On Tuesday February 6th, we will kick off our annual new year’s program. This year will not focus on just fitness or just nutrition but also include countless other topics that support our entire bodies wellbeing. This program will allow you to put together your 2024 blueprint for health and fitness, help you explore and learn more about your body from the inside out and provide countless strategies and practices to add to your annual / daily / weekly / monthly life depending on what you feel you need at anytime or season. Each topic covered is based on research, evidence and experience of what can help us live our best life physically & emotionally.
Week 1: The annual rounds of whole health: Exercise / Food / Energy & Emotions
Week 2: Secrets of Sleep & Boosting Brain Health
Week 3: Vitamin & Mineral Deep Dive & Food Selections & Supplementing for optimal function
Week 4: Metabolic Health Primer: Cholesterol / Blood Pressure / Blood Sugar / Obesity Oh My
Week 5: Diabetes……..It is no one person’s fault……….
Week 6: Stress & Mental Health
Week 7: Celebration of Learning & the path forward inspiration
Each week we will meet live on Zoom (Tuesday evenings) and dig into the topic of the week. Each week you will have opportunities to do some self-work, physically, written, or exploration. And each week the discussion and learning will continue outside of the live class in our online chat group.
The 40 day program will wrap up on Saturday Feb 17th with an option to extend learning, support and accountability throughout the rest of 2023 with group sessions every six weeks in March / May / June / Sept / Oct / Nov.
The 40 day investment: $247 (register by 1/31/24; $297 when you register after 1/31) including 7 live sessions / content / self-work assignment & online community discussion & additional content.
Sign Up Here or contact christie@bodyessentialspt.com with questions!
This program will be our deepest dive into preventative strategies to longevity beyond just exercise and nutrition while still emphasizing why exercise and nutrition are so important partners to all the topics we cover. None of this is medical advice or a substitute for medical check ups. This is simply an educational opportunity within the scope of practice of a seasoned and certified fitness/nutrition/personal health coach.
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lost infinite hope. “- Martin Luther King Jr.
As a hopeless optimist, learner, meaning maker and believer that absolutely everything happens for a reason, I absolutely love this time of year.
I enjoy the freshness that the holidays bring from our usual week to week operating. I welcome the cheerfulness and coziness that resonates from holiday decor and I embrace the fellowship of holiday events. Although each year evolves I look forward to how we can embrace the spirit of this season, the optimism of the upcoming new year and welcome the opportunity for new traditions each year.
I love looking back on the success and challenges of the year personally and professionally. I appreciate documenting the qualitative and quantitative outcomes and visioning something new for the next year. I look forward to knowing that any challenge will pass with powerful lessons (if we choose to welcome them that way) and something new will bloom beautifully.
I believe that as we continue to learn whatever lesson each year is trying to teach us that I will always welcome lessons from every aspect of this amazing life ……
How do you embrace the spirit of the season & the end of another year as opposed to feeling the grind and endless to do list???
Monday’s after a long holiday weekend can be difficult. What is your strategy to be energized and driven today, finish the month strong and be prepared for a fresh and final month later this week?! Three good options in my book include:
Show no mercy, just get up and get to it. If you do not start strong on Monday, the rest of my week is not going to measure up. It is non-negotiable to go anything less than 110% on Monday.
Give yourself some flexibility. Perhaps a slower and later start is a better option. Plan accordingly if so, so you have that time to pace yourself up, out, or in to your day.
Perhaps you just skip Monday altogether and keep that weekend going up to Tuesday. Do you prefer a long weekend taking Friday off or Monday off?
What is your ideal rest day? Are you a turn it off for 10 seconds and turn it back on or are you a shut it down, every device, multiple days, type of person? Since the last time I considered this, I am now option B! I have gotten very good at slowing down, dialing back and finding solitude even in active moments.
There is no right or wrong way to Monday and Rest. Find what works, don’t let anyone else guilt you into any other method, do guilt yourself into doing more than your body feels necessary especially on those rest days!
Happy Monday & Happy Holiday Lifestyle for the next 6 weeks!!!!
There are days and moments that I am so full of gratitude that I literally just stop and take it in before moving to the next thing.
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Happy Thanksgiving Week.
