Must needed equipment for stretching at home!

I must say, pretty much 10 times out of 10, I do not stretch.  Not before a run, not after I lift.  When I really got into running college, my Kinesiology/Exercise Physiology professor, who had ran several marathons, told us once that he thought stretching was o.k, but overrated.  I never stretched from then on.  I must say, I paying for that now as I get older. 

A few tips before I get to the article title: If you're going to stretch before a workout, make sure it is a dynamic warm-up, imitating what you are about to do.  For example, before a hard run, do some lunges, high knees, butt kicks or a light jog to mimic the more intense exercise you're about to do.  With a strength workout, do some mobility moves to open up your joints and get your body ready to do work - push-ups, runner's stretch, air squats, jumping jacks, burpees.

I do try to perform a dynamic warm-up before I do a strength circuit, but when I run, I just walk out the door and go.  I have ran consistently for 12 years.  5ks, 10ks, 13 half marathons, and 2 marathons.  That's a lot of running and a lot of running without stretching.  I have found, as I shift my focus on more strength training in the coming year, that I should have been stretching.  In particular, I should have been stretching my hamstrings.

You see, as runners, we tend to be very cut and fit on the front parts of our bodies: quads, abs, biceps, anterior delts.  If I were to make a sagittal cut (cutting my front and back halves in 2), you would see that the anterior portions are defined and overworked, while the posterior (hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors) are weak and tight.  My hamstring has lost flexibility through the years as finally, I'm trying to get that back.  I first noticed this quite obviously at the gym when I can easily leg press over 300lbs but can only squat 105 (3 sets of 8 reps).  I get to that "sticking point" and can't move.  My hamstrings and glutes are crazy weak! 

Here are my top items to have around the house to stretch your muscles (btw, static stretches (holding muscles in place for 20-30 sec) should ONLY happen after a workout if necessary). 

1.  Foam roller - hold under leg or arm muscles or roll back and forth really breaking up that connective tissue.  Here's some ways to use it: Foam Rolling


2. Lacrosse ball/semi-hard bouncy ball/tennis ball - Whatever you have, just make sure it's dense.  Here's way to use it: Tennis ball rehab

3. Elastic band - Use primarily for IT band syndrome or tight legs.  Here's a link:IT band stretches

4.  The stick - great for runners before and after races - All About The Stick

5. Your own body! - often times you can get effective stretching done with a couch, another person or by yourself.  Here's a few stretches I'm starting to incorporate at the gym more.  Just remember, a stretch should feel like a good stretch.  Some discomfort is good.  Pain is not!

Post 4 of 4: Meal Prep

Here is my last post on how I budget, meal plan and grocery shop and now prep.  This step can be the most time consuming, but if you are organized, you can do it right and still have the rest of your day.

Steps:
1. Pick a day to prep: My day is usually Saturday or Sunday b/c those are the days of the week I am most likely to be home and have at least 2 hours.

2. Look at your menu for the up-coming week and decide what you can make ahead of time that won't spoil and will still taste the same =)

3. Block off time - you may not know how long it will take you the first go-round.  I usually plan on 2 hours or less.  And this can be intermittent.  I personally like to knock it all out at once, but that doesn't always work for people.  

4.  Multitask - Look at your meals...can you pre-cook your pasta for a dish?  Can you slice up green peppers for salads for the coming week while the pasta is cooking?  What can be done in the oven?

5. Package and prepare - put meals or food in containers that are easy to grab for lunches or on the go leftovers.

Tips:  I love to make an easy breakfast for Nathan to have for Liam for the week.  Part of my meal prep involves making a bunch of pancakes and egg and spinach muffin bites. 

I also make sweet potato fries because we will inevitably have burgers and fries sometime through the week so I don't have to wait on fries when that time comes.  

Most of my prepping involves slicing vegetables and there is almost always something in the oven.  Another great idea is if you can make a crockpot meal for the week.  It can sit all day, then be put in containers for the week ahead and you have just cut down on your meal prep.  This definitely doesn't happen every week for me.  If I have a free hour on a Tuesday, I may do pancakes then or Paleo dessert balls.  I love looking around our house and creating a new dish.  Just this week, I had frozen chicken breasts and pesto sauce so I cooked it up with some gluten free noodles and 1 yellow and 1 green pepper.  Perfect lunch on the go or dinner if we've been out and running around.  It's all about trial and error and spending a short amount of time that will save you tons later!  It took me about 3-4 months to get my system really perfected where I felt like I still had most of my day to relax.  Don't give up and get your spouse to help!  It can be a family event!

Good luck!  What tips do you have on meal prep?

February Cardio Fitness Challenge

February is Heart Health month so what better way to celebrate then to do a cardio circuit throughout the month.  I chose 3 exercises to get your heart pumping: jumping jacks, mt. climbers, and burpees.  I love them b/c they each work a different plane of your body.  Jacks are standing cardio, mt. climbers are on the floor and burpees combines the very best of both!

More women die from heart disease than any other diseases....combined.  I would love to see this stat go away in my lifetime.  We have to change our mentality.  We have to change how we eat and what we do in our free time.  We have to CHANGE OUR LIVES.  Let's decide to be PRO-active with our health and get moving now.  These moves are tough but can all be modified to be more intense or for beginner exercises.

To increase intensity:
Jumping jacks - hold light weights
Mt. Climbers - do double the amount listed for the day.
Burpees - add push-ups and a star jump at the end

Beginner version (work your way up):
Jumping Jacks - stay stationary and step out right foot with right arm going up in a jack, step foot back in to the center then repeat with the left foot out and left arm out.
Mt. Climbers - step foot in to tap slowly instead of fast feet.
Burpees - squat, step feet back in push up, step forward, and stand.

Get that heart pumping!

Printable Version 

5 Winter Workouts

Thank goodness this winter wasn't like the last one.  I spent most of my time on a treadmill 1 year ago, waiting for the feet of snow to melt outside.  Lately, I've been staying in by choice to switch up my routine.  I still love to run outside, but circuits inside are sometimes all I can fit in with Liam!  Some of these involve weights, some don't and some use your own furniture or favorite television show!

Some of my favorite moves can include soup cans, paper plates and dishtowels!  Be creative with your fitness!

Enjoy!

5 At home workouts

Fitness & Nutrition - Something you love, don’t do, or try to do? - ***Free workout included***

January is all about (that bass?...ya right) fitness and all things to lose the holiday weight.  I, myself, am no exception to this.  I need motivation at times. As much as fitness is my life, my passion, my motivation, even I get into slumps and need to jazz it up a bit.  Here's what I have come to love, don't do and want to try for the coming year...

Love - I'm loving creating my own workouts at home or in the gym.  The possibilities are endless and it's so fun for me to mix it up, while still making gain in my strength and cardio.  Here's a quick workout to try at home:

Tabata Workout 20/10 -

20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, repeat each move 4x for a total of 2 min

Burpees

Bicep curl

Jumping jacks

Push-ups

Rest 1 min

Alternating Reverse Lunges

Lateral shoulder raise

Crunches
Mt. Climbers

Don't do: Count calories.  I just don't.  I know a lot of people who have success with apps like My Fitness Pal and I think those are phenomenal for motivation, accountability and staying on track.  Personally, I spent years writing down and slaving over how to lose weight and obsessing over it.  I used to be confined to a number on the scale.  Now while I don't like it when that numbers escalates 5-10lbs, I will not let it define me anymore. So, for me, I concentrate on vegetables, lean meats and small splurges like bite-sized candy and know that when tight jeans get too tight, I need to eat a little better. 

Something to try:  Barre Class.  I love all things fitness and would love an "outside the box" workout.  I am definitely a runner and bootcamp girl at heart but this sounds fun and challenging.  Might even help me become a better runner!  My aunt does the class and really likes it. I'm hoping to try this soon! Here's a link to what it entails: Pure Barre class

What do you want to try this year and what are you loving in regards to fitness?