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4/27/2020 6 Comments

Benefits of Strength Training

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Let’s talk strength training. I know it’s becoming a more commonly known and accepted idea that strength/weight training is for everyone and has many health benefits! But… what exactly are those benefits?? 

Just like most things in life, it’s hard to invest in and be motivated to do something if you don’t know why. So I’m going to outline some “why’s” for you, with the intent that it will ultimately help you find YOUR why. 

First, I want to explain my “why” because I used to be pretty indifferent toward strength training. 

I didn’t want to get bulky; I didn’t really know what exercises to do; and I thought that if I didn’t sustain a certain heart rate for the entirety of my workout (like during a run), I wasn’t getting as much work in, expending as much energy, or (honestly) burning as many calories. 

All of those ideas were incorrect. Here’s why:

  • It’s actually pretty hard to get bulky. What I mean is, incorporating weight training 3-4 times a week into your workouts isn’t going to transform you into a bodybuilder. You don’t get bulky by accident! And especially for women, our physiology isn’t geared toward building tons of muscle mass. What you can expect from incorporating more strength training into your life is greater muscle tone, strength, and endurance.
 
  • Even the most basic strength exercises are great! Everything stems from these core movements: push, pull, squat, lunge, hinge, rotation, and gait.

​​Here are some (of many) examples to show you what these movements look like in everyday life and in exercise:

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  • After my time running with BYU, where we had great strength coaches, I kind of lost the strength aspect of fitness. With cardio alone, I was missing out on pretty much all of those core functional movements besides gait. Yes, I was in great running shape, but ask me to do push-ups and I was toast in seconds! You don’t have to know a ton, or be familiar with “fancy moves” to see some awesome functional benefits from strength training. ​
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  • Strength training can burn just as much, if not more, energy than cardio or aerobic training. What?! I know, I thought the same thing. But strength training is more effective in increasing your overall metabolic rate than cardio, which means your body will be burning more calories all the time and not just when you are working out.

Those three points debunked what my concerns were, but that’s not even all of the awesome benefits we can gain from strength training!

To continue:
  • Strength/weight training is so important in building bone density to prevent things like osteoporosis in the future. The peak time for you to build up bones density and strength is in your mid twenties! This sets you on a trajectory for the next 60+ years of your life in terms of bone strength and deterioration. It’s never too late to start, though. Anything you can do with weight bearing or strength building activity (with appropriate guidance) will only help you now and in the future.
  • Strength training benefits cardiovascular health as well as blood glucose levels. Your heart will be stronger and more efficient, and your body will have more muscle cells to uptake glucose from your blood for utilization - thereby decreasing blood sugar.
  • One of the hardest things after losing weight is keeping it off. Strength training is more effective at maintaining weight loss than cardio/aerobic exercise alone.
  • Strength training helps you to connect and become more in tune with your body. You gain greater awareness of your body’s functions and learn the best and proper ways to move and perform different physical tasks.

And finally…
  • Strength training will help you to feel confident, capable, and gain a greater appreciation for your body. This is my biggest “why”. I have always struggled with self-confidence, and I’m sure we all do at times! However, the more I get into strength training, I feel myself getting stronger and more capable of doing things I couldn’t before. I have gained a much greater appreciation for my body that (before) I would shame and degrade.
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Gaining physical strength and challenging myself in this way has crossed over into mental, emotional, and even spiritual strength. I believe that our bodies house our spirits and the more we strengthen and care for our physical bodies, the better our spirits can thrive!

These are some of the main reasons why Total Bodi focuses on strength training. There are so many health benefits, as well as just lifestyle benefits. I can also say that there are some huge confidence benefits as well.

If I had to sum it up in one word, what I hope you will gain from participating in my Total Bodi program is that you feel EMPOWERED. Empowered to challenge those misconceptions about yourself, your circumstances, and what you can and can’t do; EMPOWERED to accomplish your goals, do hard things, lift those heavy weights and get in 1 more rep; and most of all EMPOWERED to be your best self and be happy doing it!

So, if you haven't already, try the Total Bodi free week trial, and see how strength training can challenge you in new ways! If you're in the program, reflect on YOUR "why" and share in the comments below! With strength training you’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to gain!

