We made it to 2023! 
Here at Kin Co it has been pretty quite on the business side, busy on the personal side. 

I am still trying to catch my stride with my new title as "mom of 2" but everday I get a little it better. New videos to come soon, and because I am soooooo self centered it will be an "ease back into it" series... because that's what I need. Hopefully you do too. 

I think I mentioned it last year, but I am a person who likes new years resolutions. It feels like a fresh slate with so many possibilities.  Reflecting on my 2022 goals I was successful completed so goals (home renovations, mindfulness) and failed in other areas (personal finance, drinking water). I was half successful in saving and fitness.  

I am going to re-evaluate my failures and half successes into new year and plan for success in 2023. If you are interested in planning with intention find THIS blog from last January to give you some tips and tricks. 

The other area of my life I want to be intentional about is fitness. In the past I have just picked a program that burnt the most calories, but these old bones need more structure. So in 2023 I am going to be more strategic, focusing on fixing my posture, and functional training. Of course I will still mix in the HITT workouts because I just love them so. So come along for the ride! 

Keep an eye out for new workouts HERE

Here is the best video from 2022... 44 VIEWS. Wahoo! 

Hey Hey!

Kin Co is going through some changes and I want to take you along for the ride! 
August was a busy month for me! I started a new part time position in Kinesiology and also got some extra contracts to fill in the other days in workplace rehabilitation which was exciting for me! Plus Kin Co turned ONE! 

I also entered my 3rd trimester of pregnancy which probably isn't the best match for all this professional aping up BUT life is what happens when your busy making plans so here we are.  

With all this being said there are some changes coming to my business that I wanted to highlight! 

Personal Training - I will be pausing taking on new personal training clients for the time being. 

Fitness Classes - I wont be able to offer in person classes until 2023. I will also be looking at virtual options in 2023. 

YouTube classes - I am still going to aim to post 2 videos a month. Make sure you subscribe here so you don't miss one! 

Any work wellness needs I will try my best to fit into my schedule. Just know timelines might be a little longer. Check out the page here to see what is offered 

Thank you for all your support with these changes! 

If there are any fitness or kin things you want to see in the future comment below! 

 On July 8th I took my fitness watch off and I have not put it back on since. The constant reminders to be active that I once found motivating were now just super annoying. So I let the battery die and it's been sitting on my night stand ever since. 

Its normal to have these feelings about fitness, it's okay to become unmotivated. But it's time to dust of my running shoes and get back to it!

Here are some things I have done to kick the fitness funk.

1) Acknowledge your feelings - I quit wearing the watch, with conditions. Tec can be super helpful in assisting you in achieving your goals, but when every push notification makes you want to roll your eyes.. or smash it with a hammer,  it might be time for a break. So I told myself I would not wear it for July, and crush the challenges in August. BONUS no weird watch tan lines. 

2) Switch it up - My fitness go tos are Cardio (usually running) and weights. I like 45 min max workouts that burn as many calories as possible. But for July I wasn't feeling the high intensity workouts anymore so I decided to switch it up. Walking and stretching became my go to, and because I ditched my watch the limited calories I was burning didn't phase me as much. 

3) Have a plan to return - Taking a break from your fitness routine is healthy. Making a change to what you are doing can benefit your attitude towards fitness but also can be beneficial to your physical gains.

One training principle is the principle of adaptation,  " the process of the body getting accustomed to a particular exercise or training program through repeated exposure" in changing our workouts the body is challenged more, and gains are more noticeable.  

If you need to quit your routine all together because of an injury, changes in schedule, pregnancy, or travel it's good to have a plan to return. How are you going to accomplish this and not slip back into a sedentary life? Who can cheer you on, what can you do to avoid failure?  One of my first blogs was on creating "SMART" Goals (you can find it here). Having a detailed plan will increase your success. 

What's my plan?

To try to get back into lifting weights 2 times a week, and continue walking at
least 3 times a week. I also want to focus more on stretching and mobility. So trying to get at least two 30 minute yoga or mobility classes into my schedule per week.  I will track the workouts in my planner and stick to the schedule. 

So the moral of the story is fitness funks happen.  We can finally travel, get social and leave our house. It's normal to not want to spend your new found freedom in a gym working out. I get it. BUT fitness is important to our health so finding alternatives is key!  Go for a run with a friend, get our and garden, enjoy the outside as much as possible.

September will be here soon and the gym will be waiting.  

Until next time , 
​Jess 

Working the core is not a new thing in fitness. Magazine covers always have titles like "15 min to a 6 pack" or something about a bikini belly. Thankfully high wasted bikini bottoms are in style and we can finally just live our lives. Sorry fellas, you still have to deal with mid rise.

These types of core workouts focus on what I like to call "vanity muscles" and yes they have a purpose in helping the body move, but there are deeper muscles in the core that are important to target because they help with stability of the spine. Working the deep muscles of the spine are important in injury prevention of the back, as well as helping with rehabilitation after suffering a back injury. 

Lets look at some anatomy to get a better idea of what is happening on the inside. ​

In picture 1 you can see all the layers of the Core Muscles. These all help to move the spine through it's planes of movement but in picture 2 you can also see where it helps with stability. Looking at picture 2 you can see that there is a large white space in the middle. Organs and other tissue fill this space but they don't help with the stability of the spine. This makes it important to keep the muscles of the low back and core strong. The obliques and transversus are going to keep the structure around the organs to help with stability.  See it's not just about the 6 pack! 

If you are feeling inspired give this workout a try! See you in the next one! 

It’s the March Break and for some of us this means nothing… because we are still at work grinding away. But for others it might mean an all-out adventure week. Full of the unexpected! Doing activities, you  reserve for once or twice a year can be fun, but man the next day your body might be like “what the fresh”  Speaking from personal experience as a recreation snowboarder, who will go out once a year and then may not pick the board up again for many years, I know the body aches are real.  Scroll to the bottom from my post snowboard stretching video. But if you have participated in another activity this March Break here are some trade secrets to make your own stretch program.

1. Body Scan – Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Starting at the head, scan all the way down to your toes, making note of anywhere you feel tight. Move the joint closest to the tightness until you feel a gentle pull. Hold for 30 seconds.
2. Move the joints – Figure out the joints you used most during this activity and passively move them in all directions. For example if its your back your can flex forward, extend backward, rotate and side bend left to right. The back is so bendy, so keep them movements supported and pain free. You should only feel a gentle pull sensation.
3. Active Rest – I know the body is aching right now, but getting up and going for a walk will help from getting even more stiff. Motion is lotion… and right now your joints need it.
4. Neck – Doing new things or new old things can be anxiety provoking and stress is often carried in the neck. Stretching out the upper traps (bring ear to shoulder) will help to loosen those muscles. If you need a bit more your can try this video here
5. Back – Most activities require some activation of the back and core muscles. Adding child’s or upward dog will benefit any stretching program. **Disclaimer – If you suffer from disk herniation these stretches can be painful depending on where the herniation is. **
   
   

Move through these movements slowly and listen to your body.  You should feel back to yourself in about 48 hours.

Hope this helps with all your March Break Aches. Cya in the next one!  

It’s so easy to forget about the heart during happy times. It’s just beating away, doing its thing. But when we are scared or nervous or even must climb up a couple flights of stairs this guy lets us know, “hey- you are alive, and I am working hard to keep it that way”
In the last blog we talked about how chronic stress and even a single traumatic event can negatively impact that heart. But there are so many things we can do to support the heart.

1. Diet – The heart relies on a network of veins and arteries to pump blood through. Keeping these “pipes” clear helps to reduce the demand on the heart. Diet is a main factor in keeping the plaque out of your arteries. Here are some things you can do:

• Increase fiber intake – Soluble fiber collects the free cholesterol in the body, and disposes of it. Soluble fiber when mixed with water creates a gel, but insoluble fiber is also good as it keeps things moving within the digestive track which helps reduce blood sugar levels.  Aiming to get around 30 g of fiber from your diet each day. This can be accomplished by eating whole- grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Reduce “Bad cholesterol” – Cholesterol gets a bad rap, but there are two types of cholesterol. High Density Cholesterol (HDL) and Low-density Cholesterol (LDL). LDL is considered “bad cholesterol” because it is what can lead to fatty deposits on the arteries. HDL are considered “Good Cholesterol” because they help remove LDL from the body. Like mentioned above soluble fiber can reduce free cholesterol in the body. Choosing health fats that contain Omega -3 such as fish, nuts and seeds, or omega 3 fortified products can help too!
• Floss! My dentist will love me. Gums are very vascularized and the plaque that builds up on the teeth can be absorbed into the blood stream. Flossing helps prevent plaque build up on teeth, and it also prevents cavities…. A health double whammy.

  2. Managing Stress – Stress increases heart rate, and blood pressure, both make the heart work in over-drive. I recently did a blog about stress, which you can find here and if you feel stressed out try this video!  
​
3. Stay Active- It is recommended by the heart and stroke foundation that you accumulate 150 minutes of activity a week. This can be done in as little as 10-minute intervals. Exercise will keep your heart happy and strong. Today’s blog video is ANOTHER 15 min cardio workout. This time we take it up a bit so get ready to sweat. 

It can seem overwhelming to fit all this into your regular routine. An area I really struggle with is proper nutrition. So, I have also included some heart healthy recipes below to help with that respect. Burrito Bowls and Chili are great because you can make a huge batch and have leftovers for ever! Bonne Appetit. 

