Reflections: Overall Fitness in Less Time, Leadership Challenge, Cultivate Stillness
As predicted the month of September has flown by! As we head into fall, I’m excited to make more time for reading. There is some interesting data I’m (re)looking at; the impact of high-intensity interval training on our health. I have enjoyed taking online challenges in the past; the current one is on leadership created by Ryan Holiday and his team at Daily Stoic. Lastly, I’m reminded of my need to make time for stillness…
Body
High Intensity Interval Training
This type of training involves repeated bouts of high intensity effort followed by varied recovery times. One example that I do is the following:
Warm-up (note to self, always, always be warmed up before any exercise!)
Jumping jacks 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds
Mountain climbers 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds
Repeat this circuit four times
In addition to improving VO2 max (a marker of cardiorespiratory fitness), two areas it benefits are the brain and your waistline. A session of high-intensity exercise is linked to both higher BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and cognitive functioning improvements. Source: Journal of Neuroscience Letters. High-intensity training increases the rate at which your body burns calories. It's a great way to create the EPOC effect - excess post oxygen consumption.
High intensity exercise is a great way to challenge your metabolic system and improve your health. Work at a pace you feel comfortable with and gradually increase your level of intensity.
Here are some more resources:
Challenge for you:
Use the resources listed above and implement this protocol two to three times per week. Remember to do a warm-up first before you begin! Proceed at your current level of training.
Mind
Leadership Challenge
You may recall that I've done other mind enhancing challenges before from Ryan Holiday and his team at the Daily Stoic. I really enjoyed the reading challenge. Here is a refresher of what that entailed: https://www.greennotefitness.com/single-post/reflections-body-mind-and-spirit
The current online challenge is The Daily Stoic Leadership Challenge. It's a 9-week masterclass in the art of leadership. As described, rooted in the time-tested wisdom of the Stoics, this updated challenge mirrors the education that produced historically great leaders like Marcus Aurelius.
Challenge for you:
No matter our profession, we all need to be good leaders at various times. How are you preparing for this task? Reflect. Assess. Take action.
Spirit
Cultivating stillness
Speaking of reflection, assessment, and action; this past month has reminded me that I need to be still. If you've been reading the GreenNote Fitness newsletter for awhile, then you know I love to golf. This summer I was able to do lots of it which is fantastic! However, I needed to take more time to be fully present in my daily meditation, breathwork, and prayer. My mind was not calm and at times ran amuck. Yes, we are human so perfection is not part of our equation but we must come back to center - our center. As the days are getting shorter and the golf season is sadly coming to a close, I'm looking forward to making more time for stillness and a calm mind. How? Not "feeling" rushed and committing to being fully present during the day and during prayer and meditation. Like everything else, cultivating stillness is a discipline.
Challenge for you:
What have you done well this past month? What areas do you need to make more time for? As we head into fall, now is a good time to reflect upon those things that bring your peace.
Quote I’m pondering
Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person. – Mother Teresa
Fun fact
The oldest known cultivated plant is a Judean date palm that was grown from a 2,000-year-old seed recovered from an archaeological site in Israel.
To your reflection and health,
Lisa Schaffer
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See my last newsletter Body, Mind & Spirit…
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