April 20, 2024

Avoid Winter Weight Gain by Gen Preece

November 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Make this Winter your healthiest and happiest yet with these easy tips on staying trim:
When the days get shorter and the weather colder, it’s no wonder we crave hot ‘comforting’ heavier foods to warm us up. Light refreshing summery salads just aren’t enough and can even leave us feeling cold!

Learn from last year
Think about what you did this time last year and how you felt. Did you over-indulge to the point of needing a new wardrobe? Or did you have a plan? We often reflect during significant times of the year, so trying to learn from past behaviour can only lead to a better outcome.

Understanding why
The underlying reason behind these food cravings is that we were once preparing to hibernate. Dense foods kept us alive through harsh winters, while food sources were scarce. Although on cold winter mornings, many of us wish we were still hibernating (getting dressed under the covers anyone?) this leads to the next point:

Our choices
Start by reading food labels. It is not just about avoiding the usual culprits (refined sugar, wheat, dairy, chemicals…) but having alternatives ready in their place. For example, winter vegetables roasted in coconut oil are an amazing alternative to white potatoes or dishes with heavy sauces. Check out my favourite easy winter soup also. The more your body gets used to receiving nutrient-dense foods, the less it craves unhealthy stuff! A lack of raw fibrous vegetables can cause feelings of lethargy, congestion and even depression. I therefore recommend a mixed salad before your hot dinner. This will also aid digestion and stop you feeling bloated. Keep up your fibre throughout the winter

Warm yourself healthily
Using warming spices is a great way to heat up, as well as encourage your body to burn fat. A few of my favourite ingredients are Turmeric, Cinnamon, Cayenne Pepper and Curry powder. I also add Ginger to my green smoothie and drink at room temperature.

Morning Warm Lemon Water
If you’re a tea drinker, warm lemon water cleanses your liver and perks you up in the morning, without the post-caffeine crash. Warmed unsweetened almond milk with cinnamon is a delicious alternative to lattes. You could even add a teaspoon of raw cacao for a healthy hot chocolate!

So listen to your body and enjoy your seasonal adaptations!

Gen Preece
FASTER Personal Training Southampton
http://www.ptgen.co.uk

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

No Excuses! By Tera Busker

November 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

The Holidays are fast approaching and no matter how much you plan, organize and think ahead, this time of year is always hectic. Family get-together’s, your kid’s activities, work parties and shopping all throw a wrench in your every day schedule. Everything gets chaotic and usually your workout is the first thing pushed aside – BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY!

The best way to make sure you still get your workout into the schedule, is to have one that can be done quickly and can be done anywhere! A workout that is fast and only requires your body eliminates 100% of the excuses. And that workout is called Interval Training. 20 seconds all out work, 10 seconds rest, 8 times through for a total of 4 MINUTES!!!! And one of the best things about Interval workouts is that, if done correctly, can burn calories for hours after you finish your workout.

THE EXERCISES

(Always consult a physician before beginning exercise. Perform at your own risk.)

During an Interval Workout you can use any exercise you like, but the following is a list of body weight only exercises. Pick 1, 2, 4, or 8 of these to create your own workout. Mix and match to create 8 rounds. Just make sure to do them as intensely as you are able, always with good form.

Squats (regular, side to side, jump)

Lunges (regular, static, forward, backward, side to side, jump)

Burpees

Inchworms

Mountain Climbers (regular, cross body, spiderman)

Frog Jumps (Forward/Backwards Jumps while staying low)

Jumping Jacks (regular, low or plyo)

Plank Jacks

Skater Lunges

Pushups (regular, tricep, spiderman)

Up Down Planks

Now put your exercises together to create your own circuit for a fast and efficient workout! The workout can consist of 1-5 intervals depending on how much time you have. Make sure to warm up with 5 minutes of low intensity activity beforehand to get the body ready for the intense work. Rest 1-2 minutes between sets.

Example

Tera’s Intervals (full body and works the body in all ranges of motion)

20 seconds jump squat

10 seconds rest

20 seconds burpee

10 seconds rest

20 seconds skater lunges

10 seconds rest

20 seconds mountain climber

10 seconds rest

20 seconds plank jack

10 seconds rest

20 seconds frog jumps

10 seconds rest

20 seconds crossbody mountain climber

10 seconds rest

20 seconds plank up down

10 seconds rest

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Settle in!

October 29, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Settle in…to your fitness journey. Some days will easy, some days will be challenging. The key is to KEEP GOING.

