If you’re like most people, you probably don’t give your muscles much thought until you go to pick up something heavy or throw on a bathing suit.
But here’s a surprising fact:
Although the idea of building muscle is typically linked with how we look, your muscles are closely linked with your overall health – and also with the aging process.
In fact, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon states that muscle is the, "Organ of longevity," and says if you have healthy skeletal muscle, "Your chance of surviving nearly anything and everything that happens to you is exponentially greater." She also says that, "We are not over-fat, we are under-muscled."
Here are 7 reasons to build more muscle, starting right now:
1. You start losing muscle around the age of 30. 🤯
Yes, you read that right. On average, people lose around 3%-8% each decade… and then it speeds up after you turn 60.
The sooner you get started on building your muscle “bank,” the better!
Muscle loss is one of the top causes of disability for older people – they become too weak to live alone and are more prone to falls and injuries.
2. You’ll build stronger bones.
Did you know that many people start losing about 1% of their bone mass PER YEAR after the age of 40?
Stressing your bones (when you’re doing it in a healthy way through strength training!) will help boost your bone density and cut the risk of osteoporosis and fractures when you get older.
3. It can help you manage chronic conditions.
Lifting weights can help you cut back on symptoms of arthritis, chronic pain, heart disease, depression, diabetes, and obesity.
4. It can help with fat loss.
If you’re trying to lose weight, strength-training workouts are an important tool – and they can help you keep (and maybe even build a little) muscle as you get leaner.
5. It can help sharpen your thinking.
Studies link regular strength training and aerobic exercise with better brain function. ðŸ§
6. It’ll improve your quality of life.
Your everyday activities get easier – starting ASAP! Plus, it can improve your balance and protect your joints from injury.
Your everyday activities get easier – starting ASAP! Plus, it can improve your balance and protect your joints from injury.
7. It helps you keep your balance.
Again, this can help you avoid slip & fall accidents now and as you get older.
Plus… having toned muscles is great for your confidence and energy level!
If you’re ready to get serious about your health and fitness, my 28-Day Total Body Transformation program gives you a proven approach.
With my 28-Day Program, you can expect to:
- Increase energy levels
- Build muscle
- Improve brain focus & mental clarity
- Naturally balance blood sugar & eliminate cravings
The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll start feeling (and seeing) results. You can check out what others have to say and more details here: 28-Day
Yours in health,
Colleen Riddle, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Young Living Gold Independent Distributor
Join my Facebook Group for more wellness info! Wellness With Colleen
850-598-7263
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
This month we’re focused on taking BIG ACTION toward our goals by doubling down on the one thing that will help you move the needle forward in a BIG WAY…
It’s taking PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY (aka practicing resilience, mental toughness, or whatever you want to call it)!
These actions will step up your self-care game AND help you reach (& exceed) your health and fitness goals.
8 Ways to Own Your Outcome/Practice Personal Responsibility
- Hold yourself accountable. When you “own your outcome” and take personal responsibility for your life… your decisions, actions, and how you spend your time take on a whole new meaning.
So, when you tell yourself you are going to do something, DO IT. The more often you do this, the easier it gets… and the more progress you will make!
- Ask for help if you need it. This is a big one because asking for help requires pushing your ego to the side so you can move forward, faster.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. We all are born with different strengths, challenges, and gifts. Comparing yourself to others robs you of the ability to express and build on what’s uniquely YOU!
Definitely let other people inspire you… but also let your own gifts shine because you never know who YOU will inspire. - Expect the unexpected and, when it happens, don’t let it derail you. It’s pretty much inevitable that at some point you’re going to fall off track… so plan for it!
There will always be obstacles – the key is to not let them stop you. They give you a chance to grow and learn. New levels, new devils. - Strengthen your inner circle. When you’re close with people who are working toward the same things you are, it will help motivate and inspire you. It can also provide valuable support when things get tough.
- Take care of your body. When you eat healthy foods, get enough exercise, sleep well, manage your stress, and do all the self-care things, it gives you the energy you need to not only REACH your goals … but also live a more full and active life.
And that’s what it’s all about, right? - Take action (even when you don’t feel like it). You’re not always going to “feel like it.” And that’s completely normal. Do it anyway, because, in the long run, those micro-commitments you make to yourself aren’t really “micro” at all.
- Focus on the positive. Check your inner dialogue… and when it turns negative, course correct ASAP so you don’t end up derailing your progress. (Or worse, quitting altogether.)
Another way to take personal responsibility? Work with a coach to help you stay focused on the exact actions you need to take to get results.
If you’re an over 40 year old woman struggling to make your health a priority because you are taking care of everyone else, consider this a sign! If you want to see if my 28-Day Program could help you finally lose the weight and feel like your old self again in just 28 days, book a call to see exactly what the process looks like for you and if it’s the right fit for your goals!
p.s.
If you haven't downloaded my free "7-Day Resilience Checklist" grab it today to help you build your inner strength!
Yours in health,
Colleen Riddle, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Young Living Gold Independent Distributor
Join my Facebook Group for more wellness info! Wellness With Colleen
850-598-7263
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
This month we’re tackling a big topic: getting rid of what’s standing between you and your goals.
This could be what you put in your body (food) … what you focus on with your thoughts and beliefs … and anything else that’s cluttering up your wellness journey.
The first step is probably the hardest …
It’s getting REAL and identifying exactly what’s holding you back.
It’s a challenge because we can get into autopilot with our everyday life … and we don’t even notice what’s in our way!
I have an exercise you can do to help.
Grab your favorite pen and a journal – or open a Google doc – and start writing.
(Pro tip: The words you will write are for YOUR EYES ONLY and you can throw away/delete what you write later if you want!)
(Pro tip: The words you will write are for YOUR EYES ONLY and you can throw away/delete what you write later if you want!)
