Do You Have Fitness Goals in the New Year?
If I were to head back to the beginning of my fitness journey (around age 14 or 15) – knowing the things I know no – here are 5 things I would do differently:
1) First and foremost, I would improve and master my BREATHING MECHANICS.
How we breathe impacts our movement in every way.
Our diaphragm is not only our primary respiratory muscle – designed to open our lungs, it also stabilizes movement in our spine and is involved in managing our “intra-abdominal pressure”.
When you inhale, your diaphragm opens outward and contracts while, simultaneously, the pelvic floor and core muscles release tone. When you exhale, your pelvic floor and core muscles engage and your diaphragm releases… Unless, however, you are mismanaging intra-abdominal pressure due to poor breathing mechanics. Which, in turn, can trigger a whole bunch of potentially dysfunctional movement patterns.
And following an inhale, your exhale, triggers deep core activation.
Your core activation is influenced from your exhale breath. Try activating your pelvic floor and core engagement while exhaling. Then try activating these muscles while exhaling. Feel the difference?
This is why it is so important to use your exhale breath when lifting weights, heavy bags, or your kids!
When performing a movement that you are feeling in your low back or hips – try using an exhale to trigger a deep activation of your pelvic floor and core muscles and you might notice a little relief for your back and hips! Or, does a movement feel especially difficult? Try playing around with your exhale breath during the movement and see how much stronger the exhale during the movemement makes you feel!
Simply put: Poor breathing = poor movement quality or, rather, pain and dysfunction!
2) I’d treat my FEET with more love and attention!
Our feet are the foundation for our body. They have influence over posture, movement, muscle connection, and so much more!
They connect us to the earth and help us walk around all day. Our feet are our shock absorbers for our movement and they share the same neural pathways as our pelvic floor.
We can better connect with, strengthen, and relax the muscles of our pelvic floor when our feet (and the fascia surrounding the feet) are activated appropriately.
Instead of squeezing your feet into narrow or tight shoes – free your toes! Give them movement and range. If you have stiff arches, release the fascia. Weak ankles? Build ankle strength and mobility!
When lifting weights, try making contact to the floor through the base of your big toe and pinky toe along with your heel. Consider what type of shoes you are wearing. Running shoes aren’t great for lifting weights. Lifting shoes aren’t great for running. Get with a shoe or foot expert and see if you are wearing shoes that are helping or hindering your workouts.
Activate your arches, stretch your toes, and connect to the earth!
The entirety of your body will thank you for it!
3) Instead of focusing solely on cardio, I would focus on lifting weights.
Strength training is one of the most important things you can do for yourself as you get older. Our muscle mass starts to decline as we hit our late-twenties to early-thirties. In order to be able to carry your grocery bags or open jars when you are in your 70s, 80s and 90s, you should be lifting – and lifting heavy – in your 30s and 40s.
I encourage all of my clients not only to lift weights, but to lift weights that challenge their muscles. This will look different for EVERYONE!
NOTE: Before you can start lifting heavy, it is important that you are lifting properly. Start light and gradually build your strength. Going to heavy too soon can be disastrous! You need to first build up your connective tissue to withstand heavy loads. You also need to make sure you are moving with good stability, proper breathing mechanics, and good core activation.
Trust me, if you are not used to lifting, a bodyweight workout or a session with light weights is going to feel challenging enough! The time investment of gradually increasing your load will pay off 10-fold.
I went too hard too soon when I was younger… and my body paid for it! I have since done the work to reset my lifting foundation and it has made all the difference in my strength gains and my recovery!
Start small, be consistent, and stick with it. Watch and FEEL your muscles change!
Need some guidance? Reach out for an assessment to see what areas you might need to work on. All movement and pelvic floor assessments are free for the month of January.
Request an assessment here: mombellyfitness@gmail.com
OR join my MOMS WHO LIFT Fitness Challenge starting January 4 via Zoom! Register here.
Note: It’s important to both strengthen your muscles and train your cardiovascular system. Dedicate time for strength training at least 3-4 days a week and try to get in 30 minutes of cardio daily, or at least 5-6 days per week. A brisk 20-30 minute walk outside can do wonders for your health!
4) I’d tend to my fascia!
Fascia is the tissue that connects all other tissue in the body.
Think of your fascia like scaffolding. It weaves in and out of our muscles, bones, organs, and joints.
Fascia is a continuous web that needs to be treated like an important organ and not like packing material!
Fascia thrives on movement. It dislikes long periods of stillness. Lack of movement tends to harden, densify, and stiffen our fascia… Which leads to aches, pains, and compromised mobility and flexibility. Hardened fascia muffles the communication network from mind to muscle.
The health of your fascia not only influences how you move, but also how your body holds onto and carries water, electrical communication, the integrity of your immune system, your posture, and so much more!
Move your fascia. Hydrate your fascia. Treat your fascia with love!
Try this free fascia workout below and experience how much better your body feels after!
5) I’d exercise my mind!
Being more mindful is something most of the population can benefit from.
We live in such a go, go, go society – often influencing us to run on autopilot. Being a mom doesn’t make this any easier. We spend so much of our energy caring for others that we often forget to care for ourselves.
Find things to do that challenge your way of thinking. Gain control of your thoughts and reactions. Meditate, slow down, and be still in your mind. Easier said than done, I know! That’s why I created Calm Mom. It’s a program that combines mindfulness practices with movement to leave both your body and mind feeling refreshed.
It’s currently being revamped and will be re-launching soon! Pre-order it here.
If you are looking to get started on your fitness journey, reach out today to see how I might be able to help you reach your goals!
