working out

Injury Prevention Guide - INFOGRAPHIC

As you start any new fitness or exercise program the number one goal should be to stay injury free. Especially because building momentum and consistency is when you start seeing and feeling improvements, and you don’t want anything to stop the momentum, especially an injury.

Always remember to start slow, on your own level, and follow these 7 tips below for staying injury free.


Guide provided by Universal Spa & Training Academy a massage therapy school Chicago


Avoid The Festive 15

Tips for staying on track during the holidays

Having the willpower to avoid the cookie aisle at the grocery store on a “normal” day is tough. Avoiding the aisle, end caps, and impressive displays during the holiday season, well, that requires superhuman strength. If you’ve ever been tempted to skip a glass and drink straight from a bowl of eggnog at your company holiday party, fear not. I have some suggestions you can follow to help avoid the dreaded Festive 15 lbs!

Eat Regularly – Every 3 Hours

Eating every three hours keeps blood sugar balanced and keeps you satisfied, so you don’t have cravings. I have found this to be one of the easiest ways of avoiding sugar craving. Especially before hitting the grocery store! I promise, if you eat before grocery shopping or heading to the holiday party, you will have zero cravings and more willpower to stay away from the cookie aisle or dessert trays. 

Don’t Bring Home Party Leftovers

There is no doubt some foods are better the next day, but that is not true for your waistline. Party leftovers can do you in, so avoid the temptation and take a pass when the host offers you a to-go container.

Morning Workout

Studies have shown that people who work out in the morning tend to move more throughout the day and resist food temptations. Even if you can’t workout in the morning, make sure it’s on your calendar for later in the day. Plan ahead and don’t go off schedule just because it’s the holidays. If you stay on your routine, you will be less tempted to veer off your meal plan. Stay on your schedule and empower yourself to succeed during the holidays without weight gain. 

Avoid The “I Won’t Eat Until The Party” Strategy

If you’ve ever skipped breakfast and lunch, you know that by the time dinner rolls around, you’re starving, and you end up eating twice as much as you would—or should—if you ate throughout the day. The same is true about skipping meals before a party. If you want to avoid the Festive 15, aim for the lean protein, vegetables, and non-processed carbs throughout the day. Set yourself up as a winner, and during the holiday party, you won’t overeat and will choose healthy items because your blood sugar will be balanced throughout the day. 

The 30-Second Rule

I’m not talking about the dropping-food-on-the-floor rule. I’m talking about the willpower 30-second rule. If the holiday cookies in the break room are calling your name, wait 30 seconds. Go back to your desk and check email or return a phone call. Better yet, go for a short walk around the office. Nine times out of 10, the cookie monster in your head will stop talking, and you’ll have the willpower to leave the cookies alone.

Weigh In

If you want to make sure you don’t pack on extra pounds, don’t ignore the scale during the holidays. It’ is just a tool for keeping you accountable, and it’s an easy way to make sure you’re staying on track and not going to need a diet-related New Year’s Resolution.

Buffet Gauntlet

We’ve all done it. You pick up a plate at the start of a buffet, and halfway through the line, your plate is already full of things you’re not even sure you wanted. Instead of filling up with a taste of everything, have a look at the entire buffet before you get in line and decide what’s really worth the splurge. For example, try sticking to lean proteins and veggies and give yourself one splurge in the dessert section. 

Don’t Drink Your Calories

If you want to enjoy a glass of wine or holiday cocktail, keep it to a minimum and drink plenty of water. Aside from having to suffer through a hangover the next morning, mixed drinks pack a calorie punch—stay away from juices and syrupy mixers. Drinking alcohol also increases cravings, which means you’re more likely to eat more.

Holiday Activities Instead Of Holiday Dinners

I’m not trying to be the grinch when it comes to holiday parties, but there are tons of fun holiday activities you can do with family and friends that don’t include food as the centerpiece. Here are a few ideas; take a yoga class, go for a snowshoe hike, build a snowman outside with the kids, apply for a permit, and hike to cut down a Christmas tree. 

Don’t Throw In The Towel

If all else fails and you’re worried you have indulged a little too much, don’t give up and give in to the New Year’s Resolution. Getting back on track the next day is as easy as kicking off your day with a good workout and a healthy breakfast. Don’t throw in the towel and give in for the rest of the season. Remember, the extra pounds do not go away as easy as the holiday decorations.

The Benefits of Weight Training For Women

Exercising is extremely important for women, because the benefits far outweigh any other form of long-term weight-loss or ways to lead a healthy lifestyle. 