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If nothing else, try to slow your pace this week. This year has provided ample opportunities to pause and count my blessings and write down all the things I am grateful for no matter how small. So I ask you to reflect over this holiday period. What are you thankful for? What are your grateful for at this point in the year. Who do you need to express gratitude to? Any of these actions can lift your mood and energy.
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Reflect and shift……we all have things we want to change about ourselves and our lives at varying times. 2022 has been another great opportunity to take a leap. What haven’t you done for yourself yet this year? You have six weeks to get started‼️
It is hard to get to a destination when you do not know where you are headed or how to get there.
Not having a plan or a roadmap to guide what you are trying to accomplish may hold you up, prevent clarity, and result in hitting dead ends with your goals compared to having a plan or a roadmap. A plan permits for twists and turns that may cause us to a take a little bit longer to get to the destination but may also result in a more meaningful and sustainable end result or destination. Small wins lead to bigger gains that further inspire you to greater aspiration and possibilities no matter what aspect of life you are working on. Perhaps this sentiment sounds a little outdated with all the technology we have automating everything for us so really there is no need for an actual map anymore right??
What if less is more?
The biggest win of my year at this point is scaling back on everything. Literally embracing a less is more mindset. No more social media, less stuff of any kind, simplifying routines personal and professional and so on. The end result has been significantly more presence, accomplishment and satisfaction physically, emotionally, professionally & personally. So, what did you accomplish so far this year? Have you made plans for 2023? Have you been too busy to even make time to think about it? If not I invite you to do so!
Celebrate all the wins!
This week I celebrated a group of women who chose a year long nutrition journey honing a peaceful, healthy, personalized nutrition routine over the course of 11 months, they learned and implemented four different distinct types of eating styles on a journey to tease out what would serve their life. Imagine the clarity and accomplishment if you invested 11 months in some form of health or personal improvement that you are seeking. Something too consider to start now or in 2023.
What is next for you?
What areas of your life, your health (they all intersect) would you benefit from putting some consistent attention to?? Take 30-60 minutes of quiet time to consider this question. Take a walk and think. Sit, think, make some notes. I invite you to then get in touch with us to see how I can help you help yourself.
Yes or no: Judgements about age are all over the map from what is or is not old, age is just a number, we should not speak or dress a certain way past a certain age and if we have not accomplished A, B, or C Thing by a certain age, we are less worthy?
How do you think about yourself in regards to aging and your current age?? I turned 47 in May. Although I exercise a lot, learn a lot about health thru the varying seasons of life, do all the things to assure good health and have a rock solid positive mindset about my life journey, there are times where my mind and body drag me down to temporary spots of negative self-talk & belief.
When I think about the inevitable impermanence of our existance I get a pang of sadness simultaneously mixed with relief and excitement about my life thus far (easy and hard) and the clarity on the future journey. If you read about aging at all and work from a place of possibility you know that many report that life after 40-50 can be the best years of our life as long as we actively play a role in every aspect of healthy aging in mind & body instead of just letting it happen. For woman, this means embracing menopause as an empowering phase of life. A time to flourish and learn instead of the other options like weight gain, temperature fluctuations and changes to almost every other aspect of the body including skin and hair on top of all the inside stuff not visible to the outside world.
What I know for sure about the areas of life I am very grateful for thus far at 47 include…..
💃 taking the path less traveled, listening to myself, not the crowd, not the expected, and simply stating what others think but do nothing about, taking action and changing what does not work.
💃 being a warrior for my own health & wellbeing, physical & emotional. This means not just accepting Dr’s words as gospel. It means realizing how valuable all the journaling of nutrition, exercise, sleep is and knowing that “it is just aging and getting older” is just a reason not to take action.
💃 never settling for good enough or beating myself up for mistakes and imperfection. Always improving and learning and soaking up as much of this life is possible.
I share this because I know many stories of women experiencing menopause or peri-menopause having every aspect of their life & health turned upside down without understanding why because it is talked about so little, because lets be real, when is it natural to bring up the menopause topic in conversation?!
All of the things that I celebrate today allow me to weather the change with confidence, energy, appreciation, stability, balance, wonder, and possibility.
To anyone who needs to hear it, you are not crazy. Lean in and know there are countless ways to become or remain the best version of yourself during the change as long as you do not say, oh it is menopause, that is just part of the deal.
