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Wellness

7 Changes to Live a Healthier Lifestyle

What is wellness?

What exactly is wellness? Many people have a different definition, but overall it’s adopting a healthy lifestyle.  Wellness is the absence of disease as well as feeling and enjoying your life. There are many components it’s your Spiritual, Physical, Mental and Emotional well being.

What affects a healthy lifestyle?

Your health affects everything in your life it changes how you feel, think, moves, and engage with others. Could you imagine having a common cold every day? Or worse in my thoughts being in pain every moment of every day? That is what some people go through daily some things even worse. When you are sick, you realize that your health affects everything.

I genuinely believe that the enemy is attacking our bodies which is affecting our lives. What people call poor choices I am calling bad habits because despite what we know we still choose the things that are bad for us merely out of comfort and enjoyment.  There are so many diseases that are rising and not subsiding or going away.

Why is wellness important?

Heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, mental health-related illnesses are all rising.  There are many studies on the correlation to our overall lifestyle and physical health. Including the psychological stresses of a fast-paced, busy life, poor food quality and choices, lack of exercise and no social AND spiritual connection.  

Three years ago, I was apart of these statistics from the mental health of depression and high anxiety and obesity. I have to say every piece of my Wellness Puzzle (Spiritual, Physical, Mental and Emotional) was off and it wasn’t until I submitted spiritually did I begin to see a physical result in my life and health.  

Seven changes I made to live a Healthier Life

1. Pray-

If you haven’t been following me, that is a given.  There are studies of the connection between physical and spiritual health. 

“The healthier the spirit and the greater its influence over the physical body — the greater its ability to correct or overcome physical shortcomings.” (From a letter of the Rebbe, dated the 2nd day of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, 5715)

Prayer is a way to talk to God and have a relationship. That’s how I began my fitness journey through daily prayer and how I help others start theirs through my online program. I use it till this day during before, after and during workouts and have a much stronger prayer life.  I genuinely believe that it helped me have an inner power more significant than my own. Through prayer, I have changed my poor habits into habits that not only I can live with every day, but I truly love. It’s an excellent foundation for my healthy lifestyle change.

2. Change bad habits to good-

Something that I have discovered along this journey. When I was overindulgent, stressed, poorly nourished, sedentary, sleep deprived, and with no self-accountability. It was acceptable it was okay. When I started going to bed early, rising early, eating well, exercising regularly and boldly professing my faith that’s when I got backlash. “Why are you working out so much?” “You should have cheat days more!”   It’s as if poor choices and bad habits are condoned because “everyone” else is doing it taking the easy way out. Creating this reactive culture that we live. Our society is fixated on reacting to poor choices;  Whether it’s through pharmaceutical medicines or surgeries. Living a healthy lifestyle meant replacing my bad habits with old. Trying to be preventative through education, self-awareness, and prevention.  

3.Getting a Emotions Checks

How we feel emotionally can affect our body; it will react with inflammation, pain, disease, and illnesses.  Negative feelings and emotions can directly be correlated to poor health. Addressing your feelings can help you in your path to healing your body and living a healthy lifestyle.  There are many programs, Doctors and specialist that you can find in your area to address your emotional wellness. By making sure I was emotionally healthy through counsel, spiritual devotion and prayer it released me from self-imposed barriers that were affecting my health.  It’s a necessary change I needed to make to live a healthier lifestyle.

4. Educate Yourself on Alternative Ideas

There are many ideas that are contradictory to how our culture’s beliefs.  Sometimes you have to walk a different path than the masses. There are so much research and successful studies on homeopathic therapies and remedies.  Many have been in existence since Biblical days but over the years never gained popularity. My family has been transitioning to living and healing from what God has given us. Whether it be homeopathic pain relief like Arnica which you know I love, essential oils which I recently have been educating myself or with natural plant-based detox. God gave us all we need to live and heal our bodies are amazingly able to recover naturally.  By changing how you use synthetic medicines can help with a healthy lifestyle.

5. Change How you Spend your time

We are so busy being busy! Our social connection and personal time to relax and restore is often affected. Television has mostly been eliminated from my schedule. I typically watch TV when I am folding lots of laundries or doing long bouts of cardio which is not often.  Replacing the hour television show, I used to watch it for an hour at the gym. It’s helped me to physically be well and take care of my body. Finding time for things that are important to my health was a change I needed to make for a healthy lifestyle.

I also believe you need to take time to connect with friends and family daily.  Life is not meant to be a blur, and people aren’t expected to be extras on your tv show.  Just like you, they enjoy connecting with others, and those you love can help your health.  People who are alone and isolated live shorter lives than those who are engaged with others. We were meant for a community, but in our viral culture, we are beginning to find our community on online sources isolating and keeping us from real-world connections.  Unplug, touch, hug and engage with people in real life.

As an adult it is hard to make friends but easy to find those with a common interest.  Do the things that you love, and you will find others to be in a community or just the people right next to you in your own house on the phone.  Life is too short and too important to be stuck behind a screen.

6. Eat Right

Another, “Duh De” but for real! Cut out the Carbonated, Refined Sugar, Artifical Colors and Flavors, Processed (C.R.A.P) stuff that resembles food in your life and start to eat Fruits and Vegetables, Organic or Natural Meat, Omega 3 and good fats, Drink more water (F.O.O.D).

No diet required to live a healthy lifestyle. The things that you put in your mouth almost instantly effects your health. There is no doubt and question in my mind. Is it easy to not eat C.R.A.P?

NO!

But once you make it a new habit; it’s just that second nature. It only takes consistent effort and exploring different things to find what you love.  Your perspective can determine, and the energy you put into changing your life will reveal your results. Basically, what you put in your will get out two-fold. Eating right is a necessary change to a healthy lifestyle.

7. Move More

Everyone just wants to try a diet and still stay still, but that is not going to cut it to change to your life. I put this last because it’s not the most important, but it is essential. We were made to move that is how God created us, and we are sitting our way into an early grave. Should you be moving every day!

YES!

The CDC only recommends 150 minutes per week, but honestly the more you move, the longer you live, the healthier you live. So, I recommend 150 minutes per week, but I encourage you to find something you love to do and do it every day for as long as you like it might add up to over 150 minutes without you even knowing it!  

Get Educated

There are other tools that I would recommend for a healthier lifestyle: massage therapy, self-care, and positive self-talk.

Ultimately, it begins with education which is something that my Great Grandfather instilled in me to always try to learn something new every day. I am attended in Well Summit in Brooklyn, NY October 5 & 6th.  It is a fantastic opportunity to network, learn and educate with over 800 people in the Wellness Industry! I would love to meet you there, and I can give you $75 off your ticket with CODE: WSDe

Join other people who have realized that we can live a happier healthier life if we make some changes and me.  Change is always hard but often for your good and trying one or two of my suggestion can hopefully help you make some changes in your own life to live healthier.

Did you find any changes helpful? Do you think you’re ready to change? What steps are you taking to achieve wellness?

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Faith & Self Care Faith Journey Fitness Fitness and Health Weightloss Journey

Not an Overnight Success: 7 things I’ve learned on my journey to lose 80 lbs.

I can’t believe that it has been another year. It seems both fast and long. For last years anniversary post check it out here! Two years seem like a long time but looking back it has flown. I started this blog three years ago as a Christian Mom Blog I didn’t know what I was doing then, and I still don’t know what “Christian Mom Blog” means but it has evolved over the last two years it has become a faith and fitness blog.

August 4, 2015

Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us. Isaiah 8:10

Two years today after trying on my own to figure out this daunting weight loss thing joined an online exercise program   It was exactly what I needed to get started a plan and some guidance. She also encouraged her members to take pictures to show progress, and I am grateful for those to look back at and see my progress. I would have never thought to do that. At the time I hated the idea, and the cost of a gym so, at home workouts worked for me. I also said that I would “never work out at a gym again,” haha.

Fast Forward

Fast forward two years and what I thought was going to be a temporary fix; I was going to get real skinny quick. Little did I know not only was I going to “get skinny” but it was going to be a roller coaster of highs and lows expectations and disappointments and an internal journey as well. It hasn’t all been bad.

Blessed through the Journey

This has also given me the opportunity to have fun adventures like working out with celebrity trainers and trying all kinds of new equipment, supplements, and tools.

 

Never Say Never

I am teaching group fitness classes at 5 am in the morning which I never imagined I would be up and moving at 5 am much less teaching other people too. I told my friend who kept referring me that I would never do group fitness and now that I have I absolutely love it.

A passion ignited

I am 10 weeks away from obtaining my degree in Fitness and Exercise Science, and I am working at an amazing gym (which I also said that I would never do; “work at a gym)”. I am learning so much from a great group of passionate trainers.

FaithFueled is a Lifestyle

Honoring my temple has now become my way of life how I live my life. The choices I make how I plan my day involves my mental space, health, exercise and healthy eating.

More than just a weight loss journey

I started on Periscope and Instagram just sharing about my journey which turned into a 30-day personal prayer challenge that I gave myself to honor my temple.  Those 30 days completely changed my perspective of how I can use God in my life. I had always put boundaries and limits on what I could pray.

Change in Purpose

I didn’t think God cared if I wanted to be skinny or not but through my prayers and devotion my want to be skinny changed for want to be healthy both including spiritually, physically and medically.  It gave me a passion for honoring my temple meaning what I put into it, how I treat it, who I involve in my emotional life and I went to the Bible for the lead in everything.

Stronger Together

I had a relationship with Christ before this journey but the peace I and intimacy that I never knew I craved has been met and continues to grow through this journey. When you turn to God for the little things you begin to turn to Him for everything and having a daily passionate relationship with God has been more fulfilling than being skinny or lifting a weight. The most exciting part of this journey is that I pray every day that I can be a light and bring glory to God through all that I do.

Humbled to be used

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

God has shown me in the last two year many women and some men that I have inspired through my journey. I am humbled and honored to serve God through fitness. It is amazing that in two years I have been able to change and transform and it is really truly because of God that I am where I am today. So, today I am celebrating the day that literally changed the course of my life. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today. So, this is my physical change in the last two years Year to date, but I don’t think you can take a picture for the internal change this experience has had on my family and myself.

The things I have learned in two years

  1. Give it to God first don’t try to do it yourself you’ll save time and stress.
  2. Be consistent even if you don’t see progress.
  3. If it isn’t working try something different you don’t have to stick with the thing you started.
  4. Yes, food is important not only what you eat but how and when you eat it!
  5. Discipline is needed and accountability
  6. Regardless what stage you’re at love and appreciate where you are right now while you are working towards what you want and always remember your Why!
  7. The only fix is your mindset that quick and easy doesn’t cut it hard work is worth the reward.

What’s Next?

I now have a new goal to compete in a Fitness competition.  Similar to weight loss, the mental is hard, the workouts are hard, and the food is the worse. I want to quit from day to day, and the highs and lows are the same but I know I have the victory. It will take more time than I want but I will get there just like I got here.

Work in Progress

There is a lot I still have yet to learn and work on if not physically then spiritually and emotionally. By no means am I even finished I like to think of it as just getting started on the next chapter, and I am excited to see what is written. If I could leave anyone with any advice is if you haven’t started, start today because it’s just another step closer to your goals. Remember it takes time so give yourself

time!

How can I help you start your journey or encourage you?

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Fitness Fitness and Health Self Workout Wednesday

Workout Safety: The Importance of Warm Up and Cool Down

I never realized knew the difference and the benefits of a warm up and cooled down until I began school. All of my fitness has been Beach Body or Online Trainers. Unfortunately, I was never encouraged to do a Warm-Up or Cool Down nor do they usually program them in. That is why so many people are getting injured working out at home.

Just because you don’t have a treadmill at home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t warm-up. Despite if your workout has a warm-up programmed in I would encourage you to Warm-Up and Cool Down on your own. Unfortunately, a lot of online trainers are either not certified at all, expired certification or no continuing credits. It is critical that you do your due diligience when working with one and check their credentials for your personal safety. Regardless, Warm-Up and Cooldown has been a necessity in a proper workout for many years. Why is it not emphasized? It’s like Breakfast to me the most important “meal” of the day. If you are a highly paid athlete or women just looking to lose a few pounds. Warm-Up and Cool-Down are mandatory. So, take the precautions if you have no idea what to do you can use the Warm-Up/Cooldown workout below or find your own. Just do it anyways despite if your Online Trainer suggests it. I know for DVD Video and Live Streams this is usually included in the workout.

Most people don’t feel there is enough time to add 10-20 minutes to cool down and exercise, but I find that a poor excuse. If you just work out the 150 minutes that are suggested a week you are the only exercise for a little over 1% of the 160 hours that you get a week. You have time! Make it!

Reasons Why You Should Warm-Up

  1. Helps to increase blood flow to the muscles that are being worked as well as a rise in temperature for both your body and muscles.
  2. When your body temperature rises, it helps to produce energy more efficiently which helps you with your workout.
  3. Increases the body and muscle temperature which contributes to increasing the rate of energy production.
  4. Contraction and reflex times severe with higher muscle temperatures.
  5. Exercising without warming up places a potentially serious stress on the heart. Warming up reduces the stress on the heart.
  6. Soft tissue (tendons, ligaments, muscles) injuries are less likely.
  7. Mentally prepared to workout

Cool down

The Cooldown is equally important and as you get older something that you feel the immediate benefits. Despite your lack of time, you should make it a priority to bring your heart rate to a resting pace and prepare your body for the muscle building and repair it will do from your workout session. Proper cooldown is necessary to take care of your body. If you have been pushing hard and then just come to an abrupt stop, you know what that can do to your car brakes imagine your what it does to your body. We are adaptable creatures but like to take it step by step. Intense starts and stops and can be detrimental to your body. Cooling down is just not to gradually bring your body to a resting point it is also to prepare you for the next workout. The stretching done in your cool down is to lengthen, strengthen and prepare your muscles for the workouts to come. It is important to take this step and prioritize it in your workout schedule.

Five reasons cooling down is essential in your workout routine:

  1. Helps to regulate your breathing, body temperature and heart rate to your average pace slowly.
  2. During cool down, your blood is correctly distributed to the heart. The major organ helping keeps things going you don’t want to cause unnecessary stress from skipping your cool down.
  3. Blood redistribution during cool down also helps to get rid of the lactic acid that you have built up in your aerobic workout. Lactic acid can build up in your muscles which are what cause post workout muscle soreness. I don’t know about you, but I rather take a few minutes to cool down then spend the next two days struggling to sit down (and get back up.)
  4. Blood pooling is caused by abrupt stops during exercise. Consistent blood pooling can lead to blood clots, vascular deformations, and pelvic tumors.
  5. Blood pooling, abrupt stopping at the end of exercise can all lead to insufficient blood flow and oxygen which will result in you feeling dizzy, nauseous, and just fatigued or worn out.

Next time you work out whether prescribed to warmup or cooldown, just do it! Come 10-15 minutes early to your class or session to make sure you are properly warmed up. You can use the suggested Warm-Up cooldown below or foam roll, stretch and walk it out on the treadmill for 5-10 minutes just make sure that your body is prepared for the workout ahead. Then once you finished challenging yourself from an excellent workout take the time to cool down and bring your body back to a resting point gradually. Which will avoid some negative reactions, lengthen, strengthen, rebuild your body and prepare you for future workouts ahead? I used to not warmup/cooldown, and ever since I have added it to my workout routine, it has made a noticeable difference in my workout and the days afterward.

Do you warm up consistently or only when told? What about cool down?

A systematic review into the efficacy of static stretching as part of a warm-up for the prevention of exercise-related injury. (n.d.). Retrieved March 07, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18785063/

Clark, M., Sutton, B. G., & Lucett, S. (2014). NASM essentials of personal fitness training. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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