May 02, 2018
The Beauty of Rest during the Skinny Up!® Protocol
Life is cyclical, seasonal. We observe this in our seasons, water patterns, growth patterns, and when our body adapts to stress or change, we see a healthy cycle in motion. As day turns into night, we rest, our cells regenerate, we release what isn’t beneficial, our brains cement new memories, our bodies produce new growth hormones. We are truly rejuvenated, and we begin again. And we see this cycle in our health (and fitness) as well. We input water and healthy nutrients which are digested and used as energy, we output movement and activity, and we rest as the final piece of the puzzle, completing the cycle. Often, it is easy to be caught up in the “Am I doing enough?” and the need to control each step of the journey. In my own experience, I focused heavily on output. Am I working out hard enough? If I’m not active today, will I gain weight? However, when we workout, we put stress on the body — and without recovery, we’ve only pushed back our progress. An article in Self magazine reiterates this, saying, "You always have to remember that when you're working out, you're not actually building muscle, you're tearing it down... It's in those recovery periods the recovery and reparation happens..." Not to mention how hard your body is working during Protocol. Your brain is telling your body to tap into the fat and toxins that have been tucked away for awhile, maybe a lifetime. Your organs are working together to detoxify and eliminate fat in the range of one-half to two pounds of weight loss every single day.** We heal, we stretch, we grow — we lose weight while we rest. “Not giving your body and hormones the time to adjust to exercise can cause injuries, mood problems, negative changes in your metabolism, and “burnout” within a couple months’ time, and overtraining combined with stress from other factors like imbalanced hormones, a poor diet, and a lack of rest or sleep can all accumulate to serious bodily damage.” (Dr. Axe) Here at Skinny Up!®, we are interested in health, healing, and repair as opposed to bodily damage. So take our cue and rest. Allow your body to do the work, while Reduce calms your brain. Review the ways to rest well below. Can you fit all five into the duration of your Protocol? Our modern weight loss supplement provides amazing results, but only if your body is rested and ready go!
5 Ways to Rest Well During the Protocol
- Allow yourself to sleep in - Getting sufficient, high-quality sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health. Sleep allows the body to reset after a long day, balances hormones, and helps control stress. Lack of sleep can mean weight gain, impaired functioning, and even a higher risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.” (Dr. Axe). Sleep in on the weekends, have a friend watch the kids, see how to re-organize your schedule and catch those extra Z’s.
- Work in light walking, stretching, yoga - Any light activity you can do while still being able to carry a conversation is ok during this time. These types of movement will aid the flow of toxins out of your body. Plus, stretching is refreshing and invigorating!
- Dry brushing - “Dry brushing helps unclog pores and excrete toxins that get trapped beneath the skin. Did you know that our skin is considered an organ? And as such, it’s the largest organ in the human body. Since one-third of the body’s toxins are excreted through the skin, this super-large organ needs daily attention,” The benefits of this practice include: exfoliating dead skin, stimulating the lymphatic system, reducing cellulite, unclogging pores, and offering stress relief. You can purchase a dry brush at most local stores and online.
- Massage - This practice treats lower back pain, reduces arthritis, Fibromyalgia, bursitis and joint pain, lowers depression anxiety, fatigue, helps regulate hormones and control diabetes, raises immunity, and helps with smoking cessation. Let’s face it — massages are incredibly relaxing!
- Warm showers or bath with essential oil - “Using essential oils, which provide antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory benefits, along with common household items like baking soda, Epsom salts, and honey can help flush impurities from the body by allowing it to sweat out toxins.” Below is a recipe for a Soothing Sitz Bath. Follow this link for more details: https://draxe.com/sitz-bath/
Soothing Sitz Bath Recipe
Makes 1–2 applications
- 1/3 cup Epsom salt
- ¼ cup sea salt
- 2 tablespoons witch hazel
- 10 drops tea tree essential oil
- 8 drops frankincense essential oil
- 8 drops lavender essential oil
