Looking for a great way to spend some quality time with your someone special? Try a partner workout! Couple training is one of my favorite types of training and any couple can try it. You don't have to be at the same fitness level or have the same fitness goals.
Try going for a walk together, or plan an activity for the whole family such as snow shoeing or skating! You can also do strength training exercises together, using mirror training or exercises that involve staying in sync- like side step squats or lunges.
Your partner can really help you get a great stretch at the end of your workout and lets you get, and give, some "hands on" attention...who doesn't want some of that!?
The benefits to working out with your significant other are numerous, but some of the most important are:
Safety- having someone there to spot you and make sure your form is right can help prevent injury and keep you safe.
Respect- when you look after yourself and take care of your body, it lets your partner know you want to be the best you can be, for yourself and for them as well.
Support- having a person there to encourage you will make your workout that much more effective!
Quality time- if you're a couple that's always on the go, getting to the gym is usually just one more thing keeping you apart. Go together! Even if you're doing completely different workouts, you can at least enjoy the drive there and back together!
All-around development- a lot of people either train only by doing cardio, or only doing strength training. If you and your partner's training habits are different, working out together gives you the opportunity to increase your fitness level in a way your are not use to.
Also, in honor of this special day of love, follow this link to find out the many health benefits of getting "frisky" with your significant other:
http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nmomcare/0,,446m,00.html
But of course, the health benefits are just a bonus right? Go have fun!
bow chicka wa wa *wink*
Saturday, February 14
Friday, February 13
Brit's Tip:
When it comes to food, the more you see the more you eat! Try not to fill your plate with food, eat slowly, and then go for seconds if you're still hungry. Chances are your first serving will be enough to satisfy your appetite and you won't need to go for more.
If you're eating out, ask your waiter to pack up half your order to go and only serve you the other half. I bet you'll be amazed at how filling the half portion is and you'll leave wondering how you were ever able to eat the full meal before. More often than not, the serving sizes at restaurants are double what you should really be getting anyway. This really works- I do it all the time!!
If you're eating out, ask your waiter to pack up half your order to go and only serve you the other half. I bet you'll be amazed at how filling the half portion is and you'll leave wondering how you were ever able to eat the full meal before. More often than not, the serving sizes at restaurants are double what you should really be getting anyway. This really works- I do it all the time!!
Wednesday, February 11
Did you know...
Where you aware that your diet counts for about 70% of your health? So you can work your butt off as much as you want in the gym and it still only counts for around 30% of your total fitness. You NEED to eat right. It's crucial in order to reach your health and fitness goals.
Canada's Food Guide is the best tool to use for adopting a healthy, sustainable, diet. They give lots of information on portion sizes and where you need to get your calories from. I have a link to their website under "Great Sites", but here is a link you can go to if you want to design your own food guide: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/myguide-monguide/index-eng.php
I highly recommend that you check it out!
Canada's Food Guide is the best tool to use for adopting a healthy, sustainable, diet. They give lots of information on portion sizes and where you need to get your calories from. I have a link to their website under "Great Sites", but here is a link you can go to if you want to design your own food guide: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/myguide-monguide/index-eng.php
I highly recommend that you check it out!
Acute injury
An acute injury is one that is caused by a single force or load and creates tissue damage and immediate pain. The time required to recover from an acute injury is based largely on how quickly you can minimize the tissue damage and inflammation.
There is a 72-hour window, following the time of the injury, that you have to optimize the speed of recovery. If you do not take proper care of an acute injury, excessive inflammation can compound the problem, resulting in a requirement for more treatment time and further delaying your return to full activity.
Follow these steps to help your body recover faster so you can get back to your regular activities:
Rest- stop any and all activities that aggravate the injury. The length of rest depends on the tissue involved and severity of the injury. Use common sense.
Ice- when you apply ice to the damaged tissue it reduces inflammation, swelling, and pain. Ice should be applied for a MAXIMUM of 20 minutes and should not be reapplied until the area has regained full sensation.
Compression- any time the injured tissue is below the level of the heart it should have some form of compression (stocking or wrap) on it. If you can change your position so that the injured area is above the level of your heart, compression is no longer required. This also helps to reduce swelling.
