It's Never Too Late!

This morning a client sent me this quote from F Scott Fitzgerald (although there is some debate who actually said this originally). This quote struck me as so relevant to the times we are living in. Having been working with many of you over the past 18 weeks of “quarantine life” I know that many people have felt as if their life has been put on hold. Many people have been waiting for the gyms to open to get their healthy lifestyles back. They are waiting for the time to be right to focus on their nutrition, waiting until covid-19 is under control to quit drinking, quit smoking, get to bed earlier, start meditating, etc. Well, it does not look like our lives will be quite normal for the foreseeable future! So if you have been “WAITING” for the time to be RIGHT, now may be the RIGHT time for you to make a positive change in your life for your health’s sake. While APF is not open for IN PERSON training, we are still taking on clients virtually for training or coaching . Health coaching is a great benefit for those of you who may be having a hard time staying motivated and sticking to your plan on your own. Paulo & I still do not know when we will feel comfortable opening the doors to our gym given that we cannot even get our kids in school here in Virginia but we are working daily to make our clients lives healthier and happier. Let us know if we can help you.

Our Robins Came Back

Somehow our robins built a nest under our new deck which we noticed this weekend. Momma and baby (a fledgling, as my grandson Carter informed me) were hopping around near our boxwood and seem in good health. Perhaps this is a sign of hope. Happy Monday to all of you. 12 weeks and counting…

Quarantine Week 11: Northern VA Enters Phase 1

To all of our clients at APF:

Many of you have been asking about reopening, when that might happen and what it might look like.  Paulo and I of course have been talking about this frequently and we want to share our thoughts.

Phase 1 here in Arlington and surrounding areas does NOT include gyms and fitness facilities except in limited out door capacity so we will definitely not be considering opening  until the governor allows fitness facilities to open.  In a sense we are lucky not to be included in the first wave of reopening as it gives us a chance to assess how the situation progresses. Watching the reopening of other services will give us a sense of the progression of a possible resurgence of Covid-19 in this area and steps we may be able to take to prevent this at APF.

The most important thing we have to consider in reopening is the health of our clients and ourselves.   Our main concern is to keep all of usl safe and healthy.  When we do begin the process of reopening  we, of course, will ensure that we are following ALL protocol put out by the state and our fitness associations. This will include intensive cleaning and sanitizing of the gym and studio. It may require staggering clients as needed. Additionally, all group exercise classes will be suspended for an additional indetermined time.

Many clients  are  really enjoying the virtual training  and may decide to continue this way because it fits their lifestyle  and they are finding great advances in their personal fitness .  We welcome those of you who want to continue in this manner!  Because of cleaning protocols and managing times for so many clients it may be necessary to shift your favorite workout times when we do reopen.

As we watch the rest of Virginia reopen and Northern Virginia enter Phase 1 we will continue to assess the safety of reopening APF. We of course will keep you apprised as to our decision making process. In the meantime, keep up with your virtual workouts and stay fit!

We Made it Through Two Months

Happy Monday!

We have made it through two months of quarantine. Wow. Can you believe it? Over half way through May! As some parts of the country begin to ease quarantine restrictions we may start to feel a sense of need to return to normalcy and yet many of us are still fearful about even returning to a modified “normal” routine. APF is yet not ready to think about in person training, so we will continue with our virtual workouts and encouraging every one to participate in one way or another.

If you are feeling that your workouts are a bit harder as time creeps on do not be surprised. You are NOT alone and you are NOT losing fitness. Warmer weather and the state of mental fatigue you may be experiencing can make your workouts seem harder and slower. Stress is stress, regardless of where it comes from. Always listen to your body and give yourself grace for taking it a little easier now and then.

That being said, there has been some VERY good news about exercise research recently. Maybe some of these highlights will give you encouragement to keep up with your routine!

