Life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent of how I react to it.
– Charles Swindoll
We are always trying to learn how to improve our health and well-being as you read in “Eat Better and Move Better“. Here are a few of the books we have read.
One book that was very eye-opening was “How Not to Die” by Micheal Greger. The first part goes over the top 15 causes of death in the United States and how they are preventable by the food we eat. The second part goes over his Daily Dozen of recommended foods to eat every day to prevent disease. Very informative. Good Read.
Another favorite is “The Ripple Effect”, by Dr. Greg Wells. Living by the mantra of “improve just 1% each day”, Dr. Wells shows you how SLEEP helps you EAT better, which helps you MOVE better, which helps you THINK better, which in turn helps you SLEEP better. It’s a continuous cycle to improve your life.
We read “Becoming a Supple Leopard” by Dr. Kelly Starrett when we are feeling sore. He has great tips for improving athletic performance, preventing injury, and treating aches and pains.
One of our favorite relationship books is “The 5 Love Languages” by Dr. Gary Chapman. There are five ways people give and receive love. Knowing yourself and your partner’s love language can make a world of difference in your relationships.
One of the best ways to get more veggies in your diet is to eat salads. We like to eat salad for lunch and many times we will use leftovers from dinner for our protein. We love red and green leaf lettuce and usually add baby spinach as well. The salad can and should contain as many vegetables as possible. We like red onion, carrots, orange or red bell peppers, grape or vine tomatoes, and cucumbers. Sometimes we add avocado or garbanzo beans for our healthy fat. We also add at least a teaspoon of ground flaxseed for omega 3’s. Sometimes we will make vegan parmesan cheese to sprinkle on our salads for an extra treat! Once you have your veggies cut up you can add whatever protein and dressing you like. Be careful with dressing quantity as many dressings contain a high amount of sugar. We use a minimal amount of balsamic vinaigrette for our dressing or sometimes we will search Ecosia make our own. For this meal, we had leftover tuna steak. Other options would be shrimp, chicken, tuna fish, ground turkey, or tofu. Enjoy!
“Sometimes you have to move on without certain people. If they’re meant to be in your life, they’ll catch up.”
— Mandy Hale
“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.”
— Wayne Dyer
Although we are only posting workouts on Wednesdays, you should try to do something to get your body moving every day, whether it be a 15-minute walk outside or getting up from your desk and walking the stairs in your office every hour. You can also repeat our Weekly Wednesday Workouts two to three times a week. Also, please comment or email me if you need suggestions for modifications or further challenges. And please let me know what else you would like to see!
In this workout, you will do each movement 7 times then move on to the next one. You will repeat the whole round 7 times.
- 7 jumping jacks
- 7 air squats
- 7 push-ups
- 7 sit-ups
- 7 burpees
- 7 lunges
- 7 tricep dips
Besides modifying each movement as described below and on this video, you can also modify the rounds. If you get to four rounds and feel like you have done enough then stop. You can also take a one minute break between each round to give yourself a rest.
For the Beginner:
- 7 jumping jacks=step side to side with arms up
- 7 air squats=squat onto a chair and stand back up
- 7 push-ups=push-ups against the wall
- 7 sit-ups=crunches
- 7 burpees=step back, no push-up
- 7 lunges=hold onto a chair for balance
- 7 tricep dips=on the ground
To make it more Challenging:
- 7 jumping jacks=jump rope
- 7 air squats=use a weight
- 7 push-ups=knees off the floor, chest to the ground
- 7 sit-ups=use weight
- 7 burpees=chest to floor
- 7 lunges=use weight
- 7 tricep dips=legs straight out, add weight
“Family isn’t always blood, it’s the people in your life who want you in theirs: the ones who accept you for who you are, the ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.”
-Maya Angelou
As you read in “How Did I Get Here?” I went to Thailand in 2015 to teach English to Thai students. I remember having that feeling that I just needed to take the leap and get out of my mundane routine. I figured since I was going halfway around the world I might as well leave a month early and visit a few European countries along the way. So I made plans, reserved flights, got documents together, resigned from my job, and put my house up for rent. I was ready…or so I thought. But when my mom, sister, and niece took me to the Washington, D.C. airport, I was so scared, had a few moments of hesitation, and had a fleeting thought of not even going at all.
My sister was seven months pregnant, my grandparents were elderly, and my mom didn’t want me to go. I didn’t want to miss my grandpa’s 90th birthday which was coming up, and I didn’t want to miss the birth of my nephew. But I also knew no matter when I went (because I was determined to go), I would miss something. So, in the end, I cried, hugged them super tightly, took the leap and got on the plane.
I was on my way. I was nervous, but I was also confident because I knew I wasn’t totally on my own. I was meeting up with new friends, old friends, and friends I hadn’t seen in over 10 years. I love that friendships span the distance of years and oceans and pick up right where they left off.
I flew from D.C. to Zurich, Switzerland with a brief stop in Iceland. I landed in Zurich and somehow found my way from the airport to the hotel where I was meeting my friend Samm. My friends, Samm and Nate, were a couple I knew from Richmond, VA. They had been living in Switzerland for a couple of years. Nate worked in Lausanne, and Samm worked in Zurich. Because I was meeting up with them in a few weeks, she did me a huge favor and took my big suitcase with her to Lausanne so I was left with just my backpack for the next three weeks. We had a nice dinner, some wine and went to bed early. The next day she took me to the train station and helped me catch the correct train to Munich.
I loved the train ride and felt so strong. I was actually doing it! I had taken the leap and was in Europe all by myself! It was beautiful, exciting, and overwhelming. I was meeting up with Katherine in Munich for Oktoberfest. Katherine was the one from Richmond who introduced me to Greenheart Travel and inspired me to take the leap to teach in Thailand.
Although many people think Oktoberfest is in October, it actually starts in mid-September and ends the beginning of October. Neither one of us had been so we were super excited to go. Oktoberfest was completely different than I imagined it. I don’t know what I thought it would be, but it was like a big carnival with tons of beer tents and rides. We walked around, tasted different beer and food, and sampled some great desserts!
The next day, we did a walking tour through Munich. The churches were breath-taking and the cathedrals were amazing. We explored the English gardens, went up in the tower to see the city from above, saw some breathtaking views, watched river surfing, and explored Residenz Palace. Check out more pictures of our German adventure here.
We found the walking tour through an app called Triposo. If you are traveling to another country I highly suggest this app. It has wonderful travel tips, suggestions for sites to see as well as offline maps that help you to navigate the city without cell service. Also, if you are interested, The Blond Abroad has a great post about Oktoberfest as well as other travel destinations!
We had a great time! Germany was a fabulous country. The bus system was easy to use and people were there to celebrate and have fun. At the end of the third day, Katherine and I went our separate ways. She found her way to the train station, and I found my way to the airport. Next stop, Helsinki, Finland. Only four days in, and I was so thankful I had taken the leap of faith.
“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”
– Napoleon Hill
“The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with One Step.”
-Lao Tzu