​February is Heart Month. So let’s send some love to the muscle with the most endurance. Yes glutes are cool and having killer abdominals is neat… but the hearts got… well heart.  
I can totally nerd out on the function of the heart, but I will *try* to keep it chill. I also want to dive into why love and emotions are connected to the heart. I have totally experience chest wrenching heart break but why does this happen… on that later.
Your heart pumps blood to the muscles of the body, bringing oxygenated blood to the muscles and back to the lungs to get re-oxygenated again. The anatomy of the heart is what accomplishes this oxidization of the blood. The heart has 4 chambers and these chambers contracting at different times pushing the blood to the lungs and then back out the body. The thump thump you hear is the valves in these chambers opening and closing. The heart has 2 nodes made up of both muscle and nervous tissue that regulate the heartbeat, yes it’s own pacemaker (Thought Co, 2019).  The heart decides what the demand for oxygen is an adjusts the heart rate accordingly. The heart beats about 100 thousand times a day!  
But why is the heart linked to emotion?
I remember watching this Greys anatomy episode about a woman who had a heart attack every year because it was linked to a traumatic event she experienced (Season 2 Episode 5). She was ultimately diagnosed with “Stress Induced Cardio Myopathy”. This is actually documented by the medical community and is also known as "Broken Heart Syndrome. The coronary arteries go into spasm causing the heart to not contract normally and a decreased blood supply to the heart.  (Abbott 2017). Chronic depression can cause “Sad Heart Syndrome” due stressors like high blood pressure and increase stress hormones like cortisol. This stress can actually put patients are a greater risk of heart disease (American Heart Association, 2021). These syndromes explain why the heart is often linked to emotion and why the heart has been connected to emotions even before we had the science to support it.
 
Although we can’t control when our lives get turned upside down, we can support the heart with lifestyle, diet, and exercise.  This week’s video is part of the 15 minutes for… series. And you guess it today we are focusing on cardio. This workout is great on its own, but you can also use it to warm up the body to prepare for a workout. 

​Are you stressed the fresh out? Me too! Even if you’re not stressed out right now, I am sure you have experienced it at some point in the past. For me it can show up in different ways, but when I am MEGA stressed my neck feels the burn… and not in a good way.

The American Psychological Association explains that our muscle tense up with stress because our body goes into protection mode. This reaction is to avoid injury or pain. The problem is many of us experience CHRONIC STRESS which puts us in a constant state of guarded muscles. OUCH. This can cause headaches, neck, and shoulder pain. Phew I am normal! 

How can we stop this perpetual stress cycle? Obviously run away from all our troubles and triggers. Just kidding. Here are some things that help me.  

1. Just breath - Our brain tricks our body alot (hello making muscle tense for thoughts in our brain…. no bear in sight). Tap into your parasympathetic system “rest and digest system” by focusing on your breath and slowing it down. There are tones of guided breathing exercise on the web. Like this one here. 
2. Sleep- I don’t know about you, but if I don’t get enough sleep, I am a monster. On days I am well rested I can handle all the worlds problems, on days I don’t I am a puddle. Sleeping does require discipline and I am sure you have heard all the tips and trick (stop screen time 1 hr before bed, have a bedtime, blue light glasses etc) so wont go into that. BUT I want to talk about something else.  Have you noticed how society had kind of glorified “early risers” like the only people who can be successful wake up at 5 am? I don’t really think 5 am is optimal for EVERY HUMAN. So, if you find at night your totally energized and can take on all the things, cool. Just aim to get those 8 hrs of slumber. Don’t try to be something your not.
3. Reduce Stimulants- Try to avoid situations that are triggering or have a plan how to effectively deal. If your job is anxiety provoking, try pinpointing the issue and plan how to effectively address it.  Your avoidance of an uncomfortable conversation can literally become a pain in the neck. Stimulants can also be substances like coffee. I would NEVER tell anyone to quit coffee (aka life blood) but if you find after 2 cups you get the shakes and super paranoid you might just want to stick to one and then find a yummy low caffeine tea for the rest of the day! Decaf coffee works too. Note: this planning isn’t the best to do in moments when your mega stressed. I would make this plan when I am calm cool and collected so I can be logical NOT emotional.
4. Exercise- Of course exercise is part of this list! Exercise will mostly likely READ: ALWAYS be on my lists because I love it and it’s medicine.  So, exercise mimics stress with increased breathing rate and increase blood pressure. And to be honest it is stress. Cardio and resistance training puts stress on the body and makes your muscles stronger. The benefit of exercise the Mayo Clinic reports is that your body releases endorphins that help combat stress. Bonus it can help you sleep to. Specific types of Yoga or Thai Chi can tap into your breathing rhythm and be very relaxing.