Not feeling your best is a choice. Life is too short to make that choice. It is never too late to start exercising, improving your health, or start doing something you love and putting yourself first. I am not saying just throw caution to the wind and go for it but get clear on what you need, how you can get there or get support and chart a journey to your best self. Anything is possible.
Over coffee with a friend who I had not seen in five years, we laughed at how, when we were younger, we thought there was no way our elders could possibly be wiser than us. However, now, we both agreed if there was any wisdom we could impart upon today’s youth and wish that they would 100% take it to heart, it would be to trust the wisdom of your parents, grandparents, teachers and mentors. It is one way we can save time and not recreate the wheel, to trust wise counsel from those more seasoned because THEY ARE RIGHT!!!
If you ever read anything about health, wellness, and fitness you may draw three conclusions:
~Coffee, wine, and eggs are good for us one week & bad for us another
~Exercise, exclusively, is the only thing we need to be healthy & fit
~Meditation, affirmations, visualization, journal writing, sleep, being in nature, and managing stress cannot possibly benefit our health as much as is documented
Based on learning over the past 20+ years, continuously reading casually and five years of consistent practice I can tell you that my health and fitness levels are significantly better because I dedicate daily & weekly time to meditation, affirmations, writing, fresh air in nature, and utilizing various methods to manage whatever stress comes my way at anytime in addition to my decades of exercise and nutrition practice.
There is no doubt that exercise and movement have to be part of our daily routine. Even when we have a pain point, movement is still encouraged at a level that is manageable! Food is a form of medicine but can be complicated and taken to negative extremes.
Stress, cumulative stress, that goes unacknowledged or misunderstood can be detrimental to our overall health and hold significant consequences unless we implement new, frequent and cumulative action steps to decrease the amount of stress we carry around.
In addition to the above mentioned, these additional things are great habits to build a fit and healthy life:
~Breathing Practice: Awareness of our breath and practicing slow, steady breathing keeps us in our parasympathetic nervous system, which is one of rest and relax. This can be done regularly thru the day for a minute at a time.
~Yoga: Not only is yoga a great way to build a fitter and more mobile body, it is a top notch way to slow down and sink breath to movement, quieting the mind and providing you active “you” time. It checks a lot of boxes!
~Mindset: You are what you think. You become who you spend your time with. Pick good ones! Truly, we become automatically programmed to think negatively if that is the type of messaging we receive and believe regularly. It is critical we positively program ourselves with our thoughts, actions and relationships. That positivity multiplies just the way perceived busyness and negativity multiplies. Which one sounds more pleasant?
Ultimately, my health is great because I practice consistency and moderation & continued learning. Consistency with all the proven practices that keep my mind and body fresh, strong and energetic no matter the day or topic. Moderation in things, particularly food and drink that are tasty but do not necessarily fuel my health. Learning what is best for my health at each season of myself and what the most evidence based practices are to be proactive in managing my own health and educating clients on the leading and proven practices.
I want to help YOU improve your health & fitness!
Psychologically we can condition ourselves to work hard and be energetic, in theory. Authentically it is a process of knowing our priorities and how are daily behaviors level up to match our priorities or not Here are a few other well-documented ways to thrive energetically.
☀️Vitamin D – Supplementation is critical for New Englanders. Do you know your number? Good for bones & your emotional spirit.
🛌 Sleep – Quality & quantity. We may think we can be optimal on 5-6 hours but really….can we? Making sure your environment is set for sleep not work is critical. Lighting, temperature, peace, screen free. Power down 1-2 hours before sleep time.
🥗 Food – That fuels not just fills. Nutrient dense in just the right amount and frequency that does not leave you stuffed and tired.
👥 Relationships – Surround yourself with those who bring about the best in you. Laugh plenty. Hug & kiss your loved ones.
✨Clarity & Purpose – Know yourself & your wants/needs, work purposefully & positively. Intention without action is just spinning your wheels will be exhausting over time.
This just scratches the surface of energy drivers that crossover to our health improvement as a whole.
Catching up on low energy is nearly impossible so stop borrowing from your future to serve your present. Take 5-15 minutes to make a list of your priorities and then another list of the habits you currently have that are supporting your priority or preventing your priorities to be met. Adjust, proceed, repeat this process by the hour, by the day by the week etc. until you have the energy and results you desire in every aspect of your life!
