Your Resting Positions Matter

We know the many health benefits of movement throughout the day, but what about when you are not moving? We can’t be moving 24/7, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. So what are some optimal rest positions?

If we look at modern day hunter gatherers, we see they have a high level of physical activity, but we also see that they have high levels of rest and relaxation. However, they are not reclining in a La-Z-Boy.

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When scientists observe the Hazda during their downtime most are either squatting and kneeling. Why is that more beneficial than say sitting in a chair? It keeps more muscles engaged. What does that do? It sends signals to our body that we are using these muscles (even when relaxing) so that the body is more likely to want to keep it around. The old term “use it or loose it” really matters when maintaining muscle mass. So the next time you go to plop down in a chair think of a better way to keep your muscles engaged. Maybe you can spend a few minutes in a squat, maybe it is kneeling, or maybe you do some gentle stretching/mobility movements like down dog, pigeon, 90/90, or anything else that engages more muscles than just sitting in a chair.

Mark Sisson has a great video on some resting postures you might consider. He also wrote a blog post on the topic.

No Gym? No Problem!

It has been a pretty strange past two weeks with lots of changes. If you are an avid gym goer, one of those changes may involve loss of access to your gym. If you find yourself without a gym and in need of a way to work out here are some ideas.

Just Walk ‍♂️

Yup a workout doesn’t need to leave you on the floor unable to move, walking is a great form of physcial activity and everyone can do it free of charge. I have noticed a lot more people out on the road and trails walking and running. Not only does walking get you moving but it also has many other benefits like getting some Vitamin D and entraining your circadian rhythm. In my own personal physical activity plan, walking forms the base of what I do.

Strength Training

Beyond walking what is next? Well you want to maintain or even build muscle (which is totally doable without access to a gym!) you will need to put your body under load. For that I would point you to the guys at Mind Pump. They offer some great resources.

First you can sign up for their FREE 30 day of coaching program. This program will require you to have some fitness equipment like a barbell and dumbbell, so if you have those, this would be perfect to get started with.

They also offer an at home workout program, MAPs Anywhere, that just requires some rubber bands and your body weight. Due to the epidemic we are in, they are offering the program at 50% off when you use the code WHITE50 at checkout. I own this program and highly recommend it.

My friend’s Tyler and Luis from Ketogains have also published a PDF with some body weight workouts you can do at home and don’t require any equipment.

Yoga 🧘‍♂️

Yoga is also a great workout you can do with just your body (and can also help you relax in these stressful times). My go to yoga workouts come from Man Flow Yoga. They publish a bunch of free stuff on YouTube, but also have a membership site with tons of workouts on them. Another resource is Do Yoga With Me which has a lot of free yoga workouts. Be sure to check out your local yoga studio as well. Many are streaming classes daily and it’s a great time to support local businesses.

TRX

Own a TRX? If not you should it is a great (cheap) piece of home workout equipment that is perfect for when you can’t make it to the gym or something that you can throw in your suitcase when you are on the go.

I published a set a videos showing how you can use a TRX in your hotel room to get a workout. You can easily do this at home as well.

Need Some Meal Ideas? No Problem I Got You Covered!

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Since you more than likely will be going out to eat a lot less for the next few weeks you might be struggling with coming up with some yummy meals to make. To help out I have put together a list of some of my favorite recipes that are always in my rotation from week to week. You can download the PDF by clicking the link below. Enjoy!

Give Me Your Recipes!

Social Distancing Does Not Mean Social Isolation

We are all (hopefully) practicing social distancing right now, but we need to be careful that it does not result in social isolation. Social isolation can result in a compromised immune system. Tune in to this weeks Facebook/Instagram/YouTube Live to find out more.

Lets Work Together

I recently had a couple of clients “graduate” from my health coaching practice so I have a few openings for new clients. If you would like to explore working together feel free to schedule a discovery call to see if we are the right fit.