Are You Walking The Wrong Way?

Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. No one likes to feel tricked, especially about their health. That’s why every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness with quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.​

Today’s Health Upgrade

• Monday motivation

• Fuel your workouts and recovery

• A big misstep

• Workout of the week

Arnold’s Corner: Monday Motivation

I’ve been reading through your emails again, and there is another question I keep seeing over and over.

“How do you stay so positive when so many negative things are going on in the world?”

It is simpler than you think.

I’ve told you before about what I do when the news makes me angry:

I ask myself, “Can I do something about this?”

If I can, I do. This is why I donated millions of dollars for things like hospital equipment for doctors, polling stations for voters, housing for veterans, and more in the past few years. It’s why I make videos to use my platform when I believe an issue calls for it. And yes, it is why I fixed the pothole that drove all of my neighbors crazy and endangered cyclists for months.

If I can’t, I stop complaining. What is the point of being angry or upset about something you have zero control over?

I have focused a lot on that first part in this newsletter — what can you do?

Today, I want to focus on the second part. What if there is truly nothing that you can do?

You have to learn to let it go.

I know that's not the standard in the age of social media. People want to make the world’s problems their problems. It’s why polling shows that people will say they are doing fine economically, but the same people will say they feel very negative about the economy.

But that takes energy. A lot of energy. It takes time, whether it’s time spent worrying or time spent posting on social media.

We all have limited amounts of time and energy. No matter who we are.

Use it wisely.

I know you might be thinking, “But Arnold, I’m just a sympathetic person; I wouldn’t feel right not spending my energy on this tragic thing.”

So, let me reframe it for you.

When you choose to spend your time and energy on something you can’t control, you’re also choosing not to use it somewhere where you might be able to have an impact.

You’re taking yourself away from the ways that you could actually be useful and helpful.

And there’s a good chance you’re also making yourself miserable. Ask yourself: for what purpose?

I am giving you permission to not take on all the world’s problems as your own. Let it go.

But, just to be clear, I am not giving you permission to just lie on the couch and not make an impact when you can. I want you to try to solve the problems you can solve, chip away at issues where you can help, and reach out and give back to your community.

Be curious. Look for the moments where you can be useful. Save your time and energy for that. And don’t waste a single minute worrying about the moments when you’re powerless to do anything.

That is real power.

Fuel Your Workouts and Recovery

We’ve shared that water is enough for most people to improve hydration. But there’s a catch. If you exercise and sweat, your body needs more than just water.

Research suggests hydrating with electrolytes before or after your workout could boost performance, reduce fatigue, and improve recovery. And you might be under-fueling more than you think.

Despite the popularity of pre-workout drinks and coffee, one study suggests at least 50 percent of people begin their workouts dehydrated. And studies have found that for each percentage loss in water, you’ll see increasing drops in performance.

If you train hard and sweat a lot, our go-to drink is LMNT, which provides the electrolytes your body needs without any added sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. 

Your muscles and neurons need electrolytes — such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium. And sweating depletes your body of electrolytes, which can affect performance and recovery.

As a member of the village, you’ll get a free sample pack (8 packets) with all the flavors when you make any purchase. Just make sure you use this link, and the free product will be automatically added to your cart to thank you for being part of the positive corner of the internet.

If you don’t love the product, LMNT offers a no-questions-asked refund policy, which means you’ll be satisfied. We recommend using electrolytes before or after your hard workouts that last longer than an hour to ensure you’re hydrated before and refueled after.

A Big Misstep 

We frequently discuss all the benefits of walking. But you can make an important mistake when going for a stroll. 

Research suggests that using your phone while walking can increase stress and decrease mood. 

Most research shows that walking helps you increase your heart rate and makes you happier and more positive. In a bizarre twist, those who went on outdoor walks while using their phone wiped out almost all the typical benefits of exercise.

Walking while glued to your phone can decrease your heart rate, make you feel less comfortable, more negative, less connected to nature, and even experience worse posture (keeping your head down on your phone is not good for your gait.)

Another study suggests that using your phone while walking increases stress levels. 

As Arnold says, “Put the machine away!” There are many good uses for phones and a time for social media. But when you’re exercising, it is not the right time. Don’t forget that prior studies found that scrolling social media before a workout can make you weaker and lead to more mental fatigue.

Workout of the Week

You only need a single pair of dumbbells or a weighted backpack for this workout. Like many of our workouts, it seems easy until you try it.

This workout is performed as a circuit, which means you’ll never put the weight down. Do the first exercise, then the second, followed by the third, end with the fourth — and then rest. If you’re a beginner, do two rounds; if you’re more advanced, you can perform four to six rounds. 

• Exercise 1: Alternating reverse lunge (8-12 reps per leg)

• Exercise 2: Alternating overhead press (6 reps per arm)

• Exercise 3: Bent-over alternating rows (6 reps per arm)

• Exercise 4: Alternating step-ups (8-12 reps per leg)

• Rest for 3 minutes and repeat

If you don’t have dumbbells, load a backpack with books or use a rucksack. Wear the pack for the lower body movements, press it overhead, and row it to your body.

Start your week strong and give it a try. And then tag Arnold and let him know what you think.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell