Category Archives: Exercising

When Packing Your Bags, Pack Your Sneaks!

27 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Health and Wellness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Staying fit and healthy is a lifelong commitment. It entails being faithful to your workout regimen, maintaining a healthy diet, and living the other cardinal rules of living fit and well, including getting enough nightly sleep, taking care of your skin, flossing and other healthy practices.

Many people, who when they leave the comforts of their own home for business travel or, better yet, a personal getaway, oftentimes also take a vacation from their workouts and healthy diets. They are on away from home, so their thinking may be, “it’s also time to take a break.”

Being fit and healthy knows no breaks other than your normal days off from your working and a sweet treat on occasion. Getting on a plane, train, or automobile to take you to a different destination other than your home is not a reason or excuse NOT to keep your commitments to yourself. If anything, it’s an opportunity to change up your workout and diet which should be exciting and enticing!

When traveling, I always try to stay at a hotel that has a gym. Most hotels and resorts have fitness rooms to continue your workouts. They may not be like your gym back home, but it’s enough to get you by. If your hotel does not have one, there are often nearby gyms that may even offer discounts to hotel guests. Check with your hotel when checking in.

After registering, one of the first things I do after dropping my bags in the rooms is to check the gym and ask about the hours. If I am traveling for business, then often I have to get creative when I’m going to get my workouts in. If it’s for pleasure, I typically go early in the mornings just as I do when at home.

If you don’t have access to a gym while traveling, then pack along a few pieces of portable equipment, such as a jump rope, resistance bands, and even exercise DVDs if you have a laptop. Exercise wise, you should also be able to perform several in your hotel room, including lunges and squats to keep your quads, glutes, and hamstrings in shape; pushups, sit-ups, leg raises, and side planks for  your arms and ab; and dips using a chair for your tris.

Traveling can sometimes play havoc with your healthy eating. From the airport and airplane food to hotel and restaurant meals, it’s easy to be VERY tempted and fall off course. So be prepared to remain discipline and don’t lose what you’ve worked so hard to achieve! Keep making your healthy eating choices. Look at this as a great opportunity to continue with your diet by trying different healthy recipes from eateries. Also, pack some of your favorite healthy snacks. I always do this, in addition to my vitamins. Mixed nuts, raisins, and granola/power bars are easy to take along. I also often bring grapes that I nibble on during the first day and a bottle of water to stay hydrated.

Often a getaway is an opportunity for new or different physical activities. Put it in this light and it can be another incentive for your getaway. It can be as simple as walking around a great city, rock climbing at a national park, trying surf lessons for the first time, or cycling around to see the new sights. So get out there and remain  fit, active, and healthy. Eat well by making wise meal decisions and enjoy your days away. And remember to pack your sneaks!

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

Walk Your Way to Wellness

26 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by in Cardio, Exercising

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

I often mention my mother when I write and the influence she has had on my healthy lifestyle. My dad also played a major role with his athletic and physical activities and healthy eating. Dad raced track in school, played golf regularly in his single years, and performed calisthenics in his later years.

His one favorite fitness activity that he did for as long as I can remember is that he walked every day and usually twice. Dad walked no matter what the weather conditions was like – rain, winds and even snow. He would wake up at dawn and out the door he went, walking to Lou’s Sandwich Shop a few miles away to have breakfast with his longtime friends. Afterward, he would walk home to work remotely from his home office for the day and repeat this same walk again to have lunch at the same eatery. Dad also learned to master reading and listening to a talk radio while he walked; as if he body was placed on automatic cruise control!

Greek physician Hippocrates once said, “Walking is man’s best medicine.” He’s right! For starters, it is simply one of the easiest, cheapest, and safest activities for burning calories and tuning up the cardiovascular system. Dad walked for years. We lived in the suburbs, he had a car, but he still made it a point to walk. It made his heart strong, his leg muscles solid, and his mood happier. Walkers also have less incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. They live longer and get mental health and spiritual benefits. Studies also show that regular walking increases bone density, helps to fade fibromyalgia pain, offsets stress, lessens the need for medications, and provides the time to refocus and reflect in addition to the increased fitness levels and a way to whittle down the weight. There’s also the bonus of soaking up some vitamin D from the sun when walking outside on sunny days.

