Last week I talked about ways I exercise myself in a mental capacity. This week I am going to share some tips about what I do physically to keep myself happy and healthy.
Workouts: Part of where I gather patience and basic sanity comes from my physical activity. Ten years ago, you could find me in a high impact kick boxing class sweatin’ it out in the evenings after work at Lifetime Fitness. These days, my daily work out might be a 30 minute work out video in my bedroom with my children playing next to me. It may be a quick run outdoors before everyone wakes up or taking the kids out on a walk/bike ride after naps and before dinner. It’s not a routine at all. The only thing routine about it is the mornings I must get out of bed to teach group fitness at Lifetime. Or the fact that I try to move for 30 minutes or more at least 4-5x a week.
I think fitness as an adult has to include flexibility and creativity. Here’s an example: the girls take dance class every Monday night. I pack the stroller and baby boy and I get in a 30 minute power walk. Every step counts towards health and wellness. Don’t forget that!
Some of my favorite workouts from 2014 have included friends. From the all female triathlon I participated in with fellow 2013 mamas to monthly dates with a girlfriend. Once, my friend Danielle and I walked 6 miles pushing my two little ones in a stroller around our lake. Not only did we walk but oh how we talked! It was therapeutic and not just a physical workout! Grab a friend and get moving!
Here are a few of my favorite at home workout videos:
Supplements:
I know there are people who don’t believe in vitamins, that if you eat a healthy diet rich in nutrients then vitamins are not necessary. I take them anyway. I set a reminder on my iphone to take them because in the past, I always forgot.
As always, consult with your family physician about taking supplements. I encourage friends and family members to get yearly physicals. It is during that wellness visit to my doctor that I discuss supplements and dosages. I purchase my vitamins in health food stores and have found reputible products online as well. One website that I have found overall quality in their vitamins is on www.mercola.com **
Here are vitamins I take: Vitamin D3, Vitamin K, Magnesium, Calcium, Fish Oil and Vitamin B.
Dry Brushing:
This is a simple addition to your shower routine that will leave you feeling awake and alert! It’s called a dry brush and here are 7 different benefits to dry brushing.
I bought my dry brush (different than a loofa sponge) at a local health food store.
Diet:
I don’t like the word diet. It sounds negative to me. I wrote in depth about a lifestyle change I made in 2014 called Whole30 a few weeks ago. Filling our plates with grass fed meats and colorful fruits and veggies nourishes our bodies in a way that commercialized diets in the past haven’t always offered. It’s all a part of the CLEAN EATING movement you are hearing out there. There is no redundancy in counting calories. It’s pretty straight forward and good for you!
To add fruits and veggies into our menus, we like to make smoothies. We use the Nutribullet 900 and have learned a ton about how to properly build a smoothie from Simple Green Smoothies.
What are some ways you exercise and take care of your body physically? Comment below!