April 27, 2024

Decrease Clutter! By Coach Juli Shulem

January 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

It would be easy to just say, “throw away stuff you don’t need” but therein lies the problem. Those with clutter issues generally cannot discern between what they need to keep and what they should get rid of.

Here are 3 tips to making a big impact on decreasing the clutter in your physical space:

1.    Increase border control.
Don’t let anything through your door that isn’t an asset to your life. This means start by not even buying things you don’t absolutely need.  Don’t go ‘shopping’ for things. Go ‘buying.’ That means you go for the items you need, with a list in hand, and nothing more. If you don’t let unnecessary items come into your home in the first place you will have less to deal with in the near and distant future. Not having the item around to begin with will stop the process of cluttering at the root.
This goes for not accepting things from others as well. If friends or family don’t want an item any longer, why do you need it?

2.    Don’t buy more containers.
I see in my coaching practice that those who are trying to get organized instantly want to go out and acquire storage containers thinking that this will help them become organized. Actually, you want to first get rid of things and then, based on what is left and where the items will be kept, you can get appropriate containers. If you get dozens of plastic boxes first you will have more clutter that you had to begin with and chances are you won’t need all those containers either.

3.    Delete dupes .
If you have a lot of things, and they have had ‘offspring,’ you can generally get rid of all but one (perhaps two) of the item and be just fine. Often the reason people have many of the same items is that they can’t locate it when needed, so they go out and purchase another only to find the original one days, weeks, or months later. This can happen over and over resulting in ridiculous amounts of something where one is sufficient.

Contributed by Coach Juli, CPC: Efficiency & ADHD Coach. Efficiency Expert since 1984, and author of the eBook, Order! A Logical Approach to an Organized Way of Life, www.getordernow.com. Contact at jshulem@gmail.com 805-964-2389 or www.julishulem.com.

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What NOT to say to your Teen! By Maggie Ayre

January 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

5 Things Never to Say to Your Teenager During their Sporting Event

Maggie is the UK leading Fitness Coach for Teens.  As a teenager she was a member of the British Sailing Team.
She is no stranger to competitive sport for teens and knows just how essential parental support is.

However, sometimes parents get it wrong and say the wrong thing at the wrong time.  Here Maggie shares her top 5 things never to say to your teenager during their sporting event.

1.    Don’t Mention What Happened Last Time
So your teen’s been here before she’s in pole position going into the final event, or he’s finally off the subs bench and the teams in the lead.  Last time it all went wrong in the closing stages.  Whatever you do don’t mention last time.  Your teen doesn’t need reminding.  Instead stick to positive comments only – no negative comments allowed.

2.    Don’t Change the Plan
If your teen never eats during a cycle race now is not the time to suggest a snack.  Changes to routine should always be introduced during training.

3.    Don’t  Criticize the Competition
The most successful sports men and women tend to be friends with everyone involved in the sport.  This season’s main competition may be next seasons training partner.  Avoid making personal comments.

4.    Let Them Focus
Now is not the time to mention the maths homework that needs to be done by tomorrow morning.

5.    Stay in the Moment
There’s time for celebration after the event is finished and a podium position or personal best secured.  Now is not the time to be talking about the future.  Don’t ask “what will you do when you’ve won” or “what’s the next step now it didn’t go so well” until another day.

Maggie Ayre is the UKs leading Fitness Coach for Teen Girls. As well as one-to-one and small group nutrition and fitness work with teens she has developed the 3G Program designed to be run at schools as part of the PE curriculum. She also offers mentoring for PE departments on how to re-engage teen girls with PE and has recently published her third book; “Nutrition for Exam Success – A Parent’s Guide” which is now available as a Kindle and paperback at Amazon.

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Green Tea: Healthy or Hype? By Lori Shemek, PhD

January 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

All teas are healthy for you, in fact, the Chinese have known about the benefits of drinking tea since ancient times.  But there is one tea in particular that shines above the rest and that is:  Green Tea.  Green tea is a young tea and because of this, is also less processed.  There are many health advantages to drinking green tea due to its very high concentration of EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) and other antioxidants.  The active ingredients in green tea responsible for its broad healing effects along with EGCG are antioxidants including polyphenols, and catechins.

Here are the top 5 reasons why green tea is healthy for you:

1.     Green tea can help protect against cancer.  The polyphenols in green tea stop cancer in its tracks by shutting off the blood supply to the cancer. Many studies have linked green tea to a decreased risk of skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, and bladder cancer.

2.    Green tea improves cardiovascular health.  The polyphenols in green tea increase the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and reduce the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.  The antioxidants also help to prevent heart attack and stroke.

