I'm always looking for ways to make my life more enjoyable through experiences and experiments.
I was given a fresh bottle of Lavender oil while in France. I didn't know much about it outside that I was all-natural. I soon realized that I had received liquid gold once I started to research.

Some of the fantastic benefits of this essential oil:

1. Reduces Anxiety and Emotional Stress
2. Heals Burns and Wounds
3. Improves Sleep
4. resorts Skin Complexions and Reduces Acne
5. Slows Aging with Powerful Antioxidants
6. Improves Eczema and Psoriasis

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) warn people to be cautious when combining lavender with drugs that induce sleepiness as well as Medications to reduce blood pressure. If you are already taking the above mentioned, seek medical advice before adding lavender to your regimen—It is not confirmed if taking lavender during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is safe. Discuss any use of essential oils, herbs, or supplements with your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
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As lavender is thought to slow down the central nervous system, doctors advise patients to stop using lavender at least two weeks before surgery. I only say this to reinforce always do personal research and make sure you are in the clear. Be adventurous and learn something new. 

Today I want to lend my professional opinion and advice.
Let's tackle the topic of training - not just working out.
At first glance, most will see them as identical, but a closer look, we can see a big difference and why a distinction is necessary. My definition, teaching a person a particular fitness skill or related behavior through practice and instruction over a while constitutes training.

These skills do not have to be solely focused on aesthetics. For example, daily self-care that leads to the improvement in the efficiency of life fall under this umbrella of skills. Lifestyle changes are necessary for training to be effective. These skills should be continuously habituated and practiced, similar to when many of us learn in school. In school, when it came to midterms and finals, some would wait to study at the last minute and typically would not yield the same results or house the same confidence that the prepared student got. Thus, learning skills to prepare your body for the examination of life is important. This is true even when your life revolves around winning championships or merely winning the day - it is crucial.

Those that have a particular end goal , such as weight gain or weight loss at hand, are the perfect candidate for programmed fitness training. I've seen many people, and every individual is unique, yet it is vital to know that we all can benefit from intently working out. Most think that the top trainee goals is to "lose weight"; however, this is a big misconception as some of the best athletes in the world can care less about how their bodies look as long as it does not affect play. Goals sometimes are very vague; however, being able to channel the real reason for training will determine if it is something a person can benefit from in the long run. Other common goals/benefits are as follows:

-Improving the quality of life
-Increase memory capacity
-Gain muscle
-Increase cardiovascular output
-Decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease
-Improve performance

An effective program typically starts from the inside and works its way out. What exactly does this mean? When we take the step to change habits, behaviors, and skills, first, we must change mentally. We must recognize that if we are not mentally prepared for the journey, we are about to endure, we will inherently prolong our process. If you do this, many changes will occur, but surprisingly, the mirrors' looks are only a by-product of the harder behavioral changes. We at least know one person who kills workouts, or at least say they do, but find it also equally hard to lose the weight. To help, scenarios such as this, training correctly with a plan is the accountability necessary to link the rest of the pillars of fitness together - food/diet, working out, supplementation (in regards to switching out lower nutrient-rich sources for those higher).

Often most people combine fitness into a big disfunction. By not wanting to live a healthy, wholesome lifestyle - maintaining mobility/locomotion and achieving hormonal homeostasis, your habits will become costly that you will pay for with your wallet and body. Do the right thing and #BeExceptional.

​I love working out just as much as my clients, So when thinking about my ab routine or what I may give to my clients, I sometimes get caught between the decision to break it down the exercise selection base on how dynamic vs. isometric focused it is. What's the difference? Dynamic represents any ab exercises that you physically move through a full range of motion to execute the activity. Isometric exercises typically represent any position that held without changing the muscles or joints' length while contracted.

The one in the video above is a variation of an oldie, Ab Roll Outs. About the category of core exercises that it falls into, this is a dynamic one. Most of you might have seen this demonstration on my social media feed. This movement is fantastic and had me sore for two days. Believe it, when done correctly, it will rip up your midsection in minutes!

Here's how to do the Ab Rollouts.
Note that you can complete this version of the exercise with an ab-dolly, Val slides, suspension trainer, or a stability ball.

1. Place forearms on the platform of choice. (ab-dolly, Val slides, suspension trainer, or a stability ball)
2. While still in a quadruped position, engage glutes, draw in the midsection, and brace your abdominals as hard as possible.
3. While maintaining proper engagement from step '2', slowly get into a prone plank position.
4. ​Keep stiff and extend both arms away from the body then back towards your body's proximity.

