Jul, 20, 2015

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Eating Healthy & Staying Lean in the Summer

Fresh_Fruit_Bowl_280110826_stdYou would think with the nicer weather and longer days, we’d all be getting plenty more activity during the summer and leaning up nicely. But that’s not often the case. Many people report that they gain weight in the summer time!

Holidays, travel plans, kid’s clinics and camps, and camping can mean an unpredictable schedule that can get us out of our fitness and exercise routine. In addition, summer life can be so busy that it becomes difficult to stick to a healthy eating plan causing a double whammy.  As a result….

……many will start to notice they are starting to pack on the summer pounds and of course, with less clothing, it can be more obvious and disheartening. Read the rest of Eating Healthy & Staying Lean in the Summer

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Jul, 13, 2015

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Staying Fit in the Heat

Sherri Moutain BikeWith the mercury hitting 90 degrees so many days in a row in the NW, it’s causing lethargy in even the most energetic fitness fanatics. Here’s some tips to keep your energy high and your fitness routine in check when you just can’t handle the heat!

Find the AC

There are plenty of fitness opportunities that will keep you cool.  Your local gym, training studio and rock-climbing center will all have you feeling nice and cool while you’re sweating buckets!

Head to The Water

Swimming is a fabulous workout and a great way to stay cool. Kayaking, paddle-boarding, wake-boarding & water skiing are all fabulous water sports that will keep your temperature down. Read the rest of Staying Fit in the Heat

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Jul, 6, 2015

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Camping Workout

SherrikidsfallsIt’s the season to camp but it doesn’t have to be the season to slack off on your workouts! Many people decide to take a 2 month sabbatical during the summer because they can’t seem to find the time to get to a gym but it doesn’t have to be this way. You can give your body an amazing workout with no equipment whatsoever. There are literally hundreds of exercises you can do to target all muscle groups. So, as we tell our clients, no excuses gang! Here are some ideas to help you stay on track:

Cardiovascular:

If you want to maintain your aerobic fitness and keep on burning calories to prevent weight gain, use the outdoors as your playground.  A hike, run, power walk, cycle, or swim can be done pretty much anywhere.  Get up early and take the time for yourself before your kids, friends and family start demanding your energy. You’ll feel so much better for it. And remember, it doesn’t have to be an all-out time consuming workout. Ten minutes may be all you need.  Every little bit counts and something is better than nothing. Take time to enjoy the scenery, listen to the sounds and smell the beautiful fragrances of the outdoors.

Read the rest of Camping Workout

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Jun, 24, 2015

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Recovering After a Race

9e1cMzuEMTwNIOY9e4MLjXMYLZe5gditzRmHjkqbuUsWe had over 3000 runners and walkers recently completed the Vancouver USA Marathon & Half Marathon! Major kudos to Brian Davis and the team at Energy Events for producing such a world class event that has been recognized as one of the best in the country and attracts people from all over the world! Because there are so many races like this going on throughout the country right now….I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to discuss how to recover quickly after a challenging physical endeavor!

Prevention

The best way to treat extreme muscle soreness is to prevent it in the first place. So if you are super stiff, you may not have put in enough training to manage the effort effectively. Next event, consult with a coach to assure your training protocol sufficiently prepares you for the race. Read the rest of Recovering After a Race

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Jun, 17, 2015

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Out of School, Out of Shape?!

sherri kids bikeOut of school does not need to mean out of shape! It’s typical at this time of year to struggle with trying to exercise with the kids home from school or trying to stick to a workout routine while at the summer cottage, the beach or out of town for summer holidays.

Many people decide to take a two month sabbatical and get back on track in the fall because they can’t seem to find the time to get to a gym. Instead, let’s get our kids involved and teach them to love an active and healthy lifestyle! The key is to make it fun for the kids! Bonus – it will make sure that all your fitness doesn’t go to waste over the summer so you don’t have to start from scratch in the fall!

Here’s some tips for an active summer for the whole family when the kids are home from school:

Invite Friends

I learned a long time ago that if I want my kids to enjoy and not whine and complain during an active outing, I needed to make sure they brought a friend. It was a night and day difference to how the day went.

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Get Out Into the Woods

It’s true that if you allow kids to choose, they will gravitate to their cell phones and video games. It can be addicting! But if you force them to put away their gadgets, and take them out in the woods, at first they may resent it, but soon they will be exploring, laughing, running, and jumping. It’s good for their souls! Read the rest of Out of School, Out of Shape?!

Posted in fat loss, fun, Youth Fitness by Sherri | No Comments

Jun, 10, 2015

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Exercising In The Heat

20140720_0270-2There are days here in the Pacific Northwest where the temperatures will get up into the upper 80s and 90s. Many of us in the Northwest aren’t used to this kind of heat and it can cause some serious health concerns especially when we are talking about exercising in the heat.

