Tiny Changes to Boost Your Week – Vol 9

Need a little reset? Say no more – I have my quick and not-so-quick reset recommendations here for you this week, along with the usual lineup of new meal prep ideas and efficient (and kinda painless) workouts for you to rock when you’re not with me.

1. I have been noticing a little bit of a need-a-reset vibe in the past couple weeks, and taking a reset before you need one is SO important for avoiding burnout. Take any of these tips that can help you!
   • If you have just one minute: drink some water and take 5 deep breaths…hydration improves your mental clarity, and even a few deep breaths have a measurable impact on your stress hormones
   • If you have five minutes: stretch and mobilize your neck by doing a few shoulder rolls and looking to each side, down, and down at 45 degrees to each side…neck mobility is key for nervous system health, aka managing anxiety and depression
   • If you have 15 minutes: go take a hot-for-you shower to boost your circulation, enjoy one of the quick workouts from the studio’s playlist, get some fresh air outside, or take a nap using a guided recording like this one
   • If you have 30 or more minutes: upgrade your space (clean it, polish it, redecorate it, declutter it, fix that thing that has been bugging you for a long time), clear a roadblock (put away your laundry or your dishes, write out a quick meal plan for next week and/or plan a good-for-you day of food in myfitnesspal, plan your workout schedule for next week…), or connect with your vision for your life – I LOVE using private boards on Pinterest to organize the exact images that feel like they encompass big picture and details that I’m working toward, and I think it is SO important to be picky about the reminders you leave yourself as you work toward your goals
   • If you’re not sure, but you train with me, and the problem is at least vaguely fitness-related: text me!
2. While you’re at it, why not make whatever you chose above into a ritual that you schedule into your next week, too? Welcome to self care! The only key is consistency.

3. 

   Feeling lost about what you should eat, or wondering why I recommend some of the swaps that I do? Read up on the basics of an anti-inflammatory diet (I mean…the alternative is an inflammatory diet, which can contribute to all sorts of issues from fat gain to depression and anxiety, so…I mean…) and think about how you can introduce more bright, rich colors to your plate. (Sprinkles DO NOT count.)

4. If you need a little reminder about just how much the human body is capable of with a little training, hang out with this athlete as she prepares for Olympic trials.
5. Fix your posture – a new video for you – I 90% agree with this channel, and I think he has a great vibe if you’re tired of that slavic lady’s videos I often rely on for posture fix reminders.
6. While you’re at it, I would love literally each and every person who reads this to go do this pelvic floor yoga…you don’t have to have an injury or be aware of a problem to benefit from this (especially those of you with a pelvic tilt or issue with squat depth).

7. 

   I’m not adding a new hiit video this week but the full list is always available. I do want to talk about things that I think should not typically be done in a HIIT cardio workout because they’re dangerous or ineffective in this format, so that you can understand why I choose the videos that I choose for you:

   • push-ups
   • ab exercises of any kind
   • weight lifting of any kind

   …and things that SHOULD be done in a HIIT cardio workout:

   • work at MAX effort (otherwise it’s just interval training, not high intensity, and the rules are different)
   • strict interval (work/break) schedule appropriate for your fitness level
   • basic-for-you exercises that are familiar enough to be executed as quickly as possible
   • (typically) a minimum of 2 minutes of work/rest intervals before a longer break, but no more than 25 minutes of work/rest intervals
8. …remember, if you’re able to carry on an easy conversation or sing every word to a song while you’re moving, you’re probably not improving your cardio fitness…and while individual situations certainly vary, I will always start from the opinion that if someone is going to take the time to do something they consider a workout, they should get a workout from it! Not every workout needs to be at a 7-8-9 RPE, either.

Don’t forget to use your free classes if you train with me! I offer Bootcamp as a way to get in another metabolic workout without the price of a personal training sesh, Zumba as a way to boost your brain, stop your anxiety, and get moving, and Recovery as a time to unwind and learn how to maintain your joints and muscles so you can feel awesome every day and recover quickly from your workouts. (And Edwin is still on the schedule for kickboxing every Wednesday at 6:15 if you want to practice being a badass!) Sunday’s Zumba at Levy Park is still on as of the time of this post, so join us at the park (or, if it’s canceled due to weather, free online through the link on Instagram) from 9-10am for some Valentine’s day fun.

What I’m meal prepping this week:

• Kimbap/gimbap?! How gorgeous is this? And how fancy is this?! I think that if you prep the ingredients ahead of time (except the rice), this is surprisingly easy. (No, I am not putting spam and american cheese in mine.)
• Quick pickled veggies…I had to pull a few radishes and things in light of the impending weather, so I cut them in matchsticks and put them in a solution of 1 part ACV to 4 parts water with a pinch each of sugar and salt (bring the solution to a boil and pour it over the veggies while it’s still hot). This is a refrigerator pickle, not the kind you should can, but it’s ready in about 15 minutes and lasts in the fridge for at least a week.
• Almond flour donuts for Valentine’s Day topped with tart cherries and a coconut butter and maple glaze instead of her almond joy toppings
• Veggie soup – don’t be afraid to create your own, because I’ve never hated a fridge cleanout soup no matter how weird my mix seemed, and we have plenty of soup weather on hand
• My fave “cookies” that aren’t cookies – dates + coconut + maybe some almond butter and time in the freezer in some cute silicone heart molds = basically cookies (#3 in the video)

My for-me quick TRX combo (don’t forget to borrow this and modify it for your level or equipment if you want to!):

• High row/I and mid-row (dumbbell modification for home: dumbbell row or door frame pull and rear delt fly)
• Balance lunge + bicep curl / Y (dumbbell modification for home: lunge or elevated split squat + bicep curl / delt raise)
• Chest press with speed control (dumbbell modification for home: chest press with speed control)

(What is this? I plan my workouts just like I plan yours, but the fact is for many trainers that we don’t get to our workouts because we can’t be too sore to train our clients, we are injured, we are tired or underfueled, we are busy, we are only free during odd times of day that aren’t ideal for working out…so, to combat that, I’ve made myself weekly TRX mini-programs that take less than 20 minutes to execute and can be squeezed in to any free window I can find. I might not always use them, and they don’t totally replace my main workouts, but I think they will be helpful, even if I only do a piece of one! SO helpful that I’m sharing them with you each week, and you can feel free to follow along in your own way and at the level that’s right for you, modifying to use whatever equipment you have if you don’t have a TRX, if you need a workout idea for the week.)

Stay active this week despite the frigid temps! Plenty of indoor options that won’t have you dying of boredom, I swear xoxo