Fitness Tip of the Day: Saturday Something New - Golf Workout

After watching The Masters golf tournament last weekend, I decided to post a workout for all my golfer friends out there, although you don't have to be a golfer to benefit from these exercises.  There are three parts to this workout: strength, balance and flexibility.  All three of these elements of fitness are important for everyday living.

This workout uses a resistance band, one dumbbell (if you don't have one, you could use a bag of flour (unopened!) or a phone book--something with a bit of weight to it), and an optional  balance mat/board (he uses a couch cushion--you could also use a pillow).  FORE!!!

Fitness Tip of the Day: Friday Facts and Findings - Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is a major concern.  According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), in 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.  This can lead to many health issues now and later in life:  high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes to name a few--all risk factors for heart disease.

CDC Childhood Obesity Facts

Who's responsible?  Apparently, everyone is; the schools that provide unhealthy food and drinks for our children to consume and not enough physical activity, parents who allow their children to play video games or watch TV for hours everyday, or those who do not provide healthy food options, or those are overweight or obese themselves, companies that abuse loopholes when packaging their food, using words like "light," "fortified," etc to make one believe they are buying something healthy when they really are not,  the government that allows these loopholes, the list goes on and on.

Regardless of who's responsible, things need to be done to help stop this.  Some schools have taken unhealthy snacks and pop out of the vending machines.  Some are providing healthier meals for lunch.  Daily physical education is mandatory  in many school districts.  All of these are good things, but I believe that home is where the biggest changes have to be made.  Studies have shown that parents of obese children see them as being at a healthy weight.  We need to open our eyes.

Yes, children are in school for the majority of their day, but if once home they are consuming high calorie, high fat snacks and food, and not doing any other physical activity they will gain weight.  It takes only minutes to consume a 300 calorie candy bar and about 1 hour of running to burn it off.  You do the math.

This same opinion is stated in this continuing education article on the subject from The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) also published in American Fitness Magazine.

The Growing Problems of Overweight American Youths

This has been one of if not the main platform that Michelle Obama has been a part of .  With her help, the Let's Move! program was launched in 2010.  This is a great website that provides information and strategies to help put an end to this growing problem.

Let's Move!

There are many things we as parents can do at home:  have your child/ren help you plan the menu for the week, get rid of the junk food, keep a bowl of fruit on the table, or cut up pieces in the fridge for quick snacking, provide more vegetables (even if it means blending them up and sneaking them into foods), take a walk or bike ride after dinner, limit TV/video time, have your child help you plan and grow a garden, have your child brown bag it for lunch if they normally buy it--these strategies work for the overweight adult as well.  You can't expect your child to do any of this if you as a parent don't do it yourself.  We must lead by example, it has to be done as a family.

Fitness Tip of the Day: Total Body Workout - Cardio, Sculpt & Tone

Today's workout is a continuation of the Total Body Workout series from the efit30 channel on YouTube (link is provided on the right side bar).  It is a 30 minute workout that uses body weight for resistance.  The challenge here is higher repetitions and progressions of exercises done in earlier workouts.  Modifications are demonstrated for more challenging exercises.  A warm-up and cool down stretch are both provided.

So, how many of you are actually trying some of these workouts?  They are not meant for just viewing, they are meant for DOING!!!  Go ahead, you can do it!

Fitness Tip of the Day: Wednesday's Website--There's an App for That

I stated in an earlier post that I do not have a smart phone, so I'm not into the world of apps as many of you are.

I went on amazon.com and searched under "free fitness apps."  For Android users, there are over 1,000!!!!  FREE!!!  The two most popular are from sites that I have already written about:  MyFitnessPal and WebMd.  There are daily workout apps for just about everything.  There are fitness magazine apps, music apps, timers and stop watch apps, healthy recipe apps, pretty much any and everything you can think of.


Here's a link to amazon:  Free Fitness Apps on Amazon

When I searched the Itunes stores, there were tons of free fitness apps there too (since you have to download itunes, and it's not a website, I can't link to that page).

