Tag: organic

Categories
Mindful Parenting Motherhood

Are You Ready For Baby No. 2?

Ah, the question of Baby No. 2. For some couples, it’s a no-brainer—they know from the get-go that they will have at least two kids. For others, it’s less clear, and often becomes even more difficult after you are faced with the reality of one child.
This is a topic my husband and I have struggled with endlessly, and one that is rarely easy for any couple. The answers often come down to gut feelings and raw desires (as well as the luck of the draw), but there are some important questions that can help you home in on whether you are really ready to expand your family.
Here are four vital questions to ask yourselves:

1. Do you both want another child? Like, really want one?

This may seem incredibly obvious, but married couples often make assumptions about each other that are eventually proven wrong. Before you had your first, you and your spouse might have envisioned a big family, but once you have a child (and all that comes with parenthood!), one of you may no longer want another. This is the biggest question to consider: Are you on the same page?

Tips for Having This Conversation:

This can be a really tough one since emotions run high, but hear each other out. Ask each other about your desires and fears without jumping down each others’ throats. What do you imagine life with one or more kids looking like? What are you afraid or excited about? How do you think it would change things for your current child? What sorts of joys and sadnesses will it bring? Openness here is absolutely essential.

2. Can you afford it?

This is totally unromantic, but is a necessary part of the ongoing conversation. Kids are expensive. Can your budget stretch to accommodate two? How are you handling one financially? Do you feel strapped, or is there enough to go around? Will you be able to afford not just diapers and food, but daycare, preschool, and health insurance? What about vacations and college? Do you have relatives who will be happy to help out, or are you supporting this family completely on your own? How steady are your jobs?

Tips for Having This Conversation:

Be super practical and try to keep this one out of the emotional realm. Sit down with your spreadsheets. What does your monthly budget look like? What are your savings like? Can you easily afford it, or can you cut back on certain indulgences to accommodate another child?

3. What will our life with two look like?

This question is all about your family’s division of labor. The biggest mistake couples often make before having a baby is not being explicit about division of labor. I don’t just mean who will be the primary caretaker and who will be the primary breadwinner. I mean getting down to the nitty gritty: What time will the parent who is out at work get home every night? What will his or her role be upon return? Will they take over for the primary caretaker—doing the bathing and book-reading and bedtime? Or will they need to sit down with a drink, Mad Men style?
What will your weekends look like? Who will cook? Who will clean? Who will get up in the middle of the night for the eighth time, and who will get up (again) at 5 a.m. with the kids? Who will take the kids to daycare and school? Who will stay home when they’re sick? Etc., etc., etc.
The logistics are endless. Obviously not every question can be answered, but it’s very important that both your assumptions be brought to light. If, for instance, you are the primary caretaker and it’s clear to you that what you’ve been able to handle largely on your own with one will be impossible with two, how do you expect your partner to participate?

Tips for Having This Conversation:

It’s best to have this conversation with your defenses down. Every member of a family contributes and it’s important that those roles be respected. So rather than saying, “I do everything now but that will be impossible with two, so you’d better buck up!” or “I make all the money and it’s too much pressure on me!” try discussing where there is room for some flexibility. What might need to change? Is that change possible?

4. Is one enough?

After all these discussions, you may decide that one is, in fact, miraculous enough, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. A family of two (one parent, one kid) or three is beautiful—intimate, focused. Your kid gets a lot of your attention. You have more time for other things. It’s easier to fall into a predictable rhythm.
The problem often comes in engaging with other people—the grandmothers who are begging for more.

Tips for Having a Conversation With Your Kid Who Wants a Sibling:

Emphasize what the child has rather than what she doesn’t: more time with Mommy and Daddy, her cousins, her friends, a room to herself, no one poaching her toys. And remember that as much as a child may want a sibling, it is you, not the child, who will be caring for said baby, and you who is the adult. You have to do what’s best for you.

Tips for Having a Conversation with Nosey People who Want You to Have More Kids:

At the end of the day, it’s your family. Your choice. Your life. There is no need to justify your plans to anyone else, as much as people may want you to. So a simple: We are happy as we are should be enough. And if it’s it not? Not your problem.
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Categories
Gym x Studio Sweat

Channel Your Inner Olympian With This Winter Games–Inspired Workout

With the 2018 Winter Olympics quickly approaching, why not use our athletes’ sheer dedication to kick our training regimens up a notch with some wintry workouts? Whether you’re knee deep in a tried-and-true program or just testing out a new sweat routine, introducing a few new moves can offer enjoyable variety.
If you feel like you’re trudging along through the cold and dreary months uninspired, call on the multitude of elite athletes coming together in South Korea on Feb. 8 for a boost of inspiration.

Take a few notes from the athletes.

As the greatest athletes in the world, individuals competing in the Olympics devote themselves to meticulous training regimens to prepare their bodies for the 16 days of grueling competition, and as kinesthetic masters, they know every movement serves a specific purpose.
While we may never achieve their elite status, taking a look at the typical protocols of some of the most inspirational women headed to the winter games can still offer valuable tips and tricks.

Clare Egan

If you aren’t familiar with this Maine native already, allow us to introduce you. Clare Egan is a 30-year-old biathlete who has been competing since early 2013. After being on both the 2015 and 2016 World Championship teams, she’ll now be joining the 2018 Olympic team in February. Biathlons combine cross-country skiing with rifle shooting for the ultimate test of coordination and agility.
Clare’s typical training frequency is six days a week for 11 months of the year with the following split: 38 percent basic training, 38 percent recovery training, 12 percent sessions without an explicit training benefit, 5 percent longer basic training (i.e. endurance), and 7 percent other. The majority of her training includes freestyle cross-country skiing, followed by freestyle roller skiing, running, and cycling.

Obviously her training focus is predominantly endurance, stamina, and lower body power. Biathletes are required to quickly shift from high-intensity efforts to calm focus as they cycle between skiing and shooting. Intensive target practice and breath work are crucial pillars in their training protocol as biathletes improve their shooting accuracy while mastering their breath.
Want to train like Clare? Hop into the gym for an upbeat spin class and followed immediately by a restorative yoga flow. The change in heart rate will help condition your body to reach recovery with greater speed, while each mode of exercise continues to offer you its wide array of benefits.

Maame Biney

Maame Biney is another name we’re happy to see gracing the Olympic roster. This 17-year-old Virginian will be competing in short track speedskating. First stepping onto the ice at age 6, she quickly learned that she flew around the rink far too fast to be a figure skater, and thus began her love affair with speed. Biney is the first African American woman to qualify for the U.S. Olympic speedskating team with two victories in the 500-meters. The Ghana native will join Shani Davis, male long track speedskater, as the second African American on the team. If you need a dose of contagious positivity, look no further: Biney is a refreshing and down-to-earth young woman whose passion simply radiates.

Speedskating tends to look fairly similar to roller derby, but on ice! Competing on a short track requires power, balance, and grace as athletes round a very small rink at their highest speeds. Competitors train both on and off the ice for comprehensive preparation. Endurance and power drills are combined in programs tailored to produce the most efficient skillset.
The former may involve cycling and running, while the latter type of drill may focus on squats, lunges, and plyometrics. Similar to Egan’s regimen, speedskaters maintain a lower body emphasis throughout their training.
Want to work out like Biney? Hit the weights and try to incorporate bodyweight movements as supersets to keep your heart rate pounding!

