JenOni

self-care

Fitness Lifestyle: Home Workouts for Four Years

fitness lifestyle a picture of sneakers, dumbbells and a water bottle

Fitness Lifestyle: Fitness at Home Four Years Later

A fitness lifestyle requires commitment. This is the one activity that remains consistent. In four years, I went from working in the office to two years of working from home. When the pandemic created a lockdown it was easy to continue my home workouts. Two years of living with a pandemic and trying to stay healthy were challenging. My workouts helped to deal with stress. As much as fitness helps physically it is my stress relief for mental health. I decided to forego a gym membership and continue with my home workouts. In four years I have logged at least 300 home workouts. I skipped some weeks because the reality of life sets in and the body can benefit from rest days. A fit lifestyle is not always perfect and the most important lesson learned is to use the next week to reset.

Fitness Lifestyle Workout Schedule

  1. Plan a weekly schedule. how many days? what time works best? AM or PM Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday I prefer an evening workout.
  2. Choose workouts that make sense. YouTube is my go to for free workouts. My favorite certified trainer is Body Fit by Amy. She always provides a warm-up, modifications, and cool down. Some of my other favorites on YouTube include Well + Good, Fitness Blender, The Live Fit Girl, Caroline Jordan, Mad Fit, Workout Hotel, and Mr&Mrs Fitness. On YouTube you can search under thousands of key words such as cardio, strength training, yoga, pilates, HIIT or under equipment key words. There are fitness apps for a fee but I opt to use free workouts. Do what makes sense for you.
  3. Equipment: home workouts require space and storage for equipment. I have invested in dumbbells, kettlebells, core sliders, mat, high density foam roller, resistance bands, medicine ball, stability ball. My two favorites are my TRX and a BOSU ball. If home workouts are an option, you can also find plenty of workouts using only body weight.
  4. Space: Where you can workout is important to stick to a schedule.
  5. Apparel: Dress in your best fitness apparel to prepare for each workout
  6. Stay consistent, if necessary find an accountability partner, find a social media fitness group for motivation

Nutrition

The best suggestion I found for nutrition is to create balanced meals that are rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean protein. One of my initial apps that were very helpful was MyFitness Pal which tracks foods. I am not a fan of eliminating foods I love but choose to eat in moderation. My best advice is find what works for you and stick to it. This fit lifestyle is not a one size fits all. Also, reaching out to a registered dietician to create a plan is a great idea.

Monthly Massage at Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa for Self-Care

Monthly Massage Location

A monthly massage is for my physical and mental self-care. Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa is five minutes away and the perfect location for a monthly massage.

Arriving at Spa


It is best to arrive fifteen minutes early for the first appointment to fill out paperwork. The spa forms asked questions related to health, current medications, health conditions, and emergency contact, physical problem areas, and the reason for service.

Front Desk

The waiting area has comfortable seating and is very inviting for clients.

Monthly Massage Waiting Area
Waiting Area
Monthly Massage Waiting Area
Waiting Area

Monthly Massage Waiting Area
Waiting Area

Massage Room

My massage concentrated on my upper body and lower body on both sides.

Monthly Massage Room
Massage Room

Inside the massage room, it felt very peaceful with relaxing music. It was clean and smelled wonderful. I scheduled a Swedish massage and told the therapist my preferred firmness for the massage. The therapist used a soothing oil for the entire massage. One suggestion I would make is to let the therapist know your feelings on a conversation.

Membership Package

My cost for the monthly membership is $59.99 with no contract. I am looking forward to my next massage next month for more relaxation and self-care. I found several reasons to return to the spa next month that include the friendly staff, clean restrooms, comfortable waiting area, and quiet massage rooms.

New Year Goals for Physical and Mental Health

This picture brings such good emotions as it was my first momcation in nine years. As I have stated in previous years, I do not like resolutions but need to focus more on yearly goals. This is a year for a big milestone birthday and I plan to capture taking care of self each month. I realized how I have neglected taking care of self and not until my solo trip to Miami did I realize how necessary it is to have no schedule. My trip was only for a few days but being near the ocean and beach was refreshing. I loved not having an alarm clock set, no plans, no schedules, and most of all no disgruntled kids in the background. Parenting is a full-time job and yes it is absolutely a must to clock out to focus on self.

My goals for this year is to maintain my home workout fitness regimen. I feel it is important to encourage women over 45 to exercise, eat better, and take care of their mental well-being. Another goal is to do more travel solo and with the kids.

In 2018, I committed to scheduling manicures and pedicures. Also, found a new aesthetician for waxing and the best seasonal facials. My pampering goals will include:

  • monthly massages
  • manicures and pedicures
  • facials

I realize my physical health is not just about working out and eating better but also making changes that impact of my overall physical health.

  • taking multivitamins and supplements
  • drinking more water
  • more sleep (scheduling and sticking to a bedtime) – my physician assistant gave me a number of ways to help in this area which I will share on a later post.

Now for my mental health, this is a tough one because every day is so dynamic. The idea of juggling life outside of the home and then life at home as a parent is challenging.

  • trying yoga at least once a month
  • disconnecting from social media at the end of my day

I am optimistic for a healthier and happier 2019.

Self-Care with Purpose and Intention for My Well-Being

 

The term self-care is used all over the internet but I struggle with the how and when of it all.   It just dawned on me this year how much I neglected really taking care of myself.    Last year, I started taking my health seriously by choosing to commit to a fitness regimen and eating better.    It is week 37 and I am extremely pleased with the results and the need to schedule my fitness sessions each week and plan my meals accordingly.   It was never about losing weight but building a more fit and leaner body.   The true key to results is consistency in working out and committing to eating the right foods that help with meeting goals.   I am more conscious of why I need to eat certain foods and why I refrain from certain foods.

Another focus for me is to carve out time to treat myself to something simple.   When I have a few hours or a least an hour to spare I started scheduling a nail polish change, manicure or pedicure as a treat.   For the first time in my 48 years,  I scheduled a facial.  What in the world is wrong with this picture?   It was the best experience to have a treatment that keeps me on top of my skincare.   It was the best fifty minutes spent in a long time for me to relax and enjoy the pampering.     I found the best aesthetician in the area who is the absolute best for skincare treatments.   The best part for me is hours on Saturday and Sunday.   I have committed to scheduling one service per month.   For me to commit to anything monthly is a first.   Next, on my agenda is to schedule a massage quarterly.  I think my last message was four years ago and I only scheduled a 1/2 hour.   Again, what was I thinking?   I have a favorite place for my massages and plan to return shortly.

Also taking time away to decompress is a MUST! I am now looking at this as an investment in myself.