Xo,
Ang
6 Comments

4/13/2020 2 Comments

Quarantine Bucketlist!

A lot of people are stuck at home. There is a lot we can’t do right now because of social distancing initiatives, but there’s still a lot that we can do. 

Times like this can also be tough on people mentally and emotionally, not just socially. I’m no different, so to stay sane and happy, I wrote up a quarantine bucketlist to keep me busy and enjoying life.

Here it is!

Have an iron chef night. Choose 1 or 2 ingredients that each person/team has to use in a dish. (No recipes allowed) Whoever’s tastes better, wins!

Have a dance party! (you could get serious with this and make invites for family members and even dress up!) We have dance parties on the daily in our house. They’re a great way to get energized, move your body, let loose, and wear out your kids if you have them!

Write and send letters to family and friends
We’re socially distancing, but we don’t have to be emotionally distant from our loved ones.

Indoor or outdoor scavenger hunt
The thrill of the hunt is well… thrilling! Especially for young children. 

Easter Basket scavenger hunt clues: free printables here to make your Easter scavenger hunt a little more Pinterest-worthy.

Go to the “Zoo”! Gather up all your kids’ stuffed animals, put them in different areas around the house, and take a tour. Get the full zoo experience by looking up fun facts about each one as you go! (my awesome sister-in-law's idea!) Or you can watch live feeds of animals at zoos around the country! Here’s a link to watch them.

Take a Virtual Tour! There are so many zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, etc. doing live footage, virtual tours, or some sort of online public access. What a great time and cool opportunity to virtually “get out” and learn/see something new! Here’s a link to a page highlighting some great options: Virtual tours

The floor is lava I want my life to be a game of “the floor is lava”! Lol This cracks me up every time! Link to video

Spring Cleaning! This is a perfect time to declutter and get rid of things you don’t need or use. When you’re stuck in your house 24/7, you become a bit more aware of messes and all your things.

I don’t know about you, but I am about to go from sentimental saver to minimalist. 

Bake a new recipe If you want some great ideas, my idol, Joanna Gaines, just released her new recipe book, Magnolia Table vol. 2!! Order it on Amazon, here!

Nerf gun war: we call this couple’s therapy in our home :)

Buy and learn a new board game. Our most recent new game: Photosynthesis.

Indoor pool party (bath): I was swimsuit shopping the other day (online) and then I had the thought… what if we never even go to a pool this summer?! I decided we would just have to either do it in the bathtub or get a kiddie pool (depending on weather). I WILL have my pool days!

Indoor bowling: use water bottles and a ball, or purchase a set from Amazon here.

Lawn games! Here are some of our favorites with links to purchase:
Ladder golf
Bocci
Spikeball

Binge-watch I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show! I will feel totally satisfied with myself if all you ever gain from me is exposure to these two shows… quality entertainment right here! 

Learn a new skill: YOUTUBE How to’s! Learn a choreographed dance, paint or draw something, new hairstyles, nail painting, sewing, calligraphy, scrapbooking, handstand, juggle, magic tricks…  
Nobody can do everything, so why not better yourself by picking up something new? 

Home projects… get rid of things too! 

​Potty train! I know this doesn’t apply to everyone, but, this one hit me the other day… there will probably never be better circumstances to potty train my 2-year-old, so if you want to join me we can give each other moral support?!

Read a book! I got a lot of these suggestions from a Total Bodi Member (Ashley Hansen) who is a school counselor and avid reader! I’m excited to try some of her favorites myself!
    Where the Crawdads Sing
    All the light We Cannot See
    Boys in the Boat
    Unbroken
    Harry Potter (again)
    The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
    Nothing to See Here
    Ask Again, Yes
    All Your Perfects

Chalk Mosaic: Whether you end up with the Sistine chapel or something that your 2-year-old could have drawn, it’s still a lot of fun. Here’s an example of the possibilities! 

Learn Magic Tricks (Youtube’s got your back!) If you do this, you HAVE to send me a video or post and tag me! I’m a sucker for a good trick ;) 

Tie Dye! Never gets old…

Well, if you didn’t have fun things to fill your time with before, you do now! Tag @ang_harris_ with any of your photos or videos working on this bucket list!

Xo,
   Ang
2 Comments

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