April 27, 2024

YOUR Safety Made Simple

February 25, 2015 By Leave a Comment

YOUR Safety Made Simple

Running along your usual early morning route, you’re lost in thought planning the in’s and out’s of your day ahead. Rush to this meeting, then return those emails, pick up the kids… You head across the street at your usual intersection when traffic clears, only to have a car whiz by you at warp speed and then slam on the brakes! You were sure the driver saw you. You were sure the driver was paying attention. You were sure you were visible. Accidents happen. You were lucky this time.

Ever experienced a close call like this? It’s shocking, alarming and scary! Increase visibility and be seen by others to increase your safety while exercising outdoors, walking your dog before and after work, or even while performing chores around your property during darkness. As an outdoor or fitness enthusiast, you need to know about AthLights!

A common mistakes of athletes is to assume visibility is only important from the front. Nothing can be further from the truth, visibility is important from the front, back, and sides of your body. “AthLights uses a unique magnetic grip which allows them to be placed anywhere on your clothing, not just on hems, belts, or the edges of garments” explains Daniel Staples, co-creator and COO of AthLights. AthLights is your safety solution as you can place the lights ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE on your clothing. Take a look at this video demonstrating the ease and user-friendly nature of their personal lighting system.

AthLights will be celebrating two years of exponential growth this April, and now you can discover what the fuss is all about. “AthLights are the lightest, smallest personal lighting product on the market for runners, bikers, and walkers” explains Daniel. The design of their lighting system was inspired by a friend and ultramarathoner of the founders who was searching for a comfortable, light-weight and compact safety light. “At the time, the typical safety lights for runners were large, bulky, and had to be awkwardly attached to waistbands, chaffing the skin. We took a shot at solving the problem and brought a beta version of the product to market about a year later” shares Daniel. And so the concept of AthLights was born.

So how does the light work exactly? Each light comes with a magnetic LED module with batteries included. The batteries enjoy a life of 40 hours and are easily replaced by batteries found at your local convenience store. “And even though they were created by engineers, you don’t have to have a PhD to use them. They simply twist on and off with a single flashing operating mode. Battery replacement is simple and requires no tools” insures Daniel.

AthLights also boasts a performing edge to other lights on the market. Daniel explains, “they’re waterproof and built from crush-resistant nickel-plated metal.” He continues “so even hikers, campers, and tough-mudder enthusiasts can wear them without worry of damaging them in the elements.” AthLights is there for you providing 600 feet of visibility with a strobe red and white light for even more visibility to catch others attention. Weighing in at only 1/3 of an ounce and sized smaller than a dime, once positioned you won’t need to give them a second thought. AthLights require no straps, buttons or pins! Using a rare-earth magnet it stays in place securely and easily.

Now you can focus on your fitness, instead of fussing with lighting and reflective gear that is distracting, bulky and cumbersome.

With an investment of $9.99 for a 2-pack of AthLights, why wouldn’t you add a layer of security and safety to your outdoor activities? And if you’re looking for a gift idea, look no further! Give the outdoor exerciser in your life (and yourself) peace of mind with AthLights! Order yours via Amazon or directly from their online store, www.athlights.com.

If you’re curious to learn more, check out all the facts here, or send an email via info@athlights.com. And please consider joining their communities on Twitter and Facebook!

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Healthy Habits That Stick by Nicole Bryan

February 24, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Small Steps to Successful Healthy Living

Long- lasting sustainable wellness happens with small consistent behavior changes. Going “on” or “off” a healthy eating or exercise plan for example, will defeat your efforts and only be effective and lead to results for so long. Just as you wouldn’t ever consider going “on” or “off” brushing your teeth or combing your hair, you shouldn’t consider a healthy lifestyle as something you are on or off of either.

The key is to consider healthy living as something you simply are, not something you do. So, how do you get there? Break your unhealthy habits down into small steps to slowly wean off or replace with new healthy behaviors. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Replace waiting time with walking time. How many minutes do you waste sitting and waiting for meetings or appointments? Instead of sitting around and wasting time, why not head out for a walk instead. Even standing instead of sitting is a more productive option. Keep an extra pair of walking shoes in the trunk of your car so taking advantage of the found time is easy and simple.

Replace juice with water. Save 100-plus calories plus countless sugar every single day by swapping out one glass of juice as your go-to beverage and drinking pure calorie-free water instead. Reducing simply 100 sugar calories a day equates to 700 less calories a week! Over the course of a year, the health benefits will really add up.

Make Monday mandatory exercise. Make Monday your non-negotiable fitness day. Always exercising on Monday sets a healthy tone for the week. You’ll be less likely to skip the rest of the week. Exercising on Monday also provides a great confidence booster and motivational tool to have one solid workout already completed for the week.

