During the holidays, I think we can all agree that it can become very difficult to get our workouts in. Between the family get-togethers, shopping, work, and other commitments, where do we find time to workout? Sometimes we need to go back to basics! This holiday, when you are ready to write off that workout, try throwing in some jumping jacks, crunches and maybe even jump roping! You might not work out as hard as when you commit to a longer workout, but you will have a much better chance of maintaining until you have the time to extend your workouts again. Jump roping, for example, is one of the most time effective ways to burn calories. Five minutes of jumping rope can equate to almost 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill if done with proper technique! So this year, don’t avoid the workouts, simply shorten them to something you can manage! I went to a demonstration with Buddy Lee, a former Olympian who is a professional jump rope instructor and was amazed by how much of a cardiovascular workout jumping rope and doing core training in less than a quarter of an hour can be when combined correctly! For more tips, or to ask me any specific questions, feel free to email me at sebastian@formativefitness or check Formative Fitness out on Facebook where I am always open to your questions!
Tag-Archive for ◊ simplify ◊
Ready to change up the traditional Thanksgiving dessert this year? Instead of pumpkin pie, why not shoot for something healthier this season! A Yogurt Parfait with almond crunch granola is a healthier alternative compared to most pies, which are often packed with calories and fat. With this dessert you’ll get a serving of dairy with calcium, potassium and various other vitamins. In the granola, there are almonds which are high in protein, heart healthy, and a filling treat. Wheaties are full of fiber and can help curb your appetite!
This recipe is pretty simple; for the yogurt you’ll need to buy a 32 oz tub of whatever flavor you like! This will make approximately 4 cups (4 servings).
For the almond crunch granola you’ll need:
2 cups oat flakes and wheat flakes mixed 1 cup almonds, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup honey 1/3 cup unrefined corn germ oil 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Mix all ingredients together. Spread thinly on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 325 degree preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let the granola sit for an hour to allow it to cluster a little together and get crunchy.
Take small bowls or parfaits glasses; put a cup of yogurt in and top it off with a couple teaspoons of the delicious granola!
Recipe and photo provided by Alexa Powell, Forever Wellness Intern.Everyone knows once Halloween has past the snow will soon start to fly, meaning the holidays are just around the corner. Holidays and family gatherings can often be stressful for some. Making sure everyone is having a good time and preparing for the festivities can be taxing. Why not try to de-stress and enjoy the holidays this year? The following tips will show you how to create the perfect party and relax!
If you are having the get together at your home and are preparing all the dishes yourself, it is a good idea to have everyone RSVP ahead of time. This will help save you time for preparing extra food and money in the long run. Often when we just go ahead and make extra of one thing, we’ll do so for the others dishes “just in case so and so shows up” but this is also how you end up with an enormous feast that not all your guests will eat after munching on pre-meal snacks. Save yourself the stress and don’t let the food go to waste this year!
If you are really watching how much you’re spending as well this year, why not ask everyone to bring one of their favorite dishes to pass. You can still do your part to provide the main dish, like the turkey, but by having others pitch in not all the expense goes solely to you, and this way everyone really feels included in the feast. It also may give everyone in the family something to talk about at the dinner table; each family member or friend could explain why the dish they brought is an important contribution to the holiday meal!
It may also be a good idea to provide some snack foods before hand for guests to nibble on. Buying bulk items like healthy nuts (such as almonds), pretzels, or even providing some whole wheat bread before dinner may serve well as a pre-meal snack. This is also a good way to break the ice, and allow relatives that possibly you haven’t seen in a while realize they can sit back and relax.
If you’re really looking for something different this year for the holidays why not change up the main meal. This obviously may not appeal to those who are into sticking to the more traditional items, but if others in the family are up for something new it may be just the ticket! Instead of preparing turkey, why not prepare ham, enchiladas, or make a platter of baked lemon chicken?
There are many ways in which we can learn how to relax for the holidays. The most important thing to remember is to just have fun and enjoy the time with those around you.
The American Council on Exercise just named kettlebells as one of the top fitness trends of the year, and for good reason!
With kettlebells, it’s easy to get cardio without the boring use of cardio equipment, they provide functional strength without the monotony of isolated movements, they are fun and provide varied workouts, flexibility, and more muscle involvement, thus equaling greater fat loss and muscle toning!
One note on kettlebells, however, is that due to the increased use of stabilizing muscles, lower weights will have to be used initially, when doing similiar exercises with dumbbells.
Kettlebells originated in Russia in the early 1700′s and were brought to the United States by a man named Pavel Tsatsouline.
