May 4, 2024

Increase Motivation to Get Unstuck by Nicole Burley

September 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Does Your Shift Need a Shove?

You swore that this was going to be the year that you dropped 20lbs/changed jobs/started a new career. You really meant it when you said it, too. But somehow, as the days and weeks passed, and as life got in the way, those goals fell by the wayside and nothing has changed.

It’s frustrating when you want things to shift in your life, but you find yourself feeling terribly stuck. The truth is that nothing shifts unless YOU make it shift. Your life requires your participation – and action.

Sometimes, though, if you’ve been stuck for a while, a shift isn’t quite going to cut it. Sometimes, you need a gentle, loving…shove.

3 Ways to Shove Yourself Into Action If You’re Stuck

1. Shout it from the rooftops.

Tell someone. Put it on Facebook. Tweet it. Send out a mass mailing. Whatever feels ‘public’ to you. When you share your goals with other people, you create instant accountability.

2. Choose something else entirely.

If you can’t seem to get started on your goal to stop drinking soda, then perhaps this isn’t the right time for that effort. Rather than force yourself to follow through on something that isn’t meaningful in this moment, why not choose a different goal? Choose something that resonates with who you are and where you are right now.

3. Ask for help!

Enlist a professional. A certified life coach can help you get out of your own way. Sometimes you need someone whose job is to challenge your thinking and encourage your growth. It’s also a GREAT way to stay accountable and banish your excuses.

What are some of your favorite strategies for helping yourself shift gears? Do tell!

Nicole Burley, M.Ed, ACC is a certified Life Coach and Health Coach and creator of the Healthy Habits Coaching Club. www.NicoleBurley.com

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Your Body, Exercise and the Gym by Brett Klika, C.S.C.S.

August 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Are you busy?  Do work, kids, and other life commitment prevent you from getting to the gym? You’re not alone. The good news is, man (and woman) didn’t have gyms and their sacred equipment for thousands of years and they managed to get in great shape.

We are surrounded with thousands of opportunities to exercise and move whether we are at home, at a park, or anywhere else life may take us.  Using only the most premium piece of exercise equipment ever created (our body-weight) we can get stronger, more fit, and energize our life.

Here are some whole-body exercises you can use right at home to create a leaner and happier you! Click on the exercise and you’ll find a YouTube video demonstrating each exercise.

1.  The Crab Crawl
This exercise is great for the triceps, shoulders, upper back, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.  Try doing three sets of three movements in each direction.

2.  Around the World Push-Ups
This exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.  Try doing a total of 10 push-ups.

3.  The Hungry Tiger
If you want strong hips, shoulders, triceps, and core, all while getting an aerobic workout the Hungry Tiger is an exercise you can do anywhere!  Try to complete three rotations clockwise around an open space, then three rotations counter clockwise.

4.  Get Ups
Getting up of the ground sounds like the most basic of human movements.  However, as your flexibility, strength, and mobility are challenged in this unique coordination intensive exercise you’ll burn calories and have a great time doing it. Try doing 10 each leg or 20 alternating.

5.  1-Legged Airplane
Want to challenge your balance while you build strong, lean, flexible hips and thighs?  1-Legged Airplanes can do the trick with no equipment needed!

To put together a fat burning workout using all five exercises right in your living room either do the recommended reps or time each exercise for 30-40 seconds with 10 seconds rest in between
Do the entire circuit 4 times.

Yes, you can get fit wherever you are!

Brett Klika C.S.C.S., author of “The Underground Workout Manual- Exercise and Fat Loss in the Real World” (www.undergroundworkoutmanual.com) is a world- renowned human performance specialist, motivational speaker, author, and educator. He uses this knowledge and experience to motivate individuals and audiences around the world through his writing, speaking, DVD’s, and free blog, www.brettklika.com.

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7 Traffic Stress-Busters

July 31, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Does driving have you stressed and tense? Your muscles will benefit from easy stretching once you reach your destination. Try the following upper body stretches to relieve stress muscle tension caused by driving long distance. The following exercises may be done standing or seated. Make sure you’re breathing comfortably through each stretch. For additional stress reduction, pair each move with an inhale and exhale. Stretch to mild tension, not pain. Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise.

 

1. Lace your fingers behind your body. Slowly extend your elbows, and pull your shoulders down and back. Pull your shoulder blades together.

2. Reach both arms straight up overhead. Keeping your weight centered, slowly reach to your right, then your left.

3. Lace your fingers behind your head and pull your shoulders down and back. Pull your elbows wide.

4. Pull your shoulders up toward your ears. Pull your shoulders down and back.

5. Pull your shoulders down, tilt your head to your right side letting your ear fall toward your shoulder. Repeat tilting your head toward your left shoulder.

6. Pull your shoulders down, rotate your chin toward your right shoulder, then your left.

7. Pull your shoulders down. Keeping your upper back straight, drop your chin to your chest.

Repeat stretches as needed.

