Winter Creates My Excuses

Happy Friday Readers.

I hate winter. I hate snow. I hate the cold. I am completely aware that I live in Ohio and I should be accustomed to our winter weather and prepared by the time October comes around BUT.. I am never prepared & by this time I evolve into a grinch because the cold has frozen my heart.

I would usually be waking up preparing for my day — and starting it early at the gym today but I skipped my workout & used the excuse we received more snow overnight so the roads are probably not yet salted and I don’t want to risk sliding and what not. It also doesn’t help that my gym is a 20 minute drive away from where I reside, however, I chose this gym based on recommendations and love the hole in the wall facility and don’t want to find any place closer because I am comfortable at this gym & while they have two locations — the other is not any closer. It would be easy for some to pack up and move someplace warmer but in this day and time, finances are not always stacked just right for everyone to make that decision and I am locked into a lease — so for now, I will suck it up when winter comes around & continue to make excuses for choosing to skip workout days… I am human, remember?

Days like this, I just want to stay indoors and cuddle up to a show and/or movie and snack on something like chips and queso! hah. Today, I have emails to reply to, mail to read, perhaps I might start on my taxes today, I might do some light cleaning, invest in “self” love time — which I don’t have time for during the week because of my work schedule and I am in bed very early (it consist of meditation, and reading a book) on the weekends and sometimes it also includes some exploring of the city and community, trying a new restaurant, visiting a park, etc. Basically anything that makes me happy! but starts with the mediation and reading of a book.

Fitness is the name of the game, but not every blog post will be about something fit & healthy, maybe it will change from time to time to something about life in general, me, travel, etc. whatever comes to mind, the main focus being about fitness & health (mental and physical) but with healthy doses of other topics because my life isn’t just about being a personal trainer and competitive powerlifter — I do have other hobbies & I have thoughts, and I like to ramble about random things from time to time (more than you know) so bare with me, if you came here for a fitness tip today — I didn’t have one prepared & I didn’t have one I was in the mood to discuss — so I decided to start my day with a blog post about my feels on winter seasons and the cold. Don’t hold it against me, I have a ton of topics listed but sometimes I just want to talk about “stuff” & I think that is okay. My only goal for this blog is to share information, create a place to talk about fitness/health, make a safe space to laugh and share your thoughts, meet awesome readers and writers, and allow my blog to grow at its fullest potential — however that happens, doesn’t matter. My personal goal is to be consistent about writing on Friday & Saturdays (sometimes Sundays) — so far I am doing it … last weekend I was out of town for a birthday for my sibling. #Visitingfamily

Tell me what you enjoy about winter or why you don’t like winter at all. Use #Fitnesswonderwoman and tag me in a post showing me what you enjoy or don’t enjoy about the winter season!

Follow, share, like and comment. Looking for a trainer, I do remote training & accepting clients!

Shay-lon Moss #FitnessWonderWoman

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Seasoning without the sauces

Are you have difficulties deciding how to make the meals you enjoy a healthier option? Perhaps, you enjoy cooking but don’t enjoy what you eat unless there is something “added to it.”

If you are like many folks, then you probably have a sauce for every occasion in your household (bbqs, ketchup, mustard, dressing, etc) and while I am part of the majority of Americans who love sauces, I have learned to cut back on the sauces and AMP UP the seasonings!

Believe it or not, sauces add calories, and even though they too have serving sizes — people don’t naturally pick up the ketchup bottle and measure out the 1 tablespoon of ketchup for a burger or fries. GET REAL. Not even I measure this out, so I know there are more like me out there (be honest). I don’t judge those us who use sauces, but if you want an easy way to cut down on your calories but not eliminating the food itself then this is a great option and an easier option because you can now be creative in the kitchen and experiment — no wrong way to go about this, just have to be willing to try something new!

If you are new in the kitchen, then this will be a fun way to get you started & if you are a pro in the kitchen, then this will challenge you a bit to step outside your comfort level. The best part is the whole family can get involved and experiment by trying samples — who doesn’t like free samples?!

