Day 30: Tuesday
YOU DID IT!!!!
I am SO SO proud of you all! Every single one of you!!! You completed your first Autoimmune Strong 30 Day Challenge. Thank you for showing up for yourself, for trusting the process- and I hope you got what you needed!!!
My goal for this 30 Day Challenge was to show you that you can do this on your own- you just need to not talk yourself out of it! I saw each and every one of you practice this skill over the past 30 Days- and so what I hope you have learned is that it’s not as hard as it seems to squeeze in just a few minutes of dedicated time for yourself- and that it actually improves all the other areas of your life too!
I would love to hear your feedback on this challenge. What did you love? What did you hate? What would you keep? What would you change? Would you do it again? Email me and tell me all the things!
I am excited for you all to keep going- onwards and upwards! Don’t stop exercising- take what you learned about yourself here and make it happen! AND… join the post-30 Day Challenge Facebook group so you can keep each other accountable and moving forward.
And whatever you do- KEEP GOING!!!
With so much love,
Your Coach,
Andrea
Day 29: Monday
You are almost done with the 30 day challenge! So on this day before the last day, I want you to understand what to do moving forward.
You have another week on Level 1- so keep following the calendar, just like you are doing right now on this challenge!
And then… drumroll please… that also means that you are almost done with Level 1! Woohoo!!!!
Level 2 is around the corner, which means you are going to begin to work a little harder. (But just a little- this IS Autoimmune Strong after all). So- let me give you a sneak peek into Level 2.
Essentially, it’s the exact same program that you practiced in Level 1. The exercises are just tweaked a little bit to make them just that much harder. Progressive intensity is important- your body has learned to adapt to the movements as they are, and we don’t want your body to become complacent. Moving forward is the best way to continue this journey.
However, some people might feel that they are simply not ready to move forward to Level 2 yet. And that’s ok. You can most certainly repeat Level 1 if you feel that’s what is right for you. Listen to your body and do what is appropriate. Begin at the beginning of Level 1 and you will be surprised at how different it feels this time around. Just keep it in the back of your mind that it’s important to keep moving forward, and that you will get to Level 2 someday. That internal belief is important to keep you going.
So tell me- how do you feel about Level 2? Are you ready? Excited? Nervous? I am here to help! Tell me or post on facebook!
Day 28: Sunday
It’s your last rest day of the challenge!!! On this rest day, I want you to think about how far you have come. Because I have seen such growth from you all in these past 30 Days! You have stayed committed, you have shown up for yourselves, even when it felt hard, and you have overcome some major obstacles in order to fit in exercise. I am so proud of you!!!
But the most important thing is for you to feel proud of yourself!
So tell me…
What are three things you have learned about yourself during this challenge?
And what are three lessons or learnings that you will take from this challenge into your everyday life going forward?
Email me or post on Facebook your summary of your experience in this 30 Day Challenge- I can’t wait to hear!
Day 27: Saturday
It’s workout day!!!
I want to talk about stretching and warm-ups.
The workout videos are a little more intense than the instructional videos. And that’s on purpose! This is part of the teeny tiny micro-dosing of exercise that we are practicing here. We start really small, add a little more intensity, and keep adding in bits and pieces- in such small increments that your body isn’t too jarred.
Since the workouts are a little more intense, it’s essential that you warm up before doing them. A good warmup is essential to prevent injury. This is even why it’s called a “warm-up”- you are literally warming up your body and preparing it for movement.
So- please don’t skip the stretch video that is listed before the workout video. It’s important! And you can even foam roll first- that would get you super nice and warm! I know that many of us are busy and we have a tendency to skip the warm-up, but your body won’t be happy if you do that. It’s better to take the 5 minutes and stretch first, to prevent injury and soreness.
And personally, I love the warm-ups! It not only gets my body ready for exercise, but my mind too. It helps me ease into the idea that I am going to be exercising, and gives me a few minutes of transition out of my mind and out of my day and into my body.
What do you think of the warm-ups? Do you love them? Hate them? Tell me or post on Facebook!
Day 26: Friday
In order to release the hips and maintain proper posture, one of the things we need is a flexible spine.
A flexible spine also prevents shoulder injury and releases neck pain. This isn’t something that is spoken about often in the fitness community, because the focus is most often on building muscles. But we can’t build our muscles safely without a flexible spine- if the spine doesn’t move fluidly and too much demand is put on the muscles, injury can happen.
This is something to pay attention to, because as we get older, we lose spinal flexibility. And we don’t even notice! Until all of a sudden our necks start hurting, our hips are too tight and our shoulders are strained.