Bring it home!

If you want to get moving in a way that’s sure to make our Olympians proud, try out a few of these spins on popular events!

Sled Runs

You may be familiar with these after a few drop-ins at your local CrossFit box. The twist? You’ll be sprinting through the freshest powder, crouching and pushing your kids’ favorite bobsled in front of you. Incorporate a few intervals for a fat-scorching HIIT session. Shoot for 30 seconds of sprinting, followed by 45 to 60 seconds of walking. Say hello to a full-body burn as you push against the natural resistance in a bear-crawl position.

Ice Skating

Who doesn’t love dancing through a few figure eights when the weather outside has dropped below freezing? Well, for a leg-toning, heart rate–ramping workout, try adding in a few cones. A few of our favorite drills are suicide sprints, crossovers, and ice hockey stops!

A post shared by Mirai Nagasu (@mirainagasu) on

No snow? No problem. There are still plenty of ways to get in an Olympics-themed workout! If you’re basking in warmer weather, lace up your roller blades and hit the streets or your local indoor rink for the same drills!

Boarding

You may not be able to hit the slopes for the same snowboarding action you’ll see on the screens, but an Indo Board can offer you a decent simulation! Combining it with an at-home bodyweight circuit is one sure way to get your legs and core fired up, while still honing in on strategic balance.
Who knows, mastering the Indo may bring you one step closer to grasping those S-turns when the time comes to strap on an actual snowboard!

New Events to Watch Out for This Year

In June 2015, the International Olympic Committee announced the addition of four new events to the 2018 Winter Olympics. This year, there will be female and male competitions in big air snowboarding, team alpine skiing, mass start speedskating, and mixed doubles in curling. These changes were implemented in part to boost the Winter Olympics’ value by enhancing youth appeal and gender equality. Let’s take a look at what we can expect to see in each new event:

Big Air Snowboarding

Athletes will tear down ramps (also known as kickers), reaching up to 160 feet and boasting slope angles of 40 degrees. Gaining maximum speed, they’ll launch themselves into the air and perform various flips and spins. Each athlete will try to complete as many successful jumps as possible in the allotted time frame.

A post shared by Anna Gasser (@annagassersnow) on

“The event is credited with helping the guys take massive steps in their own riding over the past decade, but has worn a ‘no girls allowed’ sign since the early 2000s,” reports Sports Illustrated. In 2018, we can look forward to the women taking back their power by blustery storm.

Team Alpine Skiing

Mixed-gender teams will compete against each other in slalom races. Each country will have two women and two men assigned to their team. The athletes will race a parallel slalom in head-to-head fashion in a best-of-four competition. As seen in the Fédération Internationale de Ski—or FIS—2005 World Championships, 16 teams will compete in a knockout format over four rounds.

Speed Skating Mass Start

First introduced in the 2011-2012 World Cup circuit, the speed skating mass start event will entail all skaters beginning a 16-lap race simultaneously. The first three competitors to finish the race will receive medals, but all remaining skaters will be ranked based on points awarded during four intra-race sprints rather than finishing placement.

Mixed Doubles Curling

As the name suggests, mixed doubles curling will have national teams consisting of one woman and one man playing against each other. Each team will play with only six stones and eight ends, as opposed to the traditional eight stones and ten ends.

A post shared by Alina Pätz (@alinapaetz) on

A few small changes, a few major changes, and plenty of excitement that can inspire your workouts: ready to cheer our athletes (and yourself) on?

Categories
Happy x Mindful Wellbeing

How To Form Healthy Habits (And Make Them Stick)

Treating your body as well as you possibly can takes dedication, perseverance, and (you guessed it!) a whole bunch of healthy habits. This isn’t something you can establish overnight unless you have an iron will. For the rest of us, implementing healthy habits and sticking to them is an ongoing process.

How to Form Healthy Habits

Creating healthy changes in your life means that little decisions and actions need to become ingrained in your routine. You’ve heard of the term lifestyle change, right? Crafting a routine filled with healthy habits is the exact same thing. Having healthy habits changes how you think so eventually, instead of telling yourself to eat veggies with every meal, you just do it! No decision necessary.
We like to make little changes, one by one, that grow together to represent holistic change. This theory of change makes a lifestyle overhaul easier since it affords you stepping stones between your starting point and your health goals.
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If the healthy habit you want to establish is to work out everyday and you aren’t used to doing so, you may push yourself too hard and abandon ship if the habit seems too exhausting to maintain long term. But working in a few push ups a day as opposed to a full-on workout is much easier. See what we mean? Focus on stacking up bite-sized healthy habits in order to build up and enjoy the benefits of overall lifestyle changes.

Habit Formation

To form a habit, the activity you’re trying to incorporate into your life needs to become second nature. To get there, we suggest following the three Rs of habit formation. This strategy was recently popularized by James Clear but has been popping up (more or less eloquently) since at least 2010. The three Rs are:

1. Reminder

When deciding on the habit you want to establish, it’s helpful to put it in context. If you’re aiming to eat a piece of fresh fruit every day, you’re more likely to follow through if you tie the activity to a consistent cue from your day-to-day life. For example, eat a piece of fruit every day with lunch.
When you’re packing your lunch, you’ll automatically put a piece of fruit in, and you can adjust your portions to make sure the fruit—rather than an extra handful of chips or a cookie—gets eaten every day.

2. Routine

This means consistently engaging in the activity you want to become a habit. You can pack an apple in your lunch all you want, but if you don’t eat it you haven’t made it part of your routine.

3. Reward

Practicing self-affirmation—that is, praising yourself for a job well done or identifying how your habits align with your core values—after engaging in your healthy habit can help you stick to it. It may also be the most gratifying part of incorporating your habit into your day-to-day life.
You may have heard (or read somewhere on the internet) that it takes 30 days to form a good habit. This would be great, really, but studies show that it takes closer to 10 weeks or two and a half months for an action to become a genuinely habitual part of your routine.
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To keep you on track with your healthy changes for the full 10 weeks, accountability is key! This can achieved in a variety of ways—from checking in with friends or on social media to starting a fitness journal. And don’t worry too much if you veer away from your new habit momentarily. Studies found that getting off track (thanks to a weekend-long Netflix binge, a vacation, whatever) did not seriously impact habit formation so long as you jump right back in. Don’t beat yourself up about a setback, just keep on trucking and you’ll eventually be golden.

