Tag: fitness

fitness · health

Fibro Fridays: Yoga for Fibro Relief

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Happy Friday, friends! We’ve completed another week, and aren’t we happy for that? This first full week of May was pleasant, despite the fact that we’re all still adjusting to our collective new normal.

As a person managing fibromyalgia symptoms, I look for relief from multiple sources. I prefer to supplement my prescription and alternative medicine routine with physical activity that is gentle, effective and easy to do at home. For that reason, I turned to yoga tutorials on YouTube to help me to stay active and reduce physical pain.

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I’ve tried several different tutorials and I have a few that I can recommend. I hope that you can use these to get pain relief and feel better!

Firstly, Shima Flow Yoga’s Yoga for Fibromyalgia is the gentlest routine that I’ve used, and I always feel so good after I do it. It’s the perfect length (a little under 30 minutes) and doesn’t require any special equipment. I highly recommend this one!

Next, Sleepy Santosha’s Gentle Yoga for Fibromyalgia is a little longer than the previous video (a tad over 30 minutes) but is still a good one. This channel is really good because the yogi is a chronic pain sufferer, so she’s mindful of our physical limitations. I noticed that the routine is a bit more intense that the previously mentioned video, but I like that this channel does have multiple videos specifically for fibro.

Finally, when I’m pressed for time, I go to Shima Flow Yoga’s abbreviated Yoga for Fibromyalgia video. This video is less than 15 minutes and you can pace it as quickly or as slowly as you like.

Let me know if you try any of these videos, and how well they work for you. I’ll talk to you all next week. Take care, and enjoy your weekend!

life curation

This Week’s Happenings . . .

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Despite these difficult times, I’ve been making the most of things. This week, I’m focusing on BALANCE, both internally and externally. I’ve taken some mini-breaks from social media to help keep my spirits high, and I’ve also been doing some other things that I’ve found beneficial.

I have made it a point to avoid in-person shopping as much as possible. I’m extremely thankful for grocery pickup services offered at local grocers such as Kroger. I fill my virtual cart, select a pickup date and time, pay for my order, then get it when it’s ready. It’s fantastic! I also love that I’m able to give cash tips to the person that brings the groceries to my car. I’d like to think that if most of the customers gave these hardworking people some sort of gratuity, it could help make up for the fact that they are generally overworked and underpaid. Besides, we can all use a little kindness during this time.

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I’m not doing any leisurely grocery shopping trips right now

I haven’t done much online shopping, except for items that I actually needed to restock. I bought some inexpensive acne cream and cotton pads from Amazon, since I was running low on both.


A new acne cream that I’m trying for the first time: Acne Free Terminator 10 Acne Spot Treatment (updates will be posted soon!)


Always necessary: cotton pads (Bellacotton Premium Cotton Rounds)

I also bought a couple of things from The Ordinary. I recently watched a YouTube video demonstrating how to do a facial at home (more about that tomorrow!) and I bought a chemical peel for when I decide to give my face a treatment. All the details will be in tomorrow’s post.

I’ve been using yoga and gentle stretching to help calm my mind and ease any physical pain. I have tried several different yoga videos on YT, but I haven’t gotten a “favorite” video yet. Once I have my “favorite”, I’ll be sure to share it here.

That’s what’s happening with me this week. How are things where you are? I’d love to hear all about it!

Disclaimer: this post has affiliate links.

beauty · fitness · life curation

My Latest Obsession: Mature YouTubers

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There’s something truly magical about learning to love the skin you’re in and embracing the aging process. I’ve spent a lot of time combing through YouTube to find content creators that can offer their life insights along with beauty information that’s applicable to the 40/50+ crowd. I’m inspired by these lovely women that define “aging gracefully”.

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The Free Range Diva: One of my all-time favorites. She is one of the rare mature women of color in the green beauty realm. She’s taught me about many green/clean beauty and health brands that I’d never heard of before. Here’s a video where she shares some things we can do while quarantined.