Small changes also eliminate the feeling of being deprived and punished. Small changes are the key to sustainable and effective wellness and healthy living.

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Shopping Gluten-Free by Gretchen Scalpi, R.D.

February 20, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Shopping Gluten-Free

According to Gluten-Free Foods in the U.S., 5th Edition by Packaged Facts “Over the five-year period ended in 2014, sales of gluten-free products in traditionally grain-based categories posted a compound annual growth rate of 34%.”

There are more gluten-free products in the grocery store than ever but many of those are packaged foods that may not include healthy ingredients.  Other options are gluten-free grains, fruits and vegetables.  It’s all so confusing so how do you choose?  Follow the tips below and you’ll be well on your way to purchasing and eating a healthier gluten-free diet.

*Start by going through your kitchen and your refrigerator.  Read labels and keep what you can and get rid of the rest.

*Carry a list of safe foods and foods to avoid every time you shop.  Plan ahead and create a list of food you do want to purchase.

*Load up on fresh fruit and vegetables.  Buy in season selections to save money and use them in recipes or eat them whole.

*Stay away from processed food and be prepared to do more cooking at home.

*Check the labels on everything before you purchase with the exception of fresh produce.

*Purchase gluten-free grains including quinoa, rice and rice flour, corn, buckwheat, millet and teff.

*Meat and seafood products without marinades are gluten-free such as beef, chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish.

*Dairy products including yogurt, cottage cheese, cream, milk and butter are a safe choice.

*Miscellaneous foods to round out your diet include honey, oils, hummus, seeds and seed butters and nuts and nut butters.

*Purchase drinks like bottled water, hot cocoa, coffee, tea, fruit juices and carbonated drinks after checking the labels to make sure they are gluten-free.

*Canned and plain frozen vegetables and fruit are a good choice. Check the labels on any items with sauces.

*Purchase separate containers of peanut butter, jams and jellies for yourself to avoid cross contamination.

*If you have a smart phone try looking for a phone app that can scan bar codes of packaged foods. This makes it easier to determine if the item you want to purchase is gluten free.

*Try shopping at ethnic markets and health food stores to give yourself some more options and to vary your diet.

*Purchase bulk items such as gluten-free flour, baking mixes and other staples online in order to save money.

To learn the intricacies of the gluten free diet, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian who has experience working with this challenging diet.

Gretchen Scalpi is a Registered Dietitian, author and Certified Wellcoach® who has celiac disease and know the challenges of eating right with this condition. Gretchen is pleased to announce her new online program “Gluten-free Bootcamp”, designed to help those who need to follow the gluten-free diet. If you are new to the gluten-free lifestyle for medical or health reasons, you’ll want to attend Gretchen’s new free webinar “Five Things You Should Know Before Going Gluten-free”

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Fitness Goals: The Mental Side by Tera Busker

February 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment


So much attention is focused on the physical side of goal setting, but what about the mental and emotional aspect of striving to reach a goal that’s important to you? Train and prepare your mind, as well as your body. Only then will your experience be complete…and more enjoyable!

Every day is a new day, a new week and a new chance to start working towards your goals. So, what are goals exactly? Goals are something that are within your reach that you WANT. It may take WORK to reach them, but the WANT will carry you to them.

Enjoy the journey. Sometimes we get stuck in the “work” part of the goal. It’s too hard, it’s too far away, it will take too long, and we forget about why we wanted to reach the goal in the first place. The fire that burned inside of us, the excitement, the JOY. Your goal is obviously something that you want and is going to be awesome when you reach it, so why not enjoy the journey until you get there?

Focus on the positive. You are working towards something positive, so if you stay positive and focus on how great the changes are, you will keep moving forward. If you get stuck in the negative or keep looking for the negative, you will have an awful time.

Your experience is your choice. You may struggle or have bad days, but look at those as lessons learned. You found a way that doesn’t keep you on track, so don’t go down that path again. See, negative into a positive. You are the one who is on this journey – you control how you experience it. You can make the best of it or you can make the worst of it.

 

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

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Baked Salmon Avocado Cup by Helen Agresti, R.D.

February 17, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Baked Salmon Avocado Cup

Here’s a filling and nutrient dense meal that’s full of waist slimming healthy fats and immune boosting Omega-3 fatty acids.  And yes, it tastes delicious!

 

 

Ingredients
(serves 2)
2 salmon filets, skinned
orange ginger seasoning, to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ripe avocado
1 fresh lemon
2 pinches sea salt
1/4 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pan with foil and lightly coat with olive oil.
2. Lightly season salmon with orange ginger seasoning.  Bake for 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
3. While salmon is baking, slice avocado in half and remove pit.
4. Squeeze fresh lemon over each halve and drain excess juice.  Lightly season with sea salt.
5. Allow salmon to cool. Then slice into small pieces.
6. Fill avocado cup with salmon and garnish with cilantro.

