Attitude of Gratitude
Gratitude, joy, and happiness are closely related concepts that have been studied by researchers in the field of positive psychology. While all three are associated with positive emotions, there are subtle differences in their meanings and the ways in which they impact physical health.
Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation or thankfulness for something or someone. It is the recognition of the good things in one's life and the realization that these things come from external sources. Studies have shown that gratitude is associated with improved psychological well-being, including increased life satisfaction and decreased depression and anxiety. Additionally, research has found that gratitude is associated with improved physical health. For example, a study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that gratitude is positively associated with heart rate variability, a measure of cardiovascular health. Other research has found that gratitude is associated with better sleep and improved immune function.
Joy is a feeling of delight or pleasure, often associated with positive experiences or accomplishments. Joy is typically considered to be a more intense and fleeting emotion than gratitude. Studies have found that joy is associated with increased positive affect and improved psychological well-being. Additionally, research has suggested that joy is associated with improved physical health, including decreased inflammation and improved cardiovascular health.
Happiness is a broad term that is often used to describe a general sense of well-being or contentment. Unlike gratitude and joy, happiness is not necessarily tied to a specific event or experience. Studies have found that happiness is associated with improved psychological well-being, including increased life satisfaction and decreased depression and anxiety. Additionally, research has suggested that happiness is associated with improved physical health, including decreased inflammation and improved cardiovascular health.
Physical health and fitness are closely related to one's mental attitude. Positive mental attitude (PMA) can help encourage good workouts and athletic performance. Studies have shown that athletes who have a positive mental attitude tend to perform better than those who have a negative one. For example, a study published in the Journal of Sport Psychology found that athletes who had a positive mental attitude were more likely to report higher levels of self-confidence, which in turn was associated with better athletic performance.
Athletes can benefit from practicing gratitude, joy, and happiness, as these positive emotions can help improve their mental attitude and thus their athletic performance. For example, a study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that athletes who regularly engaged in gratitude exercises reported higher levels of satisfaction with their athletic performance and their lives overall. Additionally, research has suggested that athletes who are able to maintain a positive mental attitude are better able to cope with the stress and demands of their sport.
References:
SUMMARY:
In conclusion, gratitude, joy, and happiness are closely related concepts that have been linked to improved psychological well-being and physical health. These positive emotions can be cultivated through simple practices, such as keeping a gratitude journal or engaging in activities that bring joy and happiness. Additionally, athletes can benefit from practicing gratitude, joy, and happiness, as these positive emotions can help improve their mental attitude and thus their athletic performance. Overall, it is important to be mindful of the many ways in which positive emotions can improve our overall well-being, both physically and mentally.
Last week, I sat down with the team at Virtual Mgr on the “How Did We Get Here?” podcast. During the episode, we talk about how Orion and I started and scaled LIFEAID from an RV to global domination, taking on the giants of the industry and winning! There are many similarities in our journey alongside Virtual Mgr's despite the significant differences in our respective industries.
CrossFit as a training methodology has long promoted balanced nutrition. It is part of the L1 curriculum, and a great amount of focus has been placed on a low processed, whole
foods based diet as the driver to a reversal of chronic disease.
CrossFit the sport has taken a slightly different approach. While food quality is still important, there is a new focus on food amounts both on a calorie and macronutrient level. Macro tracking is the new nutrition approach du jour for athletes, and to no one’s surprise, the community has followed close behind.
Steve Jobs’s vision for Apple was rooted in the belief that the arts and sciences do not live in isolation. They complement and enhance each other. John Lasseter, chief creative officer at Pixar, echoed this sentiment stating, “Technology inspires art, and art challenges the technology.” But even though integrating these areas can be necessary for innovation, too many people confine themselves to only one.
When it comes to diet, most people’s concerns involve weight loss, fitness, cardiac health, and longevity. But what we eat affects more than our bodies; it also affects our brains. And recent studies have shown that diet can have a profound impact on mental health conditions ranging from ADHD to depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, OCD, dementia and beyond.
HindeSight | No. 66
Nutrition and Performance-based Beverage Brand Acquires Its Distribution Partner In Australia & New Zealand As It Expands Internationally
NEWS PROVIDED BY LIFEAID Beverage Co. | Apr 13, 2021, 04:30 ET
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, LIFEAID Beverage Co., a North American producer of acclaimed functional beverages focused on nutrition, performance and recovery, completed the purchase of its Australian & New Zealand distributor, Fit Trendz Pty Ltd. The financial terms of the purchase are undisclosed.
"Our brand is integrated into many fitness movements, and we are looking for strategic and authentic ways to get more cans in the hands of health conscious people all over the world," says Melehan.
"Fit Trendz has always aligned with the values and vision of LIFEAID Beverage Co. and are proud of what our team has accomplished distributing LIFEAID Beverage Co. products in Australia and New Zealand in just 5 short years. We look forward to continuing to build the LIFEAID brand and solidify the products within the Australian and NZ markets." Michelle Thorneycroft, Managing Director, LIFEAID Australia/New Zealand.
About LIFEAID Beverage Co.
