Since I was young, I have always been actively involved in something. I started out cheer and dancing when I was three years old, and continued to do that off and on all the way up until I graduated high school. Even though I always cheered and danced, I was always open to trying new things as I was growing up. I found my love for soccer, snowboarding, art, and skateboarding. I am so glad that I had people in my life who challenged me to try new things because without them I wouldn’t be who I am today.

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For this blog journey, I want to share with others that opening up your mind and trying new things can be life-changing if you allow it to be. My objective for my blog is to inform others on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle through nutrition, exercise, and mental wellness. In today’s day and age with so many different factors that could lead to sicknesses and health issues both mentally and physically, it’s so important to take care of yourself. Not only is there so much you can do for nutrition and exercise, but also for you mental well-being. I want to help others find easy simple ways to help improve their lives.

The problem is that it is so easy for people to act like what they are eating and what they are doing won’t have any major effect on them. I have been there myself. However, once you start to really take the time to take care of yourself, you will notice a night and day difference in so many different aspects of your life

This problem isn’t as simple as being solved or not being solved. Everyone likes to go at their own pace and make progress as they are able. I believe that this is still a problem because of all the toxic foods and nonactive habits that have greatly increased over the last decades. As electronics have become a big part of our society, that has negatively affected the amount of activity that we could be doing and situations similar to this.A healthy, active, positive, exciting life is what is possible. Its the smallest changes that could make the biggest difference or impact over the period of time. 

Life is so different now than it was decades ago. There are so many new ways of life that have been accrued. For example, would you rather watch your favorite Netflix series or go exercise at the gym?  Convenience is our biggest obstacle that we make decisions based off of almost every single day. 

I wanted to create this blog as a place to inspire others and show them that they can achieve a healthy, hopeful, and happy lifestyle.When I started taking steps in my life to focus on what is most important, I saw major changes in many different aspects. I know that this is possible for everyone who truly tries to make these changes. It’s all about setting goals, achieving those goals, and doing it again.

Simple-at-home workouts are very convenient and useful because they benefit any level. Whether you are a beginner, or a expert, at home workouts can be adjusted to appease all. Especially right now as we are all in quarantine, they are our only option for working out. Even if you are an expert, at times its nice to take it down a few notches and focus on one thing at a time. Here are different options for at home workouts.

#1. CARDIO

To start, choose a cardio machine and aim to stick with it for 20 to 25 minutes or whatever seems achievable for you. Start off slow and gradually adjust the incline, resistance, or speed if you think you can handle more.

This is a great, simple way to ease into your routine and get used to the gym environment. Cardio machines also offer a manageable workout for those new to the gym.

#2. LOWER BODY

The large muscle groups in your lower body are important because they are responsible for activities like climbing stairs, getting in and out of a car, or playing fetch with a furry friend. To start strengthening your hamstrings, glutes, and quads, find a beginner workout plan for the lower body that takes you through three rounds of box squats, stationary lunges, calf raises, and glute bridges. It’s a great introduction to working these muscle groups.

#3. UPPER BODY

You will want to show some love to the muscle groups in your upper body in order to keep everything balanced. Complete 3 rounds of the exercises below on your third visit.

1.Lat pull down: To start, select a low weight and sit on the seat so that your thighs are underneath the pads. Grasp the bar with a wide overhand grip; your hands should be approximately shoulder width apart. Now pull the bar down to about chin level while keeping your back at a slight angle. Without releasing your grip, slowly let the bar rise back up to the starting position. This counts as one repetition! Try to complete 10 reps before taking a break.

2. Dumbell chest press: Grab a set of dumbbells that you can lift without straining your muscles. Lie down on a flat bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Your upper arm and forearm should create a 90-degree angle. Extend your elbows out away from your rib cage so they are in line with your shoulders. Rotate your wrists so your palms face forward (away from your face). Use your chest muscles to push the dumbbells upward, exhaling as you go. When your arms are fully extended, take a moment and tighten the muscles in your chest. Hold this position before slowly lowering the dumbbells. Aim to make lowering the weights take longer than lifting them. This is one repetition!

3.High Plank: Start in a “table-top” position, with your hands and knees on the floor and your back parallel to the ground. Once you feel stable, extend your legs back behind you so that your body forms a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Now activate your core by flexing your abdominal muscles. Try to hold this position for a count of 15 seconds before slowly returning your knees to the floor.

If you’re feeling up for it, you can also choose among these basic arm and shoulder exercises for beginners and incorporate a different one into your routine each week!

Deciding whether to practice morning or night yoga, comes down to a few different factors.No one time is right for anyone to practice, you have to find a time of day that matches your schedule. If your morning is full of getting out the door for school or work, making breakfast, walking dogs and barely making it out the door on time, committing to a morning practice may be difficult. The same is true in the evening, if you’re often committed to evening functions and find you’re tired at the end of the day, you may be better off practicing in the morning.

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BENEFITS OF MORNING YOGA PRACTICE

Energizing poses, like backbends and sun salutations, wake up your tight body and work out the kinks after a night’s rest.

Morning yoga practice helps you clear your mind and set an intention for your day.

The morning is usually the coolest part of the day.

Twists and arm balances are easier to perform when you’re not competing with digestion from various meals during the day.

