Best Fitness Blog

... by Karli Taylor

Let's talk about stretching. Why do we stretch? Some people think that it will prevent injury. Some people think it will prevent soreness. What if I were to tell you that the only thing stretching does is make you more flexible? Yup- that's it. So if you participate in a sport that requires flexibility- like gymnastics or even golf, then stretching will help your performance. But runners, skiers, baseball players- unless you are tight or imbalanced, stretching will not help your game.

Now Stretching does have its place- I don't want to be known as the anti-stretch trainer. If you are recovering from an injury, you should surely stretch. Why? Put simply, a healing muscle tends to be tighter than a normally functioning muscle, and like I mentioned earlier, if you are tight- STRETCH!

But when should you stretch? Every time I go to a race or a sporting event I see people lined up before the start stretching. I want to grab a microphone and scream at everyone! Stretching before an event will make you weaker. It will loosen up a muscle that is about to produce power- not a good thing. Think about a rubber band. When will a rubber band give the hardest snap back? When it is new or when it has been stretched out a few times? Make sense?

Before any event, warm up by moving dynamically. A dynamic warm-up is not a mile jog or walking a bit before the start. It consists of a series of exaggerated motions that take all of the joints about to be used through their full range of motion. Unlike stretching, dynamic warm ups do not require that you hold any one position for more than a second or two. For example, before a run take 10 or 15 steps each time lifting one knee up and pulling it into your chest. Turn around and walk back kicking your straight leg out in front of you each step. Follow that up by walking with a butt kick. Doing these 3 simple warm-up drills will prepare your body for the stress of hip flexion, knee flexion, hip extension and knee extension- the primary joint actions used while running or walking!

Static stretching, or holding a stretch for 30 seconds, comes after you run or work out. Can you ever stretch during a workout? Again, if something becomes very tight- go for it. Or, in the case of weight lifting, stretching the opposing muscle to that which you are training will actually make you stronger! Try it if you don't believe me. The next time you are weight training, stretch your biceps in between sets of a tricep exercise, or your quads in between sets of a hamstring exercise. Let me know what happens!

... By Karli Taylor

I hope you are sitting down for this one: After the age of 20, if you do not add activity to your day or cut calories, you will gain approximately one pound each year.

Now that I’ve gotten your attention, what if I told you that you don’t have to do anything drastic to keep that weight from creeping up on you? Feel better? Keep reading.

If you walked an average of 150 extra steps every single day, you will avoid that weight gain. That is the equivalent of walking for 3 minutes that you would normally be sitting. You can accomplish this simply by pacing your office or home while on the phone or parking a little bit further away from the front door or your office or grocery store.

Can’t find extra time during your average day to sneak in a few steps? You can accomplish the same thing by going to the gym for 30 minutes 10 times a year- yes- a year!

Now, let’s say you don’t just want to maintain your weight, but you’d like to lose a pound every year as you age. All you have to do is double those numbers and enjoy the benefits of virtually reversing the aging process!

The bottom line is simple: weight gain happens slowly over time. SO slowly, that sometimes we don’t see it until it’s too late and we have gained 20-30 pounds. Start being conscious of the amount of activity you do each day, and this sneaky weight gain will never impact your lifestyle!

... By Karli Taylor

Tis the season for holiday parties- both at the office and on the weekends.  We all know that we can’t possibly avoid ALL of them,  nor should we try.  There is no reason to shy away from the holiday festivities just because we are afraid of gaining those holiday pounds.  There are ways to enjoy the fun AND still fit in your favorite party outfit for New Years Eve. Here are a few tips to help keep out bellies from  shaking like bowls full of jelly :

• No matter what, exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. You can even exercise in 10 minute bursts throughout the day.  If you absolutely can’t fit in some kind of structured exercise, be conscious about increasing your normal daily activity throughout the day- park further away, take the stairs etc.
• Don't skip meals. Eat small snacks if you are saving up calories for a big feast. Skipping meals slows down your metabolism, leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices.
• Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely.   Allow yourself to have those things that you truly enjoy and do so in moderation.  If you deprive yourself completely, you will only crave those things more.
•  Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light.  Also, drink a extra  water the day of the party.
• Park  yourself as far away from the buffet table as you can. The harder it is to slip some extra goodies onto your plate, the less likely you are to do it!
• Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're going to drink alcohol, stick to light beer or something mixed with a diet soft drink or seltzer. Steer clear of  the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat.
• Most importantly, take the focus off of what is going into your mouth! Try to enjoy the season, not just the food!