SMART GOALS for 2022

Happy 2022. Can you believe we are entering our 3rd year of this crazy alternative universe, aka the Covid Pandemic? Many of us have made adaptations to our “new” way of living and learned a lot about ourselves, what makes us happy, what fulfills us, what our priorities are. The beginning of a new year always makes me reflective of the past year and entertain the possibilities of the new year. While I am not a person who makes resolutions, I do LOVE goals. I spent my little “staycation” these past three days setting my goals for this year. I have a few on my list, like running the NYC Half Marathon with my daughter in March and beginning to clean out the boxes and boxes of photos that I have stored away, organizing and tossing out bad or duplicate pictures. I have my training plan in place for the race and I have a goal of 1/2 a box every weekend from now until the end of April. Do you have any goals for this new year? I know you know this already, but when setting goals, make sure that they are SMART.

Our last half marathon, 3 years ago!

Specific.  Specific refers to what you are going to do.  Use action words such as exercise, eat, and coordinate.  Think about why you are choosing this particular goal.  A good idea of a SPECIFIC goal is: I am going to walk 3 miles in 45 minutes by March 1st.

Measurable.  If you can measure it, you can’t manage it.  Choose a goal with measurable progress.  You may have a long-term goal, but have smaller measurable steps along the way.  For example, if you want to run a 6-mile race in the spring, you should set your training program to build your mileage each week.  

Achievable.  Set goals that are achievable for YOU and you only.  Your friend may want to run a marathon in May.  This may not be important or attainable for you.  You may need to set a goal of running a 5k in September!

Realistic.  This does not mean easy.  It means Do-able.  Set the bar high enough to feel satisfied when you attain your goal, but not so high that the thought of your goal is overwhelming.  For example, rather than setting a goal not to eat sweets all month, it may be more realistic to set a goal to eat only one sweet per week.

Timely.  Set a time frame for your goal.  Next week, next month, by spring.  Putting a clear target in front of you gives you something to work toward and allows you start on it right away.  Remember though, if your time is more than a few weeks in the distance, set interim goals to get you there.

 I would love to hear from you about your goals for YOU in 2022. Good luck and let us know how we can help.

Habits, habit habits

If you haven’t read Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg or Atomic Habits by James Clear, I highly recommend both. The concepts in both books relate to all aspects of life. I am writing today about how a few big ones can relate to exercise, fitness and weight loss goals.

Most of us set goals with no clear plan of how we are going to achieve them. I know! I have done it myself (one of the reasons I read both of these books) It is often inspiring to set big goals, like run a marathon, bike 50 miles, do unassisted pull ups or lose 10 percent of your body weight. These are awesome ambitious goals but are meaningless if we don’t have a plan of how to achieve our goals.

If I want to run a marathon for the first time but I only run once a week and don’t do much else, things are not looking so good for me! If I want to run this marathon, I would need to make changes in my training, which would require me to build new habits and even perhaps shed old habits that are not working. This can be said for any goal, whether it is weight loss or fitness gains. Losing old habits and forming new ones need to be a part of your goal planning process.

Ah, but building new habits is hard work and anyone who says that isn’t so is lying. Around New Year’s people talk about a magic 21 days that it takes for our resolutions to stick. Truthfully, sometimes it takes LONGER than 21 days. Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to establish a new habit, whether it is eating more vegetables daily, exercising consistently or adding strength training.

1. Make it NON negotiable. If you have a walk scheduled after breakfast, DO IT. If you have a strength training workout planned at 2pm that day, DO IT. Don’t let yourself push it to the next day or make an excuse for why you can’t do it. When we procrastinate, we allow ourselves to let the habit forming opportunities slide by. I am talking about those times when we just don’t really FEEL like doing it or when we prioritize something over that behavior we are trying to implement. (Not when we are legitimately sick). If you consider the behavior optional, it probably won’t happen.

2. SOMETHING is better than nothing. If you have been my client for any period of time, you have probably heard me say this before. So, you hit the snooze button and have a long day of work ahead and only have time for 20 minutes of the scheduled workout. DO IT ANYWAY. You were supposed to run 3 miles that afternoon but you feel tired. Go walk at least 20 minutes. You will probably start to jog at some point, but even if you don’t you will have kept the commitment to yourself to MOVE. Say at breakfast you skipped that side of berries you had planned and instead stop at Starbucks for a latte and a scone. Put that behind you and eat the healthy lunch you packed. This reinforces the habit and moves you toward your goal. AND you will feel better for it.

