Jenn's Losing It

Recently I wrote a post on how a dog can be your best walking partner.   The same can be true for a little bit of total body workout too.   You can incorporate these moves into your next walk with your favorite walking partner.   Don’t worry; you can do these in your own backyard if you don’t feel like putting on a show for the park! The only equipment you need is a 5 or six foot leash for your pal (a retractable leash isn’t recommended since you’ll want to keep your dog close to your body), small healthy dog treats and some baggies to do a little cleanup along the way of needed. 1.   Side Squats a.   Stand with feet together, arms at sides, with your dog sitting beside you b.   Step your left foot out to the side and sit back keeping back straight and bending at knees (be sure to never go past your toes) c.   Hold for 5 seconds, using glutes, press through heels to stand back up d.   Then do 5 squats on right side 2.   Walking Lunges a. ...

The following are some good guidelines to follow for getting your diet on track….number 6 is my favorite!! 1.   Eat only when hungry.   Those of us with children know it is nearly impossible to resist “helping” them finish their meals.   A good plan to help with that is parallel eating, have fruit or something that won’t make you lose control while your child is having ice cream.   The “self serve” rule is also a good one.   Instead of leaving the cookies or chips on the table, make a rule that you take what you want then put the package back.   It helps curb “grazing” 2.   Eat a healthy breakfast.   People who skip breakfast tend to overeat at their next meal.   For me, making sure that I eat a “filling” healthy breakfast.   For instance I can’t just have cheerios; because if I do I’m starving about an hour later. However if I add a banana to those cheerios, I’m feeling fuller longer. 3.   Eat only foods with ingredients you can ea...

Trying to decide the best way to run on sand?   Check out these pointers to help you make the right choice for your summer beach runs: Barefoot or Sneakers Barefoot:   When you run barefoot you land with your forefoot rather than your heel, resulting in less of a jolt to your body.   Go easy when you begin running this way since the sudden switch to bare feet and a new technique can open the door to injury. Sneakers:   Wearing sneakers isn’t any better when running in sand than simply running with bare feet.   What they do offer is protection from scrapes and you get a cushier run. Loose Sand or Hard Packed Shoreline Loose Sand:   You’ll burn 20 – 60% more calories running on loose sand vs. packed sand.   Your leg muscles have to work that much hard to stabilize you, not to mention pulling your feet back out of the sand for the next step. Packed Sand:   You won’t burn as many calories, but running on packed shoreline sand is similar to running on...

There isn't a woman in the world who doesn't want to multitask. Women’s Health columnist Amy Dixon created a workout that builds muscle, improves flexibility and melts away stress. These moves roll yoga and strength into one neat package. They're so effective because every exercise works your entire core and requires balance (thanks to the yoga moves), so your whole body--not just the targeted muscle--works through its full range of motion. Try this yoga workout two nonconsecutive days a week and you'll notice sleeker definition--and a calmer mindset--within four weeks. Click Here for a Printable Version of This Workout   Lateral Bend and Dumbbell Reach Works core, shoulders, hamstrings, and inner thighs Grab a pair of 5- to 10-pound dumbbells and stand with your feet about four feet apart. Turn your left foot out 90 degrees. Raise your right arm straight up above your shoulder, palm facing in (A). Brace your abs and bend to the left, lowering the left dumbbell to...

Need help staying motivated to go out for a walk?   This is good news for your dog!   Research shows that dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and that simply walking your dog can lower stress, boost self esteem and even burn over 900 calories a week!   Don’t have a dog of your own to walk?   You could have a neighbor like me…I have 4 dogs…walk one PLEASE!   There are also plenty of animal shelters that would LOVE your help too.   Visit  ASPCA.org to find a shelter near you. Here are the reasons why a dog could be your best walking partner: He’s always ready to go!   It’s tough to bail on your walk when your dog is counting on you.   There are some studies showing that dog owners that walk their dogs are more consistent exercisers and show more fitness improvement than people that walk with their friends.   Dogs never make excuses as to why they can’t go for a walk; a little weather doesn’t bother them! He ...

So I'm writing this post after taking two Zumba classes.  I will admit that I was a bit skeptical about going to Zumba since I am used to more structured activities such as running, kickboxing or weight training.  A friend asked me to go to a Zumba class, she had gone to a few before and really liked them and thought that it would be something that I would like too. We found a place to take a class, and it was a class with around 10 people, so it was nice.  The instructor gave a brief overview of how her Zumba class works and then class began.  The music was fun, something I was into, but I'll be the first to say....I felt as uncoordinated as they come!  I felt like a fish out of water, but I reminded myself that no one was judging me and it was my first time, so be easy on myself.  I thought back to the first kickboxing class I took and how lost I felt and now I write my own workouts. I think that I got so caught up in making sure that I got the m...

So, I took my very first spin class and all though I had an idea of what the class would be like...tough, I still figured "I got this, I workout on a regular basis, so I can totally handle this."  So my friend and I arrive at class and are given the A, B, Cs of spinning.   Now let me say that what made the spinning class for me was the fact that there were only 10 of us in the class so it made it so you all could interact with one another.  The other participants were very welcoming and helpful which seemed refreshing to me after having a different experience with gyms in the past.   So...now spin class begins...Well I can say that I was peddling on that bike for about 2 minutes and felt like my legs were on fire!  I'm thinking to myself "how am I going to make it for the next 40 minutes?" Fortunately or unfortunately...I'm still not sure, I was spinning right next to the instructor, who was AMAZING!  She unknowingly got me to push myself a...

The good news is you don’t have to go out and buy a weight set to build lean muscle!  A study found that resistance workouts using elastic tubing are just as effective as those using free weights!  The colors are pretty, but they actually do mean something.  The different colors signal the resistance level.  The more the band is stretched, the higher the resistance level.  Unfortunately there is not a universal color system when it comes to band color, but below is a guide to get you started.  I know that these colors are applicable to SPRI brand resistance bands.  Yellow     2-5 pounds Green      3-8 pounds Red         5-10 pounds Blue        7-16 pounds Resistance Band workouts are a great to begin your workout.  Click below for a printable Resistance Band Workout! You can split the workout to make it shorter to fit it all in. As always feel...