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Always Keep Active

There is a difference between physical activity and exercise.  Exercise is actually a type of physical activity that is a planned routine.  While physical activity is simply doing activities that increases your physical fitness and overall health.

It is important to stay physically active, which does not always entail going to the gym to exercise.  It could simply mean, taking a walk in the park, going for a jog, hiking, skating, playing recreational sports, raking the leaves in your yard, shoveling snow, power washing your house, etc.
Physical Activities

16 Tips To Help Get You Fit For 2016

1/1/2016

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HELLO 2016 GOODBYE 2015

It's a New Year! Can you believe it? Make this year a better one, a fit one, and a healthy one.  Your focus this year and the ones to follow should be to improve your way of life so that you can live an active and healthy lifestyle with longevity.  Be happy, Be strong, Love your Life, and Love your body.  Here are a few tips to help you get into shape. 

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Running Diaries (Race Prep)

9/5/2014

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My race is almost here! Tomorrow is the day! I have been getting myself ready for this 13.1 mile run, by running long runs on the weekend, staying flexible, drinking water, and eating right.  The thursday before the race, rather than going for a long run, I took a long walk - to keep my muscles loose, and keep my body moving.  It was an active rest day before the big day.

Long Runs                                            

I began running shorter distances and built up to 10 miles.  I started with 3 miles, then went to 4, 5, 6, and so on. This allowed me to build my stamina for the long run. 

Flexibility                                             

Being flexible allows you to move your muscles through a full range of motion. If your muscles are too tight, you are limited in your movements and won’t be able to perform as well.

The main muscles I wanted to target were my Hamstrings, Quads, Glutes, Calfs, and most importantly, my Hip Flexors. 

For one day this week I used a foam roller, to perform a myo-fascia release on some of these muscles.  This helps to release the toxins within the muscle, and loosens it up to help it perform its function better.

Other days, before my workout I performed dynamic stretches, like leg kicks, high knees, and butt kicks. After my workouts and during my downtime, performed static stretches, like the hurdle stretch, seated forward fold, stretches for the hip flexors and the IT band etc. 

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http://aretecomplete.com
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http://aretecomplete.com
Check out some of these stretches. Click.

Hydration                                                

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Hydration is important. Water helps keep your body at regular temperatures, transports waste and nutrients throughout your body, protects the joints, and more.  With exercise, we tend to perspire, and as you lose water, you want to replenish your body with what was lost.

Dehydration can cause a slack in performance, and can limit you from doing well. 

I am always drinking water, making sure that I get the right amount each day.  And with this race ahead of me, I have been focusing on my water intake and keeping my body hydrated.

Check out this post on hydration, and why it is important. Click.

Eat Right                                                         

I eat pretty healthy on a regular basis. I consume a lot of fruits and vegetables.  I eat meat occasionally.  And I don’t tend to eat junk food.  

Before my morning workouts, I made sure that I had something to eat an hour or two before my exercises/runs.  Fruit smoothies, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt and fruit, toast, etc. I made sure I ate to give my body something to metabolize.  If I don’t eat anything before a workout - I have absolutely no energy.  If I did not eat before exercising, my body would not have anything to use for fuel; so everything that seemed so easy before would become much more difficult.  Eating is extremely important.

Because running such a far distance, I need to make sure I eat right the night before (have enough carbs stored in my body for the run), and eat the morning of.  Stew and I will be staying at a bed and breakfast, so I don’t have to worry about preparing our breakfast.  We will wake up with enough time to get ready, eat, and sign in for the race.  After the half marathon, we will need to restore our body with some carbs and fats - since our bodies will still need energy - and protein, to help rebuild our muscles.
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Hydration Is Key

6/29/2014

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Staying hydrated is extremely important for your body.  
Your body is made up of 60% water. 
Water helps to regulate body temperature, transport nutrients and waste throughout the body, and it acts as a lubricant for the joints.
For exercise it is important to make sure you are hydrated before the workout, during, and after.  When exercising, your body loses water through sweating, and should be replenished after.  