3. DON”T miss twice. You missed a workout or binged on the chips your coworker brought in. It happens. Don’t beat yourself up over it. But make sure the next day you don’t miss that workout and/or you get back on track with the food plan you have set out. Don’t let yourself slide on your habits two days in a row. The more you miss that workout and the more you let your eating plan slide, the more THAT negative behavior will be come the habit. And that’s not the habit we are going for.

Motivation will not always be there and if we only rely on motivation to reach your goals, we won’t be reaching many goals. When it is dark and 20 degrees out, motivation does not get me out the door for my run. It takes discipline and that discipline is created from building solid habits. So as you are reflecting on the year and looking in to goals for 2022, consider your habits and which ones you will need lose and which ones you will need to focus on to achieve your biggest goals. Then make a plan and make that goal happen. Reach out to me if you want helping building habits so you can reach the goals you have in mind.

Plant Forward/Whole Foods Lifestyle

As you know, Paulo and I have been following our Plant Forward/Whole Food Lifestyle since September of 2017. (To read more about that decision: https://www.arlingtonpersonalfitness.com/apfupdates/2017/9/28/why-paulo-i-dipped-our-toes-into-plant-based-eating)

We believe that turning to a plant forward/whole food diet is one of the best steps you can take to improve your health, boost energy levels, and prevent chronic disease. Science shows changing your nutrition is a powerful way to live longer, help the environment, and reduce your risk of getting sick.

Excellent scientific evidence exists that many chronic diseases can be prevented, controlled, or even reversed with a whole-food, plant-based diet. Scientific research highlighted in the Forks Over Knives movie and The China Study book (among many other sources) shows that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes, heart disease ,certain types of cancer and other major illnesses. Many people also report better fitness, more energy, reduced inflammation and better health outcomes at the doctors after making the switch to a plant forward diet.

Science also shows that one of the biggest obstacles to the adoption of a plant forward/whole food lifestyle is KNOWING what it means and HOW to implement it.

What it means is simple if you look at this list:

1. Meat & Poultry: Minimize or Avoid

2. Seafood: Minimize or Avoid

3. Eggs & Dairy: Minimize or Avoid

4. Oils: Minimize

5. Highly Processed Food: Minimize or Avoid

6. Whole Grains: YES

7. Fruits, Veggies, Starchy Veggies: YES

8. Legumes: YES

What is harder is implementing this into our daily lives. GOOD NEWS! We are here to help. Starting September 6th (after all, September is the new January) I will offer one week of a full plant forward meal plan for any one interested. The plan will include 3 meals per day, plus snacks options, plus your shopping list. All YOU have to do is shop and cook. Sounds intriguing right? An easy way to be healthier without having to work too hard. If you are interested after the first week, I will continue to offer the program for $10 per week for the remainder of the month. Let me know if you are interested in the trial period!

After all the work you put into your fitness, your nutrition is just as important!

Breathe!

Many years ago, I watched a Ted Talk called Shut Your Mouth and Change Your Life by Patrick McKeown. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBqGS-vEIs0 ) I started thinking more about breath, mouth breathing and I practiced some of the techniques he mentioned. Last summer during my Covid reading spree I read Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor. ( https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath/ ) Shortly after that, there was a series of articles in the NYT about breath which included breathing techniques and exercises. I may have sent these articles out to you (James Nestor is mentioned in these articles). All of this attention to breath sparked my interest in breathing (before then I didn’t breathe) and how it relates to stress, exercise and over all health.

Of course, we know that BREATH is life, but what a lot of us don’t realize is how breath affects our life. According to Dana Santas, (CNN Health Contributor whose article I have linked to this blog) , “Breathing plays a vital role in how you think, feel, rest and recover, and it even impacts your posture and movement.” How we breathe affects us at a cellular level. Changing the way we breathe can influence weight, athletic performance, allergies, asthma, snoring, mood, stress, and focus to name a few. Proper breathing is a key in weight training and cardiovascular conditioning, as well as yoga. In Dana’s article she talks about how she works with high level athletes whose performance is improved through better breathing techniques. Good breathing technique can assist in stress relief the same way improper breathing can create more stress in our body.

The first step in good breathing is to close your mouth. Breathing in and out of the nose filters and warms the air. It helps us takes fuller, deeper breaths. If you suffer from nasal congestion (almost 40 percent of people do) the first step is to clear that congestion. Neti pots, some essential oils and saline sprays can be helpful in clearing congestion. And of course, there are nose clearing techniques!

Take some DEEP breaths. The average person only uses 10 percent of the diaphragm. Shallow breathing puts stress into our neck and shoulders and can even keep us in a constant state of low level stress. Lie on your back, place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Breathe deeply in and out. Feel the belly rise and fall. Your chest should barely move. Practice this lying down until you feel comfortable and then move to sitting and standing.

Stand Up Straight. Poor posture restricts the diaphragm. Regularly stretch your chest muscles, upper back muscles and neck muscles regularly to improve your posture. We have pictures of these stretches on our website, but ALWAYS check with your trainer about how to stretch to improve your posture and breath.

James Nestor and the NYT article both include more techniques to enhance better breathing. Dana Santas from CNN will be writing a four part article on Breath.

I have attached the NYT article here, as well as the CNN newsletter. Don’t take your breathing for granted!

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/18/at-home/coronavirus-breathing-exercises.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/16/health/breathing-better-training-wellness/index.html?utm_source=Six+Minute+Mile&utm_campaign=ff19bee771-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_07_28_03_29_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6e5b2f993e-ff19bee771-12246186

Greek Salad with Farro

Adapted from Raising the Salad Bar by Catherine Walthers

Ingredients

• 1 cup farro

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

• 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

• 1/4 cup minced red onioin

• 1/2 cup black olives, halved

• 1/4 cup minced fresh dill or parsley

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

• 1 cup crumbled feta (optional)

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1/4 cup olive oil

Method

1. Cook farro according to package directions. I like to leave my slightly al dente because I don’t like mushy grains. Drain well and set aside to cool.

2. In a large serving bowl, combine farro and all ingredients except feta

3. Whisk dressing together in a small bowl

4. Toss salad gently with dressing and top with feta if desired.

Roasted Vegetable Tomato Pasta with Sautéed Chard

Adapted from https://ohsheglows.com/book/

Roasted Vegetable Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium yellow or green squash

• 1 medium onion

• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded

• 2 medium carrots, peeled

• 5 garlic cloves

• 3 TBL extra virgin olive oil

• salt & pepper, to taste

• 1 28 oz can fire roasted tomatoes

• Basil leaves & grated parmesan cheese for garnish

• 16 oz dry pasta (my favorite is linguine)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (I get mine from Grove: https://www.grove.co/catalog/product/parchment-baking-paper/?v=1182&attrsrc=18&attrpg=catalog&attrpos=0 Iam obsessed with Grove. Check it out if you haven’t!)

2. Chop the squash, onion and bell peppers into 1/2 inch pieces and slice the carrots crosswise into 1/4 “ thick coins. (It is important to cut the vegetables into the appropriate sizes so they roast evenly). Toss the veggies with 2 TBL of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Spread them evenly on the parchment . Place the garlic cloves on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and fold the the foil to completely enclose the garlic. Place this with the veggies on the parchment.

3. Roast the veggies and garlic for 40-45 minutes until the veggies are lightly charred and fork tender. After cooking, remove the garlic from the foil.

4. Add the veggies, the fire roasted tomatoes with their juices and the garlic to a high speed blender, along with the last TBL of oil. Blend on medium until smooth. The sauce will be creamy and thick. (Alternatively, I do this in a 4 quart pot with my immersion blender if I am serving immediately. That way I keep it warm!)

5. Cook the pasta according to the directions and top with desired amount of sauce, basil and parmesan if desired.

Sauteed Swiss Chard

adapted from https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/simple-sauteed-swiss-chard/

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large bunches Swiss chard, or rainbow chard

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 large onion, diced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• pinch each dry thyme, nutmeg & roasted red pepper flakes

• Freshly ground pepper to taste

• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, optional

METHOD

1. Chop and clean Swiss Chard: Stack several pieces of Swiss chard on work surface. Remove stems and set aside. Roughly cut leaves into pieces about 2-inch square. Repeat with the remaining swiss chard. Transfer the chopped leaves to a salad spinner filled with water. Drain, repeat washing if necessary, and spin dry. Rinse and chop the Swiss chard stems (about the same size as the diced onion.)