Practicing yoga in the morning avoids any last-minute conflicts that may derail your intentions to step on your mat.

BENEFITS OF EVENING YOGA PRACTICE

Evening yoga practice, on the other hand, can prepare your mind and body for sleep.

Incorporate twists and forward folds to help you wind down from a busy day.

Most people have more free time in the evening, helping you feel less rushed in your practice.

Practicing in the evening soothes tension, aches, and pains, providing a deeper, more replenishing sleep.

It can also help you break bad habits like snacking or binge-watching TV.

As you can see, there are benefits to either practice time. If you’re not quite sure what’s best for you, experiment.

Try to do one full week of early morning practices – either at home or with us at the studio for added accountability. Then spend a second week practicing in the evening, exploring what benefits and challenges you find in each style.

After you find the right fit, stick to a similar time whenever possible to maintain that lovely sense of grounding. Try incorporating daily rituals – like meditation, chanting Om, or doing Sun Salutations – to establish further consistency.

Untangle is a podcast that highlights all the positive ways for us meditate and make changes in our lives. I like this podcast for this point in time especially because of the stress of COVID-19. Its so easy to dwell on the negative affects of this virus and let ourselves take steps backwards from being who we want to be. This podcast has many different podcasts that highlight the struggles of quarantine and self isolation.

Experts and real people share their own personal stories about how mindfulness practices have changed their lives. Hear experiences from business leaders, psychologists, , nutritionists, authors, mindfulness teachers, storytellers and more. We cover everything from why it’s important to meditate to how self-compassion practices change us from the inside out to why meditation helps with anxiety in adults and kids. A rich collection of interviews with a range of thoughtful guests who share their true and heartfelt experiences with mindfulness and other contemplative practices.

This has helped me in countless different aspects of my life. I have always been a paranoid and worried person. I struggled with anxiety and extreme over-thinking. When I started to take time to listen to this podcast, I could start to notice the difference that it was making on my mental health. I started to gain new perspectives and develop a bigger appreciation for various parts of life.

It’s Good for Our Relationships

Paradoxically, while meditation helps us tune in and turn inward to our true essence, it also helps us detach from our own egos to connect with others in more meaningful ways. Couples counselors have found when they assign their clients meditation, the couples become less angry, more self-reflective, and more loving.

When we become aware of our interconnection with other beings, we are able to recast our perspectives, see our worries in a different light, and embrace gratitude, which is the heart’s memory.

It’s Good for Our Bodies

It is known that meditating on a regular basis not only boosts the mind, but it also bolsters the body. Studies show that meditation can help reverse heart disease, reduce pain, and support the immune system, better enabling it to fight disease.

The mind/body connection between stress and disease is abundantly apparent as science is finding that meditation can lower production of the stress. This means mediators are better able to adapt to stress in their lives and its common physiologic responses, which can include:

• Skin conditions
• Heart disease
• Osteoporosis
• Depression
• Sleep problems
• Digestive problems
• Obesity
• Memory impairment

It Can Change Our Lives

In a world rife with never-ending fast fixes, crash diets, and get-rich-quick schemes, it’s nice to know there is a proven practice that really can change your life in just a little bit each day.

Yogis and doctors both agree: meditating relaxes the brain, reduces anxiety, and decreases depression. When we feel as though we can’t afford the time to meditate, but the truth is we can’t afford not to.

Throughout our day to day lives we tend to get caught up in life and forget to take a minute to evaluate. It happens to all of us and from time to time its important that we slow things down an focus on small simple ways we can enhance our lives.

Through some research and my own experience I have come up with five simple tips and ideas that can help you re-evaluate different aspects of your life. Here are 5 tips maintain a healthy, positive, and active lifestyle.

1.Set goals and boundaries

Setting goals and striving towards something in your life that you want to achieve and accomplish is a way to bring a great sense of meaning and purpose to your life. Setting goals wasn’t always something that I took seriously until I realized how much of an impact it can have on my life.

2. Develop a healthy diet

It is so important to take care of yourself and really think about what foods that you are putting into your body. In article done by Bradford Hall from the care insitute, we learn how important eating healthy is. ” Vegetables, like leafy greens, and fruits contain plentiful amounts of nutrients such as vitamins and antioxidants that help boost your immune system and fight off disease causing toxins. Antioxidants help fight eye disease, promote healthy skin, and overall health. “

This is a major factor when improving your everyday life. The smallest changes can make the biggest difference.

3.Exercise/Destress

Finding your hobby and engaging yourself is what improves overall health. For me, I started to get into climbing, yoga and exercising. This provided an outlet for me mentally and physically. There are also hobbies like music that aren’t physically engaging but is a way to express yourself and this is something that I consider one of my favorite ways to destress and engage in my creativity.

4. Frequently visit with family & friends

Connecting with people and feeling the love of family and friends enriches your life and helps you prioritize what is most important to you. Once you make family and friends a priority in your life you will notice the difference.

5. Serve Others

Serving others is a great way to feel whole and like you have purpose. I know that when I feel like I am not using my time wisely, I try to think of ways I can help make little differences in peoples lives. We have all experienced someone doing something kind for us and know how that makes us feel. Next time you are feeling down, try to think of something that you can do for someone else. The small gestures make a whole of a difference.