Mindful Monday - November 23rd
Morning all... and happy last week of November!
How'd you get on with your end of year hopes and dreams from last week? There's still plenty of time to crank things up to 11 before the year is out... or to consolidate the cool, calm and collected vision you have to see 2020 through.
Keep in mind
If you need a little help with finding some cool and calm, local yoga guru and performance coach Jason Pooley is offering a free 5-day meditation challenge to kickstart your mindfulness practice in December. Simply sign up here for more positive vibes in your mind.
Running
Yep, I'm definitely biased but I think running is pretty great and offers excellent fitness returns for the time invested. But – and it can be a big but – running in winter can be slightly more challenging. This guide to winter running may just (re)inspire you to pull on your running shoes.
A few simple tips:
Run safe
Use well-lit paths
Wear high vis clothing
Choose a safe route
Take a charged light and phone
Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to be back
Strava has just brought back heart rate strap compatibility to their app (finally)
Make sure you have the right shoes for your feet – our friends at Profeet can even provide gait analysis and custom insoles to ensure the perfect fit
Couch to 5k is hugely popular for good reason
Email me directly if you have any questions or need/want a proverbial kick to get going!
Hate Running?
Totally hear you. It's hard.Thankfully, this year the fitness industry has pivoted (I'm so over that word) beautifully and there are a million different online classes to choose from. One of my all-time faves is by my dear friend, local heart-throb and proud new dog dad, Carl. Whether it's body weight, kettlebell or rowing machine exercises you're looking for, Carl has you covered – he does everything and always keeps it fresh.
Find his daily free IGTV workouts here and if you look closely you may even catch a glimpse of little fur baby, Hunter.
For dog people
Speaking of dogs, Hindquarters have taken the humble dog lead, collar and harness to another level with their thoughtful and understated design. But my favourite thing they do is the stuff it yourself dog bed which you... er... stuff yourself. You fill it up with your old bedding or clothes, which lets your little one sleep in a bed that smells of their favourite human. Heart melt.
For cat people
Are your felines fussy eaters? Our cats have been trialling new cat food from Republic of Cats. You fill out a questionnaire about their eating habits and health goals (sound familiar!?) and they send you a big box of food to try. You then grade the food based on how your little ones scoff it down – or not.
Our cats have surprisingly loved every morsel so far. Decisions, decisions...And lastly, here’s a quote to ponder…“
The right thing to do is often obvious. It’s not the choice that’s difficult so much as dealing with what the choice means.”
True that.
That's it from me this week. You're awesome.
Luke X
P.S. For those of you who like their music a little on the heavy side, Tool's recent album Fear Inoculum is completely brilliant, or just stick track 2, Pneuma, on repeat.