Weight training reason #1: Loss of body fat and increased muscle. Lean muscle increased metabolism, which in return keeps you lean.

Weight training reason #2: Decreases the risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone density.

Weight training reason #3: Helps you gain strength so you can stay active for a better quality of life.

Weight training reason #4: A strong body helps reduce the risk of injury and/or falls later in life. 

Weight training reason #5: Strengthens core and back to help reduce back pain and improves posture. A strong back helps keep shoulders back for proper posture as your age. 

Weight training reason #6: Research shows it can reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol, increasing good cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. Research also indicates that weight training may reduces the risk of diabetes because it improves the way the body processes sugar, according to Dr. Barry A. Franklin, of William Beaumont Hospital.

Weight training reason #7: Improves attitude, mood and reduces stress and depression.

Regular workouts are beneficial for your body in many ways and should be a part of your daily routine. Before you start exercising, it is essential to make a workout plan and choose workouts that are appropriate for your level. However, many women don’t have a slightest idea, which exercises to choose, and how to perform them.

Below are some example exercise programs that include all the main body parts. These are simple exercises that you can do at home, while on a vacation or with friends, basically anywhere. But, before you start any training program, make sure you do an active warm up for 5-10 minutes and always check with your doctor before starting any new workout program.


Arms

Next to six-pack abs, one of the most attractive body parts is the arms. Being a workout pro or a beginner, it is that muscle group that almost every woman wants to perfect. There are many arm exercises that are great for both biceps and triceps. One of them is the exercise called standing bicep curls. In order to do this exercise you should choose a band, d-bells or barbell where you can get 12-15 reps with each set. All you have to do is stand with a band under both feet, keep knees slightly bent, core tight and chest lifted. Then, grip the handles and start doing a bicep curl. Squeeze your biceps and then lower holding the resistance for a count of three, repeat 12-15 times. After incorporating this arm exercise into your workout routine, you’ll be able to see a difference. 

Back and Chest

A strong and firm back creates beautiful posture. Who wouldn’t want that? With a few simple back and chest exercises, you’ll no longer be dreaming of it. An exercise called sitting rows will help you acquire that. All you have to do is sit on the floor with your legs straight, core tight and chest lifted. Grip the handles and start doing a row. You should keep the elbows close to the body for a better effect and repeat the exercise 12-15 times. For a beautiful and firm chest you can do an exercise that involves pushups on feet or knees. 

Shoulders

Want to take your shoulders to the next level? An exercise called Upright Rows will help you with that. The instructions are very clear and straightforward. Stand with the band under both feet, with your knees slightly bent, core tight and chest lifted. Then, cross the bands so you are holding them in opposite hands. Start doing an upright row by lifting with elbows first. Remember to bring the elbows to shoulder height so there is no shoulder impingement. You should repeat the exercise 12-15 times with every set.

Legs & Booty

Great legs and booty are the essence of a perfect physique. If you’ve been struggling to find an appropriate exercise for legs, here’s a perfect one. It’s called Squatted Band Walks and all you have to do is sit back on your heels in a squat position, keeping your chest lifted. With the left side being first, take a big step out to the side. Keeping the resistance tight in the band, continue until you reach 15-20 reps and then change the direction. So simple and yet so efficient!

Abs

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Oh, the abs. You don’t have to work your abs to exhaustion before you can carve out your abs. Instead, you can try out a few simple exercises that will get your abs to pop. There’s a really great one with a 6-8 lb. medicine ball and it goes like this – lie on the floor face up, put the ball between your legs. Bring your legs up meeting your hands and reach with the ball in your hands overhead while the legs go back down to the floor. You will find this exercise will do miracles!

Keeping your body fit can be challenging sometimes. However, these few simple exercises will help you get the physique you always wanted. You can even make an exercise plan and perform these body part workouts in 4 separate days. Grab a medicine ball, band, d-bells or barbell, always remember to warm up and you’re ready for some action. Your body will thank you later.

Ultimately -- 
YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE!
That is the first secret.

If you make the right choice, you can look forward to a younger, more confident, and happier you


PLYOMETRIC/CHEST OUTDOOR WORKOUT

One of the best ways to trim your legs and tone your butt is doing plyometrics. Adding in some chest for a upper body workout adds variety. See the full video for your complete workout.

This video is about Outdoor Plyo Workout

PROGRAM DETAILS:

>20 Jump squats

>20 Incline pushups

>20 Bulgarian split squats - each leg

>20 Decline pushups

Repeat Circuit 3 times

Always warm up for 5-10 minutes before starting any workout. Running one full lap on the track is a great warm up before starting this workout.