Ima Just ramble a little on beating resistance today girl – hope you’re into it!

Yo my #sweatyfriend

What’s been shakin your hood girl? {lolz who says hood?}

I just got finished putting up my Chapter 2 of #TakingBackMyMornings and I had a whole wave of resistance hit me. Maybe cause I was just talking about it on the video I was editing – maybe cause I have mucho mucho amount of things to do before we head to St. Lucia but either way it was harshin my buzz.

So while I had a completely different post planned out for today I thought I would touch on resistance instead.

I talk a bit about in the Chapter 2 video but I wanted to share with you what I normally do when I am feelin it creep up {and boy does it CREEP Up}.

I very rarely find that resistance is something that hits me like a brick.

It’s a sneaky bugger instead.

I think a lot of people {myself included} miss when they are feeling resistance towards something….

In my life it appears as “needing to clean something” {#trust that I RARELY get the urge otherwise unless it’s uber messy} , “needing to check instagram just one more time”, “the sudden need to be the most hydrated person on the planet” {yup when I’m feeling resistance Jennifer Aniston better watch out cause I’m comin for that Smart Water contract she’s got}, “the desire to browse amazon {or insert other trending online store ATM}” etc….

It’s all these little things that are just feelings of needing to do something other than what I really NEED to do.

Everyone has their own little tell tale signs – and ya gotta really start to do a bit of a life review to find out what yours are.

Perfect example – I used to be realllllyyyy bad at picking the blackheads on my nose – but only on some days…..

Guess which days those were!

Yup… the resistance riddled ones.

So I thought I would put together a list of 5 step process I use to get over that resistance hump when I catch it

1. Know what your resistance triggers are….

Spend some time journaling and figure out when you do x….. that means y {and why is usually the resistance} I gave you a list of some common ones and a sneaky one of my own now ya gotta go out and figure out what yours are. One of the best ways I find to figure them out is to journal and/or spend a whole week tracking how much you get done vs what you did that day. The triggers will be obvious!

Once you have identified that you are in the midst of resistance {not to make it sound #soyogi but that’s where you are….}

2. Take 10 deep breaths.

I know this sounds simple enough- duhhhh take some breaths, relax, chill out yo. But when was the last time you ACTUALLY did that when you needed it?

I’m guessing probs not recently – unless it was in lieu of a panic attack and you had a paper bag- #justsayin.

Bonus points if you can breath in and out through your nose – but in through your nose and out through your mouth should do the trick too.

This will activate your parasympathetic nervous system – also known as your rest and digest.

This way you can make better choices for your future endeavours and you’re not acting from a state of “oh shitttttt”

Now that you’ve calmed the efffff down…

3. Take out a sheet of paper and write down all the things you need to do…

I got little bits and pieces of this method from tons of teachers but the GTD {getting things done} method was probs the most influential.

Often times I feel resilience because I have no idea where to start, what to do next and I have a running list of a million things I NEED to do. I feel pulled in a gazillion directions. So I start to spin uncontrollably.

The thing that seems to put my feet back on solid ground is taking out a sheet of paper and writing down EVERYTHING.

And I mean EVERYTHING.

Got a loose hangnail you need to clip? – write it down

New shirt been sitting on the dining room table in the bag for the last 3 days? – write it down

Need to write an e-mail to someone? – write it down

Keep forgetting to run the dishwasher? – you guessed it…. write it down

David Allen the creator of the GTD method believes that our minds work on a loop like system and when you have all of these “unfinished” loops of little things you have to do and you keep forgetting he thinks it’s like your mind is trying to keep a billion tabs open, much like on a computer. Writing it down is sorta like saving the URL for later and closing the tab.

I have found this to be one of the most effective things I do in beating resistance…. seeing everything I need to accomplish in one place. That way I feel I don’t need to keep worrying about the other things and I can focus on the tasks I choose to do next.

Speaking of which now that you have your list….

4. Identify the thing thats the most important.

I know you may feel like things are “urgent” or “important” but take  second – go back to your deep breathing and identify the ONE thing. That if it didn’t get done your life may end as we know it. Or your life won’t end up as we know it.

Often times for me that’s releasing some content or creating a new workout or video.

For you….

What’s that pivotal thing that you NEED to do in order to move the needle closer to where it needs to be.

Chances are something popped into your head as the most important – run with that!

If nothing popped into your head or you can’t decided between 2 – imagine what would happen if none of these got done…

Ah panic probs set in – but now imagine one at a time from that panic that you have completed each of those tasks. Which do you feel the most satisfaction with?

