Tag Archive for exercise routine

7 Small Habits That Will Change Your Life

June 6, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

You barely notice some of your habits. Yet one of more of them can lead to big results.

Go big with this GenuLines look at a life changing process. 

7 Small Habits That Will Change Your Life

It’s hard to imagine sometimes what deep impact small things can have. But if you’ve ever doubted the impact of tiny actions then think about how erosion created the Grand Canyon.
 
Over time, something as small as sand, water, and rock have created one of the most awesome of nature’s miracles.
 
So too will small habits affect your life in such a way that they create lasting and significant change. Read on and find some habits you can start immediately implementing.
 
These can reshape you into the person that you’re meant to be.
 
man keeping good habits

 

1. Get up on time

Starting the day with repeated hits of the snooze alarm sets a bad tone for the rest of the day. You set the alarm with the intention of rising at that hour – why are you breaking that promise to yourself?
 
By getting up on time, you’re putting a positive start on the day. Shouldn’t you give yourself the best odds of a good day as possible?

2. Make every meal healthy

It’s hard to feel energized when you’re slogging along on a diet filled with fats and sugars. When you put more healthy choices onto your plate, you will feel better.
 
Your mind will be sharper, and you’ll be better energized to get through the day.
 
Start small. Add a salad to your meal.
 
Or replace dessert with that piece of fruit instead.

3. Exercise

Fancy equipment or huge time investment isn’t necessary here. Start small.
 
Try taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator.

4. Read more

Dedicate a half hour of every day to your mind. It’ll stay sharp while you expose yourself to new ideas.
 
Pick books that inspire you or encourage you to think.

5. Be an ‘idea’ person

Make a goal of writing down a few ideas every day. Some researchers suggest ten.
 
But even one new idea a day gives you material to challenge yourself.

6. Become more mindful

Meditate. Even a brief meditation has a positive impact.
 
It can reduce stress and lower your heart rate. Plus it corrals your mind when it’s running in a million directions at once.

7. Think about your day

When you finish the day, reflect on your accomplishments. Focus on the things you’re proud of, on the things that made you smile.
 
These actions shouldn’t take long – even 15 or 30 minutes a day on some of these is enough to create lasting change. You’ll not only feel better, you’ll like the person you’re becoming.
 
This is building ‘you’ at your best. If a small change can do all that, then isn’t it time you got started?
 
JohnK 6-6-2022
 
Ostick man hears about habitsverheard: “A nail is driven out by another nail; habit is overcome by habit”
                                   ~Erasmus
 
 
 
 
Article Photo by Marc Najera on Unsplash
 
 
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Stick To Your Fitness Resolution

January 31, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

So, how ya’ doing with that fitness resolution? If it’s not going well you’re not alone.

Right about now people put fitness plans on the shelf, so GenuLines is here with a little push to get you going!

Stick To Your Fitness Resolution

We’re well into the new year. January gives many of us a sense of renewal.
 
There’s a common theme here.
 
Our resolutions involve things we’d like to change or achieve in the new year.
One of the more common resolutions involves fitness.
 
We want to look better. Or get healthier.
 
Or we’d like to get a little stronger.
 
fitness tools

 

Failure

Unfortunately, the majority of New Year’s resolutions fail. The fiery motivation felt in late December to mid January begins to wane.
 
By February, we find ourselves at the same place we were the year before.
 
Fitness goals have a way of going unfulfilled. If you’ve ever spent much time in a gym, you know the routine.
 
For the entire month of January members line up at every piece of equipment in the building. The place starts to resemble Times Square.

Good deals?

Advertisements flood the media with discount gym membership rates. They tempt you with all sorts of shiny new pieces of equipment.
 
They promise to transform your body in no time at all.
 
Today we’re going to break down a few tips to help you hit your fitness goals for the rest of the year.

1. Keep Things Simple

It’s easy to slip into overwhelm when you start a new fitness journey. You have to figure out which workout routine to start.
 
What foods to eat. What equipment you’ll need and what to wear to the gym.
 
These can get in the way of your goal.Fitness, as well as life in general, is best kept simple.
 
The best workout routine is the one you’ll stick to. And your nutrition regimen shouldn’t be rocket science either.
 
You know what foods are good for you and what is junk. The most important factor in your fitness success is consistency.

2. Set Reasonable Goals

The media can make drastic body transformations seem like an overnight process. Their ads give you hope that you’ll look like the models used to promote these products.
 
