Fitness & Wellness

Everyone is different and every pregnancy is different, so advising you whether you should workout while you’re pregnant and if it’s safe is impossible. However, there are some generalizations that can be made that will help guide you. Always check with your health care professional first, even if this isn’t your first pregnancy and you worked out your last pregnancy. Most women who have had more than one child understand that not only is each person different, so is each pregnancy. It’s always better to take precautions and be informed before you begin any exercise program.

There are lots of considerations to determine the type of exercise you should do.

Have you been working out? Chances are, you can continue, as long as you make modifications along the way and avoid certain types of exercise. High impact exercises, ones that involve contact or ones where you could potentially fall, should be avoided. If the exercise has jarring movements that could cause shock to the body, it should be looked at closely. Basketball, skiing, volleyball all have the potential of hard contact or falls, so they might be better if avoided. Avoid exercises that put pressure on the abdomen, such as full sit-ups, leg lifts, toe touching or deep knee bends.

There are a lot of benefits to exercising, but even mild exercise can be dangerous for some pregnancies.

People with preexisting conditions, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes need to discuss the potential for exercise closely with their health care professional before beginning any program of exercise. Anyone with a history of miscarriages, premature births, a weak cervix, spotting or low placenta also need to be careful and base your decision on the recommendations of medical experts.

Take it easy if you’ve never exercised before getting pregnant.

If you led a sedentary lifestyle, pregnancy isn’t the time to start a rigorous exercise program. For those people, taking up less intense exercise programs are the best. They can be as simple as walking, riding a stationary bike, swimming or using a step machine. Regular bike riding should be avoided because of the potential for falling. Avoid any type of workout, include walking, in excessive heat.

• You’ll find your pregnancy and delivery is easier and your recovery is quicker if you’ve kept exercising during pregnancy or even started a walking or swimming program when you first discover you’re pregnant.
• No matter how fit you are, avoid exercises that involve twisting at the waist, HIIT—high intensity interval training—workouts and those with high impact. Avoid holding your breath during stretches or bouncing.
• Get your arms ready to carry the baby by working out with light weights. Using wrist weights when you walk is one way to do this. Never lift weights when laying on your back.
• Exercises like the kneeling or standing pelvic tilt can help relieve and prevent back pain during pregnancy Squats and Kegels help improve delivery. Cardio workouts also help during delivery.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C Fitness

If you’re moving, you’re using your core muscles. Even sitting in a chair involves them. These are the muscles that start right below the pectorals and end right below the abs. They are muscles both in the front and back of your body. You need strong core muscles for other muscles to function properly. You even need them to walk. Strong core muscles will help you look thinner, aid in your workout and allow you to do every task more easily. That’s why it’s important to do exercises for a strong core.

A plank is not only good for core muscles, it’s good for shoulders and glutes.

Include plank exercises in your core workout. Start with your body outstretched, face down and your toes and forearms on the floor. Your elbows should be directly under your shoulders. If you choose to do a straight arm plank, your palms should be directly beneath your shoulders. Hold the body straight with no bending or sagging and shoulders down. Hold for ten seconds and build until you hit a minute.

V-sit-ups will tax your tummy.

Sit-ups are hard, but V-setups are even harder. Start by sitting on the floor with knees bent, feet on the floor and hands resting beside you. Hold your abs tight as you slowly lift your legs up and extend them at a 45 degree angle to your body. Reach your arms forward, until they’re slightly beside your shins and hold, continuing to breathe deeply as you do. Hold the V-position as long as you can. In the beginning, it may only be a few seconds. Return to starting position.

Not only will a back bridge build your core muscles, they’ll give you a great butt.

A bridge is simple, yet great for core muscles and good for people with back aches. Lay on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor directly beneath the knees. Tighten your abs and buttocks, then raise your hips to create a straight line that extends from the shoulders up to the knees. As you squeeze your core muscles, try to suck in your belly so hard that you feel like your belly button is touching your spine. Hold, then slowly lower yourself back to starting position.

