Showing posts with label Week 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week 1. Show all posts

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Week 1- Girl Look at That Body Wrap Up


 

 

Thanks everyone for following along this week. We have had some great idea's and tips on getting back in shape and getting healthy. A reoccurring theme this week was to try new things, and keep trying new things. Don't worry about looking silly. The idea behind exercise is to sweat and raise your heart rate. Although you may not keep up in a cycling class, or know all the moves in a Zumba class you are moving around, and burning calories. That's the point in cardio activity.
 
Stretch more, exercise often and eat healthier. All 3 ways are going to help you feel better in your own skin. Next week is going to be a lot of fun, because we are talking about food. Food and exercise go together. You need to do both to not only get fit for summer, but to live healthier. 
 
Please always remember...

 
The point is to feel healthier and confident. I recommend getting a scale that reads body fat. Some gym's even do regular fat and muscle percent analysis. These numbers are lot easier to tell good progress than weight itself. The following are pictures of examples from here.
 

 
Next week check back in every day for great tips on eating healthier!
 
 
 
 
 
With such a fabulous week to get us out the door and motivated, why not do a giveaway for a gift card to help with some new exercise clothes?
 
Use the rafflecopter below to enter. Giveaway closes 6/2/13 an 12:00 AM
Winner will be announced with in 48 hours of closing. Winner has 48 hours to respond or new winner will be announced.
 
 



Thursday, May 23, 2013

Week 1- Run, Run As Fast As You Can


If someone had asked me 2 Years ago to join them running I would have barfed in my mouth a little. Seriously, the thought of running for enjoyment would have literally killed me. Now I feel quite the opposite, I look forward to those moments of peace and quiet. I can't wait to leave my house, my kids and husband behind and just run.
It all started last March when my sister sent my cute niece to me. She gave me her big puppy dog eyes and asked if I would do the Color Me Rad 5K with her. How could I say no? I was working out 5-6 days a week, a little adjustment to keep my body guessing would be ok this once. Well I fell in love.
 


I ran my first race with my sister and my niece. We had a blast. This is a great fun starter race to get you motivated.
There are different reasons to run. The two most popular reasons I have discovered are to build endurance or to burn fat. Make sure you aren't doing the wrong kind of running for the right reasons.
Endurance Running
Endurance running is typically to build your endurance and have a distance goal in mind. If you are training for something like a race or just trying to push yourself. A beginner is usually trying to run a certain distance. A more experienced runner typically tries to increase their speed or endurance. Summer is one of the best times of year for running. There are so many types of runs available. I recommended here to just pick one and pay for it. Once it's paid for, who is going to let the money go to waist? Start training now. Even if it's only to get to a mile, that's ok. Don't compare yourself to marathon trainers. Even they had to start at a mile once. Our bodies are amazing and can do amazing things. They are meant to move, so why not try running.
Burning Calories
Moving, sweating, and running all help burn calories. If your only goal is to burn fat and calories I don't recommend running slow long distances. Although that will help, it's not the best and fastest way to utilize precious workout time. The key here is intensity not endurance. This is a little easier if you have access to a treadmill. That way you can adjust speeds, inclines and track timing.

 If you don't have a treadmill try using your playlist. Alternate songs with different styles and speeds. Pick a few key songs that when they play you push yourself hard, and when slower songs play match the tempo. It's ok to alternate walking with running.
Reduce Injury
An injury not only is hard on your body but can make getting back in the saddle that much harder. A lot of injuries happen from going too far or too fast too soon. Please listen to your body and know your limits. Stretch, stretch, stretch. Stretching and cooling down are very important and should never be overlooked. The increase in blood, nutrients and oxygen to your muscles can help decrease muscle soreness. Stretching not only increases your range of motion, but can lengthen your muscles and help create better posture. Pay attention to your body as you run. Do you clench your fists? Or raise your shoulders like me? Loosen up. I have to remind myself to loosen my shoulders, neck, and arms all the time. Please invest in proper shoes. Especially if you are going to be doing this often. Bad shoes, or shoes not meant for running can be "no bueno." Your shoes do more than support your feet. They support your feet, legs, knees, and even hips.
Running has so many benefits! Even if the only one is just to stop huffing and puffing when walking to and from the mail box. I suggest experimenting what works for you. Do you like running outside or with a treadmill? Do you like the camaraderie at the finish line of a race or just the peace and quiet on your own? Whatever your reason is, find it. The sooner you do the better off you will be.
 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Week 1- Work Out From Home


Yesterday I spoke about some fun classes you can attend at a local gym. What if you don't live close to a gym? There is still lots you can do from home.  Now that I have moved further from my rec center, I find that the 1 hour round trip can be better spent at home working out. Here are some things I use to help me stay on task at home.

 Try some free online video's. There are ton's of videos on You Tube of just about every kind of work out. Cross Fit, Zumba, Turbo Kick, Weight Training, Yoga and many others. One of my favorite videos is this Jillian Michale's video from Be Fit. It is a combo of short cardio exercises, strength training and abs all in one single video. She uses some light weights in it. If you don't have any weights try a heavy soup can or fill a gallon jug. Growing up we didn't have weights yet that didn't stop my brother. He would rinse and fill empty milk jugs with water. I'm sure if you look hard enough you can find something to use or buy some really inexpensive weights off Craig's List.



Try the app Nike Training Plus. My cousin showed this to me over the holidays, and it was an instant love/hate relationship. The training app has tons of workouts to do. You start out by picking a goal. For instance you can choose to get lean, to get tone or to develop muscle strength. There is also a list of 15 minute workouts each targeting different parts of your body. You can then choose an intensity level for your work out. They kick my butt, quite literally sometimes. I suggest downloading the app and at least giving it a try. What's the worst that could happen, you burn calories and look silly?
Near me are a lot of  running trails. This makes biking and running close and easy. Well not easy, but easier then driving to a gym. It's the time of year where, 5K's, 10K's, half and full marathons are everywhere. I recommend just scheduling one. Once you have paid the money you won't want it to go to waste, and you'll start running. There are lots of running training guides on pinterest, the internet and even the app I mentioned, NTC. Another app I love for running is Time Keeper. Not only will it track your running distance and time, it also has training plans and target paces.  For more on running check back tomorrow when I dive into this topic a lot more.

When working out from home sometimes it's ok to not go crazy and just stick to the basics. Simple exercises like jumping jacks, lunges, squats, jump rope, sit ups and push ups.  I recommend a mixture of cardio and strength for the fastest results. Try doing 3 minutes of cardio, then 3 minutes of strength at least 3 times, that's a total of 18 minutes. Plus with 4 minutes before and after of stretching you are at 24 minutes. That's like watching a half hour episode of your choice.

Some great cardio that can tire you out (which is the point) are burpees. Here is a one minute clip on burpees and how to modify them.


Try doing stair runs if you have stairs. Do them in intervals like up one, and down, up two and down, up three and back down, and so on. Or just run up and down for 3 minutes straight. Alternate jumping jacks and jumping rope.

Some of my favorite strength training exercises from home are sit ups, squats, and planks. Squats can be done while waiting for some water to boil, or for an independent kid to finish getting dressed. Planks are also one of the best exercises, because they work so much of your body. Here is a video clip of me doing some of my favorite planks and sit-ups. Keep in mind I am not an expert and either is my help on making the video. You should get the general idea though.




These are some tips and idea's to help you work out from home. I recommend mixing it up every now and then. Keep your body guessing. Come back tomorrow for more on running.


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Week 1- Find Something You Enjoy

 


After Adrianna, my 3rd child, I  had a hard time loosing the baby weight. Two months after she was born I went home, to Utah for my brothers wedding. With all the moving around I hadn't weighed myself in over 6 weeks, because we didn't have room for a scale.  I borrowed his scale that told me my body fat % and I about died. The next 3 months with moving around I started with my eating  (which we will cover during week 2.) Then when we finally got settled back in Utah it was time to get my butt in gear!
Me at my brothers wedding June 2011.

I was luckily already a member of the local recreation center. I decided to just start trying out classes. I would just pop into any class I could find the time for. Then I started making time other days to try out new classes or new instructors. Over time I started figuring out what classes I enjoyed, and which instructors. Working out is so much easier once you find something you enjoy.

The first class I fell in love with was Turbo Kick. Turbo Kick was created by Chalene Johnson. It is a choreographed cardio kickboxing class. It's very high intensity, lots of fun music, and very addictive. I found myself even waking up early some Saturday mornings just to go to a Turbo Kick class. This class helps burn over 500 calories, and helps strengthen too. I was surprised how sore I would be the next day after a cardio class.
 
Another great and very popular class is Zumba. You can find this Latin inspired class just about anywhere. The idea behind Zumba is to party yourself into shape. The class has fun international beats and lots of high energy. There are different types of Zumba classes, even a water Zumba. The more I tried out different instructors the more picky I got with my Zumba classes. I wanted to sweat and push myself. If you went once and didn't like it, don't give up. I recommend trying a different day or time. Zumba is a lot of fun if you find the right class for you.
 
 


I know Yoga is also very popular, but I personally prefer Pilates. Don't let this discourage you from trying a Yoga class, but I highly recommend also trying a Pilates class. I love Pilates so much I keep going back and forth on even becoming certified to teach it.  Maybe I had a phenomenal instructor (who also happened to be my favorite Zumba instructor.) Pilates isn't high cardio but great for strengthening and flexibility. You will only get as much out of this as you put into it, so don't be afraid to push yourself in this class.

If toning up is your goal try a body pump type class. Cardio mixed with strength training is the best and fastest way to burn fat and build muscle. Plus these types of classes are great stepping stones to learning things to do when doing strength training on your own. Just be prepared to be sore afterwards, so make sure to drink lots of water after this or any work out for that matter.
 
One class I often dragged my dad or husband to was a cycling class. Now your legs may literally feel like rubber after your first class. That's a good thing, it means you worked hard. Don't let the amount you use your legs fool you either, cycling can be a full body work out. You can change your resistance on the bike to fit you and your needs. Ask your gym if they have an introductory or starter class. Most gyms will have a class once or twice a month to teach things like changing the resistance, adjusting the bike, and so on. I personally just jumped right in and asked lots of questions.
 
 
Don't be afraid to try something new. Through trying new things I found what I liked and who I liked. You may even be as lucky as I was to find an instructor that I didn't care what class she was teaching, I went just because she was teaching it. Stay tuned during week 2 as she will be one of our guest bloggers.
 
March 2012

These were the only jeans that fit me when my brother got married. Needless to say hard work and trying new things worked out great for me. All my hard work made my 4th pregnancy so much easier too. I was active and eating healthy. I was the same weight going home from the hospital with baby #4 as I was 4 months after having baby #3! People would say, "You look so good." That is because I worked out 5-6 days a week for 6 months pre-pregnancy. Then I still worked out 3-4 days a week through out my pregnancy, till the Dr. said I couldn't any more. Never thought I would be so sad to hear "No more exercising."
 
Try any of these classes or any others you see near you. If you can't get to a gym try renting a Netflix Pilates video, buying Zumba for the Wii or even searching on You Tube for video's. Tomorrow we will talk a lot more on what you can do to work out from home.


Monday, May 20, 2013

Week 1- Girl Look at That Body...

 

I am glad I decided to do this series because I realized I haven't posted anything "fitness-ey" ever.
This week we are focusing on getting more fit for vacation. Whether you just want to be ready for summer or have a special trip planned, like I do, plan ahead. Don't waste a perfect summer or vacation by being embarrassed or self conscious. The more time you take ahead of time to get healthy, the better you will feel.
Please note I am NOT an expert. I too am in need of getting in shape. Although everyone has different body types and needs, eating healthier and working out can help anyone feel better, and look better. It is hard work., and there is nothing easy about it. Unfortunately you can't just eat one salad or skip one dessert and look amazing. The more you put in the more you will get out.
This week I will talk about exercise.  I will try to touch briefly on several different topics and ways. Some people have access to a gym, others need things to do at home. Hopefully you will get a few good tips and idea's and a lot of motivation to get started.
 
 
 Most important this week remember it's not about the number on the scale, it's about how you feel!

Getting fit is only to help add to the beautiful person you already are. It is not meant to make you beautiful, only to add to your beauty.
I can't wait to share with you some of my favorite activities, stories and motivation this week.
Week 2 we will be discussing foods. Have you heard the saying, "Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym?" Well it's true. So make sure you stay tuned for week 2 so that you can integrate the two weeks together.