ignitehealthcoach – Ignite Health Coaching

02 Aug

August 2, 2022August 2, 2022ignitehealthcoach Coaching, Development, For Women, Lifestyle, Motivation, Nutrition, Workout No Comments

NEAT Exercise – What is it and how it can help you lose weight?

Non

Exercise

Activity

Thermogenesis

NEAT is an acronym that is used to refer to movement outside of formal exercise, so movements such as cleaning your house, walking around a store, or walking up the stairs at your home.

NEAT exercise is a direct reflection of a sedentary lifestyle or an active lifestyle, with a sedentary lifestyle one will gain weight and be at a higher risk for many chronic diseases, such as cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and strokes. During the COVID shutdown, I went from going into an office every day, going to see friends, and being out and about all the time, to being at home 24/7 for almost a year. My NEAT level dropped drastically, and I gained about 30 pounds. My active lifestyle went to sedentary in a matter of days. While I am still at home, I am now able to go to the gym again, go see friends and be significantly more active.

For anyone who has a fitness watch, Apple Watch, Fitbit, or Garmin, and even most cell phones, your steps throughout the day are tracked, this is to encourage this NEAT Exercise idea. In my typical lifting workouts, while I may burn 300 calories, I am only usually getting about 1000 steps on the high side. When I run, I usually get about 2000 per mile, but even on days that I am running 3 miles I am still only getting 6000 steps, and only burning about 300 calories. If I am looking to lose weight, I need to be burning more calories than I am intaking and I refuse to be hungry all the time, so I need to be able to eat. While yes, I do eat more nutrient-dense foods, with fewer calories but more filling, I still want to be able to eat a good portion size and eat 3-5 meals a day, so with that, I need to be able to burn more than just 300 calories a day. That is where NEAT Exercise comes in, I have two dogs that need walks every day, if I take them for 2 walks a day, that will be a total of 2 miles I just upped my steps for the day, and my calorie expenditure. Then, say I need to go grocery shopping, if I park a bit further out, I will get more steps in and therefore burn more calories. My goal through NEAT exercise is to burn about 400 calories extra in my day and get about 10,000 steps in. With these goals I have seen about a 20-pound weight loss over the past 6 months, then with my resistance days and running days, I am seeing different muscle begin to grow and with a fat reduction from my NEAT exercise I am able to see these muscles with more tone and definition.

06 Jul

July 6, 2022July 6, 2022ignitehealthcoach Coaching, For Women, Lifestyle, Motivation, Nutrition No Comments

Working it out!

With the heat of the summer kicking in, I personally need to have a gym membership as I do not enjoy running or even walking in the heat. I went out and got a gym membership at a local, upscale gym with very nice and plentiful equipment. I have found myself lifting and running regularly. While I would like to be training for a half marathon, I am struggling to get past the three-mile mark or 30 minutes. Right now, I am focusing on building my legs and core muscles to aid in my running. I have reduced my lifting days and added many running days and alternate workouts. Changing my workouts has made me enjoy my workout days more as it is helping me feel like I am working more towards a goal of running a half marathon.

Below is my current workout plan!

Day 1

Cardio:

Run for 30 minutes on treadmills hills.

Core: Do 2 sets

Bridge: 10 reps
Donkey kicks: 10 reps for each leg
Leg lifts: 10 reps

Stretch

Day 2

Cardio:

Run for 15 minutes

Alternate workout:

30 minutes to 1-hour yoga class

Core: Do 2 sets

Plank: 1 minute
Right side plank: 30 seconds
Left side plank: 30 seconds

Stretch

Day 3

Cardio:

Run for 30 minutes on the treadmill, at intervals.

Core: Do 2 sets

Bicycles: 20 reps
Back Extensions: 20 reps
Toe Touches: 20 reps

Stretch

Day 4

Cardio

Run for 15 minutes

Alternate workout:

1 hour Water Aerobics class

Stretch

Day 5

Do 4 sets, with 30 seconds between exercises, and 2 minutes between sets.

