Exercise on an empty stomach: Used as a common weight-loss technique, exercising on an empty stomach can actually prevent weight loss. Without fuel in your system, calories burned will come from muscle instead of fat. Eat before your sweat session and it’ll provide energy for your workout, boost your metabolism, and studies show you’ll consume fewer calories throughout the day.

Gulp water: Preventing dehydration is a must, so do drink water throughout your workout, especially in the heat. Sip between about one to six ounces every 15 to 20 minutes. Gulping down larger amounts of water at a time can not only cause stomach cramps, but could cause hyponatremia, also called water intoxication. Overhydrating can lead to low amounts of sodium in the body, causing dizziness, cramps, slurred speech, and nausea. Stick to drinking small amounts of water during regular workouts, and during intense workouts or those longer than an hour, sip on a sports drink to replace lost electrolytes.

Repeat the same exact workout every time: Having a regular exercise routine is one way to ensure sticking to it, but it can also be a downfall. Doing the exact same workout, whether it be running every day or doing identical strength training moves in the exact same order, can not only be extremely boring, but more importantly, it increases the risk of repetitive stress injuries. Repetition can also lead to fitness or weight-loss plateaus. Be sure to mix up the types of cardio and strength training moves in your workouts, and aside from preventing injury, you’ll also reap the benefits of a stronger overall body. For inspiration on mixing up your strength training workouts, check out our catalog of Class FitSugar 10-minute workouts.

Exercise through pain or injury: Small aches and pains during a workout are fairly common, but experiencing something different or worse than normal is a red flag that something is wrong — don’t ignore it. Take a break and lower the intensity for a few minutes to see if the ache dissipates, and if it does, go back to your workout. If the pain persists, throw in the towel and take a day to rest up and heal.

Exercise through dizziness or nausea: Heat exhaustion, dehydration, water intoxication, and illness can cause symptoms, including feeling faint, upset stomach, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, and shakiness. Avoid pushing too hard during workouts, making sure to keep your health as the number one priority.

fuckbeingfat-befit:

I’ve never seen a site like this…. You click on the body part you want to work on and it tells you easy exercises you can do at home! RE-BLOG.

http://www.divine.ca/en/fitness-and-nutrition/exercise-finder/c_266/

Amazing blog for exercise specific needs

It would be funnier, if it was not true…

But this does not mean we should all start buying “organic”. That name is not regulated very well and it is more expensive. Your best bet is to grow some of your own fruits and vegetables or buy from local farmers. Not only will you be helping your community but you will be helping your digestive tract!

This is one of the best pyramids for exercise I have seen. These are some easy changes to make in your lives to create healthy, active habits. Put this on your fridge and see how often you accomplish them!

Dont forget Dancing is both a great cardio and recreational activity!

Why put off something until tomorrow, when you can start today!?!? Whether it is taking the first steps to health and nutrition or maybe a new exercise regiment? Every little bit counts. Start now! There is no better time than now! Even if you fall off the wagon, don’t waste anytime getting back on it. Start immediately. They say it takes 14 days to create a new habit. I believe you can redefine every habit into an improved one. Love drinking your daily coke? Start now by taking control of the habit. Start by drinking smaller and smaller amounts of pop while simultaneously replacing it with flavoured water. This will help you to slowly cut out the pop by replacing it with a healthier alternative. Simply swapping one habit with another can help you reach your weight-loss and health goals. 

Your New Best Friend? Foam Rollers!

If you currently do not use a foam roller they should become your new best friend! Here is why:

1. Self-Myofascial Release (SMR).  

First, what is fascia? It is soft connective tissue located just under the skin. It wraps around and connects muscle, bone, nerves and blood vessels. Together muscle and fascia make up what is called the myofascial system.

Why should you care about the myofascial system?  For various reasons such as disuse, lack of stretching, or injuries, the fascia and underlying muscle tissue become stuck together. This process is called adhesion and will restrict your mobility. It can also cause pain, soreness and reduce your range of motion.

2.Stretches and Lengthens Muscles and Tendons. This will help increase flexibility, and decrease pain and muscle soreness. 

3. Breaks Down Soft Tissue Adhesions and Scars. SMR will allow you to apply gentle, sustained pressure on the soft tissue with the foam roller. This will break down the adhesion  (the stuck together muscle and overlying fascia) and utilize the concept of autogenic inhibition. Autogenic inhibition is used to improve soft tissue extensibility and relaxes the muscle which allows proper activation of the antagonist muscle. This means your agonist and antagonistic muscles will work cooperatively to enhance performance in say, running or cycling. 

4. Self- Massager! What could be better? I definitely enjoy massages and this way I can go ahead and give myself one. You will feel so free and mobile after!

5. Trigger Point Releasing. 

6. Increases Proprioception and Changes Stability. If you have tight muscles pulling you in all directions, you will not be able to stand tall or perform optimally. By using the foam roller you will be able to lengthen and release tight muscles to bring about proper alignment and balance within the body 

7. It is Versatile (used on so many different muscles)

    It is Portable (you can use it at home, the office or even take it on vacation with you!)

    It is Inexpensive (they cost roughly $15-35. You can experiment to target just about any muscle group. Can you get a massage for that price? I think not!)

