I know, I know, I missed the mid April newsletter. That was completely my fault, I forgot all about doing it. I'm very sorry.
I hope that all of you had an amazing month of April. Mine was filled with fun and sun, you know, the perks of living in Florida.
Fitness
I am in a total beach mood right now. I absolutely love it there. It helps you get in shape, it re-grounds you, and it is just an overall rejuvenating place.
Spend a day at the beach though and you might realize how out of shape you really are. This can lead to low back pain.
It is important that you strengthen your abdominal muscles, your tushie, and your legs to take the pressure off the lower spine.
Some exercises that you can incorporate are the reverse lunge to knee lift, lateral lunge to knee drive, and the curtsy lunge.
I love all of these exercises because they are compound moves that work so many muscles at the same time. You can always increase the resistance by adding weights, but make sure you can complete 3 sets of 15 with proper form before adding any resistance on.
Nutrition
This week my family is going to be enjoying delicious sandwiches for our mid-day meal.
No, we aren't going to be going down and hitting our local sub shop every afternoon.
Those subs are usually loaded with sauces and processed meats.
What we will be doing is taking yummy fresh croissants from the local bakery, not the ones as big as my head, and slicing them down the middle. They will be filled with super healthy greens, a bit of sliced cheese, sliced avocado, tomato, and cucumber. If you wanted to add some meat, you could buy a roasted chicken and add some shredded chicken to the sandwich.
It'll be a quick easy way to get our veggies. As you know, I'm always looking for quick easy ways to get our fruits and veggies in.
Remember, adding condiments such as mayo, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, or ranch, amps up the calorie count pretty quick, so use sparingly if at all.
Mind Body Connection
Continuing on with my beach theme, let's find joy.
Sink into your happy place, put on some beach sounds and just exist. Lie back, close your eyes, and listen to the waves crashing against the shore. Let your mind wander where it wants to wander. Let your being be. Do this for as long as you want.
It is perfectly normal when practicing this kind of calming to feel emotions you don't expect. Feel them. Don't try and explore them, don't try and analyze them. Just let them happen. Just be.
You might be surprised by the result.
As we enter May, let's keep our hearts full of optimism and our minds open and free. Take the time to appreciate the small things around you. Fully enjoy the foods you eat and each and every breath you can take.
Love and health to everyone,
Kris