Healthy Habits You Can Aim for This Year

Although everyone is in a different spot when it comes to their wellness and lifestyle goals, we can all make positive changes. Even if they are little, these changes can have a positive impact on your health. Here are our top ideas for healthy habits to implement this year

Apps to Get You There

Healthy changes need to become healthy habits in order to have the long-lasting wellness impacts you’re after. But until a healthy activity has become an automatic part of your day, one of the most helpful ways of keeping on track and moving toward habit formation is with proactive reminders and intentional scheduling.
We highly recommend setting reminders on your phone or calendar (for example, “6:30: 7-minute Meditation”). This works for everything from setting a healthy bedtime to a reminding yourself to eat your salad at lunch. If you’re using online meditation or fitness resources, copy–paste the URL into your calendar description so you can access the resource easily when your calendar reminder pops up!
Those of us with somewhat sedentary lifestyles and office jobs can also use fitness trackers like the Fitbit that will remind us to get up and move our bodies every hour.
Whatever your healthy change may be, we know that taking the time to make it a habit will make your life so much easier. When healthy choices become second nature, your well-being can only benefit.
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Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

How To Make Kimchi At Home (Like A Pro)

If you’ve ever wandered [linkbuilder id=”5407″ text=”the grocery store”] in search of kimchi, only to wonder to yourself whether it would be difficult to make at home, you aren’t alone. For the longest time, I assumed kimchi would be difficult—if not impossible—to make from scratch. After all, fermentation seems like a process best left to the experts!
That said, the first time I made kimchi I was astounded by how easy it was, and before I knew it, I was making homemade kimchi for all my friends and family. I promise you, kimchi is one condiment that can be made by anyone, regardless of their skill level.

Why the hype about kimchi?

Besides kimchi’s amazing spicy and tangy flavor and its mile-long list of list of uses (with rice, in stews and soups, folded into scrambled eggs, tucked into grilled cheese sandwiches, etc.), kimchi is prized for its nutritional properties. High in vitamins A, C, and K, kimchi is also an excellent source of dietary fiber and manganese. As a fermented food, kimchi provides plenty of probiotics and has been studied for its uses as an anticancer agent and promoter of gut health.

About the Fermentation Process

Kimchi is a particularly good place to start when considering home fermentation projects because it relies on a lacto-fermentation process. Lacto-fermentation occurs after harmful bacteria are destroyed by salt, at which point the good Lactobacillus bacteria takes over and turns naturally-occurring sugars into lactic acid. The lactic acid works to preserve the cabbage mixture and produce the wonderful and deeply umami signature flavor of lacto-fermented foods such as pickles, sauerkraut, and kombucha (all of which make great home fermentation projects!).

Easy Kimchi

This basic recipe for kimchi is great for those just beginning to experiment with home fermentation. Once you’ve mastered this recipe you can add any number of tasty ingredients including Korean salted shrimp, kelp powder, various types of cabbage and onions, and different sources of heat.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head of Napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)
  • ⅓ to ½ cup kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic, grated
  • 1 tsp. white sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. water
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp. Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
  • 1 large daikon radish, peeled
  • 2 carrots, peeled
  • 2 bunches of scallions, white and green parts sliced into 1-inch pieces

Special Equipment:

  • Cutting board
  • Sharp chef’s knife
  • Large bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Plate
  • Jarred or canned goods (to use as weights)
  • Colander
  • Box grater OR food processor with grater attachment
  • Latex or nitrile gloves
  • 2-quart wide mouth glass jar with lid

Instructions:

  1. Slice the Napa cabbage in half lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Rub the kosher salt into the Napa cabbage in a gentle massaging motion until the cabbage begins to soften.
  3. Add enough cold water to cover the cabbage.
  4. Use a plate to push the cabbage down.
  5. Use a couple of jarred or canned goods to weigh the plate down.
  6. Allow the Napa cabbage to sit for 2 hours before rinsing 3 to 4 times with cold water to remove the salt water.
  7. Transfer the cabbage to a colander and allow to drain as you prepare the rest of the vegetables for the kimchi.
  8. Using a box grater or a food processor with a grater attachment, grate the daikon radish and carrots into the large bowl.
  9. Stir the scallions into the daikon and radish mixture.
  10. In a small bowl combine the fresh ginger, garlic, sugar, and water to form a paste.
  11. Add the Korean red pepper flakes, using more or less depending on how spicy you like your kimchi.
  12. Mix the drained cabbage back into the big bowl with the other vegetables.
  13. Pour the kimchi paste over the bowl of Napa cabbage, carrots, and scallions.
  14. Put on the gloves and use your hands to thoroughly combine the kimchi paste with the vegetables.
  15. Pack the kimchi tightly into a 2-quart wide mouth mason jar, making sure to leave an inch of space at the top of the jar.
  16. Allow the kimchi to ferment at room temperature for anywhere from 1 to 5 days. Note: Any bubbling action you might observe is normal.
  17. Use a clean spoon to press down on the kimchi every day, using this opportunity to taste and smell the kimchi.
  18. When the kimchi is fermented to your liking, transfer to the fridge and allow it to age for at least 1 week before eating.

Once the kimchi is in the fridge it can be used for up to one year—just make sure it’s kept cool and away from oxygen.
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Categories
Healthy Relationships Wellbeing

Put Down Your Phone And Meet New People The Old-Fashioned Way

Thanks to my spouse’s job, we move a lot. Every two years, I have to find a new favorite pizza place, a new hair stylist who understands what exactly what I mean when I say I want a non-mom mom bob, and—worst of all—I have to make new friends.
If you thought making friends in middle school was hard, you have not experienced trying to form a squad as a thirty-something mom.
Initially, I tried downloading apps to meet new people. I communicated with possible pals through the app and met up at events hosted by group moderators.  In a weird way though, I felt that even though I’d joined the app to get to know people, it actually prevented me from forming close bonds with the people I met, because we only communicated comfortably through the app.
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I wanted a real friendship, so I decided to ditch downloading apps in favor of meeting people organically. You know—in person.
It’s crazy, right? But believe it or not, we used to interact that way all the time.
It can be a bit awkward at first, but meeting new people without an app is actually a lot of fun and has really helped me develop my social skills.
Ready to meet new people? Here’s a quick refresher on the best ways to make friends without downloading an app.

Single and Ready to Mingle

I’m married now, but before my hubs came to his senses and locked this bod down, I tried basically every dating app known to man, because I knew so many people who found the one online.
Me?
Not so much.
After a particularly bad OkCupid date at Pizza Hut ( although my date did score points when he splurged on the stuffed crust), I decided that I’d delete all my dating apps and try meeting guys the old-fashioned way.
It was slow going at first, because with a dating app, someone’s almost always available to meet up. I unsuccessfully tried to meet guys at the grocery store, the post office, even the gym (which I was sure would be a gold mine).
But just as I was about to despair, I found out that there is a place where single men and women flock like the salmon of Capistrano, and it ain’t Aspen.
It’s your local park.
That’s right, ladies. I started running (for exercise, I swear!) at a local park with a running path.
Working out at the park is the perfect way for to spark a conversation with a potential date.
Not only are your endorphins super high after crushing a workout, giving you a big confidence boost, but you look fly as heck in your matching workout ensemble.
Of course, you should still be safe. Take a friend along to pull double duty as a workout buddy and wingwoman and never go to the park at nighttime.

Moms need playdates too.

