Keeping ExcelFit Authentic

People who have struggles with their weight, eating, health, energy levels, and/or self-esteem might feel discouraged seeing fitness professionals that constantly post photos and videos of all of the amazing exercises that they personally can do. Wearing next to nothing, showing that you can do an ultra-strenuous exercise gets a lot of attention but I feel like that isn’t what most people battling with chronic disease or those folks who just want so badly to get healthy are actually looking for.

Coming from someone who grew up with self-esteem issues, I strive to be genuine and honest. Hey guess what? I am 40 years old and still get zits on my chin mixed in with the crows feet that I have developed over the last few years. And you know what else? I recently hurt my back so badly that I could barely exercise for 6 weeks. I used to want breast implants because I felt like I needed them to feel better about my body. I have been depressed in the past and still really have a hard time thinking clearly or feeling energy on days when the sun doesn’t come out. I have had family members who have abused alcohol and substances, have mental illness, and/or have chronic diseases, amongst many other things.

I have not been overweight, but I do know what it is like to work with clients that are obese, disabled, or depressed. From teenagers to 80 year olds, cancer survivors, and exhausted moms with newborns, I truly feel like I have been put on this earth to support folks who mentally & physically struggle and really are searching to find ways to improve the quality of their lives.

I know how incredibly important it is to eat a (mostly) healthy diet of whole foods & plants and make it a habit to regularly exercise and move my body because I know what I felt like when I didn’t do those things. I used to abuse my body and I felt like SH*T- sluggish, sad, and unmotivated.

I’ve learned how badly our bodies need lots of water, social connection, laughter, movement, and sleep and I want to keep promoting that with my business and being authentic in all that I put out there for ExcelFit With Molly.

As I’m trying my best to learn and grow along the way, I value your input to help ExcelFit with Molly be the most beneficial for all of us. Let me know what I’m doing that works, what needs tweaking, and what you’d like me to add.

I hope that I encourage people old & young, large and small, even if it’s in some very little way. Know that whoever you are and whatever your struggle may be, I want you to feel welcome and comfortable to reach out if you think that I can be a resource to your health journey. I can promise you I screw up often, struggle to keep my head on straight every now & then, and do not think I have it all figured out. However, I do have a serious passion for helping others and myself feel vibrant, healthy, confident, and energized today and for many years down the road.

Motivation To Reach New Goals

April 23, 2020April 23, 2020Leave a comment

shoes

It’s hard to stay motivated (long-term), especially now when our lives and sense of “normalcy” has completely changed.

Below are 2 strategies that I find to be very helpful ways to stay motivated and follow through on your most challenging tasks.

1. Artificial Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a principle of human behavior that says that a behavior is more likely to happen & will continue to happen, when it’s followed by something enjoyable or rewarding.

For example:

Suppose you want to stick to a goal of running two times a week for one month. Each time you accomplish your run, give yourself a small reward-like 15 minutes of reading time, a piece of dark chocolate, or your favorite smoothie or juice from a local juice bar. Each time you complete your run, reward yourself in a small & healthy way.
At the end of the month-think of a larger reward to give yourself for reaching the goal of completing the entire month, like a new outfit for the summer or a pedicure. (Ok, for now that pedicure might have to be done on your own, but you could include a bath & make it extra relaxing!)

I know we usually think of this reward system as something for kids, but you know it works for them-so try it for yourself and see what happens!

Juice Bar Promo3

2. The Ulysses Pact

This pact is named after the hero of the Trojan war & is a technique for holding yourself accountable to stick with a goal, even when it is hard.

The key in this pact is that we make a choice in the present that binds us to perform an action in the future.

For example:

Suppose you want to stick to a plan of making a healthy dinner for your family 5 nights a week. Or, you make a decision to workout with a buddy 3 times each week. You could write your good friend or even your child a series of checks for $20 each and instruct them to cash one of these checks and use the money however they want, if you skip out on meeting for a workout or don’t meet your 5th dinner for your family for that week.

The Ulysses Pact helps you maintain a high level of motivation when things get tough by locking in a future behavior ahead of time.

I personally thought that these techniques are good ones for setting new goals and sticking to them. Hope you give them a try and strive for something bigger and better in the future!

Family Health While Stuck Inside

Magnesium Deficiency

June 27, 2019June 27, 2019Leave a comment

magnesium deficiency

According to the American Chiropractic Society, 68-80% of the U.S. population is deficient in the essential mineral magnesium.

I just found out that my levels were low so I wanted to share what I have recently learned about this subject.

