Summer Fitness

Saturday

Feb072009

Ode to Cereal

I like cereal a whole lot, is tastes good when days are hot, in a bowl or in a dish, this would be my only wish: Special K, Cheerios, and don't forget those lovely Oh's.

A similar poem was good enough for Vada Sultenfuss to pass a college level summer writing course; only her obsession was ice cream. Although cereal is undoubtely a healthier snack than ice cream, it does have it's negatives. While many cereals and oatmeals have been proven to lower cholesterol and help lose weight, there are a few flaws with cereal that you may not know.

First, most bowls are far bigger than a recommended serving. I will never forget the first time my husband came to my home. He thought he had entered Seinfield's apartment. He was amazed by the variety of boxes I had neatly aligned on top of my refrigerator. I was a cereal addict and always thumbing the ads for the cereal sales. He wondered how I went through so many boxes a week, until he saw the size bowl I pulled out of the cabinet when it came time to feed my habit. A huge dog bowl size filled to the brim. That's right folks, Hi I am Kristi, and I am addicted to, Oh's, Crispix, Special K, and Corn Pops. Now I realize the cereal was impeding my weight loss. I was perplexed how could I not be losing weight? It wasn't like I was munching on bob bon's and twinkies every day. The answer, portion control. Special K advertises eat their cereal for breakfast and lunch and lose weight. If one were to really do that, they probably would lose weight, the problem is most people, like myself eat 4 servings instead of 1. Cereal is not unhealthy in fact studies have shown eating oatmeal and Cheerios can help lower your cholesterol. The problem is two fold. One: people eat way too much, so while it may be heart healthy it is not 'weight loss healthy,' and two: most cereals have a lot of carbs and lack protein. These carbs soon turn quickly into sugar. The sugar then spikes our blood sugar levels making us feel hungry within a very short time and vicuous cycle starts all over again. So while I have not completely kicked my habit, I am happy to report I am on the road to recovery. The key is everything in moderation. So for all you cereal addicts out there, and I know I am not the only one, just have one small bowl and end it.

Stay Strong,

Kristi

February 7 |

3 Comments |

Thursday

Jan012009

Happy New Year! / Mini Lower Body Routine

A happy and healthy New Year to all! A few people asked me to post some of the workout routines from my classes. I am working on making this a permanent fixture on the site, with pictures and so forth, but for now I wanted to help everyone start the new year right. So here is your first challenge if you should choose to accept it...

This is a mini lower body workout; this should take about 10 minutes.

1. 4 walking lunges (this should take you across the room you are in) followed by 4 squats, and then turn around and go back the other direction with 4 more walking lunges and 4 more squats. Rest for a moment, and then repeat for a second set; you will be surprised how hard this will get. Don't rush this; each back and forth should take you almost a minute.

2. Then do close squat, meaning legs close together and sit that butt back, then take it into a wide plie squat to the right, bring legs back in for a close squat, then switch to the other side and take the left leg out for a wide plie squat (that counts as one rep). Do this 10 times, rest for a moment after 10, and repeat for a second set of 10.

3. Last one: squat then a side leg raise to the right, then squat and a side leg raise to the left (this counts as one rep). As above, do this 10 times, rest for a moment and repeat for a second set of 10. This will not only work the glutes and quads, but the thighs as well.

I am very big into lunges and squats; they are great exercises b/c they help tone, they burn a lot of calories, and really get the heart rate up. Since your legs are your biggest body part it never gets easy to work them, and is always a great workout. This routine is simple, but it is still challenging if you do it properly. Remember - don't rush it, go low and slow with your squats keeping the shoulders and chest back, abs tight and engaged, and always protecting the knees, which means do not let your knees go past your toes. Always keep your form in mind, and don't forget to breathe.

Stay Strong

Kristi

January 1 |

4 Comments |

Saturday

Dec062008

Cross Training

I got a question today and I wanted to take the time to address it. What's the deal with cross training? Cross Training is key to building endurance and overall body strength. The biggest complaint I hear from people is that they have either plateaued or they are bored with their workout. The reason for this is so often we get used to a routine and stick with it. While it is true that in order to see results you may want to stick to a routine for a small period of time, our bodies can get used to this routine and it becomes easy. When this happens, the best thing to do is constantly challenge and fatigue the muscles by varying your routines. This is where cross training comes in.

Cross training adds variety to your routine, forcing you to work different muscles in your body that you have never worked before or may not know even existed until you feel them sore the next day. For example GAB asked how she can switch up her routines. She told me that she currently does kick boxing, running, and weight training, and is wondering if swimming may be a good exercise to add to her exercise regime. To answer her question, yes - swimming is a great overall full body workout to add. You may also want to add some lower body weight routines/ and or plyometrics. Possibly taking a yoga or pilates class to improve your flexibility and mind. The bottom line is cross training just means switching up various exercises in order to prevent boredom, injury, and stagnation.

Stay Strong,

Kristi

December 6 |