Keep Your Butt Going To The Gym!

So, are you one of those people who made a resolution to "get fit", "exercise", or "join a gym"? if so, I want to encourage you to NOT give up. Trust me, I know it's not easy getting started AND continuing. I did mention that the first time I went to the gym I didn't actually GO to the gym, right? I drove 35 min to the gym, pulled into the parking garage, turned right around, and went home!

I think if you're not in the habit of going to the gym regularly it can be difficult to make it a habit. I'm not the kind of person who is good at creating a habit, but if I can get one started for at least a few months, I can make it part of my lifestyle.

One of the key pieces I think to sticking to going to a gym is finding something you love or at least enjoy. If you have the ability to try classes or use a trainer then I say do it! Don't just go to any gym just once or twice and give up on it. Many gyms will give a free meeting with a trainer or if you haven't paid for a gym membership, find ones that have different options and find out if they give free passes for up to a week. I mean seriously, if they're free, the gyms can be your oyster. At least they'll give you a sampling of what each one offers and if you feel comfortable there.

Some gyms are very basic and you just do a circuit of exercise machines. Other gyms have trainers who help you every time you go in. I know there are also gyms which specialize in specific fitness styles. I mean, there's truly something out there for everyone! You just have to find your fit.

A suggestion I have is to find a buddy to hit the gym with. Whether it's a family member or a friend, going to the gym with someone who's going to be committed WITH you can be a huge motivator to keep on keeping on. Heck when you start going to the gym, especially if you're doing it alone, get to know the people you keep seeing. You never know, maybe you reaching out with a, "Hi," will be just what that person needs to want to keep going. That person might just be on a health journey, too!

We're all on this journey together. You CAN do this! Just keep going to the gym, whichever one you choose, and I guarantee that in a few months you'll be loving it.

Encourage New Gym Members

Have you seen the typical swell of new people at the gym? I know I certainly have. Our Zumba class tends to be filled to overflowing, which I know is great for my instructor and for the gym, but I sure do miss the space to dance around.

That being said, I learned after I joined my gym 3 yrs ago, that some people at gyms don't have a lot of patience for people who decide one of their goals is to get fit in the new year. I had no idea. Why would someone be annoyed? Sure there's an influx of people trying to stick to their New Year's resolution, and many of them won't. But, what if we had a different attitude towards these new people?

What if instead of giving them the stink eye, we welcomed them? What if we encouraged them to come back? Last week was the first uptick in our Zumba class. There are a lot of ladies that I've been doing it with for the past 2 yrs and we're definitely the regulars. Well, one of the gals must've noticed that one of the ladies was struggling with the moves and she moved back to stand next to her to help her. In that moment, she was my hero.

I think what she did should be our attitude all of the time, but especially at the start of the year when people are just getting started. When they are trying to make lifestyle changes to help them be healthy.

Personally, I try to be welcoming to anyone I haven't recognized before. I try to smile at them, joke around with them, and in general be friendly. I'll even introduce myself and welcome them back. Unfortunately that doesn't always work out. People don't seem to be super open to making friendly with the "locals". I mean, it took me these entire past 2 yrs to have people coming up to me and talking to me. These are ladies I've been dancing with for 2 yrs. Like NOW they know I'm sticking around. lol People I've tried to be friendly with, at least in the past, ended up not coming back. HA! Trying not to take that personal.

That being said, if you see someone new, greet them! Offer to help them if they seem to be struggling or don't know what to do. Give them a smile if you're not comfortable talking to them. Just be willing to welcome everyone who's trying to get healthy like you!

Here's to year 3 of Zumba! I'm excited and loving it.

Aromatherapy With Essential Oil Diffusers

Aromatherapy With Essential Oil Diffusers
by Karin Parramore
Publisher: Robert Rose
ISBN: 978-0-7788-0588-5

I'm excited to be partnering with a new publisher based in Canada! I chose two books to review: 1 for me and 1 for the guys. Today will be the book I was excited about, Aromatherapy With Essential Oil Diffusers. It will benefit my whole family, but the guys were more interested in the 150 Best Donut Recipes. That will be coming soon.

Summary:

Diffusing essential oils can improve your health and well-being.

Aromatherapy and essential oils are more popular than ever, as more and more people discover that concentrated aromatics can be used in a therapeutic way, to address imbalances in our bodies that can lead to poor health.

In this perfect companion book to your favorite diffuser, Karin teaches you how to diffuse essential oils, from ammi to ylang ylang, to improve your physical, mental and emotional health and to destress your time, your work space and even your car.

Part 1 covers the history of aromatherapy, explains the different types of diffusers and teaches you how to choose, use and store essential oils.

Part 2 provides detailed instructions on diffusing essential oils to treat various health conditions and offers over 160 formulas for specialized oil blends.

My Review:

About a year ago I purchased my first essential oils kit and diffuser. I'd heard so much about the benefits of essential oils, I figured I'd make the investment. My only issue? I had no clue what I was doing or how to use the oils. So, I used them a few times and that was pretty much it. Fast forward to this month and I've learned a lot from this book!

The author starts by talking about the history of essential oils. She talks about scent memories in Saudi Arabia, and having lived there for 2 summers, I could relate to visiting the souk and the "heady scent". I think my first scent memory is going to Catholic church with my mom and the altar boys carrying the thurible filled with incense. Wow, that was overpowering too!

Also, did you know there were so many different types of diffusers or ways to diffuse essential oils? I clearly didn't. Let me just say, there's a lot to learn. A lot of beneficial ways to incorporate them into your life. As expected, how essential oils are created is pretty fascinating. I like that I can now read a bottle and understand how it was created. I also love the large section detailing a variety of essential oils used in the book.

Now, let's get into the practical side of diving into using these products. First of all, it's quite an investment. Initially purchasing the oils you may want to opt for a kit or else build up your supply little by little. Keep in mind that the prices of different oils can vary greatly. You may end up with some sticker shock. Also think of how you want to do most of your diffusing. I think the one I have is an ultrasonic diffuser. I need to try one of the passive ways for my car.

It was kid of funny going through all of the blends. Typically I had at least 2 of the eo's and always needed that third one. I've entered that fun stage of pre-menopause, and have had a delightful time with night sweats. I'll need to get some bay laurel to try this blend out. One I'd like to try for my son is for his acne. For that one I need eucalyptus citriodora. Of course as soon as I started writing this review one of my sons and my hubby had cold symptoms. I really need to get stocked up for colds and allergies!

Now that I understand how to better use aromatherapy around our home, I plan on doing it more in different rooms. I've typically only used one in my bedroom. I'm also going to use my essential oils for cleaning around the house. I'd love to go chemical-less! I can't wait to put more of the blends in the book to use.

About the Author:

KARIN PARRAMORE, LAc, CH, is the owner/formulator of Luminous Presence facial treatments and skin care products. She teaches at both the National University of Natural Medicine and Ashford University in the Bachelor's of Complementary and Alternative Health program.

Karin obtained Chartered Herbalist status from Dominion Herbal College in 2001 and has a degree in Chinese Medicine from the National University of Natural Medicine. She has been a practicing aromatherapist since 2002. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

What To Wear To Workout

First off, I want to say, "Don't worry about what you're wearing to the gym!" If you're wanting to go to the gym, but you're thinking you have nothing to wear, it's ok! Really!! At my gym, everyone is dressed differently. Usually just a tank top and leggings will do regardless of what you're doing. The first time I went to Zumba I wore a t-shirt and shorts. I decided I wasn't going to do that again because no one else was dressed like that. So, listen, I get how self conscious we can be. I immediately went out and bought some shirts and leggings.

What I finally came to realize is a couple of things. 1) I'm pretty sure no one in my class pays attention to what other people are wearing. You don't really have time to pay attention. You get into class, do the workout, and everyone leaves. 2) People DO wear t-shirts and shorts. They wear capris, long leggings, shorts, tank tops, sports bras, t-shirts, etc. Not a single person is dressed the same. It is fun to try clothing on though! lol

I would highly suggest NOT going out and buying a wardrobe of activewear. Get a couple of essential pieces only if you don't have anything. If you have shorts, a sports bra, and a t-shirt, you're good to go. I'm not kidding. You don't have to rush out and get the top end workout clothing right away. Heck, you never have to do that.

BUT, if you want to, then I'd do that after you know you're making a serious commitment to the gym. You don't want to buy 5 full outfits, and by February realize you're just not that into it. Give yourself a goal. Maybe you give yourself a variety of goals, ways to congratulate yourself for sticking to it, and also a way of building your wardrobe.