Depending on how strong your core is will determine how far away you will extend your arms. Keep working, and in a couple of weeks, you will be able to do a ton of reps and extend your arms straight, but most of all, you will be able to wash your workout gear on your washboard abs.

​Good Luck!

Be Exceptional Fitness is obsessed with improving global health with proven techniques and the latest in science in order to best serve our clients . We have decided to launch ‘Be Exceptional Business Boost,’ highlighting. Health and Wellness. businesses and their founders. Be Exceptional provides health and wellness consulting services for consumers as well as professionals.

​Our CEO and founder, Robert L. Palmer, got the chance to virtually sit with doula, fashion expert, and fitness coach, Wasidah. She shared her experience and journey in becoming more health-conscious and helping others to achieve health. 

Meet Wasidah: A Doula, Fashion Expert, and Fitness Coach
Wasidah is a full-spectrum doula who focuses on postpartum and fertility. She is a native of Philadelphia. She is certified with credible organizations such as Mama Glow, the National Black Doula Association, and The NAFSA Project School (TNPS). Wasidah is also a certified personal trainer and has a professional background in fashion, including a B.A. in Fashion Design and working as a stylist with Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s. She enjoys helping women and encouraging them to get healthy and stay healthy during pregnancy. 

Wasidah started training when she was 20. Her initial desire was simply to have abs and a smaller waist. On her way to achieving this goal, she fell in love with fitness. Her commitment to wellness further strengthened when she started to think about how many of her relatives had diabetes. She later got involved with training others because she loved fitness and wanted a more flexible life with a decent salary. She started out her journey as a cycling instructor.

Wasidah’s First Year as a Trainer
Many people believe that being a personal trainer is a bed of roses. Wasidah shared that when she just started, she did not consider that clients go on vacation. This was a challenge for her as she needed money to cover her expenses. The gym she was working required her to be exclusive and prohibited her from working for any other gym or Health and Wellness club. She felt boxed in. “I wound up renting out my apartment with Airbnb to cover the rent, which was awesome, just for that summer. I also decided to become more independent and do teaching” shared Wasidah. This experience led her to see the value of being an independent trainer. One of the main benefits of going independent was that Wasidah is had the freedom to select clients that perfectly match her skillset and offerings. 

Wasidah’s Experience with Bodybuilding
Wasidah was once an award-winning bodybuilder. After tons of people suggested that she get involved with bodybuilding, Wasidah finally gave in. Meanwhile, she found that she did not really like how she looked and the lifestyle that came with it. She was on the verge of quitting when she attended her first show. She thought it was a waste of time and that she would lose. Ironically, she ended up winning the competition. 

After a while, Wasidah decided to leave bodybuilding because she did not find it to be compatible with the life she wanted. She was about to get married and wanted to have children. She also shared that she wanted to look more natural and show people what a woman actually looks like in her 30s. She also shared that the supplements that she had to take were not very pleasant. 

How Wasidah Has Been Navigating COVID-19 Challenges 
The current pandemic affects all industries. The fact that children are staying home during this time makes it challenging for some clients to make sessions. This is even true of virtual sessions. Wasidah had to get creative to ensure that her client’s stayed on track. She decided to create personal training videos for her clients so that they can workout at their convenience. Her clients have really been enjoying this and have shared that they feel special because of her extra extended effort. 
Wasidah prefers a boot camp style of training, and this is even present in her virtual training sessions and her personal training videos. She likes to use resistance bands and tubing for several reasons. According to Wasidah, they prevent injury, which is a major concern since she is not there with her client to ensure that they do not misuse equipment. 

Ironically, Wasidah shared that her business has been much better since the pandemic and the social unrest. While some clients must attend to their children, most have more time on their hands due to the pandemic. 

Initially, Wasidah was reluctant to go virtual with her clients. When the pandemic became a major issue, she decided to train her clients in the park. She later decided to give virtual workouts a try and found that it was much better. She made the complete switch to virtual after realizing that she could achieve a lot more. Virtual has also proven to be much more convenient for Wasidah as she no longer needs to drag equipment to the park.

