Injuries and how it can affect us Mentally…from when we are injured to the recovery/getting back into Fitness

Emotional responses to injury include sadness, feelings of isolation, irritation, lack of motivation, frustration, anger, alterations in appetite, sleep disturbance, and feeling disengaged.

Here are some things you can do to help whilst injured

1. Set clear and realistic goals. 
2. Visualise a healthy you. Don’t underestimate the power of visualisation. 
3. Be optimistic.
4. Focus on the present moment and what you can do – focus on the things you can control and dont worry about the things you cant
5. Honour your feelings, its OK to feel different emotions but its important we honour them…writing them down also help – as does talking to someone
6. Accept help and support. If you cant talk to your family and friends then please always message me, everything is in strictest confidence, Im always here if you ever need someone to talk to
7. Take control – of what u can control

Getting Confidence back after Injury

1. Don’t isolate yourself….speak to other girls or even me
2. Visualise your recovery
3. Maintain your self-esteem through other means, do other things that make you feel good and confident 
4. Educate yourself about the injury, and seek out the advice of myself or others in the team
5. Rebuild confidence gradually…it may take time but just keep doing something everyday
6. Do not compare your post-injury self to your pre-injury self –  THIS IS MASSIVE!!! The body may have changed, as may fitness…dont try and go back to day 300…start day 1 now and build up, or you may end up a million steps behind

A final note

Injuries can be brutal. They take away our endorphins. They take away our outlet from the real world. They make us doubt ourselves. My take home message, above and beyond everything else, is do not let an injury shake your resolve or make you doubt who you are or make you question your sanity because that’s when an injury has become more than just a bodily menace…..you are always stronger than an injury and always reach out if you need to

Hope this has helped

Jen x

During this Lockdown 2.0 I will be doing 2 FREE daily challenges and Id Love you to join me – I start MONDAY!

Over on Jen OneBody Fitness and Massage I will be posting daily Workout Routines

AND

Over at Angel Therapies with Jen I will be posting daily tips to bring Joy to your days

Please head over and give the pages a like and get involved…comment, interact and share with all your friends

I am here to support you and your Physical and Mental Wellbeing during this Lockdown 2.0

Jen x

YOU DO YOU

When it comes to your Health and Fitness….YOU DO YOU

We are on this journey and its our OWN journey

Dont compare your journey to anyone else’s

Do the workouts that make you happy

Do the workouts that feel good

Eat the food that makes you happy

Eat the food that makes you feel good

Your day 1 is going to be different to someone else or their day 500

YOU DO YOU

Dont concern yourself with what others are doing

Do it for YOU

Jen x

When it comes to choosing Crystals…it can be a bit confusing, so Ive put together a few ways in which you can choose Crystals for you or others

1. You are drawn to one…when you look at crystals or touch them you feel drawn to one and need it in your life…you may not know why at first but it will make sense

2. You know what healing you need in your life….if this is the case ask me and I can advise what crystal you need

3. You know the crystal you want…but arent sure why…again feel free to ask

4. You are gifted one – the person has either gifted it to you for a reason or they were also drawn to it

There are NO rules when it comes to choosing crystals, its such a personal thing

A crystal will always find its way to you when you need it – whether thatd from you chooisng it or someone else

Hope this has helped

Jen x

Are you being ruled by your watch??

Now-a-days a lot of us have a smart watch/tracker and whilst they can be really helpful and motivational…they can also cause us stress and they aren’t 100% accurate

The calories burnt during a workout are NOT right…they are about 30-40% out, so dont rely on them too much

Also they are often (as per the picture) a little bit judgey 

How dare a watch tell you that you need to stand up or you havnt moved enough today??

There are going to be days we want to rest and not much as much, hey we may even be ill/injured and what we dont need is a watch telling us that we aren’t doing enough or telling us off for not moving enough

Please dont let your watch rule you

Dont let the watch tell you what you have and havnt done

YES they can be helpful for steps and tracking some stuff BUT dont forget they ARENT~ 100% accurate 

A watch shouldn’t rule your day and if you find that these little notifications from your watch are triggering guilt and making you do more than you actually want to – then its time to take the watch off

YOU are in control of what you do and dont do….NOT your watch

Jen x

“Today was a Difficult Day,” said Pooh.

There was a pause.

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked Piglet.

“No,” said Pooh after a bit. “No, I don’t think I do.”

“That’s okay,” said Piglet, and he came and sat beside his friend.

“What are you doing?” asked Pooh.

“Nothing, really,” said Piglet. “Only, I know what Difficult Days are like. I quite often don’t feel like talking about it on my Difficult Days either.

“But goodness,” continued Piglet, “Difficult Days are so much easier when you know you’ve got someone there for you. And I’ll always be here for you, Pooh.”

And as Pooh sat there, working through in his head his Difficult Day, while the solid, reliable Piglet sat next to him quietly, swinging his little legs…he thought that his best friend had never been more right.”

~ A.A. Milne

Sending love to those having a Difficult Day today ♥️????

Welcome to Autumn

The nights start to draw in and it becomes chillier and wet and all you want to do is stay home

The thought of leaving the house to go the gym puts you off

Going out in the dark before/after work to get your workout in…doesnt always sound so appealing in the autumn/winter months

If you are thinking about all this…..then why not try working out from home…you can access lots of FREE stuff online or even better you can join my online Fitness Studio where I offer 10+ classes a week for £10 OR even better you can stay for 4 weeks for just £30…thats less than £1 a class PLUS you dont need to leave the house, sit in traffic or get cold…HELL do it in ur PJS…no1 can see you

If you are thinking about your Health and Fitness for Autumn and Winter and it stresses u out….then you know what to do…come and join us

No Traffic

No getting cold

No getting wet

Save time

Jump straight in thew shower/bath afterwards

Save £££

Save Petrol

No childcare needed

Have your say in classes

Catch up on demand anytime

Workout in ur PJs if you wish

What more could you want???