MzBrazell: She cooks, she dons different hair looks, and she’s charming. MzBrazell’s channel has been one of my favorites for quite some time. Here’s a video where she shows her most recent Amazon haul:

 

Life Over Sixty with Sandra: She has a background in media so she is amazing on YT. I love to hear her musings and refletions on her career. This video about listening to your intuition is a treasure.

 

 

NeeCJae: She has beautiful makeup looks and reviews, and I love her energy! This is a video with ideas of what you can do while quarantined.

 

Sussex Sandra: One of our sisters across the pond has a YT channel that discusses makeup and beauty. She does a lot of unboxing videos, so if that’s your thing, her channel is worth checking out. Here, she does a Treasure Tress Hair Subscription unboxing:

 

These are a few of the ladies that I’m watching right now. Do you have any favorite mature YTers? Please let me know in the comments below!

health · life curation

How I’m Managing Anxiety Right Now

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During this time, I continue to surprise myself with how calm and level-headed I have been. Yes, I know that having many privileges and blessing (comfortable home, enough food, adequate finances, family in good health) factor into my relatively anxiety-free state. But, I’m also actively managing my anxiety levels because I’m very susceptible to low moods and bouts of nervousness that can easily aggravate my fibromyalgia and trigger a flare-up of my symptoms.

For starters, I’ve tried to maintain my normal schedule as much as possible. Remaining committed to a regular schedule can really help you feel “in control” of your circumstances and more relaxed as a result. Along with good nutrition and continuing to take my pain management medications, I also have been incorporating yoga into my routine several times per week. I find that doing stretches and sensing the areas of tension in my body have been crucial in learning to relax and manage my anxiety.

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I pour my feelings into a journal in order to give myself some relief. I have designed over 100 journals that I absolutely love, and I have happily used several of them to capture my musings and to help me manage anxious feelings whenever they arise. I’m glad that I haven’t had to use them daily, but whenever it’s needed, it’s good to know that this method is available to me and it’s effective.

I’m also taking a supplement that I purchased from a local health food store. I cannot guarantee that this supplement will give you amazing results, but I find that it gives me some relief, especially when I’m experiencing fibro symptoms. This hypericum performatum is great and I’ve enjoyed using it occasionally. I’ve found that it really does help with my symptoms

How are you all managing your anxiety right now? Please let me know in the comments below!

 

 

 

*Affiliate links are featured in this article.

 

food · life curation

What Happens When You Take a Break From Intermittent Fasting

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Hey friends! This is my post to tell you a bit about how my body reacted to a recent deviation from my intermittent fasting (IF) eating plan.

As you recall from my first post about my recent cruise, I couldn’t stick to IF for the entire trip. There was so many good food options! I wanted to try everything and I couldn’t do it in my 8 hour window without being parked all day at the different eateries. So I put IF to the side while I vacationed.

When I got back home, I noticed several differences in my appearance. Firstly, I put on 4 lbs. That wasn’t too surprising: I was eating anything that my heart desired, and I was eating my favorites whenever I wanted. However, I noticed that I was also bloated and just had a general icky feeling when I came back home. I wasn’t sleeping as well and I wasn’t as satisfied when I ate.

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I love food so much LOL!

Most of that yucky feeling resolved when I went back to IF. Now that I’m back on schedule, the bloat is pretty much gone and my energy levels are starting to return. I’m mentioning this because it’s important to note how your body reacts to dietary changes. For me, abruptly stopping IF really made me feel less healthy. So, if I ever decide to stop eating this way, I would probably choose to wean myself off of the plan and increase my eating window incrementally instead of going crazy and eating however I want (like I did on the cruise). The more you know, right?

That’s all for today. If you have any experiences with IF and changing your diet after doing IF for a period of time, let me know in the comments below. Talk to you all tomorrow!

