Discover Your City
Latest On Outvoices
Trending around OUTvoices
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and especially with cases now on the rise, we have all had to adapt to a “new normal” in some way, shape, or form. Many of these adaptations involve the transition to performing certain tasks from home.
A large number of people are now working from home, students are attending school online, we are conducting doctor visits from home, families are ordering more food delivery, and more people are practicing workout routines at home rather than go to a gym. However, with so many potential distractions at home, it can be difficult to establish and maintain an effective exercise and overall wellness routine.
It can be easy to spend hours at home sitting, especially if you are working from home as well. That is why it is so important to establish an at-home workout routine that is practical for you and is easy to stick to.
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
Here are some helpful strategies and tips that can help you maintain an efficient and consistent at-home workout:
• Put your workouts on the calendar, so you follow a consistent routine and can establish boundaries between your workday and the time you work out. Many of us tend to depend on our calendars a great deal in order to efficiently mange our time throughout each day. Making that physical time separation, including reminder notifications, can help to promote a proper exercise cycle.
• Invest in a few basic gym essentials in order to make your workout more efficient without taking up a lot of space: resistance bands, yoga mat, kettlebells, or adjustable dumbbells. You do not have to go out and purchase the newest high-tech equipment in order to get an effective workout. Some basic equipment with the right instruction can make a tremendous impact.
• Hire a coach to help you establish the right program you need to match your fitness goals and also to hold you accountable. You can train with a real live coach either virtually in real-time or have them come to you and train you from your home. Having a coach not only provides that push and extra motivation, but it also ensures that you are conducting your exercises safely and properly to get the most out of each movement.
• Keep your workouts short, but effective, so you stick with it long enough to see results. To accomplish this, exercise selection is crucial: focus on choosing full body and compound movements. These give you more bang for your buck.
• Create a designated workout space in your home and be sure to include your favorite workout playlist. Have a simple space with plenty of room for you to move and include any equipment. No matter what your style of music, the right playlist will not only help you stay pumped throughout your workout, but it also makes it more fun.
The co-founder of Leading Edge Personal Trainers LLC, Noelle McKenzie, says, “Working out is hard enough, so it is important to have a unique workout plan that is tailored to you and your needs. In addition to an effective workout, a mindful health and wellness routine can only enrich your daily life.” She adds, “So many people also suffer from chronic pain, but there are specific exercises that can help them relieve that pain and live their best quality of life.”
Leading Edge Personal Trainers is a black-owned NYC based family business that was launched back in 2008 by Kern Alexander and Noelle McKenzie. They provide three uniquely tailored program options: private in-home personal training in NYC, private virtual personal training sessions, and individual online coaching through their customized fitness app. Leading Edge Personal Trainers also provide personalized nutritional support with all of their programs. They do not believe in a one size fits all approach, but that every individual client has their own unique needs.
topless man in black shorts holding cooked food
Photo by Mike Von on Unsplash
Ms. McKenzie offers some additional wellness tips:
• Focus on form first by assessing your posture and starting with mobility and corrective exercise - both are beneficial for improving how well you feel and enabling you to move pain free.
• Plan out your meals for the week and use this to do a big grocery haul at the top of the week, so you have meals easily accessible when your days get busy. This way you can avoid skipping meals and help ensure healthy eating habits.
• Start your day with water and keep a water bottle next to you at all times to make sure you're staying hydrated.
• Take time out for yourself each week to decompress and recharge.
• Practice cutting back on screen time before bed. Try reading a book or meditating instead to help get your body ready for sleep.
• Make sure you schedule out a lunch break on your work calendar, so you do not work through lunch.
Everyone is different and unique, so your workout routine should be tailored to your needs. Whether it is physical limitations, scheduling issues, or lack of exercise knowledge, there are still customized workout and wellness routines that will work for you. Also, finding a helpful and qualified trainer or exercise coach can provide that needed guidance.
About Leading Edge Personal Trainers
Leading Edge Personal Trainers is a Black-owned NYC based family business which was launched in 2008 by Kern and Noelle McKenzie Alexander. Leading Edge provides 3 uniquely tailored program options: private in-home personal training in NYC, private virtual personal training sessions and individual online coaching through their customized fitness app.They also provide personalized nutritional support with all of their programs. They do not believe in a one size fits all approach but that every individual client has their own unique needs.
Leading Edge understands that working out is hard enough, so they bring the flexibility and convenience of being able to customize your program design to your specific needs. If you live in NYC they bring a hand-picked fitness professional right to you so you never have to leave your home to workout again! For more information, visit:
www.instagram.com/bodybynoelle
www.instagram.com/leadingedgeny
www.facebook.com/leadingedgepersonaltrainersHow to talk about transgender issues
So how do we talk about transgender issues (even if you're not transgender)? There are three main things to remember when discussing transgender issues today, so before getting into the meat and potatoes of it all, let's keep these things in mind:
- It is not a political discussion, it is a human rights discussion.
