Category Archives: Fitness

Highlights from last week’s IDEA World BlogFest with SweatPink

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As I sat down to write this post yesterday, I saw that my sister had forwarded me an article from the Detroit Free Press about how a specific group is sparking the nation’s running craze. And what started off as a way to procrastinate for a few minutes to cure my writers’ block actually ended up giving me a clearer perspective on the past few days.

According to the article, Running USA recently released some interesting stats: A record-setting 19 million people finished U.S. running events last year, which is great news because it’s an increase of 300 percent since 1990. But the best part? Women made up 10.8 million, or 57 percent of participants, the highest ever.

Some other fun facts from Running USA: For the first time in 2013, 61 percent of U.S. half marathon finishers were women. Women also competed in record-high numbers in full marathon events, making up 43 percent of finishers.

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So what, exactly, does this have to do with me heading down to Anaheim last week with the SweatGuru/FitApproach team to co-host the first-ever Blogfest with SweatPink? Well, there are a few insights and observations from the event that I thought were worth sharing:

  1. Women are stepping up to the plate and inspiring others to live healthier lives
  2. We truly are redefining the phrase “like a girl” through actions, not just words
  3. Using fitness as a tool, women can empower themselves, as well as each other
  4. Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be an exercise in restraint; it can be fun
  5. Wellness is going social: Being active is “cool,” and workouts are the new “it” activity

That’s why I’m proud to be part of the SweatPink community, and it’s also why we wanted to be a part of the world’s largest fitness conference, IDEA World. Regardless of gender (see top photo with my buddy, Pavement Runner, who knows that real men “sweat pink”), we’re’re all for the thrill of the challenge, for looking great, but feeling even better. And we’re committed to finding our best “fit,” whatever that may be, and making it stick.

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Throughout the past few days we had the chance to connect with bloggers, fit pros and healthy living mavens and exercise enthusiasts. Of course, this all began with a group fun run, which wouldn’t be complete without a few mega-selfies to document our route through downtown Disney.

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Later at the convention kickoff, we heard from some pretty amazing speakers. One particular pair  — Lynne and Augie Nieto — moved the entire audience to tears with their story. Augie is the founder of Life Fitness, a leading fitness equipment company, and was diagnosed with ALS in 2005. Despite a grim prognosis, however, he’s beat the odds and since doubled his life expectancy. His wife Lynne spoke about their project, Augie’s Quest, which strives to drive awareness and raise funds for ALS research.

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And after Diana Nyad was presented with the Jack LaLanne Award, she walked us through her journey of how, at age 62 and after four failed attempts, she finally conquered the 100+ mile swim Cuba to Florida, sans shark cage. She was once challenged to swim as if she couldn’t go a “fingernail’s length faster” in the pool, and it’s clear she lives her life with that very same mission, so she encouraged us to do the same.

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One of BlogFest’s highlights was keynote speaker Jillian Michaels, who shared the story of her fitness journey, along with some many awesome tidbits of advice during her Q&A. Some of my favorite snippets:

  • “Fitness isn’t about building a better body. It’s a tool that helps us build a better life.”
  • “Follow the 80/20 rule for food. Don’t be extreme, eat real food!”
  • “There’s a big difference in singing your own praises versus thinking you’re better than someone else.”
  • “Empower, don’t repress to get kids to eat healthy!”
  • “Regret is the jump we didn’t make, the leap we didn’t take.”
  • “Every failure is an entry point of learning.”
  • “Work with purpose is passion. Work without passion is punishment. What is the WHY?”
  • “I got where I got because I think I DESERVE IT….we are all worth it. We have to work for it.”

Oh, and did I mention that the entire room fell in love with her? She’s not at ALL like the personality portrayed on TV; she’s hilarious, irreverent and real…and the entire room had a #girlcrush on her by the end of the hour. Including me and Bianca.

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Finally, what would a fitness convention be without some amazing workouts? Thanks to Stephanie Ring (yoga), Chalene Johnson (piyo), Tara Stiles (yoga), Shauna Harrison (bootcamp) and Moe & Caroline (bootcamp), we got to break a sweat between the expo and educational sessions. Here we are doing the famous “piyo flip” with Chalene.

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So there you have it — and incredible few days working and working out alongside some of the most passionate people in the business. We were beyond honored to be a part of it, and I hope that seeing the shots of everyone in action inspired you, as well.

I also took with me a renewed commitment to share this passion via my little corner of the Internet here at KineticFix. My hope is to not only hold myself accountable in making healthier choices and redefining my own limits, but also to challenge you to think about how you can find whatever that best “fit” is in your life, as well.

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How will YOU empower yourself to live a healthier life and, in turn, inspire others? 

Reviewing the new Runtastic 24/7 fitness tracker

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Late last month Runtastic — an innovative suite of apps, products and services that track and manage health and fitness data — released their new Runtastic Orbit wearable, which is the latest and greatest in 24-hour tracking devices that allow users to monitor daily movements, fitness activities and sleep cycles.

