Bulking Season!

The nip in the air tells me it is officially bulking season! I love bulking season because it means fewer work outs, more food and rewarding results. 

It is a commonly held myth that bulking season is only for men, but it is great for women too. Ladies, this is your chance to get stronger and let your body bulk up with out worrying how you look in a bikini - it is amazingly freeing.

My boyfriend and I schedule out two or three “bulking” workouts each week. These workouts consist of a whole body, heavy weight movements. An example workout for this would be 5x5 squats, 5x5 bench-press, 5x5 barbell rows, and then a super set of 2x8 pull-ups/pull downs, 2x8 lateral raises and 2x8 sit ups.

Then between the bulking days we do light running, yoga or a light target day (swimming would also be great if you have access to an indoor pool).

For diet, we eat similarly to ketosis but we include more carbs. Our day to day meals look usually look something like this: breakfast - greek yogurt (all fat and low sugar) or protein shake; lunch - chicken, full fat ground beef or turkey, or bacon and eggs; and for dinner - pasta with meat balls/meat sauce, and lots of cheese, or crock pot beef stew. 

We also eat plenty of the snacks throughout the day like rice cakes, apples, baby carrots, dried figs, etc. The key to bulking season eating is higher protein and carbs, but still maintaining a balanced diet with fruits and veggies.

Carmyn is an opinionated keyboard pecker, graphic designer, part time model and bikini enthusiast.

Benifits of Yoga!

Yoga is unique from most kinds of exercise because it requires the participant to slow down and focus on themselves. In almost no other form of exercise is your breathing pattern so crucial.

The structure of yoga, the breathing, deliberate flow of motions and the the introspection that occur during practice are both healing and strengthening. Yoga is great for anyone who feels overwhelmed or just needs a little "me time". It has always been a crucial pracrice for me before a big project is due. Yoga gives me peace to unwind.

Growing up, one of my aunts was a yoga instructor so I have been able to witness the benefits first hand. It is a fairly user friendly activity - my aunt had a steel rod in her back and she was still as capable as any other instructor I have ever had.

Also, yoga fosters endurance and strength. In the world of growing popularity of lifting heavy weight, the benefit of body weight exercises are often forgotten. However, yoga defines muscles by using your own body as resistance while at the same time increasing flexibility.

You can also ramp up yoga's intensity by going to hot yoga (my personal favorite). Hot yoga is practiced in a studio heated from about 90°F to 104°F - so don't forget to drink plenty of water before hand. Hot yoga is awesome for detox and weight loss.

So next time you are feeling stressed or maybe just need to focus on you. I definitely recommend giving yoga a try.

How to Take Care of Yourself While Working From Home

How to Take Care of Yourself While Working From Home

It seems that as technology improves, more and more people are getting to work from home. From a wellness perspective I have found this to be both a blessing, and a curse. Ideally, I should have the time to meal prep delicious and healthy meals, hit the gym, and have a perfect ergonomic set up.

However, these goals are easier said than done. Because trust me, it is easy to stay in your pjs, eat mac n cheese for lunch every day and work from your bed or couch.

To combat falling into this lazy cycle I have found it best to set your own rhythm and stick to it. 

Get up and start your day with a light breakfast (think fruit, yoghurt or protein shake/bar) and go work out. And lets be real, workout clothes are almost as comfortable as pjs so it won’t be that rude of an awakening.

Or if you don’t feel like hitting the gym or going for a run I like to plan a light body weight circuit to space out my day that I can jump into every two or three hours. For me that means crunches, push ups, planks, air squats etc. Do a little research and find a circuit that works for you - I recommend Pinterest or bodybuilding.com, both are simple to use and have a million ideas for circuit workouts. Another benefit of circuit workouts at home is that way you are not sitting too long. Sitting and staring at a screen for too long can cause muscle cramps and eye fatigue so I try to do all I can to combat those.

Next, to force myself to eat healthy I do crock pot meals on Sundays and keep healthy snacks on hand. By making food in the crock pot all I have to do is heat up small portions when it is meal time, making eating as easy as possible. As far as snacks go I try to have trail mix, cheese sticks and other high protein options to keep me full.

Lastly, an ergonomic desk and chair would be ideal. However, if you are like me and saving up to that set up, then you need a different solution. Do you best to elevate your screen so you are not over extending your neck. By having a raised screen it also gives you the option to stand. Stand whenever you can to improve posture and blood flow.

I hope these tips help!

Instagram @carmynisabella, Freelance page isabellajamesdesigns.com 

The Dangers of Self Appointed Expectations

Wellness can be a very personal topic. Carmyn's first Wellness Wednesday piece is a little bit of an introduction to her, she touches on a topic that many of us have struggled with, and discusses the realization that helped her cope. Many of us get a idea in our head of where our life SHOULD be at a specific time and point. We feel like we are failing at life because real life doesn't match that idea. Don't let those feelings set you back. 

Be sure to check back weekly for Carmyn's Wellness Wednesday feature each week, where she will discuss mental, physical, dietary, and emotional wellness!

I never thought that I would classify myself as mentally unwell. I am generally a happy person. I have a loving family, the best boyfriend and two purry fur babies.

I recently graduated from the University of Tennessee in May and ever since then I have been doing whatever I can for work, making cold calls and cleaning houses included. After receiving the chancellor’s award for “Outstanding Professional Promise” in April this is not where I expected to find myself at all.

Mentally I became somewhat unwell. I experienced a mental barrier between what I thought I deserved and what was offered to me in terms of a career. This caused me to shut down on my job search and to hesitate on going to the gym, which is usually a staple for me.

It all seemed to culminate on a haphazard beach trip that we took to “relax”. While on the trip we managed to lose the one set of keys to our rental, forget all of our clothes in the dresser, and to top it all off, I found out that I was passed up for a job that I thought was certainly going to be offered to me.

The culmination of these things should have made me explode. However, it forced me to mentally let go of thinking that everything was going to be perfect just because that is what I thought it should be. As cliché as it is to say, life happens.

Upon realizing that nothing is going to happen a certain way just because that is what I want is refreshing and freeing. So if you are like me, and are having feelings that things are not going your way, I implore you to take a step back and take a deep breath. Define what is in your control and what is not and let go of what isn’t. I think that you will find that your mental wellbeing will improve exponentially. 

Carmyn is an opinionated keyboard pecker, graphic designer, part time model and bikini enthusiast.

How to run a business as an introvert

How to run a business as an introvert

Today we have a guest blog by Clare Diston. Clare is a freelance editor and proofreader who loves working with independent authors. She works on fiction and non-fiction through her business, Human Voices Editorial Services.

I am an introvert, no question, and I also run my own business. Are those two things incompatible? Some people might think so, but the real answer is an emphatic NO.

There are lots of definitions of the term ‘introvert’: it can mean someone who is shy and quiet; someone who directs their attention and energy inwards; or someone who gets their energy from being alone. That last definition is my favourite—I used to be extremely shy, but now I like to think I’m OK at holding a conversation and making a good impression. The difference is that, after a social binge, I need to ‘recover’ by being by myself and doing my own thing. I like people, but I need my own company too.

In many ways, I’m more suited to the self-employed, work-alone lifestyle than I am to working in an office: I don’t really like small talk and I can’t sustain it all day, I HATE phone calls, and I feel unreasonably immense pressure when I have to make anyone else a cup of tea. But being an introvert is by no means a death knell for entrepreneurial flare, and it can even be a real advantage to starting a business and making it work.

So if you’re an introvert who wants to start a business, here are my 6 tips for making your introversion work for you!

1. Acknowledge your strengths

It’s easy to look at introverted characteristics in a negative light, but if you just reframe them you can see that they’re actually strengths. You’re not unsociable, you like your own company. You’re not quiet, you’re focused. You’re not a bad team player, you’re an excellent solo star. If you know you work best alone and you come across better in writing than face to face, play to your strengths: start a business that you can do by yourself (might I recommend editing and proofreading?) and sell yourself in emails and written pitches.

2. Embrace email

Speaking of email—when you run your own business, you can more or less choose how you communicate with your contacts. I had a couple of temp jobs when I was a teenager which involved answering phones all day and it was HELL for introverted me. Now, in my business, I communicate almost exclusively over email or Skype messaging. None of my clients have my phone number. Of course, some phone calls are inevitable (and if a client wants one, do it), but it’s so pleasant to work without that constant dread of the phone ringing.

3. Allow yourself to recharge

If you do end up having to make a phone call or attend a face-to-face meeting, give yourself some time to recharge afterwards. For introverts, spending lots of time with people can be draining—especially in a more intense business situation—so it’s important to get your energy back by taking some alone time and rewarding yourself with something fun. You might dance around the living room, pelt out your favourite song at the top of your lungs, or treat yourself to your favourite snack. Plus, knowing you’ll get a reward for your efforts will make you more likely to do it again.

