Unplug and Recharge

Go….out….side. I’m pretty sure I heard my mother’s voice inside my head as I attempted numerous times this morning to sit down and write my belated Motivational Monday post. Which goes to show just how powerful my mother’s influence is on me since she is currently several hundred miles away. But these were the words that would come out of my mother’s mouth when I was growing up and would find myself all too comfortable sitting inside on a beautiful day when I should have been outside running around like the hyper maniac child I was.

It didn’t happen often, but when it did, my sister and I would grunt and ask if we could watch just one more Arthur show – at least we watched educational PBS television – before she would take the remote, power off “the boob tube”, and point at the door like we were puppies that made a mess and said “Out! It is too nice of a day for you to be sitting inside like a couple of couch potatoes. Get your shoes on, kick the soccer ball around, and go do something.” Before we knew it, our moods and energy levels would go from 0 to 10 and we found ourselves giggling until our bellies ached, and out of our mother’s hair, until supper time.

I’m thankful for those moments now and that my mom didn’t allow my sister and I to just sit around on the couch all afternoon when we’d get off of school. Because of this, and many other examples of how my parents encouraged me and my sister to be active and enjoy the outdoors, I’ve continued to live an active lifestyle and find myself thriving when I’m submerged in the simplicity of nature. I’d like to say this has contributed to my work ethic and stubbornly ambitious drive as well.

So before I could get too comfortable, I threw my hair up in a ponytail, grabbed my sunglasses and running shoes, and took my golden retriever to the Boise Foothills so I wouldn’t waste a beautiful day. And what would you know, mom knows best, again. After some fresh air, quality time with my furry better half, and being surrounded by the Idaho’s impeccable great outdoors, I found myself rejuvenated and inspired to post my Motivational Monday Wednesday post.

Get lost outdoors, find your motivation

–Researchers at University of Michigan found that when people were able to lose themselves in Mother Nature for an hour, their attention span increased 20 percent. Can’t get away to the mountains or ocean on a daily basis? Get a pet plant to have at your desk as plants in offices have been linked to a more efficient work environment, uplifted mood, and cleaner air in the work place.

-Even on overcast days, natural lighting is far better than the artificial lighting you’re under inside. Find a few minutes during the day to go outside as exposure to natural lighting has been linked to increasing people’s moods, creativity, and drive.

-Your eyes will thank you. Chances are, you find yourself working your eyes for over 9 hours a day whether it’s staring at a computer screen or using them to focus on whatever’s requiring you to live a sedentary lifestyle during the day. Getting outside allows your eyes to take a break from the squinting and focusing and rather explore what’s around you instead.

-South Korea’s Chonnam National University found when the brain is exposed to scenic views of nature, their is increase in activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus which improves optimism and emotional stability. Don’t have access to much scenery from your desk? Keep a picture of one of your favorite moments in nature or change your desktop to an image of somewhere you’d love to visit.

Source: Tourism Journal

-Sitting for too long can contribute to a disease referred to as “the sitting disease”. More importantly, if you don’t take the time to get up and walk around, you increase your chances of being disabled later on in life. It can also lead to weight gain, even if you exercise on a regular basis, and negatively impacts your mental health leaving you at an increased risk of depression and lack of motivation.

Solution: If you have a schedule that requires you to be in one place for several hours a day, like many of Americans do, it’s time you start hearing my mother’s voice on repeat in your head as well. “Out! Go…out…side!” Even if it’s just for a 10-20 minute walk. You’ll get the vitamin D your mood needs to stay uplifted, feel more creative and energized, and work towards the 2 1/2 hours of moderate intensity exercising a week recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

Well, what are you waiting for? Grab that remote, power off your computer, and go…out…side!

Where is your favorite place to escape from reality or a location that’s on your bucket list of places to visit?

‘SUP…I’m standing on water!

