Category: Sitting Too Much

Four Simple Exercises To Help You Move More And Sit Less

Statistics are showing that most U.S. adults are sitting anywhere between nine and twelve hours daily. For many people, activities like commuting, working, shuttling kids, taking classes, or taking care of personal “stuff” are all contributing to their sitting time.  All of these tasks  are important, making it difficult to avoid the amount of sitting that is involved.

Research continues to show us that there are health risks associated with sitting for long periods of time on a daily basis.  If you know your day requires a lot of sitting, there are simple things you can do to lower the risks involved with being sedentary.  For example, taking short breaks to stand up and move can benefit you greatly.

In the short video below, I demonstrate four simple exercises that can help you move more and sit less. They are easy to weave into your day and you can do them almost anywhere.

Here’s to moving more and sitting less.  Every little bit counts!

Shared with love,

Jennifer

How Much Rest Should You Get After A Workout?

How Much Rest Should You Get After A Workout? by Jennifer Ledford

Recently, I was scrolling through my newsfeed on one of my social media pages and came across a friend’s post that asked a question regarding exercise and rest.

While I love, love, loved the enthusiasm the people commenting on the post showed toward exercise, some of the comments or answers were either outdated or tailored to their own personal needs which may or may not have been appropriate or safe for the person asking the question.  Exercise, just like diet, is very personal which is why it’s always a good idea to consult with someone that’s trained to answer your question and has a proven track record in the field.

Seeing this post reminded me that while most people know it’s a good idea to exercise, not everyone understands that rest and recovery is JUST as important as exercise itself.

Rest days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, and connective tissue time to rebuild.  It’s during this rebuilding process that they grow back stronger.  A lack of rest or “overtraining” can leave the body susceptible to injury and even slow the metabolism down.

Resting after exercise does not necessarily mean you are sitting on the couch all day.  Most of the time, active rest is best.  The body is designed to move and “sitting” for too long can negatively affect someone’s health.  There can be solid medical reasons for someone to get off their feet and rest for longer periods of time.  However, if you have been medically cleared for exercise, active rest is usually best.

How much active rest your body needs after exercise is personal.  Your fitness level, the type of exercise you are performing, and what your body needs will all come into play.

RECOMMENDED TYPES OF EXERCISE AND REST

Some examples of types of exercise and recommended rest are:

  1. Interval Training.  High intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is an effective way to burn calories in a short period of time and can improve cardiovascular health as well as blood pressure.  HIIT formulas consist of short “bouts” or intervals of an exercise that feel hard or very hard to maintain followed by a recovery interval that is easy to maintain.  Interval based cycling classes, interval programs designed for exercise machines, Tabata training, and interval based group exercise or circuit routines are some examples of interval training.

The recovery guidelines for HIIT training are pretty straightforward.  After performing a HIIT workout, you will want to wait a minimum of 48 hours before repeating another.  It’s VERY important to allow your body to recover properly from high interval training to avoid overtraining which can have a negative effect on your body.

Years ago, when spinning or cycling classes entered the fitness scene, people (mostly women) were so thrilled with the physical results they were getting  from their “spin” classes, they began attending them five, sometimes six, days per week.  Many of them began to plateau and others actually saw the scale go up due to their metabolisms slowing down.  When it comes to high intensity training, too much can produce the opposite effect you were looking for.  A moderate cardio workout or strength routine (depending on what you did during your interval workout) are great ways to actively recover during your 48-hour rest period.

2.  Moderate Exercise.  The fitness industry considers anything that gets your heart rate up to 50 to 60 percent higher than its rate when you are at rest moderate intensity exercise.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend 30-45 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week for health purposes.  Doing some sort of moderate exercise daily is optimal which is what makes moderate exercise so popular because you can pretty much do it every day without having to take a rest.

Some examples of moderate activity include:

  • Walking your dog
  • Biking
  • Swimming laps
  • Jogging
  • Moderate Intensity Water Aerobics
  • Gardening for 30 minutes
  • Raking leaves for 30 minutes
  • House cleaning for 30-45 minutes

3.  Strength Training.  One of the simplest ways to know you need to rest a muscle after strength training is if it is sore.  It’s important to note how long your muscle soreness lasts.  Soreness from proper training should not last more than 48 hours after the workout.  If you are sore for longer than 48 hours it usually means that you’ve “overtrained” or worked the muscles too hard and need to scale back just a bit.

