Stretch it out

S  T   R   E   T   C  H  IT OUT.
 Stretching helps to increase flexibility and warm up your muscles prior to exercise. This helps reduce the risk of injury during exercise!

Mayo Clinic's reasons why stretching is beneficial:

• Already stated-Increased flexibility- Flexible muscles can improve daily performances and tasks by allowing you to perform them without becoming as tired.
• Improve Circulation- Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles, which may shorten recovery time to your muscles if you've had any injury
• Relieve Stress- Tense muscles cause ADDED stress.( Yoga is always a good way to relieve stress and relax your muscles!)
• Enhance Coordination- Maintaining a full range of motion through your joints will allow your body to maintain better balance, which also helps prevent injury!

Stretching tips:

-Hold each stretch for appx. 30 seconds. It takes time to lengthen tissues safely.

-Stretch before and after exercise

*Stretching after exercise helps balance tension on muscles that have just been exercised*

-Get with someone who knows about myofascial release form of stretching. It works miracles ;)

-Recommended to warm up with a low intensity warm-up (such as walking on a treadmill) for a few minutes before stretching

*The importance of Protein*

Time to update! :)
Before last year I never really knew how important it was to make sure you are adding enough protein to your diet. Protein is a part of TONS of cells in your body. It's in your hair, nails, bones, skin, and the list goes on. Unlike fat that stores itself in the body, protein does not! This means it's important to get enough protein to strengthen & maintain your muscles. Protein itself does not actually build muscle like many people think-only weights and exercise can do that; but it is what aids in repairing tissue that is torn during exercise. The easiest way to add some extra protein to your daily diet:



Protein Shakes!

It's best to have a protein shake right after your workout because it only takes about 30 minutes to reach the muscle for repair. Foods with protein take a lot longer to digest and start working!

How much  protein is the 'right' amount?

"The minimum amount of protein that you should take in for building muscle is 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (for instance, if you weigh 200 pounds than the minimum amount of protein you should take in is 200 grams of protein for muscle growth). Any additional protein that exceeds the daily minimum for muscle gain just helps to speed up the healing process."

I use syntha-6 protein (lean muscle powder) post work out! I use one scoop (there are TONS of different flavors and they taste awesome!) and mix it with different types of fruit. I usually use blueberries, bananas, or strawberries. They all taste awesome. I just recently started using protein to help with muscle repair and I have noticed a difference in my muscles just by having one shake every day.

WAKE UP!..and work out!

I've had the habit of working out later in the evening ever since I joined my gym! I have recently started to break this habit by trying to get in the gym before my work day! For one of my jobs I have to be at work between 6:30-9:00 AM. Some days earlier than others. Not going to lie, for me it would be impossible to wake up at 4 AM to get to the gym by 4:30 and work out for an hour, get ready, and be at work on time. I for one, am not a morning person. I would much rather go later in the day when I don't feel rushed! However, I have been researching and studying about the benefits of early morning workouts, and that is why I've started to make it a point to get to the gym first thing in the morning before I begin my day!

I don't know anyone who likes to wake up before they feel ready...but there are SO many benefits to getting up and getting to the gym in those early morning hours. Here they are :

• Early workouts boost your metabolism
• They boost your energy and clear your head for a fresh start to your day!
• Studies have shown that weight loss increases the most during early hours of the day

Cons:

• Gym is likely to be crowded because a lot of people want to get in the gym before work- BUT the gym is always going to be busy..so that's not a good excuse!
• You may feel like you've hit a wall and feel exhausted half way through your workout- that's normal because it's early, & your body may not be used to working out that early for a while. Bring a sports drink with electrolytes in it to help keep you awake! (Such as a Gatorade).

PRE- work out:
It's a good idea to eat a small breakfast before working out. I usually have a small bowl of oatmeal with a little brown sugar on top. A grapefruit is a natural energy booster- so having something like that would be good too!
POST work out:
I like to have a protein shake from Gold's- but I bring my own protein! Have someone knowledgeable help you find the best protein for you. Employees at most supplement shops (nutrishop, smoothie factory, GNC, etc.) are very good at helping you out with that. They know what they are talking about!

Valentines day: Ruining your diet?

Sorry it has been a few days since I've updated! I have been working so much it's not even funny! Just because its Valentine's Day..I have to share this!

How Many Calories in that box of chocolates??

The answer: about 1400 in a box that contains 1 lb of assorted chocolates.

May want to think twice before you eat the whole box :-)

 

A Healthier alternative that's low in fat and calories: dark chocolate covered organic strawberries! Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and organic strawberries have plenty of vitamin C. :)

Now for a little health talk..

The most recent topic I've been learning about in my training book is how to properly do a fitness assessment & the importance of incorporating every piece of information neccesary to ensure it's the best assessment you can give a client! Clearly I'm not going to sit here & write about how to give you one, something you can do at home  is take your BMI (Body Mass Index) to see if your weight is appropriate to your height. There have been studies to show that if your BMI is greater than 25, obesity related health problems increase. So check yours! :)
Divide your body weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters squared).
Mild =25-30
Moderate=30-35
Severe= >35

Substitute for something better!

Something I hear often from others is "I work out all the time but don't feel like I'm getting any results or that it's doing anything for me".

My response-



What is your Diet like?


Dieting plays a major role in the results you will have if your personal goal is weight Loss. In fact roughly 80% of your results will come from what you are eating at home. Another misconception? Healthy food doesn't taste as good, or it's too expensive- WRONG! :)
There are SO many alternatives when it comes to switching from unhealthy to healthy dinners. Look up recipes; you'd be surprised. A personal example that healthy food can taste good- I told my boyfriend I was grilling burgers for us for dinner a few nights ago. I used ground turkey for the meat instead of hamburger meat. Ground turkey is a healthier alternative to hamburger meat and tastes awesome with a little seasoning! He loved the burgers! Eating healthy does not mean buying all organic foods. You can buy healthier meats such as ground turkey like I do, or substitute your cereal in the morning for a bowl of oatmeal. It's a good idea to hire to a nutritionist or fitness professional to help with this. Proof that dieting plays that major of a role in your weight loss: My sister gained weight during her pregnancies. She has been on a very strict diet and has lost 22 lbs in three weeks without working out (she couldn't because of her calorie intake). Dieting DOES work. A lot of people don't have the knowledge when it comes to proportions, or what is good from bad, so again, hiring a nutritionist or a fitness professional who can help you with this is not a bad idea! You can workout all you want- but if you aren't watching what you eat you will NOT get the results you want!!

Tips for the day

•  First and foremost- Avoid processed foods. You have no idea of knowing what goes into processed foods. Cook yourself!!! You know every single thing you are putting in there.
• Buy whole grain foods -Pastas, breads, etc.
• Avoids foods with Hydrogenated oils- These oils are not natural. They are man made. Natural is always better!

Jump Start Your Health

I  have been studying about various types of medications clients of mine may be taking due to different complications they may suffer from- Such as irregular heart rates, peripheral edema, chest pain, hypertension (high blood pressure), and the list goes on . High blood pressure is pretty common among adults..the older you get, the more susceptible you are to having this problem. That is why it's important to take action asap and exercise as much as possible to help reduce risks such as these! This morning, I was watching Dr. Oz (Yes, guilty) and they were talking about high blood pressure & what types of foods you can eat to actually help REVERSE this process! Not cure, just reverse. Some of them include:

•  Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Red and Green Bell peppers
• Cucumber

JUST A TIP:

• FOODS that fight wrinkles: Salmon
• FOODS that fight skin cancer: Watercress (it decreases DNA damages to blood cells which is considered to trigger development. of cancer- Medicalnewstoday.com) For those of you who aren't familiar with watercress- its a plant similar to cabbage!
• Green Tea is a natural fat burner and good for your skin...so go heavy on the green tea and water and lay off the Sodas
  

Getting to the core

Just a random fact I read over while studying the past hour or so- (back to my blog discussing chronic diseases) I was shocked in finding out- it's estimated that 75% of the adult population in the U.S. does not partake in at least 30 minutes of low to moderate activity on a daily basis (thats the MINIMAL standard). That means your risk of chronic disease goes up significantly. I don't know what it will take to get some people off the couch and inthe gym or out for a walk for a minmum of 30 minutes- but that is not a lot out of your day at ALL! Think about it- thats 30 minutes it takes to watch a TV show- that you can probably watch on one of the TV's at the gym while you do your cardio. 
On to another subject- the importance of CORE training.
Your core is composed of roughly 30 muscles between your hips and your ribcage. These muscles are used  for maintaining proper stability, posture, and may help one avoid possible injury.
Lower back pain affects nearly 80% of the adult population- it's more common then you think! Strengthening your core will help reduce your lower back pain. There are several 'core' exercises you can do to help strengthen, and stabilize your body.
In my opinion, one of the best exercises to strengthen your core is the plank exercise.

 I personally always work on core training at the gym and found this exercise to be one of the most beneficial to me! To integrate more challenge into this exercise..extend your arms all the way (in a push up position) and hold. Another way to incorporate more challenge is by lifting one leg, or arm at a time. This recruits more muscles to stabilize your core when you are on 3, instead of 4 limbs.

Try it out- it'll make you sore :)

Blog # 2: Cardio

HOWDY!

Today is gorgeous outside. 60 and Sunny  It's a perfect day for some exercise outdoors if you like working out outside. It's nice to change up your cardio routine often so you don't get bored of doing the same thing over and over. Repitition can be boring. That is a lot of the reason people don't like working out. They go to the gym and use the same one or two machines every time and eventually get bored with that routine. When I was in highschool, I didn't know too much about working out so I stuck to a very strict routine in the gym. (Run two miles, do the same leg and glute machines almost every day- sometimes incorporate some arms in there, go home, sleep, school, next day- repeat). Once I began studying I learned about the importance of changing up your routines and focusing on different muscles on different days so that they have resting time for repair and growth. I also learned not to focus on the DISTANCE you are going on a machine, which is a mistake that many people make, but instead focusing on the time. To do anything for your body, you want to at least work out a minimum of 30-45 minutes. That is to burn enough cals to essentially make a difference in your body. This of course depends on your calorie intake for the day- remember to lose fat, you need to be burning more calories then you take in from your diet. Its helpful to keep a food diary and keep track of your calorie intake. There are free websites such as "myfitnesspal.com" that help track your progess and count your calories. If you get bored of your cardio routine..CHANGE IT!
As long as you are doing 30-45 minutes you will get the same results on one machine that you will on 3 machines. It's okay to do ten minutes on each machine if you choose too! Keeping things interesting is part of staying motivated in the gym. So change up your routine, I promise it'll make your workouts WAY more enjoyable!!

Blog # 1: Motivation

 I oftentimes hear people say they are too busy to get to the gym, too busy with school, too busy with work, too busy with this, too busy with that to get to the gym. People will feed excuse after excuse to avoid that dreaded trip to the gym for a little bit of cardio.
Recently, Obesity as a rising trend has been a hot topic of discussion in the news. It has continued to rise over the years in both children and adults in the U.S. Obesity is a chronic disease that may potentially contribute to other chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and diabetes.
Physical activity is shown to decrease the risk of chronic disease.
Living an active lifestyle doesn't mean you have to set a goal of looking like a fitness model, or set unrealistic goals for your body type, it just means exercising enough to maintain your health and decrease the risks you run when you don't exercise! It's healthy for your body to exercise a little bit each day!

Where does my motivation come from?

 1. Find a gym partner-Someone who you can exercise with is always great motivation! They can help keep you accountable, and vice versa! Setting gym dates with someone will help you to not back out on them. If that doesn't help- get a personal trainer!
2. Bring your gym clothes with you to work, or to class. You will be more motivated to work out if you already have your gym clothes with you. If you go home to change after a long day at work or class, you might get a little too comfortable and change your mind.
3. Get an IPOD and put songs on it that motivate you during your workout. You'd be surprised how long you can workout with music to keep you going. I do NOT like working out without my IPOD!