it.  Second, I had to get it outside of myself and share it with someone(s) who I trust and could give me a different perspective. Three, I got to decide if I wanted to change that belief and how I would do it. Four, be willing to go to the dark place and do the hard thing!

The realization and inquiry that came along with it have breathed some new life into me that has given me an energy I haven't felt for a while and I Am loving it! Some of the ways I know I need to be strong are still scary and I feel myself want to fight against them and I am going to let that be ok and keep moving forward. Being strong physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually is sexy and attractive. I/we don't have be zealots with our "strong-ness" but rather own it and go about in quiet, confident ways and make a difference in our lives and others. In doing so...we can change the world...one person at a time, if we desire to do so.

 Reminder...being strong does not equate to a pant/dress size, number on the scale, body fat or weight lifted...although they may be a part of the whole.  This is YOUR life and you only get ONE
! Why Not walk through it being strong, no matter what anyone else says or thinks. Go out and grab it and live it to the fullest...whatever that is for Y-O-U.

So, where are you afraid to be strong?  What scary things do get to own and/or put out there? What darkness do you get to wander through on your journey? How may we assist you?  Today is the day to review and reboot and make a commitment to be strong...or at least...stronger!

Happy to be a weirdo because I Am Strong!

Until next time..
Go BE Great...& Strong!

Jennifer Saunders
BS, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Reiki Energy Therapy
Buttingear
Intuitive Life Coach