Updated: Apr 5
I wish I had the formula to give and make it easy for you to never miss a day, even on holidays or rainy days, and actually enjoy and look forward to it.
If I describe how it is for me, it might spark something and inspire you. Or you might cringe and feel like having a wine and watching Netflix, which I also like.
Exercise is my medicine. I don't skip as I don't skip to brush my teeth.
I put on my fitness gear as soon as I wake up.
I will work out as soon as I have a moment. It might be at home, the beach, the gym, or the park in the morning, during a break, before lunch, or before dinner. I fit in exercise wherever I am, whether it's on holidays or workdays.
I make it easy for myself; I have everything I need, always ready in a gym bag. I have a handy area for exercising at home, and all my equipment stays together.
It is not a sacrifice; it is a need.
It is how I meditate; how I process my thoughts, through the movement, at each breath, I deepen my thoughts, I slowly clear my mind, I start to have ideas and solutions, I add a smile when it is getting more challenging, I feel the muscle, I recruit the power, I might scream, make some noise, sing, I focus on the moment, I am present, I feel the sweat running in my face, I feel stronger, I feel grounded, I feel ready. It empowers me. It saves me; it always has.
Throughout my life, during the most challenging times—the loss of my mum, the loss of my dad, and a few broken hearts—I always hold myself together with my exercise. I hang in there. I might not be able to do anything else, but I exercise.
Movement brings me back home and calms me down.
The repetitiveness doesn't make me feel bored. It makes me think in rhythm. I feel the beat of my heart, and it makes me want to challenge myself a bit more. Add more weights, let me try one kilo more. I can do it.
I feel more empowered whenever I increase the weights or add more reps. I like to see my muscles grow, feel the pulsing, and feel my heart.
I like to train with music, from hip hop to chill to silence, just listening to my breath. So, my training style varies according to my moment, cycle, season, and moon.
I don't do it because I want to lose weight or it is essential for my health; those are consequences.
But I don't think about this; those reasons don't motivate me.
I do because I don't know how to live without it. I like myself with it.
Exercise makes me a better person for myself and everybody around me.
If I don't do it, I feel blah, lethargic, down and dragging myself.
It is a need; It is compulsory.
It is my energy release, an endorphin quest, and I chase the feel-good hormone.
I don't know how to live without it.
My love letter to exercise will help you put the gear on and start today.
Cont. last post about "
" answering my friend's message.
How to train to impact body composition after 40s:
Include HIIT on your training – High Intensity Interval training – 3 times a week (20 min) – a HIIT session increase the insulin sensitivity, after a HIIT session is the best time to eat your high carb food, as the cells are now “open” to receive and use the glucose.
The strong stimulus decreases the visceral and subcutaneous fat.
· Do Strength training- To stimulate lean mass and decrease visceral and total body fat ( 2 to 3 times a week)
· Do Plyometrics- Include jumping– Skipping, squat jumps, box jumps, etc. – To improve muscle powder and the transportation of glucose into the cell. (* if no injuries and no osteoporosis)
( 2 to 3 times a week )
You can include all those components in one session or alternate during the week.
You dont need to spend more than 1 hour exercising. I usually get done in 45 minutes.
There is also stress levels and sleep that plays a big role in a woman's 40 + body.
on the next post...
"
My belly is huge, I feel terrible! Help!”- recent friend’s message
My dearest friend,
I hear you, and I don’t like that you feel that way. This is probably what is happening:
As we reach our mid-forties and our hormones estrogen and progesterone go downhill one of the effects is: our body decrease insulin sensitivity and we become more insulin resistant.
What that means? Every time that we eat refined carbohydrates: bread, crackers, pasta, pizza, cookies, …the body can’t process easily anymore because we don’t have the hormones to help, so the high carb food that you eat instead of going to our cells to be used, it goes to a place around our belly, forming the visceral abdominal fat.
So that means we are f%&*#@ up? Pregnant belly from now on?
No, there are ways to mitigate this effect if you want, but you need to change the way that you eat, including timing, the way that you exercise and prioritizing sleep.
A few strategies that you can do to help with body composition change:
· Change your white bread, pasta etc for whole grains, paleo, low glycaemic type of bread, pasta etc. Get into the habit to read the labels, look for clean natural ingredients, run away from numbers, preservatives, and names that you don’t know what means. The best of the best: make your own.
· Eat your high carb content straight after exercise withing 20 to 30 min that’s the best time for the body to absorb and use that carb. For eg: eggs on toast with avocado after a morning workout.
· Avoid refined carbs the rest of the day, having only carbs from fruits and veggies.
· Eat protein in every meal, increase the amount of protein in your diet, spreading around your meals.
· Let it go of cookies, crackers, cakes, pizzas. They are not your friends. Leave them for extraordinary occasions.
Then there is training....continue on the next post