Hello and welcome to 4-Minute Friday where I share, in four minutes or less, the latest things I’m doing to enhance my health, save money, and make day-to-day life easier and more enjoyable.
Before continuing any further, it would help immensely if you would click the button below and pass it forward to one person in your network or even better, share it on social media!
All comments and follow-up questions can be posted directly below, on my Facebook page or emailed to me at zach.griffith1@gmail.com!
Let’s get into it.
New Gadget I’m Using:
Garmin Watch.
I’ve always heard that you don’t get the most out of your workouts if you’re using an Apple Watch.
Yet I would brush off those claims because my Apple Watch was providing me everything I thought I needed.
That was before a few avid-exerciser friends explained the breadth of statistics available on the Garmin interface.
Apple Watch is great for communication, not exercise monitoring… if you’re looking for in-depth data.
Which I understand isn’t for everyone.
But as I’ve moved further along in my half-marathon training, I thought it was time to investigate what the hype was all about so I purchased a Garmin Watch on Facebook Marketplace last week.
The model I found was the Garmin Forerunner 935.
And let me tell you, it’s already transformed my workouts – both running and resistance training.
It’s exponentially easier to start/pause your training segments, allows for workouts to be pre-programmed with exact rest periods, and gives better live feedback while running.
Where on the Apple Watch I would only see my average pace while running, the Garmin provides immediate feedback so I can adjust on the fly.
This alone has made it worth it.
Even more, Garmin watches maintain incredible battery life and track sleep if that’s something that sparks your interest.
Mindset I’m Embracing:
Forward thinking, backwards planning.
This is something I heard Nick Bare say on one of the 1,000 videos/podcasts of his that I’ve watched in the past two weeks.
My roommates will attest - that isn’t an inflated number.
And while I heard him say it, the meaning behind it didn’t really click until I was on a run later that day.
Many of us live day-to-day with no real plan for what’s ahead.
Survive the day and advance to the next. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Yet, especially for optimizing our physical health, forward thinking and backwards planning is incredibly beneficial.
One piece of advice I often give is to set your weekly workout schedule on Sunday. At this point, you understand how busy your week is shaping up to be, where you can squeeze in exercise, and where you may need a rest day.
A pre-set schedule won’t let a little lack of motivation get the best of you. The workout is already written down, so execute it regardless of how you feel.
Thinking forward and then planning backwards.
This is also where I find value in signing up for endurance races – whether that be a local 5k or an ultra-marathon.
It forces you to look ahead to race day and then backtrack your way to the present day to plan out how you’re going to get yourself ready for that race.
The same goes for weekly meal preparation.
Getting home at 5pm and not having a clue what you’re going to eat for dinner isn’t ideal.
Having meals prepared in the fridge to throw in the microwave and be ready to eat in 3 minutes is a better option.
Again, thinking forward and then planning backwards.
Massage Tool I’m Using:
Lacrosse Ball.
In my opinion, there isn’t a better massage tool for your feet.
I find it incredibly beneficial to roll out my feet ~5 minutes with a lacrosse ball prior to any type of exercise.
This activates the intrinsic foot muscles to get them ready for the ground and pound that comes from running long distances, especially.
The same holds true for a nice post-exercise foot massage to release muscle knots and improve blood flow to your feet to promote recovery.
Doing so can help prevent plantar fasciitis as well as relieve symptoms you might currently struggle with.
It’s even more luxurious if you throw your lacrosse ball in the freezer for a couple of hours beforehand!
Worth the $3 investment? I’d be hard-pressed to say no.
What else?
I’ll be wheels up to Austin, Texas next week. Send recommendations/advice if you’ve been!
I’ll be releasing a day in the life post next week centered around what I eat in a 24-hour period… fair warning, it’s not a small amount!
(1) Establish a goal (2) Create a plan (3) Execute.
If you enjoy this weekly bite of information, please share it with a coworker, friend, and/or family member!
DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.
This really inspired me to do my best thank you Zack!
Wow very nice article this Friday. I appreciate all the explanation on the watch and how much better it is. The mindset also sounds very well and a good mentality to take on. It seems as if it will come in handy for many different scenarios. Thanks again