Exercise | Amber Keinath

The No Workout Solution: Get Sporty!

Apr 172012

In the longevity hotspots around the world, people stay healthy and fit just through the daily work they must do.

I don’t know about you, but my work puts me behind the desk most of the day.

Since I started doing this, I can definitely see how people can gain weight so easily in our culture if they don’t try to be active when they are not working! I have yet to fall into that trap due to following my healthy food guide which you can get for yourself for free right here: GET HEALTHY WITH AMBER FOOD GUIDE!

I also have stayed active and fit by getting a little SPORTY!

We all have heard we need to be active on a regular basis at least a thousand times. I am not here to drill you into shape like on the biggest loser, because who likes working out? NOT ME!

The key to getting healthy and fit is to find an activity you enjoy that will get you up and moving!

Growing up in the US, thousands of kids participate in sports. I played basketball and softball through high school. There are a lot of professional sports out there with tons of fans too! So with so much put into sports, how come the obesity rate is steadily climbing each year?

I believe this has a lot to do with so many of us adults, when we get out into the work force, get busy and quit playing those sports of our youth and instead, become mainly fans to our kids and also to professional athletes. Where does this lead us? It leads us to a more sedentary lifestyle and the continual weight gain as we age.

We do get busy in this culture and when we think about losing weight or getting fit, we think we must workout Jillian Michaels style! Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed a few of her workout videos, but true and lasting exercise comes with activities we actually enjoy.

This does not have to come from slaving away in the gym or running forever when we hate doing these activities.

We need to get back to the sports philosophy to leading an active lifestyle by following the example not just the healthy people from those longevity hotspots, but also from our own kids!

Did you participate in any activities that made you exercise when you were younger? What are some activities that you enjoy?

I have come up with 7 different sports that you can participate in at any age! Adults don’t need to give up the FUN EXERCISE! The following are adult tested and the kid in you approved!

1. Tennis: this is a great full body workout that incorporates aerobic exercise with strength building movements for legs, arms, and abs!

2. Hiking: recently my hubby and I started hiking up some of the “mountains” here in the desert that are really rocky and is hard going. We have yet to make it to the top, but we will get there! Nothing motivates more than having a goal! All I can say about hiking is the next day my legs, abs, and glutes hurt!

3. Rock Climbing: this is a great arm and leg strengthening sport!

4. Dancing: there is a reason dancers have nice toned bodies! Dancing is a great aerobic exercise that works the entire body!

5. Swimming: this sport also works both arms and legs and is great for people who have painful joints because it isn’t weight-bearing!

6. Kayaking: my new favorite activity! You will definitely feel the ‘burn’ if you are new to using these muscles. Your arms and abs will get toned in no time!

7. Bowling: bowling? Yes! Bowling is great full body workout if you are not messing around the whole time. Stay focused but enjoy yourself and you will notice some soreness in your arms, shoulders, glutes and abs!

Question of the day:

Do you have a favorite activity that you used to participate in that you truly enjoyed? Out of the list above, what do you think you would enjoy doing to keep you active and fit? Leave your answer below as a comment…

To your health journey success,

P.S. Get started on your health journey with your own printable healthy eating guide! Join me by Clicking Here!

How to Choose a Personal Trainer

Getting Started, Healthy Fitness, Motivation 3 Responses »

Dec 212011

How is your week going so far? While I am sure you’re busy running around before the holidays with all the parties, shopping, and spending time with loved ones, I bet you are starting to think about ringing in the New Year as well. Have you decided on any resolutions yet?

Are you up for a challenge? (Directions at bottom of post)

A common New Year’s Resolution is getting to the gym more to workout. That is half the battle! But how do you make the most of your workout time at the gym?

There is no sense in wasting your valuable time if it isn’t going to help you lose weight, get toned, or just get healthy, is there? So, how do you make sure you are doing the exercises that will help you best reach your goals?

In order to get a customizable workout that takes into account your current health status and body shape, it is best to hire a personal trainer. They can run from $30+ per session, but most gyms offer a free session for just joining the gym. If you haven’t taken advantage of your free session yet, I highly recommend you start off the new year with a personal trainer.

Why would you want to work with a Personal Trainer?