How Much Water Should I Drink?                                        

We are told that we should always drink about 6-8 glasses of water a day.
  • A person should drink between .5oz - 1oz of water per pound in body weight throughout the day.  For example, for somebody who weighs 135lbs, they should drink between 67.5oz - 135oz per day to stay hydrated. 
  • Before exercise you want to drink about 15-20oz of water 2-3 hours before the workout, and 8-10oz of water 10-15 minutes before the workout.
  • During exercise, you can add water breaks every 10-15 minutes.  (If the workout is longer than 90 minutes, you should drink 8-10 oz every 15-30 minutes.)
  • After Exercise you want to drink the amount of water that has been lost. For example, if a person is 135lbs before exercising, and is now 130lbs post workout, that individual should hydrate by drinking 2.5oz - 5oz of water. 

Hydration And Exercise Performance                          

Dehydration can occur for a couple of reasons:
  • Inadequate fluid intake
  • Excessive Sweating 
  • Failure to replace fluids lost during and after exercise
  • Exercising in dry, hot weather
  • Drinking only when thirsty (Feeling Thirsty is a sign of dehydration.)

Dehydration can decrease exercise performance and can lead to:
  • Muscle cramps
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Heat Illnesses (Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke)


Can You Drink Too Much Water?                                            

Absolutely, it is a very rare thing to happen but  too much water can be toxic to the body. It has been seen in marathon runners and military recruits.  It can occur with somebody who is not as active and drinks too much water.  

Water intoxication, also known as Hyponatremia is when you drink an excessive amount of water which causes the sodium levels in the blood to drop.  This can be fatal.

I Don’t Like The Taste Of Water, What Should I Do?                                                                                                                           

You can get some of your daily water intake from your daily fruits and vegetables.  These types of food are usually made up of water and when we eat them, we can add that to our water count for the day.

Spice up your glass!
Add some flavor to your water by adding local fruits.  Put some strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, and lemons into your water.  This will help add flavor to your bland drink while keeping it healthy. 
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Keeping A Healthy And Active Lifestyle With a Busy Work Life

3/3/2014

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Some people may find it difficult to stay active during the day, and may also struggle with a poor diet when working at a job with minimal physical activity. In order to avoid inactivity and poor eating habits -Take your activity and healthy eating habits to work.

1.  Bring your Lunch                                                                              

Bring your lunch.  This way you can pack a good portion size, and have foods that you enjoy.  This will help you make good food choices.

Find some time the night before work or the morning of to prepare your lunch and snacks for the day or even for the week.

Pack your main course and make sure you also pack snacks that you enjoy.

Many people tend to order delivery, or eat out on their lunch breaks.  You want to try to avoid this because you may be eating more unhealthy foods (like fast foods, bad greasy foods, etc.) as well as eating unnecessary large portions..

Sometimes I pack leftovers from the night before, or I cook/prepare something. My main meal may be a salad, pasta, chicken and rice, rice and beans, etc. (I pack whatever I'm in the mood for). I like to add fruits and vegetables as a snack for when I get hungry throughout the day. Sometimes I'll pack nuts, a small bag of dry cereal, crackers etc.

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2.  Be Active                                                                                                           

No matter where you work, in a hospital setting or at a desk in an office, there are ways to stay active.

  • Stand up - Get up out of your chair and stand up on occasion.
  • Walk around - Walk around the office whenever you get the chance, this will get your body moving- you don't want to be sitting all day. Moving around, no matter how little or how much is better then nothing.
  • Take the stairs - Try to avoid taking the elevator and take the stairs more.
  • Park your car farther - If you feel safe and comfortable, park your car a little farther from your building, to get some extra daily steps in.
  • Stretch - it is important to stay flexible. If you are sitting around all day, you your leg muscles can tighten up and you will lose flexibility. Try to do some stretches for your hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip flexors, and core.

3.  Stay Hydrated                                                                                         

It is very important to consume water throughout the day.

[[ Water helps regulate body temperature, removes waste from the body, participates in carrying nutrients throughout the body, and more. ]]

Keep a water bottle by you at work, so that you can drink the appropriate daily intake.

