We're Fonda Fridays! Inspirational Quotes From The Queen of Fitness

Welcome back to the Daily Dumbbell, your health & fitness Sommelier. We expertly curate the week’s most interesting studies, quotes, and articles for you to imbibe at your leisure.

But don’t worry, we won’t tell you to pronounce things in an impossibly pretentious way. We’re more into vibes around here anyway.

It’s Friday! And you know the motto around here:

No homework on the weekend.

Instead we’re introducing Fonda Fridays and giving you a few tasty morsels of information we found throughout the week.

Let’s dive in!

Fonda Friday:

Last week, we profiled the remarkable life of Jane Fonda. And while we stuck to her impact on fitness, we got more than we bargained for in our research.

Jane not only rocked the world of fitness like a hurricane, she was a fierce advocate for civil rights and LGBTQ+ equality.

Quote after quote had us thinking; “Wow, what a badass!” We decided to create a newsletter theme that honors the wisdom and infectious spirit of Jane Fonda.

So push the coffee table to the side and put the TV trays away because we’re pressing play on some of Jane Fonda’s greatest hits.

When we're hitting personal records, achieving our goals, and feeling invincible, it's easy to become complacent and believe that we've mastered the game of health and fitness.

But here’s a truth bomb for ya: true growth and learning happen when we face setbacks, obstacles, and even injuries. It's in those moments of adversity when we are forced to pause, reassess, and dig deep within ourselves.

Just like Michael Jordan’s failure year after year against the Detroit Pistons drove him to become better and stronger, so too can your tweaked back drive you to strengthen your core and thus, new heights.

See Mike, we’re not so different you and I…

Jane Fonda's wise words resonate deeply in the context of our health and fitness journey. It is not through our successes, accolades, or moments of glory that we truly grow, but through our wounds, scars, mistakes, and failures.

These experiences become the catalysts for self-reflection, introspection, and ultimately, transformation. It is through these challenging moments that the most profound lessons are learned and the greatest transformations take place.

So, the next time you face a setback or encounter an obstacle on your health and fitness journey, embrace it like an old friend!

After all, without this lesson, you were unlikely to learn and grow and reach your true potential.

Friday Finds:

Should Endurance Athletes be taking Creatine? 

New evidence suggests creatine supplementation might have more of an impact than initially thought on endurance sports. Especially if your run/bike/climb has a hill climb aspect.

Ever needed a little extra burst up that hill or to sprint through the finish? Creatine might be the friend you need.

Get it here: Creatine Monohydrate
(Not an affiliate link)

Are You a Night Owl?

Like many things it appears to be half genetic/half environmental. But the genes influencing a late bedtime don’t appear to have any protective effect on this habit… a very unhealthy one at that.

In studies where health outcomes were compared between night owls and early birds, the outcomes “without exception” favored early birds.

Night owls are more likely to suffer from:

• Mood disorders

• Anxiety disorders

• Substance use disorders

• Personality disorders

• Insomnia

• Sleep apnea

• Arterial hypertension

• Bronchial asthma

• Type 2 diabetes

• Infertility

Yikes.

This is one reason that working the night shift has been labeled a carcinogen; meaning it’s not just associated with higher rates of cancer, it’s likely causal.

The New Weight Loss Drugs Have an interesting side effect

More and more patients taking Ozempic for weight loss have reported a reduction in drinking, smoking, and even compulsive shopping.

On top of an average weight loss of 12%, sustained over a 12 month period, many users have reported they no longer feel the need to drink or smoke. Most incredibly of all, some even leave Target with only what was on their list!

This Line from James Clear’s 3-2-1 Newsletter:

As the famous rapper/philosopher Meek Mill said; “There’s levels to this shit.”

When you first start out, it’s fairly easy to improve.

If you have 100lbs to lose, that first 10 lbs melts off easy. A couple small tweaks here and there will do the trick. Changes like:

• Swapping soda for water

• Taking the stairs instead of the elevator

However, if you’re trying to lose those last 10lbs to reveal your abs for beach season? That’s a different challenge entirely. Now you probably have to experience some pain to get there.

• Commitment

• Discipline

• And often, Sacrifice

These types of lasting wins can’t be done halfway. They require a change to your lifestyle.

Preach!

Not everybody cares about getting abs for beach season. And that’s fine, it’s a fairly vain and arbitrary goal anyway.

But if you do want to continue down the road of self improvement; getting stronger in the gym or faster on your bike, you will reach a point where there’s no more low hanging fruit to pick.

Achieving early wins is motivating and absolutely worth celebrating, but remember, they're just the start of your journey. True, lasting wins don't come easy. They require a lifestyle alignment with your goals—a conscious decision to prioritize your health and fitness in your daily routines.

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks again for spending the week with us!

Have an amazing 3 day weekend and we’ll see you back here next week for more mildly educational, mostly nonsensical, health and fitness fun!