No More Lame Excuses
About a month ago, a couple of friends talked me into starting an exercise program with them. I'm embarrassed to admit that at first I used the lamest of all excuses to try to get out of it, including that four-letter word B-U-S-Y. "Sorry. Can't. I'm too BUSY." Lucky for me, they're good friends and insisted that I join them. I'm so glad they did because I needed it!
New Year's Resolutions
Continuing to participate in a fitness program is at the top of my New Year's resolutions. (Right now we're working out to the Slim in 6 DVD series. It's an awesome workout that leaves you feeling the burn!) It doesn't require a lot of money or time to get in shape, and there are great physical as well as emotional benefits from working out.
Tip:
Germs at the Gym? Take along a pack of Thieves wipes to wipe down exercise machines, or bring your Thieves Spray for your workout mat. I also like to diffuse essential oils (such as Purification) to eliminate that sweaty smell in the basement while we're working out!
What are some ways you use essential oils in your fitness routine? Share a comment on this post before January 6th (and send me an email at webinfo@youngliving.com with your contact information), and you may be the winner of a Young Living diffuser and bottle of your favorite essential oil!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Fabulous Fitness for the New Year
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27 comments:
Great article on some ways to get back in shape. I use oils when I workout and throughout the day. Before my aerobic or resistance session I apply 3 drops of Valor to the bottom of each foot. I apply White Angelica on my head and brush it over my body, this keeps other folks negative stuff from affecting me. When I am done working out and after I shower I love to annoint my neck, shoulders, back and legs with a combination of lavender, frankincense and wintergreen. Any soreness that may want to creep in usually does not even have a chance. Thank you Young Living for all the great products to keep me healthy. Almost forgot, I put a couple of ounces of NingXia Red in my water bottle, this helps keep my energy stable during my workouts.
Jan Weger - Colorado
Hi, Suzette~
I use geranium in my chlorine-free Endless Pool (very small swimming pool with a current to swim against) to help keep the water healthy, and the aroma helps me feel even happier than I already am as I do my aqua aerobics and swimming. As an extra benefit, it is wonderful for my skin!
Julia Rogers Hamrick
www.ILiveInEasyWorld.com
A few drops of peppermint in my water bottle really helps me get through those 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer! It's refreshing & has a cooling effect on my body. After a long workout, the Ortho Ease helps soothe my muscles especially with a few drops of peppermint added. Love those YL oils!!!
I have discovered a wonderful smell by blending two great oils together for my upper rooms and now I use this blend when meditating, reading, ball balancing, or working out in yoga or The Lotte Burk method.
I use Grapefruit and Lavender in a 10 to 1 mixture.
The grapefruit oil is light, refreshing and stimulating to the mind ~ not to mention all of the other wonderful effects it has on the body and mind. The lavender oil has a grounding and calming effect but during these times you do not want it to be the dominant oil.
Some interesting facts on Grapefruit and Lavender oils from the two reference books I use the most states:
Grapefruit oil has an effect on the mind (anti-depressant and stimulant), helps with fatique, jet lag, and stress and is balancing and uplifting. It also may have a cleansing effect of the kidneys, lymphatics and the vascular system. The first chakra is the most affected chakra with this oil and it is Yang in character.
Lavender oil is anti-depressive and relaxing as well but in this instance it helps in increasing blood flow ~ assisting in vasodilation ~ getting more oxygen to your tissue (muscles). It too has a cleansing effect on the lymphatic system and other systems in the body. During meditation it promotes consciousness, health, love, peace and an over all sense of well-being. The 7th & 4th chakras are balanced and opened with the use of this oil. While lavender tends to be neutral to Ying in character it will lean toward Yang, so only one drop to the 10 drops of grapefruit to get the ball spinning or balancing whichever the case may be.
So when working out or just sitting and relaxing you can help improve your over all health and state of mind by having these wonderful oils floating through the air in a most delightful blend that is neither heavy nor too fruity. ~ Breath deep my friends! : )
After a hard workout, I love getting a massage with YL Ortho Ease! It really takes care of those
sore muscles.
I connect with my deep purpose and desire to honor my body as the temple God created it to be by appling Frankincense. I walk the Rail Trail in the frozen winter months and my spirits stay lifted. Grapefruit and Peppermint both help me with appetite fluctuations. Cedarwood helps maintain focus and Abundance reminds me that if I Believe I can achieve! Essential oils will see me through this Transformation and the rest of my Life!