Why is this happening? The reason that most of our population is deficient magnesium is because of ongoing soil erosion has significantly depleted the mineral content of our soil within the last century. Consequently, many fruits and vegetables that were once rich in magnesium no longer contain it in adequate amounts, resulting in widespread deficiencies.

Symptoms of low magnesium could include:

Muscle twitches and cramps
Mental disorders like depression and anxiety
Increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures
High blood pressure
Fatigue and muscle weakness
Irregular heart beat
Insomnia and more

How to find out if you are deficient in magnesium: Most physicians measure magnesium with a simple blood test, and many people are then informed that their levels are normal. But to get an accurate reading, you need to measure intracellular magnesium levels, which can be done by testing red blood cells.

While you can request an RBC (red blood cell) magnesium test via a blood test during a visit to your doctor or healthcare provider, you can also order one yourself through an independent lab, such as Lab Corps or Direct Labs.

The ideal range for RBC magnesium levels is 6.0 to 6.5 mg/dl (the normal reference range is 4.2 to 6.8 mg/dl).

magnesium

To get more of this essential mineral in your diet, make sure you are getting plenty of foods that are high in magnesium.

Top 11 foods that are rich in magnesium:

Dark Chocolate
Nuts
Avocados
Legumes
Tofu
Seeds
Whole Grains
Brown Rice/Quinoa
Some fatty fish-salmon, mackeral, halibut
Bananas
Dark Leafy Greens

BUT, because our soil is depleted in magnesium, fruits and vegetables that were once high in magnesium often don’t contain nearly the levels that they did many years ago. Due to this, if you are low in magnesium, you will probably need to add a supplement to your diet via your doctor’s recommendation.

The Best Forms Of Magnesium

Magnesium citrate — Magnesium citrate is the most popular magnesium supplement, probably because it is inexpensive and easily absorbed. Since citric acid is a mild laxative, magnesium citrate functions as a constipation aid as well as a magnesium source. It is a great choice for individuals with rectal or colon problems but is unsuitable for those with loose bowel movements.

Magnesium taurate — Magnesium taurate is the best choice of magnesium supplement for people with cardiovascular issues, since it is known to prevent arrhythmias and guard the heart from damage caused by heart attacks. Magnesium taurate is easily absorbed (magnesium and taurine stabilize cell membranes together), and it contains no laxative properties.

Magnesium malate — Magnesium malate is a fantastic choice for people suffering from fatigue, since malic acid — a natural fruit acid present in most cells in the body — is a vital component of enzymes that play a key role in ATP synthesis and energy production. Since the ionic bonds of magnesium and malic acid are easily broken, magnesium malate is also highly soluble.

Magnesium glycinate — Magnesium glycinate (magnesium bound with glycine, a non-essential amino acid) is one of the most bioavailable and absorbable forms of magnesium, and also the least likely to induce diarrhea. It is the safest option for correcting a long-term deficiency.

Magnesium chloride — Though magnesium chloride only contains around 12 percent elemental magnesium, it has an impressive absorption rate and is the best form of magnesium to take for detoxing the cells and tissues. Moreover, chloride (not to be confused with chlorine, the toxic gas) aids kidney function and can boost a sluggish metabolism.

Magnesium carbonate — Magnesium carbonate is another popular, bioavailable form of magnesium that actually turns into magnesium chloride when it mixes with the hydrochloric acid in our stomachs. It is a good choice for people suffering from indigestion and acid reflux, since it contains antacid properties.

I hope that you found this article informative! Please leave your comments below or share your experience with any magnesium supplements or testing.

Thanks for reading!

How To Be More Positive

February 25, 2019Leave a comment

I am usually a very upbeat person but there are some days that I battle with a very pessimistic view of myself or just life in general. This happens to be one of those days, so I thought I would write about it.

I know that I have ZERO to complain about so I am puzzled why I sometimes struggle to count my blessings when I have SO much to be thankful for.

There are some days that are much better than others, but on the BAD days (today being one) there are things that I can do to create a more optimistic mindset. I will admit, however, that I went out and had a few drinks with friends this past Saturday night and didn’t sleep well after, so right there I know that by not caring for my health, I am paying the price mentally….

Anyways, if you struggle with this same problem, here are some things that we ALL can do when we are battling negative emotions:

Do Something Kind For Others:

It’s easy to get wrapped up with your own misfortunes. Instead, try to step outside of your daily routine to help someone else. This can provide you with a new perspective on life and fill you with positivity. Aim to do one nice thing for someone each day-whether it’s a phone call to a loved one, writing a letter to a friend, complimenting someone at the grocery store, or buying a stranger a cup of coffee.

Practice The Two Positives Exercise:

When you are not used to thinking optimistically, it can be hard to stop the negative flow of thoughts. This shift takes time. Be patient with yourself, and first just try to observe your thought patterns: Are you judging others? Are you focusing on your failures? Do you find yourself complaining about your job? Are you criticizing yourself or your body?

When you observe these thoughts, take a moment to counter each negative thought with two positive observations or gratitudes. Think of it as adding in two positives for each negative thought you recognize.

Practice Gratitude:

One of the quickest ways to shift your focus away from negativity, judgment, and disappointment is to list the things in your life for which you are grateful. Be grateful to have your jobby job, to be able to sleep in a bed each night, for the health of your family, for the sun that comes up each morning, for the people that love and care for you, for a chance to “start fresh” each new day, and for a body that lets you experience life.

Practicing gratefulness can cause almost an immediate shift in your perspective. Keeping a daily gratitude journal (even if it’s a list on your phone) can help remind you to keep life’s blessings at the forefront of your mind.

Have A Positive Posture:

My dear friend, Courtney Rouse, has the best posture out of anyone I know! I am always complimenting her on this and you know what- she’s a pretty darn positive person so I do believe this is an effective strategy.

The mind and the body have an intrinsic connection—each greatly impacts the other. If you are struggling to move your mind into a more positive perspective, try moving your body there first. Try standing up straight, shoulders back, chin held high, stretching your arms out as wide as they can go. Feel powerful. Feel positive. Carrying yourself with “positive posture” will encourage your mind to feel more positive as well. (This works…I swear-I just forget to do it! Courtney Rouse…will you help remind me please?)

Smile:

Another way for your body to “trick” your mind into being more positive is through smiling. The simple act of smiling, even if you are faking it at first, can instantly change the way you feel internally. Whether you are sitting at your desk, driving in your car, or walking down the street, smile. You will be amazed how your mind reacts. Even better, try smiling at a co-worker or stranger you pass in the hallway or on the sidewalk. Chances are they will smile back.

Surround Yourself With Positive People:

It’s hard to maintain a positive perspective if you are constantly pulled down by the negativity of friends, family, or co-workers. If you get trapped in a negative conversation, gracefully try to change the subject to something more positive. (I am guilty of NOT doing this….working on it though!)

If you are surrounded by a bunch of negative people, it may be time to reevaluate your circle of friends in an effort to be surrounded by uplifting individuals.

We all know that life is not always easy, and sometimes we get handed some majorly shitty cards to deal with. However, it is our own perspective that ultimately determines if we will drudge through the mud and muck with a sour attitude or if we will brush our shoulders off and try our best to be a better version of what we were yesterday.

I hope these ideas help! Let me know what you think or if you have other strategies that keep you feeling uplifted or lighter.

Nutrition & Mental Health

February 12, 2019January 11, 20201 Comment

If you know me fairly well, you will know that I am extremely passionate about mental health. That is because I have noticed a significant improvement in my own mood and mentality since I started taking better care of my body.

I used to battle with depression in my high school and college years and I believe that was mostly caused by the fact that I didn’t sleep well, I didn’t eat nutrient dense foods, I drank too much alcohol and not enough water, and I didn’t participate in a regular exercise program.

Mental illness runs in my family and my father was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was 17 years old, so I have really tried to make a conscious effort to improve my own mental wellness as well as the mental health of my family.

Over the last several years, I have noticed more research that has been done on the link between inflammation caused by certain foods in the body and mental illness.

A lack of key essential nutrients is now KNOWN to contribute to poor mental health in people suffering from:

Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia
ADHD

The inflammation that causes these mental disorders starts in the gut and is associated with a lack of nutrients in our food such as:

Magnesium
Omega-3 fatty acids
Probiotics
Vitamins/minerals that are essential for our bodies to function properly

Read this article right HERE to learn more.

The following list of foods are the BEST options to help boost mood, cognition, and metal health:

1. Fatty Fish: salmon, trout, and sardines
2. Coffee
3. Blueberries
4. Turmeric
5. Broccoli
6. Pumpkin Seeds
7. Dark Chocolate
8. Nuts
9. Whole Eggs
10. Oranges
11. Green Tea
12. Avocados
13. Beets
14. Celery
15. Carrots

Try to incorporate these foods into your weekly diet as much as you possibly can. In addition to adding these key nutrients from your foods, don’t forget to get outside for fresh air (away from your technology), hydrate your brain with filtered H20, get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and consistently move your body every day. Do these things and your chances of feeling depressed, anxious, and scatter-brained should greatly decrease.

Got any questions or feedback? Let me know!

Creating & Keeping Healthy Habits

December 13, 2018December 14, 2018Leave a comment

You don’t have to wait until the new year to start setting a couple of new goals or develop a new positive habit.