With a focus on great tasting, wellness enhancing and solutions driven supplement products, LIFEAID Beverage Co. has become a trusted brand among health and performance consumers. Located in Santa Cruz, California, LIFEAID offers a range of "Vitamins You'll Actually Enjoy Drinking." Products include both RTD and powdered mix blends: FITAID, FOCUSAID, IMMUNITYAID, PARTYAID, and others. Visit lifeaidbevco.com to learn more.
Contact: Press@lifeaidbevco.com
SOURCE LIFEAID Beverage Co.
Cover photo courtesy of @holliemooandmummytoo
Other photo courtesy of @randilynngreene
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
Cody Mooney and ROMWOD Owner Scott Perkins join us for a transformation story that touches on growth in health, wellness, and business.
Disruption can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be the difference between thriving and failing.
If there is one good thing that has come from 2020, it is the heightened conversation around mental health. Forbes explains how to be an advocate for your team.
How To Be A Mental Health Leader For Your Team
Need some time away from the screen? Ryan Robinson put together an extensive list of business books guaranteed to expand your mind.
Check out the complete reading list here.
HindeSight | No. 47
One of the many valuable business lessons Orion and I learned in 2020 is that all the stress testing of a business cannot predict blackswan events. Businesses need to fortify their foundations by galvanizing their most loyal evangelists to survive these once in a lifetime events.
Even the finest omni-channel distribution strategy won’t protect your business from the swift impact of a global pandemic shutting down the country.
This year’s closures of gyms and health clubs took an enormous toll on our brand but what saved us is the very nature of how we launched LIFEAID Beverage Co. in the first place – a direct to consumer sales model we continued to nurture even after our retail sales outpaced our e-commerce. And when the gyms closed, our brand loyalists really stepped up to support LIFEAID by shifting their purchases with us, to online.
Approaching March 2020, we had already doubled our retail doors from the prior year and were successfully selling LIFEAID beverages in grocery, drug and convenience stores, independent and chain health clubs, cafes, at sports events, military bases, airports and via e-commerce and even in international markets. We had a diversified, omni-channel model. And we still got nailed with the spring’s lockdowns.
Some highlights from this year’s highs and lows, follow. And thank you to our focused, talented team in Santa Cruz and around the country, and our supportive distribution and retailer network. We have been fortunate to thrive in many ways in 2020 and it’s made us a stronger team and a stronger business and brand entering 2021.
In hindsight, 2020 has been an educational and transformative year because we’ve been forced to look at everything so differently and so much more decisively than in past years. We’ve never taken our success for granted, but we all know we don’t look at success with the same level of scrutiny we apply during tougher times. Closing out, we hope 2020 brought you more highs than lows and a clearer picture of what your goals are personally and professionally in 2021. Stay strong, and happy new year.
You’re putting in the work at the gym, but aren’t seeing all of the results you hope for. What gives? Chances are, you’re neglecting one of the most important tenets of exercise: recovery. Not to be confused with apathy, there are very good reasons why rest days and recovery should not be overlooked. Here are five of them:
Committing to recovery is essential as an athlete, but also as a person interested in general fitness. Are you allowing your body to recover?
When not in the field building relationships with gym owners and retailers, Regional Sales Manager - Southwest Karly Wilson is putting in miles on the pavement for her marathon training. In fact, this year she surpassed a huge milestone of running her 100th marathon! Not sure about you, but when she revealed that during one of our team calls, we were all blown away. We caught up with her (on a rest day) to find out a little bit more about her accomplishment.
What made you start wanting to run marathons?
I started running in high school and stuck with it because it gave me a community. Later, during some trying times, I found that running also gave me purpose. Finding that purpose made me take it to the next level and I signed up for a marathon. From that point, I noticed I learned something new from each marathon I finished. A sense of accomplishment, self-love and it has helped me process certain obstacles throughout my life.
Do you have any advice for beginners looking to get into marathons?
A marathon is a big bite to chew but very worth it in the end. That being said, when training for a marathon, take baby steps to be a competent runner. Start with 5ks and 10ks and then work your way up to higher mileage. The last thing you want to do is start hot out of the gate and over train. Enjoy the process because you won’t always have great training runs. I know a lot of people stop strength, gymnastics and agility training and I think it’s extremely important to still prioritize those. It will make a huge difference in your training.
What is the biggest takeaway you got from your 100 marathons?
This 100 marathon journey has been full of takeaways. It hasn’t been easy and I’ve fought hard for it. But throughout these races, I’ve formed an acceptance within myself. An acceptance of self-love, self-worth, and self-respect.
How do you ensure that your body is properly fueled and ready for race day?
This took me a long time to figure out. Like many runners, I had an idea in my head about what a runner was “supposed” to look like. And like many people, I also had an idea in my head about what “beauty” was. I didn’t realize that those ideas merged to shape a harmful norm that actually held me back from my true potential.
When I began to incorporate lifting into my training regimen, everything changed. I learned about nutrition, positive body image, and how to train smarter. This completely changed how I felt on race day. I changed my nutrition to low carb, high fat diet and I make sure I am constantly drinking water and incorporating electrolytes. The week leading up to my races, look the same. I eat the same things and I drink the same amount of liquid.