We need to be delicate when working on spinal flexibility. The spine shoulder and neck video is designed to begin working on spinal flexibility in a way that eases you in. And for some people, these movements (like the gentle backbend over the foam roller) can cause a system shake-up, similar to that of the foam rolling. Emotional release, a flooding of toxins, perhaps even some nausea and dizziness. So this is a reminder to go slow with the spine stuff in video 5, but don’t skip past it. Getting the spine moving again is really important for pulling your posture back together.
Have you started the spine shoulder and neck video? How did it feel to you? Do you have a flexible spine or does yours feel stuck? Email me or post on the facebook page!
Day 25: Thursday
The countdown continues!
5 more days!!!
I want to warn you to be cautious of the mind tricks that can happen as we finish out the challenge. Negative thoughts can start creeping in- so I am here to help you recognize them, so you have the tools to push them away! I want you to finish strong, and to do so, you need to push out these limiting beliefs.
As the 30 Day Challenge comes to a close, you might be nervous, scared that you can’t do it on your own. I am here to tell you that you absolutely can. Don’t let this fear stop you from finishing strong. See it through to the finish!
Or maybe you haven’t been participating as much as you had hoped, and as we come to a close, you are feeling badly about yourself, telling yourself that you should have done more. If this is you, shake these negative thoughts right off! You did as much as you can do, and you should celebrate whatever you accomplished. And if you feel like you can do more? Now is the time to set your resolve and decide what your next steps are.
Or maybe you haven’t participated in this challenge at all. You wanted to, but the motivation just wasn’t there. That’s ok! Maybe you just need a different form of motivation. Think about that- what motivates you??? How can you apply that to your exercise habits?
Or maybe you are simply feeling proud, because you showed up for this challenge! You learned new things, you figured out how to fit exercise into your daily life, and you are feeling stronger and healthier and living with less pain!
So tell me- as we come to a close, are you feeling any of these feelings? Do any of these resonate with you? This is important to understand, so we can make sure to finish the last 5 days strong! Email me or post on Facebook!
Day 24: Wednesday
6 more days!!!! That’s all we have left in the challenge!!!
So let’s make it great, ok? Let’s finish out STRONG!!!
Today is a core day for all three calendars.
So tell me- as you are doing abdominal bracing for the upteenth time- what are you learning about your body? What are you feeling that is new and different? It’s time to tune into those itty bitty changes that build up to make those huge long term successes!!!! Are you feeling almost ready for Level 2? We are going to level up on abdominal bracing soon enough!
And tell me- where is your favorite place to abdominal brace? Or the craziest place you have done abdominal bracing? Let’s share bracing stories!
Day 23: Tuesday
Let’s talk nutrition, ok?
Exercise is extremely important to keep our health in check- but what we feed ourselves matters too. Inflammation in our bodies can exacerbate our pain, and when we eat a diet of processed foods and sugary sweets, we only heighten the inflammation, which increases our pain. So, for true pain relief, exercise and healthy eating must go hand in hand.
I have a very simple philosophy when it comes to food:
Eat plants
Eat protein
Limit chemicals
That’s it! It’s very simple. Each meal should be comprised of plants and protein, with as few processed foods or chemically created foods as possible.
Want to know more? Well, I explain it all in the Autoimmune Strong Food guide. You can find that here.
Tell me here or on Facebook- are you eating to reduce inflammation? Are you gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, AIP or something else entirely? Or, are you thinking about changing up your foods but don’t know where to start? Tell me all about it!!!!
Day 22: Monday
I hope you are feeling great after your rest day and that you are ready to get back at it today!!!
Keep going with your calendars:
B & C folks are on Video 4
A folks are on Video 5
Let’s talk shoulders for a minute, because I want to prepare you for Video 5. Many members have asked why arms come last in the program- and there is a reason! I wanted to explain so you can protect yourself.
Shoulders get injured because they are overworked.
What does that mean? Well- there are two common problems that lead to a shoulder injury.
The first is shoulder mobility- or lack thereof. In our life, we don’t typically practice shoulder mobility exercises- and so, our shoulders often get stuck in one position. So then- when your shoulders are required to move in a strange way, like passing something from the driver’s seat to the backseat- since our shoulders aren’t mobile, they can’t do the movement, and injury occurs.
The second is a lack of core strength. Because our core isn’t solid, our shoulders get forced to take on many stabilizing movements, which force the shoulder to take on movements that they shouldn’t… and injury occurs.
