(Photo Credit: Lori Speirs. Sustainable Fashion, Clothing made from upcycled plastic: Laura is wearing Swimsuit by Sage Larock and Leggings from Activ Angels. Shoes by Parley & Adidas, Ultraboost Alicia is wearing sustainable fashion leggings from Recycled Maggie Designs)
Nature lovers and fitness enthusiasts, get ready for a new series on our blog… “Nature Is My Gym”. Spending time in nature has many positive benefits. Nature is great for rejuvenating the mind, body and soul.
It is that time of year, summer is just on the horizon and nature is calling us all to spend a little more time outdoors. Now is the perfect time for many of us to start getting into shape. Maybe our goal or motivation is to be “bikini ready” for the summer. That being said, at the end of the day fitness is a lifestyle and should go beyond summer. With this in mind, fitness should be focused on getting your body in the best shape possible with your overall goal being set on being healthy. It shouldn’t focus on unrealistic goals. It is about feeling good, increasing our fitness level and being healthy. An important aspect of mindfulness and fitness is to love yourself and remember that your fitness journey is a process. Taking care of your body means allocating time out of your day to exercise (even if it is just 10 minutes) and eating healthy as often as you can. Sure, you are gonna have a cheat day, and that is ok. It is key to maintain a sense of moderation and healthy balance across all your meals. This will allow you to feel great inside and out.
On that note, we are delighted to announce that we are starting a collaboration with Alicia Proud, founder of Life.with.Lis. our series will be called, “Nature Is My Gym.” The series serves to inspire fitness enthusiasts to think of nature as being their new favorite place to workout. Our collaboration will focus on using nature as your gym and all the effective workouts you can do outdoors and achieve your fitness goals. There are so many wonderful benefits from working out outdoors. Nature is the best gym ever— with those lush scenic views. In addition, we will be sharing healthy meal ideas inspired by the local produce from the farmers market. Plus, recipes for post workout snacks and shakes. For just over a month now, I have had a blast working out with friends and Alicia using nature as our gym. Spending more time outdoors and connecting with nature while working out has been such a positive experience.
Meet Alicia!
Alicia Proud is an animal lover and wellness enthusiast. Alicia is the founder of Life.with.Lis, an online coaching hub for all things fitness tips, workout plans and healthy recipes. Check out her newly launched website http://aliciaproud.com Alicia has a background as a health and fitness entrepreneur who inspires others to lead a healthier, happier more fulfilling lifestyles. Alicia is passionate about teaching the benefits of movement, smart nutrition and the positive benefits simple lifestyle changes can have on your mind and body. As a health coach & fitness coach, Alicia has built engaging customised workout plans (perfect for at home workouts) and nutritious meals helping to transform your short term goals into life long habits. Alicia loves the small oasis of island life and shares her time between the Cayman Islands and Menorca.
Q&A with Alicia
1.What inspired you to become a health and fitness coach?
I have always been active in team sports and my own journey to a healthier ‘me’ but joining the Beachbody community just over a year ago along side my 9-5 job, prompted me to do this full time and follow my passions for fitness and health coaching. My aim is to help as many people lead healthier happier lifestyles as possible. Creating new lifelong habits!
2. What makes nature a great gym?
A lot of my workouts involve using your own body weight which means you don’t need any equipment, so taking your workout outside, breathing in the fresh air, and getting your sweat on in my eyes is the best medicine. There is no need for a gym these days you can do so much in your surroundings.
3. What is your favorite workout?
I am a big team sports player from volleyball, to ultimate frisbee, tennis, netball, I wish I had pursued sport more when I was young and become a professional athlete but when you are young you never see your potential, you just do it for fun. If I am not playing a team sport, I love to workout at home and accomplish a feeling of power and muscle ache. So one of my quick effective power up workouts suits me each day.
4. What is your favorite post workout snack or shake?
Post and pre workout snack for me is pretty much the same every day – rice cake with peanut butter. And the only shakes I make, consist of a product called shakeology. Nutrition and delicious!
5. What inspires you to follow through with your workouts even on days you don’t feel like working out?
I have learnt the hard way from many years of slogging hours of CV (Cardio Vascular) sessions at the gym that consistency and following a program is the key, so showing up every day or every session and getting it done is vital. The more you make excuses to stop, the more you will find and soon you will wonder what happened to your fitness or your body, which ever comes first?
Working out makes you feel amazing and makes you as a whole, a much better person.
6. Where is your favorite place in nature to do a workout?
Depending on what sort of workout you want to do, I love to walk my dogs exploring the Cayman dykes and little forest routes one of my favourite times of day. I enjoy swimming in our beautiful waters and then a short workout can just about be done anywhere, on the beach, in your garden, in the shaded woodland.
7. What is the biggest takeaway you found from your fitness journey?
Consistency and commitment would be the biggest things I have learnt over these last few years. It sounds so very simple but if you eat clean and stay hydrated, workout every day you will feel the benefits all through your body, mind and spirit.
8. What tip would you give to beginners on a fitness journey?
Start gradual, if you were learning to run a 5km you wouldn’t go out and just run it, you would build up to it. The same things goes with any fitness and movement, start gradual learn the move keep good form and then progressively steps can be added making it harder, making you stronger. Do not spend hours doing pointless cardio work at the gym, after a while you will see no change, why? Because the body gets to use to it, you need to keep the body guessing so it doesn’t know what’s coming and it feels challenged, this is the only way we see change. Plus one more, the favorite saying ‘abs are made in the kitchen’ well I hate to tell you its true!!! If you can get your eating under control and start to eat the right portions and totally clean you will see results much faster.
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Photo Credit: Eco Chic Cayman and Lori Speirs
*This article is also featured on http://aliciaproud.com to view click here
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