Tips To Help Prevent 2nd Day Soreness

How many times have you started a new workout program, so excited, super motivated and ready to give it your all, and you do. But then the next day you are so sore you can't raise your hands up over your head, or sitting down on the toilet is the worst pain you have ever felt in your life?

How can you avoid that shock to your body that makes you stop dead in your tracks from exercising the next day and the day after that because of 2nd day sorenessOr DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)?

1) Don't go 100% full out on day 1 of your workout, especially if you haven't been exercising regularly or at all for awhile. Allow your body to acclimate. Allow your body to get used to what you are doing. Otherwise you are going to literally shock the crap out of your body and you will be so sore the next day. Give 80% effort so that you can let your body get back into the groove of exercise.

2) Slow down to watch and feel for correct form. You do not have to keep up with the trainer. If you are just getting back into it you need to slow down on the moves, and focus on your form so that you are doing each and every move correctly and safely. Otherwise your chances of injury are increased. Also listen for cues from your trainer or instructor on what mucles are being used during each move. They often say, "you should feel this in your butt, mid back, legs." And make sure that you are feeling the move in those areas, and not really anywhere else. Like lunges, should workout your legs and hip flexors. If you are feeling it in your chest, and aren't doing it as a combined move, then check your form!

3) Go light on the weights. Don't start out with heavy weights on day one. Start with 0 weights, or light weights again to let your body acclimate to what you are doing.

4) Don't be afraid to modify the moves. Most of Beachbody's workouts have a modifier. Most gyms in classes will show modifications. You are still going to get a killer workout, even doing modifications, especially if you haven't been exercising regularly. As you get stronger, gain more endurance you won't be modifying as much. I am still modifying some moves in my workouts. Not all anymore, but some of them.

5) Make sure you are getting in a good enough stretch at the end. Even if that means doing more stretching after your workout is over, after a class or later that night. Holding each stretch for a good 30 seconds to allow your muscles to relax into it. And stretching the next morning helps too.

6) IF you are super sore the next day...WORKOUT MORE! I know it sounds backwards but really, If you are sore, workout more. Exercising helps to lose those muscles back up. Move around the lactic acid. Helps you recover a little faster. The first time my trainer said to do that I thought he was crazy, but within 5 minutes I was feeling better and at the end of the 30 minutes, I could walk normally without pain.

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5 Survival Tips For New Moms

Being a new mom, there are things that just have to happen. The baby takes center court in your new little world but there are a few tips for new moms that I wish I knew about when I had my first son. I think some of these come with time and reflection back on what happened. So here is my advice to any new mom.

1) Mommy comes first. You might not understand why this happens until you have a baby, but often times moms come in last place. We are just so busy we actually forget about ourselves. The baby starts to cry and first things first mom will pick up the baby to sooth the baby and then you are tending to baby until they fall asleep or calm down. Let's just say it is 2am. You were woken up from a light sleep, yes light because that is the mommy way, and your baby starts crying. Do you, A) pick baby up, change diaper and start feeding baby or B) you go to the bathroom first. B! Moms, go to the bathroom and drink some water before you start changing and feeding. Feeding can take time. Your baby will cry just a little longer while you take care of you. Same thing goes for showers. If you haven't had a shower in a couple of days because the hubs just returned back to work and every time you go to take shower and your baby starts to cry. Put the baby in a safe place and shower. You are not a bad mom for taking care of you. You are gonna take a fast shower but a fast shower is better than not taking a shower! I think of this as the oxygen mask scenario on a flight. You are told to put your mask on first then assist someone else. This is true because you have to take care of you first before you can take care of someone else. It's ok.

2) Eat, and eat right. As a new mom in the first month especially, I often forgot to eat a healthy meal, or eat in general. I would miss eating lunch because I was either napping or feeding and by the time I woke up or thought about eating it was too late. Make sure you always have a healthy snack by your bed so you can snack while nursing or feeding the baby. Doesn't matter if you are breast feeding or formula feeding make sure you are eating healthy snacks. I try to keep a container of nuts next to my bed and a huge glass of water. Keep greek yogurt in the fridge too that is a great little snack packed with protein. Also, in the first month you are probably going to be receiving food from someone. Try to keep fresh greens and fruit fully stocked in your fridge. You could possibly be eating a lot of casseroles, (since they are easy to make and are easy to take) and you want to make sure you are eating your greens and fruit. And indulging is perfectly ok too. I look at the first 4-6 weeks as recovery and chocolate is definitely welcome in this household!

