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12/5/2011 |
The dreaded end of the semester is drawing near and you know what that means – endless final papers, projects and exams! In three short weeks we’ll be free from the burden of fall semester, but first we must power through these long, last days.
This week, I’ve forgone my usual tradition of providing you all with a little exercise experiment of my own and some encourage to try it out for yourself in favor or sharing with you all some of my favorite total body exercises that can be done anywhere. I’m hoping that you’ll take a break from your busy-end-of semester schedules and fit some fitness in your day! And the best part is that all of these workouts can be done anywhere, at any time of the day.
Check them out for yourself:
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11/21/2011 |
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I absolutely hate abs workouts. I can’t quite explain why I feel this way, nor can I really justify my detestation for the exercise, but I do know that working out your abs is vital to losing weight and maintaining your overall fitness.
So I should probably start doing them, right?
Right.
But where do you start in planning a workout regime that centers on exercising your abs? I’ll tell you where: your friends!
With a limited knowledge of abs workouts, I set out this week to discover some note-worthy abs workouts from my fellow University of Florida females. Below you will find a list of the great abs moves that I’ve compiled, as well as their comments on why they enjoy each work out.
1. Crunches: Emily McAvity, a third-year event management major, says that crunches are the way to go when it comes to working out your abs. She notes, “I like to keep it simple and classy, so I do crunches!”
2. Russian Twists: Alisha Feldman, a third-year sociology major, swears by doing Russian twists, which work your abs by twisting your body back and forth while sitting on the ground and keep your legs raised, every day. She says, “Russian twists are a great way to work out your total body and your abs!”
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10/31/2011 |
Amidst an endless sea of midterms, papers and group projects, I took some time this week to rediscover my youth with a couple of friends!
I played soccer for eight years when I was a kid. League, school and pick-up … I played it all and loved every second of it. But my passion for playing slowly died out at the beginning of my freshman year of high school as I channeled my energy towards other sports. So, I stopped.
Luckily, a few great friends, a worn-in ball and an hour of running back and forth across Norman Field was all it took for me to remember my passion for the good old game of soccer. (And essentially my childhood, too!)
My friends and I came up with the idea for a mid-week pick-up game of soccer so that we could get away from the tortures of nonstop schoolwork for a little bit. We picked a time, a date and a location. The group met on Wednesday at the field at 8 p.m. sharp for the game to begin!
Divided into two teams, we played six on six. As a former beast of a defender, I guarded our makeshift goal of gray hoodies as if my life depended on it. I must admit, I forgot about how stressful playing defense could be! I nearly had a heart attack every time a member from the rival team came anywhere near me with the ball, but I did my best to stop my opponents in their tracks and get the ball as far away from our goal as possible.
And I’d say I did a pretty good job! The other team scored three times on us, despite my efforts to thwart their success. However, their defender was not as lucky as I was, for we scored five times! I’m happy to report that my team came away from the game victorious.
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10/10/2011 |
It’s been quite some time since I’ve given a new exercise a try! Luckily for all of you, in the midst of my new obsession with power yoga and my persistence to get back into running shape, I found an easy way to get a great work in at any time of the day.
The title says it all, really. Yes, the exercise experiment for this week is walking!
This simple, straightforward method of exercise is something that people often overlook – perhaps because they’re fearful that doing so will not result in a good enough workout. However, walking has great health benefits for your body and soul!
Medicinenet.com notes eight top reasons to walk:
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9/19/2011 |
This week I decided to step completely out of my comfort zone and try something that I haven’t done in years. And when I say years, I mean it – I literally have not done it since I was 10 years old on an elementary school field trip.
So what did I do? I went rock climbing!
And boy, was it exhilarating. And challenging. And strenuous. And fun. And everything else in between.
It was incredible.
I had actually been contemplating giving rock climbing another try for quite some time. I knew that there was a free rock wall in town and multiple friends told me that it is a daring way to get a great work out in and have some fun.
So, I decided to give it a try.
I ventured all the way out to Lake Wauburg, an outdoor enthusiast’s home away from home and a free lake for all University of Florida students, and climbed a wall for the first time in 10 years!
I must say, getting strapped in was the scariest part. I could feel my heartbeat rising as I pushed the helmet down on my head, slipped the straps around my legs and pulled them up to secure myself in. However, a certified belayer (someone who in connected to your straps and stands behind you to make sure that nothing bad happens) and Lake Wauburg employee was there to calm my nerves.
“Don’t worry girl! You’re going to do great!”
Those eight words were all I needed to hear as I began my ascent up the wall. Thankfully, the one at Lake Wauburg isn’t as high as the wall I scaled as a 10-year old. But it was definitely high enough — and higher than I originally thought when I reached the top and looked down at the ground below me. (Which I’m happy to say that I did, reached the top of the wall that is.)