I love my baby. I really do. He’s adorable. But he’s not exactly a great conversationalist.
I knew I needed to make some friends when I realized recently that I was communicating almost exclusively in third person, even when I wasn’t talking to the baby.
I tried chatting up moms at Target, without success. Even though I had my own kid with me, I think women thought I was creeping around trying to steal their identity or their babies like a Lifetime movie villain.
I ditched Target and, after a little online research, decided to join Fit4Mom’s Stroller Strides instead. Stroller Strides is a group fitness program geared toward moms.
The best part? Bringing baby is encouraged!
You do have to pay for Stroller Strides classes, but the cost is no more than your average gym membership. It’s really nice to meet other moms who also show up with baby food on their workout tops sporting nursing bras instead of sports bras.
Plus, there is literally no pressure to be able to do a certain workout or look a certain way in Stroller Strides. I can just focus on getting in shape and making new friends who are on a similar journey.

Did we just become best friends?

I did not appreciate how easy it was to make friends in college until I entered the real world. Meeting new people as an adult woman combines all the awkwardness of a first date with the promise that you’re not getting lucky later.
Luckily, women are nice. All you need to meet your new bff is an open mind and a willingness to look a little silly (and desperate in a non-threatening way). For example, I met one of my very best friends in the elevator of my apartment building when she complimented my North Carolina sweater.
“You’re from North Carolina?”
“Me too!”
I invited her up to watch the Bachelor, and the rest, as they say, is history.
If the thought of constantly putting yourself out there makes you cringe, think about what interests you. Do you love to read? Consider joining a book club (your local library or independent bookseller can recommend book clubs in your area). Want to blow off some steam at the end of a trying work week? Join a roller derby team!
By joining a group whose members’ interests align with yours, you’ve already got something in common with possible pals, making it easier to form a lasting bond.

Out there and (not) loving it?

I get it. It can be exhausting trying to meet new people. Apps are popular because they’re convenient and you can make new friends or schedule a date online from the comfort of your couch while sporting your jammies.
If you’re not quite ready to edge out of your comfort zone, download these fun apps to meet new people:

To Find A Date: Coffee Meets Bagel

One of the free dating apps I actually really liked using before getting married was Coffee Meets Bagel, which values quality over quantity of matches, meaning it’s basically the opposite of Tinder. The app uses your mutual friends on Facebook and other info to send one quality match per day to your inbox.

To Find Other Moms: Peanut

Meet other new moms just like you on the free Peanut app. The app works to find potential mom friends within a certain radius of your location. This app is pretty new, so be aware that some kinks are still being worked out.

To Find a Galentine: Patook

Swipe right…for the platonic friend of your dreams! Patook is a new free app designed to help you meet people who share your interests, and according to the developers, no flirting is allowed.

Categories
Gym x Studio Sweat

5 Yoga Poses For Amazing Core Strength

You know core strength is important. After all, it’s why you bought (or at least considered!) that exercise ball to replace your desk chair at work.
But do you know why core strength is so important to overall health?
According Harvard Health, a strong core has far-reaching benefits. A strong core gives your whole body strength to do even the most minor daily tasks, from typing at your desk to carrying your 20-pound toddler.
Whether you’re a master yogi or more like Yogi Bear when it comes to hitting the mat, you can still use key yoga poses to strengthen your core.
Michal Duffy, a yoga teacher and practitioner in Boulder, Colorado, shares her favorite series of yoga poses for core strength. Each pose is suitable for beginners, but can be incorporated into any yoga routine, no matter your experience level.
[sol title=”Mountain Pose” subheader=”Beginning Grounded”]
“A great place to start any yoga practice is in the fundamental mountain pose,” Duffy says. “What appears to be a simple standing pose actually allows you to collect yourself, prepare your body and breath for movement, and begin to integrate mind and body.”
Mountain pose is the perfect warm-up for core strengthening exercises as you’ll slowly engage the muscles in your core and perform a body scan that will bring awareness to your practice.
To do mountain pose, Duffy says:

  • Start standing with your feet hip-width apart.
  • Lift and spread your toes and lightly rest them back down one at a time onto the ground.
  • Feel the little pockets of air underneath the wide expanse of the bottom of your feet—here you are establishing your foundation and stability.
  • As you inhale, ensure you’re in a strong stance with your knees over your feet and your hips over your knees, keeping your leg muscles nice and tight.
  • Drop the tailbone slightly, bringing a gentle tuck to the pelvis—this opens the low back and begins to active your core.
  • Expand your breath wide through your ribs and upper lungs.
  • Gently lift the back of the skull, subtly tucking your chin toward your chest to really lengthen the spine, reaching the crown of your head toward the sky.

  • Bring your shoulder blades toward one another and slide them down your back, allowing the chest to open.
  • Keep your arms relaxed by your sides with palms gently open, facing forward.
  • Concentrate on your breath filling your body, starting at your feet and moving upward.
  • Each inhale expands big and broad, each exhale empties from the top of your core to the bottom as the navel draws in toward the spine.
  • Ground in mountain pose for several breaths, allowing the mind to clear as you focus on the breath and the physical sensation in your body.

[sol title=”Fierce Pose (aka Chair Pose)” subheader=”Command core strength like a queen.”]
This pose is aptly named because it looks like you’re sitting in an invisible chair or throne, like a fierce queen, meaning it’s totally ok to channel your inner Beyoncé during this pose.
To move into fierce pose from mountain pose:

  • Open your eyes and inhale your hands wide and high above your head.
  • As you exhale, bend at the knees and send your seat back as if you were going to sit in a chair behind you.
  • Keep your legs hip-width apart with the knees over the ankles (don’t let them extend forward over the toes or knock in together—you should be able to see your toes as you sink back).
  • Lift your chest and draw your shoulders back, spreading your collar bones wide.
  • You can keep your arms extended overhead, shoulder width apart, with the biceps pulling back in line with the ears, or, if extending your arms isn’t working for you, bring the palms to your heart center and press them into one another.

A post shared by Lucía Lapuente (@yogalaia) on

  • Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears regardless of your arm variation.
  • Keep your spine long by imagining your tailbone extending out diagonally behind you to meet the ground and your crown reaching up above and beyond you.
  • Keep most of the weight in your heels and your hips; allow the toes to rest lightly on the earth without gripping.
  • Take long slow breaths, again expanding wide through the ribcage and chest on each inhale.
  • On each exhale, draw the navel toward the spine to empty completely.

Don’t be afraid to allow the heat to rise through your body, Duffy says. “Cultivate this warmth with lips closed or explore lion’s breath by inhaling deeply and exhaling with a wide open mouth and wide eyes, stick out your tongue, and make an audible exhale—breathe fire!”
End fierce pose after holding it for several breaths. Return to mountain pose for a moment to feel your heart rate and control your breath before moving into the next pose.
[sol title=”Warrior III” subheader=”Time to Take Flight”]
“Also called airplane pose, there are various ways to come into warrior III from mountain pose,” says Duffy.
To flow into warrior III from mountain pose:

  • For beginners, take a deep inhale, and on your exhale fold forward until your hands reach the ground, blocks, or another stable surface positioned strategically in front of you.
  • Inhale and reach the spine long, keeping your back flat and hips bent at a 90° angle.
  • Ground down into the left foot and lift the right leg straight back behind you.
  • Work to bring the right heel as high as the back of the hip to create a long line from the heel forward through the torso to the top of the head—all of which are parallel to the ground.

