March 18, 2024

Choose health and fitness…

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.

 

 

Find YOUR Fitness

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Fitness is NOT one size fits all!

Not all workouts are for every body! Likewise, not all bodies are for all types of workouts! Just because you didn’t like a workout, or the workout didn’t work for you doesn’t mean give up on your fitness all together. Unfortunately, so many give up entirely! Fitness goals vary, capabilities vary, comfort varies, and likes and dislikes vary. Remember this! Try a workout at least 3 times, changing the format, order, load or intensity, and try different instructors if in group fitness, before eliminating the workout as a fitness option. And then choose another option, and then another option, and then another option, until you find what works for you, feels good, is challenging, and yield results. Keep at it, and never give up. Try and try again to find YOUR fitness!

Take your leg strength to the next level…

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Do a Single Leg Squat for leg strength.

Once you’ve mastered the Squat, try a Single Leg Squat to take your leg training to the next level. Here’s how:

Stand on your right leg only. Bend from your right knee and hips, and sit back lowering your body down about six inches. Keep your right knee lined up over your right foot. Maintain proper spinal alignment with your hips level. Now stand up straight again to complete one rep. Do 8-12 times. Repeat, standing on your left leg only. For better balance, extend both arms straight out in front of you. Progress to placing both arms across your chest. For even more of a challenge, reach forward and touch a point such as a chair or cone with your hand while maintaining proper form.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Do this stretch…

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Kneeling Hip Stretch

Do this kneeling hip and quad stretch to decrease front thigh tightness. Kneel on your right knee. Tilt your pelvis back and under. Let your hips fall slightly forward. Hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat the stretch kneeling on your left knee. Hold for 10 seconds, then release.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Is fear holding back your exercise?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Embrace your exercise fears!

Is fear getting in the way of your fitness? What exercise or sport would you be participating in if you weren’t afraid, anxious or nervous? Embrace the fear and keep moving forward. Here’s how:

Ask for help. Everyone was a beginner at some point. Don’t know what to do? Ask your friends, a professional, the front desk staff.

Start slow. Afraid you won’t be able to complete an entire spin class? Don’t! Share your thoughts with the instructor and set your goal to complete 30 minutes (with a proper warm up and cool down.)

Break it down. Always wanted to try rock climbing? Great! Break it down by firstly, simply visit your local rock gym. Second, ask if you’re able to observe others climbing. Third, inquire about lessons or classes. Fourth, climb!

 

After-Running Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Mid-Foot Stretch!

After your next run, do this stretch to ease sore feet and tired legs. Here’s how:

Place the ball of your foot on a object about 4 inches off the floor such as a curb, foam roller or small step. Keeping your heel on the ground and ankle straight, slowly transfer your weight onto the ball of your foot. You should feel a slight stretch along the bottom of your foot. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then release.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

Expand your Fitness Horizons

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Try new exercises on a regular basis!

Our body (and our mind) likes unaccustomed exercise! Expand your fitness horizons by trying new exercises every 4-6 weeks. Here are 3 ideas to get you started:

Ask your friends what physical activities they enjoy. Tag along!

Revisit your childhood activities. Did you love a particular sport or physical fitness activity growing up? Try it again.

Research. Google search sports and fitness for your home town and see what activities pop up.

 

 

 

 

Traveling? How to keep your fitness on track. By Nicole Bryan

Take your strength/stretch routine along for the ride this summer! This combo workout series is a great fit to maintain condition while traveling. The following series is for intermediate exercisers and those without injury or illness concerns. Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Knees to chest stretch. Lie on your back and pull both knees into your chest. Hold ten to twenty seconds.

Hamstring stretch. Lie on your back. Extend your right leg straight up, perpendicular to the floor. Hold ten to twenty seconds. Change leg position; extend your left leg straight up, perpendicular to the floor and hold.

Bicycle for Abs. Lie on your back and pull both legs up off the floor with knees bent. “Bicycle” your legs to work abdominal muscles. Do ten times total.

Figure 4 stretch. Lie on your back. Cross your right ankle onto your left thigh, pull both legs off the floor and in toward your chest. Hold ten to twenty seconds. Change leg position; place your left ankle on your right thigh, pull both legs in toward your chest.

