You Actually DON'T Want to Lose Weight

Profile pic I had made when I launched Woods Wellness in 2007

I drove a '74 Nova to high school.  My dad bought it from an elderly woman who hadn't done a thing to it since she bought it back in 1974.  It needed a new engine and lots of work.  This vehicle was a labor of love from day 1.  I drove it before the engine was replaced.  It didn't have a reverse in it, so I had to drive around and around the school parking lot until I found a spot I could pull into forward.  And after sports at the end of the day, I had to ask friends to help push me back from my parking spot so I could pull forward.  OR I had to wait until that person parked in front of me left from the school as well.  

One of the fitness classes that started it all for me with special populations.

Every Sunday I would detail that vehicle.  Inside would be spotless.  I washed and waxed it weekly.  I saved my money to put a new CD player in it after Christmas.  I LOVED that vehicle.  I helped pay for the insurance on it by working after school and on the weekends, before and after sporting events.  I watched my dad spend hours rebuilding the engine and fixing odds and ends on it over the summer so it would be driveable by fall.  

It was SO important to me.  

BECAUSE I invested my time into it, my dad invested his time into it, and I was paying for it--it was my ONLY option for a vehicle.

Therefore, I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF IT. It meant that much to me.

Much like our bodies...

And as I sit here at my computer, once again, tears streaming down my face (because I am an empath)...and apparently I can even "sense" people's feelings through the computer screen.

And IT KILLS ME.  Because I can see it.  I can feel it.

...DESPERATION.

This desire to lose weight.  To lose weight quickly.  To lose those inches. To have more energy.  To look good.  To fit into our clothes better.  To run a race.  To be an example for our kids...

All of it. I get it. I've heard it. OVER AND OVER.

And the same people, fall for the same quick weight loss schemes, OVER AND OVER.  This year they are chasing this product, last year it was a different product.  YET...the problem still remains.

AND you know what??!?

The problem isn't you being overweight.  Or you needing to lose inches. Or look good.  NOPE. You aren't desperate for those things...

You are actually desperate TO LOVE YOURSELF.  

Because if you loved yourself enough to take care of yourself...

WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SAME SITUATION AGAIN....THIS 2017.  Just like 2016, 2015....

Chasing another quick promise...we HOPE, just HOPE will fill this void.

But I will tell you right now. It WON'T.

In 1 month...you may feel great. Maybe even in 2 months...but then what?  You might even lose all the weight...GREAT! I love it!  

BUT if there is not a mindset switch.  If there is not self-love.  Which leads to self-care.  Then nothing has changed. 

"I failed again!"  "I am sorry you are going to be mad at me because..."  "Ok, I give up...I'll try your way now...what do I need to do?"

I hear this no less than 20x a day.  And you know what...people are always amazed when I say.

1) Quit something today.  Something you don't need to be doing.

2) Spend no less than 10 minutes a day listening to personal development.  Reading a book. Meditating.

3) Find new friends, friends who support you.  If you are going to do this, and change your mindset, you need better influencer's.

4) Do something today you can continue for life.  

....if you do these things...then we will chat about a fitness program.

BECAUSE I am here to make you fall in love with yourself again.  Fall in love with the process of taking care of yourself.  Fall in love with how you feel when you invest in yourself and you EARN that right to feel better, look better, and therefore, BE better!!

And that won't be easy. I don't promise that.  But it will be worth it. 

So ask yourself...before you hit "PAY" on that quick fix button...

What am I REALLY WANTING HERE???

<3 Anna

5 Best Strength Exercises for Runner's

I get asked a lot about strength training moves for runner's.

It usually consists of someone who has been running for a while and has sore knees, plantar fasciitis, or isn't losing weight like they had hoped.  People don't realize that running is actually a muscle deteriorating exercise.

I typically ask the person: "would you do 1000 quarter squats or quarter lunges 6 days a week?"  (and most runners I know don't stretch of warm up or cool down well, but I won't go there yet) And they look at me confused..."NO!! Why would I do that?"

And I say, "well you are! Running is a continuous forward motion of quarter squats...over and over...and over and over."  Most are perplexed by this realization.  When you do a movement like this continually day after day, you are bound to get injured and develop muscle imbalances.  So this is how I approach the movements I recommend my running clients to do.

1) We discuss areas of pain.  We look at the tread on his/her shoes to see how they run.  If they roll out or in with their feet and ankles.

2) Then we look at the antagonist muscles that are usually neglected in a running plan and discuss how we can strengthen those to create more of a balance in our muscles and therefore joint patterns of movement.

3) Lastly we discuss how running isn't a great fat-burning exercise. It's more of a energy-busting move. That too much running can actually be more of a detriment to one's fat loss, than a help.

So here are the 5 best strengthening movements I suggest for my runner's to incorporate into their routine:
1) Good Mornings -- 3x15 using a moderate weight

Here are my best tips on that move here.

2) Pull-Ups/Hanging Negatives/Supine Row--4x5
There are many variations to this move, but squeezing the shoulder blades down and back and tilting the head up slightly will help engage the back...which is what we want.  Here is one variation to try-->

3) Abs--> 3x10 per side (light kettlebell or dumbbell)
I typically don't prescribe crunches, sit ups, stationary biking and bench press for my runners because they are already very tight and short in muscle length on the front side. I like prescribing movements that will provide a stretch and a strength. So this one targets the obliques.