Do that one first

Now that you know what’s the most important project/idea/task to work on

5. Identify what the next step is

Often times we think we know what the next step is but we don’t actually.

Lemme give ya an example girl….

If I wanted to write a blog post – I’d probs have “write blog post” on my previous list – I would identify that as my MUST do and “begin”

But here’s the thing – and you’ll feel this if you are drowning in resistance especially – that seems like such a daunting task that you don’t wanna do it and the resistance comes charing at you full force.

So rather than “write blog post” as your next task you need to make it mucho smaller.

How strong the resistance is will determine how small your task must be.

For some people in that example “write for 20 minutes” can be enough of a small step to propel them onto finishing the task – but for someone feeling hella resistance they’re gonna need to go as small as “open computer, log into wordpress, open new post page….”

But getting those things rolling will create a little less resistance, a little less resistance, a little less…..

Until there is basically none and you’re swimmin in your accomplishments.

Get it girllll

Bonus step numero 6 is to make sure you celebrate every little step you take.

It sounds so small and insignificant that you wrote for 20 minutes or you did 5 push ups but girl lemme tell ya – you’re already ahead of someone who hasn’t done anything about their resistance and let it carry them into an online shopping binge {btws totes not judging been there done that bought the t-shirt many times yo!}

What’s your key to beating resistance? Lemmenoe girl- we can all help each other out!

That’s all for this addition of PD Thursday

💦 Aspiring #movementninja out ✌

————————
USEFUL RESOURCES :

💌 E-mail list and 10% off coupon plus weekly love letters cause I luh ya { to make sure you neva eva miss the weekly love notes}: https://sweatandyoga.com10off

Habit Tracker & FREE 31 Day #ExerciseHabit Course : https://sweatandyoga.com31dayexercisehabit

Brand New 💦 Sweaty Yogi Car Rambles Podcast 💪 :
ITUNES: https://sweatandyoga.comitunespodcast
OR
GOOGLE PLAY: https://sweatandyoga.comgooglepodcast

All clothing can be found on: https://sweatandyoga.comshop

The Only Essential Oil brand I love and trust: https://www.mydoterra.com/sweatandyoga/#/
If you are interested in joining my growing wellness team shoot me an e-mail at sweatandyoga@gmail.com

Let’s get #socialgirlfriend ✌

I’m on medium daily-ish now so if ya wanna see my random ramblings make sure you go here: https://medium.com/@sweatandyoga

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/suncanasay

Tweet: http://www.twitter.com/suncanasay

Blog: http://sweatandyoga.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sweatandyoga

Music for this vid: www.epidemicsound.com

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you happen to make a purchase through one of the links, Sweat & Yoga will earn a small commission. Thanks so much for the support!
If you have any pre existing conditions please speak to a Dr. before performing any of these exercises – I always encourage you to drive your own vessel I can’t know what you’re feeling In your body – my goal is to help you get better at hearing it but at the end of the day all of this is up to you and therefore by doing this video you release Suncana and sweat and yoga from any liability.

Ah the forever asked question by all the #fitnessjunkies

How to get more protein into your diet {bonus point for good protein!}

Let’s start with what is it and then move onto how you get more protein into your diet? OK

So first off protein is one of the 3 key macronutrients in our diet {yes macro – there is also micro but that’s a topic for another day 🤷🏼‍♀️}

The 3 macronutrients are Protein, Carbs and Fats.

Yes fat is a nutrient {don’t even get me started  on that whole low fat thang yeeeesh}

For myself personally I tend to eat on the high fat side – my body just loves it – maybe it’s genetics, maybe it’s the large amounts of poor air I was exposed to for so many years- either way loveeeee ze fat .

So I have no desire to track macros for the purpose of keeping my numbers in check { I will mos def do a whole in – depth post on why I choose to track every once in a while so stay tuned!}. And before you jump all over me…. yes I know that if I wanted to lean out I could drop some fat up some carbs yaddi yaddi yada – but TBH not to sound too full of myself I think I look pretty good – not #shredded but functionally fit ya know? However, I do love to track my macros sometimes just to make sure I am getting enough protein.

Cause let me tell ya girl- this is something that I tend to fall short on—- A LOT!

Protein is an important building block of sooooo much of your birthday suit girl – muscles, bones, skin, cartilage you name it. Our body also uses protein in the synthesis of hormones and enzymes and to help repair tissue. Obvi those are important. So as you can see finding ways to get more protein into your diet is moi importatnte.