Your fitness is cumulative. Results require your daily commitment to healthy choices. Settle in and enjoy your journey to long term, sustainable wellness. Here’s how:

Find your fitness journey support with #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat, every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter.

THANK YOU #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat Sponsors and Chat Co-Hosts! Check them out to learn how they can help you settle into your fitness journey.

RecoFit. Discover the RecoFit Compression Gear difference for yourself! Their technical-fit and uniquely designed gear helps you get more oxygen to your muscles, reduce swelling and delay fatigue. RecoFit is the only compression gear that cuts their fabric in a cross-grain process; this means effective compression and no-slip positioning! Founded by an athlete, tested on athletes, made in the USA and made for everyone! Contact your compression gear experts via Twitter at @Recofit.

Milestone Pod. Milestone Pod the simplest way to track the mileage on your shoes. Lace the Pod on and it automatically collects workout data including: distance, pace, cadence, stride length, stance time, calories, and run history.  The Pod also displays the total mileage on your shoes, so you know when it’s time to replace them! Follow them on Twitter for details @MilestonePod.

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.

Shaping Her Esteem. Shaping Her Esteem (SHE) promotes the participation of girls in physical activity to increase their health and wellness. They share nutrition tips, motivational videos and facilitate boot camps for young girls. Shaping Her Esteem is looking for girls between 8-16 who would love to write about her experiences in sport/dance, and to share positive experiences in physical activity! Follow them on Twitter for more info @ShapeHerEsteem.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Carry healthy snacks with you! By Lori Rosenthal, RD

October 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Feeling hungry, but dinner is hours away? Have a snack.

Snacks keep our blood sugars even, which prevents energy crashes and moodiness. They also help us stay in control. When we get to the point of “starving,” healthy options tend to lose to whatever is most convenient. We also wind up eating way too much, way too fast when we do have our next meal.

I’m not saying to eat a candy bar if you feel hungry between meals (this isn’t a Snickers commercial). A healthy snack should ideally include protein and fiber. Keeping healthy snacks available is a great way to prevent falling victim to the office candy bowl or vending machine.

Healthy snack options include:

1 Tablespoon of peanut butter & a fruit or celery sticks
2 Tablespoons of hummus & vegetables or fiber crackers
1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese and berries
Low-fat string cheese
1 ounce of unsalted nuts or seeds (mix them with a little high fiber cereal for added fiber and volume)
1/2 cup of edamame
Hard boiled egg
Granola bar (look for those that are low in sugar and high in protein and fiber)
Light popcorn
1 serving of baked potato, kale or beet chips

Bottom line: Snacks are not just for fun. Snacks are meant to hold us over until our next meal, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be nutritious, delicious and satisfying.

Lori Rosenthal, MS, RD, CDN
Bariatric Dietitian
Twitter: LoRoRD

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Essentials for Runners by Jason Saltmarsh

September 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Reminders for Runners

1. If you have a morning race or workout, decrease your warm up time with a hot/cold/hot shower before you go. It boosts circulation and helps jump-start your day.

2. Ouch! Wrap painful blisters in band-aids and duct tape to avoid further injury when racing. Afterwards, let them air out and keep them clean so they can heal properly.

3. Grab a cup of coffee 1/2 an hour before running to boost your workout performance. It takes about 30-45 minutes to work it’s most powerful magic, but you’ll feel like you have rocket boosters strapped to your feet.

4. If you don’t have a gel or sports drink available, you can drink a flat Cola for fuel. Believe it or not, plenty of sugar, caffeine, and carbohydrates make this the drink of choice for many athletes.

5. Get two pairs of running shoes and rotate them to help prevent injury. The shoes will last longer, and your feet will be healthier. Some runners choose a fast shoe for workouts and races, and a comfortable shoe for regular mileage.

6. Gauge ‘comfortable pace’ during training with the talk test or by singing the Brady Bunch theme song. If you’re unable to talk to your friend, or sing the song, you’re going too fast.

7. Take some cash, your fully charged phone, and toilet paper on runs lasting more than 90 minutes. Better to have and not need, than to need and not have. Trust me on this one.

8. Write down your training goal, race goal, etc. and stick it on your refrigerator. It’ll keep you accountable and remind others to support you. And, it’ll make you think twice before reaching for a second helping of coffee toffee crunch ice cream.

9. When it rains, use lots of Vasoline all over everything that could chafe, blister, or rub. Water is not your friend on race day unless your drinking it.

