Happy July! In my opinion this is the best month of the year. Want to know why? Because it is my birthday month! I just really hope that my license tabs come quick because I forgot to renew them before the 1st. Have you ever done that? Have you ever not done something that you have done for a long time and then say to yourself “how could I have forgotten?”
Are habits holding you back?
Habits are a lot like that. There is something that we have been doing for so long and one day we forget to do it or worse forget how to do it. The forgetfulness might be fleeting but it can leave us speechless. Many experts believe that many of our habits are formed by age 9! Most are formed without us evening knowing it. Some of those will take a lifetime to break and some may never break. Yes I am full of wonderful news.
I have written about habits and routines on several occasions over the last couple of years for one main reason, I love forming new habits and breaking ones that may be holding us hostage. I love it when people break through things that have been holding them back for years. Now you may be thinking that a habit is not holding you back, but I ask that you stay with me for just a moment.
There are good and bad habits. A good habit is something as simple as drinking water every day. A bad habit could be biting your nails. It can go a lot deeper than that.
Let’s say you are started a business and are trying to make it successful, but you believe that only extroverted people can be successful. When you research people on social media, you see seemingly extroverted people rocking it and out of habit you say to yourself “see only extroverts can be successful. I could never put myself out there like that.” Hence, that means that because I am an introvert, I cannot be successful. You are then rewarded because what you said was justified by what you saw.
Another example of a habit that is holding you back could be that you are having a bad day and the only thing that will make you feel better is a cookie or a drink. Your reward for a bad day is something that makes you happy in the moment.
I did not start this article wanting to write about habits, good or bad. The things that I do or do not do and the things I say to myself have been on my mind a lot lately. I have been living in a state of stress for a while and have developed some not so good habits. I am now taking steps to try and break those habits and replace them with better ones. I am trying on a daily basis to make simple impactful intentional decisions that will create long lasting big change in my life.
Am I successful at this every day? No I am not and that is ok. This is something that you should do as well. The first step is self-discovery, what are doing consistently that could be holding you back from reaching your highest potential. The next step is making those simple impactful intentional decisions. If you need help with this, let me know, I love helping people reach their highest potential.
Simple Decisions
As you may know, I love talking about fitness and nutrition (no, really, I do). And I love helping people develop healthy habits. And I know that sometimes it can be really hard to change.
In this season that I am in, I have found that because of some bad habits and some hormone changes I have gained some weight and it is proving difficult to lose. Changing your body composition takes time, patience, and hard work, especially the older you are. It is completely possible to do it no matter what age you are and at what fitness level you are at. It is also possible to want to take an easy road or what seems like an easy road.
Let me tell you that there is no easy road. What seems easy right now may end up not being so easy down the road. Having almost instant weight loss or quickly bulking up may have adverse side effects on your health down the road. Our goal should be overall health and longevity. Making simple decisions such as to move your body intentionally and to choose whole foods over processed foods will build the habits over time that will help you in the long run. One simple decision right now would be to do the move of the month!
Move of the Month: Arnold Press with optional V Sit
The Arnold press is one of my favorite lifting moves. It targets all 3 heads of the deltoid at once without doing 3 separate moves. Working your deltoids will improve your shoulder strength which helps pervert injuries when lifting everyday items and it will help improve your posture. It also helps create the V-shape of your back, that a lot of bodybuilders want when they are competing. It gives the illusion of a small waist, no matter what size your waist is.
To perform the move, you can stand or sit. Sitting on the floor gives you more stability. The movement is the same in either position. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with the palm of your hands facing you. As you lift the dumbbells toward the ceiling, you are going to rotate your palms to face away from your body. Your arms will be fully extended but no locking your elbows and do not raise your shoulders up to your ears, creating a turtle effect with your neck. As you lower the dumbbells down you will rotate your palms to the starting position, face your body. Remember to start with a weight that is comfortable but challenging. Pair this move with a lower body move, like a lunge or squat and do 3 sets of 10 reps for a quick head to toe mini workout.
Recipe of the month: Chicken Patties
This recipe is simple and quick to whip up.
Ingredients:
- 1lb ground chicken
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup flour (of your choice, I used GF Flour)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (the fresh stuff works best)
- ½ grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh basil (use a bit less if using dried)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (use a bit less if using dried)
- ¾ tsp garlic powder (or more depending on your preference)
- Salt, Pepper, and any of seasonings to taste
- Avocado or Olive oil
Mix all ingredients except the oil in a bowl and use your hands to combine. Form into patties as big or as little as you would like). Now the cooking part is up to you. You can use the air fryer, flattop grill, grill, frypan or even bake. The oven baking is going to take the longest (and I have not tried this method yet). The flattop is my favorite! The oil is needed for the frypan and the flattop. Pour a little bit (1 or 2 tbsp) on your flattop and cook the patties on each side for about 5-6 minutes. The cheese is going to crisp up and make a delicious crust. Enjoy on a bun or on top of a crunchy salad. These are even good with a fried egg for a protein filled after workout meal! Honestly, these are a super delicious alternative to the traditional chicken patty. Cook some up and tell me what you think.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. Starting and navigating a new journey can be intimidating and overwhelming. Working with someone who has been in your shoes is extremely helpful and encouraging. Journeys are better when in the company of others.
Jilisa Ghareeb has been a BODi coach for 8 years. Her favorite part of being involved with fitness and nutrition is watching her clients change and open up a whole new world. As a coach she, is able to help others by introducing them to a change that is often scary, intimidating, and full of “what ifs” to an encouraging and inspirational lifestyle full of “I cans.” She uses her own story to show others that everything is possible with hard work and determination. If you are interested in reaching out to Jilisa for more information, you can contact her via email, on Instagram, Facebook or YouTube.
Leave a Reply