- There is a rich history rooted in transgender rights that must be considered when discussing these issues.
- Humanization should always be at the forefront of the conversation.
Before going into any conversation, no matter who it's with, try to keep these things in mind before you say something that may be inappropriate, misguided, or just plain wrong. Even those with the best intentions can mess up; remember that it is always ok to admit when you do not know something or when you are wrong. That being said, let's get into it.
Transgender bathroom bills
So whether you choose to become a transgender activist or if you just want to be a better ally, this easy talking point will generally keep you in line and on the safe side of conversations while still putting forth the effort to encourage and better represent transgender rights.
Easy, all-around approach: This will work for almost all transgender issues and expand on the previous three rules; firstly, trans issues are not a debate. When discussing with someone, do not indulge in hypotheticals and always remember that transgender people are the exact same as anyone else, with the exact same feelings. Keeping this in mind, let's use the bathroom bill as an example. When discussing this issue, one should humanize, de-politicize, and normalize the conversation. How does one employ this, though? Here is an example of how the conversation may go.
Person 1: I don't want men in the women's restroom, they will rape my daughters.
So this statement is clearly based on reactionary conversation perpetuated by anti-transgender ideals. This means that the person probably has a misconception of the history and oppression of transgender people. They also show concern for their family, which is a step towards humanization, despite the misconception. Here would be an appropriate response that helps to humanize, de-politicize, and normalize the conversation.
Person 2: I don't want men in the women's restroom, either, which is why we need to make sure people who identify as women are using the women's restroom. There has never been a documented case where a transgender person has raped either a man or woman in a public restroom. And by forcing people to use a restroom that does not match their gender identity, it is promoting violence, as there is a strong history of physical violence against transgender people.
By only saying about three sentences, you are able to do the previous steps while discussing the issue in a civil manner without opening it up to debate. The key to this is to keep it short and sweet, stating both the truth and an ally's stance to support the transgender community. It's critical to make sure that what you say is backed with confidence, though, which is why this second approach is more encouraged as it gives the person speaking more confidence in their opinion.
Number 1 GIF by PragerU
Giphy
The second approach: backed by facts and history, is the exact same as before, but this approach leaves the other person with more questions about their stance and gives them something to consider. Before going into this approach, however, it is important to keep in mind that you are not debating the existence of trans people, nor are you trying to change someone's mind. That is not the goal; the goal is simply to get your opinion across in a way that honors both the trans community and their ideas. Let's take the same example as before but add the new sentiments.
Person 1: I don't want men in the women's restrooms, they will rape my daughters.
Person 2: There has never been a documented case of a transgender person raping anyone in a public restroom, and the only published cases of such were proven to be false. Further, when people say things like this, they are perpetuating violence against transgender people, which has historically (and still does) oppressed and insight further physical violence against them. And honestly, the most common reason there is this stance is because the person typically does not know a trans person and may not even know a person who does know a trans person. But the truth is, they probably do. The probability is more likely that the transgender people around them are just not comfortable enough in the environment to come out and speak up about their gender identity. And yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it is quite sad that some people's opinion does not invite civil discussion but instead incites violence.
This approach is more confrontational, which requires more confidence when using it in a conversation, but it still holds true to all of the previous rules and sentiments. It adds truth based on history, which is an important aspect of trans rights as it reminds people of where we were/ where we are currently with human rights. These ideas can be transferred to most all trans issues and will honor the transgender movement and your allyship. The last thing to keep in mind is the person or reason you are standing up for/with trans rights. The passion -the compassion will shine through in conversation if you keep your reasoning close to heart. Whether it is because of a transgender friend, family member, or just because of your moral values, if you put your emotions into your reasoning, it will create more compelling statements, especially if the statement is well versed with the facts.
Tips to Remember When Discussing Transgender Issues
- Transgender issues are not political, they are human rights issues
- There is a rich history behind transgender issues
- Humanize transgender people through our words and ideas and don't forget to include:
- 3(b). The facts
- 3(c).The confidence
- 3(d). The inspiration behind the support for transgender rights
- On Transgender Day of Visibility, meet six community members ... ›
- This Transgender in Sports Event Tackles Big Issues - OutVoices ›
- Helpful Resources for the Trans Community in Kansas City ... ›
- Transgender people more likely to face food insufficiency - OutVoices ›
- Lee Hatcher - OutVoices ›
- Transgender Representation in Media - OutVoices ›
- Minding Your Health - Tips for Being an Ally to Transgender People ... ›
Transgender Sign in Pride Parade
To begin, a quick history lesson will keep you up to date with all the work transgender people have put forth in order to help Pride month happen in the first place. The fight for LGBTQ+ rights dates back further than one usually imagines but, in particular, is typically marked by the Stonewall Riots. Led by Marsha "Pay It No Mind" Johnson, a transgender woman of color who helped the New York activist scene for over 25 years, the Stonewall Riots began on June 28th, 1969 in New York. Alongside Sylvia Riveria, a Latina trans woman, and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a black trans woman, Marsha P. Johnson led one of the most important queer liberations in history.
