Tag: Energy

Find solutions to your health weaknesses!

Find solutions to your health weaknesses!

I got home from the store today and my mom asked if I had bought her any jalapeno cheddar kettle chips.  My response was no because I don’t want to be the reason to encourage bad eating habits.  I didn’t say that to be mean, but because good family and friends help support those people they care about in their life.  By the way, I realize my blog as many post on exercise and health, but remember that in order to be healthy you must have a combination of emotional, nutritional, physical, social, spiritual, environmental, and intellectual well being.

So, why am I telling you about my mom’s chip addiction?  Because it is important to determine your eating and fitness weaknesses and find solutions for them.  For example, if it’s eating junk food, don’t buy tons of junk food like chips, oreos, french fries, and fried chicken tenders when you go to the store.  These junk food items tend to stare at you and reel you in if you keep them in your cabinets and pantry, encouraging you to eat more because of a food weakness you have.  If you aren’t capable of doing this because you don’t have the willpower to resist the urge of buying junk food, take someone with you that will make you be accountable for what you put in your cart.

If you struggle with having enough energy during your workouts then change your routine to include a power snack several hours before working out.  Apples, bananas, almonds, and carrots are great energy boosters to eat pre-workout.  If you don’t have enough energy at the end of your workout then you are probably doing something wrong.  Remember that the end of your workout should be the cool down.  This means you slowly ease your body and heart rate back down to its resting state.  So do NOT run 5 miles, swim, do a heavy cardio workout, etc and then suddenly stop once you have finished or met your goal.  One of the WORST things you can do for your body is to not do a proper warm-up and cool down (increases risk of spraining, straining, and other exercise injuries).  If you aren’t doing both now, I suggest you start to prevent injuries and slowly bring yourself back down to your normal heart rate.  It can be as simple as a 5 minute stretch.  This will help you ease into and out of your workout without dreading it or feeling energy deprived.

If your weakness is eating out, then consider making meals ahead and pre-planning meals each week.  For example, sit down on Sunday and write down your meals for the week and then insert what meals you will allow yourself to eat out.  I suggest you only eat out a few times each week.  You may think that you are able to find healthy eating options at restaurants, but often times you don’t know the calories, fats, and additives that are in restaurant prepared meals.

It’s summer and that means sunscreen season!  If you don’t wear it, you should!  If you think skin cancer won’t happen to you, think again.  It isn’t worth taking the chance!  Putting on sunscreen takes an additional 1-2 minutes or less (literally) and if that’s too long for you then consider a spray.  While I don’t think sprays are quite as effective, if that’s all the time you can or are willing to spare, then I am happy you at least do that.  One of the BEST ways to stay looking young is to apply sunscreen.  Why?  Because the sun burns and damages the skin around your eyes and nose where the skin is the most tender and thin.  This gives your face a more wrinkled and aged look.  So, next time you decide you don’t want to take the time to put on sunscreen, THINK AGAIN!

These may seem like nearly impossible changes to make to your current lifestyle, but remember that the above (along with most health choices) are learned habits, which means they can also with time, dedication, and discipline become unlearned habits!  I realize it can be hard to maintain healthy habits for your mind, body, and soul, but you will thank yourself if you work on changing your weaknesses into positives.  I challenge you to make a change to make a difference in your life, the life of those you care about, and the lives of others (through healthy choices, of course)!

~jj

Ditch your soda…here’s why!

Ditch your soda…here’s why!

You may (and should) know by now that soda isn’t exactly the best drink choice!  Or maybe you don’t, so let me be the first to inform you that you might want to reconsider next time you open a soda.  If you haven’t given up soda yet, here’s just a few reasons why you should: soda actually has lots of unnecessary calories, many sodas are loaded with sugar and aspartame, and they actually dehydrate you rather than quench your thirst.

This past week when I took a recertification class for First Aid & CPR, we began a discussion on soda.  One of the obvious concerns with soda is the high sugar content that it has.  Even many juices and sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water, etc) are high in sugar which is why it is best to stick with water.  While I know some will say they can’t stand the bland taste of water and yada, yada, yada.  If that truly is the case, I strongly suggest you buy flavor packets that you can add to water rather than turning to soda and other sugary drinks.

This may be a short entry, but it is an important one!  For all of you who wish to lose weight and increase energy one of the easiest and BEST ways to do that is to give up soda.  Soda alone will help you drop weight quickly (especially if you are a heavy soda drinker)!  So, my advice is to get off the soda bandwagon and join the water bandwagon instead.  You may hate it at first, but you will thank yourself and me later when you realize how much better you feel.

~jj

Workout lifestyle…when & where should you workout?

Workout lifestyle…when & where should you workout?

I have to say most days I look very forward to my workout.  It’s the “me” time of the day when I can de-stress and be away from everyone and everything (computers, technology, phone, etc).  Anything that is bothering me such as studying all night, an argument, or even just daily stress can simply be moved aside for the moment so that I can get a good sweat!  One thing that’s important about exercising is to recognize that when and where you exercise can make a big difference in your energy level, mood, results, and how enjoyable your workout will be.

First, when should you exercise?  In order to maximize your results, you should consider when the best time is for you to exercise based on your schedule, energy level, and personal characteristics.  For example, if you are not a morning person and you work at 8am, consider an evening workout rather than a 6am workout.  If you are a morning person and work at 8am, consider the 6am workout as a possible option.  On the other hand, if working out helps you wake up because you are not a morning person consider an exercise routine that will help with that balance such as yoga.   It is important to remember that it takes energy to get through a workout so try to find a time when you have a high energy level and are not tired or lethargic.  It will be different for everyone so determine when you can maximize your workout results based on your schedule and lifestyle.  For me, I workout best in the evening.  I feel energetic, look forward to clearing my mind, and my body feels ready to workout.  Remember sleep is vital to having energy so make sure you are getting enough sleep consistently each night.  A night with little sleep, followed by a full night’s rest, followed by another night with not much sleep throws off your body and is a sure way to not only dread your workout, but also make it hard to do.

Second, where should you exercise?  This is an interesting and very subjective question because it really depends on a person’s personal fitness goals and schedule.  Possibilities might include at home, at a gym, or outside.  Personally, I like to workout at home because I can alter the environment to fit me.  For example, I utilize the pictures of my family and friends on the wall to influence me and encourage me to get through my workout.  I also like having quotes and inspirational sayings on the wall that I connect with.  If you’re at the gym and don’t have the luxury of choosing what is on the walls, bring a picture of your favorite celebrity crush or in my case I would probably bring Andy Murray because of his killer work ethic as a tennis player or Jennifer Garner because of her portrayal of badass spy Sydney Bristow! 😉  It could also be quotes/sayings or something inspirational.  There are no requirements on what you can use, but make sure it is something that you connect with and helps push you through your workout.

Third, how do these impact your overall workout?   Easy answers to this one!  Happiness, efficiency, and results!  Once you can find a rhythm that works for you, it makes working out easier and less thought has to be put into it.

So, get your workout on in your garage, in your room, in the gym, or outside and do it in the morning, in the afternoon, or in the evening, but just remember to be sure to DO IT!  It’s all subjective, so find what works for you and don’t give up!  We all have good days and bad days, but if you can find a schedule and rhythm that works, then you will be more likely to follow through and more likely to enjoy it!

~jj

Conquer the first 5 minutes of your workout!

Conquer the first 5 minutes of your workout!

Sometimes starting your workout is the hardest part of your actual workout.  You may be tired from work or overwhelmed by all the things on your “to do” list.  There are three small tips/tricks that I use each day that might help you conquer starting your workout and make you feel better: 1) Eat an energy snack no more than two hours before your workout.  2) Look at working out as a challenge each day that you will accomplish. 3) Warm up – conquer your first 5 minutes to find your rhythm and get your heart rate up.

I find that eating an energy snack one to two hours before my workout is a great way to fuel my workout and give me that extra dose of energy that I need to make my workout more enjoyable, push me to my limit, and make it less exhausting.  Eating my energy snack two hours prior to my workout works best for me, but I suggest you find a time that works best for you based on your schedule, routine, and body.  My pre-workout snack might be carrots and cucumbers, almonds, craisins, apple slices, rice cake snacks, or an almond/dark chocolate chip/craisin trail mix.

I am a disciplined and dedicated person once I set my mind to something so I love to look at my workout as a new challenge for me to accomplish each day.  Looking at your workout as a new challenge is a great way to get your mind in the game and change your mindset from “I don’t want to do this” to “I can and I will do this”, which is a great attitude to take with you to the gym each day!   This attitude will help motivate and inspire you to put forth the effort necessary to meet your challenges and overcome obstacles while you workout.

It’s all about warming up and getting the first 5 minutes under your belt!  Conquering the first 5 minutes of your workout, getting started, and allowing your body to get warmed up will give you the energy and motivation to keep going without giving up!  It allows your body to get in the mode of working out, which in turn allows your mind to adjust to the needed increase in energy to fuel the workout.  Once that occurs, you get into the rhythm of your workout, maximizing your success! 🙂

I know taking the plunge to start your run, jump in for your swim, or beginning your cardio or strength training workout can be difficult, but I promise that finding small tricks to help you ease in and make the start less overwhelming or dreadful will provide a small sense of relief!  So, get to finding ways that will help YOU start your workout…use my tips, find alternative tips/tricks, and more than anything get off the couch and start your workout! 😉

~jj

Are you hungry or are you bored?

Are you hungry or are you bored?

Ever find yourself munching and snacking most of the day?  Often times your mind gravitates toward eating and snacking when you are bored or exhausted.  I know this is all too familiar to many people.  Many complain of increased eating habits when emotional, exhausted, or bored.  To help counteract this habit, try to stay busy throughout the day by having a schedule, organizing your plans, and not allowing yourself to sit for long periods of time without having something to do such as paperwork, reading, organizing, etc.

Stay busy during the day and in between meals with chores, errands, work, etc.  This keeps you from feeling bored which often leads to unnecessary eating and added calories.  If you can’t seem to find ways to combat your boredom consider some of the options in the picture above!

Of course, my best suggestion and solution if you are bored, is to VOLUNTEER and EXERCISE, which presents endless options!  Volunteer at your local school or hospital, visit a nursing home, get involved with groups and organizations, etc. AND consider exercises such as hiking, walking, basketball, tennis, soccer, running, swimming, playing outside with kids, nephews/nieces, etc.

~jj

A healthy {March Madness} competition with yourself!

A healthy {March Madness} competition with yourself!

I was thinking about the blog and March Madness (well, mostly March Madness) because I love sports.  Tennis, basketball, football, soccer, baseball (in person), if it’s on, then I want my television on, but sitting and watching television for hours (let’s face it, sports games aren’t always short…at least 2 hours or more) is not exactly healthy.  Several weeks ago I was working out and thinking how much I enjoy a little competition with myself.  I am not a huge competitor against others (I don’t like comparing myself to others) when it comes to exercising, so running against others or entering events that are timed races are not my cup of tea.  However, I DO love a great competition against myself.  What exactly does this mean?  I love improving the amount of reps I do when I exercise.  For example, if I do 3 sets of 50 crunches, then next time I want to do 3 sets of 60 crunches.  I like the extra push and how I feel once I have surpassed my previous amount of reps.

So, now you might be thinking how does March Madness and having a healthy competition with yourself fit together?  One involves a lot of sitting and the other involves health and competition.  As an avid sports freak and exercise lover, I thought it might be fun to put them together and have a little game against yourself during March Madness.  Why?  Because it’s a great opportunity to combine March Madness and health without allowing yourself to sit for hours at a time!

My challenge to you is to make an exercise bracket when you make your March Madness bracket.  For example, lunges versus squats, see which one you can do more of in a 1 minute interval.  Consider push-ups versus crunches, burpees versus jumping jacks and so on.  Fill out an entire bracket with exercises competing against each other.  I suggest placing the exercises you choose on an actual bracket and have your March Madness basketball bracket with it because here’s how it will work:  You will do each exercise that you have corresponding to the game on your basketball bracket.  For example, if Oklahoma State and Gonzaga are playing, you would have two exercises written next to them.  Lets use squats and lunges for this game.  At some point during the first half you will do squats for 1 minute and write down how many you achieved and once the second half begins, you will do lunges for 1 minute and write down how many you were able to do.  Like with the basketball games, whichever exercise got the most reps during the 1 minute wins and moves on to the next round! 😉  Keep doing this until you have a winning exercise. Get creative, there are lots of exercises you can use, you might consider one yoga pose versus another.  Remember, it’s all in good fun AND it is all to get our butts up off the couch as we sit and watch the upsets and unpredictable outcomes of March Madness unfold!

Here’s an example of an exercise bracket if you are having a hard time coming up with exercises or can’t quite picture it.  Remember you will do the corresponding exercises with the corresponding game that’s on your March Madness basketball bracket (one first half and one second half).  You can either do each exercise for a one minute interval and count the reps for each or choose a goal and see which one meets or comes closest to the goal.  Have fun with this and realize it’s to keep you from sitting the entire time during March Madness!

EAST (yoga): high plank hold v. low plank hold, cobra v. downward dog, spinal balance right v. spinal balance left, tree pose right v. tree pose left, triangle pose left v. triangle pose right, warrior pose left v. warrior pose right, bird of paradise left v. bird of paradise right, staff pose v. mountain pose

WEST (strength training): pushups v. squats, bicep curls right v. bicep curls left, tricep curls right v. tricep curls left, lunges v. wall sit, bicycle crunches v. floor crunches, side pushups right v. side pushups left, right leg balance v. left leg balance, shoulder raise left v. shoulder raise right

MIDWEST (cardio): high knees v. butt kicks, jumping jacks v. burpees, mountain climbers v. russian twists, pogo right leg v. pogo left leg, squat jumps v. plank walks, side2side squat heel touch v. side2side ski jumps, scissor runs v. standing leg kicks, one arm push up left v. one arm push up right

SOUTH (misc): jump rope v. hula hoop, arm circles front v. arm circles back, standing calf raise left v. standing calf raise right, chair left lift right v. chair leg lift left, left arm punches v. right arm punches, wall pushups v. marching in place, right leg lift and hold v. left leg lift and hold, right leg kick v. left leg kick

Hope this provides some March Madness inspiration!  Happy bracketising!  Enjoy your exercise bracket and your basketball bracket.  Hope your basketball bracket is doing better than mine! 😉

~jj

Small pieces to the health puzzle…

Small pieces to the health puzzle…

Need a few quick tips to keep you going through your workouts?  Here are a few things I continuously keep on my radar to ensure I can get through my workouts without feeling tired or bored.

1. Get yours zzz’s.  Sleeping is vital to ensure you feel refreshed.  It helps get you through the whole day, and that includes your workout!  Try to get 7-8 full hours of sleep each night.

2. Stretch.  Just do it.  Even if you are short on time, stretch before and after your workout.  If you don’t think it will help, read last week’s post and it’ll help convince you! 🙂

3. Eat more fiber.  Your body will thank you now and later.  I promise!

4. Drink water, and plenty of it.  What is plenty?  At least 64 ounces each day! That’s eight 8 oz. glasses.  It’s easy.  Spread it out throughout the day…before meals, with meals, and between meals.  Trust me, it’s worth it.  Drinking plenty of water also helps give you a full feeling in your stomach, typically causing you to eat less.

5. Make your meals rather than eating out or on the run.  You eat less healthy food when you eat on the fly.  You tell me you don’t have time to make food?  Pre-plan and pre-make food ahead of time.  Fruits and veggies can easily be sliced and put in a container with water and lemon juice to keep them fresh, sandwiches can be pre-made, whole wheat crackers are an easy throw in.  No excuses!!

6. Find a way to control your stress.  I cannot emphasize this one enough.  Stress is not good for your mind or body.  What’s my way to destress?  Working out and exercising, of course! 🙂

7. Drink…water, not lots of sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages.  Bummer, right?  Not necessarily.  I am not saying give them up, just don’t over do it.  Everything in moderation!

8. Try to limit how often you let your sweet tooth win AND find sweets that are “healthy” sweets.  I sound crazy, right?!  Not exactly.  For example, eat a slice of whole wheat bread with Nutella or cinnamon sugar, chocolate mousse pudding, strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, etc. rather than a huge bowl of cookie dough ice cream or chocolate cake.

9. Exercise regularly.  Not when you want to lose weight or because swimsuit season is coming.  Those are great motivators, but exercising and maintaining your health is a continuous process.  You can’t “diet” for a month, decide to go off the diet, and then back to your previous eating habits and expect to keep your results.  You have to watch what you eat all the time.  You don’t have to restrict your diet of all sugars or all carbs, but eat in moderation instead.  You also can’t decide that you want to lose 20 pounds and then decide it’s time to start walking everyday or going to the gym.  Exercise is a life long commitment.  Why?  Because exercise and eating properly keep your body happy and healthy.  I promise.

These are little things I try to remember.  Not things I just occasionally think about, but truly have engraved into my brain.  Things that are in my phone and on my bulletin board, so they can’t escape my mind.  When I am struggling during a workout, I think about what it’s doing for me.  When I am not drinking plenty of water, I remember, it is what helps get me through my workouts and keeps me focused.  When I want something sweet, I may go ahead and let myself eat something sweet, other times I don’t eat anything sweet at all.  Try limiting yourself to having sweets a certain number of times each week.  You don’t want your body and mind to become accustomed to getting something sweet after every meal or whenever you feel like it.

~jj

Whole grains = full & focused!

Whole grains = full & focused!

Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that take the body longer to digest, so their nutrition is released slowly and continuously, leaving you feeling energized and full for much longer, partly because they won’t spike your blood sugar.  They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, iron, potassium, and manganese.

Consider these foods:

Breakfast – oatmeal, steel cut oats, whole grain toast

Lunch – whole grain bread (sandwich), whole grain pasta, brown rice with vegetables

Dinner – whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa stir fry

So, next time you fix dinner, sit down to eat, or have a snack, consider whole grain options!

~jj

Reps & sets…count your way to success!

Reps & sets…count your way to success!

I was thinking about the blog while I was working out this week to determine what might be a good entry.  My inspiration came from my actual workout because I am a strong believer in counting reps and sets so that I can track and see my improvement over time.  For example, I make sure I do 3 sets of 50 reps of crunches each day.  Then the following day I make sure I do at least equal to that or more.

Further, sets and reps can be a great way to improve over time and keep you on track so you don’t lose progress that you have made due to fluctuation in the number of reps you achieve during each set.  For example, doing 100 reps one week, 150 the next, and then 90 the following week.  It is important to try to build upon your workout and one way to do that is through continuous counting of reps and sets.  I do an abundance of cross training, trail hiking, and walking.  One thing I always do when I am cross training is make sure that I do 3 sets of reps.  So, if I do jumping jacks, squats, lunges, etc I do 3 sets.  Rather than doing 3 straight sets of 40 reps when I do jumping jacks, squats, lunges, etc I do a “warm-up” set, “build up” set, and a “cool down” set.   First, I usually have a specific number for my total set goal such as 150 reps.  I then split my total set goal into reps per set.  For example, my “warm-up” set might be 1-50, followed by a “build up” set of 51-115, and my “cool down” set of 116-150.   I find this particularly helpful because it allows me to warm myself up to the exercise, then really push myself to the max to build my strength, and then cool down during the last set so that I can be prepared to push myself when I start my next set of exercises.

When I do trail hiking or running, I try to set a distance or amount of time that I will run and I make sure that I meet that goal so that I am not going out for a run without having a distance or time goal set.  This helps push me farther and work harder to run or walk longer than I initially might have anticipated if I were to go without setting a distance or time goal.

So, next time you workout, remember that counting your reps and sets is a great way to track your progress, conquer your fitness goals, and help you increase your strength.

~jj

Why exercise? Here’s WHY!

Why exercise? Here’s WHY!

I have a very short entry today because I want the picture I post to speak for itself.  While I was reading health articles this week I came across a picture, “50 Reasons to Exercise.”  I have read it several times and the more I read it the more I find that there are lots of reasons why exercise is great for you.  It may not always seem fun, but it has tons of benefits. 

So, I shall end this week with saying, HAPPY EXERCISING! 🙂

~jj

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