They can help you meet a goal such as lose weight, run a 5k, or get you in shape for sports.
They can customize a workout for those with special health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, injuries, or women who are pregnant.
They can help you determine your current fitness status and help you improve it!

How do you choose a Personal Trainer?

Look for one with a Personal Training Certification from organizations such as ACSM, ACE, NASM, or NSCA.
Choose one with the specialization for your current health condition (i.e. pregnancy, postpartum, injury, heart disease, etc.)
Determine how many years of experience they have and any experience in your specific condition.
Make sure they have liability insurance just in case something happens while you are on their watch.
Determine the location you would like to work out at such as a gym, in-home, health center, weight loss clinic, etc.
See if the Personal Trainer has a trial session to make sure your PT is a good fit and will best help you! Remember, it is all about you getting the help you need to reach your goals.
A great Personal Trainer will devise a customizable workout plan, will help you evaluate your progress, gives you direct answers and in terminology you can understand, is a good teacher, is patient, and is someone who cares about helping you reach your goals.

The key is finding someone who fits well with you and your goals.

As you get ready for the New Year, decide on your resolutions and make sure they are doable. There is no sense in making resolutions that are too hard to reach. Make your goals short term and reachable.

For example, if you think you need to lose 50 pounds. Don’t make your goal ‘I will lose 50 pounds by March’. That is a big goal to reach and if you don’t reach it, you may become discouraged. Instead, make your goal I will lose 10 pounds in the next 6 weeks. This goal is smaller and easier to achieve. Once you achieve this goal, you will be more motivated to stick with your program and keep working your way to those 50 pounds.

New Year’s Resolution Motivation Tip: Start with small goals!

Ready for that challenge?

Let’s help each other stick to our New Goals for 2012! It’s easier to do things together than alone!

To your healthy & fit life,

P.S. If you have a question about fitness or a starting a ‘get in shape plan’, and would like to see your question answered on this blog, send your question to Amber or contact Amber on Facebook, Google+, or Twitter!

Ask Amber: Can I exercise during Pregnancy?

Pregnancy/Mom 2 Responses »

Apr 202011

For today’s post I am going to my “mailbag” and answering a question from one of my readers! The question for today is all about exercising during pregnancy!

Question:

My mother and aunt told me to stop exercising now that I am pregnant because pregnant women are supposed to take it easy and shouldn’t exercise, but my doctor recommended that I keep active. So, is it okay to exercise during pregnancy?
~ Melanie C, Michigan.

Amber’s Answer:

This is a very common question that I get. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, doctors told pregnant women they should walk no more than 1 mile per day and to rest for the duration of the pregnancy. I think I would go crazy being expected to sit around all day for 9 months! Doctors at that time were concerned that exercise caused birth defects and miscarriages but research has since contradicted this. Since the 1960s there has been hundreds of research studies conducted that have shown the many benefits exercise has for the pregnant woman. Thankfully we are no longer expected to lie in bed for 9 months and are able to still engage in many of the activities that we could do pre-pregnancy.

There numerous benefits of exercising during pregnancy include:

Decrease in pain during contractions
Decrease in pregnancy discomfort
75% less chance of C-Section due to complications
35% less need for pain medications during labor
55% less need for pitocin
75% less chance of maternal exhaustion during labor
Decrease time in labor
Decrease mom’s risk of complications
Improve sleep
Improve energy level
Decrease stress
Decrease risk of postpartum depression
Increase healthy baby development during pregnancy
Improve nutrient delivery and removal of toxins to and from baby
Improve post pregnancy recovery
And many more!

I have to issue a word of caution. It is still crucial to get clearance from your doctor or midwife before exercising to make sure your pregnancy is healthy enough for exercise.

When you do get the “all clear” from your doctor or midwife, be sure to exercise in a well ventilated room and to stay hydrated. A good rule of thumb is to drink a cup (8oz) of water for every 15 minutes of exercise. Oh, it might be smart to workout in a gym, your home, or in a park where you are always close to a bathroom.