The picture above depicts  SMR to relieve muscle and joint pains of the IT band. This is generally a very painful area to roll because it is almost chronically tight in people from both disuse and overuse. This will relieve pain you may not know you had, increase your flexibility and range of motion. I encourage you to go out today and roll any tender area for 30-60 seconds! See how much better your feel already?

SEEING THE GLASS AS HALF FULL

I was recently in indigo browsing books and came across one about happiness around the world. Here are some of the tips from this book on keeping happy and getting the most out of life. 

1.Get busy and be Active. Happy people get more out of life because they put more into it. Get involved!

2. Happy people spend more time socializing than unhappy people. Much of our happiness comes from social bonds with other people. The happiest people either work with people or are members of various clubs, groups and organizations. Get social!

3. The happiest people have productive and meaningful jobs. If you feel more job significance (giving to others) rather than job prestige or job income, you will feel more satisfied.They simply love what they do and do what they love. If money and education were not an issue, what would you want to do?  Get passionate! 

4. Organizing and planning for your future will help you get there. Happy people know what they want and how to get there. Get organized!

5. Stop worrying. It is a waste of energy. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.  Become prepared so you can face any challenge head on and make sure you have a support system to help you out. People are more resilient than we give ourselves credit for.  Get Prepping!

6. Happy people want what they can get. Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself. By setting the bar too high, you only set yourself up for failure. Having realistic short and long-term goals will help you gain confidence as you achieve each one.  For example, in weight-loss you should only strive for 1-2 pounds a week tops. Get Realistic!

7. Happiness is a state of mind. The more positive and happy thoughts you think, the more happy thoughts you will experience. Thinking on the bright side will actually help you see the bright side.  Get positive!

8. Be in the now. All we have is the present. We cannot change yesterday and there is no for sure tomorrow. All there is, is now. Be grateful for what you have in this moment. If you are unhappy with something, change it now and it will not bother you in the future. Get present-oriented. 

9.  Love yourself. This is one I cannot stress enough. You can be the person you want to be. You just have to start. Everyday is a new beginning to live the life you want. Let yourself have everything you want in life. You deserve it.  Get Self-Love!

10. Be yourself. The happiest people are free and authentic. They are content with being in their own presence and fill their social circle with others who see them for themselves. Get freed. 

11. Be outgoing and project happiness onto others. Happy people tend to be friendly to everyone and smile more often. By projecting the happiness to others you are subconsciously allowing them to be happy and in return, generating your own self-happiness too. Get smiling!

12. Let go of negative feelings and tendencies. Happy people know how to express their emotions effectively. Don’t let it bottle up inside of you as it will only create a state of psychological distress and physical discomfort. Get forgiving!

The Secrets to Post-Workout Recovery:

A post-workout recovery meal is my favourite thing. We get to enjoy simple sugars and carbs that can actually benefit us! However there are some rules to follow to help provide your body with the proper nutrition it needs. 

1. There is a window of fuel opportunity. It is roughly the 15-60 minutes directly after the workout. Your muscles will be most responsive of fuel that will jump start your repair process. You should drink (or eat) your meal within the first half hour after your workout for best results. 

2. The easier to digest, the more efficient it will be. Liquids are more easily absorbed and processed than solid foods. If you drink your meal, your blood will deliver the nutrients to your muscles quicker than if it slowly has to digest them in the stomach and intestines. Try to limit solid food or dairy products. Protein shakes made with water are a good option for quick absorption.

3. The magic number is a 4:1 or 5:1 carb-to-protein ratio. Consume roughly .75 grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight then adjust for the appropriate protein proportion. The carbohydrate should be high on the glycemic index,  such as white bread, which is high in glucose. Some good choices are watermelon, rice cakes, bakes potatoes and dates which are low-calorie and nutritious. 

4. Exercise causes an acidic environment within  your body. You need to neutralize the acid immediately with food otherwise your body will neutralize it with calcium and nitrogen from your bones and muscle tissue.  The best way to prevent this is consuming leafy greens, sprouts and citric fruits (like lemons and limes) in your post-workout meal. I should mention that animal proteins are acid forming like milk and whey. Alternatively you should use a minimally-processed hemp or vegan protein in your smoothies. 

5. Drink lots of water! It is very important to stay hydrated during and after your workout.  You need water to survive and for normal body function. A good estimate is to drink 2 cups of water per pound of body weight lost during exercise. 

6. You need to replace electrolytes. Big marketing companies will lead you to believe you need sports drinks and gels to do this. You do not. All you need is fruit and a few pinches of salt. 

7. You adrenal glands go into overdrive when you work out, especially if you had any caffeine to revel up your energy levels. Add a dash of maca to your post workout smoothie or meal to help your adrenal glads recover quickly. As an added bonus it will help benefit your sleep and libido. What could be better!

My perfect post-workout smoothie recipe?

A cup of my favourtie frozen fruit- can be strawberries, peaches, mango, raspberries

half a banana

2 cups water

sprits of lemon juice

Arbonne protein powder (vegan and it tastes amazing!)

1 tsp maca

a few spinach leaves

I also add a couple scoops of plain greek yogurt

Need a reason to workout?

High blood pressure may cause early hair loss! Regular exercise helps to decrease blood pressure. Therefore, regular exercise may help prevent hair loss!

My lower body workout:

Warm up by walking or running for 10-15 minutes. 

1. Box Jump Squats

2. Leg abductor and adductor with body bar

3. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl

4. Wall Sit (with ball)