5 Ways to Find Morning Motivation

5 Ways to Find Morning Motivation

The time change has now officially kicked my Seasonal Depression Disorder into full gear. It's really easy to get yourself in a rut of wanting to hit the snooze button a few times before really getting up and moving.

I've got a few tips that might help you get out of that rut and find a little morning motivation:

Listen to Your Favorite Music
Create a morning playlist of your favorite tunes so all you need to do is hit play when you wake up. Choose something upbeat that you’ll look forward to listening to every morning. This will help wake you up and motivate you to conquer the rest of your day.

Have your favorite coffee
I don’t know about you, but nothing gets me out of bed like thinking about what kind of coffee I’m going to have. If you struggle with being motivated to leave your bed, try tempting yourself with coffee and see if that helps. Plus, if you get into the habit of treating yourself with coffee in the morning when it’s time to be productive, chances are it’ll be something you’ll look forward to a little more. And if you’re not a coffee drinker, try using tea or hot chocolate.

Put space between you and your phone
I mean everyone uses their phones for an alarm clock anyway? Make sure that it’s on the other side of the room. In order to turn off my alarm in the morning, I have to physically get out of bed and walk the length of the room to silence it. Therefore, clicking snooze for five more minutes of shuteye isn’t as tempting.

Make your bed in the morning
I don't know what it is about making your bed in the morning, but I swear that it sets you up for the rest of your day. Like you accomplished one small task and then you can go through your day accomplishing other tasks and when you come home later your room looks clean. If I didn't make my bed in the mornings I would be more tempted to lay down as soon as I get home from classes and then I would be super unproductive, and I don't have time for that.

Devotion and Prayer – Suggested resources: Our Daily Bread (ODB.com)
Prayer and devotion time, even 5 minutes, helps me start the day off right.

What's your favorite tip for not hitting the snooze button?  Let me know!

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Class Schedule for Week of 9/24/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 9/24/18: 

*If you are 65 and over, your classes with me might be covered for free under SilverSneakers or Silver and Fit.  Ask!

Monday:
  -11am Beginner Tai Chi at Owego Gardens (Public Welcome)
  -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM

Wednesday:
 -11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
 - 4:30pm Beginner Tai Chi at The LOOM
 - 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM
 - 6pm Aqua Zumba at Tioga Central School Pool (Last class of the year)

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba
-9:15am Core Strength and Stretching

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FOOT and HEEL PAIN

First thing in the morning, PAIN THAT FEELS LIKE NEEDLES IN YOUR FOOT…yep, plantar fasciitis.

Some doctors will tell you to wear orthotics.  Chronic pain can ensue if certain muscles aren’t inhibited, stretched and strengthened, so don’t be so quick to reach for those orthotics!

One common belief is that plantar fasciitis is caused by a problem in the calf when in fact the problem can be as far as the upper hamstring and glutes. How can this be? Think of the muscles in the body as links in a chain. Because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, stress in one link can cause a break in a completely different one, the weakest among them. It can cause a break in a link which can be located at any point in the chain.  (you can see from the diagram just how connected the achilles tendon is all the way down to the plantar fascia). 

As a trainer, I suffer from this exact weakened chain.  My right calf muscle is not balanced and creates plantar fasciitis when not properly taken care of.   

So what can you do to help treat this aching pain?  Here are some tips:

1) I personally see a regular massage therapist.  She is my medicinal miracle worker.  She keep my muscles all balanced to prevent foot and heel pain caused by my shortened calf muscle.   I would highly recommend seeking a medical massage.  

2)   First thing in the morning, roll the affected foot on a frozen can or bottle of water to relieve your pain. 

3)  Break up the knots and adhesions and lengthen the muscle tissue. Roll your foot on a tennis ball, lacrosse ball or a golf ball, placing as much pressure on it as you can tolerate. Now roll your calves, hamstrings and glutes. Perform a wall stretch on your foot. 

4) Strengthen the fascia in the foot, calf, hamstrings and glutes with these exercises. Stand on one foot for a 30 second count (keeping the raised knee at hip level). 

All of these tips will help you relieve some of that aching pain.   As always, message me with questions or concerns. 

Love in health and fitness, 
Colleen xoxox

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Why You Didn't Reach Your Goal

Did you know our brain uses more energy than other organ in our body?

Working towards a goal takes a large amount of energy to accomplish it. The overwhelming reality of what it is really going to take to accomplish is why people don't: A)get started,  or B) don't follow through to the end. Both options are detrimental to your success, forward growth and self confidence.