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  • Think about lifting the inner thigh up toward the sky.
  • The back of the hips should stay level with the back of the shoulders as much as possible, as if you are creating a table with your back.
  • Find a steady focal point with your eyes and slowly try lifting your hands off the ground.
  • As you find stability, you can explore arm variations: palms pressed together at heart center, arms along each side of the torso with open palms facing down beside the hips, or arms extended straight forward beyond the top of the skull.
  • Stay with your breath and maintain your steady focal point to bring yourself into balance.

“The lift of the torso and challenging balance of this pose activate the core and build strength,” Duffy says.
As you finish one side, inhale back up to mountain, then repeat on the other side.
[sol title=”Plank” subheader=”Core Strength, Old School”]
Plank is the OG core-strengthening move, and plank variations can look deceptively easy. But don’t be fooled—these yoga poses are a serious core workout.
To do a traditional plank:

  • Begin with your hands grounded under your shoulders, fingers and palms spread wide to create a good base.
  • Your feet are extended behind you with the toes curled under and your body is lifted off the ground so only your toes and hands are touching down.
  • Press into your fingertips and try to create a pocket of space under the palms of the hands by subtly lifting your palms off the mat. This activates the lift through the arms and engages all your muscles.


  • Forearms spiral slightly inward and upper arms spiral slightly outward to open the chest and integrate the shoulders. To achieve this, bring the inner edges of your shoulder blades toward one another and maintain a broad chest.
  • Avoid a sway in your back by preventing your hips from sagging. Likewise, don’t allow the hips to point upward. Instead, find a position that creates a long line from the tailbone to the crown of your head.
  • Return to your breath—long, full, and steady.

“Dolphin plank is another challenging variation that is especially good for those with wrist issues,” says Duffy. “In this variation the elbows are bent and the forearms are pressed into earth, the hands fold together. The body is closer to the earth, but keep that long line of the body without allowing the hips to dip down or pop up.”
[sol title=”Boat Pose” subheader=”Your breath is your tide.”]

  • For Duffy’s final core strengthening pose, come to sitting with your legs extended in front of you.
  • Begin to lean back slightly and lift your legs up—ankles together—to create a wide V shape with your torso and legs.
  • Arms extend forward, parallel to earth on the outside of the legs.
  • Draw your shoulders back, spreading your collar bones wide.
  • Maintain a long spine and draw the back of the skull in line with the back of the spine.
  • Spread your toes and breathe deeply.

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  • Experiment with different distances between the torso and legs and your legs and the floor, leaning further back into a wider angle or drawing up in a tighter V shape.
  • Notice the shift in balance and muscle engagement.
  • Find your sweet spot and hold there for several breaths.
  • Focus on the contraction of the abdomen as you exhale and the expansion of the chest as you inhale.

To end, stretch out on the ground with your legs hip-width apart and your feet open. Allow your arms to rest by your sides with your palms facing upward in savasana or corpse pose. Close your eyes and relax your breathing to a slow, steady pace.
As you finish this core strengthening sequence Duffy says you should, “Lay quietly for several minutes to rest and integrate your experience. This allows the body to absorb the good work you’ve done. As you’re ready, roll to one side and rest in fetal pose for a few breaths.”
When you rise up from your mat, you’ll be ready to implement your core strength throughout your day!
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Categories
Mindful Parenting Motherhood

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Cloth Diapers

When I was pregnant, I never dreamed I’d spend as much time as I do thinking about my baby’s diapers and bathroom habits.
But I do. And guess what? I LOVE IT. Because you know what? Even my baby’s stinky poops are adorable.
That said, I decided pretty early in my pregnancy that I wanted to cloth diaper. I’d heard it was better for the environment than using disposable diapers, and when you consider that the average baby goes through about 10 diapers a day, I figured reusable cloth diapers would be more economical in the long run.
I did my homework, and while there are definitely pros and cons to both disposable and cloth diapers, I ultimately decided I wanted to cover my baby’s precious tushy in cloth.
If you’re on the fence about cloth diapering, I’ve got you covered (Get it? Because diapers cover your baby’s sweet little bum).
Read on to learn more than you ever wanted to know about cloth diapering…

Save some sweet moolah.

Disposable diapers are really handy, but can add up to a a big expense. It’s estimated that the average family spends about $500 on diapers each year. Depending on when your kid is potty-trained, that adds up to about $1,500 in diapers alone.
By comparison, I spent about $400 for my whole cloth diaper stash, which I can use through potty training, and for any additional kids (if we survive the first one).

It ain’t easy being green.

One of the reasons I originally wanted to use cloth diapers was to be more environmentally friendly. Disposable diapers aren’t completely biodegradable, and it’s estimated that up to 20 billion diapers go to landfills each year.
No wonder landfills are so stinky.
However, cloth diapers aren’t without their environmental downsides.
Cloth diapers have to be washed almost daily on hot wash cycles, which requires a lot of non-renewable energy. Additionally, cloth diapers are often made of cotton fibers. Unless it’s organic, cotton production is pesticide-heavy, which isn’t great for the environment either.

So what’s a new mom to do?

I work from home, so I figured I’d be able to keep up with all the laundry, I liked that we’d save money by cloth diapering, and let’s face it: Cloth diaper prints are just so stinking cute.
So, I determined to cloth diaper.
I immediately realized that I misjudged how much time I’d have to keep up with the mountain of diapers that had to be washed daily.
Keeping a baby alive all day, every day is hard work, y’all.
Also, cloth diapers are a huge pain to use when you have to leave home. If you have to change a cloth diaper on the go, you also have to carry a gross diaper around with you all day long.
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Size can be an issue, too. Most cloth diapers fit babies starting at eight pounds. My baby weighed almost eight pounds at birth, so I figured he’d be able to wear his cloth diapers immediately.
Not so much. The cloth diapers we’d purchased were comically large on his scrawny little newborn butt, so we wound up using disposable diapers for about two months, until he fattened up a little bit.
Even though we’d practiced cloth diapering, my husband was intimidated by all the ins and outs of cloth diapers, and still uses disposables if he has to change a dirty diaper.
I’ll be totally honest: We’re really lazy. I estimate that we use cloth diapers about half the time—far short of our initial goal.
Whether or not you decide to cloth diaper is totally up to you, but  if you do decide to cloth diaper, here’s what you need to know before you start accumulating your stash.

Pockets, prefolds, and fitteds, oh my!

Cloth diapers usually contain an absorbent microfiber or cotton insert surrounded by a waterproof diaper cover. However, there are several different types of cloth diapers on the market, and choosing which type is right for your munchkin’s hiney can be totally overwhelming.
Before you buy, I’ve created a quick guide outlining the most popular types of cloth diapers.

All-in-Ones

All-in-one cloth diapers are exactly what they sound like. All-in-ones go on just like a disposable and the whole diaper can be popped into the washing machine, which makes it the most convenient type of cloth diaper. However, because they’re so convenient, all-in-ones are often the priciest type of cloth diaper, ringing up at around $25 a piece.
Want it all (in one)? I recommend BumGenious’s Freetime All-In-One Cloth Diaper.