I have found that as the cold blows in, the outside activities are less. So in the mornings as I need that extra push to get me going, I do my "must have's":
Must have NingXia Red
Must have Pure Protein
Must have Multi-green
By taking my "must have's" my energy is soon to outrun a preschooler! And it lasts all day. So whether I am doing aerobics, grocery shopping, or laundry, my energy is strong.
BONUS: when I use the above mentioned Young Living products, Not only do my days go better but my nights also! I sleep better with my "MUST HAVE'S"! :)
Exercise and YL essential oils were made for each other. I like to keep my Sigg water bottle filled with water from my (glass) pitcher at home that have added several drops of grapefruit and peppermint oils to. Even smelling the water helps my energy and revs my metabolism.
When my neck got stiff after yoga class, the only oil I had in my purse was geranium, so I rubbed it on my neck and the cramp went away at once.
Now I think of Young Living therapeutic grade geranium oil as the perfume that also relieves sore muscles.
After an awesome workout that leaves you feeling the burn, and after a quick shower or a a more lengthy soak in the tub, dry skin brush from the tips of your toes up, from your heels right up over your backside, from your fingertips over your shoulders in long smooth strokes always working towards the heart using EO of Eucalyptus which you can alternate with Juniper, Aroma Siez or Grapefruit. The burn, stiffness or ache will be replaced with the gentle tingle of exhilaration. The brush keeps sanitized from the oils and also acts as a bathroom diffuser as it hangs ready for the next day's after workout self-spa treat.
When your working out whether interval training, rebounding, cycling, doing resistance training reps, or jogging, and you've plateaued in your workouts and feel like you just can't go on, you can work through the wall by sipping on water with EO of peppermint or spearmint added so that you will feel like you can get your second wind and breathe easier. While a drop of peppermint placed on your finger and then at the nape of your neck just below the base of the skull will help you focus and help you go through that wall so that you can endure and improve your workout stamina slowly, but surely as you persevere with your training.
Well, looks like I am going to get this thing rolling and happy to do so!
I joined the local "Y" and I use the theives Spray and paper towel to wipe down the exercise equipment before I use it.
This blog is a great idea!
I'll be back often.
As a fitness lover and Young Living Oil lover I of course have found ways to incorporate the two.
1) Just before my workout I put a drop of Peppermint on my tongue and drink a few sips of water. The oil gives my mouth a pick-me up and soothes my stomach helping to relieve any bloat I may be feeling.
2) A drop of Thieves rubbed into my hands protects me from any germs I may come in contact with on the machines. Plus people next to me love it! They tell me I smell like something they ate or cooked the night before.
elizabeth J.
I walk on a treadmill in our home, and recently began just taking a little 'sniff' of peppermint and rubbing a little under my nose before I walk. It seems to help with my endurance -- probably because it reminds me to breathe deeply. (I have a tendency even while exercising to breathe shallowly.)
Deep breathing is so important. Many of us take such shallow breaths that we are robbing ourselves of the oxygen that we need for our many bodily functions. Even during exercise, it is difficult to remember to breathe deeply. I have found it to be very helpful and healthful to apply an oil to my temples and heart area prior to my morning exercise routine. I find that in doing this, I remember to breathe deeply because I love the fragrance of the oil. I also find myself remembering to breathe deeply because I know that in doing so that I am inhaling the oil and, therefore, a greater amount of oxygen is being carried to my cells as a result of the oils. All in all, it makes my exercising even healthier for me.
Laura B.
Hi! I am a YoungLiving distributor in Northern California. When my friends and I work out, we like to put Peppermint and/or Rosemary on our feet before we start, and diffuse Ener-Gee. The effect is invigorating and helps clear out old unwanted emotional energy as well stimulate our physical energy. The fantastic bonus of doing this everytime we work out, is that the smell alone of these oils seems to bring on the inspiration TO work out, when we are having an off day!
I hope you like this tip! Have a wonderful New Year!
I'm not a biggie on programed exercise but I do get around the block or two and when I am doing my "hustle walk" to get my heart pumping I am thankful that I have put YL Peppermint Oil on the soles of my feet before hitting the concrete. I am sharing this because I think this would also help people on the tread mills and track runners. I have found it helps keep your whole body
cool and a great extra benefit is it helps to keep any foot fungus from growing in sweaty sneakers!