10. Run with a friend. It makes the miles easier.

Jason Saltmarsh is a competitive masters runner at distances ranging from 5K to the half marathon. In November 2013, he raced his first 26.2 at the iconic New York City Marathon. Jason’s goal is to share with others the benefits and joys of running, fitness and healthy living. For more information, please visit saltmarshrunning.com.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Park Workouts that Work! By Gen Levrant

September 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Park workouts that work!

A park visit can benefit the whole family. Not only is it a great opportunity for fresh air and sunlight (both essential factors of health) but the workout possibilities are endless – and FREE! (Consult your physician before beginning exercise. Perform exercises at your own risk.)

Hill sprints
This is a fantastic cardio workout and excellent example of high intensity interval training (HIIT) Most parks have a hill or steep slope. Start by running to the top as fast as you can. Walk back down slowly to reduce your heart rate. Repeat as many times as you can or set yourself a time to see how many you can complete.

Monkey bars
A great functional training tool, not just for the kids! They enable us to develop strength the way we were designed. Try hanging knee raises (bringing your knees towards chest) or toe raises (keeping your legs straight and lifting them out in front of you) to strengthen your core. Or just try swinging from one bar to the next, seeing how far you can get!

Lunge walks
You don’t necessarily need a park for this, but it’s a great leg toning exercise to do in a large open space. Lunge walk for as far as you can, going uphill to make it more challenging.

Ladder press/pull
If you struggle with press ups, the slide’s ladder rungs are a great progression tool! As they get easier, go one rung lower until you can fully press up from the floor. Lat pull ups can also be done standing on the ‘wrong’ side of the ladder and pulling yourself up towards it.

Gen Levrant
FASTER Personal Training Southampton
http://www.ptgen.co.uk

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Indoor Fitness Circuit by Tera Busker

August 26, 2014 By Leave a Comment

If you like to exercise in the open-air, then your “gym” time is totally dependent on the weather. Getting outdoors and taking in the sun on a beautiful day can make your workout enjoyable, but when the weather goes south, running in the rain while dodging puddles in squishy shoes is no fun. So what do you do when a rainy day forces you to forgo your alfresco sweat session and you don’t have the option to go to a gym?

Take your workout inside and use the best piece of equipment you have – your own body! Here is a fast and effective indoor workout that you can do without any fancy equipment. Perform the following exercises at your own risk. Please consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

Indoor Circuit

Beginners: Complete each exercise for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds before moving on to the next exercise
Intermediate: Complete each exercise for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds before moving on to the next exercise
Advanced: Complete each exercise for 50 seconds and rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise

Squats (Advanced: Jump Squats)
Pushups
Jumping Jacks
Plank
Alternating Reverse Lunges (Advanced: Jump Lunges)
Inchworm (Advanced: Add pushup)
Mountain Climbers
Alternating Side Lunges (Advanced: Skater Lunges)
Rest for 2 minutes. Repeat circuit 2 more times.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Must-Try Fitness Classes by Tera Busker

August 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Are you feeling bored in your current exercise plan? Are you doing the same thing day after day? Unless you are training for a specific event, adding variety to your workouts is the best way to keep your body from hitting a plateau. Adding in different movements, intensity levels  and  new exercises is just what your body and mind needs to be challenged to keep making progress.  Many gyms offer some great classes that can spice up your routine and may also be covered in the cost of your gym membership. Here are a few classes that you may want to check out.

Suspension Training Class
Have you ever seen those straps that are hanging from the ceiling? That is the Suspension Training System.  Suspension training uses your own bodyweight to develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability simultaneously. By using different angles during movements, suspension training can challenge all fitness levels . You chose your intensity and make the workout work for you.

Interval Class
Want a fast workout that continues to burn calories LONG after you finish the class? Give an interval class a try. Interval classes alternate between bouts of high intensity exercises with periods of low intensity exercises or complete rest. These classes will challenge you to push your limits so the classes are shorter in duration, but HIGH in intensity.

Cycling Class
Cycling is a great way to get away from the high impact exercises but still get a great workout. This type of class is a welcome change if you are used to workouts that are centered around running or jumping.  During this class your “ride” will simulate pedaling along the flats and up and down hills by varying the wheel resistance and the position of your body.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , ,

Getting Started by Brett Klika C.S.C.S.

