Welcome to the Breathe Chile blog, a safe place to discuss mindfulness, physical fitness and receive positive motivation. 

Disclaimer: The topics discussed in this post are not intended to diagnose or cure any condition. Please consult with your personal physician before implementing anything new into your life. I am not affiliated with Beachbody and am a paid member with a Beachbody On Demand membership.

Week 1 Update and Reflection

I started a new fitness journey this past week that I discussed in a previous blog post. I am using this journey to focus on implementing a healthier diet in my life going forward. I found this program by Beach Body called the 4-week Gut Protocol that I wanted to use to guide how I should be eating every day. The plan focuses on eating real food in moderation using a portion plan they developed. My biggest issue has always been portion control. I will use this plan to train my brain and stomach to recognize the portion sizes I should be eating. Also, I also hope it helps to shrink my stomach so my body gets used to the new food amounts. That is the plan.

What I got Right 

During my planning and preparation phase last week I set personal goals before I started to make myself accountable which I discussed in a previous blog post.

• Aim to include at least 30 different plants in MY diet each week – I crushed this one. I thought I would have the hardest time with this goal, but I did my thing. It was fun thinking of new plants I could eat to hit my goal. See the list of 30 foods below

• Limit coffee to no more than three 8-oz. cups a week – YES! I thought I would have a hard time with this one as well, but the Matcha and Almond milk were delicious.

• Drink a gallon of water a day – I did this most days, so I feel good about it. For the first three days, I was so severely dehydrated that my body was thanking me for all the water, and it was very easy. By Thursday I was tired of water, but I did my best and only drank water.

• Pair The 4 Week Gut Protocol with the 4 Weeks for Every Body™ fitness program  This additional workout added to my normal routine was amazing. The BB exercise program is low impact, and it is the weights training I’ve been looking to add to my program. I used weights that challenged me (5lb – 15lb) and really worked up a sweat. 

• Work on managing stress with techniques that I have found to help me. Below are some of the techniques I used to manage stress.

TIPS TO REDUCE AND MANAGE STRESS

• WORK OUT – Take a break from what you’re doing and get your sweat on. I always feel better after a good workout. I have yet to say “I wish I hadn’t worked out today.”

• GO FOR A WALK/HIKE – Get out, go for a walk, and soak up some sun or go out into nature and decompress. Breathing in fresh air oxygenates your body and can lift your mood.  

• MEDITATE/STRETCH/YOGA – Calm your mind, loosen up your muscles, and relax your body. Creating a routine and meditating and stretching every morning reminds your mind of the goals you set for yourself. Stretching every day helps to loosen tight muscles fatigued by using weights in my daily fitness routine.

• TAKE A WARM SHOWER OR BATH – Relax your mind and body by soaking your muscles in warm water and lavender Epson salt. This wellness journey is alright with me!

• MAKE TIME FOR A HOBBY – Take a break from electronics and do something else with your hands. Documenting this process has really helped to make me accountable. Hobbies are also a great way to take your mind off of whatever is causing stress in your life.

• TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT WHAT’S BOTHERING YOU– Call a family member, meet up with a friend, or reach out to a licensed therapist. It takes a village to get through this thing called life. Know when things are getting to be too much and reach out for the help you need.

• GO TO BED EARLIER/OR TAKE A NAP – Give your body and mind extra time to completely turn off and reset. I could barely keep my eyes open past 10 PM this week so I was able to get in a full 8 hours of sleep each night.

Along with getting my diet in check I also changed up my normal workout routine.  I set what I am currently doing as a baseline of what I have to do to maintain where I am now. In order to see the changes in my body, I wanted to add to rather than replace what I was currently doing. 

Below was my total routine for the week:

 Week 1: Exercise and Meal Plan 

What I learned

1. Making the vegetable soup (recipe here) and eating along the same lines all week helped me to stay on track and reduce the stress of letting hunger set in and get me off track by grabbing the first thing I could get my hands. 
2. I can now see how my previous eating was not balanced and really not that healthy.
3. I don’t have to do high-intensity, high-impact exercises to sweat. Incorporating weights more consistently is just what I needed in my life.
4. Life is not about perfection. It’s about always learning, growing, and doing better when you know better.
5. Don’t forget to Breathe Chile!

Everything I discuss here is something I have used to help me. Breathe Chile is a movement to help the world through mindfulness, physical fitness, and positive motivation. I hope you will join me on the journey!