There are so many great benefits of exercise during pregnancy that you are probably ready to just get out there and get moving! These benefits are great motivating factors; that’s for sure! However, it is very important that you don’t exercise during pregnancy and talk to your doctor or midwife if you have any of the following conditions:

Ruptured membranes
Premature labor
Persisitent bleeding after 12 weeks
Poor fetal growth
Multiple-birth pregnancy
A history of 3 or more miscarriages
A history of preterm labor
Dilated cervix
Pregnancy-induced hypertension

Finally, when you do start exercising while you are pregnant, you must watch for these danger signs and seek your healthcare provider if any of these develop:

Pain
Excessive fatigue
Overheating
Dehydration
Contractions
Dizziness
Dyspnea
Headache
Increase in leg swelling
Muscle weakness
Vaginal bleeding/leaking of amniotic fluid
You can’t feel your baby moving

In summary, you can exercise during pregnancy and there are a ton of benefits to exercising during this special time. However, it is more important than ever to have the permission of your doctor or midwife and that you listen to your body and stop exercising if you experience any discomforts. Enjoy the special time of your pregnancy!

Next Steps:

Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think about these benefits, if you are going to exercise during pregnancy, and what type of exercising you will be doing during pregnancy.
Share this post with your girlfriends JGet Clearance from your doctor or midwife to exercise and start working with a personal trainer who is certified in pre/postnatal exercise.
Enjoy your healthy and fit pregnancy!
Any questions? Contact me! by emailing me at amber@amberkeinath.com

To your healthy & fit life,

P.S. If you have a question about fitness, nutrition, healthy living in pregnancy and in life, send your question to Amber.

How to have Fun while Losing Weight

Tips & Tools, Weight Loss 3 Responses »

Apr 062011

Have you ever tried to lose weight but couldn’t stick with it because it was too dang boring? There are more diets and weight loss plans out there than every before.

However, there is a great majority of them that limit what you can eat or make working out so hard who the heck is going to stick with it for longer than a few weeks or even a few days?

With almost ¾ of the American population overweight or obese, and the majority of these Americans trying to lose weight, it is no wonder that practically every week there is some new “hot” diet or weight loss product to his the market.

The weight loss industry is HUGE! There is one problem: Americans are still getting fatter. These products and diets are not helping American’s lose weight and keep it off! They are setting everyone up for yo-yo dieting and not for lasting healthy results.

So, should you give up on losing the weight altogether? Absolutely not! It is important to learn what you must do to live a lifetime of health!

Are you currently looking to lose weight and be able to keep it off, but don’t know where to start? Here is a list I have put together to help you determine the best strategies for keeping you motivated and enjoying your new healthy life!

Try Something New

The key to having fun while getting healthy and losing weight is to try something new. Have you tried that new workout class at the gym? What about joining a sports league in your community? Have you considered experimenting in the kitchen with whole foods?

By trying something new, you are opening yourself up for a healthy and enjoyable life. Losing weight and getting healthy does not have to be boring. Health food does not have to be gross. Experiment! By trying different things, you will find areas of healthy living that you didn’t realize you enjoyed so much. When you find something you do like and have fun doing, you will be more motivated to stay healthy! You never know if that new workout class will be your favorite thing to do during the day!

Meet New Friends

There is nothing better than getting social and meeting new people. You can learn so many things from people and they can help keep you motivated. Some of the people I have met at the gym have proven to be the best motivators and encouragers. They have also shared some great tips that have helped me take the next step to getting healthier!

Get Support

In addition to meeting new friends, look around you at the people you are surrounded by on a daily basis. In order to best reach your goals, it is important to get support. Find a friend that will help keep you motivated and on track to reaching your goals. It is so easy to get distracted and make excuses, but if you have a friend to hold you accountable, it is very difficult to not reach your health or weight loss goals.

Have you ever tried using a friend as a gym buddy? This will help both of you stay accountable by working out together. Who wants to let your friend down by skipping out on a workout?

The best support and motivator is a weight loss community! They have so many resources and tools and people working to help each other be successful!

Support a Good Cause

Whenever we are working toward our goals, it is always a great thing to be able to give back to the community or to a great cause. Look for community activities such as a run/walk that will keep you motivated to train for and will support a great cause.

Set and Track Goals

There is no successful person who has not set goals. You have to know where you want to be in order to get there. How much weight do you want to lose? When will you lose it by? Write it down and keep it somewhere you will see it often.

Meal, Fitness, and Progress Trackers

Trackers are great for keeping you honest about carrying out your action plan that will lead to your ultimate weight loss. This way you can look back and see how you are doing and how you can improve in order to reach your goals.

