I just heard about a new invention to help you slow down and savor your food. The HapiFork and HapiSpoon are utensils with handles that vibrate if you take a bite less than 10 seconds between each mouthful. The goal is that you will re-train your brain to eat less because you slow down to enjoy each bite. I don’t know how I feel about someone having to plug-in and charge the handles of their fork and spoon. Seeing how the new products run about $99 each and have not been proven effective in helping people lose weight, I strongly believe the answer to healthy weight loss is eating more plant-based foods that are low in calories and increasing physical activity. Meals should be enjoyed – not complicated and leaving you frustrated with your fork or spoon. You can re-train your brain to embrace a healthy lifestyle, and your body with thank you for years to come!
Outdoor Workout
Do you want to get a stellar workout and enjoy a breath of fresh air? Grab a pair of light weights and head to a local park to try this quick and effective workout:
– Jog around the park 2x.
– Dynamic warm-up stretches, such as step-touches, leg swings, and runners stretch.
– Find a bench, step or curb and perform Plank to a One-Arm Row for 12 reps. Then hold plank for 30 seconds. Repeat x 3 sets.
– Jog around the park 1x.
– 20 reps of Hamstring Dead-lifts to Overhead Press. Repeat 3 times.
– Mountain Climbers for 30 seconds.
– 20 reps of Plie’ Squats to Anterior (Front) Arm Raises. Repeat x 3.
– Find a bench for 12 triceps or regular push-ups. Then jumping squats or step-ups onto the bench for 30-seconds.
– Find a step or curb for jumping toe-taps with alternating bicep curls for 30-seconds.
– Run down the field with knee-ups and back with butt-kicks. Repeat x 3.
– 20 reps of Reverse Flys with the back leg raised. Then 15 walking lunges. Repeats x 3.
– Burn out the core with 20 reps of bicycle kicks, leg-lifts, and an elbow-plank hold for 1-minute.
– Cool-down stretches, such as seated hamstring, lying IT-band, and standing quad stretch.
Maybe you enjoy a group fitness setting. Find a class in your area that is held outdoors. It may be yoga, a tennis clinic, or a bootcamp fitness class. Bring the kids along to join in the fun and make sure you stay hydrated.
Make Exercise a Part of Your Family Weekend
gerDodger outside this weekend for some family fun physical activity! Head tithe beach and toss a football or frisbee. Bike ride to the nearby pool or tennis courts. Go to a state park and hike the trails or hop in a canoe. If it’s snowing outside, build a snowman and go sledding or ice skating. Find something you all enjoy and have fun together!
Staying Injury Free
Have you started to exercise and are fearful of becoming injured? Here are a few tips and tricks to stay injury free.
Take care of your knees. Whether you are running or cycling the best way to protect them is to do quad strengthening exercises. If the inner part of your quadriceps are weak then the knee will be pulled out of alignment and cause discomfort. To strengthen, try rotating your feet slightly inward and outward when on the leg press machine. You can also try squats on a hill or a down-sloping a Bosu ball.
If pain persists for two days it is time to stop. If you experience pain after the workout – then take two full days off. You can always work the rest of the body during this time with cross-training. If there is improvement, start back at a slower pace or resistance than normal. If pain persists, take a break until it is completely gone and make a plan with your doctor. Listen to your body, and if something is wrong you will need to change your training so that the pain does not become a full-blown injury in the weeks ahead.
Go slow and steady. Make a plan with gradual increases in your routine each week. Every forth week, cut back on your resistance or weights to give your body a chance to catch up. You can incorporate other workouts such as yoga or pilates during this time, or other activities you enjoy such as tennis or swimming.
Make sure to stretch and strength train regularly. This reduces the risk of injury because it keeps your body in balance. Tight or weak muscles can cause imbalances and make you more susceptible to injuries. Stretch after every workout and incorporate strength training workouts at least 2-3 times per week.
Ice-cold baths! It seems to help professional athletes recover faster and reduce inflammation if you soak once a week after your workout- but you have to be brave to try it!
Maintain a positive mindset and keep active. If you are currently injured, try not to focus on what you are missing. Instead, focus on what you can do to stay fit while you are healing. Are you eating lots of dark green vegetables to reduce inflammation and heal faster? Create a plan to get back into shape with physical therapy in order to return to normal training. Your body knows how to heal itself, just be patient and positive.
How to Calculate Your BMR
Your Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR is the number of calories you burn each day for basic activities, such as breathing, eating, and drinking. This number helps you to calculate how many calories you burn per day without exercise. It is a great starting point to determine how many calories you can consume to reach your ideal healthy weight. Here’s how to do it:
Your weight: ___
Add zero to your weight: ___
Add your weight to that number: ___
Total = BMR: ___
For example, if you weigh 170 pounds, you add zero to come up with 1700. Then, add your weight of 170 to calculate your total of 1870 calories. Once you add exercise into your daily routine, you will burn more calories depending on the activity. Let’s say you want to lose one pound per week. One pound of fat equates to 3500 calories, or a deficit of 500 calories each day of the week. You can acheive this by decreasing caloric intake and increasing exercise. If you jog for 30-minutes each day and burn 300 calories, then you only have to decrease your calorie cosumption by 200 calories. That means you can eat 1670 total calories per day of health promoting foods.
Calculate your BMR and determine how to reach your ideal healthy weight!