2 minutes of jumping rope
1 minute of burpees
1 minute of jumping jacks
1 minute of jump squats, or lung jumps (depending on your knee)
1 minute of mountain climbers

Stretch

Day 6

Full body super-set

Superset 1: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: RDLs: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Shoulder Press: 10 reps

Superset 2: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Squats: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Bicep curls: 10 reps

Superset 3: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Calf raises: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Single arm row: 10 reps for each arm

Superset 4: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Lunges: 10 reps for each leg
Exercise 2: Lateral lifts: 10 reps

Core:

Russian twists: 20 reps
Flutter kicks: 20 reps
Sit-ups: 30 reps

Be sure to stretch

Day 7

Rest day:

One of the most crucial things you can do to achieve your goals is to be consistent. Today, all you have to do is rest. Walk around, stretch, ride your bike, and do something that makes you feel good and will prepare you for next week.

01 Jul

July 1, 2022July 1, 2022ignitehealthcoach Uncategorized No Comments

July 2022 Newsletter

Recipe of the Month
Strawberry Water

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh strawberries (can use frozen if thawed)
1 tablespoon of Lime juice
1 tablespoon of sugar (honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar for substitute)
7 cups (64oz) cold water, divided
Sparkling water, to serve (optional)

Instructions:
Clean berries. Place strawberries in a blender with 1 cup of water, the lime juice, and sugar and blend on high until fully combined. Add remaining 6 cups of water. Taste and adjust sugar and lime as needed, (the flavor will mellow over time). Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
If desired top with sparkling water! Add some blueberries to the top to make it a Red and blue drink in honor of the 4th of July!

Trying to find some new recipes, using all the fresh fruits and veggies from the farmer’s markets – check out the following website! https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/summer-farmers-market-recipes/

28 Jun

June 28, 2022June 28, 2022ignitehealthcoach Coaching, For Women, Lifestyle, Motivation, Nutrition No Comments

GET YOUR SLEEP!

We have all been told that we need to get a certain amount of sleep each night, but life happens, and it makes it hard to get enough sleep. I mean, how important is it?

Well, sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our health, long term, and short term. Sleep not only helps the brain save memories, but it also helps us process emotions and aids in our creativity. Put sleep on more of a pedestal because it helps us lower our risks of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. It also helps manage our weight, if we miss out on even just a few hours of sleep our body will slow our metabolism down the next day. We will then crave more food, and unhealthy foods even and our bodies will release more of the hormone that makes us hungry, ghrelin, and less of the hormone that makes us feel full, leptin, which then all we want to do all day is EAT.

How much sleep should you be getting each night? 7-9 hours, and yes, I know people say that they just don’t need that much sleep, but the likelihood that your body doesn’t need that much sleep is very low. I would honestly tell you that I doubt you are one of those very few individuals. Your body and your brain need 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

So ok, say you accept that you need to sleep 7-9 hours every night, how are you going to get that much sleep?

Schedule it! – set yourself a time for bed every night, and a time to wake up every morning, including weekends. This set bedtime and wake-up time will allow your body to get into a rhythm so it will start winding down and winding up each day at the appropriate times.

MOVE! – During the day, get some exercise and allow your body to get tired.

Avoid caffeine and nicotine! – These are stimulants, avoiding these throughout the day will help your body wind itself down naturally throughout the day! Especially try to avoid these things later in the day! I do not drink any caffeine after 2 PM every day, or I will stay up all night.

Avoid Alcohol! – Alcohol affects your sleep cycle, while you may fall asleep quickly, you more than likely will not hit your REM sleep for the complete time you need to if at all. Alcohol at night really affects this but alcohol consumed earlier in the day may also impact your REM sleep.

Avoid large meals and excess liquids late at night. – Eating or drinking too late may affect your digestion which can keep you awake or make you need to use the restroom in the middle of the night, causing you to need to wake up and get out of bed.

Do not nap after 3 PM. – Napping after 3 PM is going to affect your falling asleep later in the evening. If you are feeling tired, go for a walk, and get your blood moving.

Set a bedtime routine. – Every night before bed do the same things.

Relax – read or listen to music
Take a hot bath
Shut off phones, tablets, TVs, and computers
Make the room dark and cool

Don’t allow yourself to lay in bed awake. – Laying in bed trying to fall asleep longer than 20 minutes can cause some anxiety, so get up and move to another location in the room or another room in the house and try to do a relaxing activity.

14 Jun

June 14, 2022June 14, 2022ignitehealthcoach Business, Coaching, For Women, Lifestyle, Motivation No Comments

Stress

Stress…
We all know stress is bad for us and it affects us and our health, but have you ever dealt with severe
stress and cut that stress out of your life and see the impact firsthand?
I have!!
Stress affects your muscles, your respiratory system, and your cardiovascular, endocrine, and
gastrointestinal systems in negative ways. That does not even cover what it does to your mental
capacities.

Story time!!
I had a job that was one of the most intense, fast-paced, belittling jobs with excruciatingly long hours
that I have ever experienced. I worked with some of the most incredible, smart, generous, and caring
humans in the world. Conversely, I worked with some of the absolute worst people, people who were
power-hungry and did not care what they had to do to get to where they wanted to be. It was hard to
know who to trust, hard to work with some people, and it was a stressful job. This job went from being
fun with all the people and the fast-paced workflow to being miserable and the stress began to spill over
into my personal life. I would come home from work exhausted and cranky, and I would go to bed no
later than 8 pm, some nights as early as 6:30 pm. I would get home and eat, usually something fast and
simple, and then crawl into bed and stare mindlessly at my phone, playing games or scrolling through
social media, or staring at some dumb television show. I was hating my life! I would shop on Amazon
daily just to fill some sort of void, I did not have the energy to go to the gym, and I did not have the
energy to care about the food I was putting into my body. I knew what I should be doing, but I was just
not able to do it. One day, I looked in the mirror while trying on a large shirt and could see my stomach
rolling over my sweats, and I knew I needed to make a change! I found a gym close by, which happened
to be a HIIT gym with set times and structured workouts, so I know I would be able to just go at the
same time and not have to build workouts. It was an expensive gym, so I started with a pass for 3
workouts per week, and with the amount I was paying for those 3 classes I knew I would use the pass!
About week 2 or 3 of working out at this gym, I began to feel more like myself, my brain fog was lifted,
and I was seeing how unhappy I was and how miserable I was to be around. I knew more changes were
in store. The problem was my career, so I took a long look at what I was doing, what I could do, and
what I truly wanted to do. That is when I decided it was time to go back to school. I wanted to get a
master’s degree since my Sophomore year in College, so then it was just deciding what I was going to
get my master’s in. I knew I did not want to go to school for business, I wanted to choose something I
wanted to do and cared about. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do, and I thought about
the last time I was happy with my path. That moment happened to be 10 years earlier when I was in
college and studying Exercise Science. In my Senior year, I had multiple internships, all of which were fun,
but my favorite was interning at the community hospital as a health coach. I thought it was so cool to
work with people to better their lives and become healthier, it was my dream job. I found a school that
was for health coaches, and it happened to be fully online so I could work and go to school, so I figured
it all out and I applied. I remember sending my application and thinking “I got this”, I had a great GPA in
College and it was in the same field, so no way I am not getting in, right? The day I got my acceptance I
started crying because I knew that was the first day of living out my dream, 23-year-old me would be so

proud and excited. I had the idea of what I was going to do with my degree, and everything was planned
out. I took my first class while I was still at this stressful job and decided to start a business as a health
coach. The idea was to get my feet under me and get the name going, after all I had a good income, so it
seemed like a great time to start it. When I started the second class the reality of the stress from
everything came crashing down. I knew right then that I would not be able to go to school, maintain this
stressful job, and start a business of any sort, I just did not have the energy to do it all. My working out
halted, my sleep schedule went awry, everything seemed to be closing in and I was starting to lose it.
My boyfriend looked at me and told me I had to quit my stressful job. This was in September, and I said,
“Let’s wait until December, and get through the holidays”. October came and I was miserable, so my
boyfriend and I sat down and decided it was time to pull the plug, something had to give and it was not
going to be my dreams.
So I quit, and immediately the weight was lifted, I was able to focus more on Ignite Health Coaching, I
was able to focus on school, I was able to get my certifications, and everything was coming together! I
had no idea how leaving a job would affect me! I left in October, it is now May the next year and I have
lost over 10 pounds with minimal life changes. I have begun working out more and enjoying working
out, I have found my passion for cooking and for food again, and I am more creative and fun to be
around. My life has changed so drastically since leaving the stressful job that I wanted to share this with
everyone! Following your dreams is the only way to do life in my opinion because we only get one life to
live. Leave that stressful job, chase that crazy dream of yours, and jump!!

