It's A Different World: The Transition Is Real

I have undergone a lot of personal changes throughout my life, over the past couple of years especially.  A few months ago, I changed companies and jobs after 12 years with the same place.

The toughest part was adjusting to a different schedule. I had been on a Monday-Friday schedule for the longest. I started out on a weekend shift, working Fridays-Mondays, 10 hour shifts. Since Labor Day, I have been working Sundays-Wednesdays, all 10 hour shifts. I took today (this Sunday off) and realized I hadn't had a regular Sunday off since Father's Day. I feel I have adjusted well as my company heads into its busiest time of the year.

Many have experienced this and other life transitions (marriage, first child, new house, beginning school). Here are some of the ways I have an am still adjusting to this latest life change.

1. Being open and flexible

That has to be the case when your routine is changed. It is a transition in many ways and you have to stay open to the new changes.

2. Manage your time and stress well.

This may be the most important. My time has been adjusted as well, along with days, workouts, meals, and the like. Allowing myself to find a good routine and be organized has taken me to other levels.

3. Don't forget your support group.

This is your close circle of family, friends, mentors and former classmates and coworkers. Stay in touch from time to time as you grow and learn.

4. Keep your main purpose in front.

Remember why you made this change. I wrote before about transitions and second acts. This obviously has to be leading to something big, which will keep you motivated and encouraged.

It takes most a while to adjust to any new setting, but it does and can get better. Tomorrow is a new day so keep pushing.

Have you have a major life transition lately? Do you feel you have adjusted well?

Creating An Alternate Workout Space

One's workout can easily be deterred by a number of factors such as climate, finances and not having the resources to properly exercise, even if you're at the gym.

Having a home/alternate workout space is crucial and doesn't require much space, time or money. Here are some pointers to help you along the way.

1. Utilize your living room, hallway or even bed.

And of course I don't necessarily mean that last one in a nasty way.

Seriously, if you can find space to do drills such as crunches, dips, and pushups, there's a start. You can stay active and at little to no cost.

2. Have a steady library of workout videos and YouTube videos.

I mentioned this last year in my article "Cabin Fever Workouts". DVD packages such as Insanity, P90X and anything by Jillian Michaels allow you to carry your workouts anywhere you have access to a TV and DVD player. Better yet, YouTube is full of exercise and conditioning videos and circuits.

3. Buy certain equipment but don't feel the need to break the bank.

Plenty of people buy weight sets, cardio equipment, basically their own home gym. That is fine and good as long as you can afford and use it. However, all you really need is a mat or a large beach towel, a jump rope, a broomstick for good mornings, and some heavy equipment that is more inexpensive. Also , if you have access to the woods, buy yourself an ax or a hatchet. One of the better workouts is cutting wood and someone always needs some wood for various reasons. 

4. Run/walk/jog outdoors.

Even in cold weather, this is good, free and easy cardio. You're staying active and you're not even sacrificing space.

5. Do plenty of yoga, pilates and/or PiYo.

All of these exercises are low impact but effective and work well inside of your home. You don't need much space, yet you're still getting loose and sweating and getting a good core workout.

One has to be creative and always thinking to stay in shape. Workouts get old quickly and you always need plenty of options.

What are some other ways that you workout in the home or outside of the gym? What does your home workout space look like?

Things To Pack Two Of In Your Gym Bag

Yep it's that time of year again: the beginning. Gyms and fitness centers everywhere are packed out with the New Year's Crowd. However, newbies and veterans alike always forget something that is vital to their workout or regimen. The difference is that forgetting something will easily discourage a newbie or a seasonal person.

This is why I pack extra of quite a few items. Here are some accessories you should have at least two of in your bag.

1. Workout shirt

Let's say yours gets too sweaty or even lost. Or for those that like to coordinate their outfits, there may be a better shirt in your bag.

2. Shoes.

You want to have proper footwear when working out, especially if you're doing heavy cardio. It never hurts to have another pair of tennis shoes.

3. Shorts/pants

This is mostly for temperature reasons. You may find yourself too hot or too cold. Therefore, prepare for any condition in the gym.

4. Water bottle

You must stay hydrated and while you may have left your fancy blender bottle at home (I have one also and love it) , you can still have an extra bottle to turn to. I actually have about three-four water bottles, and they need not be fancy. An empty 16 ounce bottle will do.

