3 Tips on How To Start Running
Want to learn how to run and not look stupid?? Click here.
I have yet to meet a runner who does not have tight hamstrings (the muscle in back of thigh)! Click here to get my best hamstring stretches.
How To Stick To Your Diet
Burpees Will Help With Aging
I know…I know…you ALL want to perfect your burpees!! lol….
Burpees
Burpees is a fantastic exercise! No one will agree with me BUT it is great because it will help you with:
- Strength – burpees works your entire body. Especially if you are adding in push ups or other body weight exercise into the movement.
- Endurance – you are going to get a cardio workout with burpees even if you are doing no impact.
- Longevity – When I working as a Physical Therapist Assistant my elderly patients had a lot of trouble getting up from the floor. If you start working on your burpees now as you get older you will be much more likely to have your body conditioned for getting up off the floor.
I don’t know about you but the last reason seals the deal for me! Wouldn’t you like to be independent as you get older?
Make sure you watch the video for variations on burpees. Perfect for beginners.
Best Way to Meal Prep
The best way to meal prep is to bulk cook a.k.a. Power Cooking!
If you make your food in advance so it’s easy to grab and go.
Planning is key to meal prep!
Power Cooking is simply making a bunch of meals in one shot.
Don’t get nervous!
I want this to be simple for you.
One way to Meal Prep
Get good at this version and then you can adapt it to your particular lifestyle once you get rolling.
If you are making food just for yourself, instead of cooking 4 ounces of chicken cook 16 ounces of chicken. Now, you have four 4 ounce portions of chicken to use in future meals. Once the chicken is cooked, bag it, tag it and freeze it.
If you do this 1-2 times per week with different foods, you will be stocked. You will be able to grab any combination of food and assemble them quickly. Talk about a time saver during the week!
Plus if you have picky eaters in your house, you can grab different foods that are already pre-portioned, put them on a plate and heat them up.
Everyone can have what they want. Win—win!
Can You Eat After 6PM And Still Lose Weight?
Can you eat after 6PM and still lose weight?
So this is another fitness myth that drives me crazy!
It doesn’t matter what time you eat as long as you eat less calories than you’re burning.
If you overeat you will gain scale weight… bottom line.
I have eaten many times right before I’ve gone to bed and I have never had a problem with losing weight.
So again I’m not advocating have a 1,000 calorie meal right before you go to bed. Because I don’t think that’s really good for your body. Because if you’re eating a lot of food and you’re sleeping, it’s just sitting there
in your stomach all night long slowly digesting.
Also, food is meant to give you energy.
I don’t think you need that much energy sleeping.
So you don’t need to be eating a 1,000 calorie meal right before you go to bed but you can absolutely eat after 6:00 p.m.
So what happens to people that work night-shift?
Do they not eat over 6:00 p.m.??
No! It doesn’t matter!
You really (ideally) want to spread out your meals throughout the day.
So make sure you don’t have one big meal because that’s a lot for your body to process.
Like I’m not a big fan of intermittent fasting or anything like that.
I like giving your body enough to get through a couple hours… and then refueling… giving yourself more and then refueling.
You don’t want your body to like starve the entire day and then eat this huge meal that you’re just like… you you’re going into a food coma because you ate so much food.
I remember.. I don’t know how many years ago it’s been awhile… but a very famous person…. I remember this person struggles with weight loss a lot.
They’ve yo-yoed back and forth between their weight. You can watch them… as they were on TV… so you can watch their progression.
But I remember them saying that their trainer told them that they are not allowed to eat (not even a grape) after I think it was 6 or 7 p.m.
That is ridiculous!
One little grape is not gonna set you over. It’s just not!Unless you’re overeating the entire day.
So definitely a myth!
So what do you think about this myth?
Do you disagree? Write your comments below.
How To Relieve Tight Hamstrings
Trouble stretching out the back of your legs?
Can’t touch your toes??
Find out how to relieve tight hamstrings with these 3 stretches!
Do you have tight hamstrings? Most people do.
A lot of people that I see, especially runners, have really tight hamstrings.
Where to Find Your Hamstrings
If you’re not familiar with where the hamstrings are located, they are on the backside of your leg. Your hamstrings run from the back of your knee all the way up into your glutes (a.k.a. tush).
Your hamstrings are the muscles that basically bring your legs back and assist helping to bend your knee.
Having tight hamstrings can actually lead to a lot of problems.
Including:
- hip problems
- back problems
- knee issues
How This Is All Connected
The body is all kind sort of stacked on top of each other, like Jenga.
If you were to pull a block piece out of the Jenga game…everything becomes a bit off kilter. You always want to try and attain balance between strength and flexibility.
