I so often hear clients talking about their macros- which is SUPER important for meeting body composition and overall health goals. But, how often do we think about our micros?? This is important for everyone, but here are some athlete specifics recommended by the training industry:
Iron: low levels of iron can affect physical and cognitive energy as well as overall health. Athletes atgreatest risk include distance runners, vegetarians and blood donors. Increase your iron intake with clams, mussels, oysters, beef, beans, spinach, dried fruit and pumpkin seeds.
Vitamin D: low levels of Vitamin D affect the body’s ability to absorb calcium and phosphorus, as well as metabolism and bone health. Athletes at greatest risk of low Vitamin D levels include athletes who train and compete indoors, live in Northern climates, have a high body fat percentage or train early in the morning or in the evenings. Ramp up your Vitamin D intake with sunlight and Vitamin D supplements.
Calcium: Low levels of calcium lead to decreased bone strength (think, fractures or stress fractures). Athletes at greatest risk for low levels of calcium are those with low energy intake, disorder eating patterns, or those who avoid calcium rich foods like dairy. Increase levels with milk, yogurt, dark green veggies, canned salmon or sardines.
Antioxidants: low levels, combined with shredding exercise, can lead to increased released of oxidants in the body. Again, athletes at greatest risk are those who restrict energy or fat intake or don’t get enough fruits, veggies and whole grains. High antioxidant foods include fruits and veggies.
Blueberries are an excellent source of antioxidantsand make it into my bowl of oats almost daily 👌We’ve gotten much better at addingin greens at lunch and dinner …and this afternoon beverage helps increase our veggie count too
Bottom line: macros are important. But don’t forget the little guys either!!
I’d love to hear which micros you’re going to focus on going forward!
Soooo…apparently tomorrow’s some big football game or something?? I’m gonna be honest…I’m a total New England girl and, when the Patriots aren’t in it, neither am I. But…I do always LOVE a chance to do a themed workout, so I bring to you…a SUPERBOWL HIIT workout you can do in about 30 minutes or less!!
We’re gonna spell out the word “Superbowl”, with each letter representing a different move. For the first round, do 15 repetitions of each move. Rest 1-2 minutes, until your heart rate comes down close to 100. Then repeat the circuit, doing 12 reps of each. Rest again. Lastly, repeat the circuit with 10 reps of each move:
S- Skaters (15 per leg)
U- Upright row (medium to heavy weight)
P- Push Ups
E- Elbow to knee crunches
R- Row (plank row)
B- Burpees (sorry!)
O- Oblique V-ups
W- Weighted Squat
L- Lunges (15 per leg. Can be static, step back, forward or curtsie lunges- mix it up and make it fun!)
*always make sure you have clearance from your physician to exercise. Include a dynamic warm up, cool down and stretch. And, if you don’t know any of these moves, replace them with moves you know well OR reach up to set up a one time, virtual session with me. Mention this blog and receive $10 off!!
There ya go!! Quick weekend workout to do before watching the game tomorrow. Let me know if you do it and what you thought of it!!
Anyone else feel that winter “blah” feeling this time of year?? After three weeks of school closures for my kids due to the COVID surge and then being stuck in the house due to an ice storm yesterday, I’m SO ready to focus on myself for a bit!!
Selfish?? Nope
Necessary?? YES!!
So this past week, I teamed up with some awesome women business owners and friends for a “Galentine’s Day Glam” event- and it was super fun to find some incredible products to add to my own self-care toolkit…and to gift to some important women in my life too!! I wanted to share some of the products with you all, because I think you deserve it too!!
First- who doesn’t just LOVE the way they feel after a fresh mani?? For some reason, it changes my whole vibe. But…when do I get time to actually do that?? Umm…never!
So, we bring you Color Street! I just love that it takes minutes to give myself a whole manicure, I really love how long it lasts and I love that I can’t mess it up!! Seeing how horrendous I am at painting my nails, this is a major win!! Also- you can’t beat the price of these things!! Shop here for some pretty awesome nail sets: http://Www.laurelsnaillounge.com
Now that your nails are looking amazing, how about we focus on skincare?? You know me, and you know I believe that your skin is a window into overall health. If your skin, hair and nails aren’t quite where you want them to be, I’d recommend taking a look at nutrition, stress and sleep FIRST. I’m a huge believer in cellular cleansing to rid the body of toxins and impurities, replenishing the body with vital nutrients, and making sure you get some form of adaptogens in your body daily. Once you do that, then you can start focusing on a liquid collagen supplement to enhance the look of your hair skin and nails. I’ve been using mine for 11 months now and couldn’t be happier!! Here’s my link to shop whatever you might be missing from your health/beauty toolkit:
And…once you start taking care of the HEALTH of your skin and body, don’t smother toxic stuff all over it and mess it up again!! This girl who used retail makeup for wayyyy too long is here to tell you that the ingredients you put on your skin matter!! I love the Seint uses so few ingredients in their products- that matters a lot to me. I also love the incredible CONVENIENCE and EASE of having everything I need in one small palette- it could not be easier to travel with this makeup!! Click here to get your complimentary color match- you won’t regret it: https://heather-barbour.seintofficial.com/en/shop/party-270712/shop-all
Now, you’ve all heard me talk about CBD before and how it has helped me manage chronic anxiety and insomnia. If you deal with either of those things on a daily basis (or stress or pain), I really think it’s worth looking into a well researched, clinically validated, CLEAN CBD supplement. I love the tinctures and gummies and would gift them to everyone in my life if I could. But, since I can’t, I’m sharing this website with you, cause they’re offering some incredible deals right now!!