Floor plank. Lie on your stomach on the floor. Place your forearms and toes on the floor, lift the rest of your body off the floor and maintain parallel to the floor. Hold thirty seconds.

Low back stretch. Begin on your hands and knees on the floor. Inhale, round your back up. Exhale, and arch your back. Do five times.

Standing squats. Begin standing with your feet hip width apart, hold your arms straight out in front of you. Bend from your knees and hips and sit back into a squat. Lower your body down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to your starting position. Do ten repetitions.

Standing lunge stretch. Standing, step your right foot back about three feet. Keep both feet flat on the floor and pointing forward. Bend your left knee and hold ten seconds. Change leg positions; step back with your left foot back about three feet, keeping both feet flat and pointing forward, bend your right knee and hold ten seconds.

Standing front thigh stretch. Stand on your right leg. With your left hand, grab your left ankle. Keep your knees together and your torso straight. Hold ten seconds. Release and change leg positions. Stand on your left leg only, with your right hand hold your right ankle. Hold ten seconds.

Don’t let travel plans leave your strength and flexibility on the sidelines. Maintenance is not regression after all! Use this stretch and strength combo routine to take easy conditioning along during travels!

 

*Disclaimer: Result may vary from person to person.

 

Get in the Fitness KNOW!

Get in the fitness KNOW!

Join #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat on Twitter every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern.) You’ll pick up your workout motivation for the week, find fitness-minded friends and exercise accountability. You’ll also be introduced to people and gear that will help improve your fitness.

Thank You Fitness Chat Sponsors:

Jessica Matthews. Fitness expert, college professor, yoga teacher, fitness writer, trainer, group exercise and health coach. She believes in taking a balanced approach to fitness and wellness. You’ll be inspired to live a happier and healthier life with Jessica’s motivation. Follow her on Twitter for workout tips, exercise articles and healthy living ideas, @fitexpertjess.

Drink Chia. Drink Chia is an innovative all natural chia seed beverage that offers an alternative to sugary and stimulant laden drinks. Drink Chia provides enhanced hydration, endurance and immune system support. They are the only chia drink that has the power of chia with B-complex vitamin, selenium and zinc as well as being rich in plant sourced-omega-3 fatty acids. Follow them on Twitter @DrinkChia.

ENERGYbits®. This 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. Be sure to follow them on Twitter @ENERGYbits for more information.

Walk your way to fitness! By Nicole Bryan

Walking for fitness is one of the simplest activities from which we can reap worthwhile metabolic benefits, as well as cardiovascular benefits.

Begin with a five to ten minute warm up of walking at a slow to moderate pace, followed by fast paced walking. Important points regarding walking for fitness form include:

 

Focus on walking heel to toe, instead of landing with a flat foot. Doing so reduces our chance of falling and allows us to use our calf muscles easier to power our body forward.

Stride out. Try to cover at least twelve inches with each stride. Also pay attention to keep right foot stride and left foot stride even.

Keep feet parallel. Keeping our feet parallel will insure lower body musculature is able to work at full power.

Knees should be pointing forward. Pay attention to not twist knees in, out or sideways.

Keep hips facing forward. To walk more efficiently don’t rotate the pelvis with each step. Instead focus on swinging legs in a forward direction.

Belly button should be held in tight. Pulling the belly button in tight should be done without holding the breath. Doing so, helps us maintain proper upright posture.

Keep hands open. Clenching our fists will only waste energy and cause us to raise our shoulders up adding tension to our neck.

Pull shoulders down and back. Pinching our shoulder blades together slightly will force our shoulders into a back and down position.

Power arms forward or back. Keeping our arms moving forward and band, not in a side to side motion is the most efficient method to maintain a fast walking pace.

Chin should be parallel to the floor. Keeping our chin parallel to the floor, instead of tilted up will ease neck tension and allow our arms to move forward and back easier.

Head should be lifted with eyes looking straight ahead. When we are looking down the entire time, the tendency is to hunch our shoulders forward and curl our back forward as well. Both of these posture positions can add strain to our lower back and neck.