So, next time you're on your phone, or tablet browsing apps, download a fitness app instead of the latest version of Angry Birds!

Fitness Tip of the Day: Tuesday Trunk & Core- Ab Power Workout 1: Ripped

How many pictures of abs can I find on the internet--TONS!!!

Why are they smiling???!!!

Today's video is only 10 minutes long and focuses on core exercises.  It is a progressive workout, that takes you through two, four minute circuits with one minute rest in between.  Since you are doing the exercises without stopping you will get a bit of a cardio workout as well.  The exercises in circuit 2 are at a higher level than circuit 1. If the progression is too much at first, go back to the exercise/s in circuit 1 until you can do the more advanced level.  You can do this video after a cardio, upper or lower body (as long as it isn't core) workout or by itself.  If you do it alone, please do a warm up first.  Also, make sure to stretch your abs and lower back afterward.

They use "30 day 6 pack" in the title--please know that doing this video alone will not accomplish that.  You have to watch your calorie intake and do additional cardio and strength training--even then, if you have more than 10 pounds to lose, 30 days is not long enough.

Just ask yourself, how long did it take me to get this way?  Unfortunately, it's going to take a lot longer to undo it.  You'll see changes in your body in 30 days, but a 6 pack is not going to magically appear.  Slow and steady weight loss is still the best assurance that you will keep it off.  This is mainly because changes in your diet and your workout schedule need to be permanent, not something you start and then 30 days later you stop.  These changes need to be for life.  So don't adopt any changes you can't stick to. That's why it's so important to find food substitutions/portions you can live with and workouts that you enjoy.  It will make going through the process that much easier.  It shouldn't feel like torture or sacrifice.  It should feel like accomplishment and well-being.

Fitness Tip of the Day: Monday Muscles -- Summer Shape Up-Lower Body

To continue with the anatomy lesson--today I'm going to talk about your Hamstrings.  Your hamstrings are made up of three muscles:  the biceps femoris, the semitendinosus and the semimembranosus.

All three muscles are two-joint muscles, crossing both the hip and the knee.  At the hip, the hamstrings are prime movers, with the gluteus maximus for hip extension (straightening the hip).  At the knee, they are prime movers for knee flexion (bending back of the knee).  While it is important to do strength training exercises for your hamstrings (squats, lunges, etc.), the hamstrings are commonly tight muscles and need to be thoroughly stretched afterward (and regularly).  Tight hamstrings can contribute to lower back pain.
Yoga is great for tight hamstrings.

Here's the next Summer Shape Up Video for Lower Body --Weeks 3 & 4:

I would definitely do the lower body stretch video that is listed on the right sidebar afterward.

Fitness Tip of the Day: Sunday Recipe Share--Chocolate Tacos

Yes, you read that right chocolate tacos!  Don't they look yummy? I was browsing through the Cooking Light website and came across this recipe (the actual recipe is listed on myrecipes.com).

Chocolate Tacos with Ice Cream and Peanuts

I have not made this recipe yet, but when I do, I plan to make a couple of substitutions.  First, I'm going to use whole wheat white flour, second, I think I'm going to change the peanuts to pecans--since butter pecan is my favorite ice cream.  Lastly, I'm going to sub out the ice cream for some homemade banana "ice cream."

Have you ever made that?  It's awesome!  You can make peanut butter banana "ice cream" too.  Here's how to do that:  I make mine in a magic bullet, but you can use a food processor or blender too.

For one serving--cut 1 or 2 bananas into chunks and freeze until firm--I always have bananas in my freezer-it's a great way to use up overripe ones.  Put these frozen banana pieces into your magic bullet/food processor/blender and blend.  If you are using a blender or food processor, you can double the recipe for more servings. That's it!  It comes out thick like ice cream.  If you want it a bit more decadent and smooth, add a tablespoon or two of your favorite nut butter.  It's SO good, and it's better for you than ice cream.

Enjoy!