And last but DEFINITELY not least, I bring you your solution to healthy, affordable, allergy friendly meal kits and kitchen solutions…because who doesn’t love healthy recipes that are also quick and affordable. And, as a carb lover who has had to switch to more gluten free meals over the years, I can tell you…you need their brownies and cupcakes in your life!! I made the chocolate cupcakes for my son’s birthday and no one could believe they were gluten free! And they disappeared well before all of the gluten filled snacks were touched! Shop here for your kitchen solutions: https://janinegrant.epicure.com/en-us/
Let’s all just treat ourselves to a few things on this list. It’s been a long winter already- we deserve it!!
I’d love to hear what you try from this list, so please share!!
Back to getting some work done while the kids are napping. Or…maybe just a few more minutes of shopping???
Ok, if you’re in the New England area like me, you’re experiencing this weekends blizzard and thinking “no way I’m going to the gym!” Or walking outside, etc…
I took the kids outside this morning and was thinking wrestling them into their snow gear should count as my workout. I mean, it REALLY is a workout with my 2 year old…
But, my mental state is SO much better when I get my workout in, so I joined my 12 PM client in a HIIT workout. It felt great, I’m a whole lot warmer, and my energy is about 100x better…
If you’re stuck at home today without much workout equipment, try a HIIT circuit of your own. Or try a Nifty 50” circuits- do each of these moves for 50 repetitions (but not all at once- divide them into manageable chunks and take breaks as needed):
1. 50 muscle makers (some call these “man makers”, but I’ve changed the name)
2. 50 side lunges (with or without weights)
3. 50 cricket climbers
4. 50 push ups
5. 50 touch downs
Put on some show you’ve been dying to catch up on, grab your yoga mat and let’s do this!! (And don’t forget a proper warm up, cool down and stretch).
And then, cozy up by the fire with a book and cup of tea and enjoy that snowfall ❄️❄️❄️
We’re only halfway through the storm. Pretty sure that fence will be buried!
This morning I was watching my son run around the soccer field during practice, out of breath from non stop running and yet giggling and smiling so big! It made me think…
My littlest being silly at big brother’s soccer
When did exercise stop being fun?? When did it become a chore for you??
I mean, I help people develop effective exercise programs for a living, I have a wide repertoire of exercises in my mental library, I LOVE how I feel after a workout, and still…I don’t always love working out. (It’s true- it’s work for trainers too)
Somewhere along the way, we learned that exercise is an obligation for us as adults. We need to exercise to stay healthy or fit like we need to work to pay bills or clean our houses. But what if we didn’t…
What if we went back to making exercise a game, a chance to connect with friends, a chance to truly be SILLY and laugh the whole time.
When we do this, we actually end up “getting as much out of a workout” as one of those hard HIIT workouts we feel we have to do every week. We really enjoy the movement, making it more likely that we’ll do it over and over again (and the BEST type of exercise is the one you’re consistent with!!). And we get that extra endorphin high- from working out and from laughing while we do it.
This weekend, I encourage you to make exercise fun again. Take a class you’ve never tried, grab a friend to catch up while you walk or bike ride, play in the snow with the kids (don’t tell me walking up those hills in snow gear doesn’t burn calories!). Dance. Stretch. And laugh the whole time
Hikes and hugs! Our favorite fun family fitness activity!
I worked out with a friend this morning and later I’m doing a kids yoga workout with my kids. Tell me what you’re up to this weekend for fun AND fitness!!
Ever set that resolution on January 1st, only to find you’ve forgotten about it by the 14th?? Or committed on Sunday night that you’ll get to the gym five times this week, to find yourself on the couch Wednesday evening?? And the next two evenings after that??
DO NOT start beating yourself up right now. You ARE NOT alone. There are many of reasons our goals my lose traction as time progresses, but today I’m gonna talk about the major one.
