Yoga Workout for Active Recovery + Daily Multi-Vitamin for Wellness!

New-Chapter_Blog-Photo-11Training is hard. Rest days are harder, often they can be a hard pill to swallow!  I hear this from dedicated runners, triathletes CrossFitters, obstacle course racers, weight-lifters and other hard-core athletes all the time. In fact, I often fight the urge to workout 365, even when I know rationally that my body needs adequate time to recover from a hard effort on the track or in the gym. In part, it’s this drive to go balls out regardless of pain and suffering that distinguishes winners from losers on game day. However, keeping this mindset every day of the week can wear you down mentally, tear you down physically and get you stuck in a rut where you’ve plateaued and are no longer making gains.

jennifer laughing crossfit situpBut who among the athletic elite (and even us regular people just striving to be the best we can be) want to sit around on the couch all day, waiting for some sort of generic mandate of “not moving a muscle” to pass?!  That’s not really the best option mentally and physically either. Activities on these light load days should take into consideration your current fitness level and fatigue felt from the previous workout – less volume, less intensity (less than 60% effort) and keeping it fun are the key points!  My go-to active recovery day includes a short walk followed by a gentle, stretching yoga sequence to help flush out toxins and encourage mobility so I’ll be ready to go harder the next day! Here is one of my favorite active recovery “Rest Day” Yoga Workouts:

Yoga Rest Day Workout for Active Recovery

Getting enough sleep (7 to 8 hours would be optimal), rehydrating with plenty of water (check out my post on 50 Shades of Pee) and eating well with a focus on fresh vegetables and fruit paired with lean proteins are also important to workout recovery.

Another important part of recovery is eating right, right?! Most of us are aware that carbohydrates metabolize into the quickly-sourced energy that powers performance and that consuming a protein-rich snack post-workout (in a 3:1 to 4:1 carb to protein ratio) helps repair muscle and tissue taxed by exercise. But what you eat every day, day in and day out, has a profound effect on athletic performance too – you can’t outrun a poor diet!

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In addition to eating a balanced diet of lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies and healthy whole grains, I I also take a daily multivitamin to make sure my bases are covered. Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin from New Chapter caught my attention from the hundreds (if not 1000s of different brands out there) because of the way that it’s made. These vitamins are fermented with probiotics and whole foods and gentle enough to take any time – even first thing in the morning on an empty stomach!  I’ve never feel woozy or nauseous after taking any of their products.

Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin from New Chapter is ideal for active women because it contains extra nutrients for energy support, stress support†, immune support and bone support.* And, this award-winning vitamin (BEST Multivitamin Award.  Delicious Living 2016 Supplement Awards) is Non-GMO Project Verified, made with certified organic vegetables & herbs, vegetarian, kosher, gluten free and has no synthetic fillers. I love how they are equally helpful to the planet as they are to us – all ingredients are mindfully and sustainably sourced!

You can purchase Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin at a number of online retailers including Amazon.com– love how I can usually get free shipping and also save by setting up a subscription (because, it really sucks to run out of vitamins)!

What are your tips for recovery and general wellness for an active lifestyle? Are you racing competing, training or taking it easy this weekend — please share in the comments, I’d love to chat! XOXO — Jennifer 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, care, or prevent any disease.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

How Stress Affects Running and Workouts plus Mood-Boosting WOD

Stress Relief and Exercise - TheFitFork.com

Regardless of your life stage or what precautions you take, stress can pile up with an assortment of family, work, school, health and money issues.  That’s just life. Over the years, I’ve managed my stress through running, working out and, more recently, yoga. Exercise helps me take my mind off problems (most of which are out of my control anyway) and focus on living in the moment. Plus, the physical aspect of exercise creates endorphins and other happy hormones that help the brain and body cope better with stress. Research has shown that physically active people have lowered levels stress, anxiety and depression –even just a brisk 10 minute walk can alter your attitude.

Bloody Knees - TheFitFork.com

Bloody knees after box jumping while grumpy and distracted.

So, while it is a GOOD THING to exercise in the name of stress management, there are certain things to look for and precautions to take to ensure that you remain safe and injury free.  The British Journal of Sports Medicine reported that elite athletes were more likely to get hurt if they competed while angry, confused, fatigued, tense, or depressed.  This translates to use everyday athletes as well – goodness knows I’ve been tired, used bad form, tripped and fallen resulting in tweaked muscles, bloody body parts, several bad cases of road burn, contusions,a concussion, gashes requiring stitches and just plain turning up sick a few days later.

Are you wondering why? Well, when cortisol levels are elevated for too long, putting you in a state of chronic stress, your muscles and immune system won’t function at their best. You also won’t sleep well, creating day-in and day-out fatigue that can negatively impact exercise and performance.  So, before I hit the trail or the gym, I like to get myself into a ready-to-workout mode with a bit of calming yoga, taking deep breaths, and engaging in a little positive visualization of how great my workout out or run will be.  I also make sure I’m eating well and getting as much quality sleep as I can – people who know me well are probably tsk-tsking right now, because sleeping is one of my biggest challenges

Stress Less to Be My Best - RESCUE

RESCUE Pastilles are another little trick I have in my tool kit for stress relief.  Completely natural and homeopathic, RESCUE Pastilles help me to stress less, stay calm and, ultimately, sleep better. I don’t take them before a workout, but rather during the late afternoon or early evening when all my little life stressors are peaking – the pastilles combined with the five minute time-out I take to suck on them helps me get back into that happy place I need to be. There’s nothing habit-forming or concerning about these doctor-developed candies that have been around for nearly a century – they are alcohol-free, sugar-free and the ingredients are a gentle and safe blend of flower and plant remedies.

rescue tinI also love the apothecary-like tin of the RESCUE Pastilles– it has vintage charm and is convenient to stick in my purse or gym bag. You can find these at Walgreens, CVS, Sprouts, Whole Foods and other find retailers – along with other forms of the product like RESCUE Sleep Liquid Melts and RESCUE Pearls.  You really need to try RESCUE out, here’s a coupon to get you started.

 

I’ve also put together a stress relieving workout that will help you keep everything that life throws your way in happy balance.  Enjoy!

Stress Relief Workout - TheFitFork.com

 

What do YOU do to manage your stress? Please share in the comments.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.