The Perks of Low Impact Exercise

 

One thing that I have learned from my collegiate soccer career, is the benefit of low impact exercise. That sounds kind of crazy right?!? Let me explain. Low impact exercise refers to any kind workout that does NOT require the impact of any joints on a concrete surface.  One foot remains on the ground at a given time. As an athlete I always wanted to push my body to become stronger and faster.  I didn't give much thought as to HOW doing this would affect me post career and into my older age.  I love to run and do basically any kind of high impact activities however it is not a secret that as healthy as these activities are for you, they do take a certain toll on your body.  Overtime, the repetitive impact trama on your joints can lead to arthritis, osteopenia and other joint problems. Our joints take the brunt of our workouts and it's important to not discount what they do for you.  So what can we do to protect our joints and make positive steps to workout out in a way that is not only healthy for us now but also in the future?

ANSWER:

 
Low Impact Machines                           Low Impact Activities
                Biking                                                                                          Pilates
             Swimming                                                                               Rock wall Climbing
               Rowing                                                                                           Yoga
            Stair master                                                                              Abdominal Exercises
              Elliptical                                                                                         Walking
          Weight lifting                                                                                  Rollerblading

Low impact exercise is a great option particularly for people who suffer or have suffered from knee, ankle, back, wrist or hip injuries.  By choosing a low impact exercise you are giving your injury more time to heal but still challenging your cardiovascular system and staying fit.  Minimizing the pounding on your joints is not only going to help you maintain strong, healthy joints but it will also protect your ability to be active for life. :)

Athletes who are engaged in high impact exercise their whole life may be very fit but also can be causing some long term damage on their joints.  That is why it is important to cross train in a way that relieves some of the pressure on your joints while still challenging yourself every training session.  Not only will you be protecting your body post career, but you will be lengthening the amount of your life that you can engage in high intensity exercise.

Everyone can benefit from incorporating low impact exercises into their weekly workout or training regimen!  Low impact is not only safe but if done correctly it can be a high calorie burning, strenuous & challenging workout !!

IT'S All ABOUT THOSE ABS!

Let's Talk Abdominals!

I'm absolutely loving all the feed back I'm getting from my viewers and I'm super interested in what you all are eager to learn about.  An overwhelming amount of you all have said you want to know more about ABS.  So let's start at the beginning.  What muscles make up this sexilicious body part:

The Tranverse Abdominals

Internal Obliques

External Obliques

Rectus Abdomins

**All of these muscles are responsible for facilitating specific body movements which means, YES, it is ideal to do AB workouts that challenge ALL of them.  To get the overall strength and physical beauty that you want out of your ABS, this is key.  To find great workouts that work all of these muscles, just type it into Google and you will discover at least a couple thousand :)

MY TOP 3 TIPS:

#1.  Abdominals are born and become exceedingly beautiful in the KITCHEN.

AKA. Eating a CLEAN diet.

#2.  Consuming a lot of HIGH Sodium beverages or food will help you retain unneeded water.

AKA. Making you look bloated.

#3.When you do AB workouts mix up the pace.

AKA. This activates the muscle and challenges them in different ways.

Let me go back to #1 and what I believe is not only the most important key to shining AB muscles, but it's also the most overlooked.  I can't begin to stress the importance of eating clean, at least most the time.  If you truly want to have a visable six pack, it starts in the kitchen.  You can do AB workouts everyday, but my friends, IF YOU ARE INTAKING UNNECESSARY FATS AND CARBS YOUR 6 PACK WILL NOT SHOW.  You have a layer of intramuscular fat within your abs and if that layer is more pronounced than your AB muscles, you simply will not see your hard work from the gym.

* My Story *

I used to do soooo many AB workouts in college where I played soccer at the lovely Cleveland State University.  I never had as good of ABS as I have now and that is simply because I didn't understand how getting toned ABS was a result of not just doing the workouts, but eating clean. We all have AB muscles in us somewhere, some just have more intramuscular fat on top of them then others.  I personally don't have time to always go to the gym but if I'm doing the right stuff in the kitchen I can still see improvement.  This little tidbit is something I really didn't realize until I stopped being a super competitive athlete.  I realized that I can have great ABS without being a gym junkie too!!

I hope this helps you tackle any obstacles to obtaining those toned, solid ABS!!

*Look forward to another blog focusing on my TOP AB Exercises!*

Shake it UP!

SHAKE it UP!

Let me tell you about one of my favorite healthy lifestyle ideas that keeps me not only FIT but feeling great.  I LOVE integrating veggie/fruit shakes into my everyday diet.  I find that it's a great way to make sure I'm getting all my fruits and veggies in for the day.  Having a smoothie is also a perfect way to substitute a breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This may come in handy after you had a long night or drinking alcohol or eating foods that aren't the most nutritious! My awesome mom and dad gave my husband and I the Health Master blender for Christmas a couple years ago and it's been a go to meal maker in our house ever since.  I found that this machine is great and you can make anything from shakes to dip or even soup in it :)  However, it can be a little pricey which is why I want to acknowledge that you can make a shake in a regular $40 blender too! ... it just may not last as long!

Below is the link to the blender I use :

http://www.myhealthmaster.com

I also love to add Blenditup Protein+ Smoothie Mix to my shakes.  Its 100%vegan and it uses protein from organic vegetables such as Soybean Quinoa to fuel your drink.  With just 2 scoops your smoothie is stocked up with 14 g of protein.  It also supplies you with a healthy does of Amino Acids and Vitamins.  Oh and its gluten free ! 

Check it out for yourself https://blenditup.com

Tips with making smoothies:

Keep it super healthy by putting more vegetables in it than fruits! 

Check out this website for A-Z help on making some super invigorating smoothies :)

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/08/protips-smoothies-without-recipes-better-texture-ingredients-equipment-advice.html