Here are some goal ideas:

Joining the gym: A pair of leggings

RBX Active Women’s Printed Full Length Workout Leggings

Going to the gym for two weeks: Two tank tops

Gaiam Apparel Womens Everly Yoga Tank

prAna Womens Phoebe Top

Trying something new at the gym:  A good water bottle

Nalgene Tritan 24oz On the Fly (OTF) BPA-Free Water Bottle

Visiting the gym for a month: A good pair of shoes

Nike Women's Flex Supreme TR 4 Cross Trainer

Staying committed for two months: A gym bag

Under Armour Undeniable 3.0 Medium Duffle Bag

Keeping at it for six months: A fitness tracker

Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rate + Fitness Wristband (this is the one I currently have & love)

Other things to consider for rewards:

1. T-shirt RBX Active Women's Plus Size Yoga Printed Workout Short Sleeve V-Neck Tee Shirt
2. Gym towels: PREMIUM Microfiber Gym Towel Set (3 Pack)
3. A pack of socks: Prince Womens No Show Performance Socks
4. Sports bra: Women's High Impact Support Bounce Control Plus Size Workout Sports Bra 
5. Yoga mat: Yoga Mat, with Carrying Travel Bag and Strap 2/5” Thickness(72”x24”)
6. Headphones: Wireless Bluetooth Sweatproof In-Ear Sports Headphones with Microphone 
7. Wrist/Ankle Weights: Reehut Ankle Weights, Durable Wrist Weight 
8. Boxing gloves: Everlast Women's Pro Style Training Gloves
9. Smartphone arm band: VUP Running Armband
10. Pullover: MOOSUNGEEK Women's Cowl Neck Pullover 

Water, Water, Water, Water...Water Bottle

One of the most important things you should be thinking about when you're working out is your water intake. It's incredibly important to stay hydrated. Not just during your workout, but all of the time. Water is super important in the winter as well!

Now, if you're anything like me, you're not a huge fan of water. The guys in my family can go through a case like it's going out of style. The issue I have with that is the waste with the water bottles. We recycle them, no doubt about it, but it's such a struggle for me because I dislike the waste. The problem is, I'm not confident in our well water. In fact, I'm pessimistic about our water, we're having it tested. We have a water conditioner, but we were getting all of this black stuff building up in anything that held water: toilets and pet water bowls. I was like, "I'm NOT drinking that water!" We're working on getting it fixed.

That being said, I would really love to get rid of any water bottles coming into our house. Now, I know it's not 100% avoidable. A water bottle will end up at our house. It is what it is. What I can do to keep it from happening more is having good reusable water bottles for the family to choose from (once we have safe water to drink).

Anywho, I think I've shared before that I've learned for my body I need to drink most of my water the hour before my Zumba class. While in class I just maintain my hydration by grabbing a sip here and there. If I don't drink enough before class and drink a lot during it, I end up feeling sick to my stomach. No good!

I also drink at least one 16 oz bottle while I'm walking on my treadmill. I tend to walk just over an hour on it and easily finish the bottle in that time. By the time I'm done I'm actually craving more water. Hence getting larger, reusable bottles. A couple of the bottles below have ways to measure how much water you've drank, which is great if you're trying to get in a certain amount in every day!

How do you like your water? I know, strange question, right? Listen, my son says water doesn't have a taste. I non-humbly disagree! I can't stand the taste of room temperature water. Mine has to be shockingly cold. I could drink ice water like it's going out of style. When I'm driving to the gym and I'm drinking room temperature water, I kind of gag. Meh, I'm particular. What can I say?

Here are a few great suggestions for cute ways to make sure you get your water intake!

Hydro Flask Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Leak Proof Sports Water Bottle, Wide Mouth with BPA Free Flex Cap

Nalgene Tritan 24oz On the Fly (OTF) BPA-Free Water Bottle

Contigo AUTOSPOUT Straw Addison Water Bottle, 24oz, Ocean

The Coldest Water Bottle Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Hydro Travel Mug

Under Armour Dominate 24 Ounce Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle with Flip Top Lid

CamelBak eddy .75L Water Bottle

Swig Savvy Bottles 18 oz Tritan Water Bottle

Eating Before & After A Workout

I wanted to share what I've learned about my body since I started going to the gym back in February. When I started going, I wasn't sure what to eat or when to eat it. It's still a huge process for me, and a ton I still don't understand about how food works with our bodies, but here's what's worked for me.