There are so many goals/dreams that people never come to see pass....and if you were to ask them they wouldn't hesitate to tell you all the reasons that it didn't work out. Here are some of the reasons I hear more often than not: "I don't have enough time." "I don't want to pay for workouts." "I'm always short on sleep and exhausted." "It's so much work." "I'll get to it when I have less going on." "I'm not getting up that early just to exercise."  Yet it seems like these very same people have time to spend hours on Social Media, spend excessive money on fancy coffee, clothes and handbags, watch hours of meaningless TV,  hit snooze relentlessly and grab takeout at least 2-3 times a week instead of a making an EASY healthy meal at home.

Don’t be an energy vampire, or let those energy vampires suck your life. Some people easily build imaginary castles of grandeur and future commitment then burn that vision down with constant procrastination. For every step forward, you will take ten steps back. This type of action will drain you, leaving you empty and wondering why you can never seem to make progress.

If you REALLY want to do what you said you were going to do, here are 3 ways to help:  

1.  Write Your Goals Down Daily:  To end up where you are going you're going to have to know where that is! Traveling around in circles lost, is one of the biggest energy vampires there is. It is absolute nonsense to think that you can arrive anywhere in life and not know within reason where that place of arrival is and what it should look like. Not knowing will be sure to leave you stuck and drained of energy. When you get up every day you are going to have to have a purpose more meaningful then to just haul yourself off to the office again for another groundhog day. If you don't currently know what your purpose is you will start discovering it if you commit to taking this step.

2. Cut out the Crap! One of the biggest drainers of all. This includes anything harming your body. Here is a list of things that should be totally cut out of your life. (The sooner the better!) Prescription medications to self medicate, negative people, anything that makes you feel devalued, drama, people that aren't on the same page as you, trash tv, excessive social media time, excessive shopping, long meaningless phone conversations, poor nutrition, and skipped workouts.

3. Schedule and Commit. Schedule your workouts on your calendar just like any other appointment. Find a workout you like and you'll be more likely to stick with it when life gets hectic and the excuses come out abundantly.  Keeping your workout schedule will give you MORE energy to help tackle your busy schedule and busy life!

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Class Schedule for week of 4//23/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 4/23/18: 

*If you are 65 and over, your classes with me might be covered for free under SilverSneakers or Silver and Fit.  Ask!

Monday:
      -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm  Tai Chi At Nichols Family Fitness

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
 - 4:30pm Beginner Tai Chi at The LOOM
 - 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba

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Class Schedule for week of 4/16/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 4/16/18: 

*If you are 65 and over, your classes with me might be covered for free under SilverSneakers or Silver and Fit.  Ask!

Monday:
      -11am  Beginner Tai Chi at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
      -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm  Tai Chi At Nichols Family Fitness

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
 - 4:30pm Beginner Tai Chi at The LOOM
 - 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba

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Class Schedule for week of 4/9/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 4/09/18: 

*If you are 65 and over, your classes with me might be covered for free under SilverSneakers or Silver and Fit.  Ask!

Monday:
      -11am  Beginner Tai Chi at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
      -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm  Tai Chi At Nichols Family Fitness

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens (Public Welcome)
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
 - 4:30pm Beginner Tai Chi at The LOOM
 - 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
NO CLASSES TODAY

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7 Day Attitude Adjustment Challenge

A week long positivity challenge to become a happier you.

 Day 1: Make a list of five things in your life right now that you are thankful for.

 Day 2: No Complaining. Go all day without a single complaint

 Day 3: Express gratitude to at least one important person in your life.

 Day 4: Spend 30 minutes doing something that makes you happy

 Day 5: Get Active!! Get outside and get some exercise!

 Day 6: Give yourself a mirror pep talk.

 Day 7: Smile! Give everyone you meet a smile.

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The Facts behind the Sitting Disease

Chances are you are reading this while sitting in your chair.....

For thousands of years, that’s exactly what humans did. In the mid-20th century, however, rapid technological advances (think: cars, TVs, computers, etc.) began chipping away at physical activity, and as technology did more of the heavy lifting, people became increasingly sedentary.

Consider how much you sit in a day: driving during your morning commute to an 8+hour-a-day desk job, and then unwinding on the couch in front of the television all evening.  Weekends include sitting at your child's dance recital or wrestling tournament all day!!   What’s more, do you depend on email, cell phone apps, direct-deposit paychecks, and online shopping to accomplish tasks that 10 or 20 years ago would have required you to get up and run errands?