Week 8 of trying a sugar free lifestyle is officially up! And I celebrated by devouring a huckleberry cream cupcake at Cody and Elaina’s wedding and found my taste buds overwhelmed with the sugary goodness filled inside of it.

I also finally tried the (in my humble opinion) over glorified cronut. The hottest pastry on the market here in NYC with its deep fried layers similar to a croissant, filled with crème and disguised as a donut.

After going through those 8 weeks of limiting my sugar intake and not including artificial sweeteners in my day to day diet, I’ve found I really don’t crave sweets. Which says a lot coming from a gal who used to think every meal had to have something sweet to top it all off. Things that do have sugar in them taste a little too sweet now and I crave the natural sweetness in blueberries, bananas, and my favorite, watermelon! I think I gorged on 3 whole watermelons during my trip back home this past week.

I also tried something while I was home that I have been biting at the bit to experience. I’m lucky to have been raised in a family where spontaneity is contagious and stepping outside one’s comfort zone is highly encouraged. This has helped me to always be on the look out to try new things and constantly keep moving forward, avoiding becoming stale in life.

That’s right, momma and I tried stand up paddle boarding for the first time! Or as I later found the hip way to put it, SUP. Both my mom and I have a slight fear of deep water because of experiences we’ve each had dealing with being caught in fast moving water making water activities a little intimidating to try. In our family though, we try to avoid allowing our fears prevent us from making the most in life. We pushed our fears aside, said “Hey, ‘sup?” to our SUP’s, and headed out into the water. After moving around and figuring out our balance a bit, we both were up and standing like this wasn’t our first rodeo and found ourselves madly in love with the rejuvenating rush of calmness that took over our bodies as we stroked from one side of the board to the next. I found that if I looked out onto the skyline of the Boise foothills and mountains, it almost felt as if I was gliding above the water. I also found myself dripping with sweat and my arms, torso, and legs feeling a little sore with each stroke that I took. Was I getting a workout in all while feeling relaxed at the same time? Whoa, watch out hot yoga, you may have a little competition for my new favorite workout!

Source: Go Tahoe North

Why try saying “ ‘Sup ” to Stand Up Paddle Boarding

1. It is a phenomenal workout, without really recognizing that you’re working out because it’s both enjoyable and a relaxing activity. SUP combines aerobic activity simultaneously with strength training all while enjoying a beautiful scenery to distract you from the fact that you’re actually burning calories.

2. And it has a fast learning curve, making it something relatively easy to pick up on. I was afraid I would constantly be falling in when in reality, mom and I didn’t fall in once! Though it was hot enough we wouldn’t have minded falling in the cool water. Start off on your knees and work your way up to get comfortable and figure out your balance.

3. Focuses on core muscles, an area that many people try to engage in their workouts. Because you’re on an unstable surface, your lower body and upper body have to work together to maintain balance. As you use one side of your body to paddle, the opposing side has to maintain equilibrium and you’ll experience a rotation in your core as well.

4. You also may feel the burn in other areas, including your

    -Latisimus dorsi
    -Pectoralis
    -Deltoids
    -Triceps

5. The Low Impact from this activity makes you less prone to injury and is a less painful option for people with achy joints to still remain active.

6. Many health benefits come with this activity including

     -Increased cardiovascular
     -Improvement on your balance
     -Potential weight loss which reduces the risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, and other health costs related to being overweight

7. You don’t need a lot of gear to enjoy SUP. Once you have the board and paddle, you just need a body of water!
(*Tip for first time buyers. Look for a board that is a little wider and work your way to a more narrow board with the more experience you get. Also look for a paddle that is roughly half a foot taller than you are.)

I’m no pro on SUP, but the best advice I can give is to simply go out there with your head held high and enjoy it! Even if you fall in a few times, keep getting back up and going at it. Your body will thank you and you’ll leave feeling refreshed and hopefully on a SUP high!

Have your fears ever almost prevented you from trying something? How did you overcome it?    
    

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