 

 

fitness · food

Diet Changes for Colder Months

Mstldelano2 Comments

Hi everyone! I went grocery shopping yesterday and I couldn’t help but notice the higher prices of some of my favorite fresh fruits and vegetables. Yes, summer is officially over and that means that the things I enjoy will cost a bit more since they are no longer in season.

That isn’t a problem, per se – we all make adjustments for our preferences from time to time – but I know that the foods that make me feel light and healthy during the summer don’t necessarily give me the same feeling during the colder months. In fact, I generally crave heartier, warmer foods during the fall and winter, and my body doesn’t feel as nourished by my typical summer fare.

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I figured that now would be a good time to assess my diet and transition from my warm weather palate to my winter one. I’m still doing intermittent fasting (IF) so the timing of meals won’t change. I’m still on a 8-hour (more or less) eating schedule and I enjoy whatever I want during my window. But what I’m choosing to eat will be more suitable for the season.

I decided to consult a website to see which vegetables and fruits are in season during this time of the year. Lifegate has a very convenient breakdown of the fruits and veggies in season by month. I’m finding the website very useful for my dietary planning.

For starters, I’ll be putting most of my tropical fruit preferences (kiwis, mangoes and papayas, specifically) on hold. Instead I’ll reach for pineapple (which, despite being a tropical fruit, is in season right now), apples, and grapes. As far as vegetables go, I’ll still have the occasional salad but it won’t be my go-to lunch. I’m going to incorporate more gourds (squash, pumpkin) and root vegetables (carrots, turnips, potatoes) into my recipes. I’ll also be cooking more beans and legumes, as I find these very satisfying during the chillier months.

Because I’ll be doing a lot more cooking during the winter, I’ll be sharing some of the recipes that I’ve created or tweaked. If you have any meal recommendations, let me know: I’m always looking to try something new! In the meantime, I’ll be shopping with the Lifegate list in mind, and focusing on eating the foods and meals that leave me feeling full and cozy this winter.

I hope you all are doing well! Talk to you all tomorrow.

 

fitness

Wrap-Up: Fitness Challenge

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This isn’t a goodbye, per se . . . In fact, I feel like I’m really just beginning my fitness challenge. However, I am going to wrap up this weekly posting because there is a lot of other cool things I want to share with you all and I think you all get the gist of what I’m doing as far as stay healthy and fit.

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I’m delighted to share that intermittent fasting (IF) will remain a staple in my eating plan. I love how easy it is and how much freedom I experience just by eliminating unnecessary eating during my fasting window (around 16 hours per day). I’d love to get to the point where I’m only eating during a 4-6 hour window, and fasting for 18-20 hours per day, but I’m taking baby steps up to that point. IF is now a way of life and I am excited to see the results I get from maintaining this eating plan.

Next, I could really stand to improve my overall gym/fitness routine, but it can be difficult when I have an especially busy schedule. I’m considering either hiring a trainer or getting back into Brittne Babe’s exercise routine during the month of November, since I really want to see drastic results by New Year’s Day. Look out for more info on that in the weeks to come. . .

So that’s my quick wrap-up of my fitness challenge! Thank you all for encouraging me and giving me ideas. I so appreciate you all! It’s still early, so I think I’ll do a couple of laps around the track before it gets too chilly outside. Talk to you all tomorrow!

 

fitness

Days 92 – 98 of My Fitness Challenge

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Happy Sunday, friends! I’m recovering from a fun weekend with one of my best friends but I wanted to give you all an update on my fitness challenge.

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This week was far more focused on being active outside of the gym. I knew that I wouldn’t have much time to hit the treadmill so I incorporated more activity into my daily life: taking the stairs whenever possible, parking further away from stores, etc.,. To be clear, I don’t think that moving a bit more will result in drastic changes. But, I hate the thought of losing ground and undoing some of the progress I’ve made, so I’ll taking any extra movement that I can get. Next week is going to more closely mimic my normal schedule, so I’ll be resuming my typical workout routine.