If so, then you may have "sitting disease,” a catchy phrase for a sedentary lifestyle that might be putting your health at risk. (Source: WebMD)

While we often think of the dangers of inactivity in terms of worsening cardiovascular health, there are a myriad of negative effects. A study documented higher rates of type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cancer-related deaths in very sedentary people. An unrelated study has linked more sitting and less activity with an increased risk of developing dementia. (Source: Harvard Health)

That is one thing I like about my Garmin(Fitbits do the same thing). It will tell me to move. Love having that reminder!!

Sitting for long hours when you’re working in front of your computer is absolutely inevitable. But there are definitely ways to avoid sitting too much. Here are a few tips:

• Stand up and stretch whenever you can. 
• Go get and drink some water and visit the rest room more often. 
• Park your car farther from your office and take advantage of walking. 
• Walk after eating your lunch.

Be creative and find simple ways to move more

throughout the day. 

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My Classes for week of 3/19/18 - weather permitting

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 3/19/18: 

*If you are 65 and over, your classes with me might be covered for free under SilverSneakers or Silver and Fit.  Ask!

Monday:
      -11am  Beginner Tai Chi at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
      -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm  Tai Chi At Nichols Family Fitness

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens (Public Welcome)
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
 - 4:30pm Beginner Tai Chi at The LOOM
 - 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba
 -9:15am Stretching

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My Class Schedule for week of 3/12/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 3/12/18: 

*If you are 65 and over, you might be covered for free under SilverSneakers or Silver and Fit.  Ask me!

Monday:
      -11am  Beginner Tai Chi at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
      -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm  Tai Chi 

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
- 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba

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Some Lent Reflections

If we don't understand God's mercy toward us, if we don't take time to reflect on the ways we have been forgiven, it will be hard to be merciful to others.  And yet we set this as our goal each time we pray the Our Father:  forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

One of the most common attitudes that separates us from others is defensiveness.  From international relations to religious denominations to our own schools, workplaces and families, we close ourselves off to keep from being hurt.  It's difficult to  let ourselves be open and vulnerable.  We need to cultivate a belief that we're all part of the human family.

Sometimes going to church and doing "holy things" is easier than the hard work of being reconciled to people in our families, people at work, people who rub us the wrong way.

At the heart of the Easter story is the empty tomb.  Somewhere in our experiences of darkness each of us must confront the empty tomb and discover for ourselves the Risen Christ.

(Source:  The Moonlighter March 2018)

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My Class schedule for week of 3/5

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 3/05/18: 

*If you are 65 and over, you might be covered for free under SilverSneakers or Silver and Fit.  Ask me!
Monday:
      -11am  Beginner Tai Chi at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
      -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm  Tai Chi 

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
- 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba

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My Class Schedule for week of 2/26/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 2/26/18: 

Monday:
      -11am  Beginner Tai Chi  at Owego Gardens (Public welcome)
     -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm Beginner Tai Chi Session #4   

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
- 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba

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Watch Your Habits, Not Your Weight

March is right around the corner, and if your New Resolutions already fell off the wagon, you are not alone.  It's too easy to get off track and super hard to get back to that healthy routine.  Life gets in the way, but don't worry, you can get back on track this week!

One of my downfalls is cookies and milk at night.  If I'm not prepared, I can easy get back to that unhealthy habit and is hard to break it.

Why is it with all the bad choices we make in the food department, we will still catch ourselves stepping on the scale hoping for a MIRACLE!! (Guilty!!) 

Stop looking to the scale for a way out of this mess and start looking at the habits you are creating for yourself.

Personally, if I want to see progress, I need to make progress in my habits every day.  Not going to lie, it's tough.  You still have time to get ready for summer so start back NOW!  Take time this weekend and write out your healthy habit goals for the week.  Make a point not to weigh yourself but just stick to these few healthy habits each day, and you just might find those clothes will fit a little looser. 

My current focus on daily healthy habits:
> Drink at least 80 oz. water daily (I don't drink soda, but if you do, a great time to cut back and eliminate)
> Be active for 150 minutes per week
> Keep late-night snacking to a minimum
> In bed by 9:30 every night this week
> Stay within calories as often as possible, especially on weekends

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Aging Well with Exercise

You can get better and stronger at any age.  Research shows that an appropriate exercise program can improve your muscle strength and flexibility as you age.  Progressive resistance training, where muscles are exercised against resistance that gets more difficult as strength improves, has been shown to help present frailty. 

Your bones want you to exercise.  Osteoporosis, or weak bones, affects more than half of Americans over the age of 54.  Exercises that keep you on your feet, like walking or dancing, and exercises using resistance such as weight lifting, can improve bone strength or reduce bone loss.

