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Eat. Trace. Sleep. Repeat.
Caffeine fix before the work day
Six weeks since my last post. Yikes. Aside from my summer hiatus when life was “normal,” I’ve never taken such a big pause between sharing my thoughts. But life is far beyond normal, and somehow time seems to stand still and race ahead at the same time. I do find comfort in the knowledge there are only three weeks left in this horrendous year.
Writing has always been one of my escape mechanisms. During these past six weeks, however, I’ve simply been too tired to put more than a few sentences together. And it’s not just physical fatigue. This is the most mental exhaustion I can remember pushing through since I don’t know when. Of course, I realize I’m not alone. Especially since I hear more fatigue, fear and frustration in the voices of the people I speak with every day in my work with the Test & Trace Corps. Twenty weeks into the job I never could have dreamed having during my lifetime, the number of those voices has exploded. When our call center opened yesterday, there were 10,000 calls to be made to cases and contacts throughout Manhattan and the five boroughs.
My 2020 Survival Tools
So forgive me if this isn’t one of more eloquent posts. Like many New Yorkers and I imagine, most Americans, I’m tired. Tired in my body, heart and soul. So finding daily comforts has become increasingly important with each day I’m blessed to open my bloodshot eyes. As the official start of winter creeps closer, my 2020 self-care indulgences include wine, baths, Vitamin D supplements in addition to my daily multi-vitamin, lots of candles and anything scented with lavender. I encourage everyone to find your own creature comforts and moments of Zen – no matter how fleeting – whenever you can.
I don’t mean to sound so heavy. I do love the ability to talk with my fellow New Yorkers and know the Test & Trace program is helping many of them by providing everything from the phone number for the city’s mental health hotline to assistance with food and medication deliveries. I am beyond thankful I’ve gotten to see my parents this year, especially when I know many families have been separated since the pandemic began. I am thankful for my husband, family and friends who worry about my well-being. I am thankful for the doctors, nurses and researchers who keep fighting the good fight and the essential workers who keep our city open. And I look forward to celebrating another Christmas – even if it involves a virtual get-together with our usual holiday crowd – and of course, to ringing in the start of what has to be a better New Year.
Thank you for entertaining my random thoughts through these difficult months and for all the support you’ve offered from near and far. I wish all of my readers moments of peace and happiness during this strange holiday season. Here’s to a safe end to 2020 and all good thoughts for a 2021 filled with new chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Let There Be Light!
Counting the Days Till Another Beach Season…
And just like that, the last Workout Wednesday of February has come and gone!
It’s hard to believe we’re almost done with what many New Yorkers consider the winter that never quite arrived. (I do realize, however, those in the Midwest and other regions have suffered through Old Man Winter’s fury many times this season including this week.) For me, the best part of this upcoming change is the fact that we’re only nine days away from the start of Daylight Saving time. We may lose an hour of sleep on the overnight hours leading into March 9th, but we’ll gain so much more: mood-boosting sunlight!
As my longtime readers know, I’m one of the millions of Americans who suffers from seasonal affective disorder. My winter blues have definitely gotten worse in my 40s, which I realize is a symptom of the life challenges that have been part of this decade so far. This winter may not have been as cold or snowy as others, but the cloudy, dreary skies have still lowered my motivation levels for everything from getting my butt to the gym to sitting down to write a blog post. Now that the wait for more daylight is down to single digits on the calendar, I’m noticing a little more energy fueling my system with each passing day.
If you’ve been dragging through the season, I hope you’ll find some comfort knowing you are most definitely not alone. Sometimes you have to embrace the lethargy and let it play out. Sometimes your body needs a nap or a binge-watching Sunday afternoon more than a heart-pounding workout. And sometimes, you need the comfort of mac and cheese more than a kale and quinoa salad.
Now’s the time to let all the “sins” of the season go and start thinking of the positive things you want to accomplish when there’s more hours of daylight to fuel your motivation to get them done. What will you put on that healthy to-do list for March? Maybe you add more outdoor walks to your weekly calendar. Maybe you dedicate one night a week to shutting off the TV and spending some quality time with family or friends. Whatever it is that signals a fresh start, a little planning now can go a long way as we welcome a new month and new chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
‘Tis the Season for those Winter Blues
Yes, it’s true. We’ve arrived at the last Motivation Monday of January. As we gear up for the second month of 2019, many of us are also bracing for some of the coldest temperatures on record around the country. If the extreme weather and sunlight-starved days are giving you a case of the winter blues, close your eyes, envision your sunniest memory and take comfort knowing you’re definitely not alone.