Heat illness can occur in exercisers whose body heat exceeds its ability to cool down.  

Heat exhaustion is a form of heat illness that is characterized by the inability to continue exercise, headache, fatigue, chills, nausea and confusion. It can be treated by stopping exercise, getting out of the heat and, if a person is coherent and not vomiting, by drinking rehydrating fluids. Read the rest of Exercising In The Heat

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Jun, 1, 2015

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Volunteer, and it will CHANGE YOU!

About 25 years ago, I was dating a guy who was very involved in the sport of triathlon. I remember thinking there was no way I could ever do a triathlon because I wasn’t a strong swimmer. One weekend he was participating in a triathlon so I decided to volunteer at the event. I remember handing out water at the aid station and seeing all these people of different ages, body shapes, fitness levels, some with physical ailments and disabilities and it completely inspired me.

That’s how inspiration works – if you see someone else doing something, it makes you think “Hey, if they can do it, so can I!” 

20140720_0208-2And that was the start of my love for the sport of triathlon.  I signed up for a swimming program, got a coach and learned how to swim. I’m still not a super-fast swimmer but I can swim for a very long time without feeling like I’m going to die! I did my first triathlon shortly after and I was hooked.  That summer I immersed myself in the triathlon community and did an event every weekend! I love the energy and surrounding myself with people who are committed, disciplined, determined, focused and reaching for their best. I’m a true believer in the statement “you are who you hang with” so if you want to be inspired then surround yourself with people who are inspirational and challenging themselves. Soon you will find yourself doing the same!

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We regularly encourage our clients to volunteer at all different types of events because we know it will inspire them and cause them to step out of their comfort zone. Read the rest of Volunteer, and it will CHANGE YOU!

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May, 27, 2015

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Be Efficient & Be Effective

11224683_10204341577035669_1954267661418091752_nThe number one reason people don’t exercise is because they complain they’re too busy. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day to get everything done as people are juggling work, kids, social, personal tasks and more. Fortunately, that’s exactly what we specialize in –helping really busy people commit to their health and fitness so they can look and feel their best.  So here are some quick and easy tips to help maximize your time while working out so you can get more done in less time!

Move Your Body:

Focus on increasing your overall activity more throughout the day.  If we all just took the stairs more than the elevator, parked further from our destination and walked to do errands, we wouldn’t have to spend hours in the gym!

Avoid Distractions:

We can’t tell you how many times we see gym-goers zoning out while watching TV or reading a magazine.  If you want to maximize your workouts, put away the books, magazines and distractions while working out so you can focus on what you’re doing and get in and out of the gym more quickly. Read the rest of Be Efficient & Be Effective

Posted in exercise, fun by Sherri | No Comments

May, 18, 2015

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Strengthening Your Heart and Lungs

sherri bike seattleI’m going to give you a little Exercise Physiology lesson today…all about strengthening your heart and lungs!

The cardio-respiratory system or the heart and lungs is responsible for the distribution of oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen, the gas that makes up 21% of the air we breathe, is critical to life. In fact, tissues will start to die without oxygen in about 6 minutes. So the efficiency of the heart and lungs and how they work together is very important both during rest and exercise.

This system functions by first causing us to breathe using our respiratory muscles. Air then enters our bodies and travels to our lungs. The oxygen is diffused through our lungs and into our blood stream and travels towards the heart. The heart is a strong enough muscle to be able to pump the blood to the entire body where tissues will extract the oxygen to use it to produce energy. Carbon Dioxide, a toxic waste product, is produced and the body must then dispose of it so it travels back up to the heart, then to the lungs and we exhale it. This entire process is an ongoing system that of course, occurs more rapidly during exercise. There are a few things that can make this system function more or less effectively. Read the rest of Strengthening Your Heart and Lungs

Posted in consistency, exercise, fat loss, healthy by Sherri | No Comments

May, 11, 2015

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Gardening Without the Aches & Pains

gardeningGardening Without the Aches & Pains

Gardening is in full swing but many zealous gardeners are often left limping and in agony the day after. Why does this happen – it is only gardening after all? Since many of us view gardening as a peaceful activity, it’s hard to imagine that it’s actually an athletic activity requiring muscle endurance, strength and flexibility.

But if you break gardening down into its most fundamental movements, you’re basically pulling, pushing, bending, squatting and lunging the entire time. It really is a weight-training workout minus the dumbbells.

And on top of all this, many of us get carried away with trying to create our ideal garden visions and finish the job the very first day out and end up spending way too much time in our flowerbeds. And it only gets worse as we get older and our tissues don’t seem to be quite as limber as in our younger years. Read the rest of Gardening Without the Aches & Pains

Posted in exercise, stretching by Sherri | No Comments