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On Friday May 20th we will be hosting our first full fledged seasonal women’s wellness retreat after hosting various smaller retreats virtually and in person since 2020. We will be gathering at the Killington Grand Hotel & Resort from 8am -4:30pm for a day full of learning, applying strategies, listening to experts and hearing stories of health and fitness from all seasons of life all with an outcome of helping you flourish in your own health and wellness by the end of the day. This will truly be a deep dive beyond our usual fitness workouts & nutrition study but will also include discussion and consideration of both these topics.
Here is the schedule at a glance…….
8am: Settle In & Continental Breakfast
8:30: Welcoming & Morning SAVERS
9am: The Female Body – Resilience & Strength. Focus Anatomy
10:30: Chair Yoga Session
11:15: The Female Body Continued – Resilience & Strength. Focus Hormones
12:15pm: Buffet Lunch
1:15: Women’s Wellness – Seasons of Life Focus Complementary Health & Self-Care
2:15: Writing Your Health & Wellness Prescription: Exercise/Nutrition/Mind-Body-Spirit
3:30: Every Woman Has a Story Health & Wellness Panel
4:15: Final Remarks & Celebration
I look forward to sharing this day with you & all the benefits & goodness you will receive from making this time for yourself & exploring your wellness from the inside out and outside in.
To book a room and make it a true retreat for yourself
If you have any questions please contact me at christie@bodyessentialspt.com / 802-345-9644
See you soon!
Christie Garofano
It is proved over and over that skipping breakfast is not a good way to get ahead with your health. During the winter season, eating warm foods can help keep us warm if we tend to run a bit chilly! Nutrition is a critical component of our overall fitness, health and wellness routine. Fitting it all in can be tough but a very worthy journey.
Variety is the spice of life so here is a great healthy take on oatmeal that serves up like a healthy dessert without all the added sugar. I have enhanced the original recipe to make a touch healthier with less sugar & healthier fats. Take a peek at both & make it for multiple days worth of breakfast!
The original can be found here: https://www.womensrunning.com/health/food/baked-protein-oatmeal-healthy/
How I will make it:
1C Steel Oats & 1 1/2 C Rolled Oats
1/2 Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1/4 C Pumpkin Seeds
2 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
2 Eggs
4 C Berries of choice Fresh if possible
2 TBSP Melted Ghee
1 C Non-Dairy Milk (Add more if needed)
Soak Steel Oats in water for up to 4 hours
Preheat over to 350
Place Berries on bottom of lightly greased pan
Mix liquid ingredients & then add to drained oats & rolled oats. Spread on top of berry mixture
Bake on 350 for 40 minutes or until top is set.
Serve with dairy or non-dairy yogurt and a splash of maple syrup!
Body Essentials (BE) turned 10 at the start of the year. It has been a purposeful journey supporting clients one on one to begin and then evolving group and semi-private programming followed by nutritional & lifestyle programming.
Exercise alone is not the end all, be all to building and sustaining optimal health. Nutrition plays a significant role in our well-being and of course for those needing and desiring weight loss.
Our life, as a whole, further supports our adherence to good nutrition & exercise habits. Our work and personal lives are dynamic day in and day out and an inability to find a flow can lead to peaks and valleys of feeling like the best version of ourselves vs feeling burned out. Finding that flow includes quality sleep, ample stress management strategies, bullet proof thought patterns that promote resilience while also feeling connected to our purpose. All of these topics are discussed & programmed regularly with our clients in several ways, ultimately resulting in well-rounded support, growth, and results.
Even as time moves on and trends evolve, there are some strategies that are tried and true, that never go out of style when it comes to creating an optimal, healthy self. For better or worse we have access to a lot more information and tools that can help us explore exercise, specifically, in a variety of ways to keep it fresh and increase the likelihood of creating sustainable healthy behaviors that evolve over time.
Here are 10 take aways from 10 years coaching people in fitness, nutrition, health and life.
I look forward to another 10 years of this wonderful work supporting others to becoming the best version of themselves in body & mind, inside & out. I will be forever grateful for each and every client I have had the chance to work with and those who have stuck with us thru the pandemic transition from being an in-person studio to a 100% virtual operation over the past two years!
If you have a goal to lose weight, get fit, or simply achieve a healthier lifestyle, you may be seeking a little help to achieve your goals. However, you may find yourself unsure where to begin.