Even more comical are the timeframes in these advertisements. How many times have you heard, “In only 15 minutes per day, 3 times per week, you’ll finally have those six-pack abs?”
 
This is unrealistic since physical changes to your physique don’t work this way.
 
Fitness is about the long game. As you begin your journey, know that while you WILL see progress, it doesn’t happen overnight.
 
Don’t plan gym visits 7 days a week and eating nothing but rice and chicken from a Tupperware container. Set goals that you can stick to.
 
Start small. Like holding yourself accountable to 3 workouts per week.
 
And resist the call of late-night junk food.

3. Develop A Strong “Why”

As we’ve already discussed, fitness is about consistency. The incredible sense of motivation and enthusiasm you feel at the start WILL come and go.
 
If your only goal to work out is to “look better,” keep one thing in mind. There may be a lot of days when that’s just not enough.
 
If you’re going to stick to your fitness goals this year, have a reason why. One that’s strong enough to stick to when the motivation cools off.
 
When the excitement isn’t there and you’d much rather stay in and watch television instead.
 
Your “why” has to be unique to you. Find whatever that is and use it to push through the hard days!
 
JohnK 1-31-2022
 
stick figure hears about fitnessOverheard: “It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit.”
                          ~Socrates
 
 
 
 
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Anatomy Of A Great Day Of Wellness

January 24, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Bringing you wellness practices and information has been a GenuLines hallmark for years. Today we’ll break down the idea of wellness into segments that can add up to wellness for you. 

Anatomy Of A Great Day Of Wellness

Living in difficult times doesn’t have to be joyless. You can know joy using the right mindset and a lifestyle that promotes robust wellness.
 
stethoscope for wellnessIn designing great days for the long run, there is a certain standard you’ll want to follow. Today your vital organs could be at their best but that may not hold tomorrow.
 
Wholesome health is more than good eating habits and a workout routine.

 

 

 

Sustainable Sleeping Patterns

Sleep cycles have to be a consistent contributor to your daily routine. Without enough sleep, your vital organs get into overdrive.
 
This leads to fatigue and loss of mental sharpness. This makes you ineffective in any work environment and a couple of hours end up feeling like a lifetime.
 
Poor sleeping patterns can lead to binge eating. This brings on complications like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
 
And you could experience grogginess and premature aging.

Morning Stretches

Not everyone is a morning person. Many folks struggle to wake up and when they do, they’re like zombies around the house.
 
Stretching is beneficial for different muscle groups and joints. It also improves blood circulation to the entire body and stimulates a pleasant mood.
 
The American College of Sports Medicine looked at stretching to start your day. It found you get a burst of energy. more flexibility, and it enhances your coordination.
 
It’s great for your posture, too.

Wholesome Meals and Hydration

The food you eat makes a big difference in your day. Balance is key here,
 
Think proteins, fiber, nutritious carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. These will sustain your energy levels all day.
 
Plan ahead for meals. You’ll avoid fumbling over menus or stuffing yourself with junk food.
 
There’s no nutritional value in eating processed food. And due to their high salt content, they leave you susceptible to high blood pressure.
 
While junk foods overwork your vital organs.
 
In little time you’ll feel hungry and fatigued. Your healthy diet should include proper hydration throughout the day.
 
Drinking 2-3 liters daily is not only refreshing but also elevates your moods. You depend on water to function and great days demand efficiency from your whole system.

Routine Exercise

Consistent movement is a key to a long healthy life. It also improves the quality of your lifestyle.
 
Having an exercise routine that you actually enjoy keeps you vigorous. You handle the challenges that come your way.
 
And you look good while doing it.
 
Exercising also increases your bone density and boosts your immunity. Breaking a sweat after a long day in the office is a great way to unwind and stay healthy.

Managing Stress

An active life is often characterized by stress. This might take a toll on you if you lack functional coping mechanisms.
 
There are lots of ways of dealing with stress as it happens.
 
Remember to breathe and stay composed. A clear mind can solve problems rather than escalating the situation.
 
A great day is the sum of all the little efforts that create the right environment for you to thrive. It’s vital to maintain a positive self-image.
 
Treating yourself well helps make life worth living.
 
JohnK 1-24-2022
chiforyourself.com home
 
Stick figure hears about wellnessOverheard: “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”
                          ~Mahatma Gandhi
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for wellness
 

Make Wellness A Habit In Every Part Of Your Day

October 4, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Life happens, and wellness can sometimes be one of its casualties. This is especially true during these stressful times. 

But this GenuLines list of suggestions can get you thinking about and doing the things to keep you in the wellness zone. 