So if you want to get healthier or trim down a little bit, than walking is a good exercise of choice with no gym membership required! If you are not a walker but want to begin, start the first week by walking 20 minutes three times a week. For the next few weeks, increase your time to 30 minutes. As you feel more energetic and fit, add an extra session or two to your weekly walking program. Try to work up to five sessions a week, for 30 to 45 minutes each time, especially if you are trying to pare off fat pounds. Remember to walk at a good pace, too.

Here are some additional tips. Wear good sneakers or walking shoes with great support. Let your heel strike the ground first, then roll from the heel to the ball of your foot. Push off with the ball of your foot for more momentum. Maintain your elbows bent at about a 90-degree angle and keep them close to your sides. Swing your arms back and forth as you walk. Keep your head level as you walk and look straight ahead. Take long, smooth strides. Walk as briskly as you can. Breathe deeply but naturally as you walk.

What’s especially great about walking is you can do it almost at any time and at any place. You can go solo or take your dog, friends, co-works or children with you for a team effort. Walk on a treadmill at the gym while catching up on your reading, listening to your favorite show, or watching a show on the gym TV. Don’t have time today? Then take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further from store entrances. And purchase a pedometer to keep track of your steps. You might be delightfully surprised.

Walking is fun. It’s great and safe for all ages, from the very young to the very old. Best of all, it’s free. So put on a comfortable pair of walking shoes, grab some chilled water, and get out there for a healthy walk and healthier life.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

Labor Day – More Than Just No More Whites

25 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Health and Wellness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

When Labor Day arrives, symbolizing the end of summer, it’s more than just the last of the barbeques and the putting away of the whites. White shoes. What pants. White purses. To those living in the North, it’s time to put away the warm weather clothing and the outdoor furniture, and to others, time to buy back-to-school supplies and change family schedules.

To me, it’s goodbye to long summer days filling with ample opportunities to play outside longer. Throughout the summer I take advantage of the long warm-weather days, rising early to run and workout, play golf, tennis or swim during the day, and then wrap many evenings up with a run that starts as late as 8:30 at night. I love to run at dus. There’s just something magical to me being out at time, running one with nature.

I am not alone in my feelings about the long days of summer. Many of us living in the North have to change gears and switch out our workouts. To some, they do not let the colder weather deter them and invest in warmer workout clothing and keep on going. They still get out there as diehards and play golf, ride the trails, or, better yet, embrace the cold weather and participate in winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. You should see me running on cooler to cold days. I begin to layering on my insulated ski clothing, including gloves, face mask, ski jacket, and even hand warmers!

But to most, the colder shorter days really does mean less time staying fit. There’s less opportunities. Less time. Less activities. Less motivation. Many go from playing tennis, swimming, golf, hiking, and gardening to watching sports on TV, leisurely shopping at the malls, taxing children around, and cooking and baking for upcoming events. Soon comfort foods, oversnacking and increased alcohol from tailgates and holiday get togethers replaces the summer forgotten days of ample fresh fruits and vegetables and grilled meats plus lots of cold water to refresh and rehydrate from all the outdoor summer activities . All of this is a recipe for disaster to falling out of shape and putting on the pounds.

Yes, to many September draws a line between those who are serious about staying fit and those who are not. Often Labor Day is the last day of keeping fit. Many begin to hibernate and are less active, but there are still plenty of indoor activities one can participate in and away from the colder climate.

If you belong to the gym, you are presented with the most opportunities. You are able to weight lift, participate in aerobic, Pilates, yoga and spin classes, and perhaps swim in an indoor pool if you gym has one. There are also treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bikes for great cardio workouts and maybe the chance to play racquetball and squash if your gym has the courts.

No gym? No problem! You can follow along exercise DVDs at home, join an indoor tennis, basketball or volleyball league or sign up and take dance classes. You can also enroll in martial arts or find a rink nearby to go roller or ice skating. And if you are a walker and it’s too chilly to stroll outside, then you can grab a friend and head over to the nearest mall and take laps with a chat inside.

So staying fit over the colder months doesn’t have to be challenge. It may take a little more effort and creativity, but it is an effort that is worth its weight in gold – your health! So go have some fun inside and stay healthy until next summer!  You’ll avoid the common New Year’s resolution of having to get fit by summer and feel incredible about yourself year round.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

The Refreshing Perks of Waterskiing and Wakeboarding

09 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Skiing, Sports, Swimming

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

To me, there is something ever so alluring about water. Put me in a swimming pool, take me to a lake, or bring me to the beach, it is my instant nirvana when my eyes see a body of H20. So it will come as no surprise that I also love to play in the water, even being past 40. Swimming, floating, splashing, chilling, snorkeling … I simply love it all! This also includes boating of all types and its associated activities, such as tubing, waterskiing and wakeboarding.

