Home›Newsletter›Issue 20
Your Feed Is Part of Your Environment
Your feed, your routine, and a few pretty awesome wins from inside the clinic.
By Jianna Bustamante, DPTWhole Health Weekly
Happy Friday and Happy Newsletter Day!
September always feels like a bit of a reset.
Summer is winding down, school is starting back up, schedules are changing, and suddenly the routines we let slide a little over the summer have to find their way back into our lives.
So this week, we’re talking about being a little more intentional. With what you consume, how you spend your time, and even what shows up when you open your phone.
Weekly perspective
Your Feed Is Part of Your Environment
We talk a lot about surrounding yourself with good people. People who challenge you, support you, and encourage the habits you’re trying to build. But how much time do you spend with your social media feed? Probably more than you realize.
Whether we like it or not, what we repeatedly see affects what we think about. If your feed constantly makes you angry, anxious, jealous, or dissatisfied, that matters. But the opposite can be true too. If you want to exercise more, eat better, read more, or improve your mindset, intentionally follow people who support those things.
You don’t have complete control over the algorithm, but you do have some control over what you follow and engage with. Think of your feed as part of your environment. Is yours helping you become the person you want to be?
Exercise of the week
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
What is it?
A pressing exercise performed on an inclined bench that primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Why is it beneficial?
The incline changes the angle of the press and places more emphasis on the upper portion of the chest while still building overall upper body pushing strength.
It also allows each arm to work independently, which can be helpful for developing strength and control on both sides.
Who’s it for?
Anyone looking to improve upper body strength and pressing capacity. The weight and bench angle can easily be adjusted based on your current strength and experience.
How to perform it:
- Set the bench to a moderate incline and sit with one dumbbell in each hand.
- Bring the dumbbells to chest level with your feet planted firmly on the floor.
- Keep your shoulder blades gently pulled back against the bench.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are straight without aggressively locking your elbows.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back toward your chest with control.
- Repeat while keeping your ribs and trunk controlled throughout the movement.
Pro Tip:
More incline isn’t always better. If the bench is too upright, the exercise starts becoming much more shoulder dominant. Start with a moderate incline and focus on controlling the weight through the entire range.
Healthy tip of the week
Healthy tip of the week
Use September as a Reset, Not an Overhaul
There is something about the beginning of the school year that makes it feel like everyone is suddenly back on a schedule.
Even if you don’t have kids in school, you can use that shift to your advantage.
Instead of trying to completely overhaul your routine after summer, pick one thing that needs to become consistent again.
Maybe you start packing your lunch the night before.
Maybe you put your workouts into your calendar for the week.
Maybe you get back to a consistent bedtime.
Maybe you take a 10 minute walk after dinner instead of sitting down immediately.
You don’t need a brand new routine just because it’s September.
Pick one thing that makes your days run a little better and get consistent with it again. Personally, mine will be getting back into my Five Minute Journal to start and end the day.
This week in the clinic
Out of Office
A little behind the scenes fact about our team: we actually have a Slack channel dedicated entirely to client wins. When someone hits a milestone or gets back to doing something that matters to them, we share it with the team. And lately, that channel has been busy.
One client ran for the first time in decades after experiencing a traumatic surgery. Another completed a 2 mile hike without injury or pain. One of our postpartum clients completed her first bike half marathon race, and one of our college athletes was officially cleared to play her senior soccer season after an ACL tear.
Four completely different people with four completely different goals. That’s what we love about these wins. Progress looks different for everyone, and we know how much work happens before these moments ever make it into our Slack channel. We’re proud of all of them.
Upcoming Events
- Prenatal Yoga + Pelvic Health Evening
- Tuesday, September 22, 5:30-7pm
- Location: Whole Health Solutions
- Click to Sign-Up Below!
- Fall GrotonFest
- Saturday, September 26, 10am-4pm
- Location: Legion Field Common
- Click Below for More Info!
Jianna mentioned this week's Different Life podcast episode. Want to hear it?
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