Highly abridged and simplified this week, but here are some tips to help next week be great, no matter what this past week was like. (Because…seriously.) Also, thank you to everyone who has supported our tiny studio during this insane era. We have a few more free/donation-supported classes coming up, because while we have insurance, the upfront repair cost is right about even with the deductible. FUN. We will handle it, I’m doing some of it myself already, and it will be smoother sailing thanks to you, so, again and again, THANK YOU.
Looking forward to next week, no matter where in the country you are, let’s take away some things from this past week’s events:
- YOU choose your rock-bottom…for example, we still ate fruits and veggies this week during the utility catastrophe, got out for walks, and got back to working out after just a 2-day break, because we know all of those things are important for our family to feel great and function well. No need to feel sick from eating nothing but chips on top of the insanity unfolding around us.
- YOU can prepare to handle uneven times in life…if we didn’t keep some level of fruits and veggies on hand each week, plus a few dried/canned backups that we enjoy eating for emergencies, we wouldn’t have been able to get them.
- YOU need to do your best during regular times, because if you’re already skipping workouts, slacking on nutrition, or doing whatever else it is to avoid working toward your goals and being in awesome health, you’re already going to be in a deficit when an inevitable speed bump comes along.
I don’t feel right talking about fun/fancy meal prep and workouts when we have limited/no access to fresh groceries in Texas and when many people are still without power and water. So, let’s take a look at some fitness basics that can always make your week amazing, and maybe you can congratulate yourself on already ticking all these boxes!
- Two strength workouts a week, at your level: that’s about the minimum it takes to make progress (although one is a great starting point, and effective for about 2-3 months). I have posted a strength workout each week in these weekly tips so far, minus the reps and sets, to give you ideas for a quick 3-4 exercise workout that you can use to work at your level by selecting the weight, reps, and sets that work for you and the equipment you have on hand.
- 90 minutes of cardio activity each week, in addition to those two workouts: we are looking for a total of about 5 hours of intentional activity a week here, which is about the minimum needed to maintain adequate health. I don’t make the rules, but I am happy to be here advocating on behalf of your body! Remember that you probably need to feel somewhat out of breath for an activity to have an impact on your heart health.
- Time to breathe every single day: it doesn’t need to be meditation, or even something that feels relaxing, but taking a break to take 5 deep breaths every day can make a measurable impact on your health.
- Some extra stretching time: if you can make time to stretch and relax your body once or twice a month, you will reap a ton of benefits from it (like decreased stress and anxiety, improved sleep, faster workout recovery, and injury prevention).
If you’ve never thought about choosing your rock bottom before, take a few minutes now and write down the things that are absolutely non-negotiable for you. Are the certain foods or food groups? Things that help you maintain your emotional well-being? Something as mundane as a skincare routine, or a weekly phone call with a friend?
And, when you’re done, make another list of the things you wish you had had on hand this week during the utility outage, and make sure to stock them for next time. (If you think you’ll break into your emergency snacks when it’s not an emergency, put them in a box and tape it up! It will work, I promise.) Some of my favorite healthy emergency prep items include:
- dried cherries, cranberries, and blueberries
- canned pumpkin and beets
- freeze dried strawberries
- dates
- applesauce
- peanut butter (just peanuts and salt), or almond and/or sunbutter
- chia seeds
- rolled oats
- chocolate (the good stuff)
If stocking an emergency pantry is brand new to you, start by purchasing a few extra things at each of your next grocery trips. You won’t regret it! In fact, I think the best way to build an emergency pantry is to buy extra of the things you already like to eat…that way you’ll actually eat it when an emergency does hit.
Stay warm, stay safe, and stay active! I’ll be back next week with the fun version of this list of tips xoxo