4. Push yourself

You might be tempted to think you can do it all yourself, but no entrepreneur is an island, and a huge part of running a successful business is making connections. That means you’re going to have to go to meetings and networking events, and you’re going to have to talk to people. Sounds scary? It is, so don’t give yourself the chance to chicken out. Book well in advance, spend money on tickets, and set yourself a target like talking to three people or giving away five business cards. Harness all that self-motivated energy to get you out of the door and you might even find you have fun!

5. Practice your elevator pitch

When you deliberately put yourself in situations where you will meet people, they’re going to want to know about you and your business, so have a brief ‘elevator pitch’ prepared. This is a short summary of who you are, what you do, why/when you started, and perhaps a funny or interesting one-sentence summary that will stick in your listeners’ minds (mine is: “Anything to do with words, I’m your girl!”). Crucially, you need to practice this, so when all eyes turn on you, you can take a deep breath and take comfort in the fact that you already know what to say.

6. Encourage other introverts

As an introvert, you’re best placed to recognised introversion in others, and to help them with it. If you’re at an event and you spot someone sitting alone at a table looking terrified, approach them—after all, you know exactly how they’re feeling! Similarly, if you notice a fellow introvert trying to say something and getting talked over by the more extroverted in the room, ask their opinion and encourage them to speak. By promoting solidarity between introverts and helping the ones who are just starting out, we all stand to benefit. Maybe one day you could even pass on your wisdom in a blog post about running a business as an introvert…

Written 2-22-2017 by Clare Diston for Human Voices titled How to Run a Business as an Introvert. Reposted with permission by Live Laugh Love Nashville – Wellness Wednesday Feature .

[The below website link will connect you with Clare Diston at Human Voices. Plus follow her on social media.]

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The Art of Letting Go

 The Art of Letting Go

We’ve all seen or at least heard of the TV show Hoarders. Some of us watch, with guilty fascination, our fellow humans trapping themselves inside walls of things. Psychologists have acknowledged hoarding as a mental illness. There’s anxiety that is associated with hoarding in an almost cyclic fashion. Anxiety is both a cause and a product of hoarding. Many of us that haven’t quite jumped the line between being packrats and being hoarders don’t realize that we are suffering from a milder version of a real condition. Not being able to get rid of that dress you’ll never wear again because MAYBE you’ll like it again some day. Or that trinket from that ex. Sometimes it’s the not throwing out some food in your fridge (that will inevitably go bad) because it’s wasteful and you MIGHT eat it. Sometimes it not letting go of that grudge you’ve fallen in love with against the person that has hurt you. We hold on to things far too long far too often.

I’ve come to believe there’s an art to letting go of things, feelings, spaces, and people that are toxic to us. And trust me, this toxicity isn’t only mental. Holding on to things prevents us from regularly clearing space. From dusting our homes, to mold growing in cracks and crevices. Holding on to seasonal things triggers un-wellness in the form of allergies, stress & anxiety, lack of focus, and more.

My suggestion is a spring cleaning of sorts. Open all the doors in your home and all the windows. Put on your favorite music or podcast. Burn some incense. Start with the things that are already out in the open if you tend to be a junkier person. Analyze anything you own that seems worn. Ask yourself why you feel the need to hold on to it. Sit with the emotions the items bring and release them as you release the items you’re holding on to. For me, I never get a deep cleaning like this done in one day. I just go room to room and do it. After this, your home will feel fresher and cleaner and your spirit will feel lighter.

Written by Del-Amina for Live Laugh Love Nashville 06/2017

Making Mental Health a Priority

Making Mental Health a Priority

When it comes to our wellness, it’s easy for us to focus on the apparent. You know? The things that are easily seen by the naked eye and require little in the way of investment to manage. We try to be careful of the things we eat and we make sure to get our bodies even just a little more active to maintain our physical wellness. We are socially encouraged to get regular physical check-ups and most schools require records of said exams and records of immunizations to further our education. We talk about washing hands to prevent communicable disease; we encourage rest when we catch the common cold. It almost seems we have concluded, as a society, that wellness isn’t just about treating major illness but preventing it, and addressing minor infections before they become big.

