@FitnessHeroics.

How balanced are you ?

May 18, 2015 by @FitnessHeroics.

Balance…

It sounds simple enough but how well are you doing at balancing out your life, work, relationships, and you time ?? I know that I have a hard time finding the “balance” in my life. Sometimes its easy to let some priorities take over and gain control of our lives we hardly realize that we are living unbalanced and it can cause you to lose sight of what is really important in your life.

A well-balanced person has a far greater ability to focus their attention and energy on attaining their goals, taking productive actions and moving forward in a meaningful way. What does a balanced life look like to you ? Can you even imagine what your life would be like if you balanced out your busy schedules and found time to efficiently accomplish everything? The first step is to take small baby steps and start changing things in sections instead of everything all at once. That will just cause some craziness and really throw your life out of whack!

Here are some great ways to find some balance in your life. Use these tips in your own life where necessary and find time for everything that you want to accomplish without feeling stressed out !

– Disconnect from technology. It might be hard since our lives revolve around technology. We have instant access to anything we can imagine on our phones, computers, and iPods. Long gone are the days of “I can’t be reached” to now never being off our phones. Put the phone down and turn off the computer. Give your work brain a rest. It doesn’t have to be for long, just an hour if you can and work up to a day to really just shut out the noise of our busy lives.

-Learn to say NO !! It doesn’t make you a bad person to say NO sometimes. Your time is also valuable and you have the ability to say NO without guilt. Say no to things that are not valuable or non-essential in your life and don’t be afraid to be ruthless!!!

-Your healthy and mind should be a priority! Don’t just wait to take care of yourself. Your body and mind are important and self neglect will only lead to more issues in the future if you become sick. Find time to take care of yourself just as much as you take care of other people!

-Purge your life of toxins. This can be the negativity in your life from chronic complainers who negatively impact your life.Surround yourself with positive, supportive, can-do people whenever possible.

-Find time for YOU! Yes, if you need to schedule that too please do it. You are important and your mind and body need to be working in order to ensure that your the best version of yourself. Making time for you is probably the hardest thing to since you are typical overworked and an overwhelmed person, but it is crucial for lowering stress, increasing happiness and encouraging creativity.Try to meditate, stretch or do yoga! FIND TIME !!

-Treat yourself to something nice every once in a while. Go out for a coffee with friends and reconnect your relationship with them. Find time to just enjoy something that is different and new!!! Try a new painting class or learn a new craft like knitting. Your life will only benefit from taking time to unwind.

-Remember to have FUN ! Life is short. Life can have unexpected uncertainties. Have a great time with friends, laugh and joke around and most importantly find time to relax !!

By adding in some of these techniques, your life will soon begin to balance out and you will find that things will become easier. Don’t get discouraged if you are trying. Life is about learning and growing from what we don’t succeed at !!!

Go out and ENJOY the life you were given !

Detoxing your body the RIGHT way !

May 15, 2015 by @FitnessHeroics.

With summer approaching and bathing suit season full steam ahead. many people are hitting the gym hard to get “all the gains” but they are forgetting that fitness and weight loss doesn’t happen overnight.Too many people start to hit the panic button and they want to see results NOW and forget the weight didn’t take one day to get there and its not going to take one day to get it off. That last pesky 5-10 pounds can be the hardest to lose. Why you might ask? This is due to your bodies set point or the place where it feels optimal and happy. Usually that can be about the last few pounds. Lately I have had a lot of people ask me about doing a detox. Lets face it, walk through a pharmacy or an aisle with vitamins and supplements and you’ll notice plenty of “kits” for detoxing and jump starting your health and fitness regimen. They are everywhere!!!

They are tempting ! Lose 7 pounds in 3 days…who isn’t tempted by the promises of quick, drastic, noticeable results? Who would rather lose 15 pounds in a couple of months than in only a couple short weeks?

I will be the first to tell you NOT to fall into this trap and here is why !

They will not really work as advertised
-A cleanse or detox is not some miracle that will flush out toxins from your body and instantly skyrocket your health. Nutrition and health is about the big picture. What you do for five or seven days out of the year is pretty inconsequential.Rather than worry about ‘detoxing,’ you should be more concerned on the daily thinking about eating nutritious, health-promoting foods. Think leafy greens, beans, whole fruit, nuts, and seeds. The idea that six months of unhealthy eating can somehow be remedied by drinking nothing but green juice for 72 hours is quite ridiculous.

You’ll regain any weight lost once you return to normal eating habits
-Initially you will lose weight and inches. This is mostly water and nothing too significant, but as soon as you return back to normal eating habits, you’ll regain all that weight back.Losing weight only to keep it off for a very short period of time is not a success in weight loss. It is a temporary fix for a long term issue that needs a lifestyle change!

WARNING! You may feel like a H.A.M. (hot ass mess).
-Yes I said that ! Think of HANGRY at the next level for a few days up to a week !!! NOT FUN ! Oh and try to focus on ANYTHING ! You better be locked up all week you plan to detox because you will offend everyone with your attitude and not even realize it ! Most cleanses are very low-calorie, so you’ll likely experience very low energy levels. And you can’t become the strongest, most awesome version of yourself when you feel like a H.A.M..

