It’s a blistering 95 degrees in my neck of the woods. Thank the Lord for central air conditioning.
As I beat the heat by staying inside, I like to get my exercise on in full force.
I like to replicate the moves that I see my little Gio and Vinny do because I can benefit also.
Below are some suggestions that can increase your workout that are dog-inspired and fun.
I learned a few moves from Gio and Vinny (in the picture below).
Gio (0n the left) and Vinny (on the right)
I see them doing the downward dog and this picture I am doing the lift a leg. The leg lift works my hips and glutes and keeps it right and tight. The standing leg is also getting a good workout too.
Lifting leg move
One of my other favorite moves is running up and down the steps for resistance. Gio and Vinny will glide off the steps effortlessly and always get a good run in.
Running up steps
An important move from my doggies that I learn is that stretching is a must after finishing a workout. Stretching lengthens, elongates and helps prevents injury. Not a good idea to stretch on cold muscle.
Stretching my legs
Stretching correctly prepares you for your next workout and that’s why it’s so important. My fur babies are part of the family and it’s nice to know that when I am doing my exercises that some of the moves I get from them. Win Win!
Want a cool trick to help your body decide how to use those calories you just ate? Exercising right before and shortly after a big meal can help to activate a protein inside your muscle cells called Glut4. GLUT-4 is a protein that, when increased, tells your body to put calories into muscle tissue, instead of fat cells.
Photo courtesy of Michael Volkin
Here is how you activate your glut-4
Step 1: Do 60 -120 seconds of exercise right before eating (i.e. squats, lunges, push-ups, etc.)
Step 2: Eat a meal
Step 3: 90 minutes after your first bite, do another 60-120 seconds of exercise
Doing this will allow more calories to flow toward your muscle cells than fat cells.
This article was authored by Michael Volkin, inventor of the all newWeight Loss Stack 52, the most fun and unique way to lose weight.
The warm weather is upon us and the summer clothes are coming out of the closet. If you always wanted to look great in your summer clothes but didn’t want to spend an hour a day at the gym, then use the below time-saving workout tips to tone up and look great.
Ditch the treadmill warm up and do a bodyweight circuit instead – Instead of spending 10 minutes warming up on a treadmill before a workout, perform a 5 minute bodyweight exercise circuit instead. The bodyweight circuit is more fun and warms up your entire body in half the time. You can shuffle 7 Strength Stack 52 cards for a quick bodyweight circuit or make up one of your own.
Stop squatting with heavy weight – If you’ve ever seen power-lifters training their legs, you have almost certainly seen them performing barbell squats with a large amount of weight on the bar. Barbell squats are effective for large powerful legs, but getting nice toned legs doesn’t require heavy weights. Try Hindu squats instead of heavy barbell squats. Not only do Hindu squats save time by not having to load hundreds of pounds of weight on a bar, it’s safer and easier on your knees and back.
Stop performing one rep at a time. So many times I see people in the gym doing the standard 10 rep set. Try mixing it up a little and doing a 5 rep set but perform each rep 1 and a half times. Perform 1 entire rep of an exercise, then before returning to the starting position, go only half way and finish the rep again. You will finish the set quicker and you will activate more muscle fibers, especially if you are not use to doing reps this way.
Do “the superman” to build up your back – Many bodybuilders know that a strong back is the key to looking strong. A strong back puts your body in alignment and gives you great posture. The problem with getting a strong back is it usually requires a piece of gym equipment. However, there is an easy bodyweight exercise you can do at home called the superman. To perform this exercise:
– Start by lying face down with your arms extended over your head.
– Lift your arms and legs creating an elongated u shape with your body.
– Your back should be arched and your legs should be several inches off the floor.
– Hold for 3 seconds and return to the starting position.
All of these time saving workout tips will make you look great under one condition, you have to actually do them. Getting started is the hardest step, so be sure to schedule time for your workout and have nothing interrupt that time.
This article was authored by Sergeant Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 fitness cards and Quick Sweat Dice
Photographs provided by JTwisdom
Today is beautiful, it’s cool and sunny, with temps in the upper 50s. Perfect! Wonderful brisk day for a hot cup of tea. I am a tea drinker and artificial sweeteners are a no-no in my book. I try to be as natural as I can, so I am very much aware of what I put into my body. I look for all-natural products whenever possible.
