Fit is Freedom with Kelly Howard

Friendship - a Key to Your Fitness and Wellbeing

Friendship - a Key to Your Fitness and Wellbeing
I’ve heard a lot of talk lately about people missing their workout groups, missing their cycling friends, wondering when they can reconnect with their Pilates buddies. As this podcast goes live, many of us are still in various phases of social distancing. What I’m really hearing is not the missing of the activity, as much as the missing of the camaraderie.
Playing with friends is as important at 40, 50, 60 as it is at 10. We need connections as much as we need movement. Friends keep us on track, friendship keeps us healthy, friends make our brains work better and our lives fuller.
One of my biggest concerns around the COVID19 pandemic is how we are going to come away from it?
Are people going to be less likely to connect because of a lingering fear of possible consequences? How will this affect our personal and societal well being?
Recently, I was with a couple of friends for a day of kayaking. At the river, my friend Chris recognized an old friend getting in his boat to run the same river. They were so happy to see each other and they hugged. Later she said to me, “oh my gosh, that felt so good to hug and then I remembered we weren’t supposed to”.
A sign of the times.
You don’t have to be hugging but we need to be connecting. Take time on a daily basis to check in with a friend. Not a ‘like or heart’ on social but a real hello. I’ve been finding that there are a lot of people in our world these days that need someone to reach out to them. Plus, by reaching out to them you’re not just helping them, you’re helping yourself too.
Who knows, creating lasting, loving, meaningful connections might just be a silver lining of this pandemic.

Bonus Episode: Applying the 7 Functional Movements with Alison Katschkowsky

Alison H Katschkowsky, MA Ed, CSCS ACSM ACE
Is a Self Care Transformation Coach and Fitness Expert and President and CEO, CU Fitness Inc.
Today we chat about the 7 foundational movements and how doing the right moves leads to the right fitness. More than just having “good-looking” muscles, these seven basic movements are the foundation for what the human body can perform and all other exercises are merely variations of these seven: Pull, Push, Squat, Lunge, Hinge, Rotation and Gait. If you’re doing all of these movements, you’re hitting all of the major muscle groups in your body. Listen in!
https://cufitness.com/ultimate-fitness-club/

Slipping Backward or Moving Forward?

Slipping backward or Moving Forward?
What do you do when you feel like the progress you’d been making suddenly starts feeling like it’s slipping all away. Like it’s a thing of the past?
Personally, I’ve had a few health issues that slowed me down lately and reminded me of how tough starting over can be, especially when you’re just going through the motions.
One of my fitness ‘tricks’ to get me back on track and moving forward is to come up with a “Something to Look Forward To” plan. Sometimes a driving factor in getting in shape or starting a workout plan is we feel we need to lose weight or need to “look better” for some upcoming event. It could be a wedding, summer, a trip, whatever it is, it’s something that’s outside of us. It’s not to wake up feeling amazing, it’s a “should” instead of a “want”.
Think about that. A should is heavy. A want is fun.
What’s something that you’d really like to do? Something that would be so much fun and that being in shape for it would make it that much better?
We need things to look forward to and when we aren’t feeling our best, we REALLY need something fun to strive for. Fitness isn’t about how you look, but about how you can perform, what you can do, how you feel.
Start slow and (re)build your foundation
Create your workout schedule. If it’s not scheduled, it’s not real.
But, be flexible with yourself. If something throws off your scheduled workout, pivot and find a way to keep moving forward.
Make yourself your priority wherever and whenever you can. Making your workouts and wellness a top priority means you’re going to increase your energy, clear your mind, and up your mental game for everyone around you.
When I’m sweating for a fun goal, it’s a whole lot easier to stay on track.
Think a Dream Adventure might be a great idea to get you motivated? Jump on the Priority List below and learn more. Together, let’s train for some future fun!

Bonus Episode: Dating with Confidence

Dating With Confidence Coach Raeeka Yaghmai chats with us on this bonus episode about keeping your relationship healthy (which keeps our immune systems purring). If you are one of our single listeners, Raeeka has lots of tips for how to make connections, even during physical distancing! Find out more about Raeeka at https://datingwithconfidencecoaching.com/

