On Sunday, August 29, 2021, I completed my twelfth triathlon. A short time later, I found myself wondering, “Do you know the true definition of success?”
You might think that I was overcome with joy when I crossed the finish line. You’d be wrong, though. I was discouraged and completely disappointed in myself. In fact, I cried – not once…not twice…but three times within 90 minutes of completing the race. I felt like a total failure.
I know that sounds weird. I’m sure it’s hard to understand how someone who swam a mile, rode a bike 26 miles and ran a 10K could feel like a complete failure. So I’ll try to explain as best as I can.
A Little Bit of Background Info
I’d trained for that race for several months. For me, the hardest part of the race is the swim, so that was the main focus of my training. I wanted to be comfortable in the water. Like so comfortable that nothing would faze me. The week before the race, I felt really confident. Two days before the race, I had my final swim, and I felt pretty comfortable. I set a goal. I just KNEW that I was going to have the best swim of my life, that my bike ride would be consistent, and that I would own the run. But none of that actually happened.
Long story short, I had the worst swim and the slowest run out of all my previous triathlons. I didn’t come anywhere close to reaching my goal, so I felt like a failure. However, when people asked how it went and how I felt, they seemed surprised by my response. They all said something like, “What are you talking about?! You did great! You finished the race!”
That made me look inside myself and ask, “Do you know the true definition of success?”
What is the Definition of Success?
If you were to walk up to four different people and say, “Do you know the true definition of success?”, it’s highly likely that each of them would give a totally different definition that makes perfect sense. For our discussion, we’ll head over to Google since it’s very simple.
The first thing that comes up when you Google “definition of success” is, “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”.
That’s it. It’s just that simple. To accomplish (or complete) something is the very definition of success.
If it’s that simple, why in the world have I been feeling so badly about my performance?
Can You Relate?
I’m sure that someone can relate to feeling like a failure while everyone else celebrates your success.
Maybe you intended to wake up early enough to get to the 5:30 am class at the YMCA Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but you were only able to make it on Wednesday. The instructor was super excited to see you when you came, but you’re embarrassed that you only made it once after saying you’d be there all week.
Perhaps you have a five pound weight loss goal, but you didn’t lose anything at all. Your personal trainer is excited because you were able to maintain your weight for an entire week, but you’re extremely disappointed because the numbers didn’t go down.
It’s possible that your challenge has nothing to do with health and fitness, but there’s some area in your life that your friends and loved ones celebrate, while you’re tempted to give up because things are just that bad in your eyes.
Keep It In Perspective
If you’re with me on any of that, my words to you are precisely what I’ve been telling myself for the past few days: success is success. Each small victory is a stepping stone to a larger victory. Every single success should be celebrated rather than placed on a scale that measures its importance.
I can’t prove it, but I think that truly embracing that all success is success would lead us to have more fulfilled lives.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s success!
Water consumption! Nearly every adult has said something like, “I really should be drinking more water.” But it’s easier said than done.
Sometimes it’s a bit more convenient to drink more water at work than it is at home. However, when you’re working from home for an extended period of time.
The Importance of Water Consumption
It’s a bit perplexing that a colorless, tasteless liquid can be so refreshing, but there’s nothing quite like a cool glass of water on a warm day. However, we don’t just need water for refreshment and rehydration. Water helps maintain our body temperature. It also removes toxins and wastes from our bodies. If you want a clear, less oily complexion, more water may be the secret. Drinking more water before or during a meal could result in eating less food.
Tip #1: Get a Clear Water Bottle
Water bottles come in all sorts of styles, colors, and shapes. But all of them were designed to keep you hydrated on the go. I’ve discovered that the best water bottles are those that are clear or see-through. Why? When you’ve decided to start drinking more water, it’s important to be able to access your progress very quickly. A brief glance at a see-through or clear water bottle lets you know whether you’re right on track or you need to take a sip.
Tip #2: Take Your Water Bottle EVERYWHERE
The easiest way to make sure you’re getting enough water is to drink during the course of the day. The best way for you to do that is to take your water bottle everywhere you go. That means, your water bottle is going to be your most popular accessory. It should go with you to the grocery store, to church, to every work meeting, to social events…everywhere. It should be such a part of you that if you’re without it, people actually ask you where it is.