The good news is that we are working on both these things! Ab bracing is going to create stability in the core, and by working on these shoulder spine and neck exercises will begin to create more shoulder mobility and flexibility.
Tell me about your shoulders- do you have trouble with your shoulders? Do you have a shoulder injury you are working to rehab? Do you feel a difference in the way that your shoulders move since you started Autoimmune Strong?
Day 21: Sunday
Ok, it’s a rest day again!!!
I want to remind you about being intentional, even on a rest day.
You see, rest days are an essential part of the program, and without rest, there can’t be action. When I say rest, I really mean “recovery”. Rest days give your muscles a minute to recover so they can begin again.
So…. on your rest days, I want you to think about- what can I do that would help my muscles recover?
You may even find that your muscles are stiffer and a little more uncomfortable on rest days- so stretching and foam rolling are still good things to do to take care of that body of yours!
Here are some other wonderful recovery tools, easy things you can do at home.
Take 5 deep breaths every hour. (Perhaps set an alarm as a reminder?)
Drink extra water- try to incorporate 1 extra glass of water
Go outside and be in nature. Enjoy the sun! (Even for those of you living in winter… sun is important!)
Do something nice for yourself, like a pedicure or a facemask
Take a bath (and maybe add some epsom salts!)
Tell me (or post on FB)- how are you going to “rest” today?
Day 20: Saturday
It's workout time!!!!
Let's warm up and work out!
Calendar B & C are on Stretch Video 1 & Workout 1, while Calendar A is on Stretch Video 1 & Workout 2!
What's the difference between the workout videos & the instructional videos?
The workout videos are a step up in challenge and difficulty! I do less talking than in the instructional videos and more moving. And instead of doing one exercise at a time, we begin to link the movements together one after another. This increases the difficulty because there is less rest time and more movement.
The stretch video is a must to do before you do a workout. It gets your muscles warm and ready to move! Stretching before a workout prevents injury and reduces soreness later.
Give the workouts a go and let me know what you think? Too hard? Just right? Email me or post on Facebook!
Day 19: Friday
Today- Calendar B & C are going to be working on Foot & Ankle, while Calendar A is working on Hips & Glutes.
Yesterday, we did ankle and foot observations out in the world.
And today's challenge will be similar- but related to those hips & glutes!
In the hips & glutes video, I talk about glute amnesia. Let's be honest, our butts spend so much time in a chair that they are stretched out and underactive- so let's begin to gain some awareness around this issue.
Your challenge today is to do the following:
Make a list of all the different places you sat down in today.
How long did you sit for in each of those places? How many hours in total today did you spend sitting?
When you move around the world, can you feel your butt muscles working? Or do they feel like they are asleep most of the day?
Can you schedule in breaks from your sitting? To walk around for a minute? Or to do a hip/glute stretch?
Tell me all about it! Visibility on this issue will help us deepen our commitment to this process- because the real glute work begins in Level 3- so we need to stay committed in order to get there! Email me or post in Facebook!
Day 18: Thursday
For Calendar B & C, it's a rest day. Hooray!
For Calendar A, it's a foot & ankle day. So- let's think more about our feet & ankles today.
We underestimate the importance of our feet & ankles. So, today let's celebrate these body parts!
I want you to do the following things:
Pick 3 different types of ground surfaces: grass, pavement, tile flooring, wood flooring, carpet, rocks, dirt- whatever you have access to. Walk on them first with shoes and then barefoot. How do these surfaces feel on your feet? Do your feet feel different as you walk on these different surfaces? What differences do you observe with the shoes versus the bare feet? Do your ankles have to work harder without the shoes?
As you walk through the world today, I want you to observe how often you are required to be on one foot. When does that happen for you? (Hint: it happens all the time, if you pay attention!)
And as you walk on these different surfaces, barefoot or not, on one leg or not- where does short foot come in for you? Can you activate it throughout your day? Or does it still feel like hard work for your body? When you practice short foot in the mirror, do you feel and see the postural difference?
Tell me- in these observations- do you feel more connected to your body? And to your feet and ankles in particular? Tell me via email or on Facebook!
Day 17: Wednesday
Today, all calendars are on foam rolling!!! This is cause for celebration, because I know that by now, you are all foam rolling converts. You love it, right? Hurts so good!
Well- today I want to challenge you to this about something very important, and related to foam rolling. WATER!
Hydration is SO important!!! Our bodies are made up of 65% water. This is why hydration is so important- when our body doesn't have the right amount of water in balance we can begin to feel sick. Dehydration can often mimic a flare-up, or even be the thing that kickstarts an actual flare-up! Additionally, when we foam roll, we begin to kick up a lot of the toxic junk that has been living in our tight fascia, so we need extra water to flush all of that junk out.
How much water should we be drinking a day? Half our body weight! It's a ton of water, I know! But it's oh so important.
So, here's how to calculate it:
Let's use this example. Say you weigh 140 lbs. Half that is 70 lbs- which means you need to drink 70 ounces of water a day. That is your minimum amount of water you need to drink.
So- start by calculating how much water you need to drink. Next step, start measuring how much water you actually drink in a day. I bet once you start paying attention to it that you will realize that you are not drinking nearly enough water. And yes, as you increase your water intake you will be peeing more- and that's a good thing! It flushes your system out and keeps it free from toxins and working right.
And the final step?
If you are experiencing any muscle cramps or feel like water just isn't tasting good to you- try adding electrolytes to your water. I do this by either adding a pinch of natural sea salt (not regular table salt!) to your water. Or add electrolytes to your water. I have added links to the bonus section of the salt and electrolytes that I use so you can order it there if you want.
Tell me all about your water drinking? Are you drinking enough? Is this a hard challenge for you? Email me or share on Facebook!
Day 16: Tuesday
Today, all calendars are back to abdominal bracing!!!
By now, you might be feeling like this practice of abdominal bracing is getting easier. In the beginning, it can be difficult to coordinate all three components- the tuck, suck and squeeze- all at once, and maybe now you are finding it easier to do? Maybe you can hold it for longer? Maybe you are finding that you can do it without holding so much tension in your neck? Or maybe it's easier to breathe while bracing? Maybe you are starting to brace as you are out and about in life? You can feel your bracing activate as you are reaching for something on the shelf at the market, or lifting the laundry basket at home? Tell me, what leaps are you experiencing in you
So today the challenge is to work on ab bracing like the calendar says, but let's kick it up a notch (Autoimmune Strong style). Try holding it for 5 more seconds than you did the last time. Can you do it? I bet you can. Another option is to add 1 more repetition. If you are bracing 3 times and holding it, try 4 times today. And tell me either through email or on the Facebook page- how does that feel?
Day 15: Monday
Ok- time for review. I think it’s really important to take a minute to think about where you came from before you think about where you are going.
The first week was very much focused on mindset. We took the time to think about our goals, both long term and short term. We need to have both inspirational and aspirational things to drive us. We also need daily and weekly goals that keep us accountable and help us to move towards our hopes and dreams.
The second week was about getting our groove on with exercise. We started putting one step in front of the other, working through the calendars and the videos. We are practicing making time in our days for exercise, despite the unpredictable nature of our lives. It’s not easy, but you all are finding time in the day to exercise!
Now, it’s time to keep going. This is where things get difficult. The excitement of doing something new has worn off. You are two weeks in- and maybe it’s getting harder to make it a priority. So I want to take a minute to talk about the challenges you have faced in the last two weeks.
What obstacles have come up in the last two weeks? Are you feeling resistance come up when you think about exercising this week? What is getting in your way? I want you to think about these things… and what you can do to get past it.
So- post on the Facebook page and tell me- are you feeling stuck? Or are you flying? Tell me all about it!!!
PS- We are doing this mindset exercise today- but don’t stop exercising! Keep going to the next video!!!
Day 14: Sunday
You made it!!!! We are two weeks into the 30 day challenge- halfway done!!!!
No tips or tricks today- it’s a rest day. So use it to celebrate your accomplishments!!!! Do something fun today- not something that your family or friends think is fun- but something YOU think is fun. Enjoy your day!!!!
And tell me- what is the biggest thing you learned about yourself this week?
Day 13: Saturday
Yesterday we talked about the importance of repetition- which we are continuing with today. If you are in calendar B or C, you will be continuing to work on foam rolling. And if you are in Calendar A, you will be working on your first workout routine!
Today I want to talk about two things- first, I want to talk more about repetition and its role in flare-up recovery & prevention, and second, I want to talk for a minute about the workout videos themselves.