Here are some ideas to help you out:

1. For any healthy habits to stick, you need to figure out your “WHY” for making positive change.

Ask yourself WHY you want to build a new healthy habit or change a bad one. Write it down. And hang it up somewhere you can see it every day.

2. RECRUIT ALLIES: find a friend or group of friends to build the habits with you.

Studies show that people with weight loss goals that start them with a friend or group are 70% more likely to follow through than if they did it alone.
*Remember, those first few weeks are the toughest, which means they’ll require the most effort to get started.*

3. Never miss TWO in a row!

What happens if you miss a day? Who cares! One day won’t ruin you – but two days often times will-because 2 becomes 30 in the blink of an eye.
As pointed out in a research summary: “Missing the occasional opportunity to perform the behavior did not seriously impair the habit formation process: automaticity gains soon resumed after one missed performance.” But, more than one missed opportunity and things start to go downhill…..

4) DON’T PICK HABITS YOU HATE

“Hey Sally, I know I should run so I’m trying to build a running habit even though I hate running.” STOP! You can get the same results with a different habit, such as dancing or swimming. Pick a habit that isn’t miserable for you and you’re more likely to follow through on it.

*At the same time, there are tons of success stories from people who went from hating exercise to loving how it feels. It’s because they made the habit part of a bigger picture: “I am exercising at the gym because I am building a kick-ass body so I can start dating again!” It’s because they had a BIG enough why to overcome their initial dislike of exercise until they learned to love how exercise made them feel.

5) TRY TEMPTATION BUNDLING

Consider combining a habit you dislike with something you LOVE, and you’ll be more likely to build the habit. For example, allow yourself an hour of watching Netflix, but ONLY while you’re on the Elliptical. This is called “temptation bundling” and can be a powerful tool for positive change.

What temptation bundling does:

It reduces the amount of time that you devote to temptations. After all, you’re limiting the situations in which you’ll allow yourself to engage in the temptation.
It increases the likelihood that you’ll engage in desired behavior. That is, it makes it easier for you to adopt positive habits.
READY TO BUILD A NEW HEALTHY HABIT?

Start small: 1-2 habits to begin. For example, if you want to start exercising: instead of setting a goal to do it every day, start off with 2 days a week of 15-20 minutes and then slowly add on when you are ready. Or if you want to eat healthier: start off by cooking one healthy meal per week and then add another meal the next week.

REACH OUT TO ME HERE IF YOU’D LIKE SOME HELP!

Detoxifying Yoga Poses

November 5, 2018Leave a comment

The yoga poses below will stimulate your circulatory, digestive, and lymphatic systems, helping you rid your body of waste and toxins!

In addition to the physical benefits, yoga can also provide mental clarity. The calming and centering aspects of yoga are essential for an all-over detox for your mind and body, helping release physical, mental, and emotional toxicity.

Here is a list of just some of the benefits of adding yoga into your weekly health & fitness routine:

Increased energy
Improved sleep patterns
Better balanced hormones
Improved digestion
Less stress
Less toxic build-up in the body

Detoxifying forward fold pose

Forward Fold Pose:

This pose is great for opening tight hamstrings, allowing your head to fall below your heart. It also reverses the pull of gravity, encouraging circulation of blood throughout the body. The folding motion squeezes the belly which also moves things along for digestion.

Downward dog with a lifted, bent knee

Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog Pose

Holding your head below your heart and your leg lifted in the air in this variation of Downward Dog encourages blood to circulate throughout the body, as well as move fluid to the lymph nodes. This pose can also be very relaxing, which can help in mental detox as well as releasing stress, fear, and sadness.

Revolved Chair Pose

This pose strengthens your quads and glutes in a major way! This deep twist is also excellent for aiding digestion as you feel the gentle pressure on your kidneys, liver, and spleen that stimulates the removal of toxins, while toning your abdominal wall.
It stimulates the heart, improving circulation in the blood, respiratory, and lymphatic systems.
Modification: Start in Chair Pose, bringing hands together at your heart. Take a big inhale to lengthen spine, and exhale to twist to the right, taking left elbow outside of right thigh. Inhale to center and exhale to twist to left. Repeat this sequence five times on each side.

Dolphin Pose

This pose really challenges your shoulders, core, and lower leg muscles. It also helps stimulate the nervous system and promotes and feeling of relaxation.

Tips: Try to line up your arms parallel to each other with your elbows in line with your wrists. Squeeze your quads! Relax your neck and muscles in your face while holding this pose.