As a NASM certified personal trainer, I offer several forms of exercise that fit perfectly.  Strength 7 Balance is one of my popular classes that involves light weights, resistance bands, and small exercise balls. 

Contact me at colleenp2803@gmail.com if you are interested in one of my classes.

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Class Schedule for week of 2/19/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 2/19/18: 

Monday:
     -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm Beginner Tai Chi Session #3   **(Pre-Registration Required)

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
- 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba
 -9:15am Stretching

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My Schedule for week of 2/5/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 2/05/18: 

Monday:
     -11am Beginner Tai Chi Demo Session - Owego Gardens(Public Welcome)
     -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
 - 6pm Beginner Tai Chi   **(Pre-Registration Required)

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
- 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba
 -9:15am Stretching

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My Class Schedule for Week of 1/29/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 1/29/18: 

Monday:
          -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday:
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
- 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM
 - 7pm Beginner Tai Chi Demo Class at The LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba

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Class Schedule for week of 1/22/18

MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF 1/22/18: 

Monday: 
          -5:30pm Zumba At The LOOM

Tuesday: 
- 10am Strength and Balance at The LOOM
- 6pm Beginner Tai Chi Demo Class at Nichols Family Fitness

Wednesday:
- 11am Strength and Balance at Owego Gardens
- 1pm Strength and Balance at Owego Community Center
- 5:30pm Zumba at the LOOM

Thursday:
-10am Strength and Balance at the LOOM

Saturday At Nichols Family Fitness:
-8am Zumba
-9:15am Stretching

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So.... Just What is Tai Chi?

What is Tai Chi? 

Tai Chi is a martial art that utilizes gentle, flowing movements to enhance health in the body and the mind.

So what can it do for me?   Let’s take some time to look through all the things that you can expect from learning this relaxing, slow martial art. The benefits of including Tai Chi into your exercise regimen are numerous. Because of the slow, meditative approach to movement, some people question it as an exercise modality since the aerobic component is not high. You should not dismiss it, however, simply because you might not break a sweat doing it! The intensity of this form of exercise can be increased or decreased depending on the depth of the postures and the duration of practice. It is certainly a low-impact form of exercise which is beneficial to people with existing joint issues and to people who want to avoid joint issues. 

Some of the impressive benefits of Tai Chi: 

Physical benefits 

As you would expect, there are many physical benefits when one practices any form of exercise over a period of time. The benefits that research has proven with the regular practice of Tai Chi are surprisingly far-reaching, especially in our current climate of anti-aging remedies. 

The Mayo Clinic lists some of the benefits of Tai Chi as: 

• Improved aerobic capacity 
• Increased energy and stamina 
• Improved flexibility, balance and agility 
• Improved muscle strength and definition 
• Enhanced quality of sleep 
• Enhanced functioning of the immune system 
• Reduction in blood pressure 
• Reduction in joint pain 
• Improved symptoms of congestive heart failure 
• Reduction in the risk of falls in older adults 

That list is impressive just by itself! There are other studies that have proven improvement for those who live with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, osteoarthritis, COPD and others. It has also been proven to improve bone mineral density in elderly women. 

Mental benefits 

The benefits of Tai Chi are not only substantiated as physical benefits. There are important mental and emotional benefits as well. 

Let’s return to the list of benefits from the Mayo Clinic. 

They also list the following as resulting from practicing Tai Chi: 

• Decreased stress, anxiety and depression 
• Improved mood 
• Improved overall well-being 

And I would add the following to that list: 

• Increased mental focus 
• Improvement in working memory/executive function 
• Social enjoyment and interaction

In Tai Chi, you should try to connect with and learn to control the energy in your body. This is part of the “healing” aspect and meditative component of Tai Chi. You must remain relaxed throughout and maintain your wrists in “delicate lady’s wrists” to help the flow. As you move, think about your legs being light and your body flowing in a relaxing state. Sometimes it helps to envision light flowing through your body. The energy flow in Tai Chi keeps the movement going. Think of the Tai Chi symbol, the Yin/Yang circle. It flows from one to the next and back again, and each side cannot exist without the other. Every move in the form is connected to the next movement. It is not a telegram where you start a sentence and then stop. You don’t stop between each posture. Use your rotation and weight shift to connect each move. Remember that “hold the ball” is a transition, not a separate posture. Think about gathering the energy into the “ball” and then releasing it throughout the posture.

(Source:  Open the Door to Tai Chi: Tai Chi for the Everyday Person)

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