BMI and Metabolism Calculators

Calculators are great tools to determine where you stand and what you must do in order to reach your ultimate health. A BMI calculator gives a general guideline of what your goal weight should be to decrease your risk for chronic diseases.

Metabolism calculators are great for helping you determine about how many calories you burn during the day which can help you determine how many calories you should be eating during the day in order to lose weight! Remember that 3,000 calories equals 1 pound.

Reward Yourself

When you have been great at working so hard toward your goals, it is important to reward yourself for being successful when you hit certain mile markers. However, this does not mean reward yourself with food which would derail your weight loss goals. This means setting up rewards such as a new book, clothes, or a massage. What will be your reward for reaching your goal?

Prizes

Any weight loss transformation is not complete without awesome prizes! There is no greater motivator than awesome rewards for reaching your goals.

Community

Joining a weight loss community is probably the most beneficial way you can reach your weight loss goals. It provides the weight loss support, prizes, trackers, planners, weekly success calls, recipes, weight loss success products, and fun times that will help you become successful!

Look for a community with a great cause you can support while you are reaching your goals!

To your health, life, and prosperity,

How to Choose a Gym Perfect for You!

Getting Started, Healthy Fitness, Tips & Tools, Weight Loss 8 Responses »

Mar 252011

Searching for the right gym to become a member of does not have to be intimidating if you do your research first and know what to look for when you start visiting the different gyms.

Cities can have thousands of different gyms to choose from, so how do you know which gym will help you reach your goals the best?

The first thing you must do is to right down your goals.

Do you want to lose weight or are you looking to build your strength and get toned? Are you looking for more classes or more weight machines?

Before you even go driving around trying out different gyms, it is important to get your ultimate goal in place first.

Next, it is important that you don’t just join a gym because your best friend is a member there. Even if the gym is having a great promotional discount for new members, it is important that you shop around and find the best gym for your pocket book that will help you achieve your health goals.

So what are the top 10 things to look for when shopping around for YOUR gym?

Location and Hours

In order for you to have the best chance at visiting the gym frequently and therefore having the best chance of reaching your health goals, it is important to choose a gym with a convenient location and hours that fit your schedule.

One rule of thumb is to only choose a gym within a 2 mile radius of your home. The close the gym, the more likely you are to attend on a regular basis. Different gyms have different operating hours which means you can pick and choose a gym that is open during the hours that are most convenient for you to go.

If it has normal business hours and you work a full time job, it might make it near impossible to work out during the week.

Friendly Staff

The staff can set the tone for your entire experience. If you want to succeed in reaching your goals, it is important to choose a place where the staff is friendly. When visiting the gyms, observe what the staff is doing.

Are they helping out the other members or are they just sitting around talking to the other personal trainers?

The staff is the key to answering any questions you may have about the equipment or any questions that may come up later on down the road that is key for your overall success. Make sure you are setting yourself up for success and not some more failure.

Cost

What is the point of joining that awesome popular gym when it is just going to kill your finances? It is better to join a smaller gym that won’t break the bank but will give you the encouragement to keep going at it!

Make sure you look for hidden costs such as initiation fees, length of commitment, cancellation fees, etc.

The other thing to be aware of is at the bigger gyms, you are most likely paying more due to the wide array of amenities, many of which you probably do not need. Take a look of what you really need in a gym.

Additional Benefits of Membership

Gyms come in all shapes, sizes, and amenities. Make a list of the amenities you would like in a gym and stick with it. You probably do not need all the extras which sound great but are they truly necessary for your budget?

Some possible amenities that gyms include are kid programs, classes, spa services, and nutritional counseling. Choose the gyms that have what you want but beware you aren’t paying for all those fancy services you don’t need.

Enough of Your Equipment

The best way to make sure you are joining a gym that will have open equipment at the times you will be working out is to visit and get the tour of the gym during that time. Take a look around to see if they have the equipment that you want to use and that it is open during the times you will most likely be using them.

Personal Training

The majority of gyms out there offer a free personal training session with every new membership. Take advantage of this even though you may already consider yourself a fitness expert. It is always a great idea to run things by another fitness expert.

The other benefit to taking advantage of this session is that someone else is there watching your form and making sure you are doing the exercises correctly which will help prevent injuries.

