April 27, 2024

Eat On-The-Go Healthy!

September 25, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Rushing here, rushing there! Late for this appointment, need to return that phone call! Everyone is busy, busy all the time! Rest assured, eating healthy on-the-go IS possible. All it takes is a little planning ahead. Having healthy food convenient is key.

Join #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat this Monday 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter and pick up healthy eating tips, nutritious snacking ideas and on-the-go best food choices!

Here’s how to join:

Log onto your Twitter account and follow @HealthyWayMag to see the chat questions. Questions for discussion will be posted as Question 1, “Q1″, Question 2, “Q2″ and so on. Contribute your answer and experience via answers to Question 1 noted as “A1″, designating your answer to Question 2 as “A2″ and so on. Interact with others, chat, exchange ideas, training tips and have fun!

 

 

Monday September 28, 2015 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat welcomes Co-Host Helen Agresti, R.D:

Helen is the founder of Professional Nutrition Consulting and The 24_7 Dietitian app. She’s a mom of 5, contributor for the Huffington Post, triathlete, and chocolate lover. Helen is passionate about educating families on how to cook healthy meals and snacks at home. You can now receive Helen’s Personal Nutrition Coaching thru her 24_7 dietitian app-available on iOS and android. Go to www.pronutritionconsulting.com for more info.

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How’s your Mental Fitness? By Jennifer Austin

September 23, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Fitness is not only about the body, but the mind as well. Try a few of these mental fitness moves to boost inspiration and motivation.

Race! That’s right, compete! For some reason, as adults we sometimes think we can’t or shouldn’t be competitive or admit wanting to win. However, striving to be the best or wanting to place in your age group, paying attention to time splits and wanting to pass others on the course is perfectly acceptable in athletic competition. Go ahead; keep time on a stop watch, push hard, announce wanting to finish first or set a personal record!  Bringing some friendly competition into your exercise routine will peak interest and involvement as you’ll be less likely to miss a workout when your ego is on the line.

Hone leadership skills. Why not send an evite to your friends, family or co-workers inviting them to a specific location each week for an outing such as a beach walk or neighborhood bike ride. If you’re the leader, organizer or point person for the group, you’ll be guaranteed to show up! With a meager 15-20 minute time investment each week, you could send fun fitness email tips to club members every so often, send links to healthy recipes, offering fun home-made prizes for the most improved or most consistent participant each season or year will also maintain interest. Have some fun, keep it light hearted and on task. Host a wrap up pot luck at the park once a quarter or once a year, invite spouses and others to expand the group. The momentum that builds toward wellness will keep the group (and you) on track, as well as setting new fitness goals.

Take in a change of scenery. For example, pack your bike and heading to a neighboring town or city for your regular Saturday ride will eliminate exercise staleness. Carpooling with friends to a different area of town for our long run is also a fun option to mix up the mundane same old running route. Conduct a search online for information pertaining to the specific activity, including roads, and safety notes, then invite some friends and embark on a fitness focused road-trip. Having to refer to a map or notes on the new area, along with new and different scenery will keep you engaged and interested.

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Thinking of Quitting? By Nicole Bryan

September 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ask any exerciser and just about every single one will tell you there have been days where they wanted to quit. Give it all up. Forget healthy living entirely. However, something or someone inspired them to keep going.
You want to quit your workout? Here’s why you shouldn’t:

There will be progress. In fact it’s almost a given or guarantee, if you stick with it long enough that is. Many of your body’s systems are trainable. You will become stronger and more efficient with repeated practice. For example, your cardiovascular system, or your heart. Your heart will become stronger when you make it work through exercise. Physical changes from exercise and healthy eating are both externally and internally based. They are based on human biology and physiology, so if you’re not seeing results do an honest inventory. Are you truly following the guidelines on a daily basis? If so, double-check or fine tune your approach. Maybe what you’re doing isn’t right for you or your body. Consult a Fitness Professional to dial in all aspects of your healthy living schedule. Stick with it long enough and you’ll get where you need to be.

Difficult times will pass. Schedules change, demand on our time change, responsibilities will change. Adjust your healthy choices, but keep at it. Just because it’s hard now, doesn’t mean it will always be that way. Focus on getting what you need from your workout. Your needs will change, and they should change. Why give it all up just because you hit a bump on the road? Don’t.

You won’t ever regret your effort. Plain and simply put, you won’t ever regret healthy choices or a healthy lifestyle. Your workout will always be worth your time and effort. When you have a few more years of healthy living behind you, you’ll never say you wish you didn’t do it.