Every time I track I find that I’m great at getting a large amount of fat in {ketosis or not I get dem coconut oil on errythang }, some carbs which – since I know my body so well – I don’t put too much emphasis on- but I am terrible at getting enough protein in.

So after every track i have to go back to the drawing board and consciously add in more protein to keep my body running optimally.

Cause ya can’t be a #movememntninja if your muscles don’t grow, your cartilage is eroded and your hair and nails are brittle {the last two are mucho important obvi}

Think about it – without that stuff being synthesized and produced you look weary and unhealthy and ain’t nobody got time for that girl.

So the big question – how do you get more protein in?

Here are the 5 things I use to get more protein in when I find myself need a little protein re-callibration

1/ I make peppermint coco protein balls {bonus there’s tons of micronutrients in them too woot woot 🙌}

Here’s my fave recipe:

👆10 dates

👆1/2 c coconut flakes

👆1/2 c chocolate protein powder of your choice – personally I am allllll about that Trim Shake in choco { ps if you’re looking to save 25% on all future orders give me a shout girl!}

👆1/2 c sunflower seeds {vitamin E galore}

👆1/2 c pumpkin seeds { lots of B vitamins girl}

👆1/4 c coconut water

👆 tsp of olive oil

👆 2 💧 of peppermint essential oil .

Blend the seeds into flour- like consistency 1st yo 🤜- then add all the other ingredients into the processor and hand mold those babes into balls after
.
Keep em in the fridge for a week or so – you’ve got some high energy, high protein  #onthegosnacks .

2/ Cottage Cheese or Kefir

I know this one is controversial for all of those #hardcorepaleo peeps but I loveeee these 2. Always have – always will.

Even when I had a hard time digesting dairy for some Kefir and cottage cheese seemed to sit well. {I have a suspicion that it’s the sugar kanoodling with the dairy that gives me such an avers reaction to milk but again story for another day – boy I should keep a story for another day log lolz}

These 2 help get more protein in because they are super high on protein but fairly low on fat content.

My fave way to eat cottage cheese is on some rice cakes and kefir I just drink straight up obvi cause I’m hard AF.

Just a PS! When I say kefir I mean the thick creamy stuff you get that’s super fermented not the raspberry flavoured yogurt they just claim is kefir.

3/ Incorporate more Quinoa

Quinoa is one of the only veggies considered a complete protein protein. This means that it contains all of the amino acids. Thhe little seed comes from a leafy plant thats a relative of spinach {which also btws see point below}.

So when I am feelin like I need a little more protein I start to sub out any of my “carb” dishes with quinoa. Think rice or sweet potatoes – you get my drift!

4/ Spirulina errythang {but not really cause it doesn’t taste great lol}

This guy is super powerful on the protein front – it nearly doubles steak’s protein composition per 100 grams. But TBH there are other leafy greens that are pretty powerful on the protein front as well. Chlorella and spinach to name a few.

When I need to get more protein into my diet I start adding more spirulina to my smoothies or even to my dressings.

Pro tip – spirulina tastes just like dirt {pipe down my vegan friend you know it does too don’t defend it I’m not knockin on spinach} so to make it taste better I highly suggest blending it with something powerfully flavourful like a banana, some maca powder or the TerrGreens.

5/ Ah yes and my ultra secret weapon – collagen.

There are several different kinds of collagen but I usually stick with the Great Lakes collagen. {The odd time I use the vital proteins but not that often}. I love the hydrolysate because it dissolves in cold drinks or recipes too.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It’s uber high in protein cause it’s basciallllly just pure protein. This sucker helps to give your skin strength and electricity 😚 for that #youthfulfoeva vibe.

Since the collagen is flavourless, like legit I can’t taste it at alll!, and it dissolves in cold or hot things I usually just throw it in wherever I can. In soups, dressings, my morning cup o joe #allthethings.

Well my sweaty girlfriend – those are my tips and tricks

I use them in combination so don’t be shy to mix and match. See which ones work for you- which ones give you better energy production, hair and nails, muscle recovery. Ya know? The works.  I hope you learned something new and are gonna try adding some of theses so you can also get more protein into your diet.

What are your fave ways to get more protein into your diet?