Make Wellness A Habit In Every Part Of Your Day

We often become distracted by what life throws at us. This leads to neglect of our own well-being.

Days can be fast paced. But seldom do we slow down to think about the importance of maintaining your wellbeing.

An apple for wellness

 
Stress is commonplace in the modern world. Think of how driving to work in gridlock traffic can make you a basket case.
 
The good news is that you can make better choices and develop good habits. You can make wellness a part of your every day routine…
 
Make a Decision and Stick to it
So first off, you’ll need to make the decision to live a healthy lifestyle. This is a step that many of us avoid.
 
We give up and revert back to our original way of everyday living. Well, wellness is a decision (As simplistic as it seems) and it’s a necessary one for everyone.
 
How Can We Make Wellness a Habit?
You form habits when you do something over and over again until it becomes ingrained within you. It’s like you’ve rewired your brain. It makes certain choices that are automatic.
 
So, here are a few ways you can make wellness a habit every single day…
 
• Set an alarm clock.
• Make healthy diet choices.
• Plan an exercise routine.
• Make time every day to do one thing you enjoy.
• Spend more time with friends and family.
 
Do these things each day and at the very least, you’ll notice improved wellness. We need discipline and there’s no other way to go about it.
 
Especially in the fast-paced world we’re so accustomed to.
 
Alarm clock
Setting an alarm clock to wake up early is a good way to start your day. The good thing is we know exactly why we’re waking up early… to get things done!
 
Diet
The nutritional choices we make are crucial to physical wellness. Feeding our body live foods (Vegetables, fruits, lean meats, grains etc.) will make us feel good.
 
And it gives us energy for the days ahead.
 
Daily exercise
Exercise has so many benefits. They range from improving mental health to creating stronger and more capable bodies.
 
Daily exercise can help you prevent chronic disease. These include Type 2 Diabetes,
Heart Disease and Osteoporosis.
 
That’s how powerful getting the body moving is.
 
Enjoy life
We tend to get too focused on things like work, personal issues, and relationships. But why can’t we take the time to laugh and enjoy being in the moment?
 
It’s so important to relieve stress by putting worry aside for a little bit each day to focus on leisure activity. We’re not meant to stay in fight or flight mode.
 
And having leisure time cuts the stress that can interfere with out wellness.
 
Have healthy relationships
The relationships we develop and maintain in life are essential for wellness. Having a sense of worth often comes from the love and appreciation of other people.
 
Let’s face it, the reason for our existence is to coexist with others so we can come together to function as a society. Friends and family can give a nice boost to our self-confidence and happiness.
 
Make Wellness a Daily Habit
Decide to make a decision to live every day in a state of wellness. Follow the steps in this article and you’ll have a good start toward creating healthy every day habits.
 
Wellness is the key to our ability to be productive and effective in every day life.
 
JohnK 10-4-2021
 
stick figure hears about wellnessOverheard: “The greatest wealth is health”
                                  ~Virgil
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer about wellness

Stick To Your Fitness Resolution

May 24, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Every New Year fitness is high on the list of resolutions. You tell yourself that you’re going to hit the gym with a vengeance.

But by midyear that resolution is a mere memory. If this sounds familiar let this GenuLines reminder get you back on track.

Stick To Your Fitness Resolution

runner aims for fitness
 
The majority of New Year’s resolutions fail. Getting fit is one of those frequent failures.
 
If you’ve ever spent much time in a gym, you know the routine. For the entire month of January, there’s often a line at every piece of equipment in the building.
 
The local fitness facility begins to resemble Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Yet the crowds thin out weeks later. .
 
 
 
 
 
Today we offer a few tips that can bring you closer to your fitness goals for the New Year.
 

Keep Things Simple

When you set out on a new fitness journey, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.
 
What workout routine is best? What foods should you eat?
 
Fitness, as well as life in general, is best kept simple.
The best workout routine is the one you’ll stick to.  And your nutrition shouldn’t be rocket science.
 
You know what foods are good for you and what’s junk. The biggest factor in your fitness success is consistency.

Set Reasonable Goals

Advertising does a great job of making drastic body transformations seem like a snap. Even more comical are the timeframes reported by these ads.
 
How many times have you heard, “In just 15 minutes per day, 3 times per week, you’ll finally have those six-pack abs?”
 
This is all nonsense, as physical changes to your physique don’t work this way.
Fitness is about the long game.
 
While you WILL see progress, it doesn’t happen overnight.
 