Nutrition is the foundation for good health, but there are several types of professionals with education in nutrition that can help you identify the right eating plan for your needs. Specifically, you may be weighing your options between consulting a nutritionist, a dietitian, and a personal trainer. Continue reading for a closer look at how these titles vary, so you can make the right decision for your needs.
Qualifications for nutritionists or nutrition coaches are loosely defined in the United States. Generally, nutritionists have some type of certification or degree in nutrition sciences, but the credentials are not as strict as those for dietitians. There are many different accrediting bodies that can award nutritionist certifications, so it is important to do a little research to find someone you can count on for effective nutritional planning. You might look for a nutritionist associated with a local gym or health clinic.
Nutritionists may not only recommend dietary plans aimed at general health goals, such as weight loss or anti-inflammatory diets, but they may also offer guidance on changing eating habits and behaviors. If you struggle with stress eating, food cravings, and emotional responses to food, a nutritionist may be a helpful resource for overcoming these challenges.
A dietitian, or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), must meet specific criteria to carry this job title—they must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, complete an accredited supervised practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency, or food service corporation, and complete a national certification exam. RDNs are overseen by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Often, dietitians work in medical settings, as they focus most on addressing specific eating disorders and other medical conditions through personalized diet plans. For example, a dietitian may prescribe medical nutrition therapy to help an individual with diabetes manage their blood glucose levels and lose weight. Dietitians may also work in private practice, community and public health settings, and as consultants in food-related industries.
While you might associate personal trainers only with exercise and fitness, a big part of personal training is consulting clients on how to eat right to support their fitness goals. However, the nutritional training that personal trainers carry can vary. Personal trainers do need to pass a certified personal trainer course through an accrediting body like the National Exercise Trainers Association, but they do not necessarily need to have a background in nutrition. Still, you may rely on your personal trainer for dietary tips to help you lose weight, gain muscle mass, or achieve other goals in the gym.
You may find that you benefit from a multi-faceted approach to your wellness with help from a dietitian or nutritionist as well as a personal trainer. Alternatively, you may find a personal trainer who has a more extensive nutritional background and can create a comprehensive wellness plan to suit your needs. In addition, it may be easiest to connect with a personal trainer for a consultation, as individuals are often referred to registered dietitians by their primary care physicians. Many personal trainers offer free consultations to prospective clients to ensure a good fit for their services.
With any of these professionals, you will likely focus on building lifelong habits to promote wellness and a positive relationship with food and fitness. It is not uncommon to develop unhealthy habits due to stress, aging, and other external factors, and working with a professional focused on exercise and nutrition can provide helpful perspective and support for your journey toward more positive behaviors.
Body Essentials offers several personal training programs that can be tailored to your individual fitness goals. BE Flourishing, our most immersive program, includes nutritional, fitness, and lifestyle coaching led by Christine Garofano along with our team of Fitness Coaches and Instructors. Christine is a graduate of Castleton University as well as a National Exercise Trainers Association Certified Personal Trainer and Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach. Our entire team is constantly involved in continued learning to provide the most effective mind-body strategies for wellness and positivity.
If you are ready to begin your fitness journey with Body Essentials, request a consultation on our website or call 802-345-9644. We’ll begin with a fitness assessment to guide you to the right program for your schedule and fitness level. Our virtual personal training programs and group fitness classes can help you achieve your goals, whether you are just beginning your fitness journey or trying to take your fitness to the next level.
Whether you call it strength training, muscle training, or weight training, this kind of exercise builds strength, endurance, and ultimately, burns more calories. Combining strength training with aerobic exercise gives you a balanced fitness regimen that will help you look and feel your best. So, what exactly is strength training, and how can it boost your wellbeing? Here is what you need to know.
Strength training is a broad term that refers to any kind of activity that uses either equipment or your own body weight to increase your muscle mass as well as your strength and endurance. There are many kinds of strength training, including:
Two other kinds of strength training are most commonly performed by trained athletes and experienced weightlifters. Maximum muscular strength refers to a form of strength training that uses heavy weights to achieve fast muscle and strength building. It is important to ensure you have the right form before attempting maximum muscular strength training. Explosive training combines weight and speed and is intended to help athletes who need to make explosive movements while competing.
