5 Things I Do to Keep the Weight Off and My Energy Up!

fitness Oct 06, 2020

5 Things I Do To Keep the Weight Off and My Energy Up!

(Press play to listen, or read the highlights below.)

THIS might be that little something that's been missing that will get you to your goal, friend.

Today’s episode is inspired by my sweet girl Giavella, she said, "Mom! I think you should tell people the stuff you teach me it really makes a difference."

You may not know this but I write for a living, books, blogs, articles, and even the podcast content, so I could literally sit the entire day.

When I wrote my first book, 10 Steps to F.I.T. Faith Inspired Transformation, I would workout and then sit ... a lot, and I started to see my waist literally expanding, my shoulders slump, my mood, creativity, and energy drop.

Can you say, brain fog? And I’m not a coffee drinker...it wasn’t good!

As a certified fitness instructor, I should’ve known better, but I didn’t realize the effect this was having on me.

I was getting all of my caloric burn in during my workout and then literally sitting the majority of the rest of the day.

>>>THIS is a big reason our weight loss stalls or we don’t see the results we want.<<<

The longer I sat the more tired I felt, my mental acuity wasn’t as sharp, and it made me understand how unhealthy siting is.

Have you heard this saying,” sitting is the new smoking?”

It isn’t good for us.

These tips will help you:

Purposefully connect to God
Get your energy up,
Lose those stubborn pounds off,
Improve your posture
Make you a lot happier!

If you‘ve ever worked out with a Personal Trainer, you may have heard the term TDEE, which stands for: Total Daily Energy Expenditure.

As I evaluated the changes in my energy, mood, and body, I researched the effects of sitting wanted to share how to simply up your TDEE.

THIS could be that simple something to get you across the finish line of your fitness goals, friends.

I want to go over the research a bit to show you that…

God intended for our bodies to move, so when we don’t, it isn’t good for us for many reasons.

This research is from Mayo:

Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels — that make up metabolic syndrome.

Too much sitting overall and prolonged periods of sitting also seem to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Any extended sitting — such as at a desk, behind a wheel or in front of a screen — can be harmful.

An analysis of 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking.

The Harvard Medical School shared:

Regular exercise can reduce anxiety by making your brain’s “fight or flight” system less reactive. It can be as effective as medication for depression and can improve your mood by increasing a brain protein called BDNF that helps nerve fibers grow.

Did you know walking 30-40 minutes a day three times per week can help “regrow” the structures of the brain linked to cognitive decline?

My dad had a stroke at 47, so this was an eye-opening fact: According to the British Heart Foundation, we can avoid around 10,000 fatal heart each year if we keep fit!

SO let’s go back to the moment I realized the effect the siting was having one me, friends!

I realized I needed a plan to revive my energy, mood, and creativity, and got those stubborn pounds off that showed up.

As I go through these, I want you to think about your day, how you workout now, how much movement you get in, how much you sit, how often you get alone outdoors with God?

>Here are 5 Ways to Get The Weight Off and Your Energy Up<

1. Micro Workouts

These are mini workouts you can do once or throughout the day. And don’t think you have to do burpees or do things you don’t enjoy. You can have a straight-up Praise the Lord dance party.

I did this yesterday to the song JOY by, For King and Country.

Filling your mind with God’s goodness and moving your body is a prescription for happy and healthy!

Put an alert on your phone at the top of every hour to do a mini-workout. or see the suggested ideas in #5.

Research shows that even just an 11-minute workout that contains one minute of high-intensity, all-out effort is just as effective as a 45-minute-long workout at a moderate pace.

Now they don’t all have to be 11 minutes, but I shared this for proof that it works!

2. Don't Sit: Stand

When you’re on a phone call, don’t sit, but rather stand up, walk, take the dog out, get outside if you can. If you have a treadmill, walk on it while talking.

And in certain settings, suggest walking for work meetings instead of sitting.

3. Do a workspace makeover

When you are sitting, sit on a stability ball to improve posture and work those abs.

You can also get a stand-up desk, or use a counter or high table to stand while working.

And if you’re that girl that’s a little extra, You can Position your work surface above a treadmill — with a computer screen and keyboard on a stand or a specialized treadmill-ready vertical desk.

4. Add an intense workout every week.

This could be an interval type workout session, a heavier weight workout session, a longer hike or a cycling session. One or two days a week give your workout everything you’ve got in a healthy way.

Do something a little different, and push yourself!

5. Mix up your micro workout sessions

Your micro session can be anything you want, the goal is movement.

Here are some ideas:

Stretching and focusing on your breath by inhaling His peace and exhaling your stress.

Take a scripture outside and meditate on it for peace, praise, or prayer.

Like Psalm 145:5 says, On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

Pick up your weights and do three sets of shoulder press, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, and rows.

Do three sets of walking lunges, squats, calf raises, glute bridges.

Try mixing up jumping jacks, side steps, grapevines, high knees, mountain climbers.

The ideas are endless.

The impact of the movement is hard to overstate.

Activity breeds activity.

For starters, you'll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy. Also, physical activity helps maintain muscle tone, your ability to move, and your mental well-being, especially as you age.

Did you know standing burns between 100-200 calories an hour?

And then when you add in your micro workouts, stretches, dance party, and walks you’re really upping your TDEE. Which is going to be that little extra you need to get you to your goals!

Prayer

Dear God,

Show us the daily habits that are keeping us from being healthy inside and out! Point it out, so we can become our best for you. You have not called us to comfort, but purpose.. help us fulfill our call.

I pray my sisters connect to you daily and in all ways, relying on you to be their strength and confidence in their lifestyles. Lord, with our focus on you we can do anything!

In Jesus’ name. Amen

Faith Fuel

Don’t laugh at this, but when I googled what does the Bible say about movement, this is what I got.

God doesn't sugar coat it, think about an ant - intentionally moving nonstop!

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. – Proverbs 6:6

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:27

As I put my podcast episodes together, I pray that God would give me a way for you to connect to the messages in many ways, scriptures, prayers, action steps, and even songs.

Here's a song to inspire you to move and implement these tips so you can be your best for God, every day!

Revive Me by Jeremy Camp

For all my ways are before you

I let your hand become my help

My soul longs and adores you

Let my cry come before you oh Lord

Revive me, according to your loving-kindness

Revive me, that I may seek your word

Revive me, according to your loving-kindness

Revive me, oh Lord

That song has been a favorite for years, so good, and all God!

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