Three views...

 “All this time the Guard was looking at her, first through a telescope, then through a microscope, and then through an opera-glass.  At last he said ‘You’re travelling the wrong way,’ and shut up the window and went away.”  Through the Looking Glass, Chapter 3

What do Alice’s adventures have to do with fitness?  Many things, actually, but I will confine myself to what the Guard says in this instance.  Fitness is something that happens on many scales (yes, even that one we weigh ourselves on…) and is best served when we consider all of them.

How we perform various exercises, how we cook our dinner, and how we feel in the moment are the microscope level.  We need this kind of detail to refine our choices.  However, if all we did was focus on form and vegetables, we would not get all that far.  We need the opera glass scale to build a workout or an eating plan.  We have to understand how a particular exercise or food fits into a larger system because even the most beautiful squat and the largest quantity of leafy greens is not going to make health all alone.  The telescope view has two purposes:  one is to help us realize what our goals are (stars, here we come!) and to keep the other stuff in perspective (no, one cookie is not the end of the universe.).

What we want to do is decide where we want to go, make a plan to get there, and then work on the details:  telescope, opera glass, microscope.

Monday Workout: Return of the Kettlebell

I love exercises that work balance.  The single leg kettlebell pass is a great balance exercise because as the kettlebell moves around the body, it changes the center of gravity, forcing us to adapt in the moment (kind of like life!).  Three rounds!

kb swings	30
kb 1 leg pass	20
kb 8s	10
standing mountain climbers	30
squats	20
Arnold press	10
plyo/regular/mod jacks	30
kickbacks	20
pretty princesses	10

Slump busting

Many of us experience an afternoon slump.  We can choose to get through it with coffee or sugar, but here are some other ideas that might work better.

• A quick walk.  Even ten minutes can get our heart rate up and our mood boosted.  And yes, we can get away from our desks that long; it isn’t really longer than going to get that coffee.

• Some water.  Often we are cranky because we are dehydrated.  We can add a slice of lemon or a sprig of mint if we also want a mini-vacation.

• A stretch.  Sitting still can really hurt our bodies.  Standing up and stretching for a minute or two can make all the difference.

• A healthy snack.  This is not the time to raid the candy jar.  Maybe a little hummus and veggies or an apple and nut butter sound good.  A handful of nuts or a piece of string cheese can also be good.  We want to give ourselves a little energy and some staying power, not just a burst of simple carbohydrates that raise and then drop our blood sugar.

• A few deep breaths.  We can re-center ourselves and give our brains a chance to focus. 

None of this stuff is a substitute for general healthy living with real exercise, real rest, real food, real relationships, and meaningful work.  It is offered as an adjunct to all that.  We can do this.