Pamela is back today to continue our Oola education. If you don’t know what Oola is, you will want to start with this article where Pamela introduces us to Oola. In short, Oola is about finding more balance in your life which is something I really struggle with. Finding balance is also something I often discuss with my other Mom friends, so when Pamela introduced me to Oola, I was definitely intrigued. If you struggle with juggling all that life has thrown at you, I encourage you to keep reading.
When thinking about fitness, most people immediately think about physical fitness “the working out and eating right” kind of fitness. Being active, daily exercise and eating right are important. Additionally, I would add to physical fitness making sure to attend your doctor’s appointments and early detection for diseases. If you want to start an exercise routine check out the 4 weeks outline below. It’s based on your own abilities, simple, and doesn’t take a lot of time.
Other areas of #OolaFitness that are frequently overlooked in fitness altogether are Mental and Emotional health. These three areas are very much connected, like a 3-legged stool, all three legs need to be there for a stool to stand. If one area is weak or another area is stronger, your stool will be unbalanced. It takes some work, practice, and time to look at your health in these three areas and to develop good habits for good fitness.
Mental Health includes the ability to cope with the situations that we are given, stress management, safety & security. When we are not thinking clearly, we are not living Oola or our best life at all.
- Tips to improve mental health:
- Get plenty of sleep: set up a sleep routine that does not include technology, eating, or caffeine, following a routine can help fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Avoid alcohol, smoking, and drugs: not only are alcohol, smoking, and drugs bad for the body they rob your body of being able to function correctly.
- Get plenty of sunlight: sunlight helps produce vitamin D which helps our body absorb nutrients, fights off depression, reduces stress, and maintains strong bones.
- Do something you enjoy: when we are stressed, we frequently stop doing things we enjoy because we are too busy, set aside time for things we enjoy.
- Connect with others and be sociable: when being with others having a good time takes our mind off of our problems, laughter really is the best medicine
- Do things for others: when helping others it changes our perspective and the feeling of doing good for others will often improve our spirits.
- Ask for help: when there is a struggle or problem ask for help from family, friends, or find an outside source who can help.
Emotional health includes positive relationships, social interactions, and spiritual health. When we are emotionally drained, we have no energy.
- Tips to improve emotional health:
- Have friends who support you and are truly happy for your accomplishments: having true friends who support us is more valuable than money. (More about this in #OolaFriends)
- Focus on the positive: when we have negative events happening in our life, this is the perfect opportunity to be thankful. (More about this in #OolaFaith)
- Be thankful: Start a journal and write in it every day what you are grateful for, the bad thing that happened that day, and the gratitude in the bad.
- Find meaning and purpose for your life: part of our health includes spirituality, meditation, finding a high purpose for your life.
- Be aware of your emotions and reactions: after situations have occurred, or if you know you’re going to be in an uncomfortable situation, check yourself, how are you feeling?
- Express your feelings in appropriate ways: It is completely ok to have emotions to be angry, fearful, and upset but it is not ok to have certain reactions because of these emotions.
- Think before you act: I admit I am a reactive person, and it has taken me time and practice to just listen and not react. We need time to process information before we react to people.
Beginning Fitness Routine – Be sure to write all of your information down:
- Week 1 – This is our test week; we get a baseline of what we are able to do for our first month.
- Day 1: Pushups – Do as many as you can in 1 minute, Plank – time yourself holding a plank for as long as you can.
- Day 2: Squats- do as many as you can in 1 minute, Lunges; do as many as you can in 1 minute.
- Day 3: Complete a cardio activity for 20 minutes.
- Day 4: Crunches – do as many as you can in 1 minute; Wall sits – time yourself holding as long as you can.
- Day 5: Jumping jack – do as many as you can in 1 minute; High knees – do as many as you can in 1 minute.
- Day 6: Complete a cardio activity for 20 minutes.
- Day 7: Day of rest – relax and enjoy your day.
- Week 2 and 3 – Complete 50% of the number of your baseline data from week 1
- Day 1: Pushups – Complete 3 sets of 50% of the number from week 1 day 1; Plank – Complete 3 sets 50% of the time that you had recorded from week 1 day 1
- Day 2: Squats – Complete 3 sets of 50% of the number from week 1 day 2; Lunges – Complete 3 sets 50% of the number you had recorded from week 1 day 2
- Day 3: Complete a cardio activity for 40 minutes.
- Day 4: Crunches – Complete 3 sets of 50% of the number from week 1 day 4; Wall Sits – Complete 3 sets 50% of the time that you had recorded from week 1 day 4
- Day 5: Jumping jacks – Complete 3 sets of 50% of the number from week 1 day 5; High knees – Complete 3 sets 50% of the number you had recorded from week 1 Day 5
- Day 6: Complete a cardio activity for 40 minutes
- Day 7: Day of rest – relax and enjoy your day.
- Week 4 – Complete 75% of the number of your baseline data from week 1
- Day 1: Pushups – Complete 3 sets of 75% of the number from week 1 day 1; Plank – Complete 3 sets 75% of the time that you had recorded from week 1 day 1
- Day 2: Squats – Complete 3 sets of 75% of the number from week 1 day 2; Lunges – Complete 3 sets 75% of the number you had recorded from week 1 day 2
- Day 3: Complete a cardio activity for 60 minutes.
- Day 4: Crunches – Complete 3 sets of 75% of the number from week 1 day 4; Wall Sits – Complete 3 sets 75% of the time that you had recorded from week 1 day 4
- Day 5: Jumping jacks – Complete 3 sets of 75% of the number from week 1 day 5; High knees – Complete 3 sets 75% of the number you had recorded from week 1 Day 5
- Day 6: Complete a cardio activity for 60 minutes
- Day 7: Day of rest – relax and enjoy your day.
Once you complete week 4 you can start back at week 1 again, to see your progress and to continue with the next 4 weeks.
Until next time: Be Grateful, Have Faith, and Live Oola
Pamela
Ok ladies, now it’s our turn to chat about this and connect with each other.
Have you heard about Oola? Do you wish your life were more balanced? Do you feel like one aspect of your life gets more attention than other parts of your life? Do you struggle with finding purpose as you clean the house all day, to only turn around and find a mess again? Which area of Oola Fitness do you feel you are really good at? We really do want to build a community here that lifts other women up, shares ideas and advice, and isn’t afraid to share their stories in hopes of helping others. The comments are right below the subscription box. We would love for you to subscribe and follow us on social media too.
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