Although, getting myself up there was no easy undertaking. |
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9/12/2011 |
If you had asked me one week ago what my opinion of yoga was, you would have had to brace yourself for one harsh response: I hate it.
Why?
Because I’m not flexible. Because I don’t enjoy monitoring my breathing. And because I don’t feel like I’m really working out.
However, in keeping with my goal to be more adventurous in my exercising this semester, I decided to give yoga the fair chance it deserved. With an open mind and a desire to get a great work out in, I moseyed my way to a yoga class at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center on campus.
I didn’t just give any yoga a try – I spiced things up, went outside of my comfort zone and participated in power yoga! This more-advanced form of yoga combines a little bit more intensity, a little less emphasis on breathing and a lot quicker movements to give you a total body workout that is relaxing, but nonetheless great.
So for a full 60 minutes, I handed my body over to the yoga gods. And boy, am I glad that I did! |
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8/22/2011 |
Exercise isn't something you occasionally meet for a sweaty afternoon soirée in the sun or an endorphin-releasing date at the gym. Rather, it's a way of life that you embark upon in order to become a permanent happier and healthier version of yourself.
And for me, exercise is my escape from the chaos of reality.
I crave the release of stress that I feel after a couple hours at the gym or a few miles around the neighborhood. I find myself calmer, more collected and happier. And I often get cranky, agitated or even disheartened when I skip a day of working out. Exercise is pretty much an addiction for me.
Every day, I look forward to pulling on a pair of running shorts, throwing on an old t-shirt, lacing up my worn-in sneakers and working out all of my problems of the day by getting in motion. Because at the end of the day, exercising makes me feel like I am on top of the world.
And now, I am making it my mission to switch up my daily work out routines, try new activities and share with you all an array of exercises that you can test to get your daily dose of physical activity.
My first work out on the agenda?
One word: bootcamp. |
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5/3/2011 |
When I first started this program, I was only looking to do one thing: lose weight. And I did.
In eight weeks, I lost 15 pounds. And during the past two weeks, I have successfully maintained that weight loss.
After my final weigh in today, I am currently residing at 144 pounds, and I couldn’t be happier.
I’m happy because I have gone through a complete transformation these past ten weeks, and anyone who sees me on a daily basis can attest to this. I have lost weight, I have gained confidence in myself and I have finally found happiness with myself and my body.
But above all of that, I have completely adjusted my lifestyle for the better.
I have made a conscious effort to: monitor my diet, portion the amount of food and the type of food that I eat, and get some form of physical activity nearly every day of the week.
And I’m happy to announce that the Jumpstart Diet isn’t something that I’m ditching after today. On the contrary, it is a way of life that I have adapted to, and I plan to keep on living it for the rest of my life.
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5/2/2011 |
I’ve never been a fan of stretching.
I can’t really pinpoint any exact reason why, I just know that I’ve always hated the thought of it – it seemed so silly to me to spend 10-15 minutes stretching before doing any physical activity. And then to spend even more time stretching after exercising? Forget it.
I can remember back to my days of playing sports as a kid and then onto my days of playing Varsity softball and swimming in high school – I always hated stretching.
I just wanted to get to the exercise, and get it over with. And I felt that stretching was just prolonging the torture that awaited me (I was never fully enjoyed the sports I played in high school, can you tell?)
Even worse, once I was actually done exercising and powering through the agony that was sports practice, I certainly didn’t want to spend even MORE time stretching.
Like I said, I hated it.
But recently, and especially this semester, I’ve really come the appreciate and respect the importance of stretching before AND after working out – and I can attribute my newly discovered mind sight to Jillian Michaels and her 30 Day Shred workout video.
Jillian impresses upon her viewers the value and necessity of stretching before and after doing any form of physical activity – she notes that you should stretch beforehand so that you don’t hurt yourself, and you should stretch afterward in order to let your muscles cool down and properly relax.
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4/30/2011 |
Committing yourself to losing weight and adjusting your lifestyle to a healthier one takes a lot of time, energy and mental stability. It’s not something that will miraculously happen over night, and it’s not something that you’ll be able to do without putting in hard work and dedication.
So, I’ll be honest.
I really don’t think I would have been in any place to lose my “freshman 15” last year. Not just because I was in the process of actually putting the weight on, but also because I was all over the place mentally and emotionally.
As a freshman myself, I was adjusting to a new city, new school, new lifestyle and new home. I had to focus on getting myself acclimated to the life of a college student, and I’m sure that’s part of the reason why I put some weight on in the first place.
But, I also had to deal with tackling college-level courses, making new friends and learning how to live on my own (and in a dorm, nonetheless). So the stress of all of that was surely a recipe for weight gain.
However, this year was a different story. I had a year of college under my belt and I established a nice life for myself at the University of Florida. I just had one minor problem: a slight weight gain and no resolve to do anything about it.
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