The 50's are a sandwich generation of fitness; we don't want to work out like we did 15, 10 or even 5 years ago, yet we aren't ready for the "senior" classes either. I'm revamping this blog to be a blend of health and fitness tips that I hope all of you "fiftysomethings" will find helpful.
***I am not a doctor or nutritionist.
Please consult your physician before performing any exercises or following any tips shown on this blog.
Do you like to dance? Whether it's at a club or in your living room, dancing is a great way to burn calories. Even if you have two left feet, as long as you keep moving your body, that is all that matters. I love to dance. I miss dancing to the oldies every weekend at Buffoon's--Rick and I did this when we were dating and first married--I never really left the dance floor all night. I don't think Rick misses it at all though :(
I took dance classes when I was middle school age. Did you know that Marilu Henner (she's currently on Celebrity Apprentice) was my dance teacher? She taught modern dance. I also learned some ballroom and boy/girl type dancing from her mom. Her brother and sister also taught. There was a studio set up in their garage and it cost $1.00 per class. It was so much fun.
I think this is why I prefer group exercise classes to working out by myself at home or at a club--If I do workout at home, I'll pick a video workout over a treadmill or stationery bike any time. I think it's also why I ALWAYS have to have music playing when I work out. It motivates me to work harder. I think about the beat and the lyrics more than how many reps I'm doing, or how much longer I have to go.
Today I'm sharing a quick, easy samba routine from Cheryl Burke of Dancing with the Stars. There are multiple other videos from some of the other pros from that show doing different styles of dance. The beauty of dancing like this is that no one has to see or know about it except you, so, shake that booty!!!
I want to make Fridays about giving information from legitimate sources. One of my go to sources is IdeaFit.com (Idea Health and Fitness Association). This is a site for fitness pros, but many of the articles can be viewed by anyone. While browsing I came across an article that I thought would be worth sharing. It is entitled 10 Exercise Myths
I think it's also worth addressing the two myths mentioned in the introduction paragraph. No pain, no gain-- I think most of us know that this is really bad advice. I think it was originally meant to be about the burning sensation and fatigue you get in your muscles when you work them--which is actually not a bad thing. In order to build muscle small tears are actually created in the muscle fibers causing some muscle soreness. When these tears are repaired by the body (which is why you should let the body rest for 24-48 hours between strength training workouts) the muscles get bigger and stronger. You never, however want to feel sharp pain in a muscle or joint while performing any exercise, or soreness for more than a day or two--this is a red flag for injury.
The other myth has to do with spot reducing. You cannot spot reduce, period. You will not get rid of your gut by doing hundreds and hundreds of sit ups. The only way to burn fat off the body is through burning calories. You can, however spot tone or spot strengthen. If you want stronger and/or more toned arms or legs you can achieve that through strength training. However, if there is a layer of fat on top of those muscles, that has to be burned off via some type of cardio work, which is why it's important to do a combo of both types of exercise. Bottom line, in order to lose weight and body fat, you have to burn more calories than you consume.
I'm sure I will be posting more articles from this source in the future. You can like them on facebook, or pin articles to pinterest if you are interested in reading/learning more.
Today I've chosen a total body circuit video that uses the first piece of fitness equipment that I am going to recommend--a resistance band. If you don't have one, they are relatively inexpensive. Please don't get it from a sporting goods store (those are overpriced). I've seen them at Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Burlington Coat Factory, even Aldi just to name a few. They run anywhere from $4 - $8 tops. They usually come in more than 1 color or resistance--the higher the resistance, the higher the price. The thicker the tube, the harder the resistance. I recommend light to medium--you can always make it tighter by taking up more tube in your hand or taking your legs further apart if you are standing on it. If you get a light one and it gets way too easy, it's not that expensive to get the medium one. Some stores sell them in sets of 2 or 3, and some even have a video included (these both would be more expensive).
Resistance bands are great because you can vary the resistance as you are doing the exercise. For example, if you have two feet standing on the tube during arm work and it gets too hard, simply take one of your feet out to make the tube looser, or vice versa if you want to make an exercise harder. If you were using weights, you'd have to drop one weight to pick up another lighter or heavier one--that also means more equipment. Bands are also very portable. You can take it with you on your walk, or even on vacation.