3 Stretches To Relieve Tight Hamstrings
Watch video for demonstration of the 3 stretches to relieve tight hamstrings:
What Does It Mean To Eat “Normally”?
What does it mean to eat “normally”?
How is it that pizza, burger and fries have become the normal? …
The Pop Tart Incident
I have to tell you a story…my daughter came home after school and was so upset with me.
She was in 2nd grade and the teacher had been talking about Pop Tarts.
My daughter was so upset because she didn’t know what a Pop Tart was let alone ever ate one.
Part of me felt bad because her classmates where ribbing her for not knowing what a Pop Tart was. But there was another part of me going “Yeah! Score 1 in the nutrition department for mom!”
Childhood Foods
Think about what you grew up eating.
What was considered “normal” for your family to eat?
What do you think is “normal” for your kids to be eating today?
How is it that sweets and highly processed foods have become what we eat normally??
It’s Everywhere!
Food has become so ingrained in our society. You can’t go anywhere without being surrounded by food.
Want to go get a cup of coffee?…there are scones and muffins there.
Let’s go to the movies!… Popcorn, nachos, soda.
Happy birthday! …We must have cake!
How many boxes of cookies, chip or sweets are in your kitchen cabinet right now??
When you go out to eat how many people give you the weirdest looks when you say “I’m not hungry just yet” or “I don’t want any dessert/alcohol”. If you have never experienced this give it a try and see what comes up in your thoughts.
Then those people who just gave you weird looks will say “I’m sure one piece of cake isn’t going to kill you?”
Obesity Is On The Rise
Did you know that the obesity and diabetes rate in the USA are staggering?!
Each year, 1.5 MILLION Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. 1.5 MILLION!
Obesity rates has steadily been rising over the past decade. If nothing changes, there is an estimate that half of American teenagers will be obese by 2030. HALF!
Do you want that for your kids? …
In 2016, 69% of American women were either overweight or obese.
Do you want that for YOURSELF??
Action Steps
Take a good look at what you are eating on a daily basis. Is that food getting you closer or further away from your goals?
Aim for mostly whole foods (a.k.a. foods with one ingredient). You can still eat processed foods – everything in moderation. You always have a choice.
5 Workout Mistakes Women Over 40 Make
Here are the top 5 workout mistake I see women over 40 making.
#1 Workout Mistakes Women Over 40 Make
Finding a generic workout online or in a magazine
- You don’t know who the trainer had in mind when designing this program. Was it for mom’s post-pregnancy or women who have been working out for 3+ years?
- Sometimes these generic workouts are more for the “shock and awe” factor. Have you ever seen the girl doing squats on a big ball??? Yeah. If your safety radar hasn’t gone off already…that’s not a safe.
- Sometimes the workouts are trying to be SO creative that it’s more about bragging rights than it is for actually working muscles correctly and effectively.
#2 Workout Mistakes Women Over 40 Make
Using a program that was designed for 20-year-old girls
- You need to accept the fact that you are over 40
(don’t worry there are ways to make this work to your advantage). You are not
the same as you were in your 20’s not physically, not mentally. Stop doing
workouts that aren’t tailored for you.
- Do you remember when you could “just eat a little bit less and lose 5lbs”?? Sorry, those days are over. It’s now about managing your hormones and your state of mind. Have no fear because you can still enjoy food AND lose weight.
- As a woman over 40, you need a program designed for you. One tailored to what you need to do to succeed in your weight loss goals.
#3 Workout Mistakes Women Over 40 Make
Not warming up
- Being over 40, you need to warm up a little bit longer. You might need to warm up for 10-15 minutes.
- Take the time to acclimate your body, increasing blood flow and increasing temperature of your muscles will help you get a better workout. A good warm up will increase your heart rate, loosens up your tendons and ligaments, and help lubricate your joints in preparation of getting the most out of your workout.
- Warm up using your choice of cardio equipment. I like to start my clients off with the treadmill. Start with walking and build to a faster walk pace or a light jog. You can also use an elliptical for non-impact warm up. I like to use standing up cardio like the treadmill or elliptical. You will incorporate you full body as opposed to sitting on a bike. Same rules…start slow and pick up the pace as you get warmer.
- If you are not using equipment, I like my client to warm up with side stepping, marches in place, lite jog in place, etc. and build up to jumping jacks or other impact exercises if the client doesn’t have any joint issues.
- Finish your warm up with some dynamic stretches. You can read more here about dynamic stretches.
#4 Workout Mistakes Women Over 40 Make
Going to hard too quickly
- If you are a beginner or what I like to call a “restart” (someone who used to workout but has not in quite awhile) you need to pace yourself.
- There is nothing worse than being sore for 3-4 days so much that you can’t walk up the stair comfortably or sit down without pain. Yes, if you are just starting or getting back into it you will be sore for the first week. But if you are sore for more than three days you did too much.
