A few days ago I went walking with my aunt and our workout crew. We got out there early on Saturday morning and did about 7mi… It was quite refreshing. While it was a bit chilly, after 10 minutes in I found myself contemplating removing layers, I settled for taking off my scarf. I was so enthused by the eagerness of everyone to get back out into our routine. This group sets the intention to walk every Saturday rain or shine.. While the whole crew wasn’t there, us 4 ladies held it down. If you’re reading this right now and you are not motivated to workout and stay fit you have no excuse. If three 40+ BLACK women (I must emphasize black simply bc of the stereotypical reservations placed on women of color), and one 20+ woman can get out on a chilly Saturday morning and push the limits so can you.. Even if you don’t want to go outside, find something that interests you. I’ve learned that the easiest way to get back in the game is just jump in.. No contemplations, no questions!! With questions come excuses and you’ll find yourself one month before vacation trying to get in shape. Make it your lifestyle!

Somewhere between now and after my birthday, I have found myself wallowed in a stagnant pool of laziness. Between an extremely tight financial budget and the unappealing “feel” of winter, my inactivity could be described as deplorable. I have been doing martial arts, as well as dance, but the level of energy needed for me to exert during these activities is minimal. My fitness level has been built up to such where I need to do a lot, or be high impact about what im doing to see results. Another thing also saving me is my healthy diet.. The one thing ive been pretty consistent about lol.

Until I can figure out what I can do to reemerge my peak workouts there are a few things I do at home that i’m sure most you can do too. One thing I do everyday is pushups.. I have a set number I want to accomplish before the day is up (ie. 100,) so at every random opportunity I get (while home) ill do push ups in sets of 10. So lets say when I wake up in the morning, before I hop in the shower to leave ill do a set of 30. Once I get home in the evening, between cooking, working, or any random activity ill knock out the rest of the sets of 10 (either all together or spaced.) You can also do the same thing with  sit ups or crunches.. As soon as you get up, without thought, knockout between 30-50 (that will make 1 set.) Now its up to you as to how many sets your body can handle. Push yourself, but also listen to your body when it tells you to stop. As I noted in another post, jumping jacks are good to get the blood circulating as well… So if right now youre being lazy like me, or currently don’t have time for a gym, try a few of these activities out.. Theyll make a difference.

Here are a few basic tips to greenify your workouts (yes I know ‘greenify is not a word, but I just made it one).. Now you may do a few of these things already, if not, consider it. We are all inextricably linked so when you help the earth you help yourself directly or indirectly.

1. Buy a water bottle (aim for bpa free if plastic )… Why??

• First, this can greatly cut down on space or amount of water bottles you need to carry throughout the day.
• its stylish and cool 🙂
• you have the option to purchase insulated bottles that can keep your  drink cool
• Easier way to keep track of the ounces you’re consuming
• cuts down on the waste and harm done to the environment
• you can use this bottle outside of workouts for normal day to day use

2. Bring your own (sweat) towel to the gym

• it’s eco-savvy
• If you’re a germaphobe like me, you don’t use everyones products etc… truth is, instead of taking a risk with the towels given at the gym, use your own and you’ll have no questions
• Gyms/facilities may also have paper towels to use instead of regular towels… If you are as intense as I am, those little paper towels don’t do much and are wasteful
• towels are meant to absorb water so if your gym only offers paper towels this can be quite damaging to you your skin

Happy Fitness!!!

Jumping jacks are a good quick fitness blast you can do when you’re in a rush and don’t have a lot of time. Great thing about jumping jacks?? They don’t really require stretching and they get the blood flowing and circulating. This can easily turn into a heart pumping exercise if done long enough but it’s also quite effective in bursts as well. Put 2 minutes on the clock and do as many as you can… Each time you do it, see if you can increase the amount you do. Remember, its not a race, its a pace.. Lets Go!!! (If you don’t know how to do a proper jumping jack just search on youtube or google)

Now I know some of you may be thinking, “green smoothie yum yuck!” But… please don’t shoot down anything you’ve never tried. There is a big misconception when it comes to healthy food, and likewise, we also have color associations with food. It’s quite comical how much goes into (your thoughts) of the taste of food before you even try it. I remember in elementary school a popular brand decided to put out green ketchup..YES GREEN…Now, the ketchup apparently tasted the same, they just made it a cool color for kids. Eagerly I had my mother buy it and of course when it came time to use it, I was disgusted. I had always associated ketchup with the color red and even though it tasted the same, it wasn’t red so I didn’t want it. A lot of people do that now with food which is why many foods are artificially enhanced with chemicals to make them appear brighter or more natural looking in color. Soda for instance (which I don’t recommend consuming, or only consume in small amounts) is nothing but acidic carbonated water, an artificial flavor, and depending on the flavor they add, artificial coloring.. How many people would buy a clear strawberry soda?? Not many. Food, marketing, and the psychology of it all is quite interesting. I may post more on this at a later date. Anyway… green smoothies are very healthy, nutrient packed, and delicious.

Now, all green smoothies don’t taste the same but I will give some tips to make a simple green smoothie. Once you have the basics you can add or subtract at your own discretion. The purpose of the green smoothie is..well.. to get your greens in on a more cellular and digestible level. I recommend, 2-3 different types of greens (ie. dandelion, collards, spinach).. add those ingredients in the blender with about 1-2 cups of water and blend. Ok… I know what you’re thinking.. that doesn’t sound appetizing but we aren’t done. Next you add your fruit, I stick with apples since they are really sweet and act as a neutral when paired with veggies. About 2 (whole) apples fully sliced will do.. add to the blender and blend. Since collards and dandelion are pretty strong I also add about 2 (whole) sliced pears to the mix. Blend that on high until liquified. Next, if you have any extras, maybe fresh lemon juice, or any additional supplemental powder you can add that too. I promise it tastes DELICIOUS and it’s healthy. I’ve tested this recipe on my most carnivorous friends and they all love it. Ive even been asked for the recipe so here it is. Give it a try!! If it doesnt turn out so great, tweak it.. you may have to work your way up 80% veggies 20% fruit but progress is progress. This is great for breakfast or lunch and you can make a batch to last up to 3 days…It fills you up, gives you energy, and helps your body.. Cant get any better than that!!  Let me know how it turns out!! 🙂