The video I chose is a circuit or interval workout that alternates between strength and cardio segments. A step is used for the cardio work, but if you don't have one that's ok. You can use an actual step in your house, or just jump forward and back, or side to side, or do jumping jacks or jogs in place during the cardio portion.
One thing that is VERY important when working on a step is to make sure you come up onto the step with a full, flat foot. I do have to say that the guys in the video let their heels hang off the edge of the step a lot. This is bad for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it puts a lot of pressure on your calf muscles and your Achilles tendon which could cause injury. Second, it's easier--so it's cheating. You'll get a better cardio workout placing your full foot on the step. Remember you can modify--you don't have to jump, but then you'll have to make your movements bigger and more exaggerated to get your heart rate up during the cardio segments.
There is no real warm up on this video, so as usual march or jog in place, do some squats, shoulder rolls, etc. to warm up for 3 - 5 minutes first. Remember to stretch your legs--hamstrings and quads, lower back, upper back, chest and shoulders afterward holding each stretch 15-60 seconds. I have added a link to the stretch video that I posted last week on the right sidebar for quick reference.
Today I chose to share with you ChooseMyPlate.gov which is the website that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has recently updated. I have to say that I was quite impressed.
From a nutrition standpoint, it's been updated from the old food pyramid--although it's still based on that--to a simpler premise. This is what your plate should look like:
Half of your plate should be made up of fruits and vegetables, a little more than a quarter should be whole grains and the rest should be lean protein plus a serving of lowfat dairy. They list all kinds of healthy foods that can make up this plate. *If you have any health issues, your doctor may have your plate look a little different.
There's also sample menus and recipes, and daily food plans that are based on age--especially when you're not sure how much your child should really be eating--and on total calories--this will vary depending on weight and activity level.
They offer a tip of the day. The one posted on Tuesday was: One way to make half your grains whole is to substitute air popped popcorn for another snack.
There's a section on weight management and calories that includes a BMI calculator and another tracker tool that you can download similar to the one on MyFitnessPal. You can look up nutrition info on food, track the food you eat and your activities, manage your weight, set goals and get reports on your progress. The button near the top of the blog will take you to this tool.
There's also a newsletter you can receive via email, they are on facebook, twitter and youtube as well, so you can follow wherever you are online most. It's definitely worth checking out.
Core work is extremely important. All movement comes from the core. You may think of abs when you hear core work, but the core is much more than that. In my personal training text--core training or core stabilization exercises refer to the center of the body, specifically exercises for the muscles of the spine, neck, pelvis and scapulae. In addition to training the more familiar muscles, such as the rectus abdominis, (run down the center of your abs--6 pack) obliques (internal and external run diagonally on the sides of the rectis) and erector spinae (muscle running down along both sides of your spine into your lower back) , you are also encouraged to include exercises that train the transverse abdominis (the deepest ab muscle that wraps around your belly like a wide band), multifidus (deep back muscle under the erector spinae), diaphragm, pelvic floor muscles, scapular retractors and scapular depressors (both part of the should blade/girdle). In Pilates, your glute muscles, hamstrings (backs of thighs), quadriceps (fronts of thighs), hip flexors and hip abbductors and adductors are also included.
Several studies show that training these muscles may help reduce the incidence of low-back pain and dysfunction.
I decided to get certified to teach Pilates after injuring my back several years ago. I realized that most of the exercises I was doing for physical therapy were Pilates based and I was encouraged to keep doing them regularly to strengthen my core to help keep my back healthy.
Here are some facts/information about Pilates:
Pilates is named for it's founder Joseph H. Pilates. It was during WWI that Pilates first started working with non-ambulatory patients by attaching springs to the bed. Recovery was quickened by this method. He developed the method called "contrology" (muscle control) which highlighted a unique approach of using the mind to master the muscles. He trained other German internees in his physical fitness exercises.