If you need a boost, never underestimate the power of breaking a sweat. Exercise is a natural way to lift your spirits thanks to all the endorphins that flow through the body when you workout. That energy surge stays with you long after the group exercise class or weight training session is done. Of course, bad weather can sometimes put the brakes on making that drive to the gym or lacing up for that daily run or power walk. The good news is there are plenty of exercises you can do in the comfort and safety of your own home. Here are 10 moves that require nothing more than your body weight (or some creative props) and a little space to call your own:
- Jumping jacks
- Squats
- Lunges
- Mountain climbers
- Planks
- Push ups
- High knees
- Squat thrusts or burpees
- Tricep dips (Use a stable chair or stairs for an extra challenge)
- Bicep curls (use cans of soup or laundry detergent bottles for weight)
Try doing each of the exercises nonstop for 30 seconds with no breaks in between. After you get through all ten, rest for one minute and start over again. Aim for three sets. With the rest built in, you can get your heart pumping and work virtually every muscle group in approximately 15 minutes. Feeling extra motivated? Try banging out three sets in the morning and another three at night. There’s 30 minutes of exercise split up for the day.
If you have any ideas for indoor sweat sessions to keep the winter blues at bay, I’d love to hear about them. With a little teamwork, we can all get through the worst of the winter season ahead and stay on track with our goals to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Bring on March…Please!
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.”
– Philo of Alexandria
I can’t put my finger on one particular reason, but it seems so many people in my life – family, friends, colleagues, even workout buddies – have been dealing with a serious case of the winter blues.
Maybe it’s because this was the first really dreary winter we’ve experienced (at least here in the Northeast) for several years. Maybe it’s because of all the anger and divisiveness circulating on a daily basis on social media. Most recently, it could most likely be attributed to our nation reeling in the aftermath of yet another unfathomable tragedy at another school.
On a personal note, I can say the winter of 2018 has been one of the most difficult on the emotional front in recent history. I have been waging a daily battle with anxiety over my aging parents; the uncertain path of my career and witnessing some of my dearest friends trying to make the best of some seriously difficult situations. I guess it boils down to this being the first time I can honestly say I’ve been afraid in a long time.
That being said, there’s a new month on the horizon with the promise of better days- and definitely better weather- ahead. In the meantime, I continue to do the one thing that gives me a sense of strength even if it’s for only an hour amidst an otherwise “scary” day: exercise. For anyone out there struggling with your own difficulties as we trudge through 2018, I encourage you to find one activity that gives you peace. If you’re like me, that could mean unleashing your fears by hitting and kicking a heavy bag with all your might. For others, it could mean taking a power walk or spending ten minutes meditating, praying or reading a book.
I realize this is another of those slight diversions from my usual posts. Then again, maybe it’s not. For the past six years, this blog has been an outlet for me to cope with some of the big happenings in this crazy ride we call life. I thank all my readers for supporting me when I need to shake some of the cobwebs out of my mind. If you’ve been struggling with the blues this season for one or a variety of reasons, I hope you find comfort knowing you’re most definitely not alone. Even those who appear to be the strongest among us have their dark days. (Which is why I started today’s post with one of my favorite quotes.) So as we make our way through this last Motivation Monday of February, let’s all find strength knowing there’s a sunnier spring ahead for all of us – and plenty of new chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Winter Blues Be Gone!
I don’t know about you, but I’m ecstatic to think that this is the last Motivation Monday before Daylight Saving time. At this time next week, we can all bask in the joy of more sunlight!
I really can’t put my finger on why, but this has felt like the never-ending winter. It’s not that the weather has been particularly harsh this season in New York. But somehow January and February were two very loooonnnng months.
The only thing I can attribute this to is a good old case of the winter blues. This year, I found a lot of my friends and family shared in a similar case of the blahs. Maybe it’s partly due to the state of chaos the whole country seems to be experiencing – at least if you read all the social media feeds. Or maybe it’s because I told myself this was the year I’d make some big decisions on what’s next in my career and…and here we are three months into the New Year and I haven’t figured things out yet.