Classes Available

Classes at the gyms are some of the most fun ways you can get a great workout without the boring tradition of running on the treadmill. Take a look at the different classes offered and if any of them sound interesting to you.

They may be a great way to boost your workout when you are feeling bored or that you have hit a plateau. Some great classes to try are piyo, Pilates, yoga, Zumba, Turbo Kick, and many more!

Experiment and have fun!

Type of Gym

There are many different types of gyms available such as sports focused gyms, women only gyms, gym and spa, etc.

Some of the specialty gyms may cost more, but if it meets all your needs to get the results you want and it does it in an appealing way, it may be worth the small added fee. If you are a woman who hates working out at a gym, it might help boost your motivation and self confidence to be able to work out with only other women.

Try to find that one thing you could have in a gym that will help you best reach your goals.

Showers, Locker Rooms, Childcare, etc.

One of the best things you can do while looking around a gym before signing up for a membership is to really check out their showers, locker rooms, and childcare rooms. Make sure these rooms are very clean. These are most likely to be the dirtiest areas and if they are clean, you can rest assured that the gym overall will be a cleaner place.

Who wants to work out in filth? Make sure they also have spray bottles to clean equipment after use and that people actually use them!

Get a Buddy

And there is nothing better than a gym that helps to keep you motivated to reach your goals than a gym that you visit with a friend. Having a gym buddy will further motivate you to go work out and will make it a lot more fun!

Well, those are the top 10 things to look for when shopping around for your gym of choice. It is important to choose a gym that will best help you achieve your goals. What’s the point of joining a gym because you heard it was good, but then it is dirty, it is too busy that you can hardly every get on equipment, and they have no extra amenities that you would like in order to best meet your needs?

What do you think of this list? Is there anything else you would add to this list to help someone else choose a great gym? Leave a comment below and let me know!

To your life, health, and prosperity,

P.S. Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and have FUN with a 90-Day Challenge. Join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

Top 5 Abs Exercise Myths Debunked!

Get Moving 101, Healthy Fitness, Tips & Tools 4 Responses »

Feb 282011

Are you feeling a little overwhelmed with all those products out there that are supposedly the best thing that you could possibly do for your abs workouts?

Lately there have been so many different products from those belly fat burning pills to those funny look abs workout contraptions promising to burn that fat from your midsection with the least amount of work possible on your part.

I know that the majority of us want that toned and flat tummy but are all these products really the answer? Before you are able to get the best results possible, there are a few myths I need to debunk in order for you to become effective with your tummy toning routines.

Myth #1: You must do as many crunches you can do every day.

By doing 100’s of crunches a day, you are not going to get toned abs any faster than focusing on a few different abs workout routines. There is no such thing as being able to spot train to burn fat. In order to tone your abs, focus on doing a few core exercises correctly 8-15 times each and you will see results. You can get great abs without a single crunch. There are tons of different abs exercises you can choose from to target your abs muscles.

Myth #2: Form is not as important as the number of times you do the exercise.

Like I mentioned in the above myth, it is not about the number of times you do the exercise. If you have correct form while doing the exercises, and you perform the exercise 8-15 times, you will get
better results than if you did hundreds of crunches. In order to get a great core workout, be sure to pull your navel towards your spine as you go through each exercise to engage more muscle fibers and giving you a more effective workout. If you aren’t feeling much with your core workout, chances are you do not have correct form.

Myth #3: Belly Fat Burning products are the key to getting that toned stomach.

There has been no reliable research that indicates fat burn can be targeted by taking a pill or eating certain foods. Getting great abs takes a little bit of work and cannot be done by eating a few key
foods or popping a pill. If someone says otherwise, chances are they are trying to sell you something.

Myth #4: If you want to burn fat on your stomach, you must do core exercises.

Many people want to get rid of the fat around their midsection and try to do more core exercises thinking that is the key. Truthfully, to burn fat, you cannot target the certain areas. You must engage in
cardio workouts that burn calories and fat during your workout. Don’t skip the abs workouts because it still is beneficial with the fat burning process. When you do more strength training, you increase your metabolism which in turns increases your body’s ability to burn more fat. So mix cardio and strength training exercises into your workout routine.