Okay so real talk, these areas are things I am working on, minus the exercise that is my area of expertise. So lets go through some breathing and stretching together to reduce our stress.
Introducing the 15 minutes for…. Series. In this YouTube series I will bring you through videos for healthier living from rehabilitation to general health practice. Always exercise based, Always 15 mins.
This week is 15 minutes for Stress.
So lets do it!
 

​Welcome to 2022. Isn’t there something magical about January? The possibilities seem endless, and you have the whole year in front of you to become the person you always wanted to be. I know the jury is out on new years resolutions, but I am in the camp of LET’S DO IT!
I totally can see why people are anti new years resolution… because it’s usually surrounded around making yourself a better human, which typically means you need to lose weight, or wear more sunscreen, get sleep more blah blah blah. And then the shame spiral starts. Let’s reframe our thinking. What in life isn’t working for you? What do you want to change, no shame… just gain!
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I think another reason why people hate new years resolutions is it just feels like they are being set up to fail. Being successful takes planning, and just saying I am going to get 8 hours of sleep every night isn’t going to get you there. Planning is key. So here is what I am doing to make my 2022 goals a reality.
Step 1: Write down the goals. Here are some mine.

• Drink more water (I do this one every year and fail miserably. Does coffee count as water?)
• Read 12 books
• Pay off debt

Step 2: Plan away.
A very common way to plan is to use the “SMART” goals. This is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely.  Using a specific goal, lets break this down. Let’s go for the Visa bill.
We start with I will pay off debt
Make it Specific - I am going to reduce the balance on my visa bill
Make it measurable – I am going to pay off $5000 by the end of the year
Make it Attainable – I will prioritize paying off debt to buying new things
Make it Realistic – I can afford $200 biweekly to pay down debt, but still pay other bills and live my life!
Make it Timely - I will complete this goal by the end of the year and check in quarterly to adjust my goal if needed.
There! The plan is made. If you have a planner, I will write in the dates to check in with your goals. This year I am using Passion Planner for an agenda and am loving it so far. On top of your normal agenda stuff, it also has goal setting strategies we just reviewed embedded right in the planner. The best part is they have tons of digital prints on their website for FREE!! I love when companies offer things for free! Here is the link . I am not affiliated with Passion Planner; I just think it’s a great tool if you’re an agenda lovin’ human like me.
Alright so before your get your pen and paper to write down all the amazing things you’re going to achieve this year lets move a little bit.
This workout is going to focus on a lot of large movements to build your confidence. I watched a ted talk how body language can shape who you are, and by making yourself “big” you can make yourself feel more confident in situations like interviews or public speaking, so let’s get to it!

The Workout
Posture Adjustment
Deep Breaths, Arms out
Shoulder Mobilization
Hip openers, Hip swings  
Goddess Pose Sequence – Reach up, Twist, Side Bend, forward fold, bent elbows, Squat
Wrist Mobility
30 sec jumping jacks, 30 sec star jumps.
Repeat Goddess Pose Sequence but hold “squat”

​Cya in the next one! 
 
  

​Does anyone out their love Christmas, but at the same time it can be overwhelming and kind of make you sad?
I lost my job 2 years ago and haven’t really been able to find meaningful work since. {insert trying to start my own business.} And really struggle with not having money that is mine. My husband is great, and he supports us, as a family we are fine. It’s me and my own things. At the end of the day, I know I am super lucky, I get to spend tons of time with my toddler, I don’t have to work a job I hate plus so many other benefits. At moments Christmas just makes me feel like a loser. It’s weird buying anything with money you don’t feel is yours… Christmas gifts included. And at moments it makes me sad. 
If holidays can be triggering for you just know you’re not alone. Things will get better, and then probably worse and then better again, because that seems to be the general projection of life.
Here is how I am dealing with this whole money thing and maybe you can apply some of it to your Christmas hang ups

1. Understanding that this is a moment in time, next Christmas will be better. If it’s not, maybe time will make me wiser and less insecure.
2. Stop the negative thoughts in their tracks. The only person who cares is me. My daughter would be happy with a shoe box, nobody else thinks I am loser, they see value in the other stuff I do.
3. Realizing that it’s okay to be sad for a moment, but not letting it get in the way of all the fun holiday stuff that I can do. Embracing that I don’t have to ask for holidays off work is one benefit to unemployment! (If you are working this Christmas, I hope you get paid a truck load and do the most minimal amount of work necessary. Also thank you! You are truly essential. 
4. Exercise. Because endorphins.

Today’s blog workout will keep your Christmas spirts high…  and your fitness watches happy.
Happy Holiday Everyone