Personal pride. What about the confidence that comes from setting a goal and accomplishing that goal? There is tremendous personal pride that will come from improving your lifestyle, your body and your overall health.

Makes your life easier. Being in good health makes life easier in many ways. You have energy to complete your tasks. You have strength to lift what you need.

Be an inspiration. You never know who you’ll be inspiring with your dedication and discipline. Chances are you were inspired to live healthy from another person, be that person for someone else. If you can’t do it for yourself when times get tough, do it for someone else until you find your groove again.

You never know where your health will take you. Being healthy opens you up travel, adventure, athletic competitions, community events, making new friends and family fitness endeavors. Be open to expanding your fitness.

So, if you want to quit your healthy living, firstly you are not alone. And secondly, don’t. Find what works for you and keep going. Early, late, long, short, high intensity, low intensity, home, gym. Don’t ever quit. Keep after it.

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Is it ok to miss a workout? By Jennifer Austin

September 16, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Excused Absence?

We hear time and time again its crucial TO exercise, but there may be times when we should NOT exercise.

There are physical hardships that have recommendations to not workout while managing certain conditions. What we hear about less often, however, are the non-physical situations that also require rethinking a workout.

Unsafe equipment. If there is an “out of order” sign on your favorite piece of cardio equipment at the gym, it means the equipment is out of order! Don’t try to use it regardless of the advisory, it’s unsafe. The same applies to stability balls that are under-inflated, exercise bands that have holes in them and free weights that have loose collars or machines with obvious pieces missing. Choose an alternative workout or piece of equipment for the day.

Rushing. Speeding through your workout leads to inefficiencies and possibly injury. Streamline your exercises, pick your priority moves based on your goals and perform those only with a quality focus. Inability to do this may mean moving your workout to another day or time is your best option for results.

Dispersed attention. Thinking of other things while working out may lead to poor progress or injury from lack of attention. Instead, use the workout to take mental break from your worries and troubles and focus only on the muscles you’re working and the task at hand. If you’re unable to target your focus, exercising another time is your best course of action.

Unsure how to do specific exercise. Forgetting instruction or proper equipment set up means do something else for the workout. Guessing as to a seat setting or machine start up will only lead to frustration and possible injury.

In most cases with a little creativity, we can work around an equipment challenges or scattered thoughts. The benefits of exercise are cumulative and therefore missing one exercise session will not make or break our fitness. In fact, having good common sense and making smart choices about our workout will lead to the greatest benefits of all, being healthy, feeling good and capable to participate in life-long fitness.

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Reach YOUR Fitness Goals!

September 11, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Want to reach your fitness goals?

Find support on your journey with #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern). Pick up fitness ideas, accountability, tips and motivation! Motivation equals RESULTS!

Here’s how to join:


Log onto your Twitter account and follow @HealthyWayMag to see the chat questions. Questions for discussion will be posted as Question 1, “Q1″, Question 2, “Q2″ and so on. Contribute your answer and experience via answers to Question 1 noted as “A1″, designating your answer to Question 2 as “A2″ and so on.

Interact with others, chat, exchange ideas, training tips and have fun!

 

Monday September 14, 2015 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat Sponsored by Inspired Endurance:

Celebrate your fitness with high quality jewelry and accessories from Inspired Endurance! Bracelets, necklaces, charms and custom designed beads is what you’ll find to commemorate your accomplishments and love of your sport. Through their unique jewelry designs, they are encouraging and inspiring athletes of all kinds to continue with passion and achieve their goals. Specializing in running and triathlon jewelry, and highlighting race distances from 5K to Ultra, there truly is something for everyone! For more information follow them on Twitter, and to browse available jewelry, please visit InspiredEndurance.com.

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Be a Beginner…Again by Nicole Bryan

September 9, 2015 By Leave a Comment

In a workout slump? One of the best ways to increase motivation is to try a new activity. For many, merely the thought of being the new kid in class conjures up uncomfortable feelings and images of being lost or not performing correctly. However, as adults, we are in charge of how we can approach a new activity with confidence, humility and yes, even a sense of humor.

If you’ve been in the fitness world for a while, you may have forgotten what it feels like to be a beginner. Consider it! You may even find a new sport, workout or physical activity to love. If you’ve been thinking of trying a new exercise, make TODAY the day you become a beginner, yet again. Go ahead, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I dare you!

Here’s how to make being a beginner a little less scary:

Talk to friends. Actually, talk to everyone and anyone you know who has participated in the activity you are considering. As them what they like and don’t like about the activity. Ask them what location, instructor, gear and technique they recommend. Also, ask what initial fitness capabilities are required.