We touched on repetition a little bit yesterday, but I wanted to go a little deeper today. You see, when we exercise in a more traditional manner, we don’t always go through repetition as much as we should. And that’s because of this no pain no gain model of fitness. We often get it in our heads that we should be doing more, so we push our bodies harder than we should. And really all that does is put us in harms way. If we push too hard too quickly, our bodies stress levels shoot up. And we all know by now that this puts us at risk of a flare-up. Now, I recognize that it might not be the most satisfying thing to repeat exercises over and over again. But perhaps this is the challenge that you really need- to get your mind and body in alignment. For many people, this is the hardest part of Autoimmune Strong- to let your body lead instead of your mind. But this is the essential component of flare-up prevention and recovery. When we practice practice practice before pushing to the next level, we give our body that true time to adapt- so that when we do make the jump to the next level, we are ready, and it doesn’t create such a stressful, jarring jolt to the system.
Now- as far as the workouts go, I will say this. The workouts are meant to increase the challenge of the program. The workouts strong a bunch of exercises back to back, and they go at a slightly faster pace. Be mindful- if you feel you are not ready for this, there is no shame in that. Be real with yourself and make a choice that suits your body. Repeat days or weeks or take extra rest days if you feel that’s what your body needs. Autoimmune Strong is designed to be a self-paced program- so I encourage you to use it that way.
Practice Day Five: Stretching Routine 1 & Workout 1 (A) or Muscles (B/C)
Accountability: Tell me- is the calendar going too fast for you? Too slow? Just right? I want to know!
Day 12: Friday
Yesterday, Calendar A folks repeated the core video. And today, Calendar A is going to repeat the foot & ankle video, and Calendar B and C are going to repeat the core video. So you may be asking yourself- why so much repetition? Why do we have to go back, can’t we just move forward?
The answer is that repetition is actually essential for progress and progression. Just like our brains don’t always learn something the first time, our bodies need constant exposure to something new in order to absorb it. You will notice as you practice your moves that your body discovers something new each time- but you have to really tune in to notice this. I bet that the first couple of times you try these moves (if they are new to you) that they will feel awkward and stiff and strange in the beginning. As you practice them, they begin to get easier. You may feel new muscle groups working. You may find a shift in your posture as you do it because your body can access new positions due to your increasing flexibility and body awareness. You may find that you can do it for longer, or in a more intense way. This is why we practice and repeat the same things over and over- to uncover these little gems that lie inside us. This is why exercise is so good for flare-up prevention too- by exposing your body to these tiny micro-doses of exercise in a repetitive way, we are teaching your body how to handle the teeniest dose of pressure and stress, which helps the adaptation process. It is so small, miniscule, but this is how it works.
For some of you, you may need to hang back and repeat exercises for longer. These calendars are just a guideline- but if you feel you want to repeat a week or two before you move forward, do it. You will be that much stronger because of it.
Practice Day Five: Foam Rolling (B/C) or Core (A)
Accountability: Tell me what you have learned through your repetitive exercises so far?
Day 11: Thursday
My calendar B and C folks- today is foam rolling day!!! Calendar A folks, you already experienced your first foam rolling adventure- but perhaps this little post will help inspire you to keep up with it!
Tight connective tissue are one of the reasons our bodies hurt so much. I talk about this in the foam rolling video but I want to go a little deeper today and talk specifically about joint pain. You remember that kids song “Your leg bones connected to your hip bone?” Well, I loove that song. Everything in our physical structure is connected by connective tissue- muscles, tendons and ligaments. That’s what makes our body move.
But as we stop moving, or move in ways that are posturally incorrect, our connective tissue, specifically our muscles, have a harder time doing their jobs. They get frozen, stuck if you will- which then makes it hurt to move. The muscles aren’t able to glide fluidly the way they are supposed to, and instead, they pull on the joints, making it painful in the joint area when movement is required. And this has a ripple effect along the body- when muscles are tight, they throw your posture out of whack, and soon, that knee pain affects the hips, which creates pain in the lower back, so your upper back has to overcompensate, leading to shoulder and neck pain… because it’s all connected. This is especially important for people living with chronic conditions because this pain, stiffness and stuckness you are experiencing in your body contributes deeply to the cycle of flare-ups. This chronic physical pain creates chronic heightened stress in the body, which leads to chronic flare-ups. So the more we can decrease the joint and body pain, the fewer flare-ups we will experience.
So as you are foam rolling and it hurts (‘cause it does hurt in the beginning), just remember that this is part of the work of getting you “unstuck”- which also has a ripple effect, in a good way. This is flare-up prevention.
And foam rolling for flare-up recovery? It’s essential. Learn this practice and you will have another tool in your toolbox to help that flare-up pass on by.
Step #1: Check out your foam roller options and make sure you have the right equipment.
Step #2: Practice Day Four: Foam Rolling (B/C) or Core (A)
Accountability: Tell me what areas hurt the most when you foam roll?