Train Your Brain to be Your Best Ally

Train Your Brain to Be Your Best Ally
Frequently, I hear my clients say some version of this: “If I could only get my thoughts and my brain in line with what I want to achieve, everything would be so much easier!”
We can.
We can absolutely train our brain to be our best friend, our best ally. It’s easy if we start by really paying attention to what we’re telling ourselves we’re going to do, in the moment.
If you’re telling yourself you want to make a change, shift a habit, create a new way of being, but you’re not staying 100% truthful with what you tell yourself, then your brain has no reason to believe what you say!
It’s a catch 22.
Anytime you don’t do what you say you’re going to do, you’ve broken a promise with yourself. Think about if you tell your child (or in my case my dog) that you’re going to do something. Then you don’t do what you said you were going to do. And, this happens frequently. Chances are, after a while, they aren’t going to believe you and it is exactly the same with our minds. Tell yourself you’re going to get up at 5:30 and start exercising and you hit the snooze button. You have just reminded yourself that what you say you want or what you say you are going to do isn’t the truth. It’s just a suggestion that can be ignored.
When we have integrity with what we tell ourselves, we can accomplish so much more
To regain integrity with yourself and to start training your brain to follow through with everything you say you want to do, follow these super-simple steps.
Begin by telling yourself what you are going to do next, the exact things you are going to do.
I’m going to take a shower right now, get in the shower. I’m going to eat lunch right now, chow. I’m going to take my supplements right now...which is a perfect real-life example because I didn’t have water on my desk. If I had left the supplements sitting on my desk until I finished writing this, I would NOT have had integrity with myself. It would have been a small, broken promise. Find the water, take the supplements.
Step it up. This is going to be a 100% commitment so make it count. What’s something you want to do, or keep saying would be a good idea, but you’re not doing? Set a time-frame, 30-days is a good start, and fully commit.
For me, it was simply finishing all my showers with a cold water shower*. I told myself that for a month I was going to finish each shower with a 30-90 minute cold rinse. I was nailing it until the night I forgot. Got out of the shower, got dressed, ready for bed and then I remembered. Because I was training my brain to believe everything I said I wanted, I got back in the shower and did the cold rinse. Not what I wanted to do, but after doing so, I felt more powerful and committed to whatever I wanted. This is training your brain.
Always act as soon as you say you’re going to do something. Use an alarm if you need to be reminded to do something at a certain time.
This is a long-game. It’s a daily practice that I’m not perfect at yet, but as with all practices, the more you do, the better you get. And, the more benefits you will reap!
Jump in, the water’s fine!
*There are several potential health benefits for taking cold showers. I’ll let you do your own research.

Declutter. Clear Your Space = Clear Your Mind!

Decluttering
In honor of our topic of “Decluttering” today, our show notes are going to be very simple.
As many of us have been quarantined our homes begin to feel smaller, when clutter and life begins to pile up. So many friends I have began their quarantine organizing and straightening only to get overwhelmed after weeks of being inside, in slowly tightening quarters.
Clearing clutter helps us raise our energy, feel better AND find things we no longer care for that we can share with someone who love to have it. Less clutter also lowers decision fatigue!
Ready to dive in? For a detailed checklist on how to declutter grab today’s Tip Sheet. Here’s a quick decluttering suggestion.
Pick one room and one particular area (example: 1 closet not the entire bedroom)
Use a timer. Give yourself a specific time to do the work. Remember, work expands to the allotted amount of time…
Create 3 piles
Pile 1. I absolutely don’t need or want this anymore this anymore
Pile 2. Love this. These are thing things you need, want and use consistently.
Pile 3. Purgatory. Don’t use, don’t really want to get rid of it, but you don’t wear it anymore.
Donate, recycle or toss the things you don’t use or need. We have a “donate area” in a closet and once a month I gather what’s there and give it away. Sometimes to a friend who has admired something, sometimes to the local shelter.
Links:
Episode 1 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-is-freedom-podcast-with-kelly-howard/id1433779759?i=1000419444615
Episode 2 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-is-freedom-podcast-with-kelly-howard/id1433779759?i=1000419444614
The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up Marie Kondo

Proven Tips for a Great Night’s Sleep

When we sleep, we heal.
Sleeping is as important as eating well and exercising. When we sleep our bodies and brains recover. Our immune system heals and good sleep might even help you lose weight. (If you needed anymore reasons to do everything you can to improve your nightly sleep time).
In this episode we talk about some of the many things you can do to improve your sleep. Here are a few highlights and be sure to grab today’s download with thirteen tips to a good night’s sleep!
A good sleep environment includes dark, cool and quiet.
Bringing work to bed with you ensures your brain is going to stay active long after the day is done. This includes your laptop and your unfinished worries of the day. If you wrap up your day with a clear view of what is in store tomorrow it will help alleviate stressful thoughts during the night.
Stay away from caffeine and alcohol, stop drinking caffeine by the early afternoon and alcohol a few hours before bed.
Sugar may be a contributor to poor sleep as well.
Sleep Gear:
White noise machine
Mouth Guard if you grind your teeth
Blue light glasses
Use a red light for reading
Journal if you are having trouble with your thoughts
Instead of melatonin use a product called deep sleep.
If you use screens, like a kindle, turn down the brightness and read something that isn’t too engaging. Easy eyes app
Remember, when we sleep we heal. Sleep is not a negotiable in life and just making a few small tweaks can add to up to a more restful night!

