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10 Kick Butt Kettlebell Moves That Work the Entire Body

A few years ago through our trainers, we were introduced to kettlebells.  They were totally a new thing for us and now they are a staple in just about every workout that we do.  We have a couple different sizes at home, and use them regularly at almost every gym we go to.

The great thing about kettlebells is that they are so versatile.  

They come in a variety of weights and sizes and can be used in so many ways that I can’t even begin to list them all.

The following article I found on Pinterest.  I find a lot of great articles there, not just food, decorating, and shoes, but also some great workout ideas.

 

Check out this list of 10 ways to use your kettlebells.  If you want to get a set of your own, check out Prosource for a great selection.  

 

http://weightlesstoday.xyz/10-kick-ass-kettlebell-exercises-that-work-the-entire-body/

Are You Selfish?

This is the time of year for giving.  Most of us love to give gifts.  We love to see the other person’s face light up as they see that you found the perfect thing for them.  We love to see kids faces get all excited when they find that great toy they have wanted for “their whole life”.  We love to see the tears form when you have given something really thoughtful to someone and they absolutely love it.  Yes, the time of year for giving is really wonderful.  But, what about me???

What about what I want?  Do I get to receive too?  We have just pushed through Black Friday and Cyber Monday and a lot of people shopped for others but from what I have heard, a lot more have bought stuff for themselves.  Is this selfish? Or not?  That, in my opinion, is not for me to decide.  It shouldn’t be for you to decide either.  I think we spend too much time in other people’s business these days.

I think that there are times when you absolutely should be selfish.  I am not talking about hoarding your belongings.  Or not sharing your things.  And in no way am I saying being rude is ok.  What I am thinking is;

are you spreading yourself too thin for other people and forgetting about yourself?

There is so much going on at this time of the year in particular.  We are already way more busy than we used to be.  We are working, raising a family, keeping a house, shopping, trying to maintain friendships, maybe a business on the side.  Where in all that do, do we take time for ourselves?  There are times when we must put our own wants and needs into the calendar and treat them like a very important meeting.  A meeting with your future self.  If you don’t take care of yourself now, your future self won’t be very happy.

Taking time in your schedule to be selfish is the best thing you can do for yourself.  When we are spread too thin, our immunity works as much overtime as we do.  Our resistance to little things like colds goes way down.  Our emotions come way too close to the surface and we get grumpy, sad and lose perspective.  

Were you aware that; stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety. – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace. Jun 12, 2016

So, maybe being a little selfish isn’t sounding that bad.  Maybe selfish is the wrong word to use.  Let’s, then, call it self care, not selfish.  Self care is actually a term I am hearing more and more and I love it.  We need to be mindful of our own self just as much as are mindful of those around us.

Take some time for yourself.  Make an appointment for some ‘me’ time in whatever form that is.  But if it is truly important for you, then it belongs in your schedule.  When our kids were small, there was only one of me and three kids to shuttle to their events and I used to tell them “if it isn’t in the calendar, it doesn’t happen!”  It forced us all to make sure that we wrote things down, kept it where we could see it, make all arrangements needed for that event, and more importantly, it got done not forgotten.

So, make some time for:

  • Gym,
  • Walk,
  • Quiet bath,
  • Reading,
  • Nap time,
  • Coffee with Mom,
  • Date night,
  • Meal planning,
  • Podcast,
  • Game night,
  • Retail therapy.

It’s time to make YOU a priority.  

 

Sometimes you have to be selfish to be selfless. – Edward Albert

 

Why Should We Eat Fish

We get told all the time “eat this” or “don’t eat that”. Usually we don’t know the real reason why we are told these things.  A lot of the time we just do what Mom told us to do as kids and we don’t question it.  It’s Mom, after all.  Some of the things we are told are common sense.  Eat less sugar!  Eat less processed food!    Eat more veggies!  Some of the things we are told are actually part of a marketing system that we are totally unaware of.  For instance the term light on food can actually only refer to colour, not nutritional content.  But, I am not going there today.

 

One of the things we get told is “eat more fish”.  Why?  Why fish?

 

  • First, let’s start that we need to eat protein.  Most of us don’t actually have enough protein in our diet. Protein is a really important part of our diet, I have talked about this before in Protein Fast Facts Fish is a great source of protein. It is a low-fat high quality protein.
  • Second, fish, in general, is filled with vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). It is rich in calcium and phosphorus and is a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium.
  • Third, white-fleshed fish, such as cod, sole, swordfish, tilapia, and halibut, in particular, are lower in fat than any other source of animal protein.
  • Fourth, oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring, are high in omega-3 fatty acids, or the “good” fats.
  • Fifth, fish are low in the “bad” fats commonly found in red meat, called omega-6 fatty acids.

So, having said all of that, how much are we supposed to eat?

 

Generally, we should eat fish and seafood twice a week.  You can actually eat a larger portion size because it is so low in fat, that’s a good thing.  Some people are concerned about heavy metals found in some fish.  Obviously that is something to be aware of, but most of us simply don’t eat enough anyway.  In my opinion, if you eat a variety of wild, not farmed, shellfish and seafood, you will be consuming the nutrition you need without the metals you don’t.

 

A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle. – Gloria Steinem

 

3 Time-Tested Meal-Planning Rules for Weight Loss

So, this post came in an email from my fitness pal.  Ok, I get them all the time.  I have used their app for years, I read their blogs, trust their info, so I opened my email.

 

This blog post jumped for me because this is what I have been saying for a long time.  It is great to have plan to stick to, a program to follow, a guide to help with decisions, but if it isn’t something that you can stick to, it simply won’t last long.  Unfortunately common sense isn’t so common anymore, but this just makes too much sense not to repeat.

 

  • First, when you plan, you nix the “What should I eat for dinner today?” dilemma that keeps many from making their own meals, and resorting to overeating when they walk through the door at dinnertime.
  • Second, meal planners may strategically pick recipes that take, say, less than 20 minutes to make, which means “I have no time; calling delivery is quicker,” is no longer a valid cop-out.
  • Third, when you plan, you’re prepared and have all necessary ingredients on hand.

 

If you want to read the whole post, it’s really not too long, here is the link.

 

3 Time-Tested Meal-Planning Rules for Weight Loss