 

Recipe courtesy of Helen Agresti, RD. Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children.  For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti. For more information and recipes, go to www.pronutritionconsulting.com

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Buddy Friendly Fitness by Nicole Bryan

February 13, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Want to invite your friend to exercise with you? A medicine ball makes a great buddy friendly fitness equipment option. The following is for intermediate exercisers without injury concerns. Consult your physician before beginning exercise.
 

Begin with a 5lb or 8lb medicine ball. A few rules to remember when working with a weighted ball. Firstly, only work in a range of motion that you can control. So if you’re using momentum, risk of injury is greatly increased. Secondly, do not sacrifice form for repetitions, ever. When your form starts to fade, your set is over. Finally, start light. Choose a light weighted ball when learning a new exercise.
 

Rotate and Pass. Standing back to back. Turn to your right and pass the ball as fast as you can control to your friend. Your friend takes hold of the ball and passes it to you via his or her right side as well. Continue passing the medicine ball clock-wise for 15 rotations. Repeat passing the ball to your left in a counter clock-wise direction.

Squat and Toss. Stand facing one another. Perform a squat and then toss the ball under-hand to your partner. Your partner catches the ball and immediately drops into a squat, stands up straight again and tosses the ball back to you. Perform 15 squats and tosses each.

Jog and Toss. Stand facing one another about 4 feet apart. Jog to your right about 10 feet, tossing the ball back and forth as quickly as you are able. Stop, change directly and jog to your left about 10 feet tossing the ball back and forth. Repeat 5 total sets.

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Ready, Set, GOAL! By Tera Busker

February 10, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ready, set, GOAL!

You have been training and working hard towards a goal and BAM – you hit a road block. Whether it be an injury, a change in plans or an act of God, you are sidelined. You now have 2 choices. You can A) give up or B) get back in the game. You don’t have to let a setback be the end of your journey – you can take the opportunity to view it as a set UP to a new goal.

A Goal Within A Goal

Many athletes train for a particular event only to be stopped in their tracks by an injury. They don’t give up and throw in the towel.  They reassess their overall goal by reaching for a new goal – recovery. Their eyes are still on the big prize, but they have to work on a new goal in order to get back in the game. Take a cue from them and set yourself up for a new venture. As you heal , try a new activity like yoga or swimming. As you recover, you can still “compete” by challenging yourself to learn and perfect a new pose or stroke.

Change Of Plans

Maybe your setback was due to change of plans on your part or the event itself. This happens A LOT to runners because of poor weather conditions. It’s very frustrating, but if you trained for a race your training doesn’t have to be for nothing. Find another race! Running a race that you don’t have planned or is unfamiliar to you can be exciting and fun. If finding another race is not an option, then run your own race. When the weather improves or your schedule clears up, map out the distance you planned to run and get after it. You may not get a finisher medal, but knowing you stuck with it is reward enough.

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over

Sometimes setbacks actually mean giving up on your goal. Things happen that can permanently halt your progress, but don’t let it stop you from excelling. Find a new goal that fits into your life and your abilities but also takes you out of your comfort zone. The fear of something new and challenging can be refreshing and exciting. Excel. No matter what your setback is, don’t let it get you down. It may take you a little longer to reach your goal or take you in a totally different  direction, but you can still persevere.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

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Core Defined by Tera Busker

February 5, 2015 By Leave a Comment

What is my core?

Your “core” is defined as your body minus legs and arms. The core is made up of approximately 29 muscles that include: the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, obliques, erector spinae, diaphragm, hip flexor group and the pelvic floor muscles.

Why should I strengthen my core?

What does the core have to do with working out? EVERYTHING!!!! When you are exercising
your legs and arms are doing the movements, but the core is really the star of the show. The core is the body’s best multi-tasker.

The Core:

• helps you stay balanced on inclines, declines and unstable terrain

• stabilizes the spine and keeps it erect

• acts as an “Internal Brace” by holding the ab muscles tight to support the back

• regulates your breathing

• assists in making your body move as efficiently as possible, which decreases the chance of injuries

If your core is weak it can lead to inefficient movements that could cause injuries or patterns of injuries. Strengthening this important area will lessen the chance of injuries, improve your posture and optimize your Overall performance.

How do I improve core strength?

Improving core strength is about selecting the right exercises for your individual needs.You are a unique individual, so your program will vary from the next person, but here are a few simple exercises that will start you down the right path:

Planks

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.

2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.

3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.

4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.

5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Supermans

1. Lie on your stomach on a mat with your legs extended and arms extended overhead with palms facing each other. Relax your head to align it with your spine.