Myth #5: You must use one of those abs gadgets that just hit the market to get the best results.

There is no magic piece of equipment out there to get amazing abs. It takes work! Instead of looking for the next best gadget out there, find a great core routine you can do either at home or at the gym and do it! Use great form and you have all you need to get great looking abs!

The key to shrinking your stomach and getting those abs you desire is to do a mixture of workouts and avoid those too-good-to-be-true belly burner products. Your plan for getting the flat stomach is to mix cardio exercises to target the calorie burn and a circuit of strength training exercises that work all your muscle groups, not just your abs. When you focus on losing weight through the calorie burn involved with cardio and mix in strength training, you rev up your metabolism and will not only get great abs, but a great healthy and toned overall physique.

What do you think of these myths up there? Is there one that surprised you for making the myth list? Leave me a comment below and let me know!

To your health journey success,

P.S. Get a Health Coach to help you Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and have FUN. Join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

Top 5 Plank Exercises for a Core Workout

Healthy Fitness, Workouts 2 Responses »

Feb 082011

As part of your regular workout routine, the plank exercise can be a great option for a core workout. It enables you to use all your muscles and is better than crunches in getting a total core workout. These are especially better than crunches for those who have back pain.

In this video, I demonstrate my 5 favorite plank exercise variations to bring a challenge to your core workout routine. Hope you enjoy these examples!

For each of these plank exercise variations, hold for 30-45 seconds each. Make sure you do the exercise on both sides and go through these 5 plank variations twice. This will be a great core workout that will get you a stronger core in as little as a week! Have fun working you core!

If you have any questions about this demonstration, leave me a comment below!

Answer this question of the day: What is your favorite core workout and why? Leave a comment below and let me know!

To your health journey success,

P.S. Get a Health Coach to help you Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and have FUN. Join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

Yoga 101: How to get started with Yoga Workout

Healthy Fitness, Workouts 3 Responses »

Feb 042011

Yoga is a great workout to start incorporating into your weekly routine. There are many different benefits to engaging in a regular yoga workout and include such benefits of improving your flexibility, balance, posture, and strength.

So how do you get started with a yoga workout? Let’s go through the 7 great steps to get you on the road to fun yoga workouts followed by my 5 favorite yoga poses.

1. Do your research. There are many different types of yoga workouts out there that focus on different aspects of wellness. Power yoga is probably the most popular yoga workout in gyms and focuses more on improving cardio health and strength endurance. Find the yoga workout that seems most interesting for you.

2. Buy a yoga workout DVD or join a yoga class at a gym. When you are just getting started with yoga, I suggest you take a couple classes at a gym until you get the hang of the different poses so you can make sure you are doing them correctly to avoid injury. After a few classes, investing in a yoga DVD for home use can be a fun way to get a good workout at home.

3. Invest in the necessary yoga supplies. There are many different types of gear out there to aid your yoga workout. However, a non-slip mat and some comfortable clothes are really all that you need. Make sure the clothes you are using for yoga are comfortable and not too baggy to make it easy for you to do the different poses without your clothes getting in the way.

4. Get a workout buddy. This is not necessary but sure makes doing a yoga workout more fun. It also allows you to have the motivation and support to keep doing the yoga workouts. Yoga can be fun!

5. Maintain a yoga practicing schedule. Whether you permanent marker your yoga workouts on your calendar at home or enter it onto your Google calendar, make sure you have your workouts scheduled which will keep you coming up with that time excuse of why you aren’t doing your yoga workout.

6. Start out small. When just getting started with yoga, make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself by making too big of a commitment. Start with doing 1 or 2 yoga workouts a week and work your way up to how many you want to do. Remember that the more you do yoga, the easier the poses become and the more fun the workout is.

7. Have fun and feel great after your yoga workouts! The key to any physical activity is to have fun and enjoy it! If you don’t enjoy it, you will have trouble staying motivated to keep doing the workouts. So, if you aren’t having fun after 4 or 5 yoga workouts, find a different type of workout to spend your time doing.

Here are my 5 favorite poses or sequence of poses during a yoga workout:

1. Sun Salutation
2. Pigeon Pose
3. Seated Twist
4. Standing Balance
5. Warrior 1 and Warrior 2

Leave me a comment below and let me know what your favorite yoga pose is and why you like yoga.

