Healthful Bites

    1 Nov 2011

    We all know that cardio is a great way to scorch calories, but doing strength moves (like lunges, step-ups or squats) that engage your larger muscle groups can also get your heart pumping while giving your muscles a varied workout. Today, I have three exercises that engage the upper body muscles while your lower body is performing some variation of a squat—be it the traditional version, a plie or with a tiptoe raise.

    Grab a fairly light set of dumbbells, a little free space and get ready for a total-body workout!

    If you only have time for cardio or weights, which do you choose and why?

    14 Jun 2011

    You can’t bash the brain and body benefits of yoga. In fact, the slower pace is often a welcome respite for me after a week of hard core circuits, spin classes and treadmill time. But with my wandering mind and a wild drive to multitask, I occasionally have a hard time setting aside time for the more mellow forms of the “practice” when I could be pushing my strength and cardio capacity to the limit. Anyone else feel that way?

    That’s why today I have two amped up yoga moves (that are a great supplement to the three that I shared nearly one year ago)! Find a carpeted area or snag a mat and prepare to try a couple fun new spins on yoga exercises that will leave you feeling stretched and strengthened.

    Can you turn your mind off to meditate, as instructors often recommend during parts of yoga classes?

    12 Apr 2011

    We all know the benefits of a well-balanced, square meal. So today, I have a workout that’s based on the quadrilateral! Grab a medium-heavy set of dumbbells, a jump rope if you have one and want to use it and a bit of open space and get ready to sweat and sculpt. The first two moves will also challenge your most important muscle: your heart!

    While performing the lateral raises, keep your core muscles tight and your belly button sucked in—this will help you avoid using momentum and tweaking your back while swaying. Try to keep your trunk still throughout the motion and let your shoulders do the work.

    Do your workout routines ever get, well, too routine? If so, how do you spice them up? 

    29 Mar 2011

    Yoga with benefits! Take a break from our usual strength moves that often require weights with these yoga-inspired toners. They’ll limber you up while challenging your leg and core muscles. Grab a mat if you have it or slip on a pair of shoes so you won’t slide around the floor, and get ready to try these three fun exercises!

    Are you able to dedicate time to yoga and meditation? Or when you attempt to get into it, does your mind wander to every other place, like mine? :)

    22 Mar 2011

    A Male P.O.V.: Gettin’ Fit

    Today, I’m happy to share with you a guest post from someone with a bit of a different perspective than I do about the wellness world! My dad Bob, a mechanical engineer and avid golfer, recently made his foray into structured gym exercise. Since I’m not nearby to hear the day-to-day stories about his gym time, I wanted to learn more about how he felt about the experience and asked him to share his story here on Healthful Bites. FYI: I interjected a few comments, noted in italic font.

    Take it away Dad!

    —

    (Image from Overstock.com)

    About six months ago I bit the bullet and signed up for a gym membership. It was long overdue. My weight had been creeping up for years, and figured that hitting the gym during the winter months would be a great way to keep in shape for golf season, while hopefully dropping some pounds. The initial goal? Lose 28 pounds in six months.

    Part of the new gym membership was a personal training session. At the time, I swore the trainer was trying to make me throw up! Well, not really, but he overestimated how fit I was. We worked out for about 30 minutes. Looking back now, the workout it was no big deal. We did three rotations of:

    • 15 BOSU ball push-ups
    • 15 squats with a kettlebell
    • 1-minute planks on the BOSU ball.

    That workout would be too easy now, but at the time it was more than I could handle. It may have worked out better that I was so pooped though, because when he started his sales pitch on training sessions I had to leave. I didn’t spill my cookies, but I stood over the porcelain throne for a good five minutes. When I came out he felt sorry for me and skipped the sales pitch.

    Don’t worry, things start to turn around! Keep reading by clicking below.

    Read More

    9 Mar 2011

    Now that we stretched out those hips, let’s strengthen them! Today I have four exercises that challenge the hips, thighs, glutes and even involve a little oblique action. You don’t even need any equipment! Just lace up your shoes and join in the lower body toning fun.

    By the way, the dance-based move is an attitude not an arabesque. Oops! (Told you it was a while since ballet class! The closest I’ve been lately is several barre DVDs.)

    Do you prefer graceful toning methods, like dance moves, or more athletic exercises, like the curtsy lunge?

    P.S.: Don’t forget to enter the giveaway by Friday for a chance to win six workout DVDs, a fancy jar of P.B. and an extra surprise or two!

    1 Feb 2011

    Whether you’re an apple or a pear (or neither) these three exercises for your hips and thighs will be a great addition to your routine. Simply grab a mat if you’re on a hard surface and a stability ball, and get ready to feel the burn! If you’re looking for an even greater challenge, strap on a set of ankle weights—as long as you can keep good form.

    Did you know that strengthening your hips can help alleviate knee pain? So these moves will not only tone your muscles, but may also decrease cardio-sabataging (and overall ouchy) joint soreness. Neat!

    Do you ever suffer from knee pain? Have you found any way to ease this ailment?

    24 Jan 2011

    Too often, we—or at least I— focus on cranking out reps, working hard and getting the job done during exercise. So to add a little more fun in to process, try these three rolling-based moves. A couple even give a nod to egg rolls (the gym class kind, not the Chinese food!).

    For this well-balanced routine, you’ll just need a stability ball and a bit of open space… And the ability to ignore whatever craziness is going on with my hair in this video :)

    What was your favorite elementary school gym class activity? How do you make your workouts fun these days?

    PS: How about them Packers? No better excuse to hit the treadmill for some incline walking than an apartment with no TV and a big game on :) (That was my cagey plan yesterday so that I wouldn’t miss the game.) Hopefully the Packers will roll (*groan*) on through the Steelers in a couple of weeks!

    18 Jan 2011

    We’ll keep it short and sweet with today’s post and let the moves do the talking!

    Grab one medium-weight dumbbell, a chair (or something sturdy to lean on) and a little free space for these three exercises that will strengthen your legs, glutes and calves. They’re fun new spins on the classic lunges and calf raises that will bring variety to your lower body toning routine. Special focus: Inner and outer thighs. Who doesn’t want to challenge them?

    Begin with 12 repetitions of each exercise per leg, and increase the weight you’re holding (or add some, in the case of the side lunge) to add intensity!