Pocket Diapers

Pocket diapers are my personal favorites. A pocket diaper looks like an all-in-one, but has a pocket at one end that contains a removable microfiber or cotton insert. The insert is removed and washed when the diaper is soiled. While the insert adds an extra step in the washing process, I like pocket diapers because you can add extra stuffing if your baby is a heavy wetter. Pocket diapers are often less expensive, and can usually be purchased for five or six bucks per diaper.
Pleased by the pocket? I recommend Mama Koala’s pocket diapers.

Flats and Prefolds

A flat diaper is the kind of cloth diaper your grandma probably used to diaper your mom’s bum. They’re cheap, but you have to be an origami wizard to get them to stay on a wiggly baby butt. Prefolds are similar, but are made of fluffy cotton and can be folded into three sections, with the middle being a super absorbent layer. Both can be pinned on using a snappi (the modern equivalent of diaper pins). I like prefolds because if you’re lazy like me, you can simply fold the diaper longways and lay it in the cover. I also use prefolds for extra stuffing in my other cloth diapers at night so I don’t have to get up to change a midnight diaper.
Want to kick it old school? I recommend Green Mountain Cloth-eez Prefold Diapers for use with Wink Hybrid Diaper Covers.

Fitteds

Fitted diapers are also ultra convenient. They’re made of absorbent cotton and look like disposable diapers with snaps. All fitted diapers must be used with a waterproof diaper cover because the fitted cloth insert isn’t waterproof.  Fitteds, like all-in-ones, can be pricy, but are a lot less bulky than other cloth diaper options.
After the perfect fit? I recommend Mother Ease’s One Size Fitted Cloth Diaper.

Start your stash.

You’ll want to start preparing your diaper stash early. If you’re having a baby shower, cloth diapers and cloth diapering accessories are great items to register for because starting your stash is a totally upfront cost, unlike disposable diapers, which can be bought weekly.
A cloth diaper stash doesn’t have to be large, but at a minimum, you should have at least 10 to 12 cloth diapers on hand. With that many diapers, you’ll more than likely get through one whole day with your baby, but you’ll need to do laundry daily.
I recommend trying a couple different types of cloth diapers to see which ones you like best before purchasing too many of one type. For example, I found out I really love pocket diapers, even though I thought for sure I’d hate having to stuff them each time I used them.

You’re gonna need a bigger washing machine.

The nice thing about disposable diapers is that they’re well, disposable. You take it off, wrap it up, and toss it in the garbage. The biggest inconvenience with disposable diapers is emptying the diaper genie every so often.
Cloth diapers, on the other hand, have to be washed and dried before you can use them again. Depending on the size of your diaper stash (which is the number of diapers you have available for use), you may have to do laundry every day, especially if your baby is a super-pooper.
Before you use your cloth diapers, it’s important to run them through a hot rinse and spin cycle at least three times to ensure their absorbency. It isn’t necessary to dry them in between cycles, but you can if you’d like.
Once your baby starts filling his or her diapers, you’ll want to have a separate stink-proof bag to put the used diapers in until laundry day. You can spend a fortune on a fancy diaper bin, or you can visit the camping section of your local big-box store for a dry-bag with a cinch top, which will also do the trick and keep your nursery smelling fresh as a baby’s bottom.
Now, many cloth diapering blogs will tell you that newborn poopy diapers can simply be thrown in with the wash because newborn poop doesn’t stain cloth.
In my experience, this is a big, fat lie.
Newborn poop is a violent shade of neon orange, and it stains everything. EVERYTHING.
Before throwing a poopy diaper in the pail, saturate it with hot water to keep a stain from setting. If the diaper is still stained post wash, a couple hours in direct sunlight should remove the stain completely.
As for regular laundering, most cloth diaper instructions are ultra-intense, and recommend multiple wash cycles and special detergent, like Rockin’ Green each time.
Me?
Not so much.
I’m lazy. I only do one hot wash cycle with whatever detergent was on sale at the grocery store.
Occasionally, I will do a wash cycle with a couple drops of bleach to strip any residue that’s left behind, but that’s as far as I go.
Mama ain’t got time for multiple wash cycles.

Yikes. Cloth diapers sound like a lot of work.

I’ll be honest. Cloth diapers are a lot more work than I bargained for. But then, raising a kid is a lot more work than I thought it would be, too.
There are pros and cons to both disposable and cloth diapers.
I’ve been a mom for four months, so I’m basically a parenting expert, right? Take my advice: Go with whatever diaper you want! Before you stress spiral about whether or not the diapers your kid wears will affect his chances of getting into Harvard, ask yourself, Is my kid clean and dry in his diaper?
If yes, then you’ve chosen wisely.
That’s what I’d call a parenting win.
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Categories
Favorite Finds Nosh

Navigate The Gourmet Cheese Aisle Like An Expert, Just In Time For National Cheese Lover’s Day

Cheese is delicious, there’s just no denying it. And while stuffing your face full of cheese for every meal (and snack in between) isn’t the wisest of health choices, true connoisseurs can rejoice in knowing that a recent study showed cheese consumption doesn’t increase the likelihood of heart attack or stroke. In fact, scientists have actually discovered a slightly lowered risk of heart disease associated with cheese consumption.
With such wonderful news in mind, it’s time to explore all the fantastic cheeses the dairy case has to offer!

How to Shop for Cheese

If at all possible, sample a small piece before you buy any cheese. The taste of cheese can differ from batch to batch or wheel to wheel, especially when it comes to product from smaller cheesemakers. Most cheese is sold in plastic wrap due to the higher cost of parchment paper, and as long as it’s being eaten relatively quickly, you can leave the cheese you buy wrapped in plastic.
Regardless of how a cheese is packaged, make sure you’re shopping at a store that has high product turnover. While certain firm cheeses are fine for longer periods of time, soft and semi-soft cheeses have a distinctly finite shelf life.

Raw Versus Pasteurized

Although raw milk cheesemaking is still popular in many parts of Europe, raw cheeses sold in the United States must abide by the 60-day rule. This means that the cheese must be aged for a 60-day period before being sold. While there is the potential for listeria growth in younger raw cheeses, cheeses that are pasteurized are still susceptible to listeria growth as long as the cheese is microbially alive.
If you’re pregnant, buying cheese, and worried about listeria, it’s wise to avoid any cheese that’s technically still living (such as blue, washed-rind, and bloomy rind cheeses). While raw milk cheeses have distinct nutritional benefits—including reducing symptoms of asthma and hay fever and aiding digestion—a 2017 study published in Cancer Research found that spermidine, a compound found in aged cheese, can prevent liver cancer.
Many popular cheeses are sold unpasteurized in the United States today. In order to be labeled as such, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gruyere, and Roquefort all must be made with unpasteurized milk and aged according to the 60-day rule.
Now, let’s get into the specifics of great cheeses so you can craft your perfect shopping list.

Cow’s Milk Cheeses

Because it’s the most prevalent milk in North America, cow’s milk cheeses are ubiquitous throughout fridges all across the country. Never boring and often surprising, artisan cow’s milk cheeses are experiencing a renaissance as cheesemakers experiment with time-honored recipes in small batches.