Over time, you naturally lose lean muscle mass, which is replaced by fat. Strength training helps you fight back against this trend. In addition to helping you beat conditions that are associated with high levels of body fat, strength training has also been demonstrated to improve memory and brain function in older adults. The even better news is that it is never too late to start strength training, especially if you work with a trainer who can demonstrate safe, healthy techniques for different exercises.
Yet another benefit of strength training: Strong muscles help build strong bones. Strength training increases bone density, while strong muscles help to support bones and reduce the risk of injuries. Given the risk of falls facing older adults, strength training can play an important role of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding age-related injuries.
Did you know that the more muscle tissue you have, the more fat you burn, even at rest? There are many different factors that contribute to exactly how many more calories that muscles burn as compared to fat, including things like age, sex, and activity level, but an average calculation is that one pound of muscle burns an extra 50 calories of fat. You get an additional boost of calorie burning after a strength-training workout, which lasts for up to 72 hours—this is known as afterburn. If you train consistently, you will enjoy the benefits of afterburn on an ongoing basis.
Strength training can help to keep chronic conditions at bay or help to keep them under control if you are already living with one or more of them. Strength training can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, obesity, sleep apnea, and depression. These benefits are increased if strength training is combined with an overall fitness regimen that incorporates cardio workouts.
If you are already living with a chronic medical condition, strength training continues to have benefits. The physical activity and associated weight loss can improve blood sugar control, lower blood pressure, and boost your mood. As with any kind of workout plan, be sure to consult with your physician before adopting a weight training routine.
To begin strength training, start by getting the necessary equipment. You can strength train using your own body weight, but you may find it helpful to get a few pieces of equipment to help with some of your movements. Free weights, resistance bands, medicine balls, and kettlebells are all small pieces of equipment that don’t take up much space but are effective for upping the effectiveness of your workouts.
It is essential to have healthy form for strength training to avoid injuries. Working with a trainer is an important step to ensure you are getting the benefits of strength training without the risks. That is where Body Essentials can help. We offer on-demand fitness classes and group and private training sessions online, from the comfort of your home. We can also assist you with a comprehensive fitness and nutrition plan, so you can reach your goals faster. Are you interested in learning more about how we can support you as you get fit and healthy? Call us at 802-345-9644, or request a consultation on our website.
Fitness is about more than simply working out a few times per week. While exercise is essential for building muscle and burning fat, it may not have much of an impact if you aren’t following a solid nutrition plan. One factor that can throw a wrench into your fitness goals is consuming alcoholic beverages, even if you follow an otherwise healthy diet.
Alcohol is often considered to be a source of empty calories, since it’s high in sugar and generally contains no substantial nutrients. However, alcohol also has adverse effects beyond simply being a source of excess calories. In other words, drinking a cocktail can have a greater impact on your fitness than eating a donut or having a bowl of ice cream. When you consume alcohol post-workout, you hinder your body’s ability to build muscle tissue. In addition, alcohol affects your endocrine system, so it can throw off your hormonal balance and impair your metabolism. Continue reading for a closer look at the relationship between alcohol and muscle growth.
To understand how alcohol impacts your muscle gains, it’s important to know how the body builds muscle tissue. Working out causes damage to muscle fibers, which triggers a process called myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS). This process repairs the muscle tissue and helps muscles grow bigger and stronger over time. That’s why you need to have plenty of protein in your diet to fuel that muscle repair and growth.
Alcohol has adverse effects on muscle growth because it interferes with MPS, causing the body to break down protein at a rate faster than protein synthesis can occur. Even if you add more sources of protein to your diet while drinking alcoholic beverages, your body simply cannot synthesize protein fast enough to catch up.
Another factor to consider is how alcohol impacts your metabolism and digestion. Alcohol makes it more difficult overall for your body to absorb key nutrients from the food you eat, because drinking alcohol raises your blood sugar. Drinking also has a significant effect on liver function. Excess alcohol consumption creates a fatty liver, which can in turn slow down your metabolism and change how your body stores energy—that’s one reason why alcohol is often associated with a beer belly. Whether your primary fitness goal is weight loss or muscle tone, the effects of alcohol can slow down your progress and limit the results you see from your hard work in the gym or with your at-home workouts.