1. Research encourages intermittent workouts. Intermittent exercise means small workouts periodically during the day. The new research shows that these intermittent workouts provide benefits both mentally and physically. Aim to be active at least every hour. Do a few pushups on the counter, a few squats during your phone calls, get down and up off the floor a few times between zoom meetings! You decide your exercises, weights and reps, just a few minutes at a time. By doing this you can also start to change the perception your brain has of gym sessions being painful and make an association with them being normal instead. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/with-gyms-closed-try-intermittent-workouts-you-might-even-get-more-out-of-them/2020/04/22/8e7f6f4e-84cd-11ea-878a-86477a724bdb_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_lean_and_fit&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_lean)

2. A new study (and this is timely right?) finds that in a generally healthy, yet sedentary group of adults, working out lowers levels of depression, hostility and other negative feelings.

   “The study also finds that the mood benefits of exercise can linger for weeks after people stop working out, offering another compelling reason for us to try to move”. (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/well/move/coronavirus-exercise-depression-anxiety-mood.html?campaign_id=18&emc=edit_hh_20200511&instance_id=18378&nl=well&regi_id=77041091&segment_id=27203&te=1&user_id=d3e5008daea1eb59b2226a9588150b5b)

3. This research ties into this next cool study that shows walking increases creativity whether outdoors OR indoors on a treadmill. A new study by Stanford found that people generated far more creative ideas while walking than sitting and that walking indoors or outdoors similarly boosted creative inspiration. "A person walking indoors—on a treadmill in a room facing a blank wall—or walking outdoors in the fresh air produced twice as many creative responses compared to a person sitting down.” So if you need some fresh ideas for that work project, for homeschooling your kids or redesign your garden, start walking! (https://news.stanford.edu/2014/04/24/walking-vs-sitting-042414/)

In summary, give yourself a break if your workouts seem additionally hard right now and just MOVE!

Week 8....Raise your hand if you need a little extra MOTIVATION right now!

Happy Monday!

Entering Week 8. WOW. It is normal and OKAY to hit the wall. Quarantine is affecting how we live our lives in all ways, exercise and nutrition included. We have been at this for a least two months, some even longer and it seems it will continue for the indefinite future. Lacking our social groups and face to face encounters with each other and our trainers may be making it difficult to stay motivated. After all, we here at APF feel like a very close knit community! Social fitness brings the buddy system to life no matter where you are. If you're going for a walk, vacuuming the house, running, or working out at the gym, you're not doing it alone - you are connected to others who are trying to increase their activity, too. One of the most motivating factors in group workouts, and therefore social fitness, is competition and SHARING!  

We would like to offer a challenge to motivate you for the remainder of MAY, starting today and ending Sunday May 31. No fees, no gimmicks. A goal of 280 minutes of exercise per week and logging your nutrition daily. The group challenge is set up through My Fitness Pal, (https://www.myfitnesspal.com) . Once you let me know you want to participate and activate your myfitnespal account, I will invite you to our private group. You can then encourage your fitness friends in the group and gain encouragement yourself! Remember, this is a NO JUDGEMENT ZONE! If you are a more private person you can go the your settings and click private. I will post daily encouragements in the group as well as call out people who have done a great job on the challenge! I hope you will all use this challenge as a way to motivate yourself and help motivate others to make it through the rest of MAY!

Addendum: article in the Wash Po that came out on Tuesday: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/losing-your-motivation-to-exercise-as-the-pandemic-drags-on-heres-how-to-get-it-back/2020/05/11/72e41a3c-93af-11ea-91d7-cf4423d47683_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_lean_and_fit&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_lean

WEEK 7: Text Necks & Zoom Butts

Happy Monday!

Today is a beautiful day here in Northern Virginia. The kind that makes you forget we are under quarantine and just want to go out. But, we still need to stay home to keep everyone safe. Soon, soon, soon..

Speaking of health, a few things have been coming up in conversation with my virtual clients. One of those is increased neck pain and complaints of sciatica and general hip, glute and low back tightness. Many of us, even those of us who had desk jobs before, are spending increasing time looking at a screen and SITTING! Paulo and myself included. There are a few things we need to do to counteract our increased dependency on our screens.

1. Change your positions frequently. Sit for one meeting, stand for another, walk around your house or your yard while you are on a phone call. If you have a stationary piece of equipment (treadmill or bike, e.g.) pedal or walk slowly while on your call. Our desks at work are usually ergonomic but not always so at home.

2. Try to set up a standing desk (even a make shift…see Paulo’s photo!) and avoid sitting on hard chairs with no cushion.