I remember the first time I went waterskiing. It was down in Florida. I slipped on the vest, slid my feet into the skis and sat patiently at the end of the dock waiting for the boat that would pull me to be ready. I had snowed ski for years. How hard could waterskiing be? When it came time to go, the boat gently took off and I instantly began gliding across the water. All my years of snow skiing came into play as I picked up waterskiing as if I had done it for years. What a great rush!

Last summer was the first time I tried wakeboarding. This time I was at the Jersey Shore. Again I slipped on a vest, but this time I stood on the back of the boat on the water trying different stances. Should I lead with my left foot or right? I thought back to my skateboarding days and knew the left lead felt more natural. When it was my turn, I jumped off the back of the boat with the board hinged to my feet and drifting away while adjusting my rope. I waved to the driver and he slowly placed the boat into gear. What a refreshing surprise when I popped right up out of the water, during my very first attempt, and began swishing side to side as the boat pulled away.

These two water sports are an amazing feel. Since waterskiing and wakeboarding are so much fun, one can easily forget how they also make great workout activities. One of the biggest benefits is that it is a complete body workout, exerting just about every major muscle group from your head to toe, especially once you begin holding yourself up with the taut rope which also improves your balance and coordination. Your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and gluteal muscles will all be worked in addition to your abductor and adductor muscles from all of the lateral moves across the water.

Looking for a new fat burner? Well, these warm weather activities are also an excellent means to burning calories and fat. A 150-pound person can easily lose over 400 calories an hour. A person with more body mass even more. Waterskiing and wakeboarding will also boost your metabolism and lift your mood … that is as long as you remain up on your skis or board!

Waterskiing and wakeboarding are also excellent ways to stretch and strengthen your leg muscles, particularly in the thighs and around the knees, as well as help with joint mobility. Your endurance will increase, the longer you stay up and more frequent the trips, as will your stamina. These sports also help to build your overall strength and agility, develop long lean muscles, and tone your entire torso.

What is there to loose in trying these water workouts? Even if you do lose your balance and fall in, you are left with treading water and swimming, two more excellent exercises. It’s a win-win situation all around. So the next time you have the opportunity to water ski or wakeboard, give it a try. You might find two more sports to add to your beloved list of activities just like I did.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

High Intensity Training (HIT) – Not for the Meek and Mild

19 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Muscles, Weight Training

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Since my son Michael has come home for the summer from college, he has been especially dedicated to his workouts and diet. He hits the gym faithfully, follows a healthy muscle building diet and even frequents GNC for supplements. His dedication reminds me of when I was his age. But now the tables have turned slightly as Michael has introduced me to something, HIT; a workout regimen that became widespread in the 1970’s, decades before he was even born.

High Intensity Training (HIT) is a method of strength training first made popular by inventor Arthur Jones, the founder of Nautilus and MedX. Everyone who has ever worked out is knows of Nautilus equipment. The latter company manufactures both spinal rehabilitation and premium exercise equipment. I was first made aware of Jones and his commitment to the fitness world with his creation of the portable Bowflex. My oldest brother, also named Michael, took that apparatus with him everywhere, including family vacations. Yes, you can see that discipline and a dedication to fitness runs in the family.

The basic principles of HIT are that the exercises are brief, infrequent, and intense.  The participant works harder for briefer amounts of time and less frequently than the typical high volume approach that trainers often encourage. It stresses intensity over repetition and focuses on performing quality weightlifting repetitions to the point of momentary muscular failure. The training takes into account the number of repetitions, the amount of weight, and the amount of time the muscle is exposed to tension in order to maximize the amount of muscle fiber recruitment. Many bodybuilders used this training technique as it’s an excellent means to build muscle mass which is my son’s goal.

A HIT workout targets one body part at a time with one or two exercises, a single set of 6 to 10 reps for your upper body and either 8 to 15 reps or more commonly 12 to 20 reps for your lower, performed until the exerciser is spent. Dead lifts usually have a rep range of 5 to 8 reps, and calves are sometimes trained with 1 to 2 sets of failure. Be certain to choose a weight that allows you to complete your reps to exhaustion. When you are able to do 10 or more reps, increase the weight for your next workout.