While there’s a strong case to be made for avoiding alcohol altogether, it’s not impossible to enjoy the occasional spirit or glass of wine and still see progress with your fitness. Many of the negative effects of alcohol compound over time, so celebrating special occasions with a drink or having a weekly happy hour with friends won’t completely counteract your workouts. Drinking greater amounts of alcohol or binge drinking, however, can be incredibly detrimental to your muscle recovery as well as your overall health. To minimize the impact of alcohol on your fitness, keep the following strategies in mind.
Improving your fitness involves an ongoing effort, but you don’t have to do it on your own. Body Essentials can help you create a comprehensive fitness and nutrition plan with our virtual personal training services. We offer fitness classes on-demand, group personal training, and private training sessions to help you achieve your goals with dedicated attention from experienced fitness experts. Call us at 802-345-9644 or request a consultation online to begin your fitness journey with us.
When it comes to the benefits of regular exercise, it’s common to focus only on physical benefits like weight loss and improved muscle tone. While these are important effects of exercise, it’s also helpful to think about the mental health benefits that can come with regular physical activity. Working out doesn’t just help you look good; it can help you feel good as well. In fact, research shows that exercise can have a positive impact on many different mental disorders, including depression and anxiety.
If you are struggling with any type of mental illness, consult a mental health professional to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. It’s likely that exercise will play an integral part on your road to recovery. Continue reading for a closer look at how your mind benefits when you get your body moving.
Physical activity works in multiple ways to boost your mood. First, it produces feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which immediately help you feel positive and more energized. Along with this immediate improvement in your mood, exercise can boast long-term benefits for your mental health by stimulating physical changes in the brain like neural growth and reduced inflammation—in turn, you may experience more feelings of calmness and overall well-being.
Exercise is also a great distraction. If you find yourself fixating on negative thought patterns, taking a walk, lifting weights, or participating in an exercise class can take your mind off those thoughts for a while and lift your mood.
Even before you start seeing changes on the scale or in the mirror, exercise can have a strong impact on your self-esteem. As you start noticing improved strength and stamina by working out several times a week, you’ll gain a sense of achievement that can help your self-esteem skyrocket. And of course, once you do start seeing more results through weight loss or toned muscles, you’ll feel even better about yourself.
Disturbed sleep is a common effect of mental illness. It can also contribute to low daytime energy, overeating, and a negative mood, among other issues. Fortunately, exercise can improve your nightly sleep so that you enjoy a higher quality of life every day. For optimal benefits to your sleep schedule, get your most intense exercise—like fast-paced cardio and weight training—in the morning or early afternoon. The evening is the perfect time for more relaxing physical activity, like a gentle yoga practice, to wind down the body and mind.
Major depression and other mental health problems are often accompanied by symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, and poor focus. Regular physical activity can contribute to an increase in energy as well as sharper cognitive skills. By simply increasing your heart rate a few times per week, you’ll notice that you have more energy to take on your day and gradually increase the length and frequency of your workouts. The same endorphins that help lift your mood after a workout will also help improve your cognitive function—you’ll feel sharper and more focused over time. These effects aren’t short-lived, either. Continued physical activity can prevent age-related cognitive decline so that you have a lower chance of dealing with dementia and depression as you get older.
Stress manifests both physically and mentally, and it can take a toll on your wellbeing. Exercise helps break the stress cycle by curbing the production of cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone. In addition to chemical effects in the endocrine system, exercise also helps the muscles relax and release tension, so you can combat the aches and pains that tend to accompany daily stress. Exercise can improve other symptoms of stress over time as well, such as stomach upset, insomnia, and chest tightness.
Unfortunately, it’s simply not possible to remove all of the mental and emotional challenges in life that can impact your mental health. However, it is possible to build more resilience to these challenges, so you can utilize healthier coping mechanisms. If you tend to respond to stress and negative emotions with comfort foods, alcohol, or other destructive habits, beginning an exercise routine can help you avoid these behaviors. Along with your mental fortitude, your physical resilience benefits from exercise as well. Regular activity can improve your immune health to lessen the physical impacts of stress, so you feel healthier overall.
No matter where you currently are with your physical fitness, Body Essentials can help you build an exercise regimen that works for you. With on-demand personal training, group fitness classes, and semi-private group training, you can find the program that’s right for your wellness goals. Our trainers are personally invested in the success of our clients and offer flexible scheduling to help you get fit on your own terms. Call us at 802-345-9644 to begin your fitness journey.