Make a list of ALL of the reasons you think you haven’t been able to achieve your goals.
Seriously, write down everything!
Maybe you hate getting up early … don’t like “healthy” foods … feel like you don’t have willpower or motivation … feel overwhelmed … feel alone in your journey … or maybe there are factors outside of your control.
Or maybe you think your goals are for other people – not for you.
Let loose and write it ALL down.
THEN, read through your list and look for common themes: time factors, mindset/motivation issues, confidence, support/accountability, etc.
Now it’s time to get into problem-solving mode and TAKE ACTION.
- Don’t have support? Find it! Think of the health/fitness-minded people in your circle and enlist them, search for an online community, and/or work with a coach (a real game changer).
- Not enough time? Get creative. Find ways to sneak fitness/health into the spare moments of your life. A coach can help with this, too.
- Mindset issues? Surround yourself with motivation – read self-development books, watch inspiring YouTube videos, and keep a journal to track your progress.
This is a HUGE area where a coach can help.
Imagine how great will it feel to finally ditch the obstacles between you and your goals.
INCREDIBLY GREAT.
And I'm here for you if you don’t want to do it alone.
If you are frustrated, exhausted, and feel like you are spinning your wheels in the wellness area, I know I can help you. Just respond to this email and we can chat and see if one of my programs is a good fit for you.
Have a wonderful Easter week. I'm headed home to Austin on Friday to celebrate my dad's 85th birthday! Looking forward to some fun family time!
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
This month I’ve been talking about next-level steps you can take to boost your results …
and today’s blog might just be about the most important step.
It affects almost every action you take and every decision you make.
It’s your mindset … and it could be playing tricks on you!
Here’s why it’s worth paying attention to:
People can develop beliefs, habits, and feelings that help us … but later in life, those same beliefs, habits, and feelings can work AGAINST us without us even realizing it!
I’m going to focus on fitness & wellness, but this applies to every area of your life, from your finances to your relationships.
Example 1: When you were growing up, food was used as a reward or way to soothe your feelings when you had a bad day. So now, if something great and/or stressful happens, you believe you “deserve” pizza and ice cream even though they aren’t helping you reach your goals (not to mention the stomachache after you eat them).
Example 2: You spent years competing as an athlete and now believe that you didn’t do a “real” workout unless you give it your all, even if it leaves you feeling exhausted and overly sore (and maybe even aggravates an old injury). This was me until I hit 40 and realized that my body just couldn't take it anymore.
You get the picture!
We all struggle with these things at some point or another.
The good news is that you can CHANGE your mindset around these beliefs. Here are 3 steps to overturning those limiting beliefs.
1. It starts with PAYING ATTENTION and recognizing them when they crop up.
This can be surprisingly challenging because they can feel like non-refutable facts or actions, to the point where you don’t even question them.
This is why it’s so important to:
2. Question your beliefs and habits. Try to understand them – while they might have served you in the past, are they doing you any favors now?
Ask yourself, “Why do I think or do this?”
3. Step out of your comfort zone (with baby steps). Over time you can replace your old beliefs with positive beliefs and habits that support your goals and current lifestyle.
If you need help getting rid of old, limiting beliefs that have been getting in your way, my 28 Day Total Body Transformation program can help.
I have a proven plan to help you feel stronger, fitter, and more confident. You can learn more here:
Or if you feel like you need one-on-one help, I have a few personal training/coaching spots available (in person or over zoom). Just reach out if you want to chat.
You’ve got this!
Yours in health,
Colleen Riddle, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Young Living Gold Independent Distributor
Join my Facebook Group for more wellness info! Wellness With Colleen
850-598-7263
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
If you had to grade yourself today – right now! – on your eating and nutrition skills, would you get an A, B, C … or …?
(haha: I’m talking about “healthy” eating here, for the record.)
Most of us think of eating/nutrition as something we should just automatically KNOW about …
… or we even label them as virtues.
EXAMPLE: I can’t even count how many times clients have told me they have been “good” or “bad” when it comes to food.
But there really ARE skills involved – things like meal planning, grocery shopping, meal prep (aka cooking!), knowing which foods fill you up, which ones make you feel hungry, etc.
Understanding portion sizes is also a skill.
Some of us were never taught these things growing up! Or we’ve been taught so many conflicting things, it’s hard to know WHAT to believe.
Focusing on building these skills is a GREAT mindset switch.
It is empowering (vs. restricting) because it’s not about deprivation – it’s about creating a healthy and fit lifestyle that you actually enjoy.
A few more learnable skills (obviously this depends on your goals & lifestyle):
- Finding 3-4 breakfast options that taste great and keep you filled up till lunchtime (This is a yummy, healthy choice Plant-base Meal Replacement)
- Knowing how to meal prep during busy weeks
- Protein: understanding how to make sure you’re getting enough for your goals
- Veggies: finding ways to work them into your meals (most of us don’t eat enough of them!) One scoop of these greens fills in the gaps and supports healthy gut, immune system, and natural energy! https://m.lfstps.com/Tt5G2/Wipqa
- Getting great at once-weekly grocery shopping (& streamlining it so you can get in and out fast)
- Discovering snacks that satisfy you AND don’t derail your progress
Taking time to master these kinds of skills will move you closer to your goals … and give you a foundation that will last you a lifetime. I'm here to help on your wellness journey! Reach out with any questions.
Just something to think about!
p.s.
If you need assistance in this area, my 28-Day Total Body Transformation gives you a simple blueprint for eating healthy, prepping for the week, and setting you up for success! Learn more HERE.
Yours in health,
Colleen Riddle, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Young Living Gold Independent Distributor
Join my Facebook Group for more wellness info! Wellness With Colleen
850-598-7263
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