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson | petcor80 | Flickrwww.flickr.comWhile the Riots remain a huge moment in history, many often forget those who played front-facing roles in it. Marsha was only 23 years old at the time but was a fearless, ferocious, brave leader who tackled injustice head-on in the riots. In addition to this, she was also co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a shelter for homeless transgender youth; she was a big activist for the BIPOC and LGBT+ community, and STAR was revolutionary in many ways, including being the first-ever LGBT+ shelter in North America which was also the first organization in the US to be run by a trans woman of color. Marsha's contributions toward the first Pride parade preceded it by an entire year- the first pride parades came a year after the stonewall riots to commemorate it. Her legacy will live on through her acts and is celebrated by members of the LGBT+ community alike every pride.
With that out of the way, being trans during pride month can hold a lot of meaning for a lot of people, especially given the incomparable history led by transgender women that helped to shape the LBGT+ community today. Pride itself has a long history rooted in defying gender normalities and cisgender, heteronormative ideals. That, in it itself, is a lot to be proud of- let alone each individual's transgender experience that brings more color to personal pride. It is something to celebrate, our own continuation, contribution, and resistance to oppression. For those who are out as transgender, gender non-conforming, genderqueer, nonbinary, or identify anywhere outside of the cisgender binary, just being yourself and expressing your gender identity is a way of celebrating this. And it is momentous to do so! However, of course, it's not the only way; going to pride parades, celebrating with friends, or having your own celebration is just as good, if not more fun. Going to pride marches, participating in pride events or activities, and any form of activism are great ways of acknowledging and indulging in the history that brought us here.
Reaching out for help
Photo by Stormseeker on UnsplashBut, of course, there is always the other side of the coin because this can be extremely difficult for some due to past experiences or traumas. And for others, this is not an option because (and unfortunately, more often than not) coming out is not a safe, viable option due to age, location, and often the stiff political climate that makes transgender people stay hidden. So while there is a lot to celebrate and be proud of, we must also be prideful for those who are unable to be. Because in addition to the rich history of activism and change, there is still an extreme deficit and predisposition to suicide and murder. According to some of the most recent research, the transgender suicide rate is up to 43%, and once every three days, a transgender person is murdered, with transgender women of color being the most likely victims.
Efforts to calculate and track transgender murder rates are often hindered by laws and data collection, therefore reported numbers may not be the best representations. Alongside these statistics come very scary legislation, such as House Bill 151 and HF 184 that allow the 'inspection' of young girls' genitals in an effort to keep transgender girls from participating in sports. There are also bathroom bills, pronoun and name bills, and medical care acts that are trying to strip away our rights. The huge dark cloud of oppression still hangs heavily over many transgender people within the United States and is much worse elsewhere in the world.
But, these are all reasons to be more prideful as well. Trans people have historically risen above and fought to be themselves- and admit the oppression, we will continue to do so unapologetically. So despite all the sorrowfully realities we face, we must take them in stride and use them for our pride, We need to keep them in mind not just to remember the reality but to be able to say, "This is what we deal with and yet, we use it to fuel our pride." Because the reality is that we are all making history just by existing and that is something to celebrate. So take pride in everything and for everyone, especially for those who may not be able to themselves. Pride month is a time to celebrate ancestors, self-discovery, friendship, and much more, so if you are able to, do so!
Activism has always and will continue to be a huge part of pride until there is equity for every minority group. So consider using these resources to continue your activism of change towards trans rights and equality. You can do so by contacting your legislators regarding your local anti-trans legislature. Or if you are able, donate to funds that support transgender persons legally! And if you're unable to do either and are in need of support, here are a few resources that may help: The Trevor project; 1-866-488-7386 Trans Life Line; 1-877-565-8860.
Author's Note: It is important to not only recognize and acknowledge the deep-rooted history that transgender individuals had in creating equal opportunities and rights for the LGBTQ+ community but also recognize the deep-seated oppression that continues to plague the transgender community today, despite best efforts towards equality, justice, and freedom. When discussing Pride Month or any celebration of LGBTQ+ individuals, give credit where credit is due.
- 5 Things That Happen When People Come Out as Trans - OutVoices ›
- Transgender Representation in Media - OutVoices ›