WARRIORS

Considering the world is mid-pandemic, we put together this personal hygiene 101 checklist! Why? Because as we continue to adjust to the "new normal" of everyday life, we may find ourselves forgetting to do parts of our typical personal hygiene routine. 

But wait...what exactly is personal hygiene?

Personal Hygiene is how you care for you body. It is quite literally the foundation from which we can begin to build up our healthy lifestyle habits. Here is a quick personal hygiene check in the form of questions: 

Are You Wearing Your Mask When You Need To? 

We know we know...sorry to bring this up for the millionth time. But wearing a mask is the only way you can guarantee that you protect your immune system from the potentially comprised health of others.

It's also the best way to ensure you don't by accidentally spread anything. 

If you plan on not getting sick during the pandemic wearing a mask (in public places/wherever you feel you need...

Warriors is back with another member spotlight. 

Meet Your Fellow Warrior, Megan (@meganddupius) 

If you’re in our telegram group chat, then you know Megan. She is one of the most active members in our community. We took some time to catch up with her on the phone. 

From bedtime yoga, to recovering from four concussions, to defining what it means to be healthy, we covered it all. 

Q: What gets you up in the morning and keeps you awake at night? 

Megan: The thing that’s waking me up is going for a run in the morning. I was supposed to run my first half marathon in April but it never happened due to the pandemic. I’m still training though!

And at night...well, I worry about finances. To help with that I’ve been doing bedtime yoga before I go to sleep. It helps me calm down and center my thoughts. Sometimes I like to read too. Also...shopping. During the pandemic I have learned the joys of online shopping. So I do that quite a...

During these times, our immune systems and self-care routines are more important than ever because...you know. The good news is that eating an immune boosting diet is a great way to create a win-win for your body and mind. 

Why Eating an Immune Boosting Diet is an Act of Self-Care

Immune boosting diets improve our bodies general health. When you're giving your body the fuel it needs to stay strong and healthy, you increase both your resiliency and resistance to sickness. You are quite literally taking care of your self at the most foundational level: nutrition.

As we all know, the healthier we feel the more likely we are to move our bodies and feel able to face the stresses that come with everyday life. As Warriors, we make it through a lot of tough times. Boosting our immune systems will only help us. 

So! Without further ado, here are 10 ingredients you can add to your diet to boost your immune system:

Turmeric: Spice Up Your...

Having trouble getting back into your workout routine? Finding it nearly impossible to convince yourself to exercise again? Worried that you won't be able to get back to where you were before?

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Take a moment to take a deep breath. Falling out of a workout routine is very common and a natural part of being a human. We've all been there before because honestly, life happens! And sometimes, we need time to readjust. 

A big upside to falling out of a routine is that it gives you a chance to re-define a new one. Here's how to restart a workout routine once you've taken a break for a while. 

Remember That Everyone Starts Right Where You're Starting

Do you feel like you're starting from zero? That's okay. Everyone starts at zero at the beginning of starting (or re-starting) something new. Also, you're not starting from zero. You had a workout routine once so you know you get into one again. 

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Have a Zero Tolerance Policy for Comparison

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Our Warriors community is filled with real-life warriors.

Starting today, we will be highlighting our member's stories as part of our new Warriors Spotlight Series. These spotlights will touch on topics including fitness challenges, relationships with food, motivational tips, favorite mantras, and what it means to be a warrior.

So without further ado, meet Edina (@ervenienne).

We asked her some questions (Q's) about her life. These are her answers (A's):

Q: What is your current biggest life dream? 

A: To achieve persistence in my life daily. I believe that persistence is the root of being well-balanced, and that being balances can change every aspect of your life. I like to think of it as the Butterfly Effect.

Q: What kinds of struggles have you faced along your fitness journey? 

A: Anything you can encounter on a fitness journey...I've lived it.

I like to call my journey a "roller-coaster ride of weight gain and loss, progress ups and downs, twisty motivational...