3.    Green tea can help prevent Alzhiemers Disease.  Green tea inhibits three enzymes linked to the development of Alzheimer’s. Polyphenols, present in green tea, have neuroprotective properties, binding with the toxic compounds that protect brain cells.

4.    Green tea help prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis . Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that causes soreness, stiffness, inflammation and loss of function in the joints. The EGCG  in green tea help reduce pain, joint damage, inflammation and slow cartilage breakdown

5.    Green Tea helps prevent stress. Stress causes inflammation in the body.  Green tea contains a large concentration of catechins (antioxidants) that reduce the body’s mental and physical stress response.  Additionally, the amino acid Theanine can reduce stress, improve cognition and mood.

Drinking 3 cups of green tea a day or using an extract are beneficial and will help you to create optimal health now and in your future.

This article is written by Lori L Shemek, PhD, CNC. America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert and Best-Selling Author of ‘Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!’  Find Lori’s book here: http://www.amazon.com/FIRE-UP-YOUR-FAT-BURN-ebook/dp/B0083BW37G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337040876&sr=8-1

 

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3 Tips to Organized and Efficient! By Michele Stalker

January 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment

If one of your resolutions is to “get organized” for the New Year, then it’s time to put things in order to improve efficiency. Time is one thing we don’t ever seem to have enough of, so by gaining control over your systems and your belongings, you can regain precious time often wasted on looking for lost items.

Here are 3 organizing tips for 2013 to get you on the right track:

 

1. Simplify.
Need I say more? People have too much “stuff!” This is a time of year when we have just gotten through the holiday season and received gifts, contributing to more things in our homes. Toss anything that’s broken, chipped or can’t be fixed. Donate items that no longer have a use or place in your life.

2. Envision your ideal space.
Sometimes people have a hard time deciding what to throw out. If you turn things around and look at it from a different perspective, try asking yourself, “What do I want in this space?” For example, your bedside table drawers could be so stuffed, you can hardly open them and end up piling things on top of the table. Clear everything off the surface and inside the drawers and then put back only what you want and need.

3. Take a few minutes to put things where they belong.
Think about when you first walk in the door to your home. Do you have a place for kids to put their backpacks, coats, boots, etc. as well as your own coats, bags and keys? If everyone in the household can take 5 minutes to put things away where they belong, then they will be there when you need them. It will be much easier to get back out the door when it’s time to leave instead of searching for missing hats, gloves and keys!

Remember, you don’t need to tackle everything at once, so start with one small project at a time.

Michele Stalker is the owner of the Professional Organizing Company Morganized Mom. She helps working parents manage the chaos of family life. With two young children of her own to guide her creative planning, she gives her clients customized solutions and proven efficient organizational systems for the home. For more organizing tips visit her at www.morganizedmom.com or on Facebook  at http://www.facebook.com/morganizedmom

 

 

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Is ADVENTURE in your healthy living plan? By Amy Christensen

January 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

5 Reasons Adventure Goals Are Healthy for Body & Mind

Are you stuck in a workout rut? Tired of the gym? Find yourself yearning for more excitement and adventure?

It’s totally possible. And even better—it’s good for you in both body and mind!

If you define an adventure as trekking around the world, or a week-long expedition into the backcountry, can feel either inaccessible, or like a long-term goal months (or years) away.

But it doesn’t have to be. Creating and nurturing short-term and daily adventures as part of your fitness goals has enormous benefits of its own.

1.    It’s social. Going for a hike, learning a new sport, or signing up for a local kickball team encourages interactions and sparks conversations. At a gym or a fitness class, we’re often in our own world (even if there are others around.) Creating a social environment where you’re sharing the experience can make working out more fun and less of a “chore” or “obligation.” Get your friends or family involved!

2.    It pushes your limits in new ways. When we dig deep and push our limits, we gain critical self-awareness, which leads to growth and action. We learn that we are stronger and more capable than we thought and we discover skills, talents and abilities we didn’t know we had.

3.    It helps you break out of routine. Routines can feel stagnant, and chances are, you’ve got more than enough between the 8-5 job, car pool schedules and meal times. What you crave is excitement and new challenges. Adding variety or setting a goal to get outdoors and do something completely different can help you break out of that routine and find adventure.

4.    It stretches you mentally and physically. Working out doesn’t have to be all about the number of reps you do, how much weight you’re lifting, or how many miles you ran. Stretching yourself mentally as well as physically offers new perspectives and new experiences, opening the doors for possibilities you may not have considered before. It’s about the temperature outside or how the world looks at midnight camping under the stars.

