1. Workout I am doing…
I am currently doing resistance training three days per week and cardio training three days per week. The cardio I am doing varies between rowing and running. I will add in biking outdoors and trail running as the weather improves. I follow the protocol laid out in the old Body for Life program, created by Bill Phillips. What I love about it is that it’s only 20 minutes. The key is the varied intensity. I’ll attach a couple of images that illustrate it, but simply put… you go at an intensity level of 5 for the first two minutes to warm up, then a level 6 for the next minute, an intensity level of 7 for the next minute, then level 8 for the next minute, then a level 9 for the next minute. You then drop back down to a level 6 and repeat. You repeat that series for four sets. On the 18th minute, you go full out at a level 10 (super intense). And the 19th minute you cool down at a level 5. That varied intensity does wonders for your heart, your metabolism, and for calorie burning. It is MUCH more effective than a steady pace for a full hour. The great thing is that you are done in just 20 minutes! And you can continue to improve on the intensity without having to increase the time. Varying the intensity on ANY activity you do (even walking) will maximize the benefits of that exercise. Just for fun, I snapped a pic because of the incredible view as I finished rowing on my Concept 2 Rower…
2. More on vitamin D…
I know I’ve talked about vitamin D in the past, but it is worth mentioning again. A new study out of Dublin hypothesizes a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and higher death rates from Covid-19. The study was published in the Irish Medical Journal. Why is this SO important??? Because so many people are deficient in vitamin D. Here’s the cool thing… ANYTHING you do to boost your overall health will lower your risk of complications from Covid-19. So, if your vitamin D levels are low, that ABSOLUTELY is NOT GOOD. And… raising your vitamin D levels is ABSOLUTELY GOOD. It is inexpensive, safe, and easy to take. Like all things wellness, increased vitamin D levels will help with more than just this virus (i.e. depression, bone health, brain health, metabolic health , and much more!) Here is an article about this study. Note the doctors expressing caution, as if there is so much to lose. And the medical community likes to link specific deficiencies to specific conditions. Let’s make this simple… deficiencies in any nutrients lead to problems over time. Creating sufficiency is always good. I take 8,000 I.U.’s of vitamin D (with K2) every day.
https://news.yahoo.com/new-study-suggests-vitamin-d-linked-covid-19-mortality-141201888.html
3. Podcast I listened to this week…
I listen to roughly ten to fifteen podcasts each week. One that stood out and caught my attention this week was Tony Robbins. I have been asked many times recently how I plan to move forward past this whole virus issue with so many unknowns. My new answer is the one Tony gives in this podcast. He reminds us that 3,200 people are killed each day in the world in auto accidents. Wow! Every single day! Why would we ever get into a car? How do we muster up the courage to drive anywhere? He says it’s because we have faith. Despite the fact that in an instant, even if we are doing everything correctly, another driver could swerve over onto our side of the road and kill us. We go because we have faith and certainty. And without that faith and certainty, we go nowhere and do nothing. How do we succeed as humans? Because we maintain “the ability to have certainty in spite of the uncertainties in this world.” So how will I move forward? With faith and certainty that I will be okay, and that if I do not move forward, I cannot serve, grow, and produce. The whole podcast is only 11 minutes, but the first couple of minutes are the best…
