You are currently browsing the Breaking Through - The Trinity Fitness Blog weblog archives for August, 2006.
August 28, 2006 by erin.
The first step to improving your health is making time to exercise. But just going through the motions or repeating the same routine every time will not give you the results you are looking for and will likely get boring. Repeating a workout over and over won’t give you results because you are always stimulating the same muscle fibers in the same order. Changing things up, even if it’s just the order of your exercises, can produce amazing results. Here are nine ways to get the most out of your efforts.1. Hire a personal trainer. Working with a trainer will allow you to focus all your efforts, totally, on a particular exercise. The trainer worries about your routine and form. It’s the trainer’s job to make sure your workouts are always fresh and always challenging; pushing you to a higher level of fitness.
2. Change the mode or intensity of your training. Changing your routine will prevent you from hitting a plateau because by introducing new movements and intensity levels you will be recruiting different muscle fibers in a different order than what your body has adapted to.
3. Practice good nutrition habits and stay hydrated. without the proper fuel there is no way you can get a good workout. Your body needs nutrients and fluid to build muscle and repair itself after a workout. Improper nutrition will only lead to burn out and overtraining syndrome.
4. Focus on the QUALITY of your workouts, not the quantity. It may seem that working out more frequently with lengthy sessions is the best way to get fit, but a more intense workout performed less frequently will produce greater results in less time. Your body needs time to repair itself after a hard workout. When given enough time to recover, your body will gain strength and endurance; however, if you keep tearing it down with extensive training, it will become weaker and tired and you will be at a high risk for overtraining syndrome.
5. Breathe. Your body cannot function without oxygen, so don’t hold your breath when exerting yourself. You are only robbing your body of an essential element which will cause inefficient muscle contractions. Take deep, full breaths during exercise, exhaling upon exertion.
6. Exercise at the right time. Workout when your body’s natural energy level is at its highest. You will get a better workout than if you wait until you might not feel your best. If you are a morning person… get a morning workout, it will take you through the day. If you are a night owl… get your workout after work to expend that last bit of Energy and get a good night’s rest.
7. Workout with a partner. A workout partner is a good source of accountability and can inspire you to push a little harder. Plus, sometimes you just need a spot to complete that last rep that you would otherwise have to skip.
8. Use a heart-rate monitor. This is a great tool to gauge how hard you are working. Consult with a trainer to determine your target heart-rate and use the monitor to make sure you stay within your target range.
9. Listen to music. Music can make the workout more enjoyable and give you that extra energy boost when you need to work your hardest.
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August 23, 2006 by erin.
Do you have moments in your day when you lack energy, feel sluggish, or maybe a little groggy? Here are two quick refreshers that will give you the pep to take charge of your day!
1. Breathe: Often times we get so distracted with work we forget to breathe or slow down our breathing. Our bodies need oxygen to complete all of its functions. When we deprive ourselves of oxygen, our brains and all body functions slow down. Try taking three deep breaths in this ratio; breath in for four seconds, hold for sixteen seconds, then exhale for eight seconds. This will give you a surprising burst of energy! I dare you to do this three times a day for a week. Your energy will go through the roof!
2. Drink a cold glass of water: When we get busy, we often forget to hydrate our bodies. Water is almost as important as oxygen when it comes to your bodily functions. So, after you take your three deep breaths, have an ice cold, refreshing glass of water. You will be awake and alert, I promise! Plus, a very cold glass of water will speed your metabolism due to the extra work your body has to do to warm up that water to body temperature! Just one more bonus!
WAKE UP!!!
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August 21, 2006 by erin.
Birthday Cake
It’s my birthday today, so let’s eat cake! Here’s a healthier version of a sinful treat, chocolate cake. Try this recipe the next time you celebrate a special occasion so you don’t have to feel guilty afterward!
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 egg
1 cup sugar free maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Cooking spray
Fresh raspberries
1 tbsp powdered sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl mix together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg & syrup, add oil and applesauce then mix with dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Spray a 9X9 baking pan with cooking spray and pour in batter. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve slices with raspberries and dust top of cake with powdered sugar.
Makes 9 servings.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SLICE: 166 calories; 7g fat; 22g carbs
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August 17, 2006 by erin.
I’m sure you have heard from someone at some time about the importance of proper hydration. Your body is about 75% water and your brain is about 85% water, so it would make since to replace the water we lose through respiration and sweat so that the body can function properly. “But what does that really mean? Just, why is it so important? And how much water should you drink?” Opinions vary, but I’ll give you my take on it.
