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Healthy & Active

Spring is here

3/20/2014

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Springtime is in the air!  What a glorious season! The weather starts to get warm and flowers begin to bloom.  Do not miss out on the wonderful weather that is to come this season!

Take your workouts Outside!

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Do your indoor routines outside
  • If you normally Walk, Run, or Bike  indoors on a treadmill or a stationary bike, take yourself outside on running and biking trails. 
  • If you have home weights - take them outside of your house/apartment, and do your weight machines at the park.
  • Try group exercise classes that venture outdoors. (Boot camps, yoga classes etc.)
  • Go to a park and use objects there (benches, stairs, monkey bars, etc.) to do different exercises.
  • Bring a towel outside and do some total body exercises.

You don't have to be confined to one building. Take advantage of the beautiful weather.
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Do fun activities Outside!

Go hiking - With this warm weather approaching, it is the perfect time to explore the area around you. You can easily go online and look for hiking trails around your area.

Go for a bike ride - bike riding can be a fun activity either by yourself or with friends and family.

Go for walks - Brisk walks with friends and family is a great way to get out, enjoy the weather, and stay active.

Play a recreational sport - play basketball, soccer, tennis, football... anything that you would enjoy playing with some friends.

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Indoor Rock Climbing

3/10/2014

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PictureElite Climbing Rock Gym
Are you looking for a fun activity to do on the weekend with friends or family? Rock climbing is a good one! It requires use your strength to pull yourself up to the top of a wall.

My boyfriend, Stew, and I went to an indoor rock climbing gym this weekend, to do something different. I've done it a couple of times and absolutely love it!  When you climb the walls, you have your harness, rope, and somebody to belay you during your climb.  There are rocks that along the wall where you must step and grab onto in order to climb.  Some rocks are easy to grip and others require more strength in your divi flexors (Finger flexing muscles).  

There is another climbing option, which we tried as well, called Bouldering. This is a free climb, without the rope and harness - the wall is shorter, and the idea is to climb up to the top and to the side of the wall if you can.
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This activity is a challenge to your body, where you must trust your arms and legs to guide you and get you to the next level. It is appropriate for both children and adults.

What Is working?

This is a great full body activity that puts stress on some muscles you may not have even thought of strengthening.

Forearms - your wrist flexors play a big role in this activity for gripping and pulling yourself up.

Finger flexors- you have to grab and hold on to the rocks somehow. The flexor digitis, flexor pollicis brevis, etc.,  do a lot of work during your climb as you grab and hold onto the rocks.

Biceps- these arm muscles are engaged when your elbow is flexed. In order to pull yourself up, you need to have flexion in your elbow.

Quadriceps- as your legs push your body up to the top on the wall, you have to extend your legs.  When doing this, the quads are activated.

Calfs- your soleus and gastrocnemius are the muscles involved in toe raise exercises.  While rock climbing, you tend to stand on the rocks with your toes in order to help lift yourself to the next level. 

Core- your back is also engaged in this activity. In your upper back you are using your Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius, and Rhomboids. As you pull your arms from above your head to below your shoulders to help guide your body upward these muscles are engaged. 
Your abdominal muscles act as stabilizers during the climb.
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Don’t be afraid to try new activities to help you continue on your journey to living and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. 
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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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    Author

    Jenna Webster, ACSM, ACE – Personal trainer specializing in empower busy women to live healthy and active lifestyles!”

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