Time for Some Track Workouts

CrossFit seems to be the rage nowadays.  I have to say, it's pretty awesome!  I love the strength paired with the cardio.  It's right up my alley!  In February, however, I hurt my back deadlifting.  Since then, I have been battling to make it better.  There are certain things I can do without pain, most involve no weights whatsoever.  I've had to come up with some new workouts that I can do that still challenge my body, but don't strain the muscles in my back.  I wanted to share for those of you who may not want to use a lot of weights (which by the way is crazy...you WON'T get HUGE) or who also have bad backs.


I do these workouts at the track, but you can do them indoors with a dreadmill and boxes.  Since it's nice, I choose to be outside as much as possible!

Workout #1
400m run (jog or walk for those who aren't used to cardio)
10 bleachers (run up the bleachers or football stands 10 times)
10 push-ups
20 crunches (normally I would do sit-ups, but sit-ups aren't good on the lower back - do what is      comfortable, yet challenging)
20 box jumps (I used a bench, the tallest one I could find)

4 rounds

End with a 400m run.

So you will start with a 400 and end with a 400 (5 altogether)

Workout #2 - This requires dumbbells
400m run
10 hammer curls
20 crunches
10 tricep dips (use a the bench you jumped on for workout #1)
20 push-ups

5 rounds

Workout #3
5 bleachers
5 bleacher jumps (two foot jump up the bleachers - if you can't do this, just do the regular bleachers)
10 push-ups
10 lunges (each leg)
800m run

4 rounds

Workout #4
200m run (sprint if you can)
10 squats (body weight)
10 push-ups

5 rounds

Time for a Rest

Something that any avid athlete never wants to admit is that they are going to have to give it a rest.  Apparently I've been going at it a little too hard for a while now and my body isn't happy.  For about two months now it's been trying to tell me to slow down.  After not listening, I'm now paying the price.

Between being a full time mom, having a full time job, two part time jobs, crossfitting, and training for a half marathon, shit's just catching up with me.  I have to admit, 30 is not the new 20.  :)  Although I do think my physical fitness is light years ahead of what I was when I was 20, my ability to recover and bounce back is not.  

I went through about 4 weeks of just feeling like shit.  I was so scared to death.  I just knew something was wrong with me.  The only other times I had felt like that that was when I was pregnant or just had a baby.  I was neither of those.  Then you get to googling everything and the next thing I know I'm dying!  :)  I finally went to the doctor and got blood work done and an overall physical.  Nothing was wrong with me.  I had to promise my doc to let one thing go so I backed off of crossfit to two time a weeks from three...for a couple weeks.

Then I did it.  I was probably trying to lift too much weight, too often and I strained a muscle in my back.  Now, I'm going to have to really rest....like no exercise for about a week.  On the up side, I got adjusted by my chiropractor, get a massage today, and another adjustment.  I'm hoping and praying to God that together (all of us, including God), we can get me healed and back to normal.

During this time in trying to get me back to normal, I've started to try to live a Paleo lifestyle.  Since it eliminates most food that cause inflammation in the body, which will in turn help to heal my back even faster.  It's funny when you eat foods that are healthy for you what else they can do for your body.  It's also part of my Lenten promise.

I've never been a big fan of fad diets or anything like that, but after a lot of research, I think this is the best thing that I can do for my body right now.  Like I said earlier, I'm not 20 anymore.  I can't eat whatever I want and look like a stick (which I don't even want to look like anymore).  In just a week of going Paleo (about 80%) of the time, I can already tell a little difference in my belly fat.  I'm going to stick this out for a little bit and see how it goes.  

As far as using my doTERRA essential oils to help my back, I've been using Deep Blue lotion and oil for pain relief and inflammation, frankincense for inflammation, birch, white fir, wintergreen, and AromaTouch for sore muscles and circulation, and lavender to help relax and calm the muscles. 

I'll be sharing more about my Paleo experience throughout my journey!  Can't wait to see where this takes me.

Essential Oils and Exercise

Exercise is a wonderful thing, but along with it comes some not so wonderful stuff.  Sweat, stinkiness, injuries, pain, soreness, fatigue (with too much exercise), etc...  The list could go on.   I have been using essential oils for all kinds of health concerns for a while now, but it took me a while to really start digging into them to help with my issues with fitness.  I am a runner and I also do as much strength training as I can fit in.  I teach a group fitness Cardio-Core Blast class as well.  There are some days that I squeeze in 3 workouts a day.  You can imagine the soreness and burnout I get from this.  I wanted to share with you some of the essential oils I've used to help my body cope with my fitness issues.

