Welcome to our Wild Workout Wednesday link up! Each week I link up with Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama, Angelena Marie from Angelena Marie: Happy, Healthy & Balanced, and Sarah at Creating Better Tomorrow to bring you workout ideas, motivation, inspiration and recipes to try. Join us for a wild workout each week by reading along or grab the button and link up if you have a fitness or healthy living post to share!
I’ve seen a lot of buzz about Carla Birnberg and Roni Noone’s book, What You Can When You Can (#wycwyc for the twitter peeps) and it’s really striking a chord. All too often we get caught up with doing more, more, more and I think it really is so important to take a step back and be ok with doing what you can when you can. So instead of another HIIT workout today (which I totally love/will never give up/but have plenty of), I wanted to take the pressure off this week and bring you simple ways to be healthy and fit today.
1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
As I write this I may or may not be drinking my second cup of coffee, but I also already had 16 ounces of water and will drink around 64 by the end of the day. Dehydration and thirst don’t necessarily go hand in hand, so be sure to consistently keep your body hydrated throughout the day to avoid symptoms. Some symptoms of dehydration are headaches, muscle cramps, weakness, and inability to focus. And don’t think reaching for a sugary sports drink or tea will do the trick…opt for fresh clean water. If your body is craving more, electrolytes might be what you need. In that case reach for coconut water to replenish.
Need help drinking more H2O? Click here for tips!
2. A Plank a Day
If I need to pick one exercise for everyone, it has to be the plank. So versatile and accessible for all levels, planks are definitely an all star exercise. Get social about it, tweet #PlankADay, and encourage others to do the same!
From planks to push ups, click here for more.
3. Green Tea
Or even other teas…but specifically, green tea has been proven in studies to have strong antioxidants which can do all kinds of good for your body. Personally, I drink a detox tea during the day with a blend of herbs that promote healthy digestion and liver function, and at night I drink decaffeinated green tea. In addition to the healthy benefits, I always feel less bloated when I’m consistently drinking tea.
4. Clean Eating and the 80/20 Rule
I’ve talked about this before and I’ll talk about it again…this is the only ‘diet’ I will ever be on. Clean, whole, unprocessed foods 80% of the time and give yourself 20% forgiveness. I love Quinoa and Veggie bowls to fill me up with wholesome goodness.
5. 30 Minutes of Cardio
There’s something undeniably healthy about blood rushing through your body, feeding your muscles and your lungs working to breath the oxygen they desire. It’s recommended to get at least 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week (see details at the American Heart Association), so find an activity you enjoy and make it part of your lifestyle.
I’m a runner, I love running, but there’s plenty of other ways to get your heart rate up. Swimming and biking are great low impact options
6. Meditation/Reflection/Quiet Time
I don’t want to scare people with the word meditation, but really any sort of intentional time set aside to reflect, think and just be still is healthy. Unplugging from the world and being in your own head is so rare these days, but so grounding. It only takes a few minutes of time and can be very powerful in focusing your emotions.
7. FUN!
What is life if it’s not fun? Decide what activities/people truly make you happy and make time for it/them. Hey, if your friends make you happy and they also happen to run you just accomplished #’s 5 and 7 in one shot! 😉
What small steps do you take to be healthy and fit everyday?
Have you read What You Can When You Can?
Also linked up with Jill Conyers for Fitness Friday!
Linkup below if you have a workout, fitness find or healthy recipe to share! Just make sure to link back or grab the badge and we will make sure to spread the inspiration around 🙂
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I too have read and LOVED LOVED LOVED this book…such a great attitude for us all to take not only for exercising and eating right but for life in general!
One thing I do every day…more steps, more water!
sarah@creatingbettertomorrow recently posted…How To Correct Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Definitely! I always make sure I’m drinking water too…it’s such an easy one for me, but some people have such difficulties getting enough water I always feel like I need to remind them!! Lol
I keep forgetting to download that book! I also used to do the plank a day a few months ago. Have no idea why I stopped. Thanks for the reminder!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…10 Minute Killer Glutes
Glad I could help…we all need a reminder now and then!
I’m glad I stumbled across your link up! I love the tips you shared 🙂 thank you for the reminder to spend intentional time self reflecting. That’s an area I need to be more proactive about. I have not read What You Can When You Can, but it sounds like a good book. I will be adding it to my list 🙂
Amanda recently posted…#WorkoutWednesday
Glad you found me and enjoyed my tips! I love the quiet time I get to myself more and more these days! It’s so refreshing!
This is awesome!!! Love the idea that it doesn’t take anything that involves a lot of time to be healthy…even the little things make a difference!
Annmarie recently posted…Wild Workout Wednesday: 5 Ways to Stay Active at Your Desk
Yes! Sometimes we forget that little things do make a difference!
Love these tips. I try to drink plenty of water and also follow an 80/20 rule. I aim for a plank a day, but slack off occasionally 🙂
Awesome! We can’t (and don’t need to be) perfect…I think 80/20 goes for exercise too! 🙂
Great tips! I have a rule that I’ll take the stairs if it’s 3 flights or less and I walk anywhere that will take half an hour or less to walk to 🙂
Nicole @ Fitful Focus recently posted…Father’s Day Baseball Workout
That’s an awesome way to do things! Love it!
I’ve been doing my 4 minutes of planks every day, and my 4 minutes of wall sites – ha ha! 😉 I am so proud – LMFAO! Hey, every little bit counts, right?
GiGi Eats recently posted…Letting the Inside, Out: Fun Facts About The Movie, Inside Out
Wow, 4 minutes! My muscles are burning just thinking about that! That’s great!
Great tips. Funny, I am studying to become a nutrition coach and I feel like lately the trendy word in the health and fitness industry is “clean eating.” I am finding that there isn’t really a clear definition. What is “clean” to one person isn’t “clean” to another. With this whole Paleo diet fad going on, eating nuts or dairy isn’t clean but to bodybuilders and weightlifters, natural peanut butter and greek yogurt are staples. Paleo pushes bacon but weightlifters and competitors won’t touch it. Cannot wait for this “buzzword” (along with the word “tone”) to go away….eventually 🙂
Christine recently posted…Holy HIIT!
I don’t do well with 6. I can’t seem to relax enough to do it, except maybe when gardening.
Cassi recently posted…WIW Goes #GreenInTheCity317
That works!
30 minutes of HIIT 6 days/week! I don’t know if that’s a “small” step but it’s the most consistent I’ve been with strength training in a while.
Have a wonderful weekend Michelle!
jill conyers recently posted…16 Foods for Healthy Glowing Skin
That’s awesome Jill! Sounds like a huge step to me! Enjoy your weekend as well!
I love it! Simple easy steps that anyone can take to start their road to health and fitness. I need to work on #6. I’m always on the go and rarely take the time I need to reflect and just breathe.
Debbie @ Coach Debbie Runs recently posted…I’m Burning Bridges: They took a piece of my identity…
Thanks! Yes, when you break it down, anyone can do something to be healthy. Just breathing helps so much 🙂
Yay! All these are awesome ideas! I always have trouble with #1, but I’ve been working on it!!
Farrah recently posted…Recipe ReDux: No-Bake Mango Coconut Pie
Thanks! I find that having the right bottle, and access to water, helps a lot!
Thanks a lot for sharing such a great piece of article! I found it a good helpful write-up with a good sound and explanation. Here I got a number of concepts that is definitely helpful for every fitness enthusiast. Please keep sharing more updates!