August 8, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Getting Started With 3 Simple Strength Exercises

Strength training helps increase the amount of lean, mean muscle you have.  Muscle burns fuel like an engine, so the more you have, the more fuel you burn. Aside from the ability to burn more calories and fat, muscle adds shape and definition to your physique. Strength training is the practice of improving your own level of strength, whatever that may be!

Bodyweight, dumbells, kettlebells, machines, resistance bands, and a number of other forms of resistance all work to provide a challenge to the body, making it stronger.  In order to continue to get stronger, you just have to find new ways to challenge your body.

Here are 3 exercises to get you started. (As always, consult your physician before performing exercises.)

1.  Lunge (Click to view YouTube video demonstration)
The lunge is a great starter exercise for strength, flexibility, and shaping of the lower body.
1. Start by standing with your feet together.
2. Step forward as far as you can with your left leg.
3. Once your left foot contacts the ground bend both your left and right knee until your right knee is as close to the ground as possible.
4.  Keep your torso upright, your left heel on the ground, and don’t allow your left knee to pass the toes on your left foot.
5. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side!

Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg.

2.  Slow push-ups (Click to view YouTube video demonstration)
Most people have at least attempted to do a push-up sometime in their exercise life.  This intense upper body exercise, however, can prove to be a little difficult for first timers.  Here’s a way to start a little slower to build success!

1. Start in the “all 4’s” position with shoulders aligned over the hands.
2. Keeping the shoulders over the hands, bring the knees off the ground so the spine and hips are parallel to the ground.
3.  Squeezing your ab, glute, and quad muscles while attempting to “grab” the ground and slowly lower yourself to the ground, keeping your spine and hips parallel to the ground.
4.  Your chest, belly, and knees should all touch the ground at about the same time.
5.  Once you reach the ground, use your knees to get back up to the “all 4’s” starting position and repeat.

Try 2 sets of 6 repetitions.

3.  Supermans (Click to see YouTube video demonstration)
Strength training can do a lot more than improve your physique.  It can improve your posture and help get you out of chronic pain.  The superman exercise is a great movement to improve posture and strength of the upper back and shoulders.

1. Lie on your stomach with both arms straight out in front of you, thumbs up towards the ceiling.
2.  Pretend that you have a tennis ball tucked under your chin.
3.  Keeping the feet on the ground, arms straight, and chin tucked, lift the chest, arms, and head off of the ground.
4.  Hold for 2 seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat.

Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions

Here’s a quick whole-body beginner workout you can do at home without even changing your clothes!

Enjoy getting stronger, happier, and healthier!

Brett Klika, CEO of SPIDERfit Kids (www.spiderfitkids.com) is an award winning personal trainer, author, and international motivational speaker inspiring men, women, and children around the world to create a culture of wellness in their home and live the best version of their life.  To contact Brett with questions or comments at brett@spiderfitkids.com.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Beat Boredom with Circuit Training by Angelena Riggs

July 31, 2014 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to lifting weights, doing the same old thing every day can get boring and make you tempted to skip workouts. If this is the case, give circuit training a try. Circuit training consists of taking 3-5 exercises and doing them consecutively with no rest in between. An example of this would be to perform push-ups, biceps curls, triceps dips and mountain climbers all in row, then rest for up to a minute before performing the same circuit 2-3 more times. Circuit training allows you to get more done in a shorter amount of time while keeping your heart rate up. Keeping your heart rate up for most of your workout means burning more fat the entire time spent working out. Add that to building muscle, and your body will be a fat burning machine.

There are endless ways to create circuits, even adding in plyometric moves or treadmill sprints to your circuits to log cardio while lifting weights. Choose the cardio machine you like the best and after each circuit do 1-2 minutes at a high intensity to get your heart rate up. Working out this way also makes the time fly by and keeps workouts interesting. If you don’t have hours to burn at the gym, circuit training is going to be the best thing for your goals and your schedule.

Here is a sample circuit training workout:

Squat with dumbbell shoulder presses- 15 reps

Seated on stability ball biceps curls- 15 reps

Plank holds- 45 seconds

1-2 Minutes treadmill sprints

*Repeat 2-3 times

Create the circuits that fit your weekly workout schedule. Stick with the same schedule for 4 weeks, and then change it up to keep from getting bored and to keep your body challenged!

Angelena is a mom, healthy living blogger at On Fire Fitness Healthy Living (www.OnFireFitnesspt.com), a NASM Certified Personal trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Her goal is to inspire others to take the steps to living a healthy lifestyle. Visit Angelena on Facebook and on Twitter.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »