The Body & Movement

Exercise After COVID

Note: this post was written April 2022 (info is changing quickly in COVID).

According to a health data scientist at the Indiana University School of Medicine, struggling to return to exercise is one of the biggest complaints of individuals with long covid along with brain fog and fatigue.

Exercising When Sick

As a general rule any time we exercise we need to listen to our body. This is even more true as you return to exercise after a bout of COVID. It’s important to listen to your body because no rule is steadfast or one size fits all. I have friends that, prior to COVID, swore that when they were sick exercise helped them get over illness. I’ve never found that to be true in my body. When I’m sick I need rest or I get worse—even for a minor head cold. So you need to know your body and what you need.

COVID aside, the general rule for exercising when sick has been if you feel illness in your head region, do what you can do. If you feel it in your chest take a break from exercise. Again, […]

Exercise After COVIDMaggie Downie2022-04-19T01:04:09-04:00

Mindful Eating Tips

Every February (the shortest month of the year) we run a Mindful Eating Challenge. We already made it through this year (phew)! The purpose is to pick any food related goal/challenge that you feel would benefit you. I always try to give up processed sugar. Others try to incorporate more vegetables or reduce alcohol. Some people try to reduce snacking or only have dessert twice a week. The options are broad. But they are all linked to mindfulness.

What does mindful eating mean?

Trying to eat mindfully simply means that we try to notice anything we can about the food we eat. Maybe that involves being present during the act of eating. Or maybe it involves noticing our process with food—how we plan our meals or how often we think about food during the day. But mindfulness isn’t only about being present and noticing. It’s about accepting and not judging what we notice. Sometimes that can be the tough part. We can be so discouraging to ourselves when we feel we failed. When practicing mindfulness the fact that you even noticed shows you didn’t feel.

Mindfulness is the first step in figuring out […]

Mindful Eating TipsMaggie Downie2022-04-01T21:43:03-04:00

Spring Movement

Habits can be hard to form. Falling out of habits can be pretty easy. The many changes from COVID may have pulled you out of your normal routine two years ago and perhaps you haven’t figured out a new schedule or format you enjoy. The seasons can also unravel the best laid plans. A cold and icy winter might keep you from exercising. But the seasons can also be a time to reboot, especially as the sun pokes out more in spring and the weather gets warmer.

If you’re ready and raring to get into a new fitness routine this spring, here are some tips that can help:

Schedule

Actually put exercise on your calendar. Prioritize it and make sure you have time for it. Include a Monday workout because it sets you up for success for the whole week. If you skip Monday, you might convince yourself it’s okay to skip Tuesday and then the next day. So start your week with a workout.

Think of it like a doctor’s appointment. You’d never put that on your calendar and then blow it off. It’s a needed appointment for your health.

Outside

Spring MovementMaggie Downie2022-03-28T23:01:19-04:00

Heat up in Winter

If you find yourself feeling cold on these frigid winter days we’ve been having, you have two tools at your disposal all the time that can help you warm up: movement and specific breathing patterns.

Our muscles are efficient little furnaces They are great at heating us up. In fact, when we engage our muscles around 80% of the energy created becomes heat. Only about 20% goes into the muscle movement. To heat up quickly you’ll want to do a few full body moves that use big muscles. For example squats brining your arms over head, jumping jacks, or large marches in place while pumping the arms. Use your whole body, but definitely involve the legs and glutes because they have some of our biggest muscles. You can even simply tense your muscles. Try that with me now. Tense you arms, legs, glutes, abs. I feel that heat right away, do you?

Now, the key to remember when you want to move to heat yourself up is not to do so much. You don’t want to do squats or jumping jacks until you start sweating because then you’ll just get cold again. Try 5- 15 reps of any exercise. If […]

Heat up in WinterMaggie Downie2022-02-16T16:39:49-05:00

Fitness Trends 2022

As we start a new year, we are seeing two distinct splits in the fitness trends for the coming year. At first appearance they seem in opposition (and may be), but they might just help create a good balance between each other. One had been building since the pandemic, the other is a return to basics and simple movement.

Virtual Classes

Just like in 2020 and 2021, people still are turning to virtual classes. Virtual classes remain easy, convenient, time efficient, and an option when spikes of illness appear. From the privacy of our own home we can still get our workout in, but see others and get instruction in a virtual class.

(Want to try one of our pre-recorded virtual classes? Click here.)

Wearable Tech

We continue to see people using wearable technology like Fitbits and Apple watches. These tools are used to track steps, mileage, heart rate and other health and wellness variables. People are posting their results on social media, which can sometimes help maintain accountability to reach our goals.

Fitness technology companies revealed at this year’s CES (a massive consumer technology trade-show that just […]

Fitness Trends 2022Maggie Downie2022-02-06T13:34:37-05:00

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