1). First things first, find your trouble spot. What sauce do you use the most? what dish(es) do you cook that require sauces? How often do you apply the sauce you use to the particular food (i.e when it runs out, do you apply more?) Do you use more than one sauce for a particular meal (i.e ketchup & mustard), what version of the sauce do you purchase (i.e low fat, no added sugar, low calorie, etc) — this is important because this right here is why you might justify using that particular sauce without realizing that there is a give and take with these labels that market this way).

2). Identify why you use that particular sauce with the meal(s). If you have never had a burger without ketchup and mustard, then you would never know if you “have to have sauce” in order for it to taste good. If you grew up using sauces — that is a why because it is a habit that was formed. If what you eat taste “nasty” without sauces, then there is a problem with the way you are cooking it or what seasoning(s) you have added or not have added OR perhaps you do not like the food in the first place, so you mask the taste in the sauce.

3). Ask yourself what sauces you need & what sauces you like. This is a good way to save money at the store as well because then you don’t have to splurge on sauces that aren’t necessary in your home or that you use very rarely. For me, I have gone YEARS without purchasing ketchup (probably over 4 years now) and while I do like it, I don’t make anything that needs it to the point where I would need to go out of my way to buy it. I can eat a burger without ketchup and if the fries are good, I can eat those without ketchup as well — so if I decide to purchase it, it would be for a rare situation or for guest. However, I do need real mayo because I use that for various things (sandwiches, dressings, cooking, etc.) so point being, decide a need vs want.

4). How do you prefer to prepare your food? Bake, fry, grill, steam… no matter, this is going to make a difference in how your seasonings compliment your food. So explore the different methods.

5). Fresh vs dry seasonings differ as well — the cost is different, the taste can change, the use might be different for different meals. Explore.

6). When all else fails, do your research on different seasonings and how they compliment a meat or vegetable. Find recipes using a certain seasoning, use a combination of seasonings.

7) HAVE FUN! whatever you do, have fun creating it! If you mess up or it comes out wrong, make it again, and don’t worry about failing at this because mistakes make you a better cook! xx

Shay-lon #FitnessWonderWoman

Use hashtag #FitnessWonderWoman & tag me showing me a dish you made — & if you want, share the seasoning(s) you used

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How Strength Operates

Nothing beats the feeling than being able to carry all your groceries inside in ONE trip. “I love making multiple trips to the car to retrieve my groceries” – said by no one ever. If this isn’t enough on its own to inspire you to become a stronger individual, then nothing else I say after this will.

Strength isn’t necessarily about how you look (you can look the part and still be weak)– but instead, how one feels, and how it is utilized for your day to day activities. You don’t have to have be ripped, buff, and manly to be strong. I will repeat this for the ones in the back, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE RIPPED, BUFF, and MANLY to be STRONG!!! Now that we have that out of the way.. strength is in part how you will survive in this world because you have to have the strength mentally & physically to move through life’s courses and without strength, you will have a hard time surviving, thriving, and doing anything that pertains to living. Sadly, many people believe that strength = masculine, steroids, athletics, “too big”, etc. and in return are scared to even lift weights because of false myths.

How to become strong?

  1. challenge your nervous system.
  2. lift weights, use resistance bands, body weight, weight machines
  3. progression

Your nervous system is first in line, then your muscles. The body can do what the mind allows. The nervous system will respond by granting you quicker and more powerful muscle contractions – Barbend

Utilizing tools to help with strengthening your muscles like the ones mentioned above is a good start, remember form and technique is very important. ** I will also add that with strength, you don’t need to do a lot of reps, because you are lifting heavier loads & everyone’s “heavy” will differ pending their fitness level.

Progression is essential. Plateaus are things that happen when one doesn’t challenge themselves beyond their potential. When lifting 5lbs becomes too easy, time to increase the load, or perhaps the volume from 3 reps to 5. Push yourself – but safely. Nothing like hitting a brick wall after gaining so much success.

