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What is the BEST Time to Workout?

So I am looking through my notes and see a question that intrigues me.  

It is;  

I am not a morning person, do I have to get my workout in first thing in the morning?

That is a really great question.  People in the fitness industry may have one answer and people in the diet industry may have another.  The long and the short of it is, it is truly up to you.

Here are some little details that may help you decide what is best for you.

Working out in the AM

  1. Lifting weights really kick your metabolism into gear.  You will burn more calories, in general, the rest of the day.
  2. There is less of a chance of getting your dedicated gym time bumped by an appointment.
  3. The endorphins will give you a great feeling to start the day in a better mood…once you are done.
  4. Believe it or not, the gym is less crowded in the early hours.
  5. It will become a habit, to wake up and get it done.

Working out in the PM

  1. Working out at the end of the day allows you to burn off the stress of the day.
  2. Generally, there are more classes available in the evening.
  3. Depending on how late you like to go, the later it is, the fewer people are there.
  4. You will be more likely to get an accountability partner to go with you.
  5. You are not as rushed for time, therefore your mornings are calmer.
  6. You can generally extend your workout if you want because you are not on your way to work/school.

 

In the end, you will find excuses to not go to the gym regardless the time.  Or you will make that commitment to yourself and get it in.  The most important thing is getting it done.  There are pros and cons to both times to workout and if you ask your brother in law who has never worked out, they are both bad times and that is what we tend to do, ask people who don’t make it part of their routine.

My advice is to try both times if you can.  Or even a lunchtime workout.  Just try to find the time that actually works for your timetable.  Your body will adapt to whatever you tell it to.  If that is sitting on the couch or playing tennis, doing fasted cardio or going through the drive-through.  We are adaptable creatures, so adapt to “getting it done” and you won't regret it.

 

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. – Jim Rohn

 

 

Best Chicken EVER

Table of Contents

The hardest part of making dinner each and every night is coming up with ideas that;

  • Everyone will like it
  • Doesn’t take me half the day to make it
  • I don’t have to shop for weird stuff to make it

And most importantly

  • I actually enjoy making it and eating it too.

 

It’s funny how at some point in the day I have always been expected to stop doing whatever I am doing and think about making supper.  When the kids were little, that made sense as I was an at home mom and really I enjoyed being at home and it was part of what I did.

But now, I am a grandma.  I am cooking for usually only two people sometimes three, but more people than that, I have advanced notice.  Ok, ok, maybe I am just grumbling now, but my role has changed.  I am not spending my day chasing my children anymore although sometimes I am spending the day with my grandson, and that is not nearly as exhausting.  I am now writing, researching, hiking, going to the gym, reading, learning, so I am not in the kitchen as much.

So, when I found this recipe, I had my doubts, but that didn’t last long.  This is truly one of the easiest, yet best tasting chicken recipes with the least amount of time to invest, and I have all these ingredients in my kitchen.

Take a read and try it out.  It has become a favorite in our family.

 

Best Chicken EVER

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ cup Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • Salt & pepper
  • Fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, syrup, and vinegar.
  3. Place chicken breasts into 9×13 baking dish. Season with salt & lots of pepper.
  4. Pour mustard mixture over chicken. Make sure each breast is coated. Put some more pepper on, if you want, we like pepper so we add more.
  5. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
  6. Season with fresh rosemary.

 

I could talk food all day. I love good food. – Tom Brady

 

 

Adapted from rachelschultz.com

 

Reboot Your Weight loss Journey

So, you are doing everything right, you eat right, you exercise, you drink your water, you drink less alcohol, yet, after all of that, your weight doesn’t budge.  Sound familiar?  It does to most of us that are yet again trying to lose some weight.  

There are actually a whole lot of reasons why you are not losing.  And after all, is said and done, you may never know the whole truth or real reason.  I know, that sucks.  But, it does not mean that you should throw in the towel.  It means that you might want to shake things up a bit.

So, here are a few things to try to reboot your weight loss plan.

1. Take a good hard look at your food.

  • Be honest, if you need to track again, do it.

2. Change up your exercise routine.

  • Your muscles get bored and stop trying hard.  Teach them something new.

3.  Lift some weights.

  • The more you lift weights, the more energy you will use, which means the more calories you will burn.

4.  Drink more water

  • Water is so important to your body.  It is the quickest way to get rid of waste, including fat.

5.  Find a new or renew your accountability partner.

  • Venting about your frustrations actually is very healthy, so do it, just not online.

6.  Get your sleep

  • Do everything within your power to get enough sleep.

7.  Talk to your healthcare practitioner.

  • Whether it's a doctor or naturopath, make sure that your body is actually healthy enough for this journey.  

8.  Make sure you really want this.

  • Sounds silly, but we all sabotage ourselves to some degree, make sure you are really ready to take this journey on.  Continuing on when you are not ready can do more harm than good.

9.  Remove the negative.

  • Look at the obstacles in your way.  Eliminate all you can, people, temptations, whatever makes it harder.

10.  Relax and get ready for the journey.

  • Taking time to meditate, have a bath, read a novel, light a candle, some real YOU time will go a long way when the journey gets tough.  Because it will.

Make sure that your timeline is also an achievable one.  You should remember that you are in for the long haul, not just that holiday in a couple of months.  Being healthier with a lower weight may take way longer than you plan, but in the end, it is always worth it.

The other thing to keep in mind is that a healthier you may not necessarily mean a lighter you.  If your heart is healthy, your organs to what they are supposed to do, and your lungs can keep you breathing, you are already way ahead.  You are healthier.  And remember that muscles weigh more than fat.  Healthy is always the goal.

 

What's so fascinating and frustrating and great about life is that you're constantly starting over, all the time, and I love that. – Billy Crystal

 

How Do You Take Care of Your Body? The Benefits of Bodywork

One of the things that we need to realize is that our bodies are meant to do amazing things.

They heal themselves without us doing a thing.  They are supposed to do that, but, if we don’t take care of the body we have been given, it won’t be able to do its job.

One of the things we have done over the years is to learn to eat better.  We have talked about it a lot and we will continue to seek more and more information on ways to feed our bodies the best fuel possible.

Exercise is also key to having a body that functions at its best.  Whatever activity you choose to do is up to you but our bodies were never meant to spend all day sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen.  Then, we go home and either stare at our phones, our computers at home, or the tv.  We have become different people than what we were meant to be.

But, after all of that, our bodies still need to be maintained.  Just like our cars that we take for regular maintenance, we need to maintain our bodies too.  We can’t expect our bodies to run like a brilliantly made machine if we don’t take care of it.  Doctors are there to be our care after we are sick or damaged, but we can seek help before we get ‘broken’.  

We, in our house, have a chiropractor that we see regularly.  This is a great way to keep things moving properly.  Another way for us is our Bodywork Practitioner.  Some people see a RMT, Registered Massage Therapist, but for us, Mark is who we have chosen to get our bodies moving better.

Because we are very active people and we are not in our 20’s anymore, we are just like our car, a little creaky, tend to hurt more easily, and need more regular maintenance.  This is where Mark comes in.  

Below is an article explaining what it is that he does.  I really hope that you can find someone that will help you to be the best you possible.  

 

What is BODYWORK &

The Benefits of BODYWORK

 

What is BODYWORK?

Bodywork is a unique and holistic approach to treating the body. Bodywork incorporates a variety of healing modalities and therapeutic techniques into each session.  According to the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, a membership organization for massage therapists and bodyworkers, there are almost 300 massage and bodywork methods.  Bodywork practitioners use these methods and work with the human body using breath and energy techniques to help heal and treat their patient.

As a bodywork practitioners assess your movement and posture, they will notice the balances/imbalances in the feet (gait), hip and shoulder girdles. They will also take notice of the neck and head placement in relation to the spine. In addition, they will use movement assessment techniques to help establish where the root cause of the pain/tightness is coming from.  

Benefits of BODYWORK!

As a patient begins bodywork treatment, they should notice immediate results (1-3 treatments). Benefits of these techniques aim to assess or improve posture, promote awareness of the mind-body connection and balance the body’s muscle fascia, connective tissue, and skeletal system.

Additionally, bodywork increase range of motion improves posture, and flexibility as well as decreases muscle tightness, reducing the chance of injuries and muscle pains. For example, in Rolfing, practitioners use physical manipulation of the fascia to release old holding patterns and misalignments that are responsible for much of our chronic discomfort and pain.  The benefits of this can be life-changing.

Finally, bodywork techniques can help to hydrate muscles, improve circulation and reduce or eliminate both physical and emotional stress. In conclusion, people seek bodywork for a number of reasons; however, all reap the incredible benefits that it provides.

Bodywork practitioners usually ask you to schedule another session soon. They like to have two or three shots at the issues in a short span of time. They want to give their work a chance to set in without waiting so long that the issues will revert to their unbalanced ways again. After a few immediate sessions, the bodyworker will tell you that you are to come back occasionally, and should give you some exercises or practices to implement into your daily life to keep you on the healing path.

Many people find that it can take years, even a lifetime of regular care, to fully achieve and maintain the benefits of massage and bodywork. Getting one massage at a resort once or twice a year may be relaxing, but it is not going to undo chronic pain or keep your muscle tissue supple and responsive.

 

“BODYWORK & MASSAGE  has had a positive effect on every medical condition we’ve ever looked at.”

~ Tiffany Field. Ph.D Director, Touch Research Institute, University of Miami

 

If you want more information from Mark, you can find him here:  

Body by Corbs

 

To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. – Buddha