This awareness, however, stops a few paces short of being holistic because the same approach isn’t being used for mental wellness. We’re getting to a place of awareness in our society as it pertains to mental health, and that is a good thing! Unfortunately, we are still approaching it from the vantage point of mental illnesses rather than on a continuum of wellness. As it stands, many healthcare plans that cover regular physical examinations exclude counseling. At work, we can call in sick for fevers or vomiting, but if we aren’t having a healthy mind day, we are often reduced to feigning physical illness to be excused. The same schools that require batteries of physical exams and preventative shots for admission have students on roster that have never even had a psychological evaluation, let alone 30 minutes of counseling.

Let’s be very clear. Just like every human being hiccups, coughs, encounters bouts of the common cold, food poisoning and the like, EVERY SINGLE human being experiences mental un-wellness. Every single human being and subsequently our society would benefit greatly from a yearly mental wellness exam. How many people found, in a simple routine examination, the early stages of cancer and could tackle it head on because it was caught early? Would not the same happen with fatal mental illnesses if we caught the early stages in routine exams? What would it look like if we could rest through a heavy anxiety day in the same way we rest through a feverish one? What would it look like do things DAILY to maintain our mental wellness in the way we wash hands to maintain our physical wellness?

Our beings are whole entities. We are body and mind. We must tend to both our physical and mental selves to attain to our highest level of wellness. Sometimes that means looking past the readily apparent and taking time to sit with the tougher sides. At the end of it all, our lives depend on it. Let’s be well!

Written on 05/15/17 for Live Laugh Love Nashville's Wellness Wednesday Blog by Del-Amina

5 Traits of Highly Attractive People

5 Traits of Highly Attractive People

Have you ever witnessed a highly magnetic person? When they walk in the room all eyes are on them. They have the magical ability to lure you into their world. With ease, they can have anything and everything they want. No one dares to tell them no. Highly attractive people are in tune and aware of their superpowers and they are not afraid to own it! Blissfully, they maneuver throughout life with assurance that life will yield to their requests. Highly Attractive People dance with the storm and they sing with the wind, because they know that limits are merely illusions.  

What are the top secrets of the HAPS (Highly Attractive People)? Read along and prepare for your life to be changed.

Trait 1: Highly Attractive People Are Victorious. They have a story and the story usually includes some trauma, heartbreak, and defeat. HAPS decided to get up and to fight for their divine place in this world. Through all of the pain they find themselves, which is where the hidden treasures reside. HAPS are fueled by their ability to survive no matter what the circumstance may be. Making the conscious choice to live fearlessly stimulates and motivates others to do the same.

Trait 2: Highly Attractive People Do Not Conform. HAPS are not amused by trends, statuses, labels, or rules and regulations. They march to the beat of their own drum. Confidence exudes from HAPS, because they have discovered their inner virtue. This makes them unshakable. HAPS love who they are. In fact, they feel good in the skin that they are in. Though they may have imperfections they realize that there is always room for growth. Evolution is not a foreign concept for HAPS. They yearn to be better and to develop.  

Trait 3: Highly Attractive People Are Authentic. They do not care about what others think. They know that they are on a mission and that they do not have time to waste on creating personas, fairy tales, and illusions. Usually, highly attractive people are very aware of their purpose in life. They know that their transparency is contagious and inspirational. Take all of them or leave them alone. Highly attractive people will continue to be exactly who they are. Even if you do not approve you will feel their power.

Trait 4: Highly Attractive People Live From Their Hearts. They are highly sensitive and highly intuitive. HAPS love to love others, because they embrace the importance of unity. Though they are very self-assured they are also very humble. HAPS genuinely care about all people. They value human rights. Their decision to love themselves also embodies their decision to love others. Their huge hearts and willingness to be selfless is effective wherever they go. HAPS believe in the power of love.

Trait 5: Highly Attractive People Are Risk-Takers. They do the impossible and they surpass the expectations! HAPS could care less about the potential outcomes. When they feel that it is time to move they move. HAPS are creators, innovators, experimenters, and legends. They do what no one else dares to do. HAPS feel exhilaration when they are told that they cannot succeed. This is the driving force that pushes them to demolish all limitations. HAPS are not afraid. They are willing to step into the unknown even if the outcome is not what they hoped that it would be. They are always willing to learn. They get up dust off their feet and keep it moving!

Written by Jasmine Dominque 05/09/17 for Live Laugh Love Nashville's Wellness Wednesday

Jasmine Dominique is an Author, Blogger, and Holistic Health Practitioner

www.jasminedominique.com

Waterlogged! Stay Hydrated Without Drinking Water

Waterlogged! Stay Hydrated Without Drinking Water

We’ve heard it all before: The human body is made up of blah blah blah percent water; H₂0 is so very important and we need 8-10 glasses per day to stay healthy and hydrated!

