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Tag: at home workout

FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
January 26, 2015By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Make The Most of a Snow Day

 

In the next few days New York will be experiencing a major blizzard that is projected to result in a massive amount of snow accumulation and high MPH winds. Several schools have already decided to close and many residents may not be able to get to work. If you find yourself stuck at home in the next few days, or any time you experience extreme weather, there are a couple things you can do to stay safe, healthy and occupied while unable to leave your home.

 

You can still follow your fitness routine even if you can’t get outside or get to the gym. Get in an at-home work out – there are so many options online or on TV for any type of exercise you are looking for. Try searching YouTube or OnDemand for a workout video, search online for blogs or websites with at home workout routines or flip through a fitness magazine to get ideas. If your family is home as well, get them involved. It’s a terrific way to be active and spend time together. You could also try playing a fun game together like charades, Celebrity or Cranium. You’ll fight boredom by being active and you’ll get a good workout from laughing as much as moving your body. You can also use your time to cook up something healthy. If you don’t normally cook it’s a great way to kill time and it can be an entertaining activity for kids. Find something fun to make like zucchini linguini or spaghetti squash, or something where they can add their own toppings like egg white muffins or veggie pizza.

 

When it is safe to go outside, there are so many fun winter activities that are also great calorie burners. Sledding, building a snow man, having a snowball fight, building a snow fort and making snow angels are just a few perfect options for families and smaller children. Ice skating inside or outside, or a game of pick-up hockey are great for older kids and teenagers. If there is a lot of snow, head to a park or bike trail and try snow shoeing or cross country skiing. Both activities are great for enjoying the outdoors and can burn 500 or more calories in an hour. You can even burn calories just from shoveling your driveway or side walk. But be careful not to overwork yourself – strenuous activities like shoveling snow can increase your risk of heart attack. When the temperature drops, our blood vessels narrow to prevent our bodies from losing too much heat. It’s our body’s natural reaction to cold temperatures outside, so when this affect is combined with increased blood pressure from demanding activities, it can put people with heart conditions and people involved in strenuous exercise or activities at greater risk. Here are some ways to prepare yourself before going outside:

 

  • Warm up with stretching or light activity before beginning any laborious activity
  • Layer clothes beneath a windproof and/or waterproof outer shell to maintain body heat
  • Take breaks to give your muscles (especially your heart) a rest
  • Try to always have at least one other person with you during any activity to ensure you are not alone should an emergency occur

 

Winter is a wonderful time of year that offers so many unique ways to enjoy the outdoors – and indoors! – with your family and friends. Be safe and enjoy the snow!

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 11730

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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
December 4, 2014By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Don’t Let Exercise Drop in the Cold Weather

Your commitment may be strong right now but it can be hard to find motivation in the cold weather to get active. Leaving the house can feel like a battle and at the end of the day all you want to do is get inside and curl up on the couch. There seems like no right time to fit in a workout or go to the gym, and any time you spend outside you want to keep to a minimum. But hibernating in the winter will just make you feel even more sluggish and lethargic, and when spring comes around you will have to start all over again. Don’t let this time go to waste. There are a variety of ways to stay active inside and outside this fall and winter that can crush any excuse.

 

Think it’s too cold to exercise? According to expert doctors in a paper published in 2006, it is never too cold outside as long as you dress properly and keep moving. As long as you keep moving, you are producing heat. As for your workout attire, be sure to cover all parts of your body from your ears to the tips of your fingers to avoid frostbite, but don’t overdress. This can cause you to overheat and sweat more, which in the end can make you colder. Another myth is that the cold air can damage your lungs or cause asthma symptoms. This is also not true – by the time the air reaches your lungs it is at body temperature. The air may cause irritation, but it is because of the dryness, not the cold. This is related to another important tip: don’t forget to hydrate. You may not want to drink water because you are cold, but the dry environment just means you need it more. So if you like to walk or run, keep it up! And when the snow falls, stay safe but enjoy the opportunity. Build a snowman with your family or try something new like cross country skiing or snowshoeing.

 

And even if you aren’t able to get outside, you can still stay fit. There are so many indoor workouts that you can do from the comforts of your home with little to no equipment. Working out at home is convenient, comfortable, available around the clock and you don’t need a membership. We have a list of easy workouts here: https://innovationweightlossandfitness.com/portfolio/4230/ or you can find a wide variety on our Pinterest page: http://www.pinterest.com/innovationny/.

 

You can search specifically for a workout that fits any criteria: stretches to help you sleep, workouts to tone your inner thighs, ways to strengthen your ankles and avoid injury, different levels of plank poses, office workouts, pool workouts, winter workouts and much more. You can also find workouts that involve objects in your home such as a chair, couch or bed. If you choose to invest in an exercise machine or workout equipment, or already own something, you can find great workout routines to give your exercise direction and a goal.

 

So when you’re looking to warm up this winter, head to the gym, the outdoors or turn to your at home workout, not the couch.

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
November 6, 2014By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Workouts You Can Do From Home

As the temperature drops, you may find it harder and harder to get out and exercise. Just thinking about getting outdoors or getting in your car when it’s dark and cold out can make you want to stay inside until spring, but just because you don’t leave the house that doesn’t mean you can’t get in a workout.

 

Here are two easy routines no matter what your skill level is. Each should start with a 5 minute warm up and end with a 5 minute cool down. Alternate them Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday, then you can choose one to do on Saturday and one on Sunday, or choose your own 30 minute workout activity.  For both routines, you should increase your workout each week by working your way up to 3 sets of each exercise with 30 seconds of rest between sets, doing 10-12 repetitions per set.

 

The first starts with 10 Jumping Jacks. Jumping Jacks are a great way to elevate your heart rate and get a full body work out that engages all your large muscle groups. Next, do one set of Jump Rope (invisible option if you don’t actually have a jump rope). If you choose to invest in a jump rope, it’s an affordable workout accessory that fits in almost any drawer, closet or gym bag. Jumping rope is another excellent way to get your heart pumping to improve cardiovascular fitness and strengthen muscles. Finally, end this workout with a set of 10 Bicycle Crunches. To do these, take the position of a normal sit-up with legs bent and off the ground, and hands behind your head. Pull your left knee towards your right elbow, return your legs and body to the starting position, then do the same with your right knee and left shoulder. This modified crunch gives you an abdominal workout while also working your hip flexors.

 

The other workout routine starts with a set of 10 Bicep Curls. Hold a 3lbs weight, or a 12oz full bottle of water. While the other exercises engage most of your body, this one is a targeted workout. Weight lifting will help build strong bones and increase your stamina. Next, do a set of 10 Sumo Squats. To get into position, your feet should be wider than your shoulders width apart with toes pointed out and knees over your toes. Regular squats work your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors and calves, and while this exercise does all that, it also focuses on your inner thighs. Next in this routine is a set of 10 Tricep Extensions while holding 3lbs weights or a 12oz full bottle of water. This exercise involves extending your weights behind your head. Your triceps help stabilize your shoulder joint and act as extensors of the elbow and shoulder, so as your triceps become stronger, the strength and flexibility of your arms will increase. End this exercise with 10 thirty second planks (beginners start with as many as you can do and increase as your strength and endurance improve). Plank pose is a great way to engage your whole body, including shoulders, neck, arms, chest, back, abs and legs. This pose will help improve your strength, flexibility and posture. This is also a great workout if you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk by releasing tension in your shoulders, back and legs.

 

Visit our “Workouts You Can Do From Home” page on our website to learn more about proper positioning and execution of all of these moves: https://innovationweightlossandfitness.com/portfolio/4230/

 

~ Love To Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11730

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Read More