Tip #3: Set Checkpoints During the Day
When I was younger, I was told that everyone should drink eight 8 oz glasses of water each day. I thought that 64 oz (or half a gallon) was a lot. During my personal trainer coursework, I learned that we should be drinking half of our weight in water. So if you weight 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 ounces of whatever every day. That was overwhelming.
I discovered that the best way to get all those ounces of water consumed is to work within the idea of checkpoints. Suppose you wish to drink 80 ounces of water each day, and you have a 16-ounce water bottle. You would need to drink empty that water bottle five times in the course of a day. That may seem impossible.
However, you could use 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm and 9 pm as checkpoints. Then you could aim to drink 16 ounces of water within each of those time frames. Drinking 16 ounces every three hours makes drinking 80 ounces in a day, a reality.
One Last Tip…
If you’re still having a little troubled drinking more water because you don’t like the tase, spice it up a bit. Add a little lemon juice. Or maybe some sliced fruit like strawberries or limes.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
This time of pandemic has greatly impacted how we do life. By now, many of us have adjusted to working from home. Or we work an essential position with a variety of different adjustments and new restrictions. But what about the kids, though. They’re missing out on recess, physical education, and youth sports. This week, I simply want to share a few fun family fitness ideas.
What is Family Fitness?
Family fitness isn’t all that different from personal fitness. Personal fitness is simply a person making the decision to get fit. Family fitness is nothing more than a family making the decision to get fit together. They could hire a personal trainer and have group sessions. It’s possible that they could attend the same fitness classes. However, the following options may be more appropriate for younger children. And they are definitely more applicable to our current situation
Play Tag
Most kids LOVE playing tag, but not the way you remember. When I was a kid, tag was simple. Someone was “IT”, and everybody else ran away from that person. If you made it to “base”, you were safe. If you got tagged, you were “IT”.
You don’t have to worry about coming up with new tag games on your own, though. Your children can probably teach you variations from recess our their PE classes. If not, check out these 10 Fun Tag Games for Kids.
Create Your Own Olympic Games
For the first time in history, the summer Olympic Games will be postponed, but your family can host your own version of the international sporting event. Simply pick categories like running, tossing, or jumping. Then create events that you can do around the house using minimal equipment. For example, you could have a paper towel toss or do rolled sock golf.
Don’t forget to include a scoring system and medals.
Geat a Daily Dose of Fresh Air
Maybe your family just isn’t into physical activity. The idea of running around playing tag or going all Olympian just doesn’t appeal to you…at all. You can still promote family fitness by making a commitment to getting some fresh air every day.
You could by walking five minutes away from the house before turning around and walking five minutes back. It might be surprising how accomplished you’ll feel. Who knows? You may even want to extend that walk the next time.
Keep It Moving
If these fun family fitness ideas work well for you, let me know. If you come up with your own fitness ideas, I’d like to know that, too. It doesn’t really matter what you do to keep your family fit. Just get out there and get moving!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Years ago, I dreamed of working from home. I desired to be in charge of my own schedule and make a living doing only what I wanted to do. Since we’ve been “on lockdown” the past few weeks, my dream has come true; it just doesn’t look the way I thought it would. Beyond that, there’s one aspect of working from home that I’d never really considered until now: naps. I’ve realized that are significant pros and cons of naps that you might be interested in learning.
The Negatives of Naps (aka The Cons)
Let’s start with the bad news. There are definitely a few cons that should be mentioned before you settle in for your nap today.
Con #1: Inability to Sleep at Night
Last week, we discussed How to Avoid the Quarantine 15 last week. The first two things we talked about were getting enough sleep but not getting too much sleep. We normally take naps when we’re tired. But super long naps or naps that are too late in the day, aren’t good. They keep us up at night.
Con #2: Grogginess
Naps are thought to help you catch up on some rest or give you a boost of energy. That’s not always the case, though. Sometimes after a nap, you feel groggy or cranky.
The same Texas A&M article also stated that long naps have the potential to increase our risk of death.
The Positives of Naps (aka The Pros)
There is a wealth of research on the benefits of napping. In fact, it was a little difficult to restrict myself to just five. Even so, I think I found the five pros that will bless your soul.