What have you found to be the most effective ways to recover while training?
FITAID, CrossFit, Compression pants, bubble baths, and massages.
How do you stay mentally tough throughout something as strenuous as a marathon?
For me I have had strong motivators. Sometimes they come from a place of pain and sometimes they come from great happiness. It also gives me time to reflect.
What is your favorite part of the marathon training process?
My favorite part of the marathon training process is when I hit my second wind and I feel like I am flying and when I get to do a fun endurance CrossFit workout.
Do you plan on reaching anymore marathon milestones?
I would love to break 3 hours and participate in the World Marathon Challenge.
For Mother's Day this year, we launched our Mothers of Fitness community to celebrate the strong women in our midst. Part of the intention of this group was to allow mothers to share their experiences, offer advice to other women in their shoes, and just have a place to gush over something they all have in common--the love of motherhood and health and fitness.
You can join the party here.
Katie Dial, one of our awesome group 'Momerators' shares her fitness story and her experience with motherhood.
How did you become interested in fitness?
I was always athletic growing up…I played soccer and did track, and was on the competitive swimming and diving team through middle and high school. I worked out fairly often prior to having kids but life happened and I let myself get pretty inconsistent after getting married and my first pregnancy loss. Then, six years later, I had my oldest son, who was very healthy thankfully. Six years after that, I had my second baby and I felt like three pregnancies had taken their toll on my body.
I first started working out consistently about three months after my youngest son was born. I had never done CrossFit but immediately loved the constantly varied workouts and training, I saw results almost immediately. Tannon is 4-years-old now and I’ve lost 35 pounds and gained an entirely new career as a fitness coach and trainer. I love sharing fitness content to help inspire and encourage other moms as well. I’m finishing up my CFL1 Coach’s certification course and regularly working out at my home box as well as posting an occasional online Instagram workout video to help motivate the other moms in the community.
What inspired you to start posting on Instagram and sharing your journey?
I felt a need to share my fitness journey from post pregnancy until now because I no longer recognized my body in the mirror. I struggled with low energy and weight gain. I felt determined to regain my confidence and health for my sons and myself, to be honest. So, I wanted to help inspire other mothers who are too afraid to speak up, but out there struggling with their own self image and body confidence. Also to pass on the healthy tips and eating habits that have been game changers for me. My trainers and coaches have poured infinite amounts of time and energy into training me andI feel a responsibility to pay that forward to others.
What has been the most challenging part of juggling work, fitness, and motherhood?
Staying organized and on schedule! I started thinking to myself, "What area/task is going to be the ultimate disappointment if you don’t complete it? What are the PRIORITIES for the day or week?" Then, I focus on crushing those things first! Every week brings new challenges and changes. I've had to learn to focus on my goals and let things that won’t matter long term go. I try not to get too caught up in worrying about everything being perfect and I try to ALWAYS keep an appointment book and weekly schedule no matter what to help me stay organized.
What is your favorite part about being a mom?
I can’t pick just one, but watching the boys love each other and have a close bond is pretty special to see. It gives my heart so much joy to see them laughing and playing together. There are so many things about my boys I love so much. I can’t believe they’re mine! They melt my heart with their sweet questions and I try to always be there for them.
Do you have any advice for other moms that are thinking about starting or need help continuing their fitness journey?
Keep Grinding No Matter What. Never Give Up! Keep a short term goal attainable daily and weekly to help encourage small changes that ultimately add up to big victories.
How do you take time for yourself? Any favorite self care activities?
Time management is a total key. One thing I always try to make time for is getting my lashes done. Its a very small thing but that time is when I just relax completely and it helps me to feel confident in and out of the gym, with or without makeup. Part of my quality self care time IS being in the gym and working out. I just feel 100% better when I’m in a balanced flow with exercise and nutrition.
How have you been coping with this crazy year in regards to COVID and having young kids?
2020 has been the year I truly realized how important staying healthy and active is. I realized just how important CrossFit and my community is to me. I went to an empty dark gym and did home workouts for months and stayed consistent. Even during the shutdown we posted at home workouts and me and our boys swam in the pool almost everyday. I realized how much I loved being healthy and helping others start healthy habits. I just finished my coaching certification and can’t think of a better way to end this year.
Are you watching any good TV shows or movies now that you want to share?
I loved watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix. I'm always trying to be more organized and she helps so many people.
What are some goals you have going into 2021?
One personal goal is to travel more in 2021. I loved Europe and want to go back to see more of it. Another goal is reaching more followers on Instagram to help others and promote healthy habits, coaching and fashion blogging more consistently. I would LOVE to take my boys to Disneyland when we go out of Phase 2.
Do you have any products or services (for you or your kids) that you can't live without or are essential to your everyday routine?
FITAID, Lush KARMA soap/perfume, coffee anytime, LOTS of workout activewear...NOBULL trainers, I wear them almost every workout.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of fitness?
I’m a hairstylist and own a salon and also share fashion blogging on Instagram and Facebook for Rewardstyle/Liketoknow.it. Basically anything helping others to look or feel better about themselves! Everyone at the gym jokes about life makeovers with me, I love helping people look good!