The cool weather is reminding us that winter is coming so, if you're like me, and from what I'm seeing on social media, many of us are out soaking up the last of the sunny days
Although, to be honest, out here in Silicon Valley, I'm just happy to have that most recent heat wave behind us!
Anywho, part of staying consistent for me has involved getting outside and running. And I'm seeing a lot of people signing up for a couch to 5k or a half marathon to get them inspired to move. Which I LOVE!
And because I LOVE helping you find ways to move, I want to make sure you are all able to make your running habit as Savage as possible so your body and mind can feel their best.
If you're a runner (or you do anything physical repetitively, like swimming or cardio machines) OR if you are considering becoming one, here are the 3 things you NEED to do to help keep your routine sustainable for both your mind and body:
1. Focus on a long terms goal
An impending race or a couch to 5k program are great for getting you moving and motivating you to keep it up, but have you considered what you'll do when you're done? For many, myself included, training for something at a specific date is super motivating, but once I'm done, I stop.
Consider what motivated you to sign up for this. I bet that has more to do with how you FEEL. Remind yourself of the better quality sleep you're getting, the better you're eating to take care of your body, and the pride you feel about kicking so much a$$!
These things are what will keep you getting back out there long past the race and the more you practice appreciating them, the easier it will be to remind yourself why you're doing this when motivation or inspiration are low.
2. Don't forget to strength train!
This is KEY! Not just for injury prevention, but for increasing your output, running faster, and making sure your body doesn't settle in too much to the running movement pattern.
As your body does any motion repetitively, it gets very efficient at it, so the physical health benefits you get out of it decrease over time.
Changing your routine and the way your body is moving is the best thing you can do to keep your body healthy. And it’s not just lifting some light hand weights while you tap it back, making sure your strength training involves mobilizing your joints in all the ways they’re designed to move is what will keep your body healthy.
Savage tip: I have a series of 12 workouts (available in the Virtual Gym) designed as a "couch to 5K" for strength training and creating healthy movement patterns - Here's a sneak peak: Workout 2, which is awesome to get in to your routine to keep your hips and core healthy!
3. STRETCH
Okay this one is just as important as the first 2. I just can't pick a fave! If you get injured, you'll stop. You'll have to. And you'll wind up probably even more sedentary than you were before you started. And chronic pain SUXXXXXX.
So don't skip the stretching. You'll also want to get yourself a foam roller and massage balls to help roll out the especially tight muscles to keep your body moving pain free.
(I also have stretching and foam rolling videos in the Virtual Gym -- you can find the links to a couple and read more about my best running tips in this blog post from archives!)
Ok, let’s do one last bonus must-do: COMMIT!
When you decide to start, decide to commit. Go through the excuses you know you’ll make or that you’ve made in the past and find the way to talk yourself through them. Commit to running in the rain or when it’s hot or finding an indoor activity to replace it (hint: any of my workouts can be done with a 3 minute HIIT interval added after every 3 exercises to get you that cardio!). Commit to going for a walk or a shorter run on the days that you feel unmotivated. Commit to doing this for you and you will be successful!
Now get out there and get moving, mama!
love,
Shannon
PS. We have so many new community members (YAY!) and I want to get to know you all and help you get to know Savage Wellness, so...
I'm hosting a FREE 5 day Create Your Healthy Life masterclass in our Savage Moms Facebook group beginning Oct. 30.
This will be all about learning my proven approach to creating healthy habits that will stick and keep you feeling amazing. We'll have worksheets and homework and at the end of the 5 days, you'll walk away with your own action plan to Savage up your life and start feeling back in control of your health and happiness.
Even if you've worked with me before or are currently working with me, you won't want to miss this! You'll walk away with a ton of knowledge and inspiration!
This is the same process I use to help design your 90 day action plans which costs $250 and I'll be giving it away to you FOR FREE.
So make sure you've joined the group! Tell your friends and have them join the Savage Moms Facebook group, too -- having the people you love join you in your healthy living efforts will make you 100x more successful (ok I made that number up, but it's huge!) and you get to feel awesome helping the people you love learn to prioritize their health and happiness, too! Boom! Win-win.