COVID-19 Opened the Way for Wasidah to Train Outside of America
As previously mentioned, the pandemic drove Wasidah to get involved in virtual training. Going virtual has also made it possible for Wasidah to train clients outside of America. She shared that it started with one client that she had always had great respect for. When this person asked to be one of her clients, Wasidah couldn’t say no. After training this individual for some time, she started to introduce Wasidah to her friends. These friends eventually became clients and continue to refer Wasidah to others. Wasidah is now developing an online program where her clients can benefit from her expertise without communicating directly with them.

Wasidah’s journey and her work are very inspiring. If you’d like to get in touch with her, you can visit her website, www.wasidah.com. You can also find her on Instagram with the handle @wasidah or email her at [email protected]. 

If you’d like to be featured on ‘Be Exceptional Business Boost’, please visit our website.
You are also invited to become a member of our community. Joining the Be Exceptional Fitness family will give you access to resources that will help increase your business's efficiency and build more brand awareness. 
If you are a Health And Wellness Business visit our website today, and let’s take your business to the next level. 
-Be exceptional!

Don't Deprive Yourself!
Most of us worry about our output and the number of calories that we burn, and as a result, more people are actively working out. We must also remember that if we are running a machine with too little oil, missing pieces, and exhibits unsatisfactory mechanical movements, we will have problems. For most, sleep is one of those components that most hard workers are missing. There is nothing like getting a great night of sleep. The feeling of waking in the morning, feeling energized, is a feeling that we should all enjoy. Millions suffer from deprivation by way of quantity and quality of sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation and the effects are not pretty, and they can be wild and loose.
Key Reminders of Poor Sleep:

• Lack of sleep can affect your immune system. Studies show that under slept individuals are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus like the Covid-19. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick.
• Curbs the ability to burn fat by 50%. It is already a slow and steady process; why make it any slower?
• The body could become susceptible to resisting hormonal activity. In the case of insulin, if insulin secretion is met with resistance, that will force the endocrine system, by way of the pancreas, to trigger a surplus. Eventually, this excess ends up storing fat and metabolized calories in all the wrong places, such as around abdominal organs like the liver or more extremely lead to diabetes.
• Food cravings will go through the roof and your ability to make good food choices plummets. Sleeping less than six hours triggers the need for food. It depresses the chemical Leptin, which is responsible for giving a feeling of fullness. It inversely increases Ghrelin, which offers the sensation of emptiness, being unsatisfied, and hungry.
• Scientists have found that sleep debt impairs the ability to make muscle. Sleep deprivation destroys muscle tissue; however, muscle is the enemy of fat. Additionally, the probability of an increased incidence of injuries can also be applied when the body is not physically healthy.
• In the morning, grogginess, moodiness, irregular heartbeats, low sex drive, and libido, early wrinkles, and slow recovery/prolonged muscle soreness are also all many adverse side effects to consider.

Ways To Increase Sleep Quality And Quantity

• Have a caffeine curfew. Pretty self-explanatory.
• Avoid "blue light" before bed. 1-2 hours before sleeping, try to avoid artificial light emitted from computers, phones, and tablet screens. Most modern devices have a blue light filter that can get turned on through the user interface of the device you are using.
• Try taking a multi-vitamin with or a singular dose of a good quality Magnesium. It is an anti-stress mineral. It helps optimize circulation, relax tense muscles, reduce pain, and calm the nervous system. It serves many purposes, which depletes this mineral relatively fast, so get it infrequently.
• Have sex! An orgasm is like a full-on sedative for most people. A flood of relaxing hormones and endorphins get released when this happens, and it might just be the thing to set a great night's sleep. 
• A quick change can happen through your food selection. Certain foods can promote deep and restful sleep. Below you will find a list of critical nutrients and minerals that help improve sleep. Search for these essential food vitamins and minerals in the foods you choose to eat, and you will be good to go: Melatonin, GABA, Vitamin B6, Zinc, Magnesium.

With the proper strategy and mindset, we can create an environment, internally and externally, to enjoy the health and wellness benefits of sleep. While there is no hard number that applies to everyone, a good rule of thumb is to get set for bed with relatively 9 hours of space. Aim to get 6-8 hours of quality sleep per night. Also, make sure that one miserable night of sleep does not get followed by a few more. It might not seem like much, but try it, and let us know if you notice the benefits.
Article by Robert L. Palmer, Fitness Entrepreneur & Fitness Brand Consultant | Founder Be Exceptional. Be Exceptional is dedicated to creating a 360 approach to health, wellness, fitness, and athletics.