First and foremost, I recommend that all athletes take a multivitamin.  Yes even if you jog, you are an athlete.  You are exerting effort when you don't have to...in my mind, you qualify!  I not only recommend a multivitamin, but a whole food multivite!  You don't need all the synthetics that come along with the vitamins and nutrients that typically come in your most popular OTC multivitamins.  My favorite multi that I personally take is doTERRA's Lifelong Vitality Pack.  This pack comes with a cellular complex, a food and nutrient complex, and an omega 3.  The three of these combined give your body everything it needs in a completely bio available recipe.  There are no ingredients in them that don't come from the land or the sea.  LOVE THEM!!!!

If you still find that you need more energy, I love doTERRA's Mito2Max.  It's a cellular energy complex that gives your body, down to the cellular level, a little boost of natural energy.  Having two kids, working a full time job, and teaching classes at the gym, I really benefit from the Mito2Max.  It helps me get through those tough days when I have my own workout to do, decide to go for a jog, and still have a class to teach.  Once again...LOVE IT!

So BEFORE you go workout, if you have a little trouble getting off the couch like me, I like to inhale one or more citrus oils to elevate my mood a little.  It makes me a little happier and my attitude for getting up all of sudden turns a corner.  Two of may favorite oil blends to get me out of a pre-workout slump/funk are Elevation-the Joyful Blend and Citrus Bliss-the Invigorating Blend.  They just make me happy.  I also like to put a couple drops of wild orange and peppermint in my GLASS water bottle before my workout too.  I start sipping about a half hour before I have to get at it.  If you do your workout in the morning, peppermint can really help wake your mind as well as your body.

If you are one of those people who get to the gym or starts out on a run like they competing in the Olympics and then all of a sudden about half way through, you feel as if you're digging your grave and just wanna get back to the couch, I love using the Breathe blend on my chest.  It really opens up my airways and allows me to get more oxygen to my muscles, thus increasing my stamina to last a little longer.  Another little trick I like to do is get a damp towel (some gyms offer these) and put a drop or two of wild orange and peppermint on it.  This is wonderful during those terrible DREADMILL workouts when you just want to give up.  Peppermint helps to cool your body down so it's able to give it's energy back to it's muscles and doesn't have to try as hard to cool itself off.  :)  I will also do this in the summer and put the cold damp towel around the back of my neck to help me stay cool.

I also take my water bottle to the gym with me with a citrus oil in it, such as lemon, wild orange, or lime.  Some people like grapefruit...I'm not a huge fan, but that is an option if you do like it.

Then there's those issues that you get after a tough workout.  Sore muscles, fatigue, maybe even a little pain, but hopefully not because you injured yourself.  :)

So for those AFTER a workout problems, Deep Blue is probably one of my faves.  It's amazing for joint pain and sore muscles.  Another oil blend that I'm absolutely in love with is AromaTouch.  Because Deep Blue is so awesome, sometimes AromaTouch gets left behind.  Personally, I like AT better for soreness and DB better for pain and aches.  AT really helps with circulation so be sure to use it if you've built up a lot of lactic acid in your body accompanied with some citrus oil in your water to help flush out the acid internally.  For pain, I really like the combination of marjoram and frankincense either applied topically to the site or taken internally (ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR doTERRA CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade) ESSENTIAL OILS)!!

I hope this helps many of you with any workout or fitness problems you may have.  If you are note currently using essential oils and are interested, let me know.  I'd be happy to talk with you about them and what they can do for you.   You can contact me by email.  I'd love to hear from you.

Vitamins

So I don't know about you, but my eldest child hates to take vitamins.  Unless of course, it's Flintstone vitamins, which in my opinion are about as good as gummy bears from the candy shop.  Just my opinion.  Vivian on the other hand will take them.  She takes just about anything I give her that she thinks is food.

I give my girls doTERRA's A2Z multivitamin for kids.  It's strawberry flavor and I will say in Lila's defense, it doesn't taste like candy.  So now I've found a new way to get her to take her vitamins without even knowing it.  :)

It's funny how great it makes you feel when you have successfully tricked your kids into something like this.

Mom win!

Sunburn Remedy

Well, it's summer!  To many people that mean being in the sun a lot more than usual.  I am blessed with skin that doesn't burn really bad, but I know there are many out there who are not so lucky.  Of course, sunscreen is absolutely recommended (after you get your daily dose of vitamin D, which is about 15 min of strong sun a day), but if you still happen to get a sunburn even after applying sunscreen, I have something AMAZING that will help.

Take a small spray bottle, glass is preferred, but since there are no citrus oils in this recipe, plastic is acceptable.

doTERRA Sunburn Spray

• 1 small spray bottle
• Melaleuca
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Fractionated coconut oil (or another carrier oil)

1. Fill the spray bottle with FCO.
2. Put 5 drops each of lavender, melaleuca, and peppermint in bottle.
3. Swirl around to mix it well.
4. Spray on sunburn and rub in to skin.