I realized that I needed to eat at least two hours before any workout I do, which is pretty much always Zumba. What I also figured out is, I can't eat just anything 2 hours before. The best thing I've figured out to eat is a small bowl of zucchini pasta with spaghetti sauce. I was eating regular spaghetti, but I've really been digging zoodles these days.

There were days that I grabbed a banana and ate it shortly before class. Bad choice. Even though I was eating something healthy, it made me feel sick to my stomach. If I was hungry before class, but hadn't eaten anything it wasn't going to be good. After class I typically didn't feel well either. In fact, for the rest of the evening I'd feel sick to my stomach. I'm sure a fitness guru would be able to explain why.

The other piece is that I couldn't drink a lot of water while working out. I found that I needed to hydrate mostly before I started my workout and just have sips during it. Again, I'd start to feel sick to my stomach if I drank too much during the class. It's just the craziest thing. I mean, who'd expect that when you want to be hydrated, right?

If I eat something small before class, by the time I get home I'm pretty hungry, and typically have a peanut butter & jelly sandwich with a glass of milk or zoodles! I'm pretty consistent with what I eat. Of course, I have no idea if those are the things I "should" be eating, but it gets me through the time before and after, so I'm good with it.

So, for me, it's about understanding my body. Not that I really understand it all too well. At some point my goal is to learn how to utilize food as fuel before and after my workouts, but for now, just not feeling sick during and after is my goal!

ZeroWater For Healthy Drinking Water & Giveaway

I'm not a huge fan of water. I know, I know seems like a strange way to start off a review for a product that has me drinking the stuff. I have to add some clarity to my initial statement. I like water, but I'm particular about it. First it has to be ice cold, and second it has to taste good. When ZeroWater reached out to me, I jumped onboard and you'll understand my reasons why.

I've never really drank much water. Like I said above, it has to be ice cold for me to enjoy it. Since I started working out I've been drinking a bottle of water every day. Now that's something for me! We have well water at our house, but let's just say I'm not a fan. We can get water through our fridge, but our filter needs to be replaced. It's needed to be replaced for probably a year. Since my hubby is the only one who drinks that water now, he's not concerned. Needless to say, I'm not drinking the fridge water.

When I saw that I could test my water with the 12-cup Ready-Pour ZeroWater pitcher, I was thrilled. I've had some concerns about our well water and haven't known what to do about it. I knew that once the water went through the pitcher, I could test it to see if it was safe. We had well water at our house back in MN, too, and I wasn't impressed.

I've been drinking the water from my ZeroWater pitcher for a couple of weeks now, and I'll say it's been great! Of course since it sits in my fridge it's always cold, just like I like it. I grab a cup, take it upstairs to my treadmill, and I'm set for my walking time. It's also been nice that I can take my reusable water bottles with me to the gym again.

Like I said, not liking the well water, I've been using the bottled water for my workouts. Blech! I found it interesting when I put the water in a bottle I'd had for a while and it tasted really strange. I thought the bottle was clean as I hadn't used it in a while and it was just sitting in my cupboard. I was concerned it was the pitcher water. I ended up dumping out the water, yes it tasted that bad. I poured another glass into a different reusable water bottle and it tasted exactly like it should. I can't tell you how much that impressed me. I honestly didn't realize there could be that big of a difference or that it would be so noticeable.

So, how easy is it to use and test? You just fill up the water reservoir and let the water filter through. Once the water has gone through, you fill it again to let it filter through until body is filled with water. The test meter snaps into the lid, which is great for safe keeping! You take a clean glass to put the water into so it can be tested. You push the on button, it reads the water, and it gives you a number. At some point it will get up to 006 and you know it's time to change the filter.

I like that my ZeroWater pitcher also came with a map that shows me what I should expect, for the most part, from the filter. In Maryland, I should be able to get between 25-40 gallons of water! Not bad! Completely worth the cost of a filter. Also, as you can see above, the handle has the spout attached. That makes it easy to tuck it onto a shelf and not have to finagle it to easily dispense the water! It you want it quicker or more at once, you just pull it out and use the tip of the pitcher.

Now you have the opportunity to win the same pitcher as the one I have! a Rafflecopter giveaway