5. Earphones

Most of us aren't going to forget our phones. However we may forget our headsets so we can get into the zone in private. Or worse, your earphones may fade out on you. Either way, have multiple sets of these to complete your multiple exercise sets.

6. Towels

Even if your gym provides towel service, bring a couple of extra hand towels and even a regular towel. These are all found at affordable prices at Walmart and Dollar General. Like water bottles, you can't have enough of these.

7. Socks

Very important for various reasons. One main one is you may be doing yoga or pilates where you remove your shoes. You then realize you don't have decent socks on.

There are many things that we all carry into the gym with us to make our workouts more effective. Work with your collection and keep backups, especially if you don't live close by.

What are you always forgetting to bring to the gym? Are there any items that I omitted that you would add?

Some Cabin Fever Workouts

This week was an odd one for those in the South. Almost half a foot of snow and ice covered the Southeast, making travel virtually impossible for days. Many of these people are also active in their gyms and fitness centers. They developed cabin fever, and an extreme sense of loss from not being able to get out and workout in their gyms.

I was able to stay even thanks to home workouts, DVDs and YouTube. Many folks I know were posting circuits and YouTube vids to help people beat this cabin fever and not get a week behind on their fitness.

Here are some of the more popular workouts during this time period

1. Insanity and Hip Hop Abs

This includes pretty much any workout by Shaun T. He is an awesome trainer and fitness instructor.  His workouts are easily available and designed for home usage.

2. Tae-Bo

No this isn't one of my 90s flashbacks. Billy Blanks is still active in the fitness game, along with his family, and even has a fitness nightclub. His workouts are all over YouTube, and will definitely help you break a sweat.

3. P90X.

Many of these workouts also require little equipment but yield lots of results. The Plyo, Ab Ripper and Yoga are all three especially good for when you're confined to your home.

4. Jeanette Jenkins

She has been a favorite trainer of mine for years. She posts vids and circuits frequently on Twitter and YouTube. She has trained many celebrities, including Kelly Rowland, and she knows what she is doing.

5. Jillian Michaels

The Biggest Loser star also keeps a library of fitness exercises, drills and videos designed for all levels. It's hard to go wrong with her.

There are many others available in this advanced technology world. Trainers are freely posting even short vids on Instagram and Vine, there are fitness apps, and there are even workouts such as planks, burpees and squats that many of us already do at the gym.

Weeks like this past one do not come often in the South but when they do, it's no excuse to put your entire life on hold. Rest for a little while, but stay on track so you won't feel so winded upon your return to the gym.

Seven Workouts To Try To Get You Going

My series on health, fitness, and healthier living continues. Often we find ourselves not sure what to do or what to work on in the gym. There's more than simply walking on the treadmill for an hour, doing 100 situps and pushups, and getting on the bench press.  You should try to work the entire body through the week if possible, and concentrate on certain areas that need the most attention. 

Now many of these workouts are most effective with proper diet and water. However, they will all give you a jumping point.

1. 2 on, 2 off.

I learned this years ago from my former trainer. Stay on the treadmill for about 10-15 minutes. Walk for two minutes, run for two minutes, and then repeat.  You can adjust according to your strength level. 

2. Eight sets of everything

You may be working chests and arms, or simply legs. Try working a favorable weight, but doing three sets of eight on every machine. I often do fifteen, but I have started at eight.

3. HIIT/circuit stuff

This high intensity interval training includes sets and intervals of squats, lunges, burpees, planks, and even sprints and suicides. These have been shown and proven to boost the heart rate and burn more calories and fat. 

4. Classes

Don't underestimate a good class. Many are already included in your gym membership so take advantage. ZUMBA, Insanity, Body Pump, spin, MMA, etc. My gym, Anytime Fitness, even has Fitness On Demand, where you can choose a specific class, and watch and workout with it on a large projection screen

5. 20/20/20

On an all-cardio day, this is very effective.  20 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the bike, and 20 minutes on the stairmaster. You can sub in any cardio exercise. But pick three and do each for 20 minutes/piece.

6. Sports

Engaging in a sport such as basketball or racquetball can get the heart pumping.  Full court basketball is particularly always good cardio, arm and leg workouts.

7. Abs

Working abs is the toughest and often the last body part to get fully sculpted. It relies heavily on your diet, rather than your workouts. However, there are many ways other than sit ups to work these. I mentioned planks earlier.  There are also several ab machines, bicycles, sprints, jumping up and down, and the ab roller for instance.

Hope these help in your fitness journey!