He came to the United States in 1926 and established the first official Pilates Studio in New York City teaching Contrology to many. He wanted to bring his method to everyone. He wrote two books on the subject. In his second book, Return to Life Through Contrology, he included 34 of his original low impact exercises to help the reader achieve strength, flexibility and balance.
The benefits of Pilates are many (from my Pilates text). It helps restore natural balance, improves flexibility, improves posture, increases physical and mental strength, the body becomes more toned and sleek/"mean and lean", gives one the ability to move more gracefully and easily, helps prevent bone deterioration, stimulates the circulatory system which assists in oxygenating blood, aiding in lymphatic drainage, aiding in releasing endorphins, boosts the immune system, assists pre- and post-natal women in breathing, body concentration, and recovering body shape and tone after pregnancy, assists in a good night's sleep, and improves sexual enjoyment.
Everyone can do Pilates, but there are a few things you should focus on
1. It's a good idea to put each exercise into a category as you do them (this goes for all exercises). Category 1--I can do this exercise, Category 2--I can do this exercise with modification, Category 3--I shouldn't do this exercise. If an exercise causes you pain--you should not do it period. Do not confuse this with the burning sensation you may feel while exercising--that is ok. I'm talking about pain--especially in a joint such as your lower back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee or ankle. Notice I didn't use the word "can't." If an exercise isn't causing you pain, then you CAN do it, you just may need to find the right modification or progression to get you to that point. If this is ever a problem and you need a modification for an exercise, please feel free to leave a comment regarding it and I'll try to give you a modification. That being said, there are some exercises that have no modification, instead you may need to do another exercise that works the same muscle/s to help prepare you to do the exercise you are having trouble with.
2. You need to concentrate in order to keep your core engaged. The minute you take your focus away from what you are doing, you will lose your core. Be in the moment, connect your mind and body.
3. All physical movement (and I mean all) must be controlled by the mind. This prevents injury.
4. Stay centered. Focus on your powerhouse ( the muscles that support the spine, internal organs and posture--your abs, back and upper legs). Again, all motion originates from here and then proceeds to the extremities.
5. Keep your movements fluid. Move smoothly and evenly through the exercises using controlled and flowing movements. No jerky, dynamic or rushed movement is used.
6. Form is extremely important when performing all exercises. Every movement has a purpose and should be done with precision and control. Follow the instructions exactly. Become familiar with each movement through repetition, then the exercises will become more natural-feeling and less awkward. Remember to modify if necessary, while keeping good form.
7. You've heard this before--BREATHE. Breathe in through the nose and forcefully out through the mouth. Breathe in to prepare for a movement and breathe out while performing the movement.
When I was going through the certification process I was told that if you practice Pilates 4 times a week, or 2-3 times a week if doing other things, after 10 sessions you will feel a difference, after 20 sessions, you will see a difference and after 30 sessions you will have a new body. Pilates has definitely changed my body for the better. I encourage you to give it a try. I found a beginner video that is 30 minutes in length. I will post a more challenging workout in the future.
I'm sharing a 10 minute video that includes cardio along with upper body work--I figured out how to insert it into the post. Once again, no extra equipment is needed. If you are pressed for time, do the routine once. If you have more time, do it 2 - 3 times. There is no warm up included in this video--march/jog in place for 3-5 minutes, do some squats--you can follow a warm up from one of the other videos I posted--or find one on youtube. And, don't forget to stretch afterward--your legs are getting worked via the cardio portions, so stretch your legs too. Again, you can follow the video I posted last week on stretching.
Remember to breathe out on the exertion of the upper body exercises and keep your navel pulled into your spine the WHOLE time!!!
Since Sunday is my usual day off from exercise unless I do something like take a walk, hike or bike ride, I thought I'd continue to share a recipe or two on Sunday. The recipes I'll include will be lighter or healthier versions of higher fat/calorie recipes. My go to sources are Cooking Light, Health Magazine, Eat Well, Shape, Fitness and Pinterest posts.
Since Easter is next Sunday, I thought I'd share some recipes for that holiday.
Here's a link to 25 side dishes for Easter that I found via Cooking Light.
