Self-care

One of the main missions of our website is to promote self-care during our grief. Often, in grief, we neglect the person that keeps us trudging forward. We put off our goals to either keep up caring for others or we just neglect ourselves because we don't feel worthy of the attention. You are so worthy! In order to continue caring for your loved ones, you must care for your self. It's not selfish. It's important! You will thank yourself not only because you feel physically strong but mentally as well. Setting goals that distracts your focus is not a guilty pleasure, it is necessary. Here we want to offer you guidance and motivation setting those goals in a physical sense.

Simple Ways to Start
These are suggestions to help you get started and hopefully not feel overwhelmed. Challenge yourself but do not push too hard. Start slow; every 2 days or every other day.
Always be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before beginning any new physical activity if you think you might have limitations that a fitness routine may exacerbate.

FLEX YOUR MUSCLES

Perform 10 reps of each once a day, add 5 reps every week:

-Air squats, as low as you can go. Watch those knees!!

- Pushups, use a wall if you aren't ready to get down on the floor

-Sit ups or crunches, add 5 here if you are feeling good

-Bicep curls, empty handed or hold a water bottle or full milk jug. Make sure to switch arms and do equal reps on both

-Rows, same as curls, empty handed or something small.

GET YOUR STEPS IN

Walk for 20-30; go outside, get on the treadmill if the weather is not your favorite.

Walk in place during commercials, watch your time, it may take a couple of episodes.

No commercial breaks? Choose a simple word that should be use frequently; start walking when it is said, stop when said again. Repeat until you reach 20-30 minutes of active movement.

ADD A LITTLE WEIGHT

Grab a set of dumbbells. Perform 15 reps each, add 3-5 reps after doing 2 sessions.

-Goblet squats; try to touch your elbows to the inside of your thighs.

-Inchworm to pushups

-Bicep curls to overhead press

-Bicycle crunches (do goal number of reps on each side)

-Reverse lunge with a front kick, each side (go back into the reverse lunge then perform a front kick with the back leg when you come up)

-Cross-body mountain climbers

-Bent over rows to tricep kickbacks

-Russian twists, each side (hold weight just above your waist)

STEP IT UP

Challenge yourself. Increase your active movement to 45-60 minutes

Go outside for a walk and do walk/run intervals. For example, walk for 5 minutes, jog for one. Increase jog interval each week by a minute (or more if you are feeling spicy). Need to stay inside. Use a treadmill for your walk/run intervals or use the incline, increase every 5 minutes and return to zero after 5 minutes

Walk during your show and run in place or do high knees during commercials.

No commercials? Begin by walking and choose a frequently said word and start running in place or doing high knees when said. Return to walking when said again.

How to....

Below you will find explanations of some of the exercises from above. Please reach out if you have questions by sending an email to embracegriefandself.blog.

Above all be safe.

Squats and Lunges

*To perform an air squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up as you bend your knees and lower your hips, as if sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees stay aligned with your toes and do not extend past them. Lower yourself and then push back up to standing.

*For a goblet squat, hold dumbbell in front of your chest, stand with feet a little more that shoulder width with toes pointed out at an angle and continue as with air squat.

*To perform a reverse lunge, stand with feet shoulder width apart. Keep your chest up and step back with one leg. Bend both knees; lowering back knee towards the floor and making a 90 degree angle with the front leg. Push back up to standing.