Life after chronic stress, I sleep better, I laugh more, I move more, I eat more, and enjoy researching
what and how to eat, I challenge myself more, and I create more! Stress is a struggle in our world today,
we all experience it and to a point, it does add a little flare to life, but chronic stress sneaks up on you
and slowly debilitates and makes your life miserable. Find your passions, and find any way to follow your
heart because these are the ways you will be able to truly destress.

17 May

May 17, 2022May 17, 2022ignitehealthcoach Coaching, Development, For Women, Motivation, Nutrition, Supplements, Workout No Comments

Half Marathon training week 9 and 10

Well, it happened, I got a cold!

We went on a quick trip to California and came back with a head cold, and a nice little cough! Whether it

was from being around a lot more people than I am used to or a lack of sleep, whatever it was it got

me!! So, I was forced to take a week off, I slept and rested and ate as many fruits and vegetables as we

had to try to allow my body to heal!

Coming back from a week off I am feeling great! I went for a super easy run at the beginning of the

week, ran about a mile and a half without needing to walk, but took it super slow as my breathing was

very labored. I took the next few days off just to allow my lunges to clear themselves out further. I then

ran an easy 3-mile run, it was slower than I typically run but I did it and felt great. While I lost about two

weeks of training, I don’t feel like I am starting from the beginning, more like starting from where I left

off. My goal for the next two weeks is to get my mileage up to 5 miles. I have built a loop run on the

MapMyRun app from my door back to my door, and I am hoping to get this run done in the next week.

If I can hit 5 miles comfortably, I think I will then be able to begin to really push and get my mileage up! I

am about 6 weeks away from trying to get that half marathon distance. It may be a stretch for me to get

there with the time remaining, so I may need to push that out further, but if I can get to 5 miles this

week, then start adding miles, a half marathon really will be within reach!

Day 1

Run 3 miles

Core –

Bicycles x30

Leg lifts x15

Sit-ups x 30

Plank for 30 seconds

Stretch, for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Focusing on legs. Don’t want to be sore tomorrow!!

Day 2

Recovery run 1 mile (slow, easy run)

Super-sets

Repeat 4 times

Chess press x12

Squat jumps x15

Repeat 4 times

Bicep curls x12

RDL x15 each leg

Repeat 3 times

Forearm plank 30 seconds

Side plank 15 seconds for each leg

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 3

Run 3.5 miles

Core

Toe touches x15

Russian twits x30

Super man’s x30

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 4

Recovery run 1 mile (slow, easy run)

Cable Machine Super-sets

Repeat 4 times

Single-arm row x12

Hip Abduction x12

Repeat 4 times

Triceps pull downs x12

High-low wood chop x10 each side

Repeat 4 times

Face pull x12

Calf raises x12

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 5

Long run (hopefully I was able to get through the first two running days ok)

Run 4 miles

Core

Sit-ups x30

Heel touches x30

Leg ups x15

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 6

Active rest day #1

Hike, bowling, group sports, long- brisk walk

Day 7

Active rest day #2

20-60 minutes of Pilates or yoga class, guided stretch

17 May

May 17, 2022May 17, 2022ignitehealthcoach Uncategorized No Comments

Spring has Sprung!
It is that time of the year when the flowers are springing up everywhere!
Hope you are getting out there and enjoying the weather and the new blooms.

Book a free consultation here!

Recipe of the MonthVegan Pasta Salad
Servings: 8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:8oz of red lentil pasta1 cup of dry quinoa6oz artichoke hearts, drained1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed½ cucumber½ onion, finely diced1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced1 orange bell pepper, finely diced3 tomatoes, finely chopped1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning4 tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil
Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package, drain and rinse with cold water. Set asideCook quinoa according to package, remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
Wash and chop all the veggies.
Mix veggies, pasta, quinoa, seasoning, and oil in one large bowl.Cover, and place in the fridge for 1 hour
.Enjoy!

Great as a side to anything grilled, also great to bring to an event as a side!