 

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5 Reasons to Try Group Exercise by Crystal Reia

July 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Have you ever tried out group fitness? Many studies show that participating in group exercise will keep you going longer and stronger so you can achieve your fitness goals. Check out some great benefits below and maybe you’ll step out of your comfort zone and try out that class!

1. Commitment/Motivation – Signing up for group classes gives you an appointment time with yourself! You are less likely to miss classes when you sign up with a friend, rather than go it alone. Having the support of others around you, who are there for the same reasons as you are will help keep you motivated to keep on going!

2. Focus – Attending a group class lead by a trainer you trust takes all the guessing work out of the equation for you! A trainer is a leader. He or she will set rules, establish boundries and help you set goals. When you do not have to come up with your own workouts, it allows you to be free to really focus on yourself and allow you to get the most out of your workouts! Pay special attention to form, technique as it will help you… you do not have to be perfect, but giving it your 110% every time, be present in the moment and you will see results if you stick with it.

3. No More Boredom – Group classes switch up routines all the time. You’ll never be bored in group exercise. There are many different classes from, Strength Training, Cardio, Drills, Circuit, Dance, Spin Class… the options are endless! Find a variety of classes you like to do and call a friend and get moving together. The switching up of routines will keep your muscles guessing!

4. Beginners Welcome – No previous experience is required to attend group sessions! Trainers will give you plenty of options to suit every fitness level in the class. You will learn lot’s of great new exercises and will grow stronger every time you go. You do not need to be worried about giving it a try. So lock up any self-anxiety you might have, stand beside someone who has been attending class regularly. You’ll find the regular’s very friendly and willing to help out their fellow classmates!

5. Energy Boost – Energy is “literally” infectious! You can’t help but getting caught up in the energy of your trainer and the others around you in group classes! Believe me, getting there might be half the battle, but once you do, you’ll be glad you did! And the energy you’ll have after class will keep you coming back for more!

By Crystal Reia, Personal Trainer
Owner of Your Health-Your Choice
PTS, PFS, OAS

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Meet your new training partner, RockMyRun!

June 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Looking for an exercise partner? Thanks to RockMyRun you don’t have to look any further than your computer! Since 2012 RockMyRun has been insuring awesome workouts of all kinds through their creative, eclectic and motivating music mixes.

“RockMyRun is different from other music applications because we provide music that is specifically tailored to help runners and other active people better perform and better enjoy their activities” says Founder and Chief Rocker Adam Riggs-Zeigen. “We’ve done hundreds of hours of research with runners to better understand how music impacts their runs and took that knowledge to DJ’s from around the world who publish mixes to our system that best serve the needs of runners” Adam shares.

RockMyRun’s competitive edge lies in the user’s ability to choose their mixes based on their specific criteria. “We allow runners to filter and sort by criteria that’s relevant to them, like BPM, length, clean vs. explicit lyrics, as well as read comments and votes from other runners, making it easy to find great running music” Adam explains. Although designed initially for runners, RockMyRun has enjoyed additional popularity among athletes and fitness enthusiasts everywhere from motivating gym workouts to exercise classes to a wide variety of sports.

RockMyRun offers two categories of memberships: standard and premium. “You can access a lot of RockMyRun for free! Mixes up to 45 minutes in length can be accessed 100% for free from the app. Access to premium mixes ranges anywhere from $4.99 per month to $35.99 per year” explains Adam.

Adam not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. He shares his story, “I spent 10-plus years as a traveling DJ – playing large nightclubs, corporate events, house parties, wedding etc.  When I started training for my first half-marathon about 6 years ago, I decided to put my DJ skills to work and create a mix rather than a playlist.” He continues on “the results were amazing! I found myself more energized, more motivated and it really helped the training fly by.”

Want to run a 2 hour Half-Marathon? Use RockMyRun’s ‘The 2 Hour Half-Marathon‘ as your training partner and pacer with their music mix specifically designed with a consistent beat to get you to the finish line. Or check out their ‘Disco-Dash‘ Mix for a steady beat of 130 per minute, an ideal pace for a mid-week run of 30 minutes. If you want to find your favorite rock songs all in one 30 minutes mix for your gym workout, check out ‘Rock-it Fuel’ and you’ll be cranking out more solid reps than ever before. ‘Dose of Energy’ is another mix that will keep you going strong for 60 minutes as you’ll become energized by House and Pop tunes. With over 15 genres of music represented, you’ll find a mix for every music-interest and every type of workout.

Fan and RockMyRun user, Katy Widrick, a runner and triathlete, explains “I was so excited to find it, since I’m one of those people who not only can’t run without music, but whose workouts are made better by a great beat.” One of Katy’s favorite aspects of RockMyRun is “I love that some of the mixes are free to download, because it lets people get to know the style and flavor before buying. But in general, I think the best aspect is the quality of the mixes — they include great music, really well-done mixes, consistent beats.” Nic Akins, a fellow RockMyRun enthusiast agrees, saying,“it’s a great way to keep you focused and energetic.” Nic continues, “the descriptions are really good in helping you decide what mix will work best for what you want in a workout. Knowing and understanding the BPM (beats per minute) is very helpful.”