You probably didn’t set up accountability. My clients and I joke all the time that they really pay me to be an accountability partner (I like to think the time I spend designing effective workouts is the reason, but it’s not a totally off base thought)
Think back to the times you’ve set a goal in your own head, or maybe just spoke it to the people in your house. The main reason we do that is to protect ourselves from our fear of failure- but, chances are, by doing that, we don’t often see the goal all the way through.
You also may be trying to go it alone. NEVER a good idea. Motivation naturally wears off, life gets overwhelmingly busy, you may not see the progress that someone else does. All reasons we quit too soon.
This is exactly why I run accountability groups. I’ve found that my clients who join either my 11 day or 30 day groups meet the goals they set for themselves. We state our goals out loud, we set daily challenges for everyone, we check in often, we share recipes and workouts and we cheer each other on days when the couch looks more inviting then the gym or when the pizza sounds better than the healthy meal we would need to cook.
So do yourself a favor: this year, this month, this Monday…whenever you set your next wellness goal, find a tribe to do it alongside you and cheer you on. If you need a tribe, I’m always excited to welcome you to mine.
Here are a few transformation from our past challenge groups:
Tell me about your goals this year. Remember, speak it out to the universe- we’ll be here cheering you on the whole time!!
Here we are…the end of another crazy year. A year that started out with some optimism but had lots of ups and downs along the way. Like any other year, I’ve been taking these last few days in December to reflect on it all and I’m choosing to end the year in gratitude, optimism and a plan for healing and growth.
(My daily affirmations from this app have helped to shape this thinking a lot!)
This year, I’ve continued to grow as a person, which has helped me in all of my roles…parent, Occupational Therapist, Personal Trainer and Health Coach. I’ve continued to develop tools to deal with what started as postpartum anxiety two years ago and developed into the anxieties and stress so many of us are dealing with in this pandemic. I’ve focused on healing and facilitating the healing of my students and clients…and I am grateful for what the very hard parts of life have taught me and continue to.
I am grateful for this healthy, strong, beautiful family of mine. My kids have learned to fight with each other, they have some pretty epic meltdowns and sometimes it feels like days are absolute chaos. But we are happy. Most nights, you can find us dancing around the kitchen to loud Disney music, snuggling with our favorite books and building LEGO’s…oh so many legos. When I am stressed or scared, I remember that this home and family Adam and I have built is strong, it’s safe, and it’s capable of holding up in the storms
I am grateful for my work and the chance it affords me to witness the resilience of children and families who have overcome so much. And truthfully, this pandemic has allowed me the opportunity to work with my student’s families much more closely, and see progress like I’ve never seen before.
And I am deeply grateful for the chance to help others find a path to wellness, through both training and my wellness store. Even during this historically stressful time, my clients are focusing on self-care and meeting wellness goals that once felt so out of reach.
And I am so, so, so grateful for community. Five years ago, I found a tribe of entrepreneurs in the wellness field and we have had the chance to lift each other up and make a huge impact on this world. 2022 will only get better and better for our group!!
And lastly, my friends and family. We’ve all had so many ups and downs this year, but knowing I have so many people to call at any time-the importance of that does not escape me, ever
Wishing you all peace, calm, strength, health and pure joy in 2022. Onward!!
Ok, I don’t know about you, but I still have a ways to go with my holiday shopping. As usual…
I have a huge family, but gift giving has gotten more manageable the last few years as we’ve transitioned to Secret Santa’s for the adults. Great, right?!!
BUT, now I have kids old enough to participate in allllll the activities. That means gifts for the soccer and gymnastics coaches, teachers, etc…
It’s easy to run to the local stores and pick up some inexpensive hand lotion, candles or chocolate to go with a gift card. But. I don’t know, I just can’t bring myself to do that this year.
If you follow me. You know my thoughts on wellness, and you know how strongly I believe that a lot of the toxins we expose ourselves to daily are wreaking havoc on our bodies. I’m no where near perfect, but I’m making a VERY focused effort to eliminate toxins in my life. Which is why I can’t just give gifts that are loaded with chemicals or unsafe ingredients to the important people in our lives either.
I’ve done a lot of research this year and have compiled a list of some solid gift ideas for everyone on my list- and hopefully yours too!
Clean coffee! ☕️ I’ve never been sad about a new cute mug and some good quality coffee to sip on these chilly mornings, and I know many people who have a bit of a coffee habit too. But, I know most coffee companies don’t test for mold and microbial activity, and I just don’t wanna mess around with that. So, I bring you my favorite coffee to give as a stocking stuffer and for all the hardworking teachers in our lives:
And, while we’re on the subject of my favorite beverages, let’s talk wine…
I’ve been SUPER impressed with these clean wines, which are free of loads of sugar, arsenic, glyphosate (aka Round Up), ferrocyanide and animal by products. Does it bother anyone else that that means most wines AREN’T free of those???