Movement of the Month
Farmer’s Walk
Builds strength
Whole-body workout
Improves aerobic capacity
Benefit your daily activities
How to do a Farmer’s Walk:
You’ll need:
2 evenly weighted items to carry
An open space to walk at least 10 steps in a straight line

Start by selecting the appropriately weighted items and placing them on the floor on either side of your body.
Reach down, bending at the hips and knees, and grasp items in each hand.
Lift them up by extending your hips and knees, keeping a neutral spine throughout.
Hold the items at your side with a firm grip. Stand tall, keeping your shoulders, back, and core tight.
Initiate the movement by walking forward at an even pace with your eyes focused straight ahead of you.
Complete the desired amount of steps, come to a stop, and place the dumbbells down while keeping a tight core and neutral spine.
Once you get stronger, you can begin to carry your items faster, and upping your weights.

Monthly tip! “Of you are positive, you’ll see opportunities instead of obstacles” — Widad Akrawi
Your mindset is your view!

Put a smile on and get going!

Stop making excuses.

10 May

May 10, 2022May 10, 2022ignitehealthcoach Coaching, Development, For Women, Motivation, Nutrition, Workout No Comments

Half Marathon week 7 and 8

I feel like I finally have 3 miles down consistently. I have been able to get my mile time down to just over 10 minutes, making running for 30 minutes doable to get 3 miles in! I have successfully been able to run the full 3 miles, up hills. I have found my groove with running again! I have found myself enjoying it and using it as a release from my day-to-day. The other day I was running outside and caught myself in such my own little world that was singing out loud and bobbing my head along to the song I was listening to while running on a pretty busy road, kind of embarrassed, kind of excited that I was such in the groove that I was just doing it! Running is no longer a punishment or painful, it is enjoyable. I also have been consistently doing a core workout after my runs, and I am starting to see some ab muscles popping out. I have gotten to the point I am running every other day, and it is a struggle for me to only be running every other day. I have an itch almost daily to go for a run. In this next training adjustment, I am going to introduce short recovery runs into my workouts as well as long runs and resistance training.

I have learned that I need to stay hydrated and stretched out and stretching before and after my runs are not enough, I need to stretch throughout the day. I have found my hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors very tight and have been spending a lot of time stretching those out and have fallen in love with the massage gun to get that deep calf tightness loosened up.

Seeing and feeling the differences in my body and my mentality is helping me feel more confident in my abilities, my perseverance, and my mental strength and has given me more energy! I remember why I used to love to run, and now can confidently say I am a runner!

Day 1

Run 3 miles

Core –

Bicycles x30

Leg lifts x15

Sit-ups x 30

Plank for 30 seconds

Stretch, for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Focusing on legs. Don’t want to be sore tomorrow!!

Day 2

Recovery run 1 mile (slow, easy run)

Super-sets

Repeat 4 times

Chess press x12

Squat jumps x15

Repeat 4 times

Bicep curls x12

RDL x15 each leg

Repeat 3 times

Forearm plank 30 seconds

Side plank 15 seconds for each leg

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 3

Run 3.5 miles

Core

Toe touches x15

Russian twits x30

Super man’s x30

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 4

Recovery run 1 mile (slow, easy run)

Cable Machine Super-sets

Repeat 4 times

Single-arm row x12

Hip Abduction x12

Repeat 4 times

Triceps pull downs x12

High-low wood chop x10 each side

Repeat 4 times

Face pull x12

Calf raises x12

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 5

Long run (hopefully I was able to get through the first two running days ok)

Run 4 miles

Core

Sit-ups x30

Heel touches x30

Leg ups x15

Stretch for 10 minutes (holding each for 30 seconds)

Day 6

Active rest day #1

Hike, bowling, group sports, long- brisk walk

Day 7

Active rest day #2

20-60 minutes of Pilates or yoga class, guided stretch

10 May

May 10, 2022May 10, 2022ignitehealthcoach Business, Coaching, For Women, Lifestyle, Motivation, Nutrition, Workout No Comments

Traveling and staying on track!

We just returned from a fun-filled weekend of visiting friends in San Diego. I know when we go on these fast trips it seems to be a blur and staying on track with our diets, or our workout routines does not seem to happen and goes completely out the window. We tend to indulge in too many cocktails, we eat irregularly and with no concept of healthy eating, and we pack our workout clothes and have the intention, but it never seems to happen. The whole trip ends up being a picture of what not to do!

