Tag: exercise

Get Easy Exercise While Standing

Can you remember your mother or grandmother telling you to “stand up straight” when you were a kid? Well, like so many other things, we discover later in life they were right.

Good Posture is Exercise!

 

But your mother may not have realized that one of the easiest ways to get exercise throughout your day is to maintaining good posture when standing or walking.

Standing up straight not only makes you look confident and engaged. It also distributes weight evenly throughout your spine which keeps your back healthy, helps you burn additional calories, and activates more muscle groups than slouching.

Bad Posture can Sabotage the Good Effects of the Best Exercise Routine!

 

Studies are showing that people who stand up straight throughout their day are less prone to injury than those who slouch most of the day and are only conscious of posture while performing formal exercise routines.

That DOES NOT mean you should quit your exercise routine! What I’m saying is your 24/7 habits can sabotage all the hard work you put in during your exercise routine. A combination of strength training combined with good postural habits is the optimal recipe for building a healthy and toned physique.

No time or desire to formally strength train? Great news! You can get exercise from focusing on good posture while you are standing and/or walking.

Four Tips to Get More Exercise While Standing or Walking

 

1)  Chest out! This is an easy cue and it will help you keep good posture. Gently squeeze between the shoulder blades and open your chest while standing or walking. If you feel any discomfort in your back, relax a bit. You may be over doing it.

2)  Use reminders. Be aware of your posture when standing. If you notice you are slouching, use the chest out cue to correct your posture. In the fitness industry we call this 24/7 awareness.

Remember that it takes time to create new habits. In the beginning, leave yourself little notes in your car, office, and around your house to remind you to stand up straight. Over time it will become second nature to you.

3)  Use your abs! There’s more to abs than just the six pack. Your abdominals are called stabilizers for a reason. They are there to help you stand up straight and support your back. By using them for their purpose, you can get a great ab workout and look more toned. This is a great way to incorporate strength training into your every day activities!

And, don’t be afraid to tighten them often throughout the day. Your abdominals are endurance muscles! They can handle it!

Not sure how to use your abs while standing? Watch this short video on how to engage your abdominals properly.

4)  Rest! Part of the reason we slouch is because it’s easier! It’s work to stand up straight and activate your muscles properly.  Take short rests throughout the day and sit down. If you find yourself overly fatigued or sore at the end of the day, then you may need longer rest periods.

When sitting or resting make sure you have back support and lean back against the chair.  It’s best if the chair is tilted back slightly, rather than sitting straight up. This will give your muscles a chance to relax and take a break. If you can’t find a chair, lean with your back against a wall.

Using your muscles properly during lifestyle activity is one of the easiest ways to incorporate exercise into your day. It doesn’t take any extra time. It just takes a little practice!

Please let me know if this has been helpful to you or if you have any questions for me. I love to hear from you!

To your long term health and fitness!

Jennifer

 

 

How To Beat The Obstacles That Keep You From Exercising

Whether you have been exercising for a long time or you’re just getting started, obstacles (aka life’s circumstances) can cause you to fall off track from your exercise routine. This is normal and it doesn’t have to sabotage your efforts.

When life throws you a curve ball don’t beat yourself up. Guilt can cause you to become depressed which will make it harder to start back up again. Instead, take a look at the circumstances and identify the reason you haven’t been exercising.

Common obstacles that sabotage exercise and how you can overcome them:

1)  It’s painful.  It’s really difficult to stay motivated to exercise if you are experiencing pain.  Make an appointment to see a doctor to address the issue. Once diagnosed, you can take the necessary steps to eliminate the pain and start exercising again.

2) You’re burning the candle at both ends. Today’s fast paced lifestyle can contribute to a very full calendar. This pace can result in leaving you little, and at times no time to exercise. If that’s you, read I Agree You Are Too Busy To Exercise for tips on how to overcome this challenge.

3) You don’t like it. Is the only thing on your mind, “I can’t wait for this to be over”? If so, you probably don’t like the exercise you’ve chosen. Make a list of the physical activities you enjoy and decide which ones you want to pursue.