So — you're struggling to stay motivated with your workout routine. Girl, we feel that too. 

The good news is that you're not alone. Everyone faces this challenge along their fitness journey. Welcome to the club! The even better news is that after reading this article, you may feel an increase in your motivation to workout.

What you're about to read comes from the mind of one of our warriors, Edina (@ervenienne). We asked her:

"What would you say to someone who's struggling to stay motivated with their workout routine?"

In her own words, this is what she had to say:

"First of all, 20% effort is enough to achieve results.

This is one of the biggest eye-opening facts I have learned about life and progress in general.

Also, if your diet is well-planned, you do not need to spend hours in the gym every day. 

But, if your diet is unbalanced, or you're unable to be flexible with your gym time you will likely:

• A) lose motivation
• B) be unable to adapt to...

Have you been craving sugar lately? Sugar cravings can be hard to kick and, surprising no one at all, are one of the most common inhibitors to weight loss. Many people struggle with them. If you're currently facing them, you're in great company. 

Before we get into 14 ways to stop sugar cravings, let's unpack some potential "why's" behind cravings and go over why sugar can feel so addicting: 

Why Can't I Stop Craving Sugar?

Have you ever felt like you're addicted to sugar? That you crave it and cannot keep from consuming it? Well, that's because sugar is very much like a drug. 

A study from the journal of Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews showed that “intermittent access to sugar can lead to behavioral and neurochemical changes that resemble the effects of a substance of abuse.” 

Just like other drugs, sugar triggers a release of dopamine in our bodies. Dopamine is a feel-good neurotransmitter linked to the reward...

Learning to maintain a healthy diet can be an ongoing life adventure. The good news is that as you try new eating routines, you begin to discover the game changers that work for you. 

While these life-changing diet hacks can differ from person to person, sharing is always a good idea for trying new things. That's why we sat down with Alexis Ren and asked what her 3 life-changing diet hacks are. This is what she had to say:

1. Avoid Eating at 7 pm.

"I stop eating at around 7 pm. This is part of my dieting routine because I don't like to go to bed on a full stomach. I like to give my body time to digest the food I've consumed that day."

Taking a break from eating early in the evening can be a great way to practice intermittent fasting. If you're interested in learning more about that diet, which can be effective for weight loss, you can learn everything you need to know about intermittent fasting here.

2. Drink Water the Second You Wake Up.

"I drink one or two glasses of...

Believe it or not, snacking is quite a popular hobby among people who work out (aka warriors).

One of the reasons why, is that the more active you are, the more your body craves food that will fuel your movement. The key to successful snacking is having healthy options to choose from. 

That's why we asked Alexis Ren what her top 5 favorite healthy snacks are. She answered with five snacks that both fill you up and keep you on track with your fitness goals.

Here are Alexis Ren's go-to healthy snacks:

1. Apples Apples Apples

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"Apples are my go to snacks. They're hydrating and have a nice sweetness (or sourness) to them. I like that they're light and have a good balance of natural sugar, carbs and fiber."

There are many different kinds of apples to try. Have you found your favorite kind of apple yet? Consider stocking up on some and seeing how they work for you as a healthy snack. 

2. Myrna's Skinny Crisp Crackers 

"I...

One of our warriors asked about this diet, so we put together this guide that has everything you need to know about intermittent fasting.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

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Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dieting pattern that cycles between periods of eating and not eating. 

This diet does not focus on what to eat, but rather when to eat. 

If you're wondering where intermittent fasting came from, it dates back to when humans were hunter-gatherers. Before there were supermarkets and refrigerators, our ancestors would sometimes go days on end without eating. As a result, humans are naturally evolved to be able to go for long periods of time without food.

Who Should Try Fasting?

Anyone. While this is diet is most popular among people who are trying to lose weight, anyone can try it. For some people this way of eating feels more natural than eating 3-5 meals throughout the day. 

These Are The 3 Most Popular Intermittent Fasting...