Get Fit Quick Tip:
Set your mind to reach your fitness goals!
Get your mind right in your fitness, and you’re half way there! A supportive mindset can be accomplished in spending a few minutes every day. Sit quietly and visualize accomplishing your goal- How will you feel? What will you see? What will you say? It’s important to include all your senses in your visualization and make it feel “real” to your mind. Get your mind right to reach your goals!
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Walk your Cardio!
Walking is a great go-to exercise choice! Simply grab your keys and go! Walking doesn’t require specific attire, or specific shoes even depending on your walking style, a specific location or a specific time. Begin with a 10 minute walk and then build your cardio challenge from there. Keep your stride natural, and if you’d like to walk faster focus on turning over your feet faster (taking smaller, faster steps.) Walking strengthens your heart, lungs and muscles. You’ll also be improving balance, coordination and agility with a regular walking workout. So instead of disregarding this user-friendly cardio choice, consider implementing it as a regular part of your overall workout plan.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Challenge your Coordination!
Fitness means many things! Endurance, strength, power, flexibility, and balance and coordination are all aspects of fitness! Set a goal to try a new exercise each month that challenges your coordination. The mental focus required is a nice distraction from the physical effort. And because of the mental focus you’ll need to master this aspect of fitness, your interest remains high and your motivation will soar! For an all-inclusive workout with an emphasis on coordination consider stand up paddle board, basketball, baseball, jump rope, dance, slack line, rollerblading, trampoline, tennis, just to name a few.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Lying Hamstring Stretch
Sitting most of the day? Do this hamstring stretch to ease lower body and lower back tension. Lie down on the floor on your back. Extend your right leg straight up with your heel toward the ceiling. Place a strap or belt securely under the arch of your shoes to assist your stretch. Keep your shoulders and hips on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, then release. Next, extend your left leg straight up toward the ceiling. Place the strap or belt securely under your arch. Hold for 10 seconds, then release.
*Consult your physician before performing stretch.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Listen to your body!
How do you know when nagging soreness from exercise warrants a trip to the doctor? Soreness is part of working out sometimes. Discomfort is also part of working out sometimes. Pain is NOT part of working out. So here’s the bottom line: If a move, motion or exercise doesn’t “feel” right to your body, it probably isn’t. Unload the weight and stop the exercise. Revisit proper form without weight or resistance, and then try again. If it still doesn’t feel right, then adjust the range of motion, mode of exercise or consider modifications. This is a feeling you don’t want to push through. And if you have pain that results, here are few guidelines to know when to take it seriously:
When ice doesn’t make it feel better.
When you have loss of range of motion or mobility.
When pain wakes you up at night.
Any pain accompanied by swelling, change in appearance of joint or muscles, numbness or tingling.
When you’re unable to perform your usual workout because of pain or discomfort.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Take a Break…
… and practice deep breathing! Simply close your eyes and take three to five deep breaths. Don’t worry about breathing technique such as breathing in through your nose or out your mouth, etc, do what feels most comfortable to you. Instead breathe in for a count of 2-3 seconds, hold for 1 second, then slowly exhale for 3-5 seconds. Then pause and relax, and begin again. The key is to not rush each breathe, just find your natural rhythm. When we breathe mindfully, our nervous system receive a message to relax. In doing so, our muscles relax, tension releases, stress decreases, our mind clears and we feel better.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Slow down your weight training. Add pauses to reduce momentum!
When lifting weights, pause at the top of the range of motion and pause at the bottom of the range of motion. Adding in one to two second pauses reduces momentum during weight training. Reducing momentum means your muscles work harder instead of bouncing or swinging through your routine.
*Consult your physician before performing exercise.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Superman to strengthen your core
Strengthen your core with this superman exercise. Begin lying face down on a firm surface. Tuck your chin into your chest. Next, in one motion extend both arms straight out in front of you and lift your chest up off the floor about one inch. At the same time, squeeze your leg muscles and lift both legs up about one inch off the floor. Hold for a 5-10 second count, then release. Repeat 5 times.
*This exercise is not for those with low back or spine concerns. Always consult your physician before performing exercise.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Seated Hamstring and Low Back Stretch
Ease muscle tension at the end of the day with this full body stretch. Begin seated on the floor with both legs out straight in front of you. Cross your right ankle over your left ankle and walk your hands forward, tuck your chin to your chest and bend forward from your low back. Hold for 2 to 3 deep breaths, then release. Next, cross your left ankle over your right ankle, walk your hands forward and ease into the stretch. Hold for 2 to 3 deep breaths, then release.
*Consult your physician before performing exercise.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Choose health and fitness TODAY! Getting healthy and fit takes commitment, dedication and effort. And it will be worth every minute of your time, effort and sweat. Here’s how to stop procrastinating and choose health and fitness TODAY:
Set the timer on your phone to signal workouts.
Ask friends and family for accountability.
Set a mini-goal for each workout.
Add a social component to make your fitness fun. Fun workouts mean you’ll be less likely to skip. And when you’re consistent with workouts, you’ll see results.
Learn a new sport or skill to keep interest high.
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