My Favorite Things: March
After skipping February (which was the shortest week of my life while January was the longest year of my life, I tell you what!), it's time for another installment of my favorite things!
1. The Nutritional Therapy Consultant Program
I started a nine month continuing education program through the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA) about three weeks ago, and I am loving all of the information thus far! Obviously, I've done other CEC classes in the past with the Balanced Bites Master Class, IIN, and The 21 Day Sugar Detox Coaches program, but the NTC program is what I originally looked into about two and a half years ago when I was trying to figure out my life. It's better late than ever to jump in and continue to learn! All part of my five year goals and plan for myself. Anyway, the class is mostly online based with one 3-day, in person workshop in May (so excited!), and includes about 14 books as well all discussing holistic nutrition and how it can heal the body. It's definitely keeping me busy, but those of you who know me know that 1) I like to be busy, and 2) I love to learn, especially about nutrition. I can't wait to take this knowledge going forward to continue to help as many people find health as possible!
2. Ginger Essential Oil
Ever since a bout of extreme stress almost three years ago, I've been fighting an uphill battle to get my digestive system back on track. Those of you who know me or read the blog regularly probably know about my "could kill me" list of foods. Obviously, the foods on that list won't actually kill me, they just make my life pretty miserable. But, I've found that chewing my food, slowing the heck down, relaxing, and taking ginger essential oil internally really seem to help keep my digestion on track. It's a work in progress, and I definitely took a step back in January because of how stressful and crazy that month (*year*) was, but I'm ready to start making changes and getting back on track once again!
3. Low-Bar Back Squats
My coworker Ben (who will never, ever read this, so HI BEN!) helped teach me the technique of low-bar back squats, which has been transformational in assisting me towards my goal of squatting two plates (225#) by the end of the year. Fingers crossed! It's definitely something different than I'm used to, but that's what achieving goals takes - trying something new rather than doing the same thing over and over and expecting new or different results!
Here's a few links if you are interested in learning more for yourself:
4. A New Workout Regime
Tagging off of low-bar back squats comes my switch to a new workout program at the start of February. I kept my days and split the same (five days per week, three upper body days and two lower body days), but I switched things up a bit. First, I made concrete rep schemes that I hit each week. Previously, I was just doing whatever I felt like, typically 5x5. But, by adding in more days of 4x8, 10x3, or the real killer 3x10, I was able to add variety to the weights I was using and break through the plateaus in some of my bigger lifts. Second, I also increased the amount of bicep and tricep work I do each week (arm goals!) to twice a week. Lastly, I started squatting twice a week (yay low-bar back squats!) and moved deadlifting to Sundays with back. I thought I wouldn't like the switch, but so far, it seems to be working great! Again a reminder - if what you are doing isn't working or you've hit a plateau, don't just "try harder." Try something new! You can always go back to the way it was if it doesn't work, but the body responds better to different stimuli. Trust me.
5. Saying F*** It
I think I saved the best for last. One of the things that I'm constantly trying to work on is not caring so much about what other people think of me. It is something I think a lot of us struggle with but just don't voice. Again, my coworker Ben has come to my rescue again when he told me a few months ago to just say f*** it. The opinions of other's really don't matter because they are just that - opinions. Easier said than done, but I'm getting better at brushing things off and moving on with my life. Plus a little cussing every now and then is okay, right?!
How has the first two months of your New Year been? Hopefully spring is right around the corner for us all, which will cycle in one of my all time favorite things: walks at Holmes Lake :)
xoxo Olivia
