Sunday, October 25, 2015

Beginner's Top Ten Guidelines to Building Strength

Strong muscles are important to your health and well-being; without them, daily activities such as carrying groceries and climbing stairs can become quite a task! Lower back pain and injuries also become more likely to occur when we don’t have the support of a strong muscular system. Healthy muscle mass does many things for our bodies including burning extra calories, so those with fit muscles have an easier time maintaining a trim figure. There are many great reasons to incorporate strength training into your fitness program but sometimes it is hard to know where to begin. Let’s talk about the top ten beginner’s guidelines to building strength.


10. Keep it Safe Speak with a doctor before you begin an exercise program, you want to focus on activities that are safe for you. Start your program slowly and gradually increase your intensity as you feel ready.

9. Schedule Your Time You can complete an effective workout in as little as 30 minutes! With

8. Find a Tempo Keep a steady pace and avoid moving with any momentum. Much of your strength is build in the negative portion of the movement where your muscle resists lowering the weight. Try lifting for a count of two and lowering for a count of four.

7. Maintain Good Posture Proper alignment is a foundational component of any program. Always keep a soft bend in the knees and shoulders rolled gently back. Maintain a natural curve through the lower back to avoid excess compression in the lower spine.

6. Warm Up First Begin your routine with a brisk walk or 5-7 minutes on a cardio machine to get your blood flowing and warm up the muscles. Save your stretching until after your workout.

5. Stop if it Hurts Remember your S’s - Sharp, Shooting, or Stabbing pains mean Stop! Learn the difference between pain and sensation, it is natural to feel the burn of a working muscle but a sudden, intense pain is a sure sign to stop and evaluate.

4. Quality over Quantity Never sacrifice your form for one more rep. If you have worked to the point of exhaustion, that is a good time to stop, rest, and repeat if needed. There is no magic number so pushing through bad form for the sake of finishing your 15th rep is not worth a potential injury!

3. Enjoy Variety Mix it up, if you find that you have been dong the same routine three times a week for the last eight months, it is time to mix it up. This goes for those in group classes as well, don’t be afraid to try something new! Making a change in your routine is also an excellent way to get past a plateau.

2. Ask for Help If you are uncertain about what to do, you haven’t been able to be consistent or stay committed, or you are just plain lost don’t be afraid to ask for help. Speak to a gym attendant or a class instructor about your concerns or set up a consultation with a personal trainer. The initial session is generally free and you can get some great direction even from just a few quick sessions.


1. Have Fun! If you don’t look forward to your routine then you need to make a change. There are so many options available when it comes to working out sometimes you have to be adventurous to find what you truly enjoy.



Be creative, beginning an exercise routine takes commitment and determination, but it is never too late to start. The benefits you will find are well worth the efforts, not to mention the camaraderie that you can find and the knowledge that you can gain about yourself and the beautiful machine that is your body.

Monday, October 5, 2015

What a Woman!

It is no secret that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pink is everywhere you look! It is a great reminder to women that we need to be proactive in maintaining a healthy body. There are so many aspects to women’s health that keeping up to date on the variety of signs and symptoms of good health should be an ongoing part of your routine. When was the last time you stopped to look at how well you are taking care of your personal health and well-being? If you are like many women it may have been quite a while. Here are few reminders on some of the important facts and symptoms associated with some of the major health risks that women face.

Heart Health
While we often think of women’s health issues relating mainly to breast health and menopause it may be surprising to note that heart disease is actually the number one killer of women in America, one in four women die from heart disease. While it is a natural course of a woman’s life cycle, menopause can cause physical changes that can impact your heart health. In fact, studies have shown an increase in heart attacks among women after experiencing menopause. If you’ve followed a healthy lifestyle and continue doing so at menopause, your risk for heart disease and stroke is lower.

Ovarian Cancer
Early ovarian cancer usually has no obvious symptoms, though studies have indicated that some women experience persistent, nonspecific symptoms, such as bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, or urinary urgency or frequency. Women who experience such symptoms daily for more than a few weeks should seek prompt medical evaluation. The most common sign of ovarian cancer is swelling of the abdomen, which is caused by the accumulation of fluid.
There are no good routine screening tests for early or late detection of ovarian cancer. It is usually found at an advanced stage due to the fact that there are few major symptoms that draw attention to the fact that something is wrong; most symptoms can be vague and mild. An estimated 21,290 new cases of ovarian cancer are expected in the US in 2015.

Breast Cancer
The most common symptom of breast cancer is a lump or mass in the breast, which is often painless. Less common symptoms include persistent changes to the breast, such as thickening, swelling, distortion, tenderness, skin irritation, redness, scaliness, or nipple abnormalities, such as ulceration, retraction, or spontaneous discharge. Breast pain is more likely to be caused by benign conditions and is not a common symptom of breast cancer.
An estimated 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the US during 2015; about 2,350 new cases are expected in men. Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women.

Self-Care
Women are notorious for spending more time taking care of others and less time on their own needs. The trend toward taking more time for yourself is not a new idea, it is often just hard to do. When it comes to maintaining health there are a few simple practices that are a great start to maintaining health.

  • Be physically active most days of the week
  • Eat a balanced diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
  • Use relaxation techniques to cope with stress
  • Get enough rest/sleep most to all nights
  • Avoid tobacco products
  • Limit alcohol to one drink per day or less
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Schedule routine preventative care and health screenings

The choices you make today affect your quality of life in the future!