March 18, 2024

Get Moving While You Wait

Fit Body:

Stop wasting time! Get moving while stuck in line.

Stuck waiting in line or waiting for an appointment? Do a few exercises to make use of the time.

Toe Raises. Lift your toes, then lower. Do 10 reps.

Heel Raises. Lift your heels, then lower. Do 10 reps.

Stand on one leg. Hold for 10 seconds.

Standing weight shifting. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Lean to the left and then the right. Do 10 total reps.

Standing Knee Raises. Alternate lifting your knees as if climbing stairs.

 

Make Fitness Opportunities

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Make fitness opportunities!

You may not have the time or finances to join a gym, but that shouldn’t stop your workouts. Look around you to create fitness opportunities in your everyday environment. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

 

Make an obstacle course out of the playground equipment at your local school.

Use the picnic tables at your neighborhood park for pushups and planks.

Use the track at the high school for a cardio sprint-interval workout.

Use a flight of stairs to log a stair-climbing workout.

 

 

 

Learn a new exercise= Results?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Learn a new exercise!

Set a goal to master one new exercise a month. Learning a new exercise means your muscles will have to adapt to a new working angle. You’ll keep your workout fresh, your mind interested and your body getting stronger.

 

Strong with Step Ups

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Get Strong with Step Ups!

Build strong legs with this challenging exercise. Hold a weight in each hand. Stand facing a stable bench or secure chair. Step up on the bench with your right leg only. Transfer your body up onto the bench. Slowly lower your body back to the floor leading with your left leg.  Return to your starting position with both feet flat on the floor to complete one rep. Next, step up with your left leg, then slowly lower leading with your right leg. Begin with ten reps total.

A few form pointers:

Maintain proper spinal alignment with your shoulders down and back.

Maintain core stability holding your belly button in.

Control is key. Slowly lift your body, pause, slowly lower your body, pause. No bounce. No swing.

Exhale when you lift. Inhale when you lower.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

Pushups…To Go!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

 Pushups…To Go!

Choose any solid and stable surface and crank out a set of 5-10 pushups. The sink, counter, desk top, back of a chair, hood of your car, park bench, all provide great surfaces to add fitness into your day. The key is to maintain good posture with your back straight. Here are a few progressions if you’re looking for variations:

Lift and hold one foot up off the floor.

Slow your pace to allow a 4 second count when lowering and pushing.

Add in a 10 second plank hold in between each rep.

Lift and hold one leg out to the side of your body.

Hold the pushup for 5 seconds when your arms are bent.

Extend your elbows only half way up when pushing.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

 

 

Progress your Ab Plank

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Side Plank

Lie on your right side on the floor. Place your right hand on the floor directly below your shoulder. Place the outside of your right foot on the floor, with both legs straight. Lift your body up off the floor and hold your body straight in a side plank position. Release by dropping your hips to the floor. Repeat with your left hand and left foot on the floor. Lift your body up and hold the side plank position. Begin with a ten second hold on each side. Breathe through each plank, hold your belly button in tight and maintain proper spinal alignment.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Take your ab workout to the next level

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Abdominals…Plus!

Crank your ab workout up a notch with this exercise:

Lie on your back on the floor with your hands behind your ears. Hold both feet up off of the floor with your knees over your hips. Begin by lifting both shoulders up off of the floor. Next lift your right shoulder up toward your belly button, at the same time bringing your left knee toward your belly button. Return to your starting position. Now lift your left shoulder up toward your belly button, at the same time bringing your right knee toward your belly button. Repeat 10 times.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

Go FAST!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

SPRINT!

Add sprint intervals into your walking, jogging or running workout.

Find a 50-100 yard path that allows you to perform regular timed sprint repeats. After a sufficient warm up of 8-10 minutes, sprint your time trial for a base interval. Repeat the intervals as long as you can log a decreased time each one. All-out intervals challenge your cardiovascular system, and your muscles, all in one time-efficient workout. Perform your sprint workout once each week to allow recovery of your muscles. This workout is for intermediate/advanced exercise without injury concerns.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Build Fitness Momentum

Build momentum toward your fitness goals by taking one step at a time. One healthy step fuels the next healthy step, promotes the next healthy step, and so on…

Take a healthy step with #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter! Pick up tips, ideas, solutions, find accountability, get motivated and have fun chatting with others also on their fitness journey.

Here’s how to join:

1. Log into your Twitter account.

2. Enter hashtag #HealthyWayMag.

3. See questions posted for discussion noted as “Q1″ for question 1. “Q2″ designates question 2.

4. Chat with other participants and have fun!

 

Monday April 25, 2016 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat Sponsored by RunnerBox:

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Group Motivation Solution

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Join a Group!

Is your exercise motivation lacking? Join an exercise group! The energy of a group is contagious:

A group will challenge you to try new exercises.

A group will feed your enthusiasm and drive to log a maximum-effort workout.

A group will renew your commitment to exercise because you’ll hear of others reaching goals.

A group will energize your dedication if you engage in friendly competition with other participants.