2. Cook The Swiss Chard: Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped chard stems, garlic, onion, salt, thyme, nutmeg and pepper and cook, stirring often until the onions are starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add chopped cleaned Swiss chard leaves, 2 tablespoons water and cover. Let wilt, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the Swiss chard is completely wilted and softened, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and drizzle with balsamic vinegar if using. Serve hot.

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cubed butternut squash

• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

• 16 jumbo shells

Filling

• 4 cups fresh baby spinach

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

• pinch of red pepper flakes

• 1 cup cashew cream, from the recipe above

• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Cashew Cream

• 1½ cups raw cashews*, see note

• 1 cup fresh water

• 1 garlic clove

• 3½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

• Make the cashew cream: Pour boiling water over cashews, just enough to cover and let sit for one hour. Blend together the drained raw cashews, fresh water, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.*

• Make the filling: Mix the cooled squash, spinach, and 1 cup of cashew cream with the lemon zest, oregano and red pepper flakes.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain.

• Assemble the shells. Spray the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking dish with olive oil. Fill each cooked shell with some of the filling and place into the baking dish. Drizzle a little olive oil over the shells, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven and serve with the remaining cashew cream. **

*If you are not going vegan, you can substitute 8 oz of skim ricotta cheese for the cashew cream.

**Feel free to drizzle fresh marinara over the shells before you bake

Adapted from https://www.loveandlemons.com

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Meal Plans from January

Just in case you need some inspiration!

Italian One-Pot Buttery Tomato, White Beans and Farro

Adapted from https://ohsheglows.com/book/

Ingredients:

• 3 TBL extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cups diced onion (1 large)

• 3 gloves garlic, minced

• 1 TBL Penzeys Italian Seasoning

• 1 tsp Penzeys red pepper flakes

• 1 cup, dry quick cooking farro, rinsed and drained

• 2 1/4 cup water

• 1 1/4 cup low sodium marinara sauce (I make my own)

• 1 can low sodium white beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/3 cup oil packed unsalted sun-dried tomatoes, drained and minced

• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 to 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, to taste

• 4 cups fresh baby spinach

• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves for garnish

Method

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute, reducing heat as necessary to prevent burning, 7-9 minutes, until the onion is soft.

2. Stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

3. Add farro to pot, stir and cook for another minute.

4. Add water, marinara, drained beans, sun-dried tomatoes and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

5. Incase heat to high and bring to low boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium. Simmer rapidly, uncovered, stirring frequently for 18-23 minutes, then check farro. Add the spinach when the farro is tender and sauce is thickening. Allow spinach to wilt. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice. Taste and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired. Plate and top with fresh basil and parmesan if desired.

Is September is the New January?

Recently I was reading a blog post by one of my favorite authors and self help gurus, Gretchen Rubin. She discusses September as another January, a clean slate on which we can write new possibilities. To many of us, September IS like January. Through years of schooling we have been conditioned to think of September as a chance for renewal. Our vacations are over, a new season is upon us. Is this September different? Our lives have been upended for six months now. I know I have gone through peaks and valleys of my mood, my eating and my exercise motivation. Last year at this time I was training for the Gulf Coast Half Marathon with my daughter, feeling lean and fit and strong. Now it feels like every run is LONG enough. But while September will more than likely not return us to the life we knew before quarantine, I BELIEVE we can use it as a beginning. To begin to refocus on some of the things we may have let fall to the wayside as we began to suffer from quarantine fatigue. September FEELS like a good time to make a RESET. Perhaps with the change of temperature, we can get outdoors and exercise more, maybe meet a friend for a social distancing exercise session. With the onset of autumn vegetables, maybe we can be motivated to try new, healthy recipes and focus on the weight we wanted to lose when the change of habits in quarantine interrupted us. Perhaps we can add the virtual workout that we have lacked the motivation to find the time and space for, whether it is a class or a private session. Whatever the change you want to make now that we have seen the summer go by, in the words of Gretchen Rubin, “ September gives the same feeling of an empty calendar and a clean slate”. The air seems charged with possibility and renewal.” I am going to challenge myself, and I encourage you to challenge yourself, to add something to make your life healthier and happier. And, as always, I am here to help you in any way you need. Think about it.