A rule of HIT is, as the exerciser get stronger, the stress is greater and more rest more is needed between workouts. So HIT workouts should be scheduled from 4 days a week to only one workout every 10 days. A sample HITs workout on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or Tuesdays and Thursdays would include: barbell squats, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises, chin ups or lat pull downs, barbell rows, bench presses, dumbbell flies or pec decks, shoulder presses, dumbbell lateral raises, barbell curls, and tricep extensions.

Not every strength training or exercise program is for everyone. I do not do High Intensity Training as I do not want my muscles any larger than they are already. But for those who would like be more well-built, like my son, than I suggest giving HIT a try. It’s been proven to be very effective and accomplishing increased strength and muscle mass.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

Splish. Splash. Swimming is a Blast of a Workout.

07 Tuesday Jun 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Sports, Swimming

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ever since I was a child, I love to swim. Maybe it’s my Aquarius zodiac sign to blame, but regardless, I would swim every day if I lived in a hot climate year round or had a heated pool behind my house. But mainly due to my weekly schedule and all my other commitments, I only manage to get in two to three swims in a week on average. My preferred times to swim at the gym is at the crack of dawn or late in the evening. With goggles tightly wrapped, cap securely on and one ear plug in my left ear, I swim 30-40 laps nonstop, depending on my restlessness of swimming just laps in a single lane. I do have an underwater MP3 player, but have yet to use it.

Contrary to a popular belief, swimming is not great way to drop excess pounds. While you burn a good amount of calories while swimming, it isn’t as effective with the calorie burn with cardio activities on land. Swimming burns about three calories per mile per pound of bodyweight. So if you weigh 150 lbs. and it takes you 30 minutes to swim one mile, then you will be using approximately 900 calories in one hour. The serious swimmer easily achieves that or better, but the recreational swimmer typically does not swim at the speed, distance or duration so their calorie burn is significantly lower. Also, once you get of the pool, the calories stop burning unlike exercising at land when the increased calorie burn can continue up to 18 hours after your workout.

Nonetheless swimming is an excellent workout and is one of those exercises that, once learned, can be performed well into the late ages of life. The low impact exercise tones your entire body and provides an excellent cardiovascular workout with little strain. Regular swimming builds endurance and builds muscles. Swimming also strengthens your heart and improves the delivery of oxygen to your muscles. It can also better your blood pressure and help to lessen a chance of injury with the total body workout. There are psychological benefits as well, such as complete relaxation, stress reduction and a form of meditation. I love it so much because of the endorphin high I get during and afterward plus the overall toning and conditioning. There are no phones underwater, no interruptions, no pressure, no demands; just you and the clear blue water. Ah nirvana, at least for me.

For my swim workouts, I mainly swim freestyle, but sometimes will add the breast and back strokes to work other muscles. I often use swim paddles to strengthen my stoke mechanics, a kickboard to work my legs, and a pull buoy to push my upper body. I would also use training fins more regularly, as I love the quickness I gain through the water by using them, if it weren’t the muscle build I quickly gain with the added resistance. Whentraining for an upcoming triathlon, I will then do a lot of sprint work in the water to simulate what I will be doing in the first leg of a sprint tri.

In addition to swimming laps, one can participate in a water aerobics class, water walk or jog, or participate in a water yoga class and other options at a nearby gym or swim club. What is so great about swimming is that it exercises almost your entire body – heart, lungs, and muscles included – with very little joint strain. It is great for general fitness and it’s great for anyone at any age. So now that it’s summer and warmer weather has arrived, hopefully you will find an opportunity or two to get out there and splish splash about and make your own wonderful waves.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

Pilates: The Secret to an Amazing Body

06 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by in Exercising, Pilates

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

What do Drew Barrymore, Elizabeth Berkeley, Minnie Driver, Daisy Fuentes, Jasmine Guy, Jewel, Melanie Griffith, Meg Ryan, Sharon Stone, Marisa Tomei, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Dita Von Tees, Sarah Jessica Parker, Susan Lucci and Oprah Winfrey have in common with each other and 11 million people? They practice pilates, a mind-and-body approach of exercise system that was originally developed in Germany by a man named Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. This form of popular exercise focuses primary on the core group muscles, toning and shaping the abdomen, legs, upper body and buttocks.

