Heart rate – Jenna Jamieson, Author

Drinking game?…How about a workout game instead?!

By Jenna Jamieson | December 11, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

How about working out alongside your favorite show by playing an exercise game? Would Olivia Pope or the deep story line of the show help motivate you to exercise?

I was watching GMA not long ago and one of the journalists said, “When Olivia on Scandal mentions the President of the United States it means 5 squats and 5 lunges” or consider the series Chuck and do an exercise when Chuck gets out of the car (after being told by Sarah and John Casey to stay in the car). I think this is a great idea because you can stay focused on the story line of the show while still getting in a workout. I have encouraged exercising during commercials in a previous post to prevent people from sitting for long periods of time without moving so this is just another exercise option! (See Exercise during commercials.)

Working out sometimes seems like the most exhausting thing in the world, especially some days when you have little to no energy. My suggestion is still to do some type of workout because a workout will help fuel you to stay up and get things done. Exercise will help push you through the rest of the evening so rather than grabbing a snack or picking up takeout and then sitting on the couch for several hours watching tv, find a way to do some type of workout in the comfort of your home. An at home workout option also helps encourage you to workout no matter what day of the week it is and prevents you from skipping a workout or making an excuse not to go to the gym! It doesn’t have to be long, it doesn’t have to involve intense cardio exercises, but it does have to get your heart rate up, get your body moving, and help loosen up your muscles from the stress of the day, giving you a new sense of rejuvenation and relaxation before hitting your bed. If you let yourself come home and veg on the couch or take a nap, you most likely will have trouble going to sleep, staying asleep, or getting a good night’s rest. Hence, do some yoga poses (download a yoga app, hit up YouTube, or like me, find a picture that demonstrates 10-15 poses) and do those throughout the tv show you want to watch. If yoga isn’t your thing, do as I suggested above and do lunges, jumping jacks, squats, low plank, high plank, sit-ups, crunches, etc. during the show when “specific” yet frequent occurrences/scenes take place.

If you don’t like the ideas above or you can’t even force yourself to do those types of exercises, consider a fitness ball ($15 or less) and do exercises on it. There are simple exercises you can do on a fitness ball, one being sitting on it to practice your balance. Further, you can do leg lifts, you can lift one leg for balance or lift both and hold your core to work your abs, you can also do push-ups with your legs balanced on the ball, etc. In other words, you can vary the level and variety of exercises based on your fitness goals all while watching your favorite tv show!

So, next time you think about skipping your workout for the day, think about what you can do in the comfort of your own living room while watching your favorite show. You will be glad you do something, even if it a light workout. A light workout is better than no workout, which is why some days a workout at home may be just the thing to do!

~jj

Superhero in action…busy building muscle!

By Jenna Jamieson | August 7, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Last week my boyfriend unintentionally came in to see me while I was working out. He didn’t realize I wasn’t done working out yet, but it did throw off my rhythm for the last 15 minutes (cool down portion) of my workout. It is important to realize that working out each day is a chance to take a break from your normal activities. It gives your mind and body a break from the routine of life while giving you fresh energy.

I workout almost everyday and mostly so my mind and body has its own time away from everything and everyone. Therefore, when I workout, everything and everyone waits. I put music on and get into a different mode. I do not stop for Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media. Instead I avoid it because how can you really be working out and clearing your mind if you are on social media?! I literally take a break from everything…tv, internet, social media, technology, socialization, etc. Whatever might be on social media, any posts you are tagged in, or texts you are sent can wait. They will still be there when you are done. Unless there is a medical or family emergency that cannot wait, I suggest you consider doing the same thing. Give your mind and body a break…from everything! You will be happy once you start doing your workouts without interruptions and in peace so that you can actually wind down, refresh, and have time to yourself. After all, your workout may be the only time all day that you ever get to yourself. Take advantage of it!

Realize there is reason behind not allowing interruptions or pausing during workouts. Once you are in your workout, you get into a rhythm and pace that keeps you going and motivates you not to stop. Being interrupted can throw off your rhythm and your workout, making parts of your workout stressful or chaotic if you lose your motivation and pace. My tip to you is to make it a habit to not stop in the middle of workouts!

Aren’t convinced that interruptions, distractions, etc are a problem when working out? You should think again and that’s because you will get better results and see results more quickly if you maintain a steady pace while keeping the correct form. In other words, try to maintain pace without stopping for interruptions or distractions such as children, pets, etc so that you can consistently keep your heart rate up. And on a side note, how do you think athletes keep in shape?! Through heavy discipline and training without and yes, I repeat, without interruptions or distractions! They train and continue to train each day with a strict and steady regimen that keeps them on track to improve their mind and body.

As for the superhero reference in the title (in case you are wondering), it refers to the Under Armour dri-fit workout shirts I wear when I workout…I have a Batgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman one! So each time I set out on my workout, I envision myself as a girl on a mission. A mission to conquer my workout as Batgirl, Supergirl, or Wonder Woman! It’s more fun this way and it’s healthy for us all to have a little bit of kid in us at heart! 😉

~jj

Find solutions to your health weaknesses!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 11, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

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

Breathing, Form, & Rest Time

By Jenna Jamieson | October 16, 2013 | Comments 0 Comment

Today’s tip focuses on breathing, form, and rest time. Often times, people struggle with maintaining the stamina and energy to go for a long trail run or workout without getting too exhausted 10-15 minutes after starting. One thing that really helps me (and is a learned technique over time) is to maintain controlled breathing. In order to do this, you really need to find a steady rhythm and flow (which often takes time and patience to develop), but counting your breaths as you breath in and breath out can sometimes be helpful. Further, steady, controlled breathing while exercising will help you conserve energy and push you through your workout. This will help you gradually improve your stamina and energy over time, which in turn will allow you to go for longer runs, maintain higher intensity workouts, and make you feel less exhausted during your workouts. Be patient because finding your rhythm and flow for controlled breathing can be challenging when first starting out.

Next thing to think about is your form when you are doing exercises. Along with your breathing, stretching and increasing your flexibility will really help move you forward in your workouts. It helps warm up your body and prepare you for what is ahead without using too much energy too soon. Additionally, remember that while you may feel more successful when you do many reps of each exercise, if you are not using the correct form when doing exercises such as squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. then you are not only hurting yourself, but you aren’t utilizing your energy efficiently to obtain maximum results. In order to use the correct form, go at a slower pace if necessary and modify or adjust exercises to fit your level and lifestyle. For example, do “girl” push-ups at first if you need to and work your way up to doing a normal push-up. I like to remind myself that when exercising, “quality” of correct form, trumps “quantity” of reps per exercise. Eventually, once you master your quality it will become second nature and you can then begin quality and quantity at the same time during your workouts! 😉

My last part for today, is to remember that rest time throughout your workout and at the end of your workout are as important as your actual workout! It is very important to stay hydrated when exercising, so I always have a water bottle alongside me. In order to refrain from stopping frequently to take drinks and rests (which also means a break in your heart rate), I have timed, controlled breaks to maintain a steady pace for myself. For example, I might give myself five 30 second breaks during a 45 minute workout, but do whatever works best based on your fitness goals and lifestyle. During your 30 second rests, remember not to take big gulps of water when you rest as this can lead to heavy breathing, using more energy. Instead, take several small sips when you take your 30 second rests to conserve your energy and give you additional energy to continue. Lastly, a great way to help yourself ease into your post-workout is to have a post-workout routine. Rather than ending a long run with sitting on the couch to return your heart rate back to its normal rate, walk for 3 minutes or have a stretching routine. This is important because you don’t want to stop a workout with your heart racing, but rather you want to steadily bring it back down. For example, I do crunches and hand weights to slowly allow my body to return to normal. Happy exercising2behealthy! 🙂

~jj