For example, you may not like hiking but you really like line dancing. Go for the one that you know you can stick to, not what the current exercise fads are telling you is best for you.

4) You’re exercising to please others. This is a biggie! Often times well meaning family and friends will convince you to engage in an exercise program because they care about your health or want your company.

If you are only doing it to please others, you risk resenting the exercise — and it could potentially strain your relationship. Make sure the exercise routine you choose is the right one for you. Here are tips on how to pick exercise YOU like.

5)  It’s a new season in your life or a schedule change. We all have seasons in our life that can affect our routine. Things like a new job, business, baby, move, or injury can require you to readjust your current exercise plan.

When you are going through a new season in your life that affects your schedule, it is necessary to look at your exercise plan and determine what adjustments will need to be made to maintain your fitness levels while you adapt to your new schedule.

Goals of advancement in fitness may need to be put temporarily on hold to avoid frustration and disappointment. The most important thing is that you maintain what you have already achieved!

I’ve been a personal trainer for over 22 years and I’ve listed the most common obstacles and the solutions for you. If you are experiencing an obstacle that I haven’t covered please feel free to ask me about it by leaving a comment below. If you have a tip you’d like to share on how you have overcome an obstacle that was holding you back from exercise, please share. I’d love to hear what you did!

To your health!

Jennifer

 

 

 

 

How To Motivate Yourself To Exercise

Struggling with lack of motivation for exercise?  If you are, you’re normal! Believe it or not, it’s simple to overcome. The trick is doing a quick evaluation to figure out what motivates you.

This simple formula will motivate you to exercise for life!

Your first step is to take inventory. What are the top 2 reasons you want to exercise?  There is no right or wrong answer. We are all motivated a little differently. For example, not everyone is motivated by health.

 

That doesn’t mean you don’t want to be healthy.  It just means you may be motivated by a different “why,” like staying healthy to support your family; or being able to live independently when you are in your golden years.

It’s critical that you discover what you value most in your life.  Once you determine why you want to remain healthy and strong, it is going to be much easier to motivate yourself on those days you just don’t feel like it.

Below is a list of the top reasons people are motivated to exercise.  These examples are based on my own experience as a personal trainer for over 22 years.

Take a few minutes to look at this list.  Use it to help you discover what your own personal reason for exercise is. You may come up with an answer that’s not even on this list.

Write down reasons from the list that resonate with you and any others you come up with on a sheet of paper.  Remember, there is no right or wrong answer.  It is what is!

Top motivators to exercise

 

1)   Maintain or improve your Health

2)   Increase life expectancy

3)   Lose weight

4)   Improve functional fitness

5)   Stay healthy for your family

6)   Travel with ease

7)   Improve appearance

8)   Have more energy

9)   Sleep better

10) Recreation/Fun

11)  Social activities/Meet people

12)  Remain independent and self sufficient

13)  Walking your dog or taking care of a pet

After going through this short exercise, you may be surprised with what you come up with. You may find you have been trying to motivate yourself with all the wrong reasons. Or, you discovered that it is worth it to you to stick to your exercise routine and you are motivated again!

If you discovered you have been trying to dangle the wrong carrot in front of yourself, that’s great news! You now have a brand new list with the top two things that will motivate you to exercise. Anytime you feel like “blowing off” your exercise you just go back to your list and read your reasons out loud to yourself. This will give you the motivation to get moving!

Make sure the exercise you choose serves your purpose.  For example, if your purpose to exercise is to be able to meet people, then I would recommend you look into joining group activities that are at your fitness level and seem fun to you.

The most important thing to remember to be true to yourself and the priorities for your own life. It’s human nature to get unmotivated from time to time. However, when you are clear on your purpose and following the true desires of your own heart, it’s much easier to motivate yourself to just do it. You’ll be able to finally motivate yourself to exercise.

Next week we’ll be talking about the most common obstacles that prevent you from exercising and how to beat them!

I’d love to know what your top motivators are! Please let me know in the comments below. 

To your health and wellness!

Jennifer