I’ve loved every bottle I’ve tried from here, and I think you will too. Great gift to bring to dinner/party hosts, gift for family and friends. Oh, and grab an extra bottle or two for yourself while you’re at it:
Another favorite gift for anyone in your life who might be dealing with stress related health problems would be cbd. And again, quality here matters. I love the gummies but this holiday tincture pak looks like a great stocking stuffer or gift for a family member or friend: https://sarahmckinnon.greencompassglobal.com/product/125MGBSTRIOSET
Let’s be honest…delivery drivers are working hard this year. Last year, we decided to make a basket to leave outside the front door the last few weeks before the holidays, and I filled it with my favorite healthy crackers, protein bars and this incredible “functional beverage” to give our postal workers and delivery drivers as they worked tirelessly through the season. The basket was emptied daily and I happily replenished it, knowing I wasn’t just leaving them more unhealthy, processed snacks but was still leaving them something that tasted amazing and fueled them during these grueling days. Here’s a link to my favorite adaptogenic drink, great for your delivery drivers as well as the teachers and coaches on your list: https://jessicatreadwell1.isagenix.com/en-us/shop/feel-better/bea?pid=e422d75c30464bbe9ba4038a53ff0b5a
Have a girlfriend or coworker on your Secret Santa list this year?? I’ve always loved giving some fun hand lotions, makeup, etc…but recent news has me more than paranoid about the level of carcinogens in beauty products. I’ve made the switch to cleaner beauty, and can’t not share the love with those I love. This charcoal mask is incredible and I can’t think of one of my girlfriends who wouldn’t love it, but if that’s not for you, they have some really fun holiday sets:
And finally, while we’re on the subject of cleaning up our products, I’ve recently been introduced to this company and am SUPER impressed. You can get some of the classic gift bundles here (think, candles and lotions) for teacher gifts or Secret Santa’s, and while you’re at it, stock up on some healthy personal care products or household cleaning supplies (the multipurpose cleaner is next on my list): http://www.purehaven.com/joyorpin
I’d love to hear what clean gifts you are buying this year too!!
I thought I was stressed before the pandemic, but the last few years brought it to a WHOLE new level. I don’t know about you all, but I still am very anxious about COVID, I’m balancing work and mom life and it’s only getting more complicated to balance as this pandemic goes on. Oh, and then there’s the normal fun of those two year old tantrums we navigate every day…
I wouldn’t trade my work or the chance to parent these beautiful humans for the world, but that doesn’t mean that the chronic stress of “fight or flight” mode can’t wear me down. In fact, chronic stress, from any source, is downright dangerous. Here are the 3 types of stress that we all face in life:
1. Emotional stress: This could be the rage that arises when someone cuts us off in traffic, or when we’re facing financial difficulties. 2. Physical stress: This can come from some sort of physical injury. For example, bumping your knee against a chair or cutting a finger while cooking. 3. Chemical stress: This results from exposure to toxins, such as pesticides, processed food, dirty water, and so on.
All stress is handled in the same way: the adrenals kick in and release anti-inflammatory hormones (such as cortisol). So, based on all this, we can start to see why chronic stress of any kind is harmful. This highlights just how strongly we need something that can help us manage stress. (excerpt from livewellzone)
That “something” for me is Adaptogen Elixir
I’ve been taking this elixir since August, and it’s fair to say I was skeptical at first. Like, super skeptical. But I’ve truly noticed a difference- namely just an overall feeling of calm and feeling less prone to react so strongly to stressors throughout the day. And, taking it closer to bedtime definitely helps with sleep!!
Gratitude journaling, daily affirmations, meditation, high quality CBD and ADAPTOGENS….all part of my stress relief toolkit. Because it takes a lot of tools to combat a lot of stressors. Oh, and exercise OF COURSE!! What do you find is the best way to relieve stress in your daily life???
Here’s a link to my wellness store if you want to try the elixir, risk free. Let’s look get ready to calm the chaos!!
Guys- these last few weeks have been CRAZY at work. I’m a school based Occupational Therapist, and the fall is always busy with evaluations and documentation…and the pandemic has only made things busier (if you know a teacher or school therapist, give them some love these days!). Needless to say, it’s been hard to squeeze in a full gym workout, or even anything longer than 20 minutes at home.
So today, I took out these new bands and quickly ran through this routine (note my super adorable workout partner):
✨squats (20 reps)
✨curtsie lunges (15-20 reps per side)
✨fire hydrants (15 per side)
✨clam shells (20 per side)
✨bridges (20 per side)
✨leg lifts to the side (20 per side)
3 rounds in 20 minutes and my legs were burning! What I love about these bands is that they’re durable and don’t dig in or slip like the rubber ones. If you need a band upgrade, here’s where I found them:
Jessica's Fitness 