Rogue River Blue

An award-winning cheese from Oregon, this complex pick is perfect for people just beginning their excursions into the world of blue cheese. Sweet white wines with plenty of body such as Gewürztraminer pair well with this cheese. It’ll also make an ideal accompaniment to your next whiskey or sherry-tasting session.

Winnimere

This funky washed-rind cheese from Jasper Hill Farms is an American riff on Vacherine Mont d’Or, an unpasteurized cheese from the Jura mountains along the French–Swiss border that is only available seasonally. Wrapped in spruce bark to contain its oozing middle, this cheese is pungent, savory, and tantalizingly creamy. Serve Winnimere with your favorite red ale, strong-bodied white wine, or medium-bodied Pinot Noir.

Goat’s Milk Cheeses

Goat’s milk cheeses in the United States are often relegated to the kind of fresh chevré that is most often seen topping salads and pasta dishes. While creamy chevré is an outstanding addition to many dishes, there’s a whole world of goat cheeses waiting to be discovered. Thanks to smaller protein chains, goat’s milk cheese is more easily digested than cow’s milk and has even been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Goat’s milk cheeses have a distinctive gamey taste and rich texture.

Goat Cheddar

Goat cheddar will be right at home on a grilled cheese sandwich and can be used to make nachos or fondue. The older the cheddar is, the sharper its flavor will be.

Humboldt Fog

Made by California’s Cypress Grove cheese alchemists, this stunning cheese is sure to be a showstopper on any cheese plate. Although Humboldt Fog looks like a blue cheese, this soft-ripened goat cheese has a layer of ash running through its center and is encased in a white bloomy rind. Depending on its age, a young Humboldt Fog will pair well with a rosé while an aged version can stand up to the intense hoppiness of an IPA.

Sheep’s Milk Cheeses

Sheep’s milk cheeses are easy to digest for most people, including individuals who suffer from lactose intolerance and lactose allergies. This is largely due to the fact that sheep’s milk cheeses have lower amounts of lactose than either goat or cow’s milk cheeses. Sheep’s milk cheeses tend to lack the gamey flavors definitive of many goat’s milk cheeses. Popular examples of sheep’s milk cheeses include:

Pecorino Romano

A kitchen staple, this firm Italian grating cheese is great on pasta (especially in the delicious Cacio e Pepe). In fact, any cheese whose name features the prefix “pecorino” is made from sheep’s milk as the word “pecora” means sheep in Italian.

Manchego

This versatile Spanish cheese is available in a variety of ages and is most often sold at 3, 6, or 12 months of age in the United States. Full of nutty and slightly fruity flavors, Manchego is incredibly wine friendly (white, red, and champagne all pair well).

Roquefort

Full of personality, this French bleu cheese is made from unpasteurized sheep’s milk cheese that has been inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti. Roquefort has a tangy flavor that pairs best with fortified wines such as sherry or port, or sweet Rieslings, Gewürztraminers, and Muscats.
 
HealthyWay

Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

Why You Need An Instant Pot Immediately (And A Healthy Recipe To Get You Started)

Disclaimer: Just so you know, if you order an item through one of our posts, we may get a small share of the sale.

In case you haven’t heard, the Instant Pot is the best kitchen invention since sliced bread. This multi-purpose appliance has a wide array of features including pressure cooking, slow cooking, a rice cooker, a yogurt maker, and an egg cooker, as well as a sauté function, steamer, and warmer.
If you love making food but need to save on space, or if you adore home cooking but are short on time, the Instant Pot is about to become your best friend!

Pressure Cooking 101

Pressure cooking is ideal for ingredients that normally take hours or even a full day to cook. In fact, the Instant Pot pressure cooker setting can shorten cooking times by up to 70 percent. Dried beans, lentils, hearty grains such as barley and wheat berries, beets, and hearty root vegetables no longer take up valuable stovetop real estate and their cooking times are reduced by hours.
The Instant Pot’s pressure cooking seal also prevents smells from permeating your home, making it the perfect appliance to have on in the background while you relax before dinner.

A Few Words of Pressure Cooker Warning

The internal temperature of an Instant Pot’s pressure cooker setting isn’t hot enough to properly sterilize jars for home canning, which is a potential drawback for home canning aficionados. Delicate foods such as flaky white fish, pastries, and baby greens will also fare for the worst when cooked in a pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Tips to Have You Cooking Like a Pro

  • Add an additional 10 to 20 minutes of time to your total recipe when using an Instant Pot as it needs to preheat and cool down before opening.
  • Grains and beans can be cooked in an Instant Pot without any additional soaking time.
  • It’s important to have at least a half a cup of water, stock, or broth in your Instant Pot at all times.
  • Likewise, don’t overfill an Instant Pot! If you’re cooking with ingredients that expand, such as grains or beans, make sure it’s only filled halfway.
  • If you already have an arsenal of pressure cooker recipes, they can still be cooked in an Instant Pot, just use this handy conversion chart.

Instant Pot Black Bean Soup (With Topping Suggestions)

This recipe for black bean soup requires very little prep and comes together quickly. Leftover soup makes a filling and healthy weekday lunch and individual servings can be frozen for up to three months. This soup will thicken up considerably after it cools, making it perfect for reheating the next day. Use the topping suggested below or make up your own. The only limit is your taste and imagination!

Active Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 60 Minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

Special Equipment:

  • Instant Pot
  • Sharp knife for chopping vegetables
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium-sized red or white onion, finely diced
  • 1 green pepper, cut into thin strips and diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 small zucchini, finely diced
  • 2 large stalks of celery, cut into very thin half-moons
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 lb black beans, dried
  • One 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes in their juices
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • Freshly cracked pepper and kosher salt to taste

Toppings:

  • Avocado, diced
  • Regular or turkey bacon, crumbled
  • Cheddar or Monterey Jack, shredded
  • Cotija or mild feta cheese, crumbled
  • Chicken or pork, shredded
  • Pico de gallo
  • Roasted vegetables
  • Charred corn
  • Pickled red onions or radishes
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream

Method:

  1. Cook the onion, green pepper, carrots, zucchini, and celery in the olive oil until softened using the Instant Pot’s sauté function (note: if using the Instant Pot IP-LUX60 select the “Normal” heat level for sautéing).
  2. Add the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder to the vegetables and stir until they’re evenly coated with the spice mixture.
  3. Stir in the dried black beans, canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, and bay leaves.
  4. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure and cook the soup for 40 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release which, depending on your Instant Pot, can take 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Once the Instant Pot has depressurized, carefully remove the bay leaves with kitchen tongs or a slotted spoon.
  6. Top and serve immediately or allow to come to room temperature before storing in the fridge or freezer.
Categories
Fitness Advice x Motivation Sweat

4 Thought Patterns That Could Be Sabotaging Your Fitness Goals

Despite the considerably physical nature of most health and fitness goals, often the key to bringing them to fruition is maintaining the proper mindset. Yes, friends—it’s a mental game. As a fitness and nutrition coach, I frequently come into contact with women who are ready to achieve their goals by any means necessary, but are up against thought patterns and narratives of self-belief that are significantly lacking.
Through discussion, we uncover root issues and explore the emotional layers that may be impeding consistent progress. Oftentimes, it comes down to honest reflection on this simple question: How are you speaking to yourself?
Here are four answers—and the unhealthy patterns that stem from them—that might be sabotaging your fitness goals.