The perks of pilates are plentiful, including: longer, leaner muscles; improved postural problems; increased core strength, stability and peripheral mobility; better balance, strength and flexibility; ease on joints; improved performance in sports; heightened body awareness and enhanced coordination and circulation. Additional benefits include: flattened abs, improved posture, reduced back pain and injury prevention. An added bonus, it’s portable and can be customized to suit everyone from rehab patients to elite athletes.

Pilates was developed in Germany by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. In some respects, pilates is like yoga. The similarities include both are practiced on a mat, use mind-body type methods of movement and both emphasize deep breathing with smooth, long movements that enhance the mind-body experience. But while yoga moves from one static posture to the next, pilates flows through a series of movements with a focus on more resistance. There are also more preparatory exercises in pilates than yoga and modifications cater to many different body types and abilities with pilates, making it more applicable to everyday life.

While there are many follow-up forms to the original pilates, the following are the four major types that are practiced most.

Fletcher Pilates – This technique was developed by Ron Fletcher, a true master of movement who, after developing knee problems, sought treatment from Joseph Pilates. It was then that Fletcher became interested in the study of contrology and studied under both Joseph and Clara Pilates for over 20 years. Fletcher developed his own style of pilates, expanding on the breath work that Joseph Pilates encouraged, he developed structured breathing patterns that he calls percussive breathing. He also incorporated his modern dance background in combination with his training the pilates to further develop the body, mind, breath, spirit connection. While staying true to pilates’ origins, Fletcher also introduced innovative floor work, towel work and breathing techniques, creating an even more comprehensive movement experience.

Power Pilates – Power Pilates focuses on building strong muscles without needing to be flexible. It was developed in the early 1980’s by three master pilates teachers, Susan Moran, Bob Liekens and Phoebe Higgins, and chiropractor Dr. Howard Sichel. Suitable for all levels of fitness, this form of pilates is comprised of low impact exercise and usually requires the use of different pieces of equipment found in a pilates studo to properly perform its moves. To achieve maximum results, it is recommended that 12 to 36 hours worth of classes are taken every week.

Stott Pilates – Stott Pilates arose 20 years ago from an intense study of human anatomy and has been refined over the years to include the modern principles of exercise science and rehabilitation. Created by Moira and Lindsay G. Merrithew and a team of physical therapists, sports medicine and fitness professionals, it uses both traditional techniques and modern science to attempt to bring more healing power into exercise, especially with the spine. Performed on a mat or on reformer equipment, Stott Pilate’s primary concentrates on breathing, core conditioning and body awareness. It strengthens and tones your body without creating a bulky appearance or adding too much pressure to your joints. So popular and effective, this form of pilates is used by rehab and prenatal clients, athletes and celebrities.

Winsor Pilates – This is the form of pilates I practice. It is one of the more well-known styles, combining the traditional pilates concepts with body-sculpting movements. It was founded by Mari Winsor, a dancer, teacher, author and the foremost pilates instructor in the world. Developed over 20 years ago through intense training with Romana Kryzanowska (a pilates expert who trained with Joseph Pilates and took over his studio), the unique combination of controlled movements shapes and sculpts long, lean muscles. Countless of highly-visible bodies of musicians, professional athletes and celebrities train with Winsor in her Los Angeles studios to tone and strengthen their bodies. She also has a national following. Winsor has co-written three books on pilates, contributes to countless magazines and has sold more than 29 million DVDs on her pilates workouts.

Pilates exercises are an excellent way to stay fit. If the exercise routine is new to you, you are about to discover an exceptional fitness routine with the power to transform your body for the better. It is neither too expensive to learn, nor too labor intensive yet it is very effective. And it is one of those forms of exercises that anyone can reap its benefits, can practice daily and carry out into your longevity with very satisfying results.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

Health Perks of Playing Golf

28 Thursday Apr 2011

Posted by in Cardio, Exercising, Golf, Metabolism, Sports

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

This week I started golf lessons. I’m not a beginner. I’ve actually started playing the game 15 years ago while living in picturesque Connecticut. Back then, I bought my first set of clubs, took lessons from a pro and off I went. I immediately fell in love with the sport and was hooked. Soon I was playing up to four times a week on four different courses. I played rain or shine, joined a ladies league and carried my clubs with me everywhere I went in the trunk of my car, just in case I decided to hit the range or play an unexpected round.