3. When you do sit, make sure you sit straight, trying not to cross your legs. Set up your screen so you can hold your head as straight as possible.

4. MOVE! Try to take a walk daily, do some squats, reach side to side. Step side to side while reaching the arms out. Roll the shoulders forward and back. On our website there is a great “wake up the body” video. (https://www.arlingtonpersonalfitness.com/videos)

5. STRETCH. Take breaks and stretch out the upper body. Reach back and open the chest. Take the ear to the shoulder. Put your hands on a desk or counter and drop your chest to stretch your shoulders. Lie on the floor with a towel rolled under your neck to let your neck muscles relax. Stretch your glutes & hamstrings frequently. (Glutes: cross your ankle on your knee and hinge your upper body forward. Hamstrings: prop your heel up on a step and lean your upper body toward the heel. ) There are also pictures of stretches on our website. (https://www.arlingtonpersonalfitness.com/videos) If you need a few more examples, just let us know. Our Monday 8:30 am Virtual Core Class is a great way to get your body moving to start the week.

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. In the wise words of Cleo Wade:

May all of your vibes say: I got this.

Can you believe we are entering WEEK 6?

Happy Monday!

I hope you're having a good start to the week! I'm not going to lie. Last week was the hardest week for me - maybe it was the weather (I am ready for a tad more sun, less wind and warmer temps) or just the low wave that most people ride at some point during social distancing. I did my “virtual” GW 10 miler on Saturday. I think part of me had been gearing up for this event for the past month and I had a psychological let down after I finished. But I loved the run! It was a perfect running day and training with Honey Bun (she did not run with me) has really improved my fitness. Running is my meditation time, my time alone. After the race on Saturday, I gave myself “OFF” over the weekend. No lists of things to do and no feeling that I had to accomplish anything. It felt great to let things go and just relax. Now today I am ready to go again and am grateful for a new week of opportunity. I have turned our dining room into a sewing room and have started making masks and head coverings! I will get back to running tomorrow as exercise makes a huge MENTAL and PHYSICAL difference in fighting the blues. I think many of our virtual class members will attest to that! It has been so good for everyone to see each other for a few minutes at the beginning and end of each class and share a few life updates.

Leaving you with a thought my daughter shared from Brene Brown (https://brenebrown.com)

1. Hitting the wall is real

2. Hard days suck

3. There is nothing wrong with us

4. We are all going to be okay

Every new week is a step closer to being able to see people again.

We will get through this together. Sending virtual hugs your way!

Entering Week 5 of Covid Quarantine

Happy Monday!

Looking back over the past week I have observed that while some things may be the same they feel so different. While most couples are getting used to spending more time together, Paulo & I are actually spending more time apart. We cannot virtually train people in the same room, so he goes to his “gym” and I go to mine. Somewhere along the way we trade locations, alternating between standing, sitting & pacing. We have never spent so much time NOT STANDING! And although we are not physically spotting or moving weights, we find ourselves fatigued at the end of the day. Both of us are finding that virtual training is mentally challenging: trying to be motivational and creative through a screen is very different. Still, we are both so grateful that our clients are willing to go out on a limb and do things completely different in order to keep in the best shape possible. I have to brag and say that some of our clients are actually finding themselves stronger and fitter from mixing up their routines and joining in my virtual classes!

During these crazy times when negative thoughts can easily come creeping in, I am trying to be proud of my smaller accomplishments. Going to the grocery, baking a loaf of bread, cooking a good meal and cleaning the bathrooms are not things I would ordinarily celebrate. Now I am trying celebrate these accomplishments with a thumbs up, a pat on the back or a “yea!” (Taking a page from one of my favorite blogs https://www.bjfogg.com)

There are also some blessings in this quarantine that I focus on when emotions go awry:

1. Less Traffic (and in turn a great break for our earth! Have you seen some of the photos?)

2. Seeing neighbors I have never seen and families out and about enjoying some time together

3. More time to read, cook and pursue my long list of hobbies

4. Less stress on my runs because I have nothing to hurry home to do

5. Less urgency to “DO” everything on my to do list

6. More puppy time for Sophie & Honey

7. More time to communicate with all of my children

8. More time to read and interact with my grand babies, virtually. This makes my day, every day!

9. Reaching out to and working out with so many people far and near in my virtual classes. This really makes my week !

Small things make a big difference. What accomplishments are you proud of this week? Celebrate them with style! What blessings have you found during this quarantine that you can focus on when negative thoughts creep in? Make a list, add to it and take a look at it regularly!