Try to avoid ONLY drinking water when you feel thirsty - That is a sign of dehydration.

I like to use a Brita water bottle, because I feel comfortable filling it up anywhere since it has a filter.
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The Office WorkOut                                                                              

Take 10 minutes out of your workday to do a few exercises.  You don't have to break a sweat - you just have to move.
Sit and Stand - Stand in front of your chair with your legs shoulder width apart.  With your weight on your heels, squat down into your chair.  Push down into your heels and pull yourself back into a standing position.        
                                                15x
Stair Climb -  Walk up and down a flight of stairs in your workplace.  Keep your back straight.
                                                    5x
Side Shuffle -  Find a hallway where you feel free to move around. At one end of the hallway, stand to the side with both feet together.  Take a side step by abducting one leg to the side, and have the other leg follow with an adduction until your feet are back together. Keep going until you are at the other end of the hallway
                                                 2-4x
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Vacation - Hilton Head 

12/23/2013

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Trip tips

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I recently came back from a road trip with my boyfriend. We traveled from Philadelphia, PA to High Point, NC; Charlotte, NC; Hilton Head, SC; and Charleston, SC and finally back to Philadelphia in 5 days. The trip was wonderful and we were lucky to have great weather during our stay, which allowed us to do outdoor activities.

Throughout the trip I realized how easy it could be to veer away from your normal diet and exercise routine. So here are a few tips for traveling that I think are very important.


1. Drink lots of water. Because you are in a new place and on the move traveling, it can be easy to forget about water until you are already dehydrated. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Fruits and vegetables also put water into your body, so eating these will also help with hydration.

2. Prepare healthy travel snacks. Because you are constantly traveling, it may be tempting to grab the greasy chips. If you are traveling by car, the majority of food options will be fast foods. Preparing your own snacks for the trip will keep you satisfied until you are ready to grab a good meal at the airport or off the highway. You can prepare fruits like, grapes, apples, oranges, bananas, etc. Think of some vegetables that you may like, such as, carrots, celery, tomatoes, etc. Pack yourself pretzels, or multi-grain crackers.  Prepare foods that you enjoy and that will help you maintain your diet.

3. Do some sort of physical activity. I know some trips might not be for relaxation and "me-time" but if you can find at least 10 minutes throughout your day to do something it will be better than nothing.  Find out what's around your destination area, outdoor or indoor activities. If where you are staying has a gym, there is no excuse to skip exercising for at least 10 minutes. 

     During our stay at Hilton Head, we found that throughout the island there were bike trails. We rented bikes for three days to go all over the island. This was a great way to see Hilton Head. We took a walk on the beach, and ran 6 miles one morning. While inside the hotel we did some body weight exercises (squats, push-ups, and sit-ups) and while watching T.V. we took our time to stretch our upper and lower extremities as well as our core.

4. When eating out try to avoid sabotaging your diet. I know it's vacation, I know you may not want to cook, I know that you will want to try signature dishes, but this does not mean to forget the way you eat when you are home. I'm not telling you not to dine out, I'm just telling you to dine smart. Don't order a plethora of food that you know you won't be able to finish. If you can't finish your plate, don't force it, take it back to your hotel for leftovers if there is a refrigerator. Eat small bites, and chew slowly so that you have time for your body to tell you it's full. Order water and not a calorie filled drink; try to avoid beers wines and liquor if possible, otherwise try not to have more than one glass. Try to order a dish that has a variety of different foods, like a dish with vegetables, a grain and a meat.

5. Have fun! Make sure you do something you enjoy. If you are on a business trip you want to make sure that you do something for you during your stay. You are in a new environment, and a different place, you should take advantage of this time to enjoy life.

    

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    Author

    My name is Jenna and I am a Personal Trainer with a dream of motivating and inspiring others to live a healthy and active lifestyle. I live a life full of fun and adventure that I wish to share with all of you through my blog. With advise, tips, and my life stories I hope these posts help to motivate and inspire to begin and/or maintain an exercise program.

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