I love strength for many reasons; yes, I am a strength athlete (competitive powerlifter) but beyond that, I am human just like you & being able to do activities I love in & out of the gym are very important to me. I like to think being able to get out of the bed is something we take for granted, or being able to walk with good posture & body alignment, being able to take out your own trash & for those of you who are parents ——> being able to pick up your children or carry their diaper bag. Strength operates in many forms, but the most important use is when we need it most; everyday doing what we love, our jobs, for our families, for own personal use. “Don’t be afraid to be strong, be afraid of what would happen if you went through life weak” – Shay-lon

Thanks for reading, be sure to add comments, likes & shares!

Use #FitnessWonderWoman on Insta showing me your strength! and what being strong does for you.

Looking for a trainer? contact me!

Shay-lon aka FitnessWonderWoman

Walk With Confidence

Hey everyone!

Back with another post that hopefully creates an interesting perspective of walking (and the importance of walking with a positive attitude).

Many know my blog caters to fitness/health related topics and one might ask, “what does walking with confidence have to do with staying fit?” The truth of the matter is walking is a huge part of being active but not everyone was born with the ability to walk and some might have had situations that prohibit them from being able to walk. This post isn’t about the nature of walking & how it improves your physical well-being – instead this post is about how to walk with a confidence that heightens your self esteem, your self worth, and your overall mental-wellbeing.

Stick with me, when I tell you, your walk is everything & when I say “walk”, I mean the way you carry yourself & present yourself to the world around you. How do you want people to perceive you? Think about this for a moment because no matter what your mode of transportation is (i.e walking, wheelchair, electric scooter, crutches, etc). When you walk into a room, you are vulnerable initially — especially if you are the new guy or girl in town or perhaps started a new job. No matter how nervous, anxiety ridden, or uncomfortable you may feel — the goal is to not allow anyone to take away from your walk (take away from your confidence). As a fitness professional. I find myself watching the way people walk because well obvious reasons being watching their gait and posture BUT also, because it can say a lot about a person as far as how they feel about themselves or the environment.

This might not be true for everyone, but my mom used to get on me all the time about my walk (I would hold my head down the entire time when walking) I was constantly reminded to hold my head up and look around me (be aware of my surroundings) — it wasn’t until many years later that I was finally comfortable doing so & it wasn’t until I realized how I felt about myself at that time vs now that changed my walk. You see, walking isn’t purely about the physical fitness aspect, it is how you present yourself and want people to perceive you. It is a small change that can have a big impact.

I didn’t want this to be a lengthy post, but rather something that gets straight to the point — the point being, how you feel about yourself is IMPORTANT. In order to build on yourself physically, you need to have the right mindset — you need to know what you are about, and be comfortable with who you are. There is a saying my mom uses “Don’t let them see you sweat” LOL it is a saying that stands true because you don’t want someone to have the power to make you feel inferior, to make you feel uncomfortable, take away from your self esteem that you have built up. Change the way you feel about yourself & it will change your walk.

Make sure to use #FitnessWonderWoman on Instagram! and tag me in your post that represent you best! love being able to support my fellow readers and also learning more about you guys!

Looking for a personal trainer? Remote coaching? Nutrition? Got you covered, email me to get started on 2022!

Leave comments, likes, & shares!

Shay-lon Aka FitnessWonderWoman

Surviving Sedentary

Sedentary – “doing or involving a lot of sitting: not doing or involving much physical activity” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Same as fitness/health, being sedentary is a lifestyle choice – sadly a choice many Americans make due to different reasons but totally preventable by choosing to be more mobile in your daily life. Now keep in mind, this isn’t a post meant to judge or guilt trip those of you who may have a sedentary lifestyle, however, my goal is to inform, educate, and to give some insight into what makes this lifestyle choice a harmful one (because in the end, people die from being sedentary) YES! a real thing and most people do not know this. Let’s talk.

If one was to google leading cause of death in America, you would notice the list contains many illnesses – such as the one from this link —–> https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm from 2021 data (this does not include covid-19) but what this list tells me is some of these illnesses if not all, can stem from obesity, lack of physical activity, lack of decent nutritional health awareness & possibly even a lack of knowledge being given to individuals with these illnesses. Now, I do realize some of which can be genetically inherited — but it is a smaller percentage of people who get these genetically vs those who get these illnesses from misinformation, not knowing they even have a health issue in the first place & not moving. For example, a lot of Americans do not know they are pre-diabetic or have diabetes (this alone means they can’t take ownership of this, if they don’t know) & if one does not know, this means they don’t know how to prevent, or treat the situation. How many of you get tested for diabetes regularly? how many of you make appointments with your medical doctor regularly? How many of you are self aware of changes in your body physically and otherwise? I always say, I like to think MOST people are self aware & want to be informed on their wellness, but that doesn’t mean everyone is or wants to be. #Facts

So… in turn, for those of you who do have a mostly sedentary lifestyle, you have to consider what it could do not necessarily in the short term of things (while that is important as well) but also consider how it will effect your life in the long term as well. While, it is true, we might not know our future — we can choose to protect our future self better by choosing to stay moving and being aware of our health/wellness as much as possible. Being “healthy” means something different for each individual, and I treat it as such when working with clients, because everyone’s needs differ, goals differ and bodies differ & quite honestly I’d like to say mental health is then a huge part of this because depending on where you are at mentally and/or emotionally, it could definitely play a part in your physical health as well <—- keep this in mind!

Take a moment to look at this link ——–> https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2018/17_0354.htm. Scroll down a ways and notice the graph presented with ages, activity levels and those who have died vs survived. It is quite interesting to see the differences in age groups and physical activity. Now keep in mind, this was from 2018, but I wanted to share a visual so that you can see how this effects us & our longevity. Now that we have discussed why a sedentary lifestyle is harmful, and how it plays a part in the leading cause of deaths in America; lets turn out attention to ways to stay active MORE!

First and foremost, it is recommended that we get at least 150 min of moderate aerobic exercise on a weekly basis. Seems like a lot, but the goal is to get your heart rate up just enough where maybe you can talk but not necessarily have a full blown long winded conversation. Moderate activity will be different for everyone based on your fitness level, and type of exercise. For example, some may only be able to walk & that is fine! while others will have a higher level of fitness and run and/or jog at a moderate pace. Whatever works, as long as you are moving! Here are some simple ways to get moving:

  1. standing more than sitting — even just pacing back and forth while on the phone
  2. walking your dog (if you have a pet, a great way to stay active)
  3. parking further from the store(s)
  4. 10,000 steps daily. Use a step monitor or FitBit to keep track of your steps daily, make it a fun way to make sure you are staying active
  5. Ride a bike vs driving a car (if you live within distance and it is safe, riding a bike can be a great way to get in some exercise)
  6. Take the stairs! If you have a choice between stairs and using an elevator, try to take the stairs if possible
  7. Swimming. Good option for those who love the water, and also for those who have a hard time walking for long periods of time or have injuries preventing them from being able to walk & swimming is less impactful on the feet & knees.
  8. Household chores. Not everyone’s favorite thing to do, but definitely can be handy in staying active
  9. aerobic based machines (treadmills, stationary bikes, ellipticals, etc)– if you own one, pull it out and put it to good use!
  10. stretching — in the morning, before bed, at work —
  11. Yoga — if you aren’t comfortable going to classes; utilize YouTube for videos for beginners
  12. If you work from home and are at a desk all day, try using a stability ball for a seat instead of a chair (focus on posture, body alignment, balance, even bouncing on the ball while seated can be an activity.

These are just some simple ways to stay moving! remember, exercise doesn’t have to be hard but it should challenge you — get comfortable being uncomfortable, be self aware, and be safe!

Shay-lon Moss Aka #FitnessWonderWoman

Don’t forget to use #FitnessWonderWoman on Instagram & tag me @Shay_FitnessWonderWoman showing me how you stay active!

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