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Break through the Mental Plateau by Nicole Bryan

April 24, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Break through the Mental Plateau

Are you experiencing a mid-year slump in efforts toward your fitness goals? If you’re dreading each workout, bored and uninspired, it’s time to try a few of these mid-year plateau busters to boost inspiration.

Race! That’s right, compete! Some adults think they 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! And you’ll discover a secret in the process, competing is a great method how to improve or get better in your sport or activity.

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 up your bike and head to a neighboring town or city for your regular Saturday ride will eliminate exercise staleness. Carpool with friends to a different area of town for your 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.

Daydream! Bring back the daydreaming days of childhood. Ask yourself, if you could undertake any physical activity, what would it be? Whether you dreamed of being a prima ballerina or the greatest baseball player of all time, why not take action to participate in that activity now. Look up adult ballet classes at the city recreation center or check out city league baseball teams. Instead of worrying how you’ll find the time, motivation or fitness level to achieve your daydream, start from the goal and work backwards. Ask for help, ask to be held accountable and start!

Let go of the structure that usually governs your day as adults, and embrace the freedom and creativity that sport and being active brings. Thinking about what moves you, will lead to figuring out what will make you want to move more. Everyone in your surroundings will benefit as your mood will improve, focus on tasks will increase due to be just generally happier and you’ll inspire many others in the process! So head on out to a race, organize an activity focused group, take a fitness field trip or simply daydream. Find what works and the mental fitness plateau won’t stand a chance!

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Buckwheat Apple Pancakes by Shirley Plant

April 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Buckwheat Apple Pancakes

Ingredients
•    3/4 cup buckwheat flour
•    1/2 cup almond flour
•    1/4 cup tapioca flour
•    1 egg
•    3/4 tsp cinnamon
•    1 1/4 cup Silk coconut milk
•    3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
•    1/2 apple grated
•    1 tsp baking powder
•    1/4 cup raisins

Directions
1.    Mix dry ingredients together. Add in wet ingredients and mix well
2.    Pour into a greased pan ( I use coconut oil) and cook over medium heat.
3.    Cook until you see bubbles and then flip
4.    Serve with fresh maple syrup

 

Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat. Looking for the latest and most reliable information on all things health, food and nutrition? The Eat Real Food Summit is here. Get FREE access today. You won’t believe the lineup! Check out her website via www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

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Portable Fitness by Nicole Bryan

April 3, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Make your fitness portable! Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

Jump Rope. Jumping Rope is high impact and is high intensity, and it also burns a ton of calories. Start with intervals and build from there. Begin with thirty-seconds to two minutes of moderately paced jumping, followed by walking for about a minute or two to allow your heart rate to stay in your aerobic zone. Be sure to warm up with walking for 10 minutes prior to your first interval, as well as cooling down with walking to return your heart rate to pre-exercise levels.

Exercise Band. Exercise bands provide resistance for our muscles. They’re portable and easy to adjust the intensity. If you’re new to exercising with the band and are focusing on building arm strength, try a standing bicep curl. Stand on the band with your feet hip-width apart, hold a handle in each hand along side of your body. Keep your torso straight, with your abdominals pulled in tight. Turn your palms to face forward. Bending from your elbows, pull your arms up so your palms are facing your shoulders. Slowly extend your arms again and return to your starting position. Repeat 10 times to start.

Balance Disk. Balance disks are similar to stability balls, just smaller. Their size allows them to provide an unstable surface to sit or stand on, while occupying much less room. If you’re new to exercising with the disk, as well as working on building core strength, try sitting on the disk. With your knees at 90-degrees, pull both feet up and off the floor. Hold for a count of 10 seconds to start and build from there. Place both arms across your chest, keeping your torso straight and abdominals pulled in tight.

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How to Get INSPIRED!

March 29, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Have you fallen off-track with your fitness? Are your workouts lacking motivation? Is your exercise energy lagging? Here’s how to GET INSPIRED!

JOIN US for your weekly dose of fitness motivation, inspiration and FUN!

#HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter.

 

We chat about all things fitness: finding fun workouts, goal-setting, problem-solving, overcoming obstacles, hot new workouts, racing, community athletic events, just to name a few.

Joining in the fun is easy! Here’s how:

Log into your Twitter account
Enter #HealthyWayMag in the “Search Twitter” box.
Follow questions noted as Q1 (Question 1), Q2 (Question 2), etc.
To participate in the conversation answer using A1 (Answer 1), etc.
Chat and have fun with other fitness-minded folks!