5 Ways to use a Stability Ball for your Core Workout

Healthy Fitness, Workouts 5 Responses »

Jan 312011

There are many different exercises you can do to get a great core workout. Using an exercise ball helps create more of a challenge than the general sit-up exercise by challenging your balance and stability which gives you a better overall workout.

Exercise Note: Please see your doctor before starting any workout if you have any medical concerns.

There are 5 simple exercises to do when starting out with an exercise ball.

Once you have mastered these, you can keep increasing the difficulty level by adding weights and using different positions.

Watch this video to see me demonstrate these core exercises with the stability ball:

With these basic exercise ball core exercises, you will want to perform 2 sets of each exercise and hold each one for 60 seconds or do 12-16 repetitions. If this is too much, start smaller with 30 seconds and work your way up to 60 seconds or with 8 repetitions and then work your way up to 12 or 16. One final note: do not continue doing any moves that you find painful and if you need a little added support, you may prop the ball against a wall.

Ball Crunch

With this you will want to lie with your shoulders, hips and butt on the ball and slowly raise your head and shoulders. Hold for a couple seconds and then lower. Repeat

Ball Butt Lift

With this exercise, start sitting on the floor with your back against the ball with the ball supporting your head, neck, and shoulders. Bend your knees. Lift your butt into a table top position, hold for a couple seconds, and then lower back down. Repeat 12-16 times.

Mountain Climber

Place your hands on the exercise ball and then place your feet back behind you in a push-up position forming a straight line with your body. Raise your left knee up towards your chest slowly. Hold for a few seconds and then lower. Repeat with your right knee and then alternate between the knees until you have 12-16 repetitions for each knee.

Ball Extension for the Hips

While you are lying down on the floor, place your feet on top of the ball. Tighten your abs and squeeze your glutes as you raise your hips up off the floor. Hold for a couple seconds and then lower back down. Repeat 12-16 times.

Rolling those Abs

Place your hands on the ball while you are kneeling next to the ball. Slowly roll the ball further out in front of you as you tighten your abs and lower your forearms onto the ball keeping your torso tight. Hold for a few seconds and then squeeze your abs to bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat 12-16 times.

So there you are 5 ways you can start using that exercise ball that you have sitting around your house.

Let me know what you think of these exercises by leaving me a comment below answering this question of the day: What exercise looks the most interesting to you and why?

To your health journey success,

P.S. Get a Health Coach to help you Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and have FUN. Join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!

The Step-by-Step Weekly Workout Plan

Healthy Fitness, Workouts No Responses »

Jan 202011

It’s the New Year and you have made it your mission to get back into shape and just get healthy. You are not looking for a hard-core workout plan, but looking for a plan that will allow you to improve your overall health and well-being.

Physical activity is important for reaching and maintaining a healthy weight and improving your health. Due to the necessity of physical activity, it is important to understand the basics of fitness and how you can get a complete workout so your body can optimally perform everyday tasks.

Here is a quick guide for how much and of what exercises you need every week for a healthy life.

When you are working out for ultimate health, it is important to get a total body workout, to make sure your body stays a well oiled machine! Watch this video for the healthy workout plan:

Aim for 30 minutes of cardio per day and be sure to change it up so you don’t get bored! Try different exercises such as swimming, playing sports, running, walking, dancing, biking, or hiking.

Do strength training exercises 2-3 times per week with a one day rest in between. Be sure to hit all the different muscle groups such as abs, legs, arms, chest, back, and shoulders.

Balance training only requires a couple minutes of day of practice. You could also try doing a little tai chi which can be fun!

Stretching or flexibility training should be done at least twice a week and this can include just plain stretches or participating in a yoga class.

Core training can be done 2-3 times per week using a stability ball, benderball, pilates, or just plain crunches.

By getting a total body workout each week, you can achieve total body health. Don’t get overwhelmed, just keep working towards it and you can do great! Physical activity should be fun and a way of life, not a quick fix for losing weight. Find something you enjoy and get healthy.

Question of the day: What workout goals are you currently trying to achieve? Leave me a comment below!

To your health journey success,

P.S. If you are ready to learn more about how to create a life of health and wellness, join me by Clicking Here! Find and connect with me on my Facebook fan page and on Twitter!