Look for more innovation from this cutting edge business. “We’re even more excited about the prospects of building in additional technology into our application and creating truly amazing experiences for runners, cyclists, weight lifters, fitness instructors and active people everywhere” Adam explains.

Feel free to drop Adam an email via adam@rockmyrun.com. Be sure to join their Facebook and Twitter communities for all updates and new mix info! And check out their blog: http://blog.rockmyrun.com/

Choose RockMyRun as your workout partner; you’ll get motivated, get energy and get better workout results with your high-quality, fun, and consistent exercise sessions. No matter what genre you prefer, you’ll find it. From country to classic to reggae to seasonal music, YOUR ideal music mix awaits!

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Motivate YOUR Fitness

June 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Motivate YOUR Fitness with Health Your Way Online’s Motivational-Monday Live Fitness Chat on Twitter.

If you’re hitting the mid-year slump, if you’ve fallen off your fitness track, if you’re having trouble getting inspired to stick with it…your motivation-solution is HERE! Stick with your exercise this summer and find your fitness motivation by picking up tips from experts and fellow exercisers, staying up to date with what’s new and exciting in the exercise world, get answers to your exercise questions, even participate in virtual-events!

Fitness Chat Summer Series begins June 3rd!

When: Monday’s 5pm(pacific)/ 8pm(eastern)
Where: On Twitter at #HealthyWayMag

Health Your Way Online proudly presents our Summer Series Motivational-Monday Live Fitness Chat Sponsors. We have done the research for you; these products are credible, effective and worthwhile. Check them out to learn how they can help you live healthy!

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. Read more about the many health benefits here, http://www.energybits.com. Be sure to follow them on Twitter @ENERGYbits for more tips.
We are honored to announce that Brand Manager Jeff White will be joining us as Co-Host of this Chat!

RecoFit Compression Gear. Want to perform better and recover faster?  RecoFit Compression Gear can help!  Its unique gradient-compression design and carbon-based technical fabric will support your muscles and supply them with more oxygen to delay fatigue and speed up recovery, so you will be ready for your next day’s effort!  Visit www.recofit.co for more information. Check them out on Twitter @RecoFit to learn how they can help improve performance in your athletic endeavors.
 

Flip2BFit. Need summer activities for your kids? Flip2BeFit simply put is your Fitness in a Box solution for incorporating fun and fitness into your daily life! Flip2BFit is more than just a board game, its fitness, nutrition, education and eye opening self-esteem building all realized through the spin of a wheel and the flip of a card! Order yours today for hours of family fun time. http://flip2bfit.com and check them out on Twitter @Flip2BFit.

RunnerBox: A mini shoe box full of products for runners and triathletes shipped right to your door!  Choose a subscription or 1-time gift. Try out new products and stay motivated!  Gift yourself or favorite athlete at www.therunnerbox.com. There’s no better way to find YOUR perfect running, triathlon and fitness products. Follow them on Twitter @runnerbox for a preview of upcoming products, discounts and connect with fellow athletes as well.

Sockwa. Sockwa is the most versatile and lightweight brand of athletic footwear for sports and fitness activities on and off the beach. Say goodbye to the days of aching feet after every run and sore leg muscles after every hike! Sockwa is your ultra-light, high-performance, minimalist shoe solution. Check out all their products at www.sockwa.com. Follow them on Twitter @Sockwa for information how you can join the Sockwa-movement!

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How to Run Faster by Charlene Ragsdale

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

So you’ve been running for awhile and even have a few races on your athletic resume, but how do you increase speed? Running faster takes a specific approach as well as specific training. Get back to the basics of running faster specifics with these three expert tips:

Choose the right race, for fastest times
This may seem like common sense, but if you want to run a faster pace choose your race wisely. Participate in a race that is known for being a fast course, at the right time of year for weather and conditions.  Stay clear of races that have hills, extreme weather (cold or hot) or many corners. The straighter the better.

Do more training at your race pace
Beginners tend to run their long runs at a slow pace, which makes them good at running long, slow miles. But if you’re shooting for a certain race time, you’ll need to focus more on your goal race pace.  Every distance has it’s own requirements.  Focus on the race requirement to complete a 5k, 10k, Half or Full.

Do speedwork
Do track work, sprints, or even fartlek’s.  Until you engage your fast-twitch muscles, your legs will not know how to react when you need to run fast.  Just as you are building endurance, you have to build your fast twitch muscles for speed.

Charlene Ragsdale is a RRCA Certified Running Coach, IFA Certified Sports Nutritionist and member of the USATF Master’s All-American Team. She can often be seen at on the podium as a frequent Age Division & Overall Winner in several distances. She lives with her Chef husband, two sons and two dogs in Las Vegas, NV. You can follow her at her blog: www.FABRunning.com

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