Message to get into my VIP Group

Jen x

Despite what you make think or been told …ITS OK to exercise during your period…actually you can get some good gains

I know, I Know sometimes its the LAST thing we wanna do….but I thought Id share some bits with you that may help with your training and also explain some things too.

We are always going to be 100% all the time, we cant always be on top of our game and smashing every goal….but what we can do is tailor our training to our cycle and tune into the body and be kind to it.

Its important that no matter what we listen to our body, but also know ITS OK to exercise during any part of your cycle

So we count Day 1 as the 1st day of the period

So obv the days below are examples as everyones period/cycle length is different 

During Day 1-3 you may not feel like exercising so keep in mind to be kind to yourself, rest when needed and just move your body in a way that feels good. 

During day 7-12 This is the Follicular Phase and a great time for HIIT –  especially long intensity style aerobics training

During Day 12-14 before Ovulation (so still in the follicular phase) there is a surge in estrogen and this is the best time to lift heavy and go for any PBs. This is because Estrogen has a positive effect on muscle growth and strength 

Around day 18-20 the Luteal Phase comes and energy can dip here so its better to go for a lighter/easier session with less stress on the body. Also the Body Temp will rise quicker due to progesterone and therefore you can fatigue quicker  – you can still lift weights but the focus should be decreasing weight and more reps.

When are progesterone levels are high it can increase our temperature and make it harder to cool down via sweat from the body….so factor this in

Feels bloated before the period?? Its he high hormone levels thats affect the hormones that regulate fluid in the body

BUT saying all this,…if all you want to do during your period is slob around and not move then you do you…dont feel you need to exercise 

Food during Period

During the second half of your cycle after dropping very low at ovulation, your estradiol levels increase and then decrease again just before your period.

Estradiol Works Like an Appetite Suppressant

What you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat are influenced by many factors.

Studies have shown that you eat less just before you ovulate than you do at any other point in your menstrual cycle. Overall, you eat less during the first half of your cycle when estradiol is in charge than you do during the second half of your cycle when your estradiol levels are relatively lower and progesterone comes into the picture.

Luteal Phase (avg day 14)

When you have less estradiol . This may cause you to subconsciously search for more calories as the appetite suppressing effect of estradiol is diminished. Again, research supports that a woman with regular menstrual cycles tends to take in more calories during the luteal phase of her menstrual cycle.

What to eat during your period:

• Fill the plate with veggies and fruit
• Healthy Fats
• Up your protein (will help keep your blood sugar stable and also help with cravings)
• Magnesium Supp (will help with Cramps)
• Wild Fish ((will help with Cramps and Healthy Fats)
• Dark Green Leafy veg (hormones and energy)
• Citrus Fruit
• Oysters 
• Broccoli (esp if you have a heavy period)
• 70% + chocolate is great – has magnesium which helps with cramps, sleep, stress and neurotransmitters) 

PROTEIN:

• Provides Amino Acids to repair and maintain your hormones, muscles , organs and immune system
• Aim for 1g (at least) per kg of bodyweight
• Try and have a protein rich brekkie – helps improve the stress response on the body

CARBS:

• Good for Energy
• Supports Immune System Function

FIBRE:

• Good for your gut bacteria and metabolism of Estrogen

FAT:

• Important building blocks for stored hormones (estrogen and progesterone)
• Omega 3 helps reduces inflammation. (coconut oil, fish, nuts…seeds)

AVOID:

• Sugary foods…they increase anxiety
• Salty Stuff – plays havoc with bloating and the gut
• Coffee and of course Alcohol 

Progesterone is the dominant hormone in the luteal phase or second half of your menstrual cycle. It is thought that one of the effects of progesterone is that it stimulates your appetite. Your elevated progesterone level is also responsible for some of the other unpleasant premenstrual symptoms you might experience bloating, constipation, and breast tenderness.

So, between the decrease in the appetite suppressant effects of estradiol and the appetite-stimulating effect of progesterone, you have some challenging biological hurdles to overcome.

From the start of your period until ovulation you have about two weeks where your hormones are on your side. Your estradiol level is up and your progesterone level is down. This is a good time to get started on a healthy diet and exercise routine. If you can get yourself into a good routine in these two weeks it will help you face the challenges that come with the luteal phase of your cycle.

The real challenge starts when you hit your luteal phase. But now you understand why your body turns to simple carbs and sugary food to help boost your mood. Armed with this knowledge you can try some tactics to help you stick to your healthy eating goals even in the luteal phase:

• Be kind to yourself. Slip-ups will happen. Remember, just because you had a few cookies doesn’t mean you can’t get back on track.
• Get moving. Getting regular exercise, especially during the luteal phase, is very helpful for appetite control. If you tend to snack at night try doing a few minutes of dancing or running in place before you head off to the kitchen for a snack. Or take some time to do some mood-boosting and anxiety blasting yoga poses.
• Snack substitutes. Try to substitute for a healthier snack. If you are a potato chip muncher, try no-butter popcorn. If chocolate is your go-to craving, trade in your milk chocolate for dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has serotonin-boosting powers as well as other health benefits.
• Have a cup of tea. Try a cup of herbal tea to calm your mind. Not only is slowly sipping a cup of hot tea a relaxing ritual, but you can also benefit by choosing teas with mood-boosting properties.
• Head to bed. If you are having a particularly rough day and really struggling not to dive into that bag of cookies head to bed. Sleep is extremely healing for your body and helps to reduce the stress hormone cortisol which can also sabotage your mood and your diet.

What does Fitness Mean to you??