3 Things You SHOULD Experience When Starting a New Workout Program

Are you changing things up and moving on from TurboFire to ChaLEAN Extreme? Or maybe like my husband has done, gone from a strength intense workout like P90X3 to a more comprehensive one like 21 Day Fix Extreme? Or maybe you haven't been working out at all and you and starting to incorporate exercise as a part of your routine. Chances are you are going to be experiencing these 3 things listed below. But don't worry - it won't last forever! And these are all good things! These are signs that your program is WORKING! Yay, right?!?!?

1. Soreness - Yes, you should be sore. Your muscles should ache and it should be a little harder than it was before to climb the stairs, carry your groceries, or (like me) pick up and put your 2 (almost 3) year old in her car seat! Soreness is a sign that your muscles are being used. And they are working for you even when you've stopped working out. And this is a BIG YAY because guess what? Muscle BURNS fat! This is definitely what we want to be happening! And the soreness gets a little better and you will begin to look forward to that burn (hurts so good, right?). But when we stop feeling ANY soreness altogether (we don't want an intense hurt, but a good sore) that means that we need to add more weight or change up our routine again.

2. Hunger - Oh no! I said it. Yes, you might feel hunger pains. Even when eating exactly according to your eating plan (you are doing this, right?). Beachbody programs, especially 21 Day Fix, have amazing nutrition plans to follow that will give you the EXACT info on what you should be eating to go along with the workouts that you are doing. When you first switch over to eating on a new plan, it does take your body some time to adjust. Especially if you are making a drastic change from eating pizza, pasta, candy, ice cream, etc., to a clean eating veggies, lean protein, good carbs, healthy grains, healthy fats eating plan! Your body is going to wonder what in the world is going on! But, with keeping your body fueled with the right kind of foods every 2-3 hours, adding in a nutritious meal replacement shake that will help curb your cravings, Shakeology, and keeping your body hydrated with water will REALLY help you to get adjusted to your new plan and it won't be long before you are feeling satisfied by the new foods you are eating. This new eating plan should also make you feel like a brand new person, giving you energy and helping you to lose weight in a healthy way, and feeding those muscles that you are building. If you do find that you are just way too hungry, give yourself food with few calories such as veggies, or drink some herbal tea.

3. Slowness -  Yes, that meat-head workout comic you are picturing in your head can sorta be true. When our bodies are growing larger muscles, it can actually make us physically slower at first! Weird, right? But this is why we have to make sure to fuel our body properly, 5-6 times a day during this muscle growing process! Feed those muscles! But remember, if you are feeling a little slow, that means your program is WORKING! So keep it up, it won't last forever!


Again, keep in mind that these are NOT chronic conditions. They are temporary while your body adjusts to the change up you are putting it through. Also keep in mind that changing things up is a GOOD thing for your body and something that you should do from time to time to keep progressing on your fitness/health journey!

Not sure what program you should be doing right now? Shoot me a message via facebook and let's chat! You can also gain more accountability and motivation through joining in on one of my private fitness/health groups on facebook! Hope to hear from you soon!


-Ashley

4 Reasons Vacations Are Good For Your Health

Recently, my husband and I decided to take a short little vacation to a small town in NC called Beaufort. It is on the water (yes, that pic above was taken on our trip!) and it is very quaint and relaxing. We stayed only 2 nights and celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary there. We didn't spend a ton of money, and didn't even plan a lot to do while we were there. And it was just what the doctor ordered. 

You see, I am not only a stay at home mom, but I am a health/fitness coach where I am, thankfully, able to do all of my work from home. This means that while my daughter is in preschool twice a week for 3 hours, or on the days where she does actually still nap, I am working. Usually to be seen with my iPad mini or laptop, immersed in helping my own coaches grow their businesses and/or engaging in my online fitness and nutrition private Facebook groups, helping those who have chosen to invest in their own health. It is fun, it is challenging. And it has turned into something that God gave me to help me not only better myself and our own family's health, but it also has turned into a way for me to glorify Him through helping others. I could go on and on about this, but that goes back to the main point of this little blog: needing to take a vacation.

So, in the busyness of life, we could have decided to just go out to dinner for our anniversary and ask my parents to keep our daughter for the night. But, we looked into some places less than a 2 hours drive away and found a great deal in Beaufort at the Beaufort Inn. We were walking distance to everything we needed and didn't use the car the whole weekend. We woke up on Saturday morning, after indulging in an amazing dinner and dessert the night before, and went for a jog around the historic district. We stumbled upon a flea market and walked around, not having to worry about our 2-1/2 year old getting into everything. I didn't even have to say "don't touch" once! Ha! 

The moral of the story is that I relaxed. Unplugged. Didn't think about coaching for 3 days (ok, I might have thought about it a few times, but I kept it to myself!) And it felt great. I was present in life and actually felt more refreshed when I got back to "work" on Monday. 

If you are looking for a permission slip to take a vacation, here it is! Go, unplug, have fun, enjoy the outdoors and God's beautiful creation!

And if you need more proof on why should take a vacation, check out these 4 reasons why it is healthy to take a vacation (from prevention.com):

1. You’ll be happier. Who doesn’t wake up a bit more chipper on a Saturday morning than a dreaded Monday? Women who don’t take regular vacations are up to three times more likely to be depressed than their vacationing counterparts, according to researchers from the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin.

2. Your heart will thank you. Men who take regular vacations are 32 percent less likely to die of heart attacks, and 21 percent less likely to die early. And women who go on vacation have a 50 percent lower risk of heart attack, finds the Framingham Heart Study.

3. You'll get sick less often. Carving out time off keeps you balanced, says Robinson. Stress squashes your immune system and has been shown to increase your odds of suffering from adrenal dysfunction, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome , Robinson adds.

4. You’ll stay forever young. Or at least not age any faster: Not taking a break can elevate the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. And cortisol may actually speed up the aging process, according to a recent study in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

Are you planning your vacation? Or are you now ready to start planning? Comment here and let me know what you are planning! 

- Ashley