Just like every now and then I hire physical trainers to change up my gym routines or to focus on certain areas, I also like to work with a golf pro to improve my swing and my game. No longer living in Connecticut, I don’t come close to the amount of time I use to put into the game. With numerous days between rounds, I feel I’m a bit off my game and losing my swinging touch. So now I’m back to a pro to hopefully correct any bad habits I may have developed and to sharpen my game all around.

Golf is a very popular sport worldwide and can be played at all ages. First invented on the coast of Scotland in the 15th century, there are over 50 million golfers in the world, more than 11,000 golf courses in just North America and nearly 32,000 courses found all over the world. Over 22% of the players are female, including Kathy Whitworth who has won 88 professional tournaments during her amazing career—more than any other male or female golfer in history.

While golf may seem more leisure and strategic than an exerted workout, there are some undeniable health benefits to playing a round. It is a form of physical exercise and it does use muscles in the entire body. And it can provide benefits ranging from improved circulation to improved flexibility and better balance.

Golf movements consist of walking, swinging, squatting, twisting, bending and lifting. Golfers can experience increased strength, mobility, hand-eye coordination and range of motion. The sport is also good for weight control if you choose to skip the cart and pass on the cold beverages. And a long four-hour-day on the course can lead way to a great night’s sleep. The following are additional benefits.

Cardio. You can get a good cardiovascular workout when walking an entire golf course. While buzzing around in one those carts is great fun, it also takes away a great opportunity from working up a good sweat. Walking is a good low-impact cardiovascular activity that gets the heart pumping. Research shows walking several miles around a varied terrain course has the same health benefits of a full 45-minute fitness class.

Strength. Carrying your bag of clubs of approximately 30 pounds is a simply way to add resistance training and muscle strengthening while walking the 18 holes. It will help to strengthen your core, arms, legs and shoulders and improve your overall muscle mass. Swinging your clubs will also help to tone up those very same muscles.

Metabolism. Walking a course will help to burn fat, improve your good cholesterol levels and speed up your metabolism. It’s been noted that a round of golf burns about 300 calories per hour in a 150 pound individual while carrying clubs, 230 calories when riding the cart and 200 calories when just hitting balls at a driving range.

Vitamin D. Playing out in the sun for a few hours has the benefit of soaking up the valuable Vitamin D from the sun without a second thought. Vitamin D is essential for having strong bones, regulating the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, and helping to control the growth of skin cells.

Additionally, golf is a great stress reliever and helps to strengthen your eye-hand coordination. Risk of an injury is low, but like any other sport you should still warm up and stretch before playing, especially your back, shoulders and arms. Lift and carry clubs safely and remember to wear sun protection. Stay hydrated; drink water before, during and after your game. And the best part? Just having fun with a group of friends!

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

Top 10 Ways to Prevent Unsightly Cellulite

28 Monday Mar 2011

Posted by in Diet, Exercising, Skincare, Top 10 Lists

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Orange peel thighs. Cottage cheese arms. Pin cushion butts. Sounds attractive, right? It’s all jesting jargon for the unflattering look of cellulite that can unfortunately appear on one’s body. It can be a person’s worst nightmares, especially for women. Unsightly, not-so-cute dimples that can emerge out of nowhere on one’s upper arms, legs, butt or even the stomach area. And with no magic wand or secret remedy to diminish (Diminish? I meant to say annihilate!), there is unfortunately a limited of tactics that can be taken to reduce and ideally eliminate.

Cellulite does not favor a race or recognize age once one enters puberty, but it does prefer women over men (90% of all women have some level of cellulite) and, like it or not, heredity plays a role. Another cause is inactivity; when our food intake becomes greater than energy output, then body fat levels rise, especially with age. Women who experienced pregnancy and lactation may also see more cellulite on their bodies since the body uses the fatty tissue as insulation, structural support and cushioning. Impaired blood flow and lymph circulation are other causes in developing cellulite as are female hormones (estrogen and progesterone).

If and when cellulite will appear on your body also depends on the strength and flexibility of your fat cells and the thickness of your underlying fat layer in your skin. Cellulite develops in the topmost layers of the skin, resting on top of a layer of firm collagen connective tissue. But cellulite can be avoided altogether. Below are preventative steps to take to help manage and prevent cellulite from making an appearance.