Elevation- elevating the injured tissue above the heart helps to reduce swelling and is encouraged when possible.
There is a 72-hour window, following the time of the injury, that you have to optimize the speed of recovery. If you do not take proper care of an acute injury, excessive inflammation can compound the problem, resulting in a requirement for more treatment time and further delaying your return to full activity.
Follow these steps to help your body recover faster so you can get back to your regular activities:
Rest- stop any and all activities that aggravate the injury. The length of rest depends on the tissue involved and severity of the injury. Use common sense.
Ice- when you apply ice to the damaged tissue it reduces inflammation, swelling, and pain. Ice should be applied for a MAXIMUM of 20 minutes and should not be reapplied until the area has regained full sensation.
Compression- any time the injured tissue is below the level of the heart it should have some form of compression (stocking or wrap) on it. If you can change your position so that the injured area is above the level of your heart, compression is no longer required. This also helps to reduce swelling.
Elevation- elevating the injured tissue above the heart helps to reduce swelling and is encouraged when possible.
Tuesday, February 10
Yay for Cora's!!
Since I've become health conscious I have always had a really tough time going out to eat for breakfast at a restaurant. It is the most important meal of the day (it really is!) and yet it has got to be the toughest meal to find a healthy option for when going out to eat.
My friend invited me to Cora's for breakfast over the weekend and I have to admit I was kind of dreading it. I had went before, back when I didn't care about what I was putting into my body, and I thought it was amazing! I went after I started to care more about myself too and I had them try to make me an egg white omelet - ICK, it was horrible. I was not looking forward to going back.
Well, I must say, I was quite impressed this time around. They actually serve oatmeal! It's a decent portion of oatmeal and you can get it made with skim milk and brown sugar comes in a dish on the side. It's served with bread, so quite a lot of carbs, but still a much healthier option than the other dishes they offer. I'm not sure why it is not served with fruit though? Anyway, I'm happy to report that I left there feeling full, and not at all guilty.
I also noticed you can get a bagel and fruit, english muffin with honey, fruit, and harvest crunch cereal and yogurt! I will feel much better about going again now that I know there are some healthier options to choose from.
When you go out to eat- don't be afraid to ask to have your meal prepared a bit differently to make it healthier for you. Most places are more than willing to accommodate their health conscious customers :)
My friend invited me to Cora's for breakfast over the weekend and I have to admit I was kind of dreading it. I had went before, back when I didn't care about what I was putting into my body, and I thought it was amazing! I went after I started to care more about myself too and I had them try to make me an egg white omelet - ICK, it was horrible. I was not looking forward to going back.
Well, I must say, I was quite impressed this time around. They actually serve oatmeal! It's a decent portion of oatmeal and you can get it made with skim milk and brown sugar comes in a dish on the side. It's served with bread, so quite a lot of carbs, but still a much healthier option than the other dishes they offer. I'm not sure why it is not served with fruit though? Anyway, I'm happy to report that I left there feeling full, and not at all guilty.
I also noticed you can get a bagel and fruit, english muffin with honey, fruit, and harvest crunch cereal and yogurt! I will feel much better about going again now that I know there are some healthier options to choose from.
When you go out to eat- don't be afraid to ask to have your meal prepared a bit differently to make it healthier for you. Most places are more than willing to accommodate their health conscious customers :)
Monday, February 9
Did you know...
An apple is a more efficient means of getting energy than caffeine?
The natural sugars you get from eating an apple last much longer than the caffeine in coffee. So when you wake up in the morning and need a boost of energy, skip the high calorie double double and grab an apple instead!
The natural sugars you get from eating an apple last much longer than the caffeine in coffee. So when you wake up in the morning and need a boost of energy, skip the high calorie double double and grab an apple instead!
Sunday, February 8
Brit's Tip:
When doing a weight training workout, whether you are looking for endurance or strength, you need to choose a weight that overloads the muscle and allows you to reach muscle fatigue.
When you know you can't do another rep with good technique and form, you're done. The trick is to find the weight that gets the job done in the right number of reps (12-15 reps for endurance and 8-10 reps for strength).
When you know you can't do another rep with good technique and form, you're done. The trick is to find the weight that gets the job done in the right number of reps (12-15 reps for endurance and 8-10 reps for strength).
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