Link to the original post by Gretchen Rubin:

https://www.betterapp.us/posts/7882769?notification_id=888754193&utm_campaign=notification_space_post_create_notify_all&utm_medium=email&utm_source=transactional_emails

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.

Easy Veggie Stir Fry

Adapted from https://minimalistbaker.com

In truth, I use this recipe to use up any leftover fresh veggies, so use the veggies you have! Any will work!

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped carrots

• 1 cup sliced colorful peppers

• 1 cup pea pods, cut in bite size pieces

• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

• 1 cup chopped green onion

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce or coconut aminos (plus more for veggies + to taste)

• 2 Tbsp peanut butter

• 2-3 Tbsp organic brown sugar, muscovado sugar, or maple syrup

• 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce (more or less depending on preferred spice)

• 1/3 cup crushed roasted peanuts or cashews

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional // or sub peanut or avocado oil)

• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Method

•  Prepare sauce by adding all ingredients to a medium-size mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed. I like to use my immersion blender to make it really creamy,

• Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet with sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and veggies. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, (Until crisp tender!) stirring occasionally. Season with 1 tbsp tamari, soy sauce or coco aminos if desired.

• Serve over cooked rice and top with peanut sauce. Top with crushed roasted peanuts or cashews!

Mushroom Bolognese

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 2 TBL Olive Oil

• 2 cups mushrooms finely chopped (I like to use a variety of mushrooms of whatever kind I have handy…sometimes button, sometimes cremini, sometimes baby Bella…)

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• 28 oz can diced tomatoes ( I use no salt added)

• 2 TBL tomato paste

• 1 cup red wine

• 3 Bay leaves

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 tsp dried basil

• 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes (optional)

• salt to taste

• fresh basil or parsley

• shredded parmesan

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Pour in red wine; cook until wine has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve over pasta of your choice (or Zoodles!) Top with fresh basil and parmesan if desired

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!

Lemony Lentil Soup

Adapted from Real Simple Magazine (https://www.realsimple.com)

Ingredients

• 1 TBSP olive oil

• 1 Yellow onion, finely chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

• 1/2 tsp ground tumeric

• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth

• 1.5 cups dried red lentils, rinsed

• 2 cups fresh kale or spinach

• 2 tsp lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high. Add onion, carrots & garlic, saute until vegetables are soft.

2. Stir in coriander, chili powder and turmeric. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add broth and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer uncovered until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and black pepper. Add greens , stir until slightly wilted.

5. Serve!

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.

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Why so many chickpea recipes? Chickpeas are heart healthy. Regular intake of Chickpeas can lower LDL (bad) and total cholesterol. Garbanzos contain the significant amounts of folate and magnesium. Folate lowers the levels of the amino acid, homocysteine and strengthens the blood vessels. For vitamins and nutrients

• About 6% to 8% of your daily requirement of calcium.

• About 40% of your daily requirement of fiber.

• About 22% of your daily requirement of iron (for dried cooked chickpeas; 8% for canned)

  Plus with the difficulty in finding animal protein sources, it is a great time to experiment with some vegetarian recipes!

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen ( https://www.americastestkitchen.com/guides/vegan/vegan-recipes)

6 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 carrots, peeled & sliced 1/4” thick

• 3 celery ribs, sliced 1/4” thick

• 1 zucchini, quartered & sliced 1/4” thick

• salt & pepper

• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried

• 2 bay leaves

• 6 cups vegetable broth

• 2 cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed or 2 cups cooked chickpeas

• 1/4 ditalini pasta

• 2 cups fresh spinach

Method

1. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery & zucchini. Saute, stirring occasionally until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper, thyme & bay leaves. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Stir in broth & chickpeas. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in pasta, increase heat to medium high and boil until just tender, about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves and add spinach. Cook until just wilted. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

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!