3) YOU MUST TAKE SOME MOMMY ALONE TIME. I didn't have this luxury when our first son was born because my husband was deployed to Iraq when Mason was 3 days old. But what I should have done was called someone over from church or a friend and have them watch Mason for 30-60 minutes a week so I could get some much needed time to myself. This is so important because this will allow you to feel like you again. You don't even have to leave your house A bath is great, or maybe yoga in your bedroom is just what you need but you will need and should take some "mommy quiet time" as we call it here in our house. Even a trip to the grocery store by yourself is so amazing. This helps you decompress from the stress and demands a new baby can put on you and you might not even realize that you were in need of a short break. If you have your hubs or significant other around have him hold the new baby and you go do what you need for 30 minutes. It creates that bonding time for him and baby and it helps the them realize just how hard you work. 1 day a week. 30-60 minutes, that's it! I promise it will help you feel like you again!

4) Water, Water and more water. I have already mentioned it twice but water is so important. You need water. After you have a baby you loose a lot of fluids. You must replenish those fluids. And even to breast feed you need extra water. Water makes milk. Plan on drinking a ton of water. If you haven't already, try to cut back on pop or sugar drinks. Use the flavor packets to flavor your water if you need, but I find that I actually crave water and enjoy the taste especially in the first month of brining baby home. I always have a 32 ounce cup of water next to my bed when I go to sleep at night, and that thing is gone by the time I wake up in the morning. Every time you feed, drink about 8 ounces of water. It is just a really great habit to be in but your body will need the extra water. Also, remember though that in the first days after having baby drinking prune juice is great to help keep the plumbing working and cranberry juice to help fight against UTI's. So I often dilute these with water. But just make sure that the staple for drinks in your diet is water.

5) Get outside! Try to avoid having cabin fever. Just sit outside on your porch when you feel up to it after baby. And after a week or two, try to go on a short walk. It will be so good for you and so good for baby because you will get the vitamin D you have been lacking being stuck indoors and you won't get cabin fever. We often feel tied down with a new baby and getting out helps us get grounded and feel free. Don't over do it though on your first outing. I always felt weak, my whole body, like I have no muscle strength at all. So, it is ok if you feel winded and out of shape. You just had a baby. But get out and enjoy that stroll around the block with your new baby in the buggy and all of your neighbors flocking over to you to meet the new little bundle of joy!

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Stuck Trying To Lose Weight?

I have lost track with how many times I have "tried to lose weight" and failed at it miserably. But I never really did fail did I? That F word, fail, is the wrong word to describe your weight loss journey or fitness journey. Think of it more as a stumble because with all the times that you stumbled...you came back and are trying again. Never giving up. Never stopping. But keep going. Trying again, against the odds that you have stacked up against yourself. Why? Because you know deep down that you are worth it to keep trying. That the results you want to achieve are worth it and deep down you freaking know you can do it!

Guess what? I have known all along that you can do it. Because I believe that anyone can accomplish anything that they work so hard to achieve.

BUT HERE IS THE THING: Results don't come from doing 1 workout 1 time a week. STOP half-assing your workout and WORK! They don't come from eating 1 salad a day and calling it good. They don't come from eating healthy for a week, then having 1 indulgent meal that was too indulgent, where you felt guilty, then just said, "Oh well. I'll start again on Monday." Results happen when you stop making excuses. When you work your ass off in your workout. When you say no to eating processed crap that is labeled as healthy. When you start putting whole fruits and veggies, rice, whole wheat bread (if you have to have bread) eating broccoli a few nights a week even though you don't really like it. Eating chicken, again, or eggs because you want to reach your results. And doing everything in your power to reach your results. Results happen when you WORK at it. You have to be diligent. You have to be persistent. You have to say no to the things you want and do the things you know you should be doing.