4) Deep Squats--> 3x10 adding weight each set.
You might think its silly to prescribe squats when I just told you running is a series of quarter squats. But here is the difference...deep squats, as in getting the hip crease below the knee crease is actually very beneficial for runners. It requires the activation of the glutes, core, and hamstrings to stand back up..AND it stretches those tight hip flexors and calves. If you can't get this low, drop the weight until you can.  I have worked with several ultra runners who could not even squat past parallel because their calves were so tight.

5) Superman's--> 2x20 SLOW...
Lie flat on your stomach. Squeeze the butt tight. Neck in alignment with the back. Head facing down.  Reach your fingertips back toward your heels as you lift your head, shoulders, chest, knees and feet off the floor at the same time, squeeze tight in the back and hold for a second...then slowly release back down to the floor. Keep breathing throughout the movement. Make sure to squeeze the glutes tight before lifting...make them do the work.

 To get MORE workout video's and tips like this sent straight to your inbox, PLUS a 4-week strength training template to fitness and exercise for beginner's....sign up below! I will send you the first workout NOW!

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The BEST Love-Handle Ab Workout.

Just need a mat today...

And a desire to get rid of those love handles. You know those ones that sit right on top of your pants or swimsuit???

Yes, those.  While 80% of this problem is related to your nutrition, I'm still going to show you some exercises to strengthen the muscles that run through that area because if anything else we want to get stronger, right?! More muscle equals faster metabolism!

SO, here's how it goes....
It's called Oblique 8's...
8 sets of 8 of each exercise each side...

8 rounds of:
8 Russian Twist
8 Side Plank Raises (R/L)
8 Side V-Ups
8 Quadraped Reaches

 

Did you know technically you can NOT spot reduce???  But what you can do is increase your lean muscle with strength training and properly programmed cardio and eating enough calories to rebuild this muscle AND therefore BOOST your metabolism.  More muscle equals more fat-burning hormones...and that equals less LOVE handles.  Win-win.

If you are unsure where to begin, I recommend completing my 4-Week Strength Training Template. It delivers daily emails to your inbox with video's, tips and tricks for safe and effective movements, it helps prepare you for building a base strength to boosting that metabolism AND it will help you eliminate that love-handle region.

Sign up below.

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 YES! Please send me 4-Week's of Daily Workouts to Teach me How to Strength Train Safely and Effectively at Home in under 15 minutes a Day!!!

Overcomers Part I

People ask me all the time why I coach exercise. Why I love exercise. And how I stay motivated.

And to be completely honest, it's because of what I experience from it. From my own personal gains. My experiences with other people's success with exercise. But most importantly the changes people have because of their commitment to fitness...

I wrote this series awhile back and want to share it all with you!
Here's Part I...

OVERCOMERS> I am going to be sharing a series of overcoming stories for the next few weeks that are of friends and family who have used exercise as a resource for recovery. Whatever it may be. Addiction. Death. Infertility. Depression. Hurts. Pains. Fear. And many more...
I hope you will listen in, follow along because if you want to discuss non-scale victories. Pay attention. There is a whole other realm to fitness and health and what it can be for you and I.
Tonight's story is: Joey Siela.
I met Joey at a CrossFit competition last fall. I was intrigued. He is what we call "virtuous" as an athlete. All in. Focused. Determined. Intense. Yet makes it look easy. I could sense there was something behind that intensity. Something more. Something beyond maybe even him. But I could feel it. Knew it. So I asked. And this is his story. I wrote this story to appear in the ‪#‎CrossFit‬ journal but have chosen to share it here instead...

Joey Siela has been clean since April 16, 2011. A year and a half before he walked into B-Fit CrossFit. The night of April 15, Siela got as loaded as he could on drugs to try and wipe away the pain he felt from his girlfriend leaving him and taking his two kids. The use of mind-altering drugs worked the past 16 years to avoid pain, but this night it would not. He went to his first recovery meeting the following night and never looked back. Siela’s recovery process is the only way his CrossFit experience is possible. The 12-step fellowship program Siela’s following for his drug addiction and Crossfit have lots of similarities--his recovery program consists of a bunch of people thrust together from diverse backgrounds with one common bond of addiction bringing them together. On the other hand, his new CrossFit gym, ‪#‎HIDDENGYM‬, and its community represents a common bond of fitness and competitiveness. His recovery program and his CrossFit gym filled the voids he was seeking before in drugs...they replaced his "high."
In addition, he says his recovery is a process that is always evolving and never ending-much like CrossFit. Siela shares his experience of recovery and CrossFit in prisons, jails, and recovery centers-and he credits the #HIDDENGYM community for helping push him inside and outside of the walls of the gym.
Now he’s using the #HIDDENGYM movement to help others in need. As people have so generously given to him and helped him, he's ready to do the same. He is an amazing athlete. Dad. And soon to be husband. Owner of his own construction business.
And an amazing ‪#‎overcomer‬.