Category: Personal Training

Add Variety To Your Leg Routine With This Squat Exercise

Add Variety To Your Leg Routine With This Squat Exercise by Jennifer Ledford

If you exercise regularly, it’s easy to get into the routine of doing the same set of exercises every time.  I’ll be the first one to tell you that doing the same exercises every time you workout will always be better than doing nothing at all. However, there is something to be said for adding a bit of variety to your workout routine.

Adding new activities to your routine can challenge your muscles, your nervous system, and your brain.  One of the easiest ways to challenge yourself physically and mentally is to move the body in multiple directions during a workout.

Adding Variety To Your Squats

In today’s video I demonstrate how to move “side to side” while performing squats.  I’ve added some upper body work as well.  It’s a simple exercise that helps tone and strengthen the legs, glutes, back, and abs.  That’s a lot of return for a small investment of your time!

Enjoy the video and have a great week!

Shared with Love,
Jennifer Ledford

FOR MORE VIDEOS, SEE MY HEALTH & FITNESS VIDEO VAULT HERE

 

5 Ways To Create Healthy Habits That Stick

How To Create Healthy Habits That Stick

Habits – some serve you well while others can keep you from meeting your goals and reaching your full potential.

Based on my own personal experience and twenty eight years of experience coaching others,  I’ve learned that it is much easier to create new habits than to focus on getting rid of old ones.  We tend to get more of what we focus on so it’s always best to focus on the things that will take us to where we want to go.  The stronger the new healthy habit becomes, the less room you will have in your life for the old habit you’d like to see go away.  What you feed will flourish, and what you ignore will usually fade away.

A habit is defined as a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition. One of the top reasons people fail to stick to a new healthy habit is lack of consistency.  In the past, this lack of consistency was often blamed on a lack of willpower.  This type of finger pointing has been an unfair judgement and/or assumption.  While self-control and discipline certainly play a part in creating healthy habits, depending on “willpower” alone is a recipe for failure.

How to create healthy habits that stick

  1. Be specific.  When we set general goals like “getting healthy” it can seem vague and overwhelming.  Take a moment to ask yourself what your end goal actually means to you and then  decide on 1-2 specific actions you know you can implement right away.  For example, if you want to eat out less, you can start by bringing your lunch to work for the next thirty days. Or, if you want to be more active,  you can walk your dog every day before you turn on the TV.
  2. Honor yourself.  It’s important to know how you are wired to avoid setting unrealistic goals for yourself.  If you know you are not a morning person then you probably want to steer clear of the 6 a.m. boot camp class and exercise later in the day.  Take a moment to look at past successes for clues of what works for you and what doesn’t.  Stay true to yourself and learn to say no to the things that aren’t right for you no matter how enticing the marketing makes it sound.
  3. Give yourself a break.   Priorities and/or obstacles can pop up that interrupt your day.  While I always recommend planning for and expecting success, life doesn’t always go as planned.  If you find yourself in the drive through or skipping a workout, don’t beat yourself up about it.  Guilt can distract you from your goals.  Forget about it and get back on track toward your goals.  Success is about being flexible and figuring out what works, not being perfect.
  4. Attach your new habit to one that is already established.  Research suggests that when we attach a new habit to one that is already established we are more likely to stick to it.  For example, if you want to drink more water, tell yourself you will drink a glass of water right after you brush your teeth in the morning and with every meal.  It’s important for me to stretch daily so I do my stretches after dinner while I’m having a cup of tea or a glass of wine.  I’ve attached my stretching to the habit of eating dinner every night.
  5. Keep it fun.  None of us are looking for a long list of new chores.  While it’s true that any good habit worth working for is going to require effort and you will have to push through resistance at times, you should also be enjoying yourself and reaping rewards.  For example, if you’ve committed to eating healthy and cooking more often, make sure you are choosing foods and recipes that taste good to you.  Or, if you want to exercise more, choose activities that make you feel good and fit into your schedule.  Good habits should not be causing stress in your life.

STay In The Game

It’s a good idea to remember that anyone that has a pulse has a habit or two they would like to change.  Be kind to yourself and remember that this is your own personal journey.  You may not be where you want to be yet. However, you are further than you were yesterday.  Stay in the game and you WILL come out a winner!

Here’s to a lifetime a healthy habits!

With love,
Jennifer

 

Simple Self Massage That Helps Release Tight Lower Body Muscles

Simple Self Massage That Helps Release Tight Lower Body Muscles

When it comes to being physically fit, massage may not be the first thing on your list of to do’s. Oftentimes, when one hears the word massage, a luxurious experience in a fancy spa comes to mind. You probably know it’s good for relieving stress levels but may be wondering how it contributes to helping you fit into your jeans.

There are three main components to physical fitness. They are strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health. All three are equally important and work together to help your body move more efficiently, prevent injury, and burn calories optimally. Tight muscles can pull on joints which can lead to pain and/or injury. Once a body is suffering from pain or an injury, it can be difficult to follow through with an exercise routine, normal lifestyle activities, and in some cases even work responsibilities.

Over the years, the fitness industry has come to realize that one of the best ways to maintain flexibility and release tight muscles is to learn the practice of self-massage using tools like foam rollers and tennis balls. Massage, also know as release work or trigger point therapy, has proven to be more effective than stretching when it comes to releasing tight muscles and improving the body’s range of motion for the long term.

SELF-MASSAGE

Since massage is really more of a necessity  than a luxury, I recommend learning self-massage. When you know how to release tight muscles on your own, it allows you to have unlimited access to massage without taxing your schedule or budget. Even a few minutes a day can make a BIG difference when it comes to improving range of motion and relieving stress (which also helps with weight loss).

In today’s video, I demonstrate how to use a foam roller to massage and release some of the most common areas that can get tight in the lower body.  I also demonstrate some stretches for hamstrings and hip flexors at the end so make sure to watch the whole video.  I’ve also included some links below to help you purchase a roller of your own if you don’t already own one and a book that I recommend to all of my private coaching clients. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook is inexpensive and walks you through step-by-step self-massage in a way that’s easy to understand. Foam rollers are a low cost investment that are worth every penny.

Enjoy the video and here’s to being fit and feeling good!

Shared with Love,
Jennifer

Click here to see FOAM ROLLERS