5.    It helps you build toward bigger adventures. If big adventures are on your bucket list, now is the perfect time to start building towards it. Start small and gradually increase the size of your adventure. Begin with a hike on a local trail, or experiencing a new spice, adding more over time. You’ll find your endurance and experience increasing toward your bucket-list adventure, like through-hiking a section of the Pacific Coast Trail or traveling overseas.

Here’s a bonus reason: It’s just plain fun! What adventures will you explore this winter season?

Amy Christensen is a certified life coach with a passion for adventure and helping women unleash their adventurous spirits. Based in Boulder, CO, her company, Expand Outdoors, focuses on creating healthy, sustainable, and fun lifestyle changes. She most recently launched 31 Winter Adventures, an email series delivering daily adventures to your inbox for 31 days in celebration of the winter season.

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4 Common Workout Mistakes by Julie Mulcahy

January 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Congratulations on your New Years Resolution to exercise and get fit! Following some simple guidelines in the gym will maximize your fitness gains and reduce risk of injury.

Here are 4 common workout mistakes new exercisers make at the gym:

Overtraining: The gym is always full of new exercisers in January. They are wearing all their bright and shiny fitness gear, ready to tackle their New Years Resolutions. They hit the ground running, literally! These can be sedentary people just starting out, or seasoned exercisers who don’t listen to the messages their bodies are sending. These folks push themselves so hard to try to make fast gains, the next day they can hardly walk down stairs or get out of a chair without muscle soreness and then they hit the gym again.  Starting a program too intense and never letting your body rest can lead to numerous injuries. Muscle soreness can result from high volumes of stress to the muscle. Stressing the muscle further in this state can slow the process of growth. The remedy for this is to listen to your body! If you work hard on squats and lunges,  work your upper body the next day. After a long hard run, try yoga or swimming the following day. This allows the muscle fibers the rest and growth they need to perform better. Although consistency is important, most proper, safe training plans allow for rest days. These are well deserved breaks to help grow muscle. Listen to your body!

Same routines: One huge mistake I have observed in the gym is doing the same routine day after day. I often see runners on the treadmill logging miles while they never venture into the free weight area. I see the muscle bound weight lifters pumping iron and never leaving the weight room. Your body gets accustomed to the same exercise routine and will become more efficient. This efficiency can lead to plateaus in weight loss and slow your fitness gains and can lead to repetitive use injuries. Change up your program! Try a new activity that will recruit different muscle fibers and build strength and endurance in new and different ways. Consult a trainer to teach you how to use other pieces of equipment you may not be familiar with. Make sure your fitness program has a strength, endurance and stretching component that is varied regularly.

Poor Form and Posture: Form and Posture are critical for proper performance. I frequently see gym goers lifting weights with rounded backs and protracted shoulders and moving so quickly that accessory muscles kick in  causing improper muscle substitutions. Many injuries can result from this technique including back pain and shoulder tendinitis. This is not unique to the weight room,  I have observed people in a forward bent posture leaning over the elliptical and resting on treadmill handles as if they will slide off the end if they let go. Proper pelvic neutral posture is the solution for all these scenarios. Gently cue your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in toward your spine. Keep shoulders aligned with ear lobes, do not let shoulders roll forward. Try all new activities slowly, with light weights and progress the weight when you have correct form.  Check your posture frequently in the mirrors. The mirrors are actually there for that reason. Your posture on your last repetition should be as good as your first.

Machines, machines, machines: Most often weight machines isolate specific muscle groups . Muscles in our bodies rarely work in isolation. Most weight machines do not simulate real life and often put the exerciser in a non functional seated position that does not fully engage the core. Our bodies benefit more from functional training. This means training in positions that occur in daily activities such as pushing, pulling, squatting and lifting with core activation. For example, standing in a pelvic neutral position while performing a free weight bicep curl also works your core. To singe even more calories, do the same bicep curl standing on the bosu ball, which challenges balance and gets leg muscles activated. Doing standing squats and lunges with medicine balls or free weights works many muscle groups of the upper, lower body and core simultaneously.  Incorporating weighted pulley systems, physioballs, and medicine balls challenge core and balance, while strengthening multiple muscle groups which torches many more calories than isolated weight machine moves.

Julie Mulcahy M.P.T is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 19 years experience in sports medicine and orthopedics. Julie is also busy mom of 4 children and a marathon runner. She may be reached by email, jam82296@hotmail.com or via Twitter @PTrunningmomof4

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Mind your Manners! By Jody Goldenfield

January 13, 2013 By 3 Comments

Mind Your Manners…in the Gym!

