Have you watched the Netflix show Home Edit? I know, me neither. Ok, its become my new obsession. I didn’t even have Netflix but I found some episodes of the show on You Tube and then took the book out of the Library on kindle (because I have committed to not giving more shelf real estate to books until I clear some out).
Even if I am very late to the minimalist trend and the pandemic did not send me into home organizing, as we’re emerging from it I find myself needing to have a fresh start. There’s something about clearing a closet or decluttering a drawer that brings a sense of calm; even more-so when it looks pinterest-worthy.
Authors, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin (yes, members of the tribe) sound like your close personal girlfriends as they declare their love for the low-bar lifestyle where applying heat to food is called cooking, a pizza is a kind of salad without lettuce, workout clothes are for everyday because getting though LIFE is a workout (my favorite), champagne is basically sparkling water, and trips to the store and cleaning up after kids are cardio, maybe even their main source of it.
They talk about how organizing your home can conjure up feelings of overwhelm. Once you follow the steps and its organized though, its a time saver, a money saver, a sanity saver and provides closure. Sometimes we need someone to hold our hand and guide us or a road map to get there.
They urge us to start easy – with just one drawer and to remember baby steps are small victories, so break things into small steps and reward yourself with a gold star.
Well, despite all these awesome tips I have to break it to you that trips to the store and cleaning up after your kids is NOT the best source of cardio exercise!!! While it counts as an activity of daily living and may be exhausting, it does little unfortunately to help you make it all look pretty on your body nor does it increase your cardio capacity in a way that makes all the other activities like it easier, more fun or efficient and doesn’t make muscles like your heart significantly stronger in an efficient way. Bummer, right?
I want to be that friend to help you go from safer at home body to rock it on the town mama. It too takes some decluttering to move out of fitness overwhelm and enter maintenance mode. Once you’re there, its so much easier. Instead of feeling weighed down, you have a road map and some victories under your belt to celebrate, you realize how much it saves you time, money, and sanity to have your fitness on point.
As we emerge from pandemic mode and lay social distancing aside its time to re-assess. I suggest you:
- Separate out what are you doing now that counts as cardio, as strength and flexibility.
- Is there a balance? Got enough of each, or is it time to restock?
- Figure out if any of it is joyful and if its not sparking joy consider editing it out and replacing it with some other activity that does bring joy.
- If all your activity is just moving things from one area of the house to the other consider taking a class or hiring a fit pro to bring some efficiency and good looking results for your efforts.
- Go for 80%. Don’t over-stuff your plate or work yourself too hard.
- Nobody is perfect. Perfectionism leads to overwhelm and lackluster results.
- Set the bar low. Short bursts of joyful movement count! Break it down into something manageable (Yes 5 and 10 minute workouts count!)
- Give yourself a reward for small victories.
- Put out-dated fitness ideas like no pain no gain and misleading ideas like champagne is like seltzer in the trash and get real with where you’re at now and what fits your goals and lifestyle.
Its ALWAYS ok with me to wear yoga pants because LIFE is a workout..
….and if you’re not sure where to start, I’m here to help.
Get Fit With Kayla 