• If you’ve been doing lunges for your lower body, just add a twist for the core. Just step out and do a lunge, then with your hands in front of you twist to the right. Step up and lunge again, then twist left.
• Traditional push-ups can tighten your core. Focus on ensuring your body doesn’t sag. If you aren’t able to do a push-up, do a modified one on bent knee.
• You’ll find videos of how to do many core strengthening exercises. Remember, if it’s good for the abs, it’s strengthening your core. The Superman, oblique twist and side planks are just a few.
• Some benefits of building your core muscles not only include making you look slimmer by improving your posture, but also improving your balance and making you more graceful.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C Fitness

I tell clients they have to get in the habit of exercise and eat healthier to boost their results. One reason I focus on healthy habits is because successful weight loss takes programming, not will power. Scheduling your workout at the same time every day is one tip that can help you stick with the program. Put it on your calendar, like an appointment, because it is an appointment with good health and energy. Like any habit, once formed, it’s hard to change.

I don’t focus on diet, but do encourage healthy eating.

You can’t out exercise a bad diet. If you’re taking in a huge amount of calories, you simply can’t exercise that long to burn them and the energy they provide is stored as fat. Start by making one small change in your diet, then move on to another change. Carry fruit with you for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. It will replace the chips, donuts or other junk you normally eat. Once in that habit, put more greens on your plate and cut out fried foods. Work on that a few weeks then cut all foods with added sugar. Just keep reprogramming yourself and you’ll see a remarkable change in your weight.

If you’re totally out of shape, start slower, but stick with it.

You might not be ready for a tough, calorie burning, belly crunching workout. That’s okay. Start at your level of fitness. If you can only do ten jumping jacks, do ten, but focus on increasing that number the next week. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can build on your progress. Track your progress and make it a game. Within 30 days you’ll see a big difference in how much you’re actually able to do and how far you’ve come. Getting fit is all about making progress, no matter where you start.

Move more and make it a habit to be more physical.

If you’re used to driving down the block and circling the parking lot to find a parking space near the door, change that habit quickly. Instead, walk or ride a bike to a close destination. If you have to drive, park further from the door to get more steps in for the day. Take a break every hour if you have a sedentary job. You don’t have to leave your office or cubical, just stand up and move around a bit. Not only does it burn more calories, it gets your circulation going so you have more energy.

• If you have health issues, always check with your health care professional before making any dietary or changes in your exercise habits. He or she will provide guidance on the approach you need to take.
• Reward yourself when you stick with the schedule. The reward can be just giving yourself kudos for sticking with the program. The 30-Day Snapback Challenge has a built in reward system.
• Understand that it isn’t about willpower. It’s about establishing a habit and sticking with the schedule. It’s easier to stick with a habit that you do at the same time every day, than try to find a time to workout every day that varies.
• Your health is your wealth. It’s time to turn things around and get fitter. Without good health and energy, accomplishing anything else is far more difficult. Only you have the power to change you.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness

With prices rising, it’s hard to stretch the grocery dollar. One of the ways you can do it is by meal planning, to get maximum benefit from sales and coupons. Cutting out junk food that provides few, if any nutrients, is another. One question remains. Can you still get high quality protein on a budget. The answer is yes, but you might have to do a few food combinations to ensure you get all essential amino acids. Beans and rice combine to create a complete protein when eaten together. Eaten separately, each would lack some of the essential amino acids.

Protein is important in your diet.

Protein is a macronutrient that plays a role in every cell in your body. It is a messenger when used in hormones, while also building cells and doing tissue repair. Your body needs enzymes for digestion and protein is necessary to make those. It’s in your fingernails, skin, hair, bones, cartilage and muscles. Since you have a lot of protein, you need a lot for repair. The body doesn’t store protein, like it stores fat, so you have to get your supply from food.

While beans and rice are a good source of cheap plant protein, there is also inexpensive animal protein.

You may have passed the beef section of the meat department and noticed the high prices on quality steaks, particularly those that came from grass fed beef. Can you actually get high quality animal protein without paying a high price? The answer is yes. Think chicken or even eggs. Both are good sources of protein and both are quite versatile and inexpensive. Eggs don’t have to be boring. Pad thai is one of my favorite dishes and it uses eggs and other sources of protein, like peanuts, plus loads of veggies. You can dress it up with shrimp and other sources of protein as well. It only takes a little of the expensive protein, since the eggs and peanuts already make it an excellent source.

Make a tuna salad or salmon patties.

Canned fish like tuna and salmon are good sources of protein that won’t break the budget like steak does. You can stretch it out by making patties, which also includes eggs. Add it to casseroles or salads to stretch that budget even further. You’ll be surprised at how many ways you can use canned fish and also how other protein sources, like eggs, play a role in many of the recipes.

Yogurt and other milk products provide protein for your body without pinching your pocketbook. Think cottage cheese, regular cheese and even milk as a protein source.

Organ meats are often less expensive, but oh-so nutritious. While I’ve never tried some of the organ meats, like brains, liver is a power packed main dish I love. Beef and chicken heart are also good. You’ll get high quality nutrition, but at far less per serving.

Peanut butter, peanuts and other nuts and nut butter provide a good source of protein at a lower price. Opt for peanut butter that has one ingredient on the jar, peanuts. An apple and peanut butter is a good combination for a pre or post workout snack.

If you really want to stretch your budget, opt for lentils or quinoa. You can mix both with veggies for a protein packed meal that has a massive number of nutrients and can feed a whole group of people.

While you can’t control everything that happens to your body, you can control a lot with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Even your skin can be helped based on what you eat and what you need. There are diets for unique skin types that can aid those with oily skin and those with dry or combination skin. You can even help prevent or treat acne with the right diet. While diets can help you lose weight, they also can aid your skin, which is the biggest organ of your body.

It all starts by knowing your skin type.

Your beauty treatment should not necessarily be like your best friend’s or even your parents. Age, genetics and diet make a difference in what you need. No magic cream can offset the damage from a bad diet, since beautiful skin starts from the inside of your body. While good hygiene does play a role, without the right type of diet for your skin, all the creams and cosmetics in the world won’t give you the look you want. Is your skin oily? How do you know? Start with a clean face, washing it thoroughly and dry, but don’t use anything else. Wait for an hour or two then look at your skin. Does it feel tight and flaky with red patches? It’s most likely dry. If some areas are oil, such as around the nose, but other areas, like your cheeks are dry, it’s combination. If you put a tissue on your face and there’s oil left on the tissue or there are shiny signs of oil everywhere with visible pores, it’s oily.

Dry skin can occur for many reasons.

If you’re mildly dehydrated, it can be just one reason you have dry skin. Keep water with you and sip frequently. Shy away from alcohol and drinks with caffeine, which may add to the problem. Add more juicy, nutritious fruits and vegetables to your diet, such as oranges, melons and grapes. Sweet red peppers, broccoli and spinach are other options. Like the fruit, they add vitamin C and A. Eat more healthy oils. Try avocado or salmon to increase your omega 3 fatty acids and unsaturated fat.

Oily skin doesn’t necessarily come from oil in the diet.

Greasy fried food, like French fries and onion rings shouldn’t be part of your diet, but that doesn’t mean you have to ditch the healthy oils, such as flaxseed, avocado or salmon. The fats they contain are anti-inflammatory, which can help improve acne and other skin problems. Whole grains are another good option, choosing them over the refined grain. Some studies sow that cutting out milk products can also help with acne, while other studies show Greek yogurt may help. Also skip red meat or reduce it in your diet significantly.

• Those with combination skins fight a double battle. Healthy eating, avoiding sugar and including healthy fat is the best diet. Avoid foods that are highly processed, since they cause inflammation.
• If you have acne, you may or may not have oily skin. Bacteria and inflammation cause acne. To fight it, increase vitamin C and zinc in your diet. Citrus fruit, red bell peppers provide C and pumpkin seeds offer zinc.
• Oxidation causes dull looking skin. Choose red foods that contain lycopene to give your skin a boost. Are wrinkles a problem? Add collagen to your diet. Bone broth is one good example of how to increase it.
• We have meal plans that will help you. Most healthy diets will dramatically improve your skin as you lose weight. It’s often the additives, highly processed foods, low nutrition and foods that cause inflammation that are the cause. You won’t find them in a healthy diet.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C Fitness