push-ups – Jenna Jamieson, Author

You’ll only regret the workouts you don’t do!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 1, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

We all have days when we feel unmotivated, don’t want to workout, feel lazy, want to take a nap, or just want to do other things, but on those days it is important to still do some type of workout, whether it be a short one or long one, cardio or yoga, or a quick run. Sometimes thinking about my favorite person who inspires me such as an athlete is enough to motivate me! If you are having one of those days, think twice before you skip your workout and remember all the positives of a great workout, including the reasons below!

100 Reasons to Exercise Now (Courtesy of Pinterest)

Because it makes you feel confident
Because it helps you get stronger
Because exercise helps combat depression
Because you’ll feel proud of yourself
Because you have goals you want to reach
Because you’ll feel bad if you don’t
Because you want to move forward, not backward
Because it burns more calories than not working out
Because it improves your heart health
Because you want a great butt
Because it prevents diabetes
Because you want to be a good example to your kids
Because you want to feel good in your clothes
Because it reduces your risk of cancer
Because your body was made to move
Because you want to be an athlete
Because you want to look better
Because it lifts your mood
Because you want to stand taller
Because it reduces back pain
Because it feels good
Because it makes you feel accomplished
Because you spend most of your day on your butt
Because swimsuit season is always coming
Because strong is the new skinny
Because dieting only works so much
Because it strengthens your bones, too
Because it helps you lose weight
Because it allows you to eat more food
Because it’s the best way to spend “me” time
Because it helps you de-stress
Because it’s cheaper than therapy
Because you want a strong core
Because you want to take care for yourself
Because you take pride in your body
Because it strengthens your legs
Because it helps your clothes fit better
Because you want to push yourself
Because you are capable of more than you ever imagined
Because moving your body feels good
Because it keeps your mind sharp
Because it helps you beat belly bloat
Because it helps you sleep better at night
Because it gives you energy
Because you want to stay healthy as you age
Because you want to look younger
Because you want toned arms
Because it improves your balance
Because it burns off last night’s dessert
Because it boosts your immune system
Because sweat is sexy
Because you want to live longer
Because you want to get better at your game
Because you want to catch someone’s eye
Because exercisers earn more money
Because you’re more likely to eat better when you exercise
Because you want to shave time off your running pace
Because you want to breathe easier
Because you want to see the scale drop
Because exercise improves your sex life
Because you are worth it
Because being fit makes everything in life better
Because you promised yourself that you would
Because you deserve a better life
Because it’ll help you drink more water
Because you want to do real push-ups
Because it reduces your health care costs
Because you’ll miss fewer days of work
Because you want to create a new future for yourself
Because it’ll help you like what you see in the mirror
Because it makes clothing shopping more fun
Because you want to look and feel incredible
Because exercising can be fun
Because it’ll give your skin a glow
Because it’s a good way to spend time with your friends
Because it’ll help you prevent the middle-age spread
Because it reduces your blood pressure
Because you don’t want to let yourself go
Because you don’t want to squeeze into an airplane or rollercoaster seat
Because it strengthens your spirit
Because it’s a cheap way to entertain yourself
Because you’ll be able to reward yourself
Because you need a reason to wear those new workout clothes
Because you’re tired of being tired
Because not working out is not going to get you very far
Because it’s a great way to spend time outside
Because you made a commitment to yourself
Because you’re tired of starting over
Because there will always be another wedding, vacation or reunion
Because you’re not a quitter
Because it improves your cholesterol
Because it boosts your metabolism
Because it prevents age-related muscle loss
Because if you can do this, you can do anything
Because a fit body is a healthy body
Because it beats sitting on the couch
Because everyone has at least 10 minutes to spare
Because you want to be stronger than your excuses
Because not working out isn’t working out for you
Because the only workout you ever regret is the one you skip

Now, GO WORKOUT! You will feel much better once you do!

~jj

ABCs + Exercises = Get Moving!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 9, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

I thought it would be fun to do something a little different this week that would be creative, a little out of the ordinary, and something that family and kids, couples, and people of all ages can enjoy together! In honor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign and to pay tribute to Heart Health Month it seemed appropriate to put together an “ABCs of Exercises” to get people moving this month and throughout 2015! So, here are some exercise ideas to get you going!

A: Ab workout

B: Biking, Basketball, Bicycle Crunches

C: Crunches, Canoeing

D: Dancing

E: Equestrian – Ride horses!

F: Football

G: Game night w/ a twist – do exercises in-between games and snack breaks!

H: Hiking

I: Ice skating

J: Jumping jacks, Jogging

K: Kayaking

L: Lunges

M: Make a fort, make a tunnel, or make something creative outside!

N: Natural surroundings, use your imagination in your neighborhood to play outside.