I collaborated with Quality Encapsulations to try its Yacon Syrup, a 100% Pure and 100% Raw sweetener.
According to Quality, the benefits of Yacon Syrup include
** Assists in weight loss and slimming waist sizes, regulating blood sugar, and increasing daily fiber intake.
** The syrup, distilled from the Peruvian tuber yacon — contains up to 50 percent fructooligosacharides, or FOS. FOS, classified as a prebiotic, is a low-caloric sweetener and also a fiber source.
On Amazon Quality Encapsulations notes benefits”According to a 2009 Scientific study, daily intake of yacon syrup produced a significant decrease in body weight, waist circumference and body mass index.”
To be able to do this naturally is significant because I would not want to take chemical-filled supplements to loose weight. Also, Yacon syrup does not only have to be taken because you want to loose weight. It is a good natural sweetener.
“Yacon syrup speeds up the metabolism to combat excess fat and regulates the hunger hormone, making you feel full longer.” Often weight gain comes from not feeling full. The amount of Yacon syrup I add to my tea is less than a teaspoon. I also drink ten glasses of water each day (about 80 ounces) and work out. Sometimes I get the hunger cravings because my workouts really get the adrenaline going . I have make sure that I get enough water in my regime each day.
Additional benefit is that Yacon syrup is that a low glycemic sweetener. No more feeling a sugar spike and then a downward low because I ate the white sugar.
Yacon Syrup by Quality Encapsulations
The consistency is thick and looks like molasses; but it does not take much to sweeten my tea. One teaspoon is only 13 calories, but I do not add a full teaspoon so the calories are quite less. A half of a teaspoon packs a significant amount of sweetness. I am adding the Yacon syrup in my Elvis tea mug. The cup came from Graceland, so it is a souvenir token that reminds me of great memories when my husband and I went to Memphis.
Yacon Syrup
I really did not know how the syrup would taste; but it is very good. It smells like molasses and tastes like brown sugar.
I am all about 100% natural products that makes me feel good inside and out. Do your research on Yacon Syrup. Not all Yacon syrup is created equal. Quality Encapsulations syrup is %100 raw, %100 natural product, just the way that I like it.
I have some exciting news to share. I have been selected as a fashion influencer for a new collaboration with the Saint Louis Rams! I was one of their favorite bloggers and have been selected to promote their newest membership program, The Lady Rams.
Lady Rams Logo courtesy of Saint Louis Lady Rams
“Where football, fashion and fitness meet!”
I am all about feeling good, from the inside out. In order to be healthy and fit, I have to watch what I eat in moderation and workout regularly. Eating healthy and getting your fitness on, adds balance.
Without a healthy and fit body, you cannot enjoy your fashions. The Saint Louis Rams has created a new avenue for women to come together for football, fashion, and fitness. Introducing the Lady Rams! With an annual cost of only $35, the Lady Rams has so much to offer to its members, including:
– Unique Rams premium item
-Membership packet
-Monthly newsletter
-Monthly drawings for autographed items, tickets,
special experiences and more
The membership also includes exclusive invitations to: * Lady Rams Kickoff event on June 12
The Launch Party with the opportunity to meet Rams personnel and meet other Lady Rams members.
* Ladies night at Rams training camp in July
Get the first look at the 2014 Saint Louis Lady Rams at this up close private event.
* Girls Night Out in September
Catch the latest fall fashion paired with your favorite Rams pieces at our lady Rams Fashion show, featuring food, drinks and guests appearances throughout the night.
Portion of the proceeds of the memberships
will benefit St. Louis area charities.
CLICK HERE to learn more and sign up to be a LADY RAM!!!
The membership privileges are great and reinforces health and feeling confident. Some years ago, I lost 50 pounds that I had gained because of medication that I was taking at the time. It was a hard time because I was gaining weight and it was not because I was eating the wrong food. To read my store click on this post.
I work out four to five times a week and I love to mix the workouts to constantly keep my body working different parts.