As you readers know, I’m anything but your doom-and-gloom kinda gal. So on the positive side, I can say I am more grateful than ever that I have exercise in my life to help turn even the most blasé of blah days into manageable ones. For anyone else out there counting the minutes until the brighter, warmer days of spring, now’s the perfect time to keep exercise on your schedule. If it’s not on there already, consider the new month a chance to mix things up in your daily routine. Exercise does a mind and body good thanks to the endorphins that flow through the body when you workout and stick with you long after the group exercise class or weight training session is done. If you’re finding it hard enough to get your butt out the door after a long day of work or school to head to the gym, remember you can get that endorphin rush in the comfort of your own home!
In an effort to share a warm reminder that spring is just a few weeks away, I thought I’d re-post my “Tear-It-Up In Ten” workout video. Even though I demonstrate the circuit in Central Park, all the exercises can be done indoors and require no equipment. Hopefully, seeing some sunshine and greenery will also give you a glimpse at what we have to look forward to in the not-so-distant future. Remember – sometimes taking your workout and your mind to another place is all you need to stay on track with your goals to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Want to Kick Those Winter Blues? Get Moving!
It’s hard for me to believe this Motivation Monday brings us nine weeks into 2015. What’s even harder to deal with is the fact that Old Man Winter obviously did some serious training in the off-season.
It seems practically all of us around the country are dealing with one of most brutal winters in years, if not decades. If you’re struggling with a severe case of the winter blues, take a deep breath and realize you’re definitely not alone.
Exercise is a great way to lift your spirits thanks to all the endorphins that flow through the body when you workout. That energy surge also sticks with you long after the group exercise class or weight training session is done. Of course, with record-breaking snowfalls and below-zero temperatures keeping roadways and sidewalks slick in many towns, driving to the gym or going for that daily run or walk may simply not be an option. If you’re finding it hard enough to get from home to work or school and still want to break a sweat, don’t forget you can still get that endorphin rush right in the comfort and safety of your own home!
In an effort to share a warm reminder that spring will eventually arrive, I thought I’d re-post my “Tear-It-Up In Ten” workout video. Even though I demonstrate the circuit in Central Park, all the exercises can be done indoors and require no equipment. Hopefully, seeing some sunshine and greenery will also give you a glimpse at what we have to look forward to in the not-so-distant future. So stay safe, stay warm and remember – sometimes taking your workout and your mind to another place is all you need to stay on track with your goals to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
“March”ing Ahead
Like most people, I am beyond over this miserable winter.
This particular Motivation Monday post goes live after a weekend filled with another round of ever-changing weather reports for yet another winter storm filled with uncertain snowfall totals and other foul-weather calamities. Which means many of you could be cooped up at home today, and quite possibly with kids who are missing yet another school day thanks to Old Man Winter. If that’s the case, take a deep breath and remember, exercise is one of the best ways to produce some endorphins which can keep the “winter blues” at bay. And let’s face it – with this winter still very much in full effect, we need all the help we can get!
The good news is you don’t need to leave the house to get those mood-elevating endorphins flowing through your system. In fact, if you’ve been meaning to give Tabata training a try or have been thinking about adding it back into your fitness routine, a forced day indoors is the perfect time to make it happen!
Click here for a refresher on Tabata training and how you can get one or two in around the house today.
Push-Up: One of my Tabata training faves
Some of my favorite basic exercises that work perfectly for Tabata training and need no equipment:
- Jumping Jacks
- Plank
- Squats
- Side planks
- Bridges
- Crunches
- Lunges
- Mountain Climbers
- Push-Ups
Since Tabatas are done in four-minute intervals, I present this challenge: why not try to bang out two or three consecutive Tabatas (giving you roughly 10-15 minutes of activity) two or three times throughout the course of the day? By dinner time, you could easily bang out 30 minutes of exercise (or more!) while keeping a steady level of endorphins running through your body as a bonus!
If you have other survival tips for keeping the body and mind in good form during this winter that just won’t quit, I’d love to hear about them! Here’s to keeping those spirits up and holding out hope for a warm and sunny spring filled with chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
lauralovesfitness 