REDEFINING DIGITAL WELLNESS

Written by Taylon Faltas

Digital wellness, a contemporary phrase in its own respect, refers to the toll technology takes on the mental and physical health of humanity as we embark further into the Digital Age. Yet amidst this unprecedented global pandemic, technology may be the only way we can rely on professional training and nutritional advice. All “non-essential” businesses, including gyms and studios, have been forced to temporarily close—leaving virtual meetings as the first-class ticket to getting in those glute bridges. Written by Taylon Faltas

This brings us to Molly Gordon: National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Holistic Personal Trainer. Jogging Enthusiast. Dancer. Tagalong Lover. Master of Virtual Workout Plans. As a full-time personal trainer in Santa Barbara, Molly is navigating the implications this pandemic has on the world just like the rest of us, while keeping in mind the importance of physical exercise for body and soul. Shortly after I joined her 30-minute free virtual workout session— which she holds at noon on Zoom every Tuesday and Thursday—I open my own Zoom chat window to interview Molly on her tips for making the best of the current conditions. Molly greets me with a bright smile and an animated, “Hey, girl!” with enough cheer alone to brighten anyone’s midday quarantine gloom.

How are you getting movement outdoors (with six feet of distance, of course)?

My preferred method of movement outdoors is jogging, especially with my boyfriend keeping up next to me on roller skates while we appreciate the beautiful neighborhood we live in. We are so blessed to live near the ocean. I often workout in the parks near my house—La Mesa Park, Shoreline Park, and Douglas Preserve. Another way to get outside is exploring new hikes. I recently took the McMenemy Trail in Montecito, a hike that I found through an app called “All Trails” that shows you maps of local hikes along with the level of difficulty.

How do you keep yourself from binge-eating all day while stuck at home? What are some of your healthy snack alternatives?

Honestly, it’s tough. We are now home and near our kitchens all the time. Eat things that fill you up. If you’re full, it’s less likely that you’ll be wandering through the kitchen aimlessly looking for something to eat. Chips, cookies, and ice cream are made for us to be addicted and always want more. If you can, say, “Alright, I want these chips, but I’m going to put them in a bowl first.” Or, “I’m going to eat a cookie, but have a glass of water after.” For example, once I start eating Girl Scout Cookies, I can’t stop. Tagalongs and Thin Mints are my downfall, or anything with peanut butter and chocolate. If I buy a box and don’t hide it right away, they’re usually gone. What helps me is switching to something else. Eat some grapes, drink some bubbly water—interrupt your taste buds’ desire for more.

SNACK IDEAS

Homemade popcorn. Just pop some corn kernels in coconut oil, spray with Bragg’s liquid aminos and nutritional yeast. Another recipe is simply sprinkling nutritional yeast, rosemary, turmeric, and ghee (non-lactose butter) on your freshly popped kernels.

Locally grown produce. But don’t let them get soggy! I am much more likely to eat my veggies when they’re crisp and super fresh. Find the veggies that you enjoy and don’t force yourself to buy the ones you know you won’t eat. I can’t get enough sliced bell peppers dipped in hummus or a kale, garlic, and egg scramble. I also love quesadillas made with vegetarian sausage, kale, and, of course, cheese. And, to bring me back to childhood, I always snack on peanut butter and apple slices.

In order to avoid unnecessary snacking, I plan out my meals throughout the day. I’ll say to myself, “For breakfast, I’m going to have (blank), for lunch (blank), for snack (blank), and for dinner (blank).”

You are an exercise trainer, which means a lot of your work is done face-toface. What are some of the best ways you’ve been able to optimize this new online format of training? (Thanks, Zoom.)

I’m super grateful that I'm in a profession where a lot of trainers were already headed in the direction of virtual training. I, too, was already conducting online workouts. I hold virtual sessions through various platforms such as Facebook, Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom. In a time where many of us rely on social media to get the latest updates, people are discovering that there are more ways to get active through these platforms instead of the traditional practice of going to a gym. With my clients, I use an app called “Trainerize” that allows me to send customized workouts to each client—there are so many options when it comes to virtual training!

Now that a lot of exercise training is done through the power of the internet, do you think exercising via webcam will result in a permanent shift in people’s routines?

My initial instinct is “yes,” because I’ve had clients that want to continue working out this way. Some people would rather continue traditional face-to-face sessions, but I think many people will start to see virtual training as a viable option. The pros of virtual training are that there is zero commute time and it can be done anywhere, even if you and your trainer are in completely different cities. A downfall of this transition for some people is the lack of proper exercise equipment—no heavy barbells or TRX (total resistance exercise) equipment. But the main pro for me is that I get to see clients’ dogs on the screens when we work out virtually! Show me your animals!

What kind of quick and simple workout do you recommend for those of us that are social distancing and/or working from home?

If nothing else, the simplest thing to do that won’t make you sweat is balance work and planks! A good, solid plank is going to work out every part of your body and doesn’t take up any time at all. On top of that, I recommend total body balanced workouts with six different movement patterns, in addition to what us trainers like to call a “finisher.”