Ways to Prevent:

1.       Lose the extra unnecessary body fat through safe and permanent weight loss methods and exercise programs.

2.       Avoid all commercial baked goods, processed food, and fried foods which are loaded with unhealthy hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.

3.       Reduce your foods and beverages that are high in sugar or are highly processed carbohydrates as they stimulate excess insulin in your blood causing your body to make and store extra fat.

4.       Incorporate the best anti-cellulite foods into your diet, such as beans, legumes, fresh fish, white meats, fruits and vegetables.

5.       Drink lots of water which will help flush toxins out your body and diminish cellulite.

6.       Supplement your diet with a good, balanced blend of the healthy essential fatty acids (Omega 3s, 6s, 9s), including seafood, fish, cantaloupes, papayas, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds.

7.       Get out there and exercise! Lack of exercise hardens the connective tissue in the skin.

8.       Stop smoking which fast forwards the development of cellulite by constricting your blood vessels and damaging the connective tissue and avoid alcohol which has toxins and calories that get stored in your body as fat, contributing to the cellulite problem.

9.       Avoid diet pills, sleeping pills and diuretics which all lead to cellulite. So do most birth control pills due to high levels of estrogen.

10.    Stop crash dieting which causes your body to think it’s starving and begins to consume saturated fats which builds cellulite.

Cellulite is the result of several factors, but while it is perceived as unsightly, it can be reduced and all together eliminated. The best way to manage cellulite is through exercise and watching your diet . Keep in mind that your daily diet is most crucial in the development and avoidance of cellulite as what you eat can cause toxic build-up and poor circulation. Just follow the methods above and you will be on your way to having smooth skin once again.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

The Surprising Health Benefits of Downhill Skiing

07 Monday Mar 2011

Posted by in Cardio, Exercising, Skiing, Sports

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

This month I will be traveling to Sunday River, one of Maine’s largest and most visited ski resorts. It has 132 trails across eight interconnected mountain peaks and 16 lifts. Its highest vertical drop is 2,340 feet; peanuts when compare to the drops out West, but here in the East, it’s pretty decent.

I’ve been skiing since the fifth grade. I got into the sport by chance. My then best friend at the time, Beth Johnson, was just learning to ski. For months during the winter, her dad took us to a nearby ski area. I fell in love with it immediately and have been downhill skiing ever since.

Some might be surprised to think of skiing as a great sport that benefits your body. One could think of it as dangerous, hard on the knees or too exposed to frostbite. While skiing is a strenuous form of exercise, the healthy advantages to downhill skiing are numerous.

One of the biggest benefits of skiing for fitness is that it is great, complete body workout, exerting every major muscle group from your head to your toes and toning your entire torso. This terrific aerobic activity improves balance and coordination and is an excellent way to stretch and strengthen leg muscles, particularly in the thighs and around the knees, as well as help with joint mobility. Your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and gluteal muscles will all be worked, due to the semi-squat position skiers take, as well as your abductor and adductor muscles from all of the lateral motions.

Downhill skiing is also an excellent cardio workout, strengthening your heart, improving your circulatory system and releasing oxygen to your muscles. It is an excellent fat burning activity, burning 450 to 600 calories for an average 165-pound person while mogul skiing can burn almost 900 calories an hour. Skiing also boosts your metabolism and helps to regulate good cholesterol levels in your body.

Skiing requires a certain level of balance, strength and endurance so pre-conditioning in the weeks and months leading up to the slopes to increase your endurance and lessen a chance of a possible injury is a must. Pilates will work your core before taking on the mountains while yoga is a good discipline to improve your strength, balance and concentration. The Awkward Pose is one of the better positions, which when done correctly, increases your overall strength, tones the muscles of your legs and aligns your skeletal system.

Ski injuries that due occur seem to either happen early in the day when muscles aren’t loose yet or late in the afternoon when the muscles are fatigue. So just like you stretch before a long run, stretch your muscles before heading out to the lift lines. This includes your shoulders and back, but most particularly your legs which will receive the brunt of your workout. To help prevent altitude sickness, stay well hydrated continually and avoid caffeine and alcohol. And always remember to wear your helmet!

What is the best benefit of skiing? That it does not seem like you are working out for six or more straight hours. Instead, you feel like you are eighteen again as you fly down the snowy slopes set against magnificent scenic surroundings. You are able to experience the great outdoors in the cold crisp air, explore endless miles of trails and enjoy the endorphins that kick in right before you hit the hot tub!

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana