Hi loves!
It may be a little gray and dreary out, but the trees are budding, the crocuses and daffodils are pushing up through their dirt patches, and I haven't worn my winter coat in a week - all signs of spring, freshness, and renewal. In fitness land, it's also signs of impending short shorts, bikini body challenges and juice fasts, so today's newsletter includes my unsolicited advice about spring readiness, detoxing, and short term exercise goals.
spring cleaning
For a winter-phobe like me, spring is always a welcome breath of fresh air and excitement for the days to come. But it also brings with it a ton of energy, and for some of us, a certain level of anxiety. Be it nerves about allergies, ramped up social schedules, wearing less layers and baring more skin, or even just the almost aggressive energy required for all those little green shoots to push their way up to the sunlight, I've noticed that calmness is not necessarily a common spring feeling, and it's all too easy to exhaust ourselves with preparations for the new season.
This is also the time of year when all the magazines hype their 30-Day Beach Body workouts and it seems like everyone is doing some form of spring cleaning in their bodies, be it a Whole 30, a juice fast, or choose-your-poison-detox. All these things are relatively attractive, definitely challenging, and probably effective, but regardless, they are short term regimens designed for short term results. As you (probably) know, I think it's better to cultivate movement practices and food habits that sustain and nourish you over time and that you'll actually enjoy sticking with, rather than intense, quick fixes. Anyway, if you've been coming to class regularly, you don't even need to overhaul your already strong & beautiful body and could don your swimsuit tomorrow with no second thoughts. But, I understand the attraction of a jumpstart-type plan, so while I won't tell you not to implement these kinds of programs (after all, I'm not your nutritionist, life coach, or magazine editor) I will offer my preferred alternatives and preparatory tips.
fitness first
- it's true that if you want results you've never seen, you must feel things you've never felt. but rather than a 200/day squat challenge, focus on working deeper in the exercises you already do, implement isometric holds, add an element of balance or instability, increase your weights or reps, or just get even more detailed in your body awareness while you're working out. vary your moves and your workouts (or just keep coming to barre class and let me do it for you).
- have more fun. meaning, go outside and play. walk the bridge. go for a bike ride, even if it's just to brunch. go swimming whenever you can. have dance parties. it all counts!
- get curious. try new things, or a new approach to the same thing. question your workouts. it sounds simple, but this is essentially how i progressively transform my reasonably fit dancer bod into an even sleeker/stronger/more connected/functional/less-pain-having/better-than-it-was-at-25-at-35 physique, and this approach has sustained me throughout my pregnancy so far and will do so beyond. i haven't done any kind of challenge since i started training in barre formats, mainly because i haven't felt i've needed to. if i gain weight, it's due to muscle (or inflammation) and if my jeans get tight, it's usually nothing a few days off sugar, booze and wheat won't cure.
- if this sounds too easy - or too vague - just try it, or come train solo with me and find out what i mean :)
food stuff
- eat more colorful plants. just do it. try replacing one meal a day with entirely vegetables and fruits (and a little fat to help you stay full afterwards) such as: a spinach-avocado-banana-pineapple-coconut smoothie (my absolute favorite!), a veggie-based purée soup (my go-to is zucchini) or a chopped salad with all the colors of the rainbow. or try my pregnancy-preferred method, which is to eat a vegetable (or fruit, especially mangos and kiwis these days) in some form every time i eat something. this is a good method for super active people, too, who probably require more carbs and protein than they can easily get from things green.
- ease in to your detox or fast. a week or two prior to your planned start date, gradually nix sugar, chemicals, excessive booze, anything from a bag or box, dairy, meat and grains (particularly wheat). this will help lessen the impact and severity of your detox symptoms and primes the body to reap the benefits you seek. i believe this preparation also helps avoid common effects of rebound after a detox, like weight gain or simple overindulgence.
- just because it's expensive doesn't make it better. as awesome and well-meaning as pre-made juice fasts and detox drinks might be, they ain't free, which means that someone wants to make money from your personal goals. there's not necessarily anything wrong with this (ahem) but it's just good to keep it in perspective. trust your gut!
relax
- more doesn't mean better. too much stress and overwork, even when it's in the name of health and fitness, is both taxing and inflammatory in the body and will work the opposite way you want it to. this is so real, i can't emphasize it enough. if you are exercising/dieting/working like a madwoman (or dude) and still feel frustrated, tired, puffy or in pain, consider reducing your workout schedule. you could replace one class with chill time, go for a stroll instead of one spin class, or try a relaxing style of yoga instead of bootcamp every now and then.
- chill on the endurance cardio, unless you're actually training for a marathon. try shorter runs, sprints, or just simply less cardio. if you're reading this, you're probably a new yorker, after all, or at least reasonably fit, and thus not your average couch potato. if you are walking half a mile just to get to the train (or if you have a dog you take for walks) and you aren't staring at your phone the whole time, chances are your daily life provides you with that baseline cardio conditioning you need. and many of us actually overtrain in cardio at the expense of our joints, connective tissue, and yes, even metabolism.
- take time for yourself. get a pedicure, sit in a nice room and do nothing, cook yourself a meal, catch a movie. take a nap. do something you like that may or may not be "productive." if you do nothing else, and i struggle with this, too: PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN. just. put. it. down. (my recent personal practice is to plug it in another room after dinner so i'm not tempted to stare at it while chilling in the evening. it's better this way. i shop less on amazon, get less jealous of my friends who live on islands, and cry less at scary pregnancy and birth stories. just saying.)
Music to your Ears
Kinda new playlists are up on my spotify, @annieforeal (or search Annie Rodriguez and look for my face). I shared these last week, but I'm still hyped on them so here they are again :)
spring barre
spring bodyrhythm
With love & pulses,
Annie