We all know that the start of a new year means New Year’s Resolutions. A very large percentage of people vow to lose weight as part of that resolution for the new year. Many of these people will join a gym to assist them in their efforts to lose weight. There are standard rules in a gym that you should follow along with some “unwritten” rules of gym manners.

1. Do NOT stay on the cardio equipment longer than the posted time limit during peak gym hours. I get it! 20 minutes on a piece of cardio equipment is like a warm up to many. If the gym is crowded, you can either get off and get back in line OR go do some weights and/or core work and then go back for more cardio. I opt for # 2 to keep your body moving and making better use of your time. This applies for weights too. Do not monopolize machines or weights during peak hours. Offer to let people work in!

2. Please do not talk on your cell phone while doing your cardio or weights. Yes, absolutely there are emergencies, however to talk just to talk and in a loud voice is rude. In addition, if you are easily chatting away and working out at the same time, that means that you are not working out hard enough. Put down the phone until you are done.

3. If you are not coming from work or some other destination, please do not wear perfume or cologne. Deodorant is enough. Perfumes and cologne scents will be intensified with sweating and can make those around you feel ill.

4. Locker room thoughts: Please respect personal space! The best advice is NOT to talk to people unless they have on a robe or clothes while they are getting cleaned up.

5. Please respect others right to work out. I understand that you may want to ask a fellow exerciser advice on form, etc. However, it is most appropriate to ALWAYS wait until the person is finished with their set or exercise. Ask them if it is alright to ask a few questions. People want to focus on their workout while they are at the gym. Like many, they have only a specified amount of time to get it done.

Written by Jody Goldenfield. I love weight lifting and am a health, fitness & workout enthusiast for over 30+years. At just short of 55, I am making sure I stay fit & healthy long term! I am also a FitFluential Ambassador. You can follow me at my blog Truth2BeingFit,  Twitter @truth2beingfit, Facebook, Pinterest at Truth2BeingFit, and Instagram at Truth2beingfit.

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5 Must-Try Exercises at the Gym by Gen Levrant

January 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

One of the biggest challenges with a gym workout is not having a plan. Wandering around aimlessly between machines, doing a few reps here and there, resting for a bit and then maybe spending remaining time on whatever cardio machine is available is not an effective workout!

What’s the solution?
Here are my five must-try exercises to try at your next visit to the gym. They require little or no equipment, recruit every major muscle group and will give you a short, sharp effective workout without having to wait for any machine! (As always, be sure to obtain clearance from your physician before beginning this or any exercise regime.)

1: Pivot Clock Lunge
Alternative to: regular cardio warm up
Good for: warming up entire body three-dimensionally
Keeping one foot static, pivot the other foot forwards and backwards into a lunge. Repeat in every direction (as if you were lunging to each opposite number on a clock face) before swapping feet.

2: 3D Press Ups
Alternative to: regular press ups/chest press machine
Good for: core, chest, arms
Perform a regular press up (either full or on knees) but keep changing your hand position on each rep: wide, narrow, one hand forward, one hand behind…

3: Wide to Narrow Squats (with/without dumbbells)
Alternative to: leg press, squat rack
Good for: lower body, core, cardio
Perform a regular squat and jump your feet together as you straighten up. Squat again before jumping your feet to wide again.

4: One-legged shoulder press (with/without dumbbells)
Alternative to: shoulder press machine, sit ups
Good for: shoulders, core, balance/proprioception
Set your core and balance on one foot. Reach one arm at a time up. To hit all muscles of your shoulder and challenge your core further, keep changing the direction in which you are reaching: out to the side, across the body…

5: Air Jack Burpees
Alternative to: a long time on any cardio machine!
Good for: fat-burning cardio
Perform a regular burpee but once your feet have jumped towards your chest, perform an air jack: a star jump but off the ground. If this is too intense, try a regular star jump!

You are now armed with a new gym plan that means: no waiting around for machines, every minute spent in the gym will be effective, a fat-burning workout that can be done in minute intervals or a circuit (try 3 rounds of 15 reps of exercises 2-4), and a happier and less frustrated you!

Gen Levrant is a Faster Health and Fitness certified Personal Trainer and Advanced Functional Training Specialist. She operates out of a private studio in Southampton, UK. For more info please visit http://www.fasterpt.com/personaltrainer/personal-training-south-west/faster-personal-training-southampton/southampton-gen-levrant/. You can reach Gen via email at Gen@fasterpt.com visit her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter @PTGen

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JUMP IN…and experience the POWER IN A GROUP!