Now, about my eating . . . There were some good choices made. I did, however, end up eating outside of my normal window a couple of times, and I also had some foods that I don’t normally eat (pancakes, anyone?) over the past two days. I’m not beating myself up over my choices – after all, we’re all entitled to some enjoyment – but I am planning to make better choices in the weeks ahead. Part of those better choices hinge upon a grocery store run that I’ll be making in a very few moments. . .

I hope you all are hitting your goals and feeling fantastic. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

fitness

Days 85 – 91 of My Fitness Challenge

Mstldelano1 Comment

Despite being the most stressful week of the year, I stuck to my goals and kept up with my exercise and eating plan! It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, mainly because I prepared myself mentally beforehand.

Everything is easier with a little planning. Even if you come up a little short sometimes, preplanning means that you have something to fall back on, which makes a world of difference. I brought lunch to work every day, I had minimal indulgences, and I worked out several times this week. I even upped the ante with my workout, so I’m finally pushing my body a bit more, with the hopes of really amping up my fitness.

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I actually found that I got a lot of benefit from sticking closely to my fitness plan. Exercise seemed to really help with stress management, and eating well made me feel more nourished, satisfied, and calmer during the day. Adhere to the plan was the best thing for me this week.

So, nothing new to report, except the fact that I was on target more this week than in previous weeks, and I benefited tremendously. I can’t wait to see how well things go next week!

fitness

Days 78 – 84 of My Fitness Challenge

Mstldelano1 Comment

How-oh-how did a WHOLE week get by me with NO gym visits occurring? Well, let me tell you all: the end of the fiscal year is going down RIGHT now. Everyone is working longer hours, trying to tie up loose ends, and praying that they don’t fall ill or otherwise have to take off any time until October. Despite having my gym clothes clean and ready to go, I’ve been unbelievably busy, helping various finance teams with making sure that their contracts are showing up properly and ensuring that vendors are being paid timely.

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I’m tired!

This time of year is tough on me, because it’s stressful and you have to be two steps ahead as everyone else is running around a bit crazed and overwhelmed. As a result, I have to make up for things by indulging in some extra rest and lots of fun “diversions” to reduce my stress levels. Along with more sleep and more fun, I’m going to be scheduling a massage, so that I can get a good rubdown and (I’m sure) release all the kinked muscles that I know I’ll be sporting after September 30th has passed.

To be truthful, I completely forgot that I may be too busy to workout this week and next week. Then again, I hoped that I would be able to at least squeeze in one or two workouts . . . However, that didn’t happen. I didn’t move my body as much as I hoped, but I did stick to my healthy eating routine. After all, fit bodies are made in the kitchen, and the gym just builds on that. So, I’m proud that I haven’t “eaten” my emotions in the form of salty and sweet junk food.

Don’t get me wrong: I always factor in a few treats, and everyone needs indulgences now and then. But I’m not scarfing down entire bags of Chex Mix or inhaling Heath bars throughout my eating window. I’d hate to undo all of my good progress by eating lots of junk food and hoping to “burn it off” at a later time. Since I’m focused on continuing to improve my health, I’m still eating lots of salad, drinking tons of water, and having goodies in moderation.

Speaking of water . . . Since Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Major Annoyance Florence didn’t wreak as much havoc in Virginia as initially anticipated, I have tons of water that I’ve been guzzling around the clock. Well, “around the clock” is an exaggeration, but I’ve increased my intake because, well, I hate looking at multiple cases of water near my kitchen door. I love having at least one case on hand at all times, but three is a bit much. Until I figure out a better storage idea, I’m a strictly one-case girl. So these other two cases have to be drank sooner rather than later.

That’s this week’s fitness challenge update. Here’s hoping that I’ll have more thrills, chills and spills for you next week. Take care, and enjoy your Sunday!