When training clients, I make it a point to show them the difference in doing an exercise with a kettlebell, as opposed to a dumbbell, because unless the form is correct, the benefits of kettlebells are diminished with inproper form.
Only time will tell, but it looks like kettlebells are hear to stay, what with all of their wonderful benefits to helping us get in great shape and staying healthy!
Sebastian Garbsch is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and has over 7 years experience in personal training. He is founder of Formative Fitness in Downtown Traverse City, MI. Sebastian also provides in-home fitness training. You can contact him at 231-883-4493 or sebastian@formativefitness.com.Have you started your Holiday shopping yet? Getting everyone’s requests organized and figuring out where you need to go is hard enough without thinking about how you are going to be eating in-between shopping excursions. Wait a minute..what?!? How does what I eat fit into shopping? I don’t have time to think about that!
That’s probably the reaction from most people at this point. However, this is the time many people slack on their healthy eating habits due to lack of time and forethought. Fast food and high calorie/high fat handy foods are all too tempting this time of year. So before you get going with the shopping, take a minute to think about how you can snack a bit without adding to your waistline.
Plan ahead – make your own snack mix of dried fruit, nuts and M&Ms. Divide it up into mini sandwich bags and throw in your purse or glove box. You could also bring your own fresh fruits and veggies and just put them in a lunch box with a cold pack. While you’re at it, throw low fat string cheese in there as well!
If you don’t have the time – choose healthier items on the fast food and restaurant menus. Go for a grilled chicken sandwich sans cheese and mayo. Instead, add lettuce and tomato to it with a side of apple slices. Subway is a great way to get a serving of veggies in for the day. Try a 6″ turkey sub on whole wheat and go crazy with the veggie toppings. Add a bit of oil and vinegar and you are good to go!
When dining at a restaurant – watch out for words that indicate higher fat and calories. Fried, crispy, alfredo, cream, etc., are all words to limit. Go for the baked or broiled entrees with steamed vegetables and order all sauces and dressings on the side. That way, you have control over how much you put on.
And remember, always drink plenty of water. While shopping may not be exercise – it sure feels like it. Lugging around all those goodies can be a good work out, so make sure you stay hydrated.
Have fun this holiday shopping season!
By Melissa A. Bullard, Ph.D.
I’ve heard it said that growing older is inevitable, but growing up is optional. As we age, we enjoy the gifts of increased knowledge, skills, and wisdom that come from life experience. If we are fortunate, we also maintain the spirit of playfulness that comes so naturally to children. Does being “grown up” have to mean always being responsible and serious, or can we strike a healthy balance between honoring our commitments while also fully enjoying our lives? Here in Northern Michigan, we are surrounded by plentiful opportunities for recreation in stunning natural settings. Yet we can easily get caught up in day to day tasks without giving adequate attention to the energizing and essential activity of play. When is the last time you did something “just for fun,” or for the sheer joy of it? If you feel burned out, worn out, or too tired out, perhaps it is time to change direction and learn to be a “Kid at Heart.” To be a Kid at Heart, you’ll need to practice being in the present moment, simplify to the bare essentials, and enjoy what you really love!
Practice being in the present
As adults, we can easily become preoccupied with the future. That is, instead of fully experiencing what is going on right now, we get stuck in our minds thinking about what we’ll do, or what will happen in the future. A striking example of living in the future (rather than living in this moment) was shared to me by my uncle, who while taking in a breath-taking view at a National Park, heard another tourist say, “I can’t wait to get home and see the pictures of this!”
Each day, we make dozens of choices about where we focus our mental attention. Adults, who have so much to attend to, often need reminders to “stop and smell the roses”. On the other hand, kids quite naturally pay attention to whatever catches their attention, from moment to moment. Where is your mind throughout the day as you go to work, exercise, cook a meal, watch television, or talk to friends and family? Do you ever find your body doing one thing while your mind is somewhere entirely different? While it is helpful to use our brains to accomplish necessary tasks and plan thoughtfully for the future, it is also important to allow our minds to rest in the here and now.
For a Kid at Heart, this moment (what is occurring right now) is more important than what has already happened, or what may happen later. Simply observing children at play can be a wonderful way to witness how to live in the present moment! Another simple way to improve your connection to the present is to regularly check in with yourself and ask, “What is on my mind right now?” The more we stop to notice the content of our thoughts, the more we gain control over “automatic” activity like fretting about the future. Learning a formal meditation practice where you spend periods of time giving focused attention to your breath, to your bodily sensations, or to a mantra can be a great way to train yourself to appreciate the present moment.
Simplify to the bare necessities