A friend of mine used this on her fair skinned daughter who has always struggled with sunburns.  She was amazed at how well this worked...so was I!

If you have questions on how to purchase these oils, email me!  I'd love for you to benefit from the goodness of these oils as well!

It's Giveaway Time!

It's almost time for my vacation and start things off  right, I'm giving away a doTERRA Essential Oils Intro Kit!  The contest starts tomorrow and goes through May 31st.  Follow the instructions at the end of this post to enter!

The doTERRA Essential Oils Intro Kit contains three of my most favorite essential oils, Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint.  These oils are amazing at so many things, individually...put them together and you have an all natural "Allergy Bomb".  Are you suffering from seasonal allergies?  This kit is for you.  

Here are some of the uses for each essential oil in the kit.

Lemon is known as a powerful aromatic, topical, and internal cleanser that can be used to complement many other oils. Diffusing lemon in a room can cleanse the air and uplift mood. It can also be used on surfaces throughout the home as a non-toxic cleaning booster. 

Lemon is naturally antibacterial, antibiotic, antiseptic, antiviral, astringent, diuretic, and a disinfectant.  It can be used to help fight cold and flu season, disinfect living area, and as an insect repellent.  

Some common health concerns in which you could use lemon essential oil are:

• Allergies

• Asthma

• Cold and Flu

• Constipation

• Fever

• Hypertension

• Sore Throat

• Stomach Ache

• Stress

• Throat Infections

Lavender is one of the most popular oils.  It has been cherished for its unmistakable aroma and its therapeutic properties for thousands of years. Lavender is widely used and accepted for its calming and relaxing qualities.  

Lavender is naturally analgesic, antibiotic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, diuretic, disinfectant, and sedative.  It is little known for its powerful capability as a natural antihistamine.  It can be used to calm and help relieve stress, fight cold and flu, as an emergency salve/spray, and is very popular in skin care.  

Some common health concerns in which you could use lavender oil are:

• Acne

• Allergies

• Arthritic Pain

• Asthma

• Bronchitis

• Burns

• Colds and Flu

• Cuts and Wounds

• Depression

• Dermatitis

• Diarrhea

• Earache

• Headaches

• Herpes

• Hypertension

• Indigestion

• Insect Bites

• Insomnia

• Migraines

• Muscle Pain

• Nausea

• Psoriasis

• Skin Disorders

• Sore Throat

• Stomach Ache

• Stress

• Throat Infections

Just to name a few...  :)

Last but not least is one of my favorites, Peppermint.  Peppermint is popular in countless forms, from toothpaste to chewing gum. As an essential oil, it is useful to ease breathing and as a digestive aid.

It is naturally analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, expectorant, and a stimulant.  Peppermint helps with mental acuity, is an insect repellent, and is great for cold and flu season.

Some common health concerns in which you could use peppermint oil are:

• Allergies

• Asthma

• Bronchitis

• Colds and Flu

• Colic

• Congestion

• Dermatitis

• Diarrhea

• Fever

• Headaches

• Indigestion

• Insect Bites

• Menstrual Problems

• Migraines

• Motion Sickness

• Nausea

• Skin Disorders

• Stomach Ache

• Stress

• Toothache

Go to my Facebook page Growing Naturally , "LIKE" my page, and click the "Giveaways" tab to enter!

DIY Baby Wipes

(picture courtesy of Neil Atkins)

(I asked him to send me a picture of my DIY creation with a decent background, since he was at home and I was not...I think he did pretty good!)

I have been "pinning" DIY baby wipes for months now!  I have read blogs and blogs trying to find the right combination of ingredients that worked for me (and my baby's sweet little butt).  I finally put several recipes together and came up with this.

Ingredients

• Large glass jar (I got mine from Walmart)
• Paper Towels (good quality)
• Jojoba Oil (or any kind of carrier oil)
• Aloe Vera gel
• Essential Oils of you choice

Instructions

1. Cut your roll of paper towels in half
2. Put one half of the paper towels roll in the jar or container
3. Mix 2 cups of warm water, 3-5 drops of the essential oil (I used 5 drops of lavender and 5 drops of melaleuca.  You can probably stick with 3 each and be fine.), and the aloe vera gel.
4. pour the mixture over the paper towels in the jar and let it soak in.
5. Turn the jar upside down to let the mixture get to the other end of the paper towels.
6. Let sit for about 30 min to make sure they are good and saturated.
7. Pull the brown insert out of the middle of the paper towel roll and pull the wipes from the middle of the roll.

That's it!  It's so easy.  My daughter had a yeasty diaper rash when I first started using them.  I was able to use the wipes, coconut oil, and the most natural barrier cream I could find at Walmart last minute within a couple days.

Melaleuca is a natural antifungal and Lavender is calming and healing to cuts, scrapes, burns, and rashes.