- If you want your body to last, you need to be nice to it. Fuel your body with healthy foods, and ease back into your workouts.
- Acclimation is key! It’s better to start slower and build then to get injured or decrease your desire to continue to workout because you are too sore.
- Very important you make sure you take enough time to warm up. Read more on warm ups here.
#5 Workout Mistakes Women Over 40 Make
Not cooling down and stretching
- A cool down is just like a warm up but in reverse.
- The purpose of the cool down is to bring your heart rate down, allowing your body to return to a less heightened state. Skipping a cool down would be like driving 100 miles per hour and then slamming on the brakes. Not good.
- Ways to cool down would be walking on treadmill or pacing around the room, marching in place, etc. will help bring your heart rate down.
- Finish your workout by completing some static stretches. Read more about passive static stretches here.
Warm Up Exercises For Women Over 40
Being over 40, you need to warm up a little bit longer. You might need to warm up for 10-15 minutes.
Why Warm Up?
- Take the time to acclimate your body, increasing blood flow and increasing temperature of your muscles will help you get a better workout. A good warm up will increase your heart rate, loosens up your tendons and ligaments, and help lubricate your joints in preparation of getting the most out of your workout.
- Warm up using your choice of cardio equipment. I like to start my clients off with the treadmill. Start with walking and build to a faster walk pace or a light jog. You can also use an elliptical for non-impact warm ups. I like to use standing up cardio like the treadmill or elliptical. You will incorporate your full body as opposed to sitting on a bike. Same rules…start slow and pick up the pace as you get warmer.
- If you are not using equipment, I like my clients to warm up with side stepping, marches in place, lite jog in place, etc. and build up to jumping jacks or other impact exercises if the client doesn’t have any joint issues. See below for some examples of warm up exercises.
Warm Up Exercises For Women Over 40
Finish your warm up with some dynamic stretches. You can read more here about dynamic stretches.
Warm Up Exercises For Women Over 40
Side Stepping
Instructions
- Start by stepping out on the right foot to the right side of your body. Then bring in the left foot to the right.
- Step out on the left foot to the left side and bring the right foot to the left.
- Continue to go back a forth.
- For increased intensity, swing your arms front and back as you step.
Curtsy with Jack Arms
Instructions
- Start standing with feet together.
- Take a side step to your left while bringing your right leg behind and on the diagonal back.
- Bend the knees (like you are curtsying).
- As you stand back up to transition to the other side, bring your arms out and up above your head.
- Repeat on the other side.
Nicole’s Trainer Tips: Try to keep as much weight as you can in the front heel during the curtsy.
Butt Kickers
Instructions
Similar to jogging in place but you bring feet up to tap your butt as you run. Can be done with feet flexed or pointed.
After your warm up ALWAYS get in your dynamic stretches before starting your workout. Read more here.
Passive Cool Down Stretches For Women Over 40
It is just as important to cool down as it is to warm up properly (click to read more about how to warm up properly)
Most women over 40 completely skip the cool down!
I get it! You feel you are short on time because you have to go back to the office…but skipping the cool down is like slamming on your car brakes going 100 miles per hour.
By performing your cool down, you are helping your body recover and acclimate to normal activities.
What Is A Passive Stretch?
Passive stretches (or static stretches) are when you hold a stretch and passively increase the range of motion or elongate the muscle. As opposed to a dynamic stretch where you are gently moving through your active joint range of motion. (Read more on dynamic stretching here).
Here Are Some Passive Cool Down Stretches For Women Over 40
Hamstring Stretch Lying Single Leg
Instructions
- Lie on back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Bring left leg up, grab calf or behind thigh.
- Gently pull leg towards your head.
- Hold and breathe.
Nicole’s Trainer Tips:
- Keep tailbone on the floor as you stretch.
- Straighten knee of leg being stretched.
- Flex foot for add intensity to stretch.
- If you cannot grab calf, grab back of thigh. Do not grab directly behind your knee.
Cobra Stretch
Instructions
- Lie on floor face down.
- Bring hands up under shoulders.
- Push into ground while lifting your torso up.
Nicole’s Trainer Tips:
- Keep abs engaged and feel the stretch in the abs not in the back.
- Modified- place elbows on the floor.
- Regular- push up on hands.
Sitting Kickstand Neck Stretch
Instructions
- Sitting clasp hands behind your back.
- Place on floor as far back as you can.
- Sit up straight.
- Bend chin to chest.
- Hold.
Nicole’s Trainer Tips:
- Press hands into floor and use as a “kickstand” as leverage.
- Pressing into the floor will help you press the chest forward increasing the stretch.
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