Google it. Let’s face it, we’re no longer in a not-knowing age of technology. Simply do a search online. Play connect-the-dots with the information you find, and see where it leads you.

Request a guest pass. If you’re unsure if you’ll like the activity, save some money up front by asking for a guest pass. Many facilities and even instructors allow a first-visit-free opportunity. You’ll never know if there are discounts or free trials available unless you ask!

Try and try again. Instead of discounting the new activity right off the bat after a unpleasant experience, give it at least three attempts on three different days. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding a the right fit of location, instructor personality or class participants.

Learning takes time! You didn’t just walk on to the tennis court the first time and score an ace, so why would you expect to instantly master the skills needed during your first try? Learning is half the fun after all! Cut yourself a break, and remind yourself that learning a new activity takes time.

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Teen Fitness 101 by Jennifer Austin

September 4, 2015 By Leave a Comment

School’s back in session. Why not take the opportunity to start talking about fitness with your youngster. Encourage them to learn the proper principles through a professional, instead of through gossip and fads. Invite their friends to join in on setting up healthy behaviors for a lifetime. Although they’ll probably never admit it, as they grow up they’ll appreciate knowing how to separate the facts of fitness, from the fiction of what they may see and hear.

Stay engaged with your teen to manage their activity by keeping a few points in mind:

Invest in professional instruction. Private instruction, community class or sport clubs will provide the basic principles of fitness.

Designate a space. Whether it’s a space in the garage, a corner of the room or shared living space, designate the area as the gym.

Allow their creativity. Posters, music and having a say in the location of the workout space will empower teens to want to make the effort to participate.

Base principles on science. Many mixed messages exist in the media and it’s only natural for young people to confuse what they read, see and hear with the facts of physiology.

Praise efforts. Anytime active time is better than inactive time!

Preach balanced behavior. Being mindful of words and attitude toward wellness will go a long way to establishing and setting a healthy example.

Listen. What kinds of statements are you hearing from your youngster regarding health and fitness. Don’t let mumbles or words during a quick passing of self-doubt or low self-esteem go unnoticed.

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Get Extra Credit from your Walking Workout by Nicole Bryan

September 2, 2015 By 1 Comment

Looking to increase the intensity of your walking workout? Add in a few extra credit moves to burn additional calories. (Always consult your doctor before beginning exercise. The following is for those without injury or illness concerns.)

Walking Lunges. At the end of your walk, perform one to three sets of walking lunges. Step forward about three feet with your right foot. Bend your left knee and lower it about twelve inches toward the floor; bend your right knee so it is directly over your right ankle. Then transfer your weight forward onto your right foot, lift your left foot and swing your left foot to the center, then forward about three feet. Bend your right knee and lower it about twelve inches toward the floor; bend your left knee so it is directly over your ankle. Repeat ten times. For more of a challenge, increase the range of motion of lowering the knee towards the floor. Lower down until your knee is about two inches off the floor.

Standing Calf Raises. At the end of your walk, perform one to three sets of calf raises. Stand facing the curb or a step. Hang your heels off the curb. Lift and lower your heels. Perform ten to fifteen repetitions. For more of a challenge, place both arms across your chest when lifting and lowering your heels. Doing so will add a balance challenge into your calf raises.

Wall Squats. At various intervals during your walk, find a place to perform a wall squat hold. Position your feet about three-feet away from the wall and lean with your back against a wall or secure post. Slide your body down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your knees directly over your ankles. Hold this position for ten to thirty seconds. Perform two to three sets back to back with thirty seconds rest in between holds. For more of a challenge, while in the wall squat position, keep your torso upright and still and lift your right foot about six inches off the ground and hold for ten to thirty seconds. Return your right foot to the floor and then lift your left foot about six inches off the ground for a hold of ten to thirty seconds. Perform two to three sets with each foot.

Walking Pick ups. Choose different landmarks on your route, or at specific time or mileage intervals do a quick pick-up of your walking pace for two to three minutes. During the pick up interval, shorten your stride, focus on the turnover of your legs, and move your arms. For more of a challenge, decrease the rest time in between intervals to thirty seconds of walking. Then go right back into another pick up interval.

Jogging Intervals. At each mile, do a short thirty second to two minute jogging interval. Extend the duration of your intervals to increase the intensity of your workout.

Stair climb. Find a flight of stairs on your walking route and do a few quick intervals up and down. To ramp up intensity, take the steps two at a time on the ascent and jog the descent.

 

*Disclaimer: Result may vary from person to person.

 

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