I’ll catch ya next time you #movementninja protein lover you

💦 Sweat & Radiance

————————
USEFUL RESOURCES :

💌 E-mail list and 10% off coupon { to make sure you neva eva miss the weekly love notes}: https://sweatandyoga.com10off

Habit Tracker : https://sweatandyoga.com31dayexercisehabit

Brand New 💦 Sweaty Yogi Car Rambles Podcast 💪🤸🏼‍♀️ :
ITUNES: https://sweatandyoga.comitunespodcast
OR
GOOGLE PLAY: https://sweatandyoga.comgooglepodcast

All clothing can be found on: https://sweatandyoga.comshop

The Only Essential Oil brand I love and trust: https://www.mydoterra.com/sweatandyoga/#/
If you are interested in joining my growing wellness team shoot me an e-mail at sweatandyoga@gmail.com

Let’s get #socialgirlfriend ✌

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/suncanasay

Tweet: http://www.twitter.com/suncanasay

Blog: http://sweatandyoga.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sweatandyoga

Music for this vid: www.epidemicsound.com

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you happen to make a purchase through one of the links, Sweat & Yoga will earn a small commission. Thanks so much for the support!
If you have any pre existing conditions please speak to a Dr. before performing any of these exercises – I always encourage you to drive your own vessel I can’t know what you’re feeling In your body – my goal is to help you get better at hearing it but at the end of the day all of this is up to you and therefore by doing this video you release Suncana and sweat and yoga from any liability.

Yo Sweaty Friend- Let’s talk about your First Yoga Class as a #FitGirl

I remember the first time I stepped into a yoga class- talk about #intimidation

” Will I be good enough?” “What if I can’t get my leg over my head like that girl on instagram” ” Shouldn’t I be better at this I am #fitaf ” the monkeys in our brain start to say……

Now that I have been teaching for several years I still understand the intimidation – seriously girl. I still get a bit antsy walking into a new class I mean come on – some of those girls are oh so flexible and I am definitely still a #movementninja not a flex sally.

I wish someone would have sat me down and gave me a survival guide for my first yoga class {and sometimes every class after TBH }

So here goes my wise wise words {don’t take them too seriously though lolz}

1/ Come ready to learn

I know we have a tendency to come in with ideas of what we think yoga is, or does, or what it should look like. I want to encourage you to just spend time in the moment. Listen to what the teacher has to say and go with the flow. Try to clear your mind and see where that takes you. I know that sounds #soyogi but I promise you might learn something new – about yourself, about the practice of yoga, about alignment or breath- there are just so many facets to learn about.

2/ Bring water 💦

The obvious- but we think “ohhhh yoga its just a lot of stretching we won’t be perspirating 💁🏼 not like when I #liftallthethings “

Here’s the thing – movements like stretching get that mitochondrial renewal happenin and thennnn you need some water to flush dem toxins so don’t forget that hydration bottle.

3/ Don’t lift right before

I knowwwwww it’s oh so tempting to see it as “recovery” so to do a heavy lift first then head right to your first yoga class. Pretty please at least leave a few hours between your lift and your yoga session. You get too amped up from lifting and it’s far too hard to wind you down. You need to make sure you can bring yourself to a place of calm and focus. The best recovery makes for a better lift the next day anyway amirite or amirite?

4/ If you go once and don’t like it – try try try again

Each teacher has their own movement style and puts their own twist on this thing we call yoga. SO…

If you went to your first yoga class and dreaded every second of it – don’t fret.  The style of yoga ranges so widely some teachers are #soyogi and others are all about alignment and being #movementninjas and some are a perfect blend of both!

You just gotta keep at it until you find a style and teacher you like {sometimes even within the style the teachers can be drastically different}. On top of that different seasons of your life may call for different styles and different teachers – find what works for you now and just keep experimenting until you get it right.

5/ It won’t make you lanky

I know we all worry about loosing out on muscle. It’ s a serious fear in most of my students that lift. I pinky swear promise you- when used properly yoga can be a serious asset to your lifting game. Like I’m talking muscle recovery and #allthegains cause isn’t that something we all want 💁🏼

6/ Research the style beforehand so you know what you’re in for

I have made this mistake many a times myself. You mos def  don’t want to show up to a yin class expecting a power class – that’ll kill your vibe 0-100 real quick.

