What you do when your sick.....

So how do you handle exercise when your sick? What's the best way to handle it?

These are always questions that I have when I'm sick, like today. Started running fever last night. (I don't have a fever now, just feel really puny).

So this morning at 6:00 am and time for my first exercises for the day what's a puny girl to do? For me, I decided to just take it easy, but to move a little. I didn't do a lot of bending my head down or quick movements, just a little movement to wake my body up a little. But for the most part today, I will be taking it easy. Doing a little PT, but that's gonna be about it.

The best way to handle illness is to take it easy and let your body heal and restore, and drink lots of fluids. So that is what my day looks like today.

If you deal with chronic pain, the cold can be very difficult to handle when it comes to exercise. I would like to encourage you to move today. Even if its just a little. Breathe deeply, inhale and exhale and some light stretching. It will make you feel more energetic and ready for your day.

Okay so I'm off to drink a little hot tea and rest.

Healthfully Yours,
Dawn

Okay so here's the scoop...Well part of it anyway...

^{Hebrews 12:1 "1}Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

I said a couple of posts ago that I wasn't going to lay out my workout plan, because for most people, it will just not apply, because of the PT nature of it. But upon further review, in my head, there is definitely some aspects of my daily regimen that most of you will be able to do at least in part. I thought this a great way to let you know what has worked for me.

Consistency: that is the key. What I do, I do daily, five days a week if at all possible. Around the holidays because of our Mayo trip etc., it was a little less, but I picked right back up when I could. That is key: Consistency. There will be weeks that you just cannot keep to your workout routine, but in those times, keep doing what you can and pick it right back up the next week. It is really important that you give yourself no excuses to be lax in this area. I have been the Queen of excuses let me tell ya, well these days I don't give myself any. I press on. Because seriously, for me excuses become major hindrances, and we are to throw those off (see above verse =)

So what about you? Want to throw off some hindrances? Be consistent. Good bye hindrance!

So here is what a typical day workout wise, looks like for me. I get up at 5:00 am and get my sweet husband off to work, and then I read my Bible until 6:00 am. At 6:00 AM Margaret Richards comes on PBS. From 6:00-6:30 AM I workout with her. What I really like about her is she is consistent, and she never compromises form for reps. Very important. If you would like to check her out, please do so right here.

After my workout with Margaret, I go about my day, and then at 10:00 am I start leg PT and then again at about 2:00 pm, leg PT. I am going to start adding more weights to my workouts as I go, but that is a process. If you have chronic pain or health issues that impede your workouts, add weights and reps slowly. Be very consistent in working out and moving and know your body. It will tell you when it's time to move up in weight, sets and reps.

In all this, be sure and take time to read the Bible and pray. Ask God to help you in this walk. It is vitally important. In fact, it is the MOST important part. Because apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). It is what Faith-Filled Fitness is all about. In order to be Faith-Filled, you have to be consistent in your walk with the Lord as well.

I am so enjoying our time together. Your comments are so GREAT and I'm trying to respond to them.

Have a Blessed day ~~

Healthfully Yours,
Dawn

Finding your heart....

^{I John 1:2-3 "2}The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴We write this to make our joy complete."

Part of the reason for this blog is to help you open your heart to the Lord. I do not think that we can ever make lasting changes apart from Him, and that certainly includes in the area of our health and wellness. It is so vitally important that all things in our lives are surrendered to Him. He wants to be our everything. In order for that to happen, we must give Him our everything; all our stuff, all our insecurities and pride, our failings and our victories for that matter. EVERYTHING needs to be turned over to Him. I encourage you right now just to take a minute before the Father in stillness and ask Him what it is you need to turn over to Him. We all have stuff that we try to manage ourselves, but apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). It is in Him that we truly find all that we need for life. So just be still before Him and then be obedient to Him. He loves you so child. You are safe in His care. Safe, Truly Safe.

Father,
I love you so!! In this moment touch us, show us the areas that are not pleasing to You. The areas that we need to work on, all our stuff, show us Father, and help us to be obedient to get rid of the things that are not pleasing to You and help us to trust You in all things. You Father, are our All-in-All!! Thank You Father for loving us so, and desiring a relationship with us. It is so mind-boggling to think that You would want anything to do with me, but You do. Truly You are Worthy of all of my praise ~~ Hallelujah!! ~~ I love you Lord, in Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

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I encourage you each day to come before Father God and just be still for a few minutes before Him. Let Him love on you child. It is life changing.

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Yesterday we focused on calves. Today let's focus on quads. A subject near and dear to my heart since we found out just a few weeks ago that surgery leg quad is not firing (contracting) properly.

So today let's do some leg lifts. I have found it difficult to try to explain here exactly how to do the exercises, but if you will e-mail me I will send some info to you that will explain each exercise we discuss here on the blog.

As you do your quads today, be sure and breathe out as you lift, and focus on your quadricep muscle. And as always, keep a close eye on your form. The form must be proper. This is a no injury zone =) So proper form is key.

Thank you so much for visiting today.

Healthfully Yours,
Dawn

Give it a go...

We all must start somewhere. So let's get started. Each week I'll be encouraging you in an area to help get you moving in the right direction.

First and foremost let me encourage you in the Word.

I John 1:1 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life."

Having the Word in your heart is such an important part of your health and wellness. It will help you in the moments that you don't want to eat right or move. The Word will be your guide, your comfort and your strength in every area of your life: health and wellness included.

You are beautiful and God wants you to see just how beautiful you are from His perspective. That starts with getting to know Him. So curl up with His Word and hear Him speak His Truth to your heart. It is truly amazing!!! Then talk to Him. Tell Him your heart, what concerns you, what makes you crazy, what makes you happy, tell Him your desires and cares, He loves you so child. He wants to be your everything in everything!! SO AMAZING!!!

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This week let's talk exercise. As we start a new year let's start it moving.

If you do not regularly work out, please see your doctor and talk with him/her about what exercise would be best for your current situation, especially if you deal with health problems.

I would love to lay out my workout plan for you, but workout plans need to be very individualized. What works for me will probably not work for you specifically. You must modify your workouts to fit your current health status.

If you have chronic pain and think you just cannot work out, let me be an encouragement to you today. God is on your side child. You may not be able to get out and run or even walk or ride a bike, this is my current situation, but I am still working out. I may not be able to do cardio, but I can do something, and something is exactly what I'm doing.

So today let's focus on calves. I did calves today in my first morning workout and it was so great!!! Strong calves are a great start to having strong legs. If you have not worked out your calves in a while, let me encourage you to start today. Start ever so slow, but please start.

The calf muscle helps support the entire leg, and it also helps you to have strong ankles. I have found that a simple calf raise exercise helps me immensely. If you need help, please e-mail me and I will run you through how to do calf raises with proper form. Proper form is a must for every exercise that you do. Even if you can't do a lot of reps, proper form makes sure that the reps you do are effective.

I'd like to close today with this quote and prayer: "He is all I need and all I desire. That is what gets me through the day." Let it get you through the day today too, dear one.

Healthfully yours,
Dawn

PS A posted a great breakfast recipe here. Enjoy!!