Weight Weight Fluctuating daily due to the amount of fluid we retain. Foods high in sodium, menstrual cycles, medications, and lack of bowel movements can all increase fluid retention and skew your weight. The good thing about working out is that with consistency over time, the real story gets revealed. If your weight creeps up after two or three weeks, you have been eating more calories than burning, and of course, this comes with the small exception where real medical attention might be needed.

When measuring progress, I like going about it by measuring the inches lost, expressed energy levels, fitting clothing, or body fat measurements if proper tools happen to be available.

Gaining lean muscle through strength training is another way to gauge progress. For example, if you have gained a pound of lean muscle, this is far different from gaining a pound of fat. Gaining muscle is beneficial to both your metabolism and overall strength. By consistently burning more calories than you consume, muscle gain will eventually taper off; however, fat loss will continue, and that scale will ultimately capture the results.

Weighing yourself at least once a week will help keep you in check to make proper adjustments. To minimize Weight Fluctuating follow these few tips:

1. Wear similar clothing before each weigh-in
2. Stay consistent with the scale that you use
3. Maintain the same eating and drinking habits before weigh-in
4. Be aware of relying heavily on Monday weigh-ins, as they tend to get offset because of poor eating habits and lack of tracking ​​over the weekends

Weight Fluctuating can happen due to many factors such as lack of sleep, dehydration, inconsistent eating, high sodium foods, and let's not forget losing the fight against self and will power. Keeping your eye on the prize will always help you stay away from any distractions during the process.
If you are having trouble with your weight loss program.
​Please feel free to reach out for your in-person or virtual consultation. Book by Clicking Here!

The Wall Street Journal released an article some time ago that brought light concerns surrounding the supplement industry. I advocate the use of supplements in conjunction with a balanced, wholesome diet and fitness program/regime. I have found particular supplements to be of vital aid in my client's success. And as a responsible professional, I always try to play an active role in keeping my clients educated on the effects and uses of supplements. Truth in labeling is expected; however, it is not required of any supplement company to provide evidence until it becomes an issue for the FDA.
​
The article highlighted a study that found two illegal and two unknown substances in commercially available products. Thankfully, I had never recommended, nevertheless heard of, any of these products, which was a huge relief. The question, how as a consumer/non-fitness professional, do you choose the right supplements? This concern is an issue for all supplements, even for those that stamp, all-natural, or organic on the label.

Supplements in fact can effectively fill nutritional gaps, so here are three tips that can help you eliminate chances of problems from negligent supplement companies:​

1. Understand that quality and freshness of product matters
2. Confirm any ingredients listed on the container.
3. Demand and expect product accountability
4. Stay away from companies that promise miracles on their website, in catalogs, in commercials or advertisements, or in‐store promotions. Examples of this would be promises to make you smarter or thinner, to keep you young, to increase or decrease the size of various body parts, and so forth, should raise a red flag. Manipulation of statistics or intentionally distorting research findings to mislead you is purely unethical and powered by marketing and typically not backed by real science.
5. Look for the misspelling of terms; confusion of milligrams, grams, and micrograms; and omission on labels of essential or required information are clear indicators of the ignorance and negligence of the manufacturer.
6. Use resources that analyze and confirm supplement content, dose, and purity. ConsumerLab is one such service. Pharmaceutical researchers also report findings on supplement label accuracy; a PubMed can lead you to this information.
7. Look for the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) logo (USP verification mark) on supplement labels. The mark certifies that the USP has found ingredients consistent with those stated on the label. It also indicates the supplement to be manufactured in a safe, sanitary, controlled facility and that the product dissolves or disintegrates to release nutrients in the body. (However, the USP does not test the supplement efficacy.)
8. Look for a phone number on the label to call with questions or report side effects. On websites, look for a domestic address and phone number, in addition to email contact. What type of response do you get from a knowledgeable company, or is the only person available to read a scripted response?

If you are shopping online but are uncertain the supplement is right for you, check the Web retailer's return policy. A web retailer that also has a brick‐and‐mortar outlet near your locale may be preferable.

Having access to a professional so that important questions can get asked about supplements is always an excellent tool to support your nutritional journey. If you have any questions or are ready to start a new health journey that separates yourself from the average doer and consumer, Book your fitness consultation now!