Knowing the difference between a yin class vs a power class can have a huge impact on what kind of attitude you approach the class with. Not to sound too #soyogi but do a bit of soul searching and really dig deep into what you want yoga for. I don’t mean dig deep into like your chakras or any of that jazz just the baseline benefits that you hope you will get from the class. If it’s better sleep and you’re headed to a 9pm class yin might suit you better than vinyasa. #knowyourshit

7/ Don’t go to a Boutique Yoga Studio for your first yoga class

This advice might be super contrary to all of the other advice out there but I say start out at a gym class. Now for most people that aren’t into fitness I get this point. The teacher will probs be a bit more seasoned and be able to create a deeper connection therefore making the class less intimidating if you haven’t worked out in a long time or ever for that matter. And I Totes agree.

However, if you are already comfortable in a gym usually the gym classes are a little less #soyogi and more accessible for the #fitgirl in ya. In the gym the classes tend to be geared towards people that are comfortable moving at a faster pace or already have some knowledge of their bodies so I say start there. Eventually you can get more in tune and move yourself to a specific style studio if you so choose.

8/ Arrive early and let the teacher know it’s your first class

I know that may seem like a nightmare to let the teacher know you’re new but it’s nice to make sure she knows to keep an eye out for key postural stuff- I promise she won’t make you feel silly. This can also open up a dialogue about anything you have on the happy haps like hip injuries or shoulder. The amount of reaching overhead we do in yoga can be cray cray so a teacher knowing you’ve got some shoulder stuff happening can make a difference in how you experience the class. They can give you modifications and suggestions and no they won’t signal you out ✌

9/ Grab all the props

I don’t know at what point of yoga props became this non-existent thing on the scene. They are basically little balls of magic you have your finger tips- use them! When you get to your first yoga class check with the teacher but I would say grab a strap a couple of blocks maybe even a bolster and a blanket. Props are designed to make the poses more accessible and TBH I’d rather a student did a pose in “perfect” alignment {perfect being a relative word that we will discuss at lengths later in this blog but I digress} using props than they get their body into whatever pretzel shape the demo pose is but their shoulder looks like it may rip out of their socket { I may be projecting some recent shoulder trauma I’ve witness lately 🙈 }

10/ When all else fails – come back to focus on your breath

No matter what anyone else tells you – the number one benefit of yoga is the focus on breathing. Front and foremost that is legit the most important function our body performs.

Think about it- you can survive without movement for years, without food for months, without water for weeks – without air? Minutes at best. Yoga classes have hit this huge wave of “stress reduction ” and “relaxation” and “recovery” not because they’re magic but because they force you to get into the moment and focus on your breath. So if the class is getting to be too much for you. The girl next to you looks like some weird ass circ du sole performer and the teacher is doin their own thang – well then sit your hips back – connect to your centre by breathing. Forget everything else around you and focus on your breath. I promise it makes a mucho mucho difference. ✌

Well #sweatyfriend that’s all I’ve got to say. Go onto your first yoga class as that #fitgirl you are. Let me know how it went when you do and what kind of style you found works best for you!

As always if you have suggestions for your fellow sweaty yogis on how they can get on the mat drop them in the comments. I love hearing your tips and tricks!

Now go on unroll a mat and get to movin girl and I’ll catch ya next time

 💦 Sweat & Radiance

————————
USEFUL RESOURCES :

💌 E-mail list and 10% off coupon plus weekly love letters cause I luh ya { to make sure you neva eva miss the weekly love notes}: https://sweatandyoga.com10off

Habit Tracker & FREE 31 Day #ExerciseHabit Course : https://sweatandyoga.com31dayexercisehabit

Brand New 💦 Sweaty Yogi Car Rambles Podcast 💪 I mos def aspire to be on there more consistently:
ITUNES: https://sweatandyoga.comitunespodcast
OR
GOOGLE PLAY: https://sweatandyoga.comgooglepodcast

All clothing can be found on: https://sweatandyoga.comshop

The Only Essential Oil brand I love and trust: https://www.mydoterra.com/sweatandyoga/#/
If you are interested in joining my growing wellness team shoot me an e-mail at sweatandyoga@gmail.com

Let’s get #socialgirlfriend ✌

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/suncanasay

Tweet: http://www.twitter.com/suncanasay

Blog: http://sweatandyoga.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sweatandyoga

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you happen to make a purchase through one of the links, Sweat & Yoga will earn a small commission. Thanks so much for the support!
If you have any pre existing conditions please speak to a Dr. before performing any of these exercises. I always encourage you to drive your own vessel I can’t know what you’re feeling In your body. My goal is to help you get better at hearing it but at the end of the day all of this is up to you and therefore by doing this video you release Suncana and sweat and yoga from any liability.