A good rule of thumb is to allow the muscles you specifically worked to actively rest for 48 hours before strength-training them again.  A good balance is to train other muscles or perform moderate cardio on off days.  For years, strength training three to four days per week has been a popular formula in the fitness industry because it allows for a good amount of recovery time.

Your body is smart.  It will tell you when it’s time to rest and it’s important to listen to it!  When we balance our exercise and rest properly, the body can get stronger and build more endurance. Or, for some of us, simply help you maintain the strength you already have.  At the end of the day, exercise shouldn’t make you feel run down.  It should leave you feeling good!

Here’s to a lifetime of health and happiness!

Shared with love,
Jennifer

 

Six Ways To Lose Weight And Still Have A Blast This Summer!

shutterstock_388797451 - summer time fun

Summer has arrived! This means vacations and lots of outdoor festivities!

For many people, summer can be one of the easiest times of year to lose weight.  An abundance of daylight, outdoor activities, and fresh fruits and vegetables all contribute to easy weight loss.  However, long vacations and an abundance of picnics and parties can potentially hinder weight loss goals if we’re not paying attention.  Fortunately, a little awareness and some planning can help you stay on track with your weight loss goals and still have a blast this summer.

Six Ways To Lose Weight And Still Have A Blast This Summer

1) Pay attention to snacking.  With summer barbecues come lots of chips, dips, and appetizers. A serving of chips is usually between 9 and 16 chips; and a serving of dip is usually two tablespoons.  Go ahead and taste, but step away from the table to have a conversation.  Sitting in front of these yummy temptations can lead to mindless snacking.

If you’re really hungry stick to more of the lighter fare like fresh fruit, a portion of cheese, nuts, cold cuts, hummus, and yogurt dips.  Make sure to combine protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you from being hungry again in ten minutes.

2) Have a plan when you eat at buffets. Cruises and hotels offer wonderful buffets. However, when I have a choice between ordering from the menu or the buffet I will usually pick the menu. This helps me avoid overeating.

If the buffet is all you have to choose from, or you really want to try the food, then keep portion sizes in mind when filling up your plate.  Give yourself twenty minutes before going back for a second helping to make sure you are actually hungry.  Finish off your buffet with fruit for dessert which is a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

3) Consider having your own kitchen when you travel for longer than a weekend.  My husband and I like to rent timeshares or vacation homes with kitchens.  Over the years we’ve learned that eating every meal out in a restaurant when you are traveling can be a bit much.  If you are traveling for longer than a weekend, I recommend sticking as close to the way you would eat at home eighty percent of the time and enjoy treats for twenty percent of the trip.  Having your own kitchen makes it a lot easier to do this.  In the end, you’ll end up feeling less bloated and the chances of overeating are seriously reduced.

If you don’t have your own kitchen, try going to a deli or market and creating your own picnic lunch.  You’ll have fun shopping like a local and more control over portion sizes.

4) Watch for hidden calories in blended drinks.  Summer is the time for blended drinks with lots of fresh fruit. These “smoothies” can be loaded with calories.  Treat blended drinks like dessert if you’re not sure about the ingredients.

The same goes for the whipped drinks at the coffee shop.  A Starbucks Frappucino can be anywhere from 290-490 calories so best to keep these to a minimum.

5) Make sure to hydrate!  Watch your water intake even if you are spending the day by the pool. Water wipes the perspiration off of your body, yet your body continues to perspire in the pool.  When you are dehydrated, it can hinder your liver’s ability to metabolize fat.  Fortunately, keeping water close by is a nice easy fix.

6) Play a little more and sit a little less.  Recent research found that as little as a twenty minute reduction in sedentary time on weekends was tied to a loss of more than two pounds per year.  That may not sound like a lot but losing two pounds is always better than gaining two pounds!

Come up with some outdoor activities that you and/or your family enjoy or would like to try. Then, incorporate physical activity into your summer plans.

For example, I love to sit on the beach all day long! It’s so peaceful and I leave totally restored.  However, if I’m not careful too much sitting can pack on  a few extra pounds.  To counter the sitting, my husband and I like to go for a long walk and play in the surf with our dogs.

There are so many ways to burn calories while having fun outdoors. Some examples are Frisbee, Flag Football, swimming, boating, paddle boarding, kayaking, hiking, water jogging, and body surfing. It doesn’t have to be formal.  If it seems like a chore, pick something else.  It’s supposed to be leisure time.

This summer, make sure you take time to rest, play, laugh, and relax.  Reducing stress is one of the best things you can do for your waistline and overall health and fitness.  It really is about balance in every area of your life.

Here’s to a happy and healthy summer!

With Love,
Jennifer