A Year of Lessons

Hey there, here are the top 25 pieces of advice that my team and I wanted to gift to you as the New Year kicks off this Wednesday. Ready? There are plenty to get through, so let’s dive right in!

1) All diets can work as long as you find a way to be consistent with them.

2) Breakfast is literally breaking an overnight period of fasting. You can break your fast with anything you choose. There is no such thing as a “breakfast food”.

3) Static stretching is a good way to wind down your nervous system before bed.

4) Calories matter when it comes to weight management. So does the quality of the foods that carry those calories!

5) Lack of sleep affects every aspect of your life.

6) Pain doesn’t always equal injury. You can have pain without damage. Yes, it’s complicated.

7) Strength training will make you better in and out of the pool. 2-3 days per week is a great place to start.

8) You can’t out train a bad diet.

9) Breath work will change your life. Not only is it a great way to manage stress, but it can also be a great tool to improve your breath management in and out of the pool.

10) The community you keep around you will influence the decisions you make when it comes to your health.

11) “Swimmer’s shoulder” is usually a downstream outcome of regional dysfunction (musculoskeletal health, swim technique) and lifestyle (sleep, nutrition, hydration, stress management).

12) 10 minutes of mobility work will always be better then zero minutes of mobility work.

13) All training is “functional training” if programmed appropriately.

14) Proper recovery starts with a well-programmed exercise plan. If you train at full-intensity every day you will never recover.

15) Nutrition should be a part of every rehab protocol.

16) Your body will always have asymmetries and imbalances based on the daily demands you request of yourself.

17) Some of the most common injuries occur from doing too much, too quickly, and being underprepared for the stress that you are experiencing.

18) Whole foods should always be your first choice when it comes to eating. Supplements should always be the second line of defense.

19) Cold plunges are totally fine to do, just make sure you are mastering the basics of the rest of your life, too (sleep, diet, exercise, stress management).

20) True mobility is being able to own AND perform in various ranges of motion and positions.

21) Choose sleep over caffeine whenever possible.

22) A positive attitude and good work ethic will always be better then natural talent.

23) Getting an accountability partner or joining a supportive community will help you push through the days where motivation is lacking.

24) You can kill your performance by not drinking enough water. Half of your bodyweight in ounces should be a bare minimum.

25) What you feed your mind is as important as what you feed your body. Make sure you are implementing positive self-talk and listening to influences that you bring you up.

I hope you find some these helpful to kickoff the new year.

2025 is going to be a great one, I can feel it.

Onward,

Dr. Sandra and Team

P.S.

I am taking new clients for one-on-one and team training right now. REPLY to this email and my team will reach out to help get you started today!