I am here to help you prepare and recover from these types of trips. I want you to be able to fully enjoy and live in the moment! Taking that weekend getaway of three days off is not as big of a deal as taking a week off, but that is a conversation for a different day!

To prepare for these quick blurs of a weekend, first, you need to make sure everything at work is caught up and maybe get a little ahead. Maybe that means you are spending more time at work or on your computer the week or two leading up to your trip, so getting in an extra workout is probably not in the cards. Having a clean house right before departing for my trips is always a priority so that upon my return I can unpack, start laundry, and just relax for a bit. Plus having a clean house helps in the packing process because if you are anything like me you don’t want to be searching for items, and chances are you must run to the store for that new dress, outfit, or toiletries. With all the extra things that go into getting ready for the trip itself, staying on track is one of the extra important things because you do not want to go into a 3-day binge-fest after not taking care of yourself leading up to it. If you are wanting to give your best self and go hard for a few days’ getaways I would suggest you get all your workouts in. If you are working out 5 days per week, make sure you are getting all 5 workouts in, and you are giving the workouts your all and getting everything you can out of them in your limited time. I also suggest getting at least your minimum vegetable servings in before your trip. If your diet is a mess because you just did not have the time to get to the store or did not want to buy a full week’s work of groceries be sure to at least get 5 cups of vegetables leading up to your trip, and fried vegetables do not count. Be sure to drink your water, not only will hydration help with any sort of jetlag you may experience, but it will also help prepare and detox your body for the trip and of course prepare for any dehydration you may indulge in. Another preparation tip is to get a grocery list/meal plan together for when you get back so that you do not have to think about it, you can just do it!

Ok, so coming back from a trip that was too fast and too fast-paced to even try to comprehend what is next, how do you recover? First thing’s first once you get back, catch up on work, which hopefully everything was cleaned up before you left, and nothing went too crazy while you were gone. I have experienced too many times even being gone for one day where everything seems to go haywire and that turns out to be the worst day to miss, so you have some things to catch up on and clean up, lets’s take care of that first!! Next, be sure to grocery shop, and hopefully, you got that list done before you left so you can just run into the store and get what you need to get back to eating better and healthier. Also, start re-hydrating! Living in Colorado where the climate is much drier than other states, I find myself coming back from a vacation where hydration was not a focus as it should have been, so back in the dry climate it is imperative to hydrate. The next day back now that you have all your groceries, start eating better! Get your 5 cups of vegetables, and two cups of fruit, and try to get your protein intake back up. Focusing on your diet and hydration on day two will help your body recover from lack of sleep, lack of nutrition, and the bombardment of all the foreign germs that you just encountered while on airplanes, in hotels, and restaurants. On the third day back hopefully your body is becoming more restored, you are feeling like you are starting to get enough sleep and energy back, and your diet is back so you feel more capable to take on the day. On the third day back, you also want to make sure that you are getting back into your workout routine if you haven’t already. Get back to the gym and help your body bounce completely back! I know for me going on and returning from vacation is a good time for me to start a new workout program and a good time for me to fully recover. Enjoy the first day back in the gym, and hopefully, you are feeling stronger and more capable to lift heavier. I start to get the itch to get inter the gym after a trip because traveling reinvigorates me on my healthy journeys and helps get me excited again about my routines!

Hopefully, you have some amazing trips planned now that life is getting back to “normal” after the pandemic, be sure to enjoy yourself, and live in the moment!

19 Apr

April 19, 2022April 19, 2022ignitehealthcoach Coaching, Development, For Women, Lifestyle, Motivation No Comments

Half Marathon week 7 and 8

Gosh, the last week has been the biggest struggle training, I had one of the worst runs I think I have ever had. Last Friday and Saturday I drank about half of my typical water intake, and our dinner choices had little nutritional value. On Saturday, I had a morning meeting with a client and had multiple cups of coffee with very little food, and when I got home, I decided I needed to go for my run. To say I was not prepared for this run would be an understatement. I decided I wanted to change my route a bit, and I started out with the first mile being decent, but I began to struggle through the second mile. Not only was mile two mostly uphill, but I also began to feel my hunger pains. I got about two and a half miles in and my calves were cramping so bad I could barely move, so it was time to take a rest and stretch. I came to a set of stairs on my path and stretched out my calves for a few minutes and decided I could push through. Well, the cherry on top was that the remainder of the run was all uphill, turns out that the first decent mile was only that way because it was downhill. The second mile was where I felt the lack of care that I had shown my body leading up to the run. By the time I got to the third mile I was changing the route just to get home, I was walking and breathing hard and just trying to push myself to keep moving because the last thing I wanted to do was call someone to come and get me. I made it home and just wanted to sit down and drink as much water as I could. I drank about one glass of water and started to get up to stretch when I was hit with a foot cramp that was so miserable, I couldn’t walk. I eventually got my foot and legs stretched out and downed another glass of water before getting ready for the rest of the day. The problem was that I was now experiencing back pain, leg pain, and exhaustion.

My next run was not going to be for another two days, so I was grateful because not only was I tight from this run, but I also had a fear in my mind that the next one might be just as hard. I took the next two days off from working out, and I focused on active stretching and made sure I was hydrating properly. My next run was Tuesday and let me tell you it presented a different challenge. I could not get through the first mile without struggling, but I got my three miles in with more walking than I would have liked. When I got back, I realized that the challenge of this run was purely a mental block. I have made the choice to take a few more rest days where I really focus on eating better, drinking enough water, and getting in good resistance training workouts. I am planning on getting a good run-in on Saturday after doing this preparation to get back on track. I want to go into this run knowing I have fueled my body properly so that I can relax, enjoy, and make it through the three miles without physical or mental blocks.

I feel like the process of getting back into running has been more difficult than I anticipated. I am learning a lot about myself and my body while finding new ways to push myself and keep moving forward even when I feel like I can’t. With the amount of struggle that I have had this last week, I am going to stick with the same workout plan I previously had so that I can build up from where I currently am and build the confidence to push my limits higher!

Day 1: Run 3 miles

Strength training

Superset 1: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: RDLs: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Shoulder press: 10 reps

Superset 2: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Squats: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Bicep curls: 10 reps

Superset 3: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Calf raises: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Single arm row: 10 reps for each arm

Superset 4: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Lunges: 10 reps for each leg
Exercise 2: Lateral lifts: 10 reps

Core:

Russian twists: 20 reps
Flutter kicks: 20 reps
Sit ups: 30 reps

Be sure to stretch

Day 2: Active rest day

Today will be a light active recovery day. Take a yoga class, go for a hike, bowling, group sport, long- brisk walk or you can do one of the following flows from YouTube:

Day 3: Run 3 miles

Conditioning

Superset 1: Do 3 sets

Exercise 1: Jump squats: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Bench press: 10 reps

Superset 2: Do 3 sets

Exercise 1: Lunges: 10 reps for each leg
Exercise 2: Weighted shoulder shrugs: 20 reps

Superset 3: do 3 sets

Exercise 1: Hamstring curls on ball: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Hamer triceps extension: 20 reps

Core: Do 2 sets

Bicycles: 20 reps
Back Extensions: 20 reps
Toe Touches: 20 reps

Be sure to stretch

Day 4: Active rest day

Today will be a light active recovery day. Take a yoga class, go for a hike, bowling, group sport, long- brisk walk or you can do one of the following flows from YouTube:

Day 5: Long day Run 3.5 miles

Strength training – TRX

Superset 1: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Squat to row: 20 reps
- Exercise 2: Chess Press: 20 reps

Superset 2: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Face out triceps: 10 reps
- Exercise 2: Squat to bicep curl: 10 reps

Superset 3: Do 4 sets

Exercise 1: Ropes: 30 sec

Core: Do 2 sets

Bridge: 10 reps
Donkey kicks: 10 reps each leg
Leg lifts: 10 reps

Be sure to stretch

Day 6: Active Recovery

Today will be a light active recovery day. Take a yoga class, go for a hike, bowling, group sport, long- brisk walk or you can do one of the following flows from YouTube:

Day 7: Rest

One of the most crucial things you can do to achieve your goals is to be consistent. Today, all you have to do is rest. Walk around, stretch, ride your bike, do something that makes you feel good and will prepare you for next week.

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