I do water aerobics three times a week at our local recreation center. Needless to say my skin gets really dry and chapped so I have been rubbing my feet and wrists with a few drops of Myrrh after my shower and I have noticed a remarkable difference. My skin is so much softer with a lot more moisture.
I also wouldn't be without my water bottle filled with a drop or two of
Orange Oil to replenish my electrolytes while exercising.
Before my NIA (Neural Integrative Aerobics) class, I rub my feet with Brain Power to help me focus on the dance steps and routines. After a strenuous workout I rub my
feet and legs with Orthoease to relax my tired muscles.
Before my Yoga class, I inhale a drop or two of Myrtle to enhance my
meditation at the end of class.
These essential oils really help me have a more beneficial workout. I don't know what I did before I started using them. I hope you find some of these tips beneficial.
We are so accustomed to just using the oils daily, that I hardly give it a thought. God bless Gary for making all of these tools available.
Hydration is probably the most important consideration in any activity. Here, in the Rockies, our favorite wintertime exercise is snowshoeing. We never leave home without water bottles that have a few drops of citrus oils in them. There is no need to purchase expensive flavored, designer waters when we have the makings of health supporting refreshment at our fingertips. I am particularly liking YL Tangerine his season, but YL Orange , Lemon, Grapefruit or Citrus Fresh are equally refreshing.
On particularly cold days, I prepare a thermos of hot water with a drop or two of YL Peppermint oil. When opened on the trail, the warm fragrant steam rising into cold, crisp air is a lovely boost to energy and then a tasty way to replenish lost moisture.
Before Yoga classes, I apply a few drops of YL Frankincense to the soles of my feet plus a drop at my throat, temples and wrists. For the cool down time at the end of sessions- a flaxseed filled eye pillow with a few drops of YL Lavender oil is wondrously relaxing. A friend suffers from exercise induced asthma. I have given her a small vial of YL RC Blend. At the first signs of shortened breath, a short rest and inhalation of the YL RC is restorative. Another way to have YL RC handy is to apply a few drops to a cotton square, place it in a cotton bag and tuck it in your glove. When needed, just pull off the glove and inhale deeply. I hope that some of these ideas will be of assistance to others launching their New Year's fitness programs.
I use Ningxia Red after EVERY workout! It keeps me from becoming sore.
Then, after my shower, I use Lavender oil instead of deodorant. It works great for me!
By drinking a one ounce packet of NingXia Red before I go into Bally's, I can achieve a much better workout. If I can usually do 30 reps on a machine, by drinking the NingXia, I can do 40 or 45. It's amazing! I just basically discovered that by accident -- but we know there are no accidents (smile).
Each morning I start with a glass of spring water and grapefruit and lemon oils. In 2008 I have committed to each Monday being a "Balanced Complete Day." From NingXia Red, Core Supplements & Balance Complete, I
will start the week out "Balanced."
I love to use aroma seiz or the ortho ease or ortho sport massage oils on the body after exercising. It's a great boost for helping the muscles to relax.
I really enjoy a fresh smell that keeps me motivated while I am jumping on my mini trampoline, doing pilates, and dancing with my 1 year old daughter. Citrus Fresh is what I like to diffuse and put in my water to reward a job well done. Also if I am feeling the burn the next day or just a precaution I'll use Panaway on the areas needed.
Before we walk into the gym, we use Transformation oil blend and it helps us keep going. We use Thieves on our hands for disinfection purposes when moving between weight machines. At the end of our workout session we apply Aroma Seiz or Idaho Balsam Fir to our 55+ joints and muscles giving us pain-free workouts plus we feel and smell great!
I have a "bad" knee and I use Panway after I shower at the gym . It
gives me better pain relief than any arthritis meds I have tried with
no side effects! {Except I smell fresh and clean}
I have found that the panaway blend is a lifesaver when you overdo it in your fitness. Just mix it with a carrier oil and rub it into your muscles.
If you do it soon enough, you won't get the sore muscles from too much exercise, but if you forget until the pain gets to you it is very helpful then too.
I don't go hiking/backpacking without it. Even if I don't need it for myself, there is always someone in the group that benefits from it.
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