Renew

Usually about this time in January, the resolution crowd is feeling tired.  That first spurt of energy has sputtered out and many of us are sore and cranky.  It might seem like too much trouble to get off the couch.

I have good news.  Or at least some good news.  The couch can be our friend.  Not one of us should be working out at full speed every single day for hours for the rest of our lives.  Most of us were already good at the resting part, so we focused on the moving part of life and forgot that rest is, in point of fact, useful and necessary.

No, I’m not saying that we should be binge-watching all 21 seasons of Midsommer Murders to recuperate from all the great new movement we’re incorporating into our lives.  But a rest day with a reasonable amount of couch time is definitely good for us.

And then we can go back to our workouts, renewed.

We can do this.

Monday Workout: Pump

This week we’re getting our hearts pumping while we build our muscles.  By now, the novelty of the new year has probably worn off, so we have some stress-relieving ball slams as well.  Three rounds.

woodchoppers	30
ball slams	20
rescue	10
(jump) lunges	30
flies	20
dips	10
overhead high knees	30
kickbacks	20
pretty princesses	10

Snacks!

Today I’m all about the snacks.  Here are some ideas for when the munchies hit that aren’t just scarfing M&Ms:

• hummus and veggies

• apple and peanut or almond or cashew butter

• cheese and celery

• yogurt and berries

• orange wedges (bonus points for doing the thing with the peel and the smile)

• nuts and raisins (careful about quantity—the calories add up quick!)

Things with a little crunch, like carrots or celery, help us feel like we are really eating.  Foods with a bit of fat and protein, like yogurt and cheese and nuts, help us stay full.