Actions Speak Louder Fitness & Nutrition with Jill and Eric

Calm wasn’t always in my vocabulary. I used to think that punching/kicking the crap out of a heavy bag or going for a run were the best and only ways for me to de-stress. I thought yoga was too boring and just couldn’t stay still long enough for meditation. What I have discovered with age though, is that we just can’t be busy, excited and rushing around super active all the time. I have learned that our bodies and minds need to find BALANCEwith periods of quiet re...st, recovery and rejuvenation. For women, this is even more important as we go through perimenopause and transition through menopause. We don’t accidentally find ourselves meditating or de-stressing. We have to teach ourselves how to find that balance. Kickboxing, running and HIIT are great ways to deal with frustration and to blow off steam, but they are stimulating. Even playing video games, scrolling through social media or watching tv are stimulating. While entertaining or even mentally relaxing, electronics send powerful stimulation to visual senses. Some activities that I find help me to relax: * a walk * being out in nature * listening to music * mindfulness practice and meditation * massage * deep breathing * laughing * snuggling a loved one or pet * yoga, gentle mobility, and/or slow stretching exercises * a solid, awesome, Kleenex-destroying cry, if you need it (crying actually helps us get rid of stress hormones) * indulging in a trip to the salon to get your hair washed, (or give yourself a spa day at home) * gentle swimming or water immersion (such as a hot tub) * relaxing in a sauna * having sex * singing along to your favorite song (the breathing for singing competes with "anxious breathing"and you end up diverting worry energy into belting out your power anthems) * physical, non-competitive play, like dancing or tossing around a Frisbee Think of de-stressing as purposefully chasing relaxation. These also double as self-love and self-care. Necessary and deserving of all humans. How do you find calm? #calm #relax #chill #relaxation #outdoors #nature #actionspeaklouder #actionsspeaklouder #personaltrainer

Skipping and kickboxing are great ways to sweat , get your heart rate up , build bone and muscular strength and the best benefit is Stress Reduction! Yesterday- didn’t feel like a big workout so just cranked the tunes and had my own dance party . However you like to move- move! Doesn’t have to be a huge gym-based program to make a difference. In fact, if you don’t like that kind of thing, you won’t do it consistently. Try to find something you like- there must ...be SOMETHING! And Just Do It. Your body and your mood will thank you later. #sweatysunday #sunday #workout #exercise #actionspeaklouder #actionsspeaklouder #strongwomen #healthy #personaltraining #personaltrainer #onlinetrainer #womenwholift #womenwhoskip #womenwhodance #activeaging #fitover50

Happy Sunday everyone! Here is a healthy snack/lunch option for any day of the week A rainbow of healthy veggies & fruit: broccoli , cherry tomatoes , cucumbers,red peppers and baby carrots with hummus and orange slices on the side. To make it more of a lunch, add in a slice of multigrain sourdough toast with 1/2 sliced avocado with a dash of balsamic vinegar splashed on top. ... Enjoy!! #actionspeaklouder #actionsspeaklouder #personaltraining #personaltrainer #onlinetraining #diet #nutrition #lifestyle #bodypositivity #fitoverfifty #fitover50 #menopausehealth #menopausemediator #menopauseweightloss #strong #fit #activeaging #sundayfunday #sundayvibes #sundaystrength

A yummy healthy lunch to keep you satisfied till dinner! Multigrain sourdough toast with tuna, fresh mushrooms, broccoli, snow peas and carrots along with sliced kiwi and hummus. A little #mondaymotivation to remember to take care of your health throughout all of the madness

Feeling stressed?? Me too!! One thing that helps when I’m feeling overwhelmed and like my mind Is being pulled in all directions is to take time to focus on my breath. It is something so simple and subtle yet can be used as a powerful tool. When we’re feeling stressed and anxious, the body starts breathing from the chest to prioritize fuelling our muscles and heart in a fight-or-flight response. This is meant to be a short term response to danger, but our current li...ves have placed a lot of us in a constant state where we just can’t seem to calm down. One way to break this habit is to focus on belly breathing, or breathing with the diaphragm. Belly breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which interacts with the parasympathetic nervous system, and in turn results in a calming of the body. 1. When you breathe in, visualize your breath travelling through the upper body, down into the bottom of your stomach. 2. Inhale slowly through the nose, placing your hand on your stomach and pay attention to it rising with each breath. Aim for a count of 5 for your in-breath. 3. Pause briefly, then on your exhale, breathe out slowly for a count of 5 and try engaging the stomach muscles to push out all the air. 4. Pause briefly and then repeat for a few minutes. The more often you practice this exercise the more likely it can become automatic. I use this breathing technique when feeling stressed in traffic, or have difficulty turning off my brain at night to go to sleep. It is also an effective tool to help your body and brain relax and fall back to sleep if you wake up in the night. Women in peri / menopause, take note!! What other techniques or strategies are you using to help deal with stress these days? It's great to share so others can benefit! Leave a comment below with your favourite strategies #actionspeaklouder #actionsspeaklouder #personaltraining #personaltrainer #fitness #nutrition #health #onlinetraining #breathe #justbreathe #activeaging #fitover50 #fitoverfifty #stress #stressreduction #anxiety #mentalhealth

Want to lose weight, build muscle, reduce blood sugar swings, boost your metabolism, recover faster and/or stay full longer?? Eat your protein Protein is essential for good health. It is vital for cell growth, muscle building and tissue repair. Some research even shows that people who eat lots of protein decrease their risk for obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes and heart disease. It is even more important to increase protein consumption as you age to stay healthy and fig...ht off illness. So how much protein is enough? About 30-35 percent of your daily calories ~ about 135-162 grams a day for an active 135 lb woman. A good daily benchmark is between 1.0 and 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight, ensuring you stick to the higher end if very active. For fueling your daily activity and preventing overeating later on in the day, try getting about 25-30 grams of protein with your morning meal, along with your healthy carbs .This morning hit of protein restocks your stores and helps regulate your appetite for the day ahead. check out my story for a healthy super food protein smoothie recipe #actionspeaklouder #actionsspeaklouder #personaltraining #personaltrainer #fitness #fitover50 #fitover50women #menopause #menopausehealth #menopausemediator #health #protein #smoothie #nutrition