So instead of going to the gym 7 days a week and eating nothing but celery, set goals that you can stick to. Start small.
 
Hold yourself accountable to 3 workouts per week. And avoiding your favorite late-night junk food.

Develop A Strong “Why”

As we’ve already discussed, fitness is about consistency. The incredible sense of motivation and enthusiasm you feel at the start WILL come and go.
 
If your only inspiration to work out is to “look better,” know there will be a lot of days in which that’s just not enough. Make your “why” unique to you.
 
Find it and use it to push through the hard days!
 
JohnK 5-24-2021
 
Stick figure hears about fitnessOverheard: Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.
                                        ~John F. Kennedy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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10 Ways Exercise Boosts Your Self Confidence

April 5, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Mentioning exercise can bring groans and frowns from the people around you. Not the kind of talk that will make you the life of the party.

Today GenuLines looks at how the effects of exercise might well make you the “toast of the party!”

10 Ways Exercise Boosts Your Self Confidence

Most anything, which can help boost our self-confidence, is good for us. One of the best ways to boost your self-confidence is through regular exercise.
 
This is not only good for self-assurance but also for better health. So how can exercise boost self-confidence?
 
(Click on the image below to listen to this post)
 
Man doing exercise
 
Here Are 10 Ways That Exercise Boosts Your Confidence:
 

1. Weight Control

Woman doing exerciseExercising along with healthy eating is the best way to control weight or lose weight. This is all about energy intake and energy burning.
 
Of course, if you burn more energy than you take in, then the more you’ll lose weight. Being overweight is a confidence destroyer.
 
So the better shape you’re in, the better you’ll feel.
 

 

 

2. Improves mood

A good workout is great for your mood. Before you think that this requires a trip to the gym, think again.
 
A good workout could be a brisk walk or a jog. In fact, anything that makes your body work harder can be a workout.
 
What this does is stimulate brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. These promote a general feeling of well-being.
 
The results are less stress and anxiety.
 

3. It’s good for the heart

Regular exercising lowers the risk of various heart-related conditions. Exercise lowers blood pressure and reduces problems associated with diabetes.
 
It can even help in fighting heart disease. This is quite logical.
 
If exercising reduces weight it means that the heart has to work less. The heart is much healthier.
 
There’s also less pressure on joints and other areas of the body.
 

4. Keeps the body in shape

This is a bit different from weight control. Being is shape involves having a well-toned body and better posture. These are aspects connected with self-confidence.
 
When you feel good about yourself, it’s easier to make friends and more connections in life. You feel more confident.
 

5. More energy

If we don’t have the energy to do things, then everything becomes a chore. That can lead to feeling bad about oneself.
 
Regular exercise helps the whole bodywork better. The result is that chores become responsibilities.
 
And the more responsibility we’re coping with, the better we feel.
 

6. Better sleep

Regular exercise promotes good sleep. It’s proven that sleep is necessary for general feelings of well-being.
 
Sleep so affects our looks. Imagine preparing for an important meeting as you look in the mirror.
 
You see dark circles under bloodshot eyes. How confident will you feel?
 
So exercise will improve sleep. One word of warning – don’t exercise too near bedtime.
 

7. Improves productivity

Regular exercise helps clear the mind. Exercise gives you a chance to wipe the slate clean and start fresh.
 
As you push yourself with exercise you can realize new potentials. This in turn boosts self-confidence.
 
Very often, what you thought was a major problem before exercising disappears after.
 

8. Gives you something to look forward to

Once you have a reasonable schedule for exercising, you’ll start to look forward to it. This in itself is a confidence booster.
 
Once you start seeing the benefits of exercising, you’ll have the desire to continue. In the end, you feel better and look better.
 

9. Improves concentration

Exercise helps us to develop the necessary skills to concentrate on the task in hand. We’re better at handling tasks.
 
We start to see more praise and benefits.
 

10. Feelings of control and achievement

Working out takes effort, dedication, commitment, and care for oneself. All this can bring about enormous feelings of confidence.
 
Don’t Wait! Get Started Today!
 
Try incorporating regular exercising into your routine. You’ll experience the many benefits to your self-confidence that regular exercising gives.
 
JohnK 4-5-2021
 
Stick figure hears about exerciseOverheard: “Exercise should be regarded as a tribute in the heart”
                                 ~Gene Tunney
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
exercise disclaimer
 
 
 

How To Get Into The Habit Of Walking More

March 15, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Was a walking regimen one of your New Year resolutions? Has that resolution gone down the memory hole? 

