As I’ve said on my Instagram, I finished 75 Hard and Phase 1 of the Live Hard program earlier this year.
This program is about mental toughness and perseverance with physical aspects thrown in.
Your physical fitness will change, but your mind will do a 360/180 whatever you call it. I'm so much more focused and driven and know what needs to be done. Also, you do have to take a progress pic everyday.
Watermelon- sweet, delicious, and you can eat a ton for few calories
Daily Checklist- I forget everything, so I need a list. Legit almost forgot my own birthday dinner the other day
Ningxia Red Slushies (get your Ningxia here)- pop the packets in the freezer and then you have something to substitute for ice cream
Habit rules (from Atomic Habits) - I couldn't get on social media or play phone games (I’m a huge bingo player) until my visualization, photo, reading, and one of power list items was done. In 75 hard, I made the rule that I couldn't take a shower until I did both workouts. It was much harder in phase one to use that particular rule because showering is one of the tasks. And, a cold shower is something you want to get over and done with.
Grill- I cook most meals, but my husband grills. So for easy prep, I have him cook off a bunch of chicken, burgers, kielbasa and then we eat them for the next few days. It makes dinner so nice if all I have to do is make a side and a veggie.
Cheerleader- Get someone on your freakin' side that will push you to do the stuff when you don't want to. 75 hard was way harder motivation wise. In phase one, you’re kinda in a groove especially with the 75 hard tasks that it's almost autopilot. Now, it's just like you know what to do when you don't want to do it, so you just push through.
All Different Workouts- Unless you super love the exact same workout every day, it is going to get boring. I go to classes at the gym so it's different every day or I use the Peloton app for spinning, yoga, walking, and so much more.
For the outside workout, I either walked, ride my stationary bike (which just f-ing broke) or do yoga. Which even gets boring, because I have the same walking path. Zzzzzz. I live in the middle of nowhere. I really don't have a choice because it's the place with the least amount of cars and there's still a lot of cars.
I can’t stress enough how awesome the Peloton app is (get your free 30 days here Peloton App). It doesn’t replace the in-person connection you get by working out side by side with someone (we don't actually work out side by side, hello covid, it's just an expression, chill out). But, the instructors and music are awesome, so if you can’t get to a gym or funds are kind of tight, the app is $12.99 and you get all kinds of workouts, run, walk, yoga, cycling, strength, boot camp, meditation, stretching and more.
For more workout, food, lifestyle tips, or just to see me be a jackass on a daily basis, follow me on Instagram, join my 75 Hard Ladies group on Facebook or sign up for my free tips on how to Jumpstart your Health today.
Movement is one of the pillars on which health is built. Movement helps people continue to stay mobile. When you move, you feel good. When you feel good, you want to keep it up.
Now, this doesn’t mean you do a crazy hard workout and then feel like shit because you have muscle soreness. I’m talking about any workouts, including low impact.
Why don’t more people talk about the benefits for every person of low impact? Is it because they aren’t sexy or their platforms aren’t loud enough or do we not give a shit about a quiet walk or yoga? Probably a little bit of all 3.
When you’re out of shape, the last thing you want is to feel more out of shape, which exercise sometimes can do. But, you have to start somewhere.
You can be thin and still not have range of motion and have muscle atrophy. If you can’t pick something off the ground without being in pain. If you can’t do the regular day to day tasks, that's going to have a strain on your mental health, which might be the reason your daily movements have suffered in the first place.
It’s kind of like a marriage between mental and physical health. They both have to have their own space, but come together to make your body function properly.
Working on both is important, but I feel like the physical can have such an effect on the mind that it should be part of your self-care regime.
Who doesn’t like to feel strong and accomplished either? Not that every workout you will feel that. Trust me, in some workouts you feel like shit because you didn’t get nail a lift or you could have done better.
Movement needs to be a part of your self-care routine. A lot of people think self-care is pampering yourself or cutting negative people out of your life, which it is, too. But, physical activity should be a part of that. It will only enhance what you already are doing.
Movement is self-care. By moving, you are caring for yourself. Your best self. The one who is happy and beautiful.
For more workout, food, lifestyle tips, or just to see me be a jackass on a daily basis, follow me on Instagram, join my 75 Hard Ladies group on Facebook or sign up for my free tips on how to Jumpstart your Health today.