Quarantine Enters Week 4

  Happy Monday!

As we enter week 4 of social distancing, I am finding that I do much better when I set a schedule for the day ahead.  I schedule my runs, workouts & dog walks around my virtual clients and classes.  Each morning I check my schedule and  make a list of to do’s involving the business and housework but also making sure I set aside time for reading, needlework and cooking as these are the things that give me pleasure in my leisure time.  I have listened to many of you who are also trying to maintain a sense of normalcy in these uncertain times.  A lot of you have suggested that the one of the hardest things is to continue their habits of drinking enough water and not snacking too much or on foods that should be minimized.

While reading Gretchen Rubin (www.gretchenrubin.com) last week I came across her tips to curb snacking while quarantined.  I loved them so much, I am going to share them here.

1. Monitoring: Track your Snacks!  Measure before you eat!

2. Inconvenience: The less convenient snacking is, the less likely we are to do it. (Keep snacks in closed containers, up in your pantry, in the back of the fridge.  If some one in your house is eating your weakness, move to a different room!)

3. Abstaining: For some of us, it is easier to give something up altogether rather than                  indulge in moderation.

4. Distraction: Wait 15 minutes; your craving will pass and you are likely to get absorbed in another activity. 

5. Scheduling: Pick a special time to enjoy your favorite snack

6. Accountability: Tell someone else what you are eating and drinking

7. Loophole-spotting: Watch out for ways you might be excusing unhealthy behavior.

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Please let us know how else we can help during these uncertain times.  If you have not joined us for a virtual workout, please do!  It is working very well for so many of our clients, friends & family across the globe! No previous experience required, all levels welcome!

Our Virtual Class Schedule (no equipment necessary!) is as follows:

1. Monday 8:30 Core Boot Camp

2. Wednesday 4pm HIIT Boot Camp

3. Saturday 9am HIIT Boot Camp

You can register right on our website!

Virtual Hugs,
Stephanie

Gym Talk: Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies

Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project, and Happier at Home. She has an enormous readership, both in print and online, and her books have sold 3.5 million copies worldwide, in more than thirty languages. On her popular weekly podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, she discusses good habits and happiness with her sister Elizabeth Craft; they’ve been called the “Click and Clack of podcasters.” Her podcast was named in iTunes’s lists of “Best Podcasts of 2015” and was named in the Academy of Podcasters “Best Podcasts of 2016.” BuzzFeed listed Happier in 10 Life-Changing Things to Try in June and the New Yorker said, “Their voices remind you that life is a human project that we’re all experimenting with.” The podcast consistently ranks in the iTunes Top Charts. Fast Company named Gretchen Rubin to its list of Most Creative People in Business, and she’s a member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100..  

In the gym a few of my clients and I have been talking about her 4 Tendencies Quiz  and how understanding our “tendency” can lead us to better adherence to our health and wellness plan! I am an “Upholder” which means I am generally good at meeting inner and outer expectations. The problem sometimes with being an Upholder is knowing when to stop. It is why I have a hard time calling it quits. I also have a strong “questioner” tendency which is sometimes seen as a negative (I find it can be for me because I spend a lot of time researching when I could be DOING!). I am curious if you will find this as interesting as I do . Here is the link to the quiz:

https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=popoutmenu

 I'd love for you to take a moment to do the quiz ! If you care to share the results with me, we may be able to use them to help you with your fitness plans & goals!

Additionally, Gretchen’s app is called Better. I would  love for you to join me in Better, which is a community where we can meet, message, share ideas, and go deeper with our peers on the topics we care about most.

When you join, you'll be able to contribute your own stories and experiences. It only takes a minute to sign up.   Here is my personal link to use!

www.betterapp.us/share/gPNM-g-IDOt0bGIp

Let me know your thoughts!