Check out these GenuLines suggestions for taking the “steps” to get up and going. 

Listen to this post by clicking the link below:

How To Get Into The Habit Of Walking More

 

How To Get Into The Habit Of Walking More

The human body is capable of miles and miles of walking. Yet, in modern society, we spend most of our time sitting down.

 That’s not good for our bodies. It leads to a range of health issues.
 
A daily walk might head off these problems. Of course, that’s easier said than done.
 
walking path sign
 
 
Give up your seat
Most of us sit for our work. We eat sitting down.
 
And to be honest all we want to do when we come home from work is plop down on the couch for a Netflix marathon until bedtime.
 
This presents a challenge. But a walking habit is a good one.
 
Kind of like the habit of brushing our teeth twice a day or taking out the trash on Tuesdays. Once it’s a well-ingrained habit, it won’t be as much of a challenge to make sure we go for a walk each day.
 
Your path
You can start by finding a walking route you enjoy. Your favorite walk may offer beautiful vistas.
 
But if it’s a 30-minute drive there and back, you’ll be less likely to do it every single day. Instead, save that particular walk for the weekends.
 
Then come up with something convenient and pleasant for your everyday walking routine. If you can, find a route in your own neighborhood so you can leave right from your front door.
 
Taking the same route every day helps form that habit. It’s also encouraging to notice that you can walk the same loop faster or with less effort over time.
 
You’re steadily getting stronger and fitter.
 
Incentives
Listening to your favorite music, podcast, or audiobooks is also helpful. It’ll make the time go by faster and give you something else to look forward to.
 
You can even use your favorite media as a way to bribe yourself to go for your daily walk. Let’s say you have a couple of podcasts you enjoy.
 
Save them for your walks and only let yourself listen to them while you’re walking. It’s a great incentive to get out there even on days when you’re not feeling it.
 
Group Walks
Finally, consider walking with other people. Find a walking group in your area, or talk a friend or neighbor into becoming your walking buddy.
 
Not only is it more fun to walk when you have someone to talk to, it also has some built-in accountability. You won’t want to skip a walking workout when you know that other people are waiting for you to join them.
 
Give these tips a try. They’ll help you make your daily walk an integral part of your health, your fitness, and your life.
 
JohnK 3-15-2021
 
stick figure man hears about walkingOverheard: “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking”
                             ~Friedrich Nietzsche
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
walking disclaimer

Make Your Exercise Routines Less Routine

July 2, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments

Your exercise routine is so, well, routine! GenuLines has a few ideas on making it less so.

And in the process making it less likely that you’ll abandon it.  

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Make Your Exercise Routines Less Routine

It’s difficult to get into an exercise routine, and for the few who do, it starts to become too routine. In other words, it becomes too easy to stop doing the routines and give up on exercising altogether.

 

exercise routine

When you do the same routines with exercise, you get fewer benefits from it after a while. Your muscles get used to the routine.

And they’ll reach plateaus that are difficult to break through.

By mixing up your routines, your muscles will have new plateaus to reach and will develop faster. This is why trainers vary their clients’ exercises.

They switch up the sets of routines to keep the muscles from not getting the benefits from new exercises. Then, over time, they bring back the previous sets to once again break up the routine.

Routine exercise is still better than no exercise at all. Without exercise, your muscles will start to break down and become out of shape.

But, once you start changing your routines, your muscles will develop quicker.

Also, your mindset about exercise will stay fresh. That’s one of the best ways to keep going with it.

Anticipation

You can look forward to trying something different. Of course, your muscles will hurt when you give something new a try for the first time.

But, it doesn’t last forever. In fact, it should be a reminder that those muscles haven’t been getting the proper exercises.

Most people break their exercises into two major categories, cardio, and weight training. You can do cardio exercises more often than weight training. In fact, you can do cardio every day.

But work the weights every other day or every two days. The rest period gives the muscles time to rebuild.

Even though you can do cardio training every day, it is still beneficial to break up the exercises. You can do the same exercise for a few weeks and then change to something different.

Or, you can alternate between two or more cardio exercises. If you use a treadmill one day, use a cycle the next.

If you jog one day, then swim on the next day, etc. Shaking up your exercise routines will give your body the most benefits.

And you increase your chances of sticking with exercising. You’ll be happier as well as healthier because of it.

JohnK 7-2-2019
 
stick figure learning exercise routineOverheard:   “Exercise should be regarded as tribute to the heart”

                                              ~Gene Tunney

 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer to help exercise routine