Let me first explain what happens when we get dehydrated. When we work out hard enough to break a sweat, we lose water from our skin and muscles. To replace that water, the body will pull water from it’s inner spaces (between organs) and from cells and organs. So, you kinda dry out in the inside. Once you stop sweating, your body will try to balance out it’s fluids. But if you don’t replace the fluid you lost, you end up being a little dryer inside, if that makes since. Your cells and organs won’t have the necessary amount of fluid to function properly, so your body process slow down. Here’s a fun fact for you too. If you go to bed dehydrated, you wake up even more dehydrated from loss of water through respiration. You don’t magically regain necessary water when you sleep. So it is very possible to be chronically dehydrated, which causes a rainbow of problems. Let me name a few. Arthritis, Back Pain, Angina, Migrains, Colitis, Asthma, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, High Cholesterol…. I could keep going. Let me give you a personal story to back that up.
My husband, a wonderful man, had a life long condition of not drinking enough water. So you could say he was chronically dehydrated. He didn’t notice the effects of it until we moved to the dry climate of Colorado. We both enjoy running and heavy weight training which provokes sweat and adds severity to chronic dehydration. He started feeling some respiratory difficulty when jogging. What was a normal, easy run, soon became more and more difficult for him. The shortness of breath soon turned into tightness in the chest and then progressed to extreme pain in the chest and down the arm. Does that sound like a heart attack or what!?!?! So, he went through the battery of tests… not a heart attack… Bless his heart (no pun intended), he is so fit that they couldn’t get his heart rate over 120 in the stress test. Because of the inaccurate stress test they wanted to do a Heart Cath and treat with meds and this and that… Anyway, before he resigned himself to that, he started doing his homework. I had just finished a short class on hydration and started dropping hints that that might play a roll in his condition. So, he did some research on water and found his answer! He found this web site www.watercure.com It confirms everything I believe about water. I encourage you to visit the site for an explanation on how water cures the above mentioned illnesses. But for what my husband WAS feeling… He was so dehydrated that his blood had become viscous (thick) and is was hard for his heart to pump it through veins and arteries, hence the pain in his chest when his heart rate became elevated. He immediately started drinking enough water and within two days he suffered NO more angina! And you know what’s really funny… my husband used to call me the peeing machine, because I drink so much water…. now he’s a peeing machine too!!!
To answer the question, how much water should you be drinking; a good rule of thump is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 200lbs, you need 100oz of water per day. But, don’t just take my word for it, please visit the above mentioned web site for more details!
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August 14, 2006 by erin.
I have heard this excuse a million times, “Well, it was so-and-so’s birthday so I had to have a piece of cake”. Have you used it? Unfortunately, in our culture we feel the need to celebrate special events with a feast of savory food and rich desserts… Americans LOVE to feast! But,if you know in advance that you are going to partake in the eating of cake… I challenge you to do a little planning so you won’t blow your diet.
Here’s how:
1. Identify the calorie value of your desired treat.
2. Start as many as 5 days earlier and cut your daily calories so that on the “Big Day” you will have calories to spare and you won’t go over your caloric budget.
3. Enjoy your cake, guilt free.
Here’s a practical example. It’s Monday. Your friend’s birthday is Friday. You know that you are going to have pizza and cake (YIKES!!). Ok, so the pizza is about 700 calories and the cake 350 calories for a total of 1050 calories in ONE meal. So, if you cut 200 calories per day from you usual… 1700 calorie day (that would put you at 1500 calories / day) you will have an 800 calorie deficit by Thursday without starving yourself. Now, on Friday, continue with reduced calories throughout the day and you can really enjoy yourself at the party that night without worrying about the scale in the morning. AWESOME!
**Just don’t make eating pizza and cake a regular thing… it’s not good nutrition, but once in a great while won’t kill you!
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August 8, 2006 by erin.
The Quality and Quantity of your sleep has a huge impact on Physical performance as well as health. Experts recommend 6-8 hours per night; eight hours being optimum. For all you night owls I have news for you; quality sleep begins before midnight. In addition to recommending an optimum 8 hours of sleep per night, experts also say that one hour of sleep before midnight is equal to four hours after midnight. The body needs rest to repair itself so it can perform at peak levels the next day. Being sleepy does not produce great workouts or enough energy and vigor to get you through the day. Also, not getting enough sleep is a great way to get sick. The Lancet (a medical journal in Great Britain) published a study stating that chronic sleep loss produces serious symptoms directly related to aging and diabetes (age-related insulin resistance and memory loss). So, in other words, get your beauty sleep and make it to bed before midnight or you’ll turn into a pumpkin! But seriously, committing to get enough sleep is a great way to start taking better care of your body. You only have one and it’s got to last a long time.