Pro #1: Resembles a Mini-Vacation
According to the National Sleep Foundation, “A nap can be a pleasant luxury, a mini-vacation. It can provide an easy way to get some relaxation and rejuvenation.” I couldn’t have said it better, so I let them take that one!
Pro #2: Boosts Energy (and Saves Money)
This one may seem like a stretch, but it’s not. A lot of people hit a slump sometimes after lunch. Our energy seems to have evaporated, but we need to stay awake. So we spring for a drink or snack that will give us the kick we need to make it through the day. A quick nap can actually boost your energy…allowing you to save a little cash each week.
Pro #3: Relieves Stress
The National Sleep Foundation said that we can lower tension by taking short naps. A variety of other sources indicate similar findings. In fact, one article said that even five minutes of rest has a positive impact on stress.
Pro #4: Improves Memory
Sleep experts say that sleeping at night helps make our memories stick, so we can bring them up in the future. Other research studies have shown that taking longer naps has the same effect on memory consolidation.
Pro #5: Improves Your Appearance
I’ll bet you’ve looked at a friend or co-worker and thought, “They need some sleep.”
We can tell when people aren’t well-rested. There are dark circles under their eyes. And they just look…tired. Napping can help out with that. Sleep restores and rejuvenates our bodies. So if you think you look tired, you might just need a nap.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Nap
As you can see, there are some legit negatives against and some compelling positives for napping. There are additional pros and cons of naps that aren’t listed here. One expert says that naps are detrimental to your health, and another states that naps can help you lose weight. You will need to decide for yourself. If you notice that you don’t sleep well when you take naps, then avoid them. However, if naps help you feel energized and alert, keep doing what you do. The choice is yours alone.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to think that these shelter-in-place orders and work-from home options, may have a negative impact on my waistline. Everyone knows about the Freshman 15. Those extra pounds that a lot of people tend to gain during their first year at college. I recently saw someone joking about the “Quarantine 15” and had an idea! Why not write a quick guide about how to avoid the Quarantine 15.
I know that I’m not alone when I say that my schedule has drastically changed during the past month. Some of the changes have been good. Like not being constantly on the go, and saving money on gas and eating out as a result. Then there’s the added bonus of spending more quality time with family! I’m guessing you can probably relate to some of those. You may even have some positive changes that are a bit different than what I shared.
The Flipside
Of course, there’s always a flipside.It seems that for every positive there’s at least one – maybe even two negatives. Like I’m not able to burn extra calories by swimming twice a week or teaching multiple fitness classes. Or being in super close proximity to foods that were supposed to be my quarantine snacks for the next several weeks. How about spending the overwhelming majority of my work day sitting at a computer, when I used to be up and about all day? I’m sure that you have some that are even more frustrating than mine.
The point I’m trying to make is this: our current life is way different than it was six weeks ago. Most of us have become quite sedentary, yet we’re eating the same amount of food or perhaps more than we used to. (Confession: I made a two-layer cake a couple of weeks ago and ate the whole thing in less than a week without sharing it with anyone.)
No one knows how long, we’ll be living life this way, so it’s probably best for us to create some new habits now. What follows are 10 tips on how to avoid the Quarantine 15. Every tip may not work for everybody, but I hope you’re able to find something that works for you.
#1: Get Plenty of Sleep…
Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between sleep deprivation and weight gain. During this season when most of us don’t have to be up at O’ Dark-thirty to get ready for work (or head to the gym before going to work), it’s really tempting to stay up much later than normal. However, since we’re creatures of habit, most of us still wake up at our formerly “normal time” even though we don’t have to.
Perhaps we should consider going to bed as close to our normal time as possible, just so we can still get enough sleep. According to the Sleep Needs article from HelpGuide.org, the average adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. One way to help ensure that you get enough sleep is to turn off the alarm clock and let your body wake up when it’s rested.As long as you get in bed at a decent hour, you should be able to wake up refreshed with plenty of time to get ready for that 8:00 virtual team meeting!
