Tuesday Challenge

Tuesday challenge coming your way!
Kinda like this idea so let’s keep it rolling all year!

Comment your time in the comments or tag me in IG and then tag someone to challenge! 2021 we are getting better together! #accountability

5 rounds of 5 reps each
5 hand pushups
5 sit ups
5 squat jumps
5 burpee (pop tart no chest to ground)
5 jacks

5 Stretches to do every day

Stretching is CRUCIAL to keep your body moving and active. Let’s be honest you don’t to move or exercise if you are achy and stiff. Here are my top 5 stretches to do EVERY DAY. While it important to incorporate different stretches, if I had to narrow it down – these 5 would be the winners!

  1. Towel Stretch – Focus: Hamstrings 
    • Using a towel make a U shape and place your foot in the middle of towel. Lay on your back bring leg up and pull on either side of towel pulling toes towards your face.
      • Hold this for about 10 seconds, release for 10, then 20, release for 10, then 30 and release for 10. Repeat on other leg.
      • Bonus stretch – You can also you go to a glute figure 4 stretch here too!
  2. Frog stretch – Focus: Hips
    • Start on all fours then widen your legs so the floor is pressing them open. Sink back into your hips and fold head toward arms.
      • Hold this for 30 seconds, release for 10, then 45 seconds, release for 10, then 60 seconds and release for 10.
  3. Glute Bridges
    • Lay on your back and keep feet close to glutes. Drive hips up high squeezing your glutes the whole way especially at the top to of the move. 
      • Do 8-10 reps and then hold for 5 seconds – repeat 3x 
  4. Super[Wo]mans
    • Lay on you stomach extend arms over head, with thumbs up lift legs and upper body off floor. Squeeze back, glute and hamstrings to lift limbs as high as you can. Hold for a second then back down. 
      • To get a little add a lat pulldown at the top of the stretch
  5. Hip Flexor Stretch
    • Keeping a 90 degree ankle push the leg on the ground forward by tucking the hips forward. Don’t lean forward creating a larger than 90 degree angle that can put pressure on low back. What you may do during yoga a yoga flow is different this stretch. Take 3 full breaths in through nose and out your mouth trying to empty lungs completely! 

Why stretch?? Stretching helps with so many things and mainly flexibility. Stretching allows you maintain full range of motion. You to keep your muscles long and loose and ready to react for any load you put on your body. Stretching can also improve posture, pain, soreness and improve performance. 

Want more? Shoot me an email and I’ll be happy to get you started!

Pumping Iron?

Did you know?

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States, and women are among those at greatest risk. Iron is critical for producing hemoglobin, a protein that helps red blood cells deliver oxygen throughout your body. So without it, everything suffers

Here are few symptoms that may be related to an iron deficiency.

  1.  Exhaustion
    This is tough to tell since many women are busy and just dismiss the tired feeling as normal when in fact it’s the most common symptom of iron deficiency
  2. Quick to lose breath
    Normal activities like walking up the stairs or you typical exercise routine causes you to lose your breath easily, easier than usual, chances are your iron is to blame.
  3. Headaches
    Iron helps produce oxygen so when you are low in iron your body will portions out your iron supply and prioritize getting oxygen to your brain although you will likely experience headaches because it still isn’t enough
  4. Increased anxiety
    Can’t relax? It may be in part to low iron since the lack of oxygen revving up your body’s sympathetic nervous system.
  5. Crave ice chips
    Ever have the urge to chew on ice chips? Those who are iron deficient! If you notice yourself going to the freezer, that’s red flag for lacking iron!

I struggled myself with iron deficiency. My doctor prescribed iron supplements for me when I was in high school and I learned to eat more dark leafy green vegetables and red meat (loaded with iron).

Before you give blood they do a finger prick to test your hemoglobin levels which is produced by the iron in blood. Any time I tired to give blood I would try to increase my iron-enriched foods but didn’t work. I’d have enough iron (hemoglobin) but not enough to give. This was a little battle within myself over the next 10 years.

I pride myself on being healthy, why couldn’t I get my iron up?

I started ID Nutrition four months ago and I’ve noticed a few things improve but little did I know biggest changes are happening on the inside.

About a month after starting ID Nutrition, which based on my personalized assessment included an iron supplement, there was blood drive at my work. I signed up just hoping I’d been eating well enough. Not even thinking of my ID Nutrition supplements.

Sure enough, I was able to give at blood drive at work. My iron (hemoglobin) was just over what it needed to be to donate! WOOOO!

Now, about 3 months later and four months since I started ID Nutrition, another blood drive popped up near my house.

I went in to donate, all the while hoping in the back of my mind that my iron (hemoglobin) was high enough.  The technician told me that hemoglobin levels needs to be 12.5 in order to give blood, mine was  was 13.7.  The technician with the Red Cross was even impressed! I knew this had to be a direct correlation of my use of ID Nutrition and my iron supplements. My hemoglobin level has never been higher and I’m so happy that I can give blood without worry of getting there just to be turned away.

It’s sometimes hard to track positive results form vitamins but this is something tangible and something that I’m so proud of! Not only is ID Life helping me fill in my nutritional gaps but in turn I can help save someone’s life.

Go take your free assessment today and see how quickly you reap the benefits of these pharmaceutical grade vitamins!

Visit jarmstrong427.idlife.com for your free ID Nutrition assessment.

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Reference here