January 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

JUMP IN to 2013!
So you’ve committed to a New Year’s Resolution to get healthy once and for all. One of the best ways to stay on track, for any goal really, is to find an accountability group.  In an accountability group you’ll find a mentor. A mentor is one who has already accomplished what you desire or who is simply further along the path. With this comes valuable insight and advice! You’ll enjoy empowerment and inspiration in an accountability group. For example, maybe it’s a new runner who just completed his/her first 5K race. Perhaps it’s someone who is juggling the demands of parenting and still continues to attend spin class three times each week. Or maybe it’s someone whose job requires a hefty travel schedule and yet still finds a way to eat healthy while on the road.

It is this solution that Health Your Way Online is wishing to provide YOU, and so specific New Year’s Resolution Support twitter chats have been created: Our Motivational Monday Live Chats begin TODAY and happen every Monday in January with the focus of supporting YOUR healthy living in the new year.

During our chat’s you’ll meet others with similar goals. You’ll be a mentor for some, and others will serve as a mentor for you. The camaraderie runs deep in the Healthy Living world! We know there is power in a group. If you have a specific question, there will be someone who has solved this challenge previous and can provide guidance. If you’re needing encouragement, there will be one who is having an awesome day, when you’re day has been a tough one. If you’re looking for a resource, there will be someone who has already found what you’re looking for. We’ll cover a wide variety of topics, tips and resources.

We are proud to introduce the Sponsors of our Motivational Monday Resolution Chats. Check out their products as they provide extreme value to all healthy living and fitness enthusiasts.

Surf-Her Skincare.  Created by a 30 year veteran in the self-care business, these “products repair plus protect the skin and hair from damaging effects of the sun.” www.camillethedayspa.com. Join their facebook community at https://www.facebook.comsurfherskincare

Ragnar Relay Series. A true example of the power of the group, ragnar relay is the epitome! Ragnar Relays are “overnight running relay series that makes testing your limits a team sport.” www.ragnarrelay.com. Follow them on Twitter @RagnarRelay

Sparkly Soul Inc. Effective gear is essential to creating your exercise experience. Enter Sparkly Soul Inc. unique design. They provide “Sports and fitness headbands. No slip and no headache. Entirely elastic all the way around. #1 headband that fits EVERY head shape- Guaranteed.” www.sparklysoul.com. Check them out on Twitter at @SPARKLYSOULINC

Bia Sport. Exercise should not add stress to your day, it should eliminate it! Hence Bia Sport was born! They offer the “1st GPS watch with SOS safety alert.” www.bia-sport.com.  Become a follower on Twitter at @biasport

JUMP IN and join our Power-in-a-Group Motivational Monday Live Chats EVERY Monday in January! 5pm(pacific) See you there! We are here to support YOUR healthy living efforts!

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2013 Health Trends to Watch by Rachael Roehmholdt

January 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

In 2012, you couldn’t read a health-related publication without running across some mention of getting enough sleep at night, the dangerous rise of energy drinks, or how so many women are eating a gluten-free diet – for allergies, sensitivities, or as a weight loss solution.

2013 will usher in a whole new set of trends that will return us back to basics - natural products, tuning in to your body, and being active wherever you go. Let’s take a look at five of these trends that might make their way into your life this year.

On-the-go fitness.
With so many of us using mobile phones and tablets, we’ll continue to see a rise of fitness and health apps to get that workout in wherever you go. We’ll also see a lot more membership based fitness apps (like GaiamTV.com) that you can access wherever you have an internet connection so you can get your sweat on from anywhere.

Love your body at any size.
With the rise of more celebrities embracing their bodies, we’ll see more women taking this to heart as well. As a culture, we’re shifting from the idea that one body size is the right size and seeing that all shapes and sizes have the ability to be healthy.

Personalize your fitness and health programs.
Understanding that no two people are alike, more personalized and custom health and fitness programs will emerge for women. More women will work one-on-one with certified professionals to motivate them to success by creating programs that work best for their bodies and where they’re at in life.

Go au natural.
In 2013, we’ll continue to see more natural and sustainable beauty products hitting the shelves. Many established brands will likely branch out with new lines of makeup, creams, lotions and potions that come from nature and aren’t made with harsh chemicals.

Tune in to your body.
We’ve seen many food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities pop up in recent years, which means women are becoming much more aware of how foods affect them. With that in mind, we’ll see new allergen-friendly brands pop up, as well as established brands work to keep their customers happy with these options.

Many of these trends in women’s health are tried and true, so you can be sure that the ones you choose to participate in will be here to stay well past 2013.

Rachael Roehmholdt is a certified holistic health coach and founder of Be More Healthful. With a passion for good food and living a healthful and balanced life, she believes that small changes to our everyday lives can set us up for a lifetime of health and happiness.

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