#2: …But Don’t Get Too Much Sleep
Believe it or not, there are also studies that show direct links between too much sleep and weight gain. If you read that part from the previous section about adults needing up to 9 hours of sleep, you may be thinking, “That’s waaay too much sleep for me.” According to that same article, if you’re alert and energetic all day, then you’ve had plenty of sleep. However, Matt Valentine’s Goal Post article about “6 Signs You’re Getting Too Much Sleep”, let us know that fatigue is a major sign of sleeping too much. So if you wake up tired and are completely exhausted after nine hours of sleep, maybe you should try seven or eight hours next time.
#3: Create a New Routine
Do you know what I finally realized this week!?!? Since I don’t have to be up super early, I don’t need my alarm, my secondary alarm or my final warning alarm to make sure I’m up on time. So I turned them all off. In addition to that, it occurred to me that it’s both pointless and impossible to try and maintain my old daily routine. So I created a new one.
How does creating a new routine fight weight gain? There’s a huge chance that when you realized your old schedule just wasn’t possible anymore, you sat around and snacked all day like I did. However, when I created a routine things changed. I something to do at a specific time, and it helped give me a sense of accomplishment.
If you’re not into routines or schedules, try making a list of ten things you want to finish each day. You might be surprised how great you feel at the end of the day.
#4: Plan Your Meals – And Stick to the Plan
I realized quite a while ago that I have a very interesting relationship with food…I eat it all the time. In a way, it makes sense. I mean, I typically teach five super intense fitness classes each week. Plus after running up to four times a week and swimming twice, I burn a ton of calories, so I need to eat to replace what I’m using.However, I take my food to work with me, so when I’m done eating them, there’s nothing left.
The food game has changed since I now work where the food lives. I’ve really had to be intentional about what I’m eating and when I’m eating. Now more than ever, it’s really crucial to focus on meal planning and meal prep. But more than that, we need to self-control to ensure that we only eat what we’re supposed to eat at a given meal or snack time. This is one of the best ways to avoid the quarantine 15.
#5: Switch to Daily Weigh-Ins
I am a HUGE fan of weekly weigh-ins to make sure you’re on track with your fitness journey. A lot can happen in a week, so making sure you have a dedicated time to check the scale helps you see the changes you need to make the following week.
Now that so many of us are working from home, there’s a lot that has the potential to happen from a food consumption standpoint each day. For that reason, it may be worth it to step on the scale once a day for the next month or two.
The focus isn’t so much weight loss as it is maintenance. The goal is to keep it the same from day-to-day. I’ve found that knowing I’ll face the scale first thing in the morning causes me to have a really thoughtful conversation with myself when I head to the kitchen for something to eat. I ask myself things like, “Am I really hungry? Do I need this or do I just want it? Are there any healthier options for me right now? Is this going to make me tip the scale on the heavier side if I eat it?”
Don’t have a scale? You can still monitor your weight by using a tape measure, taking pics of yourself and trying on “real” clothes to make sure they still fit.
#6: Drink Plenty of Water
I’ve said this before, but the body doesn’t have a die hard way to let us know that we’re thirsty. Sometimes our mouths are dry or our throats are parched, so we drink a little water.But did you know that a growling stomach doesn’t always mean that your body needs food?
The next time you think you need something to eat in order to satisfy your hunger, slowly drink 8 to 12 ounces of water and wait about half an hour. If the hunger pangs go away, you were simply thirsty. If they persist, you really could use a healthy snack.
Experts say that we should drink half of our weight in water, so if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 oz of water each day. Drinking enough water does some amazing things for you. First off, it helps clear up your skin. Secondly, it actually energizes you! Finally, it helps release toxins and wastes in your body which positively affects your overall health and can assist in maintaining your weight. All o that will help you avoid the quarantine 15.
#7: Schedule Three Rounds of Physical Activity Each Day
One thing many of us have right now is an abundance of time. Even though we’re working from home and helping children finish out their school year at home, we still have a ton of time because there aren’t sports practices and games to get to; we can’t go to church anymore and every form of entertainment is shut down. We’re really tempted to sit in the house and watch TV or cruise social media after the work day/school day is complete. But all that sitting is not going to help us avoid the quarantine 15.