O: Open Air — because I love fresh air and being outside! Run, jog, walk, hike, the possibilities are endless!

P: Push-ups, Paddle boat

Q: Quick run

R: Racquetball, Running

S: Squats, Soccer, Skiing, Stretching, Swimming

T: Tennis

U: Ultimate frisbee

V: Volleyball

W: Weights/Weight training, Walking

X: X-treme water park? It’s X…give me a break, there aren’t too many options with X!

Y: Yoga, Yard work

Z: Zoo outing might be an option as long as it involves some walking, of course!

Happy exploring, playing, and moving! Find your interests and hobbies and use those along with your imagination and creativity to come up with activities that you can enjoy all while moving!

~jj

Less may be more…with reps!

By Jenna Jamieson | January 13, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

I was finishing up my workout last night and began thinking about how many people choose to focus on the number of reps they do rather than the form of their rep. Proper form is very important, and I would go as far to say it is vital to a successful workout regime. I will use crunches as an example, but push-ups, squats, and lunges are other exercises that are also great examples of how using improper or incorrect form can hurt you rather than aid you in your fitness goals. So, let’s consider 100 crunches as your goal. You decide that 100 is a great, solid number and after several years of pushing yourself hard in the cardio room you feel it is time to work on your strength and core by doing crunches. You begin doing bicycle crunches where you rotate your legs inward and outward as you do your crunch (see the picture below if you are having a hard time visualizing what a bicycle crunch is). You get to 40 crunches easily, but after 40 you start getting tired yet you continue struggling and forcing yourself through the reps to get to 100. After pushing yourself through the reps you feel accomplished, but you also recognize that your muscles weren’t actually working at the end like they were at the beginning because you weren’t able to push your arms as close to your knees as you should have due to exhaustion. This is where bad form is actually hurting you because it is no longer working your muscles in the way that they should be working if you do the exercise in the correct form. My suggestion and advice is to remember not to do 100 crunches unless you can actually do 100 proper form crunches. If you cannot do 100 proper form crunches then it is better to do the number that you can do maintaining the correct form. If you can only do 40 proper form crunches then do 40 proper form crunches rather than 100 crunches with 60 crunches being in poor form. It is better to build yourself up over time by starting with the number of crunches you can do using proper form and adding increments of 10 reps over time.

My point is if you aren’t where you want to be yet, you soon will be and using the proper form to get there will be much better and will get you there faster than doing improper form because you are playing a “numbers game” in your head. Remember quality OVER quantity in your workout will help you see your results faster and maintain them over time.

Why is that? This is because you are using your muscles properly and efficiently, which allows them to be stretched and strengthened in ways that help condition them over time. In other words, the proper form is ensuring that you maximize your results. Thus, without the proper form, the muscles you are seeking to improve don’t get worked properly, the muscles become overly tired and lose the correct form, and you don’t make a lasting effect on the body muscles you are working.

So, with that, consider your FORM every single time you are doing crunches, squats, lunges, and push-ups so that you are doing the proper form and thus maximizing your results when you exercise. After all, if you aren’t using the correct form, the only person you are cheating is yourself because your results won’t be the results you want to see and feel.

~jj

Penciling in your workout!

By Jenna Jamieson | September 10, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the trials and tribulations, chaos and exhaustion that life often throws at people since fall semester often means going back to school, preparing lunches again for kids, and after school sports and activities. Further, people have surgery that you need to help take care of, you start a family, and you have unexpected work obligations and travel. While all these tend to throw a curve ball, it doesn’t give you the excuse to skip your workout. Working out helps reduce stress and relieve the tension that gets built up from the day. When life gets busy, change your workout or rotate the days you do certain workouts so that a recovery workout might fall on a busier day, but still allows you to workout in some capacity. Many, if not all of us, hold very busy lives and feel as though we never have enough time in the day, let alone time to set aside for exercising. That’s everyone, right?! We may not all have children, aging parents, a house to take care of, pets to walk, etc, but we do all have obligations and priorities to balance.

While you may not have a half hour, an hour, or even an hour and a half to dedicate to exercising or personal wellness each day, you do have small increments of time that can be used to exercise. For example, you may have a 15 minute break at work where you can take a walk, do some jumping jacks and push-ups, go up and down the stairs, or sit at your desk and do leg lifts and weights (keep a set in the office to make it easy on yourself). Two 15 minute breaks will allow you to get at least 30 minutes of exercise in each day. Don’t get any breaks at work or it isn’t something that is consistent? Stop spending so much time on Facebook, Twitter, Pineterst, and other social media websites every single day, every single hour. I hear people say all the time, “I am so busy I barely have time to keep up with my house, my friends and family, my pets, and still sit down and relax.” This is a huge pet peeve when most people spend hours on Facebook ad social media or watching television. If you have time to look at random Facebook statuses all day, then believe me, I promise you have time to set aside 30 minutes to take care of your mind and body. And guess what? All those Facebook statuses, Twitter feed updates, and Pinterest projects will still be waiting for you when you are done! Remember your health is more important than sitting for 3 or more hours on social media sites, so rather than skip a workout, delay it if you need to!

With unexpected work obligations and travel, consider a workout that can be done using only your body and can be done almost anywhere with a small amount of space such as in a hotel room. For example, crunches, push-ups, jumping jacks, and other 20-30 minute workouts can be done doing repetitive sets of exercises that only require using your own body weight! These exercises are not only convenient, but also tend to be less intrusive on your joints than machines. For me, using my body weight versus using machines is the best change I have made in my life to improve my workouts and make me feel so much better! I try to remind everyone, we are all different, so what works for me may not work for you, but I do hope my tips and tricks may provide guidance and encouragement!

Your workout should fit your schedule and lifestyle because this is what helps you stay on track, prevents you from skipping workouts, and from giving up. If that means yoga and a walk at 6:30am so that you can get your workout done before work then you should do that. A workout could be two 15 minute breaks during the day or over your lunch, a group fitness class or club that meets 3 times a week, it could be working out with your kids during the day, taking your baby and a jogging stroller to your gym and running on the track, yard work, doing exercises every time you get up to make copies at work, etc. Your workout can fit into any small windows of time that you have rather than feeling like you need to have a block of time set aside. If you “pencil in your workout” at the beginning of each day, it has been shown that you are more likely to exercise and meet your fitness goals.

~jj

Simplicity might just be key!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 30, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

One constant for most people is that their schedule is always filled, life is always busy, and there never seems to be enough time in the day to do everything on the “to do” list. People often want short, simple, and easy workouts and quick, healthy meals that keep us on track to maintain or reach our fitness goals. Why? Because spending time with family and friends is what most, if not all, of us want. We basically want the cake and to eat it too! Shocking, right? Well, obviously, not really. That is the majority, not the minority, so if you feel this way, you can rest assured that you are not alone. So, what can you do to still make the most of your day, save time, and not feel like your entire day is dedicated to health and wellness? Let’s face it, we are often so busy we don’t necessarily think about all the choices (or lack of) that we are making that impact our health.

My solution (and challenge to you) is to find several small and simple (key word is SIMPLE!) health oriented things that you can do that will help change the big picture over time, then incorporate those into your schedule. I will give you an example of some fitness and health choices that will assist you in creating a more simple, less overwhelming lifestyle.

First off, start with steps and walking. Grab a fitness tracker, a very basic one that counts steps is all you need. If you prefer a more fancier fitness watch/tracker, by all means, get what suits you best. It used to be that 10k a day was the fad and maybe it still is, but don’t stick with fad diets and exercises. Strive for what works, so get your count to 14k a day! Yes, that seems like a lot of steps, but think of walking to the bathroom, in the kitchen, at work, etc. And just in case you aren’t convinced that getting steps are great for you, walking helps with digestion, is great for your bones, and can improve your mood! You can do it and it really isn’t difficult. You may be surprised by how many you get!

Next, the fabulous 5: basic weights, lunges, crunches, squats, and push-ups. This will help build strength and tone your body. Do sets that work best for you. I suggest 3-5 sets of 10-15 reps depending on your lifestyle and fitness level. You can do these in the morning when you wake up, in the evening to de-stress, while you are outside, while you are watching television, etc and it takes a total of 15 to 20 minutes, if that.

The next one may be somewhat difficult for many, but it is important and will make the biggest difference on your waistline and energy level. Avoid baked goods. These are salty, sugary foods that provide little to no energy. While you avoid cookies, brownies, and cakes, turn to water. Drink at least a gallon of water a day to stay full, focused, and alert, aiding in keeping your energy level high. Also, turn to fruit and veggie smoothies that you make at home. Buy frozen fruits if you are rushed for time or buy fresh fruit and have it pre-cut and in containers so it is ready to be thrown in the blender in the morning or evening. (This doesn’t mean you can’t have ice cream, this specifically eliminates baked goods, BUT like I continually say, everything in moderation, so don’t go overboard with the ice cream!) 😉

That’s it…simple as that! 5 small and simple tips to incorporate into your busy schedule so that healthy choices are being made without even thinking about them! 1) 14k a day 2) Fabulous 5 exercises 3) No baked goods 4) Smoothies 5) 1 gallon of water per day. That’s it, an easy exercise and nutrition guide to fit into each day without a workout or a special diet.

~jj