Locust Pose

This pose strengthens the entire back of the body, opens the heart, and encourages good posture. The pressure on your abdomen also encourages digestion, which stimulates the release of those things that might be causing you stress.

Plow Pose

Plow Pose strengthens and stretches the back muscles, aligning the spine and improving your posture, stimulating the abdominal organs, ovaries, bladder, and kidney, and relieving digestive issues. It also increases metabolism and tones the abdominal wall.

Supine Twist

A twist will help give you mental clarity, relieve stress and deep tension, and detoxify your entire system by primarily massaging your internal organs, encouraging the elimination of toxins.
When you release your twist, fresh blood and nutrients rush back into your digestive organs, helping nourish and support them. *Stay in Supine Twist for at least five deep breaths, then repeat on other side.*

Try these yoga poses to help promote detoxification, reduce stress, increase flexibility, improve mental clarity and more. I recommend holding each pose for at least 5 breaths or longer and try your best to be focusing on your breath and body vs being lost in thought. Good luck-I hope these help!

Naturally Boost Your Metabolism

October 15, 20182 Comments

Metabolism is a term that describes all chemical reactions in your body. It often is used interchangeably with “metabolic rate”, which is the number of calories you burn. The higher this is, the more calories and fat you naturally burn off and keep off. In addition, having a higher metabolism can give you more energy and make you feel better. Who doesn’t want that?

Here are 7 ways to naturally kick your metabolic rate up so that you can burn more fat:

1. Eat Protein At Every Meal: Eating protein raises your metabolic rate by 15-30% and can make you feel fuller longer, which can keep you from overeating. Eating protein also keeps you from losing muscle mass, which is a common side effect of dieting.

2. Do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): I know you’ve heard this before-intervals of quick and intense bursts of activity during exercise has been proven to help boost your metabolism and burn more fat than steady cardio and it still works long after your workout is over!

3. Lift Heavy: Having more muscle on your body allows you to naturally burn more calories and fat in any given day. Lifting heavy weights vs light weights is more effective in helping you increase your muscle mass and improve your metabolic rate.

4. Drink Green or Oolong Tea: Both of these teas have shown to increase metabolism by 4-5%. They are low in calories and may help promote weight loss and weight maintenance in certain people.

5. Get a Good Night’s Sleep: Lack of sleep is linked to a major increase in the link to obesity. It is also linked to raising blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, increasing your hunger hormones, and decreasing the hormones that make you feel full.

6. Drink Coffee (yay!): Studies have shown that coffee (like green tea) can boost metabolism up to 11%.

7. Stand Up More: Sitting too much is bad for your health and can cause you to gain significant amounts of weight. (Not to mention the bad effects it has on your heart!) If you have a desk job-set an alarm every 10 minutes that will remind you to get up, walk around, and get the blood flowing in your body. (This will also help you refocus and get more energy as you continue working.)

Healthy Breakfast Cookies

August 29, 2018August 28, 2018Leave a comment

These breakfast cookies are gluten free, dairy free, and can be made nut free and vegan-friendly if desired! They are full of healthy ingredients but still taste super yummy and can be made ahead of time for quick, on-the-go breakfasts that you can grab as you rush out the door in the morning!

Just a few of the awesome ingredients in this recipe include: pumpkin seeds that are rich in magnesium and antioxidants and are amazing for your brain and help fight cancer. The flax and Chia seeds provide protein and fiber and the honey is a great sweetener that is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

You really can’t beat the health benefits that comes from these “cookies” and I think you’ll be impressed by the great taste too.

I hope you enjoy them-the Kujo thought they were fantastic!

Total Prep Time: 15 Minutes; Total Cook Time: 15 minutes

Makes 8-9 cookies; cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of Gluten-Free Oats
½ cup oat flour*
½ cup dried cranberries, raisins, apricots, or other dried fruit**
1/2 cup of of unsweetened dried coconut flakes (optional)
½ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans OR 1/4 cup of group flax seeds if you want to make it NUT FREE
1 tablespoon Chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large mashed banana or ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
2 tablespoons of almond milk or milk of choice

*You can make your own oat flour by grinding up whole oats in a food processor!

**You can substitute other dried fruit, nuts, cocoa nibs, etc…**

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl—oats, oat flour, dried cranberries, dried coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, ground walnuts or flaxseed, Chia seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Stir in mashed banana, coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, and almond milk until well blended. Let mixture rest for 4–5 minutes, giving time for Chia and flax to bind everything together. If your dough has gotten too thick, stir in an additional 1–2 tablespoons milk before scooping out onto your baking sheet.
Measure dough out by the scant ¼ cupful and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or lightly greased).
Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until cookies are lightly golden around the edges.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Makes 8–9 cookies.

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