Stretching the legs and arms release tension and warms up the body. Standing on one foot on steps strengthens the thighs and increases your balance. I have on my Rams Long sleeve T-shirt! The T-shirt is great because I have on my Rams fashion to keep warm on the cool days,
like today.
JT stretching and doing leg lifts
Once the body is warmed up, it is time to do lunges. Lunges are a great way to keep your legs lean and stretch your thighs at the same time. With my Rams shirt on me doing lunges, I imagine myself having a football and I am ducking and dodging my opponents to get the touchdown. Don’t ya see it? I do.
Being health minded has really made me think about my fitness fashions. I like my workout tanks to be vibrant and bright. In the picture above, I am wearing a bright pink tank and a cross trainers with pink highlights. The bright colors and sleek look makes me smile and feel good confidence booster. You will see a lot of pink because it’s one of my favorite colors. When I want to treat myself I might get a cute tank or a great pair of workout shorts. I like to interchange my workout tanks and shorts. When one outfit is in the washing machine I don’t have to wait for it to wash and dry because I have an extra workout gear.
I can’t wait to see the Lady Rams Fashion show this fall because I really want to get extra ideas on styling with my Rams pieces. I expect to see jeans, light wale corduroy and blazers. I see a Lady Rams bra tank with shorts in the near future.
Live your best life now and put your fashion foot forward.
The St. Louis Rams invited me to preview Lady Rams and provided me with a complimentary membership.
People have heard it time and time again, but how many actually listen when they are told that they need to keep a closer watch on their alcohol consumption? It’s likely that many people reading this will be aware of the dangers of excessive drinking and yet it is also highly probable that they will not know exactly what constitutes ‘excessive’.
Would people, for example, be able to tell precisely how many units are in a glass of wine? Chances are that they wouldn’t if they think that they could as there are so many variants involved in such a calculation. Things such as the size of glass and the alcoholic volume of the wine must all be taken into consideration in order to accurately measure the amount of units being consumed.
Whether it is a diagram from a medical stock illustrations specialist or a photograph of the damage done to the liver, it is easy to see just how badly alcohol abuse can disrupt the performance of this vital organ. And yet so many people continue to drink excessively without even knowing that we are doing so. According to UK guidelines men should not exceed 3-4 units per day, while women should only consume a maximum of 2-3 units. This only amounts to 1.5 pints of 4% beer for men and a single pint for women per day, far less than you think.
So what can be done in order to start making a change in our drinking habits? Well, the fact that if people are reading this article, that is a great start as any knowledge that they can obtain will help to make a change in their lifestyle. However, what they can do next is far more important:
1) Calculate the intake – Finding out just how much that they are actually drinking may come as a bit of shock but that should be seen as a good thing. If it shocks, then people need to know that they need to start making a change in your drinking habits. There are numerous online alcohol calculators available that will give people their seven day intake amounts. Use this figure to find out how alcohol is affecting the body and also as a barometer for change. Once people have their current weekly figure, they will have a target to work towards lowering.
2) Monitor the intake – Now that people have their seven day intake amount, keeping track of all of the alcohol that they consume will give them an insight into whether or not they are on course to lowering consumption. It will also give them a new target to work towards breaking.
3) Lower the intake – Once people have a few weeks of statistics to work with, they can begin to consciously set themselves achievable goals if they have not already started to do so. Lower the amount of alcohol that they consume at home by switching a fridge full of beer and wine to some soft drinks instead. Make sure that they have some completely alcohol free days too, as this will give the body an opportunity to recover as it progresses to a healthier lifestyle.
Following these steps will help people become more aware of their daily, weekly and monthly alcohol consumption. If people feel as though they need further help with your drinking there are plenty of options available to you. Speak with a doctor or medical professional; they can advise and suggest how to lower the intake healthily. Stick with it and do not regret it, the time to make a change is now.
Learn More About JT Bubbling with Elegance and Grace is a place for life long learners. The Bubbling With Elegance And Grace team was created 14 years ago. A passion for fashion sparked a lifestyle blog for our Elegant Community to enjoy. We are thankful and in gratitude to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for those who have been with us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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