2. Exhale, contract your core muscles to stabilize your spine and slowly raise both legs a few inches off the floor while simultaneously raising both arms a few inches off the floor. Keep both legs and arms extended and avoiding any rotation in each. Maintain your head and torso position, avoiding any arching in your back or raising of your head. Hold this position briefly.

Birddogs

1. Begin on hands and knees with the back straight and the abs pulled in.

2. Lift the right arm up until it is level with the body and parallel to the floor.

3. At the same time, lift the left leg up and straighten it until it is also parallel to the floor.

4. Hold for a moment, lower and repeat on the other side, this time lifting the left arm and right leg.

Side Plank

1. Lie on your side on a mat with extended legs and stacking your feet one on top of the other.

2. Place your right elbow directly under your shoulder, align your head with your spine and keep your hips and knee in contact with the exercise mat.

3. Lift your hips and knees off the mat and keep head aligned with your spine. Keep your elbow positioned directly under your shoulder.

Hip Bridge

1. Lie on your back on a mat in a bent-knee position with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Place your feet hip-width apart with the toes facing away from you.

3. Gently contract your abdominal muscles to flatten your low back into the floor.

4. Exhale and press your hips upwards off the floor into extension by contracting your glutes. At the same time press your heels into the floor for more stability. Avoid pushing your hips too high as this generally increases the amount of hyperextension (arching) in your low back.

5. Inhale and slowly lower yourself back towards your starting position.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

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Are you GUILTY of these workout mistakes? By Gen Preece

February 4, 2015 By Leave a Comment


How to get REAL RESULTS from your exercise in 2015

Come January, we start back with a vengeance, determined to shift the Christmas flab; while feeling generally depressed, out of shape and giving up after a few weeks of colder weather and darker days. And reaching for the chocolate and wine to give ourselves a boost…

 

So here are big fitness mistakes that you can easily AVOID making this winter:

1) Having an “All or Nothing” attitude

Adopting this attitude places an immense amount of pressure on us to be 100% ‘perfect’ 100% of the time. And we all know how easy that is. More often than not, even if one managed to adopt this way of behaving for a couple of weeks, “falling off the wagon” eventually becomes inevitable.

What you can do instead: Take it one day at a time, telling yourself it’s about progress – not perfection. Trying to maintain an unrealistic way of living, combined with such an immense amount of pressure in the first place will only set you up for a perpetual ‘binge and start over’ cycle. If you have a slip up, just say to yourself “Whoops, I lost it again” and get right back on it starting with your next meal. It doesn’t make you a failure, it makes you a human being.

 

2) Too much exercise too soon

Thousands of gyms and health clubs DEPEND on this behaviour, evident from the surge in sign-
ups from new members and visits from existing members trying to get their money’s worth from January 1st. Whereas I’m (funnily enough) a big fan of regular exercise, the mistake so many seem to make is trying too much too soon, without the correct guidance. This can often result in injury and an (understandable) reluctance to continue.

What you can do instead: Be honest with yourself and find something you enjoy. If you like being in nature, find some long country walks. If you dislike the idea of the gym, cancel your existing membership or don’t join one. If you need advice, chat to a few personal trainers and find one you click with. Many of our Boot Camp class attendees were looking for something they could work hard at, but at a pace they are comfortable with. And that’s pretty much why we created it!

Remember, there is no magic-bullet, just the ability to take ownership and responsibility for the choices we make. YOU and ONLY YOU are accountable, and it was not until I embraced this and changed my own lifestyle, that I started to see results. I sincerely and wholeheartedly wish the same for you this New Year and always!

Gen Preece is an Advanced Personal Trainer and weight-loss specialist. She runs a private functional training studio in Southampton and a friendly Boot Camp class, helping to get people safe and permanent results.

Website: http://www.ptgen.co.uk, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FasterPersonalTrainingSouthampton, Twitter: @PTGen

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Need Workout Motivation?

February 1, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Need workout motivation? Find your fitness motivation with us every Monday on Twitter.

Meet us at #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat on Twitter TOMORROW, Monday February 2nd at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern)!

Here’s how to join in:

Log into Twitter. Enter hashtag #HealthyWayMag to follow the chat feed. Interact and chat with other fitness enthusiasts. We pose fitness-related questions for discussion, everyone joins in and offers their thoughts, tips, experience and advice. Instant motivation at your finger tips!

Tomorrow, February 2nd Fitness Chat is Sponsored by ENERGYbits:
ENERGYbits® is a high protein, low calorie snack gives unlimited energy as it is 100% organic spirulina algae. Spirulina contains as much gram for gram of calcium as milk, as well as containing 5 times more iron than spinach. ENERGYbits are easy to carry and convenient to consume before or even during your workout. It’s stomach-friendly and it’s packed with nutrients which means awesome energy for you. Follow them on Twitter via @ENERGYbits

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