We have to get moving, and the easiest thing to do is plan three rounds of physical activity each day – making sure that each round is a minimum of 10 minutes. If you have a dog, you can walk your dog three times a day. If you have young children, you can play tag with them for ten minutes, ride bikes or just take a walk. Turn on some music and have a dance off. Just commit to get moving for ten minutes three times a day every day.
#8: Break a Sweat for 30 Continuous Minutes
Strongly consider changing one of those ten minutes sections from the previous section to a thirty-minute exercise session that’s going to raise your heart rate and make you sweat. Run, dance or ride a bike. Head over to my YouTube channel and do five of the six-minute workouts. Join one of my online Zumba classes (just comment on this post to let me know you’re interested). Or google someone else’s workout videos.
Just break a sweat for thirty minutes a day to fight off that quarantine 15.
#9: Limit the Amount of TV Time
I’ve already hinted at this a couple of times in this post, but sitting there watching TV all day isn’t going to help anyone avoid gaining weight at this time. Why? Most folks don’t workout while watching TV. (I know I typically don’t.) Plus most of us like to snack while we’re watching TV.
If you’re having trouble finding time for that thirty minute sweatfest I mentioned earlier. Turn off the TV, take a break between episodes of whatever show you’re binge watching and get your workout on.
OR you could alternate between squats, lunges, jumping jacks, and burpees while watching one of the episodes. That could be really fun!
#10: Switch Refined Sugars for Natural Sugars at least Twice a Week
Let’s face it! It’s going to be hard not to snack, so let’s do so wisely.
I have the worst sweet tooth in the world. I rarely buy sweets or make them because they’re gone almost as quickly as I make them. Remember the cookies I mentioned?
However, I’ve learned that my taste buds enjoy natural sugars, like fruit and honey, as much as it enjoys refined stuff. So I would challenge you to take a couple of days each week to avoid refined, processed sugar and only eat natural sugars…just go easy on the honey.
How’s It Going?
Now that you have 10 tips to help you avoid the quarantine 15, I want to know how’s it going. Click the pink banner below to join the Facebook group, and let us know which tip is your go to!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Today’s post is a little different than usual. You haven’t seen me in a while because things have been tough lately, and I just haven’t had much motivation. Though things have gotten a bit better for me personally, the whole world is in a weird state of chaos mixed with uncertainty.
Instead of talking about physical health, I wanted to talk about mental health. I’m not an expert in this field. I just want to share what’s been working for me lately.
#1: Keep Moving
Schools, fitness facilities, churches and some places of business are shutting down indefinitely. We’re being told to self-quarantine or practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. However, that doesn’t mean that we stay in our home and do nothing.
Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress. Instead of staying glued to the TV for the latest news update, get your sweat on! Pause your streaming service for an hour or to go for a long walk or hop on YouTube and follow a workout video.
#2: Maintain a Schedule
We’re creatures of habit. Most of us wake up at the same time every day. Then we go through an almost identical morning routine because we have to be at work at the same time every day. But what do you when your business shuts down indefinitely and you have nowhere to go each day? You create another schedule
Most folks have things they’ve been meaning to get around to. We even have projects that we’ve been putting off until we have more time. This is the perfect opportunity to work on those things by creating a schedule.
If you work an eight-hour shift, I’m not suggesting that you create a schedule for every minute of your workday. However, I would suggest that you keep your same morning routine so that when work resumes, you’re good to go. Beyond that, you should schedule some things you need to do, some things you’ve been putting off and some fun things, too.
#3: Keep in Touch
This is one is especially for introverted single folk, like me, who live alone. However, it applies to others, as well. This is prime real estate for us. We have a legitimate reason to pull inside of ourselves and cut off all contact with the rest of the world. Let’s not do that.
One of the best ways to stay grounded is to connect with other people. While we may not be able to meet up with people face-to-face, we can FaceTime, Skype, host Zoom meetings and do Google hangouts. Check on the folks you love and let them know you’re okay.
#4: Go Offline
Turn off the TV. Go on Facebook fast. Stay off YouTube. Things are already bad enough. Just take one day – a full 24 hours – with no media or technology. You might be surprised how grounded you feel…and how much time you have.
This Too Shall Pass
Things won’t always be this way! They’ll get better! I promise.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