1. You’re looking in the mirror with a limiting lens.

Which of these statements helps you express your everyday thought processes?
HealthyWay
Do the more positive and integrated statements reflect your natural state on the whole? If yes, wonderful! You’re flowing through abundance and your fitness goals are sure to follow. However, if statements of lack and frustration better capture your worldview and sense of self, it’s likely that fear has taken over and led you to self-limiting beliefs.
These thought patterns and accompanying emotions are among the first topics I address with clients. Individuals may feel their goals are too far out of reach, or they may feel they aren’t deserving of even their own unwavering confidence. In either situation, they are blocking themselves from receiving and creating.
If you think you can’t do something, you may never allow yourself to give it your all. Statements that begin with “I can’t” often give way to individuals believing their abilities are pre-determined and fixed. On the contrary! We are constantly evolving, and fitness evolutions are equally malleable. The first step in accomplishing anything is believing you will. It’s even better if that belief is one of unwavering certainty.
Stepping into this mindset requires a comprehensive shift in how one views the world and their unique place in it. An abundance mentality doesn’t manifest overnight, so be patient with yourself as you begin to modify your internal dialogue. When you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or irritated, take a few minutes to stop what you’re doing and assess the situation. These emotions and many of those accompanying them are fear based. Check in with yourself to determine whether there’s an underlying feeling of “not enough-ness.” Are self-limiting beliefs present? If yes, notice where you’re currently feeling sensitive and pour self-compassion into those areas. Make it point to recite daily affirmations. The list of positive and integrated statements you read above is a great place to start!

2. You’re comparing yourself to others.

You’ve heard it countless times: Comparison is the thief of joy. When you’re comparing yourself to others, you’re actively boxing yourself into what’s referred to as a lack mentality and subsequently setting yourself up for those aforementioned limiting beliefs. When living in this state of mind, it typically holds true that you’re placing yourself in a “less than” or “deficient” category as opposed to appreciating your individuality and unique life processes. Comparing often involves looking to others for examples of what you need to fix within yourself to be “enough.”
Another experience of comparison involves observing others through a more judgmental lens. This is common when individuals are hyper-focused on achieving a set of goals. When investing substantial time and energy into an endeavor, your sensitivity to potential barriers can increase. When comparing yourself to those around you, you may begin to feel you are in competition.
In either case, you’re approaching the situation with defensive posturing and thought patterns that are once again fear based. Without conscious awareness, you believe that there isn’t enough success to go around for everyone. In terms of fitness, success may mean a toned body, the weight you can lift, the types of exercise you perform, the speed with which you can complete a cardio goal, or even loving the way you look in cute workout attire. Of course, someone else’s experience of these things doesn’t eclipse your ability to revel in them, too.
If you’re falling into the comparison trap, try to interrupt the judgments with love. Keep in mind that this applies to yourself and others. Feeling excited, supported, or inspired by another woman won’t damper your achievements. It’s important to create a type of mentality where everyone can enjoy the fruits of their labors. Instead of thinking, “Wow, look at how fast her mile time is. She’s perfect. How could I ever be good enough?” shift to, “Wow, look at how fast her mile time is. I’m so impressed! Good for her. I can’t believe how far I’ve come with my own endurance. I can’t wait to one day run my own blazing PRs.”
With this thinking, you’re acknowledging another individual’s success while also appreciating how inspiring your own journey is! 

3. You’re focusing on short-term success instead of long-term sustainability

It’s common for individuals to dive into a self-improvement project when short-term goals and quickly approaching deadlines are on the horizon. When working from such a place, we often adopt all-or-nothing mindsets. The trouble with this is that fitness is not linear. The truth is, there will be forward and backward movements in any journey. It’s inevitable.
When this is overlooked, you may notice yourself cycling between extremes. If you aren’t “completely on” with your fitness regimen, then you’re “completely off.” In other words, if there’s a blip in your program’s perfection or your consistent progression toward the goal you’ve visualized, you may find yourself pulling out of the race altogether.
Let’s consider a weight loss journey. You may have a goal of losing ten pounds by an upcoming wedding, which is roughly six months away. While this is realistic, measurable, and time-bound, I would still urge you to consider it one small step in the bigger picture of improving your health and wellness. Why does this help? Well, you’re more likely to stick to the goal when you acknowledge that the benefits will serve you for years to come. Embracing a healthy lifestyle will augment your metabolic, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal well-being, while also helping you fit into that gorgeous gown.
During the six months leading up to the special day, odds are you’ll have a meal or night out that you know is a bit too indulgent for your weight loss goal. Focusing only on short-term advances might allow this meal to trigger a self-defeating thought spiral. Instead of resuming standard exercise and diet protocol after indulging, you might throw in the towel, believing your day is already ruined. One meal turns into one day, one week, or even one month. If you guilt yourself for being unable to give it your “all” in the moment, you may retreat to giving nothing.
If you’re in tune with long-term benefits, though, you’ll be more apt to recognize that one indulgence will not throw you off track. You’ll release any anxiety that may follow the slip-up and trust that your weight loss and greater wellness goals will still be realized. One meal is just…one meal. You’ll appreciate the short break in routine then return to the plan. It’s no longer about going to extreme measures to achieve a goal as quickly as possible, but rather creating sustainable changes that will contribute to improved quality of life—which certainly does not include doggedly chasing perfection.
This slight alteration in thought processes contributes to flexibility and balance.

4. You’re thinking of exercise as a chore.

It’s true, training regimens can be taxing. Day in and day out, you’re putting yourself through demanding workouts. Quickly ask yourself, “What’s my immediate reaction when I think about exercise?” If you equate working out with an imposition, this may very well be the final block hampering your forward momentum. All too often, we hear individuals complain about “having” to make it into the gym on a particular day. This mentality instantly decreases your physical reserves. No matter what the task at hand may be, energy fades when we feel we’re being forced to do something we deem burdensome. As a result, workouts wind up lacking intensity and efficacy.
The first step in shifting this mentality involves embracing an overarching sense of gratitude. Rather than thinking of your training as something you “have to do,” try on the more positive idea that it’s something you “get to do.” With an able body and kickass persistence, you have the opportunity to exercise according to your plan—whether that’s daily or a couple of times a week—at the gym, in a studio, or pounding the pavement.
The second step involves making your training fun. Yes, we said fun! Exercise can be entirely pleasurable, so spend time playing around with various modes of exercise until you find the right fit. If you have stringent fitness goals, consider substituting a few changes in your (potentially) monotonous routine to spice things up.
For example, few individuals are fond of climbing the StairMaster for 45 minutes. Instead, opt for a 20-minute warm-up with incline walking, then jump into a HIIT circuit. Incorporate sleds, medicine balls, battle ropes, kettlebells, and even row machines for a more proactive take on cardio. Or ditch land altogether and hop into the pool for a killer, lung-busting workout. Through it all, just think about how many amazing activities your body is enabling you to do. Pretty great, isn’t it?