And I'm not saying this to be mean. I need to hear it too. I have PCOS which means my body processes insulin differently. I could use that as my excuse to why I am not losing weight. My body processes sugars differently making it much harder for me to lose weight. BUT I DON'T! The doctor recommendation is to do a low carb diet. But the thing is...WE NEED CARBS, just the right kinds. A low carb diet is not a NO CARB DIET but eating the right kids of carbs and the right amount of carbs so we can lose weight! So that means no breads, but sticking with oatmeal, quinoa, rice. That's it. Those are the only carbs I should be eating. I love bread with jelly. But if I want my results, I have to say "buh-bye" to toast with jelly. I have to stop my excuses and just do it and I know that when I do, I WILL LOSE WEIGHT! And you can too!

So today...what are you going to decide? Ask yourself what is really important and then have the courage to build your life, change your life, around the answer. Are you going to bust your ass in your workout. Be sweating at the end? Sore? tired? Are you going to say no to eating sandwiches? And choose to eat healthy lean chicken breast with a side of quinoa or brown rice, an extra large salad WITHOUT dressing (just use a balsamic vinegar and oil, or red wine vinegar with a little oil is good too!) And getting in your fruits too. Saying no to sweets at your office or kids snacks at your home. It is time to just decide that today, you are ready for a new start and you are going to do it! SO DO IT!

Tough love brought to you by me, but this post right here, is what I NEEDED to hear.

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FREE 5 Day Workout With Me Challenge

This past Monday in my private Facebook group we have a weekly Monday Fit Tip and Q&A chat. I also shared my FREE challenge for the month that takes place inside that same group! Beginning April 17 we will be running a FREE 5 day WORK OUT WITH ME challenge in the Connect The Dots To Your Healthy, Fitness and Life FREE online support community! 

Are you having a hard time finding your soulmate workout program? Or just getting that drive to workout daily?  

Getting started and finding the right workout program is KEY to wanting to stick with exercise. It has to be fun. It has to excite you. And it has to drive you to want to keep working out. The week ofApril 17 for 5 days, you can see what type of exercise you enjoy doing the most to help you find a program you love, stick with it, and get ready for this summer.

WHAT TO EXPECT::

~Daily workout that changes programs each day, either workout with me live or at a time of your choosing
~Share your daily workout struggles and success 
~Sweaty selfies
~Daily motivation~Daily live video chats with tips on how start a program so you don't stop the next day, getting comfortable with the new moves, overcome struggles with a healthy lifestyle change, listening to your body and other cues and finding that motivation to keep going!

GOAL::

To find the motivation and program that keeps you EXCITED and want to continue on your journey! 

HOW TO JOIN::

~Be sure to be active in the Connect The Dots To Your Fitness, Health and Life Community

~Must have at least the FREE TRIAL 30 Day Trial of Beachbody On Demand. With access to 34 FULL workout programs, trainer exclusive workouts and an entire yoga studio filled with over 80 different yoga workouts to choose from, plus healthy eating tips on FIXATE. There is plenty to try out over 30 days to find the perfect workout for your lifestyle! Click here to join! (Scroll down to the 3 month membership option. You can cancel your membership at anytime!)

~At the end of the week I will choose 2 people who participated the most to receive a complimentary copy of my Connect The Dots to your Health Fitness and Life Guide.

*Must have at least the FREE TRIAL of Beachbody on demand to participate as we will be doing the different workouts from the member library only.*

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here to join my private online community where you get free advice, support and encouragement + a free gift with tips to help you get started with the right mindset for healthier nutrition choices!

Fruit Infused Water

Loving making fruit infused water this week to help with some excess bloat and to help naturally flavor my water without excess sugar or sweeteners.

Check out some recipes below for your next fruit infused water recipe.

What I am enjoying right now:

Warm lemon water: 
Warm lemon and juice of 1 lemon

Blueberry and lime infused water: 
Frozen blueberries and lime

Check out some more recipes! 

Grapefruit, cucumbers and basil

Raspberries and lime

Blueberries and oranges

Lemon and Strawberries (possibly mint on top too!)

allrecipes.com

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free gift with tips to help you get started with the right mindset for healthier nutrition choices!