Interview with Pam Grout: NYT Best Selling Author

Episode 61
Pam Grout,
This week we have a very special guest. New York Times best selling author,
Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest book, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World). Plus, she’s written a travel trilogy for National Geographic. I have to say she was caught off guard when I asked what some of her favorite adventures have been, she has so many cool adventures she couldn’t name her faves, I’ve been a bit star struck by Pam and the way she navigates the world and her life.
Asking Pam on the show was a bit of a stretch for me. Not only is she a Big Deal, she’s also someone I have long admired. But, early one morning as I woke up, my first thought was “I need to interview Pam Grout for the show”. Since it’s my practice to act on the first thing I think every morning (let’s say 80% of the time, sometimes those first thoughts are a little out there) 😀
This particular morning’s thought worked out amazingly well and I would love to introduce you to Pam if you don’t already know her and her books. https://pamgrout.com/
Pam encourages us to stay focused on the possibilities in life, not the problems. She’s no stranger to heartbreak but absolutely lives her truth.
“You either live in a problem state or a possibility state”. Pam Grout
Pam shares that we tend to participate on the dimension that we’re focused on. Pam encourages that people focus on possibility. The universe is always wanting to bless us, but if you aren’t on the correct field it goes by unnoticed. Plus, we talk about how using positive energy to help form good habits makes it easier. Your thoughts create your reality
Pam’s AA 2.0 program is something I’ve been practicing for awhile now. Before you jump out of bed in the morning trying doing these two very quick steps.
Step 1. Say a positive affirmation out loud: Example Something amazingly awesome is going to happen today.
Step 2. Think of three things you have to be grateful for.
Done.

Habits and the Myth of Willpower

Today we’re revisiting an interview I did with Jim Fortin, Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming as well as a certified Master Hypnotist. When it comes to fitness he believes that the key to creating actual, lifelong change is not through with willpower but instead using mental development to reshape your habits and attitudes. We have talk about why you have to be gentle on yourself and you change your habits and try new things.
We discuss how we become the stories we tell ourselves, why grabbing an extra sweet doesn’t mean we’ve failed our resolutions, and the pitfalls of relying solely on willpower when it comes to getting in shape.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
• Breaking down our relationship with our habits.
• Why people who make fitness-based New Year’s resolutions give up on them so quickly.
• Taking a closer look at the mental associations that create bad eating habits.
• How little solutions lead to bigger outcomes more effectively than large-scale solutions.
• Why people see innocent slip-ups as reasons they’ve “failed” their resolutions.
• Jim’s encounter with pharmaceutical sales representative and how it taught him that our fitness is product of how we think of our “story.”
• Understanding and working with the body’s natural healing capacity, including the surprising benefits of self-hypnosis.
• The downsides of relying solely on willpower for achieving your fitness and nutrition goals.
• Remember:
"95% of what we do, day in, day out, is habit."
“If you trip along the way, it doesn’t mean anything other than that you tripped.”
“You have to be the outcome in your mind first.”
Jim’s homepage - https://www.jimfortin.com/
It Works: The Famous Little Red Book That Makes Your Dreams Come True - https://www.amazon.com/Works-Famous-Little-Makes-Dreams/dp/0875163238
http://www.FitisFreedom.com/Ready

Why Consistency is So Important for Your Fitness

Staying consistent when it comes to our fitness is one of the most important things we can do. But, consistency often is a by-product of our routines and if you’re like everyone else in the world right now, your routines might just be a bit topsy-turvy.
This week we have brought back one of the #1 downloaded episodes and it’s all about tips, tricks and a few hacks designed to help you stay consistent with what matters, no matter what is going on around you.
Be a detective in your life. What are the things that are taking away your ability to be consistent? What are moving toward and what are you running away from? Where can you negotiate with whoever you need to; family, work, commitments, to find time for yourself?
When it comes to consistency, the final outcome is not the win. The win is when you take the first smallest step possible, and then follow it from there.
“Getting to the gym is not the win, getting into the car and starting it is.”
The next step: be a detective in your life. Look into your life and see what are the things that are taking away your ability to be consistent. What am I moving toward and what am I running away from?