Upper Body Pushing (Incline Push-Ups) Place your hands on a sturdy surface (like a countertop or a park bench) and line your body up into a plank position. Looking just ahead of your hands, pull your shoulder blades into your back pockets as you start to bend your elbows, bringing your chest towards the countertop. Proceed until you feel the stretch across your chest, and then begin to push yourself back up by driving your hands down and elbows straight. Keep your body in one straight line the whole time! Perform two or three sets of 10.

Upper Body Pulling (Band Pull-Aparts) You need a resistance band for this one! Begin by standing up in a tall posture while gripping a resistance band with both of your hands in front of you. Raise your arms up to shoulder height with your palms facing the ground. Squeeze your shoulder blades back and down as you send your arms out to the side, pulling the band apart with straight elbows all the way until it hits your chest. Make sure you lead with your pinkies and keep your knuckles rolled forward, initiating the pull with your back muscles. Return to the start and perform two or three sets 15 times.

Core Bracing Movement (Ab Presses) Begin the movement by lying on your back with your legs up in a tabletop position. Place your hands on your thighs with your elbows extended or slightly bent. Use your abs and hip flexors to pull your knees in towards your face while simultaneously pushing your legs away from you using your hands and arm muscles. Your core should automatically brace, but continue to press your back into the mat and drive your legs into your palms to create as much tension as you can handle. This can be held for 10 to 45 seconds as long as you remember to breathe! Complete two or three sets of these.

Core Rotational Movement (Side Plank Dips) Set yourself up on the ground in a side plank, choosing either your hand or forearm to be your upper body base connection to the ground, and either your knees or your feet as your lower body base. For this example, your hand and feet are the connections to the ground. Form a straight line from your head to your feet by bracing your belly, lower back, and hip muscles. You should be balancing on one arm with your shoulder stacked up above your wrist and eyes looking forward, with your neck in line with the rest of your body. At this point, you can either hold your side plank or, to challenge yourself, begin letting the hips drop down towards the ground (but catch them before they get there!) and then squeeze your obliques (sides) as you press down firmly into your hand to lift the hips up toward the ceiling. Repeat this up and down motion to complete the dip. Perform two or three sets of 15.

Lower Body Squat Movement (Get Up/Get Down Squats) Get up get down squat: This one should be performed on a soft surface for your knees (i.e. grass or carpet or a thick mat). Begin by sitting your hips back and down, bending your knees into a squat position. Send one leg behind you as you place the knee on the ground. Follow it with the other leg. You should now be in a kneeling position, body tall & hips stacked over your knees. Come back up to the low squat position, leading with the first leg you moved and following with the other. The rhythm should be down (R leg), down (L leg), up (R leg), up (L leg). Stay low in the squat for extra burn or stand all the way tall to give yourself a break. Repeat leading with the opposite leg. You may repeat your reps all on one leg for more endurance work, or alternate sides for more cardio/less quad burn. To challenge yourself, place your hands behind your head and keep your elbows wide. Repeat two or three times (eight per side).

Lower Body Hinge Movement (Glute Bridges) Begin by lying on your back, with one of your knees bent with the foot on the floor. The other knee should be as straight as possible, with the foot reaching towards the ceiling. Breathe in to prepare for the bridge, then breathe out and contract your core by pulling up through your pelvic floor and down through your ribcage. As you exhale, press into the ground with your foot and lift your hips as high as they can go. Do your best to keep your pelvis even through the bridge, even if that means you can't go as high. Lower back down to the floor and repeat. Do not move the "floating" leg, ignore it and emphasize the work in the glute that is performing the hinge. Complete two or three sets (12 per leg).

If you need a visual reference, look up any of these exercises in your search bar! The best way to have a successful workout is to plan it ahead of time, with these six aspects in mind. And at the end of your workout, throw in a finisher. A good finisher is one minute of something that gets your heart rate up—something that makes you sweat and smile! You’ll usually find me holding a wall sit or running down the block for this part.

“Give yourself grace during this really scary time. It’s okay if you fall off your routine. It’s okay if you eat the bag of chips. The importance of fitness is more about how it makes you feel, instead of how it makes you look.”

Molly Gordon coachmollygordon.com

What are three wellness-oriented pieces of advice (from a personal trainer perspective) to get us through this time of isolation?

1. Use your outside time to get off your phone. I feel a huge decrease in stress when I’m not on my phone. We live in a beautiful place!

2. If I think of it—and it’s good for me—I should do it! If I'm sitting on the couch, and think “Hm, I should do some sit-ups,” I have to do them! I really want to take the word “should” out of my vocabulary for this reason.

3. Give yourself grace during this really scary time. It’s okay if you fall off your routine. It’s okay if you eat the bag of chips. The importance of fitness is more about how it makes you feel, instead of how it makes you look. If exercising and eating well makes you feel good, then do it. If you need a day to sleep or drink wine, do it. Ask yourself, “Is that going to make me happy?” If the answer is yes, then go for it. *