Anyone ever attempting this feat of strength knows how frustrating it can be to take in that amount of water. Add to the fact that many people don’t even like water; tally up the bathroom trips, the reminder alarms (oh yes, friends… there’s an app for that), and the 4-lb. weight of the vessel large enough to contain the amount of water needed for the day and it can start to feel like a second job just drinking enough water to reach the quota.

Well…

We have been hoodwinked! Bamboozled! Led astray!

While science maintains human need of water for hydration, the amount differs for everyone, varying according to age, sex, health status, body size, physical activity and more. Additionally, we get a nice portion of that water from the FOODS WE EAT! I’ve come to understand, through cursory research, the real purpose of drinking water as supplementary to the water we get from our food. Essentially, if you’re not getting enough hydration from the food you’re eating, your body will signal you to drink water via thirst. If you’re not thirsty, chances are, you already have enough water in your system. But for those that don’t, here are a few ways to stay hydrated that won’t have you running back and forth to the bathroom.

Fruits & Vegetables

This one should come as no surprise. There are quite a few fruits and veggies that are almost completely comprised of water. Upwards of 95% water is found in cucumbers, celery, iceberg lettuce, and watermelon and the benefits to eating fruits and vegetables instead of drinking insane amounts of water are the extra nutrients you get from them. The bonus of specific nutrients in some fruits and vegetables make it so consuming them offers more hydration than just a glass of water would.

Lean Meats

Yep! Meat contributes to your water intake. Leaner meats have a higher percentage of water. Do they taste as good as the full fat meats? Well… maybe not, but that’s nothing a little curry can’t fix.

Yogurt

Yogurt is 88% water and it contains electrolytes and potassium, vital nutrients for hydration.

Other Beverages

For those who do not like water, good news! Any beverage can satisfy your body’s need for hydration! So, drink what you like! Be aware, however, that many beverages are high in sugar and although you may be hydrating, you’re also adding way more sugar than is healthy to your diet. So be careful with that.

As the weather in Nashville starts to heat up, staying hydrated is becoming more important. How refreshing is it that you no longer have to lug around a gallon of water to keep your cool!?

Written 5-2-2017 by Del-Amina for Live Laugh Love Nashville - Wellness Wednesday Feature.

Zap Stress & Worry Less

Zap Stress & Worry Less!

The pressures and demands of everyday life can be quite demanding. Career obligations, financial obligations, and familial obligations are just a few factors that can contribute to daily stress and anxiety. Many may think Why did I choose to become an adult?

We live in a fast-paced society. Rarely do we have the opportunity to live in the moment, to be spontaneous, and to find the joy in the simple things. Instead of stopping, running to smell the roses becomes the norm. Physical and mental health are usually screaming for attention, but who has the time to listen? We forget that we are human beings and that we have human needs. Finally, when we do receive the opportunity to enjoy life, we feel guilty and why?

Let’s travel together down memory lane. Do you remember a time when you experienced extreme joy? What were you doing? Who were you with? Do you recall the smells and colors that surrounded you? Can you feel the bliss that was flowing in your heart? This my friends is the gateway into re-connecting to our desires.  

The world becomes accustomed to what it is that we allow. I would like to share a secret with you. We have limitless power. When we are unhappy or disconnected with particular areas in our lives we have the power to make a change. All begins or ends with our choices. First, we can consciously make the decision to make some healthy alterations. Afterwards, must take action.

5 Positive Tips to Zap Stress & Worry Less

1. Do an honest evaluation of yourself. How do you feel on a daily basis? Are you happy with your feelings?

2. Rate the state of your life on a scale from 1-10. Rate your career, family, finances, and leisure. Also, rate the status of your mental, physical, and emotional health.  

3. Create space and time that is just for you. Utilize this time to do nothing at all or to do the things that make you happy. Don’t worry, everyone and everything will adjust to your me-time.

4. Surround yourself with positive people who honor your needs and wishes.

5. Remember that life is an experience and not a destination. Live it to the fullest!

*About the Blogger: Jasmine Dominique M.A. is a Mental Health Clinician, Reiki Practitioner and Master Teacher, Lifestyle Consultant, and Motivational Speaker.

www.jasminedominique.com