Foam rolling is one way to perform what’s technically known as “self-myofascial release” or SMR. Learning how to perform basic SMR techniques on yourself can reduce your chances of repetitive stress injury, minimize muscular soreness, correct muscle imbalances and improve your overall flexibility, function and performance.
Continue reading “Hurts So Good: Why You Should Foam Roll”
con·sist·en·cy
/kənˈsistənsē/
Consistency is one of your most powerful tools. It helps power you through the day-to-day so you can reach your goals. It can also make tougher routines become more automatic, triggering action, which in turn boosts motivation. [Read: Momentum to Move]
But consistency does not necessarily mean doing the exact same thing, every time, every day or week. Not only is that a path to boredom, but from a fitness perspective it will soon lead to a lack of progress. The body – and the mind – adapt quickly and settle into a new status quo. [Learn more about this, known as General Adaptation Syndrome]. Only through new challenges do we become stronger and more resilient.
Continue reading “Consistency: The Key to Reaching Your Health Goals”
If you’re like most people, you set some fitness goals (formerly known as New Year’s Resolutions) for the year ahead. Now we’re into February…are you still committed?
Hopefully, you’ve found some activities that you really like. If not – keep looking, keep trying new things until you find what fits you best. But once you’ve figured out what’s the best kind of exercise for you, then comes the really hard part: getting into a regular routine. After all, everyone’s busy and these current crazy times impose even more challenges to our schedules. Read on to learn how.
Continue reading “Commit to Be Fit: Create a Sustainable Fitness Routine”
We’ve all done it, especially every year in January. We set a goal to make a change, start a new habit, change our ways for good. But a week or so later, that noble goal has gone by the wayside. Why is it so hard to form, and better yet, stick to good habits? How can we have the best intentions to improve our health, our wellbeing, our lives…and yet never seem to make any progress? And most of all, what can we do about it?
Continue reading “How to Create Lasting Healthy Habits this New Year”
Well, it’s that time of year again…What are your New Year’s resolutions? No more yo-yo dieting? No more binge TV? Finally losing that last 10 or 20 pounds? Are these the same goals you set last year, or even the past several years? You’re not alone. According to Forbes Magazine, 92% of people don’t achieve their New Year’s resolutions, and 80% of people fail by the end of February. The good news is, there are ways to beat these statistics. The following strategies are proven to work for any goal, no matter when you set it. Continue reading “New Year – Same Old Resolutions? How To Finally Make Them Stick”
It’s officially the holiday season – and with it, the endless parade of food and treats from now through year’s end that, historically for a majority of Americans, leads to 7 to 10 extra pounds by the time we’re singing Auld Lang Syne. When combined with the restrictions of COVID 19 forcing us indoors and being even more sedentary than usual, it’s a perfect time for some easy strategies to help beat the holiday bulge.
Continue reading “Avoid That Holiday Weight Gain – Five Easy Strategies”
In Part 1 of this series on the Elements of an Effective Workout, I talked about choosing the right exercises to achieve results most effectively without getting hurt. In Part 2, I describe a number of ways to progress your workouts, so you’re always challenging your body to become stronger, leaner and more efficient. This final Part 3 is all about functional fitness and neuromotor training – which may sound scary, but is really for everyone. I’ll also highlight two fitness tools I love that promote these concepts and are challenging and fun to use – the TRX Suspension Trainer® and the BOSU Balance Trainer®.
Continue reading “Elements of an Effective Workout PART 3: Functional Fitness and Neuromotor Training”
In Part 1 of this series on the Elements of an Effective Workout, I talked about choosing the right exercises to achieve results most effectively without getting hurt. But an effective workout doesn’t remain effective forever – your body will adapt fairly quickly to the demands you place on it, and you’ll stop making progress toward your goals. The solution? Exercise progressions. In this article I describe a number of ways to progress your workouts, so you’re always challenging your body to become stronger, leaner and more efficient.
Continue reading “How to design an effective workout PART 2: Progressing”
Your time is precious – and so is your health. When you decide to start (or re-start) exercising, you want to ensure you’re getting the most value out of that time, minimizing the risk of injury and focusing on your goals. In this article, the first in a three-part series, I’ll break it down into the basic elements, then show you how to apply them based on your current fitness level and what you want to achieve.
Continue reading “How to design an effective workout: PART 1 – Choose the right exercises”
I get it – it’s hot, school’s about to start under who-knows-what conditions, and we’re all really sick of COVID-19 with not much end in sight. And honestly, you just don’t feel like exercising. Deep down, you know you “should” (the dreaded “s” word). Now more than ever, I encourage you to get up and move. And there’s even research to back me up.
Continue reading “Why You Should Exercise – Even If You Don’t Feel Like It”