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August 7, 2006 by erin.
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup of egg substitute (30 calorie per serving)
2 slices of low calorie whole wheat bread (45 calorie per slice)
¼ cup sugar free syrup (35 calorie per serving)
1 sliced strawberry
1 sliced medium apple (80 calorie)
1 cup of fat free milk (60-80 calorie per serving)
INSTRUCTIONS
Spray non-stick pan with fat free cooking spray (butter flavor Pam is great) and heat over medium-high heat. Soak bread in egg substitute. Place bread in pan and brown on each side. About 2-3 minutes on each side. Place on a dish and garnish with sliced strawberry, drizzle with syrup and serve with sliced apple and cup of milk
NUTRITIONAL VALUES
Calories: 380
Carbs: 68g
Fat: 2g
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August 1, 2006 by erin.
Many professionals today spend the majority of their time on the road or in the air. This creates a challenge to those who truly desire to be healthy and fit. Some hotels don’t have a fitness center and others who do, have limited or old equipment. It certainly doesn’t make sense to carry dumbbells in your suitcase, so I have developed a couple of workouts that can be done in the privacy of your hotel room with a very portable resistance band or no equipment at all. The next time you find yourself on the road, don’t let that be a barrier to achieving your fitness goals. No matter how important you think your job is, your body is more important. Without a healthy, strong body you cannot perform your job effectively. Try one of these quick workouts the next time you travel.BAND WORKOUT
Most bands will come with a door strap and you will need it to perform these exercises.
Do three sets of 15 reps of each exercise with no more than 45 seconds rest between sets.
1. Chest press
Door Strap: waist height
Stand with your feet hip width apart and your back to the door. Grasp each handle and hold at chest height. The band should be underneath your arms and elbows slightly behind the body. Press straight forward in front of the body, ending with your thumbs down and hands together. Don’t go too fast. Your tempo should be two seconds out, two seconds back.
2. Back Fly
Door Strap: Chest height
Stand with feet hip width apart and facing the door. Arms should be straight out in from of your shoulders holding handles in hands with palms facing each other. Bend elbows and pull arms straight back squeezing shoulder blades together. Tempo is two seconds back, two seconds forward.
3. Abdominal Crunch
Door Strap: overhead
Kneel on the ground facing away from the door. Cross arms in front of the body while holding one handle in each hand on top of the shoulders. Contract your abdominals and bend at the waist to curl the body forward and down toward the ground. Hold for two seconds and slowly return to upright position.
4. Shoulder Press
Stand on the band with your feet hip width apart holding one handle in each hand. Make sure there is even resistance on each side of the band. Press arms up overhead ending with a slight bend in the elbows and hands directly above the shoulders. Slowly lower arms and end with a 90 degree bend in the elbows and elbows shoulder height.
5. Bicep Curl
Stand with feet hip width apart. Place band under one foot and hold both handles in one hand. Plant elbow into your side and bend arm up towards the shoulder hinging from the elbow. Contract bicep and hold for two seconds then slowly straighten arm back down toward your side.
6. Tricep Extension
Door Strap: overhead
With a staggered stance, face away from the door. Hold one handel in each hand, arms bent, elbows by your ears. Straighten your arms by pressing forward but keeping your elbows by your ears. Contract tricep and hold for two seconds. Slowly bend arms back toward the door.
7. Squat
Stand on the band with feet a little wider than hip width apart. Hold one handle in each hand. Raise arms to ending position of a shoulder press, with elbows at shoulder height and arms bent to 90 degrees. Bend knees and “sit back” like you were sitting into a chair. Knees should not go over the toes and should be bent to 90 degrees. Hold for two seconds then slowly stand.
BODY WEIGHT WORKOUT
Complete three to five sets of fifteen reps of these exercises in a continuous circuit with no rest between exercises.
1. Body Weight Squat to Calf Raise (when returning to standing position from squat, just raise up on your toes and contract your calves).
2. Push up
3. Crunch
4. Jumping jacks (20)
5. Tricep chair dips
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