Cleanses and detoxes usually don’t set you up for long-term success
-So what’s the point ? So you lose a few pounds in a few days, feel GREAT about yourself … go out and celebrate and whooppss !!! Don’t even dare check the scale ! You will only have the feeling of defeat and regret so is this worth it ?? You are better off taking the harder route of clean eating, exercising consistently and letting your body let go of the weight that it WANTS to let go of ! Embrace yourself and love the body you have don’t abuse it !

A detox can create or exacerbate obsessive eating habits
-Many detoxes and cleanses are an “all or nothing” approach and very strict in what you can actually consume. Think about what they really allow you to consume, water based vegetables, water, and maybe some protein ? That increases the risk of people becoming obsessive about the foods they are eating or may lead to restriction and binge eating behaviors.

BUT doing something longer, more sustainable like a 30 day challenge CAN jump start your mindset and body ! All it takes is 21 days to create a habit!

Here are some 30 days challenges you may consider:

-Be physically active every day. You don’t need to do anything crazy just do something every day for 30 days. For example strength train twice per week and then go for a walk for 10-30 minutes on the days you don’t strength train. Engage in a fun physical activity. It doesn’t matter what you do just do something active every day, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.

-Eat fruits and veggies every day. Eating fruits and veggies every day is the best way to naturally detox in a healthy way and get a ton of vitamins and minerals into your body.You can start simple by including a piece of fruit with breakfast and a veggie at lunch. Add fruits to protein smoothies with some spinach or kale and you have a great breakfast idea and already a serving of each for the day.

Last but most important, create goals that keep the 3 S’s in mind:
-Sane
-Simple
-Sustainable

You can’t achieve your goals with grueling, overly time-consuming workout routines and crazy diets or detoxes can you ? Be smart and don’t try anything that will take 3 days to do. You body is a machine not a garbage can for any crazy solution the media tries to portray !

Got Bananas?

May 14, 2015 by @FitnessHeroics.

First off a quick lesson in banana color !!!

Ripe Vs. Green

Does it matter … it sure does !

As the banana ages the nutritional content changes slightly. As the banana becomes spotted, several things occur, the starches in the fruit change to simple sugars and the antioxidant properties have increased due to aging. A ripe banana is sweeter due to the increase in sugar content so a diabetic person should avoid really ripe bananas. The calories for a banana about 7 inches long is about 105 but the sugar content compared to other fruits is significantly higher for the amount of calories you are consuming. That makes bananas the perfect pre or post workout snack to sustain or replace glycogen levels!

So what can you do with over ripe bananas? Do what I did and make a gluten free, sugar free banana bread !!! Its simple and healthy!!

Healthy (no sugar added) GLUTEN FREE BANANA BREAD

Ingredients
-4 ripe bananas
-1/3 cup coconut oil
-4 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 1/2 cinnamon
-1/2 cup coconut flour ( do not sub any other flour it wont work)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
-Optional: Coconut flakes or assorted mixed nuts

-Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

-Mix all the ingredients together

-Place into baking dish or bread loaf pans until 3/4 way full ( leave room for it to rise)

-Add some chopped walnuts to the top or coconut flakes

-Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown (use a tooth pick to check the center, if it comes out clean its done)

Now enjoy as part of your breakfast or as an afternoon post workout snack !!

The Overhead Squat

May 13, 2015 by @FitnessHeroics.

The over head squat might be one of the more challenging exercises for beginners to learn when starting CrossFit. This is largely due to lack of shoulder, hip and ankle mobility as well as stability. Another reason is the lack of proper neuromuscular motor recruitment while holding something heavy overhead. The overhead squat has many different variations and is not only an effective strength training program, but also benefits your overall fitness levels. Many people who are at the beginning level have limited flexibility, stability and coordination to effectively hold weight overhead while performing a squat. Let’s take a look at the cues for performing an overhead squat.

How to perform an overhead squat

Rack the bar as you would with a back squat
Find your grip. It should be the same as your snatch grip (or slightly narrower, if overheads hurt your wrists)
Either press or jerk the bar up. The bar should be placed directly behind your head
Place your feet in a solid squat stance
Keep the elbows locked out, with the shoulders externally rotated
Pinch the shoulder blades tight together for added extra stability
Squat down until your hamstrings sit snugly on top of your calves
Make sure the bar is still secured firmly over the base of support (mid foot)
When recovering (coming up), avoid relaxing your shoulders or elbows

There are benefits when learning this exercise that will help in many other aspects of CrossFit and your life.

1. Strengthens your upper body

Overhead squat tones your upper body, from your arms to the feet. By loading more weight on the shoulder, you build a strong and more developed core that will improve your balance when performing the exercise. Your whole body needs to work in unison to balance the weight and in turn helps flexibility and stability of many muscles. Not to mention your shoulder, legs and core become stronger by performing this one exercise.

2. Releases hormones responsible for growth

Another benefit of the overhead squat is that is helps to build the muscles that you use when performing exercises, releasing natural hormones responsible for muscle growth. Squatting help to release muscle building hormones so that you can develop overall body strength, which enables you to perform other exercises with ease. The overhead squat is teaching you how to hold weight over your head to perform a squat snatch and be confident with the weight as you are squatting in unison with the movement.

3. Improves balance

Overhead squat target your legs and core muscles, which provide the much needed balance when doing other exercises. Your core muscles balance the entire body and your legs remain standing upright. These are the main powerhouses that provide the support required when performing exercises.

4. Build mental toughness

The exercise also helps to build mental toughness, especially when you are using heavy weight. It takes mental preparedness to withstand such a heavy burden on your shoulders. Performing the exercise using the correct form will not only improve you fitness levels but will also improve your overall body strength.

The overhead squat is a great tool to increase your stability and flexibility in the bottom of the snatch. If you incorporate it into your training, your consistency will increase and your confidence in this movement will be able to handle heavier work loads over time !!

Happy squatting!

Bored with your Cardio routine ??

May 12, 2015 by @FitnessHeroics.

Are you bored with your workout ? Do you walk into the gym without a plan? Not today !!!! I am giving you a boost to your cardio routine for Try It Tuesday !

Today I want you to step out of your comfort zone and onto the treadmill for some interval training !! Don’t cringe … it’s just one day for you to try something new! You may love it or hate it but just try !!!

Before you start, make sure you are properly warmed up. Do at least a 5 minute jog at a steady pace and some light stretching before jumping into any of these workouts ! Always warm the body up before going into a workout so it is prepared for the workload to be performed to reduce injury.

So hop on a treadmill and get ready to RUN !

Here are a few FUN HIIT variations you can try or add into your current routine !

1.) Play with the incline. Try to always have it at a 1 % incline no matter what you are doing on the treadmill due to natural gradient outside being at least 1 %. Bump up the incline to increase the intensity and feel the glutes burn !!!

2.) Jog for 5 minutes as a warm up ! For 1 minute SPRINT then jump off the treadmill (leaving it running) and perform 30 seconds of jump squats behind the treadmill, take 1 min rest by walking on the treadmill. Then get back on and SPRINT for one minute and jump off and perform another movement. Try to do at least 10 full rounds !!!

3.) Tabata Sprints: 10 seconds rest and 20 seconds work for 8 rounds ! This one is a killer ! It will get your heart rate up and time will fly by ! Complete 3 rounds of Tabata sprints varying the incline !

4.) Below is a great example of a HIIT workout on a treadmill !

Push yourself just a little bit. Don’t give up with a few seconds left !! You will be surprised how strong you are !!

Do you have the right mindset to “commit” to your Fitness Goals?

May 11, 2015 by @FitnessHeroics.

Affirmations-Will-Manifest-Your-Dreams

Do you have the right mindset when you are trying to achieve your goals? The psychological aspect of becoming the best version of yourself is oftentimes ignored, but having the right mindset is vital to achieving success.

You need to embrace the journey. COMMIT to 100% effort in all areas that are needed to succeed. If you are only half committed you are limiting your potential for growth and improvements, Fitness and living a healthy lifestyle is a journey with many bumpy roads and paths. You WILL fall of the wagon. Your progress will stall but you need to keep with it! You have to commit to continual, gradual progress even when it seems like things have come to a standstill.

Please set goals that are realistic and attainable. Far too often people set goals that are TOO big to accomplish is a short amount of time. You need to be honest with yourself and what you want to achieve with the work and time you have to get there.
When it comes to losing fat and building lean mass, things happen slowly. Although you should set your standards high, you should be realistic – try to lose 1 lb. of fat a week, not 10 lbs.

Take the good days and the bad. Not every day is a 100% kind of day. There might be days that feel amazing and your unstoppable. CHERISH those days. However, you might also find days that seem like an utter struggle to accomplish. Don’t take them personally. DO YOUR BEST for that day at that time!

Be HONEST with yourself. If you are trying to have a healthier approach to life, you need to be honest. Sure, we all know that when we tell our trainers what we “eat” during the day, we tend to eliminate the things we feel they would be disappointed about. Like that donut you ate in the office or that cake at a retirement party. My favorite are the cans of energy drinks, specialty coffee’s and candy bars that somehow are “forgotten” on the food log. But you know what that is ok. Change is hard. Changing ONE thing is hard let alone ALL things. So don’t get frustrated but just be honest. When you find the root of the stress you can attack the issue!!

It is hard sometimes to feel worthy of change. We get caught up in a rut that tends to hold you towards the comfort zone. All you need is to find the power to break that and over come the challenges and struggle that you might feel. It takes 24 days to break a habit. THAT’S ALL ! If you can commit to 24 days I promise you that you will see that YOU CAN DO IT ! In all areas of our lives we have those triggers or downfalls that tend to leave us stuck due to fear of the “what if” ? I have done this before so I know how it feels. FORGET that what if and start believing you CAN !

It might be hard. It might be uncomfortable but it will be worth it !!!

@FitnessHeroics.

How to perform an overhead squat

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