 

Tomorrow, March 30th Fitness Chat is Sponsored by goChia!
GoChia is an innovative all natural chia seed beverage that offers an alternative to sugary and stimulant laden drinks. Low calorie and low sugar, plus the power of the mighty chia seed! GoChia 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. Find their Chia Bites now available in Costco NE region, and their Chia Drinks and Snacks available on Amazon.

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Crank Up the Intensity! By Nicole Bryan

March 27, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Make the most of every minute spent in the gym by cranking up the intensity of your workout. Here are a few ideas to get your started. (The following is for intermediate or advanced exercisers without injury.)

Work in a shorter range of motion. When performing a motion, stop where you feel the most tension in your muscle, and then work your range of motion around that angle eliminating the full bending and straightening of your joint. For example, when lowering into a squat stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor, and then push up only about two inches before lowering back to the parallel to the floor position. Only return to your straight leg upright position every third or fourth rep.

Add in cardio-bursts. Take a few minutes at regular intervals during your cardio workout and double up the intensity into a sprint. For example, every three minutes perform a high speed sprint interval lasting from twenty seconds to one minute. Keeping the cadence high and piling on the resistance for a muscle overload for twenty to thirty seconds will also serve as a cardio burst.

Do back to back exercises. Choosing two or more moves for the same muscle group or movement pattern together without rest will improve difficulty due to a reduced rest cycle. For example do a set of cable pulldowns, immediately followed by a standing dumbbell row, immediately followed by a free-weight single arm row. Do ten to twelve reps each, followed by a thirty second rest. Then repeat the two or three moves until all sets are complete.

Increase your weights to lift with heft. Adding weight will increase the overload on our muscles to promote strength results. Try adding an extra plate of weight or choosing the next set of dumbbells for one set or several sets, then decrease reps if needed. Be sure to keep your movement pace under control and safe, being mindful of posture and stability.

Slow down your reps. Increasing the time muscles are kept under tension will fire up muscular endurance. Pay attention to continue breathing at your normal rate and keep your stabilizing muscles engaged so only the goal muscles are working.

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Are you new to exercise? By Sarah Johnson

March 26, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Creating a Habit for Beginner Exercisers

New to exercise?  Fantastic!  First of all, congratulations on making the decision to become healthier!

I’ve met many Brand-New-to-Exercise members during my years at the gym, and the most common mistake they make is overdoing it at the beginning.  To avoid that pitfall, which can lead to injury, disappointment or even quitting, beginner exercisers can start with some simple cardio.  Cardiovascular exercise strengthens your heart, builds endurance and burns calories.  It’s a great way to create the habit of increasing the amount of activity in your life.

First, choose an exercise that you enjoy doing.  The good news is that there are so many different types of cardio to choose from!  Walking indoors or outside, cycling, hiking and swimming are all great low-impact activities that will raise your heart rate.

Next, make a plan to do your chosen activity 2-3 days a week.  Look at your schedule or calendar, and write it down or create a reminder.  If it’s in your planner, just like any other important appointment, you are more likely to stick to it.

When doing the activity for the first time, make sure you warm up at a slower pace for 5-10 minutes before increasing the pace.  Plan on moving for 20 minutes at a time, including the warm-up.  Remember, we don’t want to overdo it the first time!

After you’ve succeeded in fitting in 3 cardio workouts in one week, it’s time to increase the duration.  Add 5 minutes to each workout the following week, for a total of 25 minutes.  Once you’ve achieved 3 workouts in a week at 25 minutes, add another 5 for a total of 30 minutes.

Don’t worry about distance or speed just yet; as a beginner, your main focus is fitting exercise in regularly and making the habit stick.  Once you’ve been regularly exercising, mix it up by trying a new activity or increasing the intensity.  And at this point, you’re no longer a beginner!  You’ve made being active a normal part of your life!

Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahJChicago

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Your Kinesiology Taping Solution

March 11, 2015 By Leave a Comment

If you suffer from muscle or joint pain, post-exercise fatigue or nagging injuries, there is help. Your answer is simply one click away. Meet Theratape.com!

Theratape is the leading online supplier of kinesiology tape, the colorful tape that can now be seen at virtually every major sporting event, as well as physical therapy clinics, chiropractic offices and training rooms. Since its debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, kinesiology tape has taken both the sports world and the therapy world by storm and is showing no signs of slowing down. This popularity is understandable when you consider that an expenditure of $10-$20 can purchase a product that can provide round-the-clock relief from pain and inflammation for up to 5 days, as well as accelerate the healing process.

Joanne Stapensea, M.Sc., an exercise physiologist and owner of Theratape.com says the benefits of kinesiology taping are many, with the user often experiencing relief and improved function almost immediately. Health and fitness experts agree. Using kinesiology tape can:

Speed Workout Recovery. Whether you work out a few times a week or participate in competitive multi-day athletic events, recovery is key! K-taping increases circulation to those working muscles, which means that more oxygen and nutrients are being delivered and more exercise byproducts like lactic acid are being removed.  The result? Less residual fatigue and muscle soreness and a faster return to peak performance levels.

Decrease Pain. Whether it’s a fresh injury or a chronic muscle or joint ache, kinesiology taping can help relieve the pain. The stretchy tape lifts the skin just enough to reduce pressure on sensitive pain receptors, providing drug-free relief the entire time it is worn.

Keep You Active. Because it provides pain relief and support without restricting range of motion, k-tape can allow people with injuries to continue to train and/or compete as they recover. What could be better than continuing in your sport and healing at the same time?

Correct Muscle Imbalances. Depending on the method of application, kinesiology taping can activate weak/poorly toned muscles or inhibit overactive muscles. This allows it to help correct muscle imbalances and dysfunctional postures that can lead to injuries or performance problems. Better posture means you’re decreasing risk of injury, and working at full functional power!

Wondering how kinesiology tape can do all that? For your own tutorial on how kinesiology tape works click here!

Theratape.com was born in the Spring of 2009. “I first saw Kinesio Tape at the 2008 Beijing Olympics on the US beach volleyball gold medalist” explains Joanne Stapensea, Theratape’s owner.  “I started searching for the tape online and had a very difficult time finding it. I realized that if I was having trouble finding it, there were probably thousands of other people in the same boat. That looked to me like a need just waiting to be filled!” she shares. “We now ship worldwide, supplying kinesiology tape to individuals, schools, clinics, hospitals and the military.”

Theratape.com is unique because it is the only source for all of the major kinesiology tape brands, varieties, accessories and educational materials. Among the many choices are:

Single Rolls – approximately 16 feet long, great for first aid kits, sports bags and personal use

Bulk Rolls – over 100 feet of tape, ideal for health professionals and athletic trainers

Precut Strips – varying widths and lengths of strips precut into X, Y, I or fan shapes

Precut Applications and Taping Kits – designed for specific body parts, these are perfect for traveling and on-the-go sporting events

Specialty Tapes – gentle or extra-strong adhesive, wide or narrow widths and more

With prices starting at just $8, you’ll find kinesiology taping is a cost-effective option. With so many choices available, there really is a type of tape for every athlete, every muscle and to support nearly every sport or fitness endeavor. However, if you don’t find what you’re looking for, simply drop Theratape an email via info@theratape.com.

File Theratape.com under extra-cool because they go the extra mile to inspire their customers. In addition to their wide selection of kinesiology tape and supplies, the Theratape Education Center goes one step further to educate health and fitness enthusiasts of the benefits of their products and how to use them correctly. “In the Education Center you can view hundreds of instructional videos and find printable application instructions, all organized by body part” offers Joanne. Especially useful to visitors is their YouTube channel highlighting taping applications for a wide variety of injuries and health conditions. One click and you’ll be a fan as you learn the basics in an easy to follow step-by-step format.

Are you a Health and Fitness Professional? Register in their database to secure your discount here. Order all of your patient supplies in one convenient spot, AND read reviews and reports to stay current on research all relevant to the taping world.

So if you’re looking to recover faster, decrease injuries and improve posture and muscle function, consider giving kinesiology tape from Theratape.com a try. Find all your kinesiology taping supplies and information in one easy to use online location. Join their Twitter and Facebook communities to discover why fellow athletes rave about the benefits of kinesiology tape. Make Theratape.com your kinesiology taping solution!

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Time-Saving Workout Tips by Sarah Johnson

March 10, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Workout tips to save time:

If you’re like me, there are days that I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the gym – and I work in one!  On those crazy busy days, I need an efficient, yet effective routine that still pushes me toward my goals.

Here are my tips for making the most of your time before, during and after your workout:

Before
Pack your gym bag the night before.  If you know you’ll be rushed to get out of the house in the morning, take a cue from when you were little and set out your gym clothes, music and sneakers the previous night.  Then you’ll be able to ensure that you have everything you need, without tearing the house apart to find your other shoe!  Sleep well knowing you can wake up prepared to start your day off on the right foot (pun intended!).

Create a playlist ahead of time.  Make a few designated play lists on your music device; a longer one for an endurance workout, a fast-paced one for your HIIT session and a calm, stress-reducing song list for a stretch routine.  If you have these, and other workout-specific set lists, you won’t waste time during your workout selecting or skipping songs that don’t motivate you.

