Weekly Wrap up. Week 30. 2024. It's the Olympics!

Weekly wrap up. Week 30. 2024

The Olympics is starting!!

Firstly, no you haven't missed a week. A trusty friend pointed out that I was a week out of sync. I couldnt work out what had happened but think that infuriatingly my "The one where I met the PM" somehow got deleted and I repeat ed week 24 again the following week... SO annoying!

Not a great start to the week. Went into the changing rooms at the spa where I teach and saw WHO I THOUGHT was a good friend, standing with her back to me, on the weighing scales. "Nooo, get off quickly before you break them" said I but sadly, it was a total stranger, who gave me the best glare ever.

What a fantastic Summer of sport! As we wave goodbye to the Euros and Wimbledon, we are going to be fully immersed over the next few weeks as we see the start of the Paris Olympics so what better time to think about staying motivated and moving?!

There is so much information everywhere we look advising us on how to live better, for longer and how to be more healthy. We know this. We know about exercise and excluding processed food and why movement makes us feel better and how bad stress is and how important sleep is. Do you find it a bit boring or just simply feel it is information overload or do you actually take it on board with a view to making some subtle life changes?

I am typing this today (Wednesday) on "International Self Care Day" and before you yawn and sigh and swipe to another page to read, please just stop and take a moment to consider this. We have all been through the safety briefings on a flight, where we are advised (in case of emergency) to put on our own oxygen mask before then helping others. That can be used metaphorically throughout life and as the last schools are breaking up and families may be descending, is this not the best time to consider some personal boundaries and taking some small but effective steps to take best care of ourselves?

I see the numbers in my classes drop off dramatically in August and with good reason. You are on holiday, you have family staying, you are the family staying, you do not need to get up early, you need a break... all perfectly reasonable and understandable statements. However, if that then leads to weight, moving less and eating more just to return in September feeling fat, sluggish and yeuch, then what kind of holiday is that?

We used to discuss attitude to exercise when I worked on the Juicy retreats - so you "want a holiday? you want a break?" - a break from what? being fit and well and strong and healthy?!!

Every day you put it off, makes it much, much harder to then pick back up. Remember that! You are already factoring your exercise into your daily schedule so rather than just stopping, keep that commitment but halve the time?

Maybe this August, use the Olympic Games to motivate and inspire you!

Perhaps rather than letting it all fall off a cliff, try to plan just something short and simple every day. Dr. Rangan Chatterjee - (another podcast I really recommend) discusses this. He says that we clean our teeth twice a day for 2 mins. That is 4 mins a day. We do it because it is habit and it is easy. So add to that . 4 Minutes. YES, FOUR MINUTES! Nobody is "too busy" to not fit in 4 minutes. Hey! Live on the edge - round it up to 5? max. Promise yourself you will do 5 mins a day of squats or lifting some weights, or stepping up and down the bottom stair of the staircase or treading water in the sea or marching on the spot - choose anything!

Make it really simple and really accessible and make it a daily habit.

Focus on the end goal which is to make this a life hack that is as familiar and routine as cleaning your teeth.

Imagine the satisfaction of returning from holiday feeling rested but still well, energised and fit. Set an example to those around you who are perhaps less motivated.

“Think of your workouts as important meetings you schedule with yourself. Bosses don’t cancel”

EXERCISE SNACKS

August challenge. For my part to support you and to offer ideas, I am putting together some short 5 and 10 min classes in the Snack Bar for you to access - I will do some "Rise and Shine" mobility and from there, a whole range of different quick exercise snacks, that you will be able to do wherever you are so keep an eye in the library as I will be loading these over the next week or so.

NEW CLASSES GOING IN SO FAR - between 8 - 14 mins...

Strength - Back and shoulders - weights

Strength Legs - weights

Strength - Abs

Full body Rise and Shine mobility

Mobility - backs

Mobility lower body

Mobility chest and shoulders

To see more about the challenges, please go to the library and remember that there are lots of new classes in there already.

What’s coming up.

It is New Forest Show week and I shall be missing in action from Monday lunchtime, being terribly busy and important. Clare will be taking over the reins and as always please keep an eye on the calendar! I hope to see several of you at the show and am absolutely delighted to share that Becky who is currently working on my website and who I did my recent photo shoot with is official Show Photographer so if you see her (bright pink hair, carrying cameras!) do say hi!

The August challenge - going up in the library in the next few days. I hope you join in and as always, keep me posted on progress and how you got on in your July challenge.

We are going to postpone the Isle of Wight day out until Sept - August is getting too busy but please do put lunch in your diary for Wed Sept. 11th for an end of Summer catch up. Details to follow but it will be New Forest based.

Finally

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” Muhammad Ali

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” –Aristotele

“Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, just pretend that you do and at some point, you will.” – Venus Williams

Have a great weekend everyone and I hope you are glued to the OLYMPICS - watch out for some "fun" in our classes as I get inspired!!

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