During
Utilize the fitness staff.  We’re here to help you!  Your certified fitness professional can create a customized exercise plan just for you.  In fact, we can show you many ways to get the same results – you won’t get bored and you have options!  Only 20 minutes to exercise?  We can find a solution.  If you’re traveling, we can modify the workout so you can do it on the road, outdoors or in the hotel room.  You just have to ask.

Ask to work in. Just because someone’s using the machine you need, doesn’t mean you don’t get your workout in.  Most members are happy to share equipment – just politely ask to work in, and you can take it one step further and return the weights or settings to those the other member was using.  It’s a great way to maximize your time in the gym, and who knows – you may just make a new gym buddy!

Perform multi-tasking exercises.  Depending on your goals, there are many ways to combine movements and multi-task in the gym.  Get your heart rate up and increase your power with body weight exercises.  Calm your mind and improve your flexibility with a stretch routine.  Even if you have limited time, you can still get in a great workout.  Ask your fitness professional for goal-specific multi-taskers.

After
Nourish yourself.  What you eat and drink after exercising can affect how you feel the rest of the day, and can even influence how you perform during your next session.  Make sure to supply your body with the nutrients and energy you may have depleted during your workout, and replace any water loss with plenty of hydrating fluids.

Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahJChicago

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Stage your Comeback! By Nicole Bryan

March 5, 2015 By Leave a Comment

What’s your comeback story?

Look to those you know who’ve staged an exercise comeback after a setback for inspiration and motivation. One thing all comebacks have in common whether sports related, work related or otherwise; the comeback kid always says all the hard work was worthwhile. No one has ever regretted it.

Here are 6 steps to stage your best comeback yet!

Review. Retrace steps to determine where you strayed from your goal.

Research. Are there pieces of the puzzle that you’ve been missing? Maybe there is a new technology or method to make your goal easier to accomplish.

Be Vulnerable. Everyone makes mistakes and poor decisions. Don’t be afraid to let others know you’ve slacked off in your progress. If they know you are struggling, they may be able to help get you back on track.

Progress is Cumulative. Even if you falter on your way to your goal, exercise is cumulative. Every little bit counts. Stay out of the all or none mindset. You are not starting at zero again, simply start where you are!

Accept Responsibility. YOU ate the cookies, YOU slept in, YOU skipped your run. Take responsibility, and then move on.

Leave the Past in the Past. Focus forward. The past is the past, so leave it there. Acknowledge it, learn from it and then let it go.

So if you’ve strayed from your exercise and fitness goal, stage your comeback. A comeback takes planning, consistency, hard work and dedication…and you’ll never regret it!

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Small Changes Lead to Big Results by Josh Anderson

March 2, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Small Changes Lead to Big Results

Who wants to live their life losing 10 pounds in a week only to regain 15 pounds after quitting their incredibly hard diet? Many people do this continually – wash and repeat. That sounds like a terrible version of the Twilight Zone – harming your metabolic capabilities and hurting your psyche. So what’s a person to do? One option to shoot for a realistic caloric deficit of 100-200 per day that can result in 0.8 – 1.7 pounds a month which seems trivial but that equals 10 – 20 pounds a year respectively! The best part is creating a gentle caloric deficit like this is really simple.

Here are two options:

Snack Swap: If you would simply swap your normal, at-work vending machine snack with a piece of fruit, you could have cut out 150-200 calories! Get this; one 2oz. (56g) bag of salted potato chips has roughly 307 calories which you could have swapped for something like a large peach which has only 68 calories (175g; not to mention the vitamins, nutrients, fiber…etc.). With that swap you would actually be eating more food while saving yourself 239 calories. Do that every day for a month and you save 7100+ calories which equals to 24.9 pounds worth of calories a year!

Drop the Sugary Drinks: Sugary drinks are literally packing the pounds on people; they are so easy to consume! Let’s take the example of your typical classic Coca-Cola (12 ounce can) which has roughly 140 calories in it. If you simply stop drinking one soda per day you can literally cut out 4200 a month or 14.6 pounds a year worth of calories (51,000+) – that’s pretty simple!

Wrap-Up

It’s not all about cutting out calories; it’s about living a long, healthy life. If you’ve tried and failed in the past, it’s time to stop thinking of weight loss as a sprint. Instead, start thinking of weight loss as a fulfilling journey. Have patience with yourself in order to make weight loss work – make the small changes and give it time!

Josh (M.S.) is an AFAA Certified Personal Trainer and the founder of Always Active Athletics: “Your #1 Source For At-Home Fitness and Nutrition”.  He loves blending science with sustainable practices that can be implemented by literally anyone in order to live a healthy life!

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