In a nutshell, the Orbit’s similar to existing trackers such as FitBit and Jawbone Up, but it’s also got a few new bells and whistles I’m pretty excited to check out — namely that it’s waterproof (to an impressive 300 feet), syncs up with ANY of the Runtastic apps, has a proprietary sleep tracker (which I find fascinating), plus a battery life that can last up to a week.

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Specifically, the Orbit tracks Steps, Active Minutes, Calories Burned, Sleep Cycles, Goals and Ambient Lighting. Other features include an OLED Display, Time & Alarm and Bluetooth Smart Technology (which means it syncs to your phone automatically; yay for no cables!).

I’ll be testing it out over the course of the next few weeks, which coincides perfectly with training and racing so I can really put it through the paces. But after just a few days in, though, I can already say I’ve been pleasantly surprised with some of the features.

Stay tuned for my full review with photos; and if you’d like more information on the Orbit in the meantime, visit the website here. 

Detroit Marathon: Week 7 training recap

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This week was a whirlwind with two trips to Seattle (one for business meetings and workouts with the SweatGuru team, then another personal one with Hubby and friends).

And even though my training took a bit of a hit, it didn’t stop me from getting sweaty. We documented our adventures via the SweatGuru blog, so if you’re in need of a great studio when in Seattle, you might want to check out these spots!

  • ModBody Fitness – bootcamp with Stacey, who is doing Ironman Boulder this weekend
  • Ian Fitness – bootcamp with Abril and the energetic early morning crew
  • Troy Lucero Acme Yoga Project – challenging Ashtanga class with Troy, who got me into my first handstand
  • Parkour Visions – by the end of class, Brian had us hurdling over six feet walls
  • Sync Fitness – bootcamp with Jill, whose flow and music we absolutely loved
  • Lab5 Fitness – Roy had us feeling the burn with this Pilates-based strength & cardio class
  • Urban Yoga Spa – we topped off the trip (and pampered our tired muscles) with some hot yoga

Needless to say, I’m a little sore from all the different activities — and I definitely discovered a few muscles I haven’t used in a while.

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But there’s one thing that’s really been concerning me this week: a plantar fasciitis flare-up in my right foot. It’s something that started as a nagging annoyance during last year’s marathon training, but lately it’s been getting worse.

I’m waiting until we get to Portland and get settled to attack it professionally with some type of massage, PT, acupuncture or ART (still deciding and polling athlete friends; let me know if something’s worked well for you). I know that not running will ultimately help, but it’s not quite to that point, so I’m icing, rolling and taking Advil in the meantime.

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So rather than overextend myself by doubling up on miles, squeezing in extra workouts or switching up the schedule too much, I ended up modifying things this week by skipping the first three days of workouts while on the road. Luckily one of those days was an “off” day, but I am feeling anxious about missing the Tuesday speed work.

Other than that, training is progressing well, and I’ve got renewed faith in the program, thanks to last week’s 10K race. My “easy” run pace is slowing to somewhere in the 9:00 range, but I’m still able to maintain the tempo (8:46) and long (9:29) paces, so I feel like I’m on the right track.

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Thanks again for following along, and stay tuned for next week as I close out the second month of training! 

Body After Baby: Tried-and-true tips for new moms

Photo courtesy of BeyondFitPhysiques.com

Photo courtesy of BeyondFitPhysiques.com

After catching up with ultra-mama Sarah Evans a few weeks ago, I thought it’d be fun today to revisit some of the great advice from a few of my other “mom friends” about reclaiming their pre-baby bodies.

We’re not talking about fitting into some kind of Barbie doll-sized skinny jeans, though; we’re talking about getting your groove back — feeling good inside and out, finding a new routine and establishing healthy habits for the whole family.

That’s why I love the sentiment in the photo above, and it’s also why I find people like Sarah and the other moms I interviewed so inspiring.

I still don’t know how they find the time — or the energy — but I admire their creativity and determination for maintaining a fitness routine despite a new (and pretty darn demanding) member in the household.

And speaking of “homes,” Hubby and I are making our way north to our new one this week… More on that in this week’s marathon training recap!

Moms, how did you get back into your fitness groove post-baby?

Fit Fix: Olympian Natalie Coughlin on training, nutrition and leading a healthy lifestyle

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In a sport measured in mere fractions of a second, 12-time Olympic medalist for USA Swimming Natalie Coughlin knows a little something about how to be efficient with her time.

And that’s precisely why she teamed up with TRX Suspension Training after the 2008 Olympic Games, making it a training staple for maintaining her strength and stability despite a hectic schedule and frequent travels.

About a year and a half ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with her after she led contest winners on a “Train with Natalie” TRX Olympic-level workout, so I thought it’d be fun to revisit some of the highlights from our conversation that day.

Photo courtesy of TRX

Photo courtesy of TRX

KineticFix: Can you share a training tip that’ll help us make workouts more effective?

Natalie Coughlin: An overall take-home would be to work on form. With any exercise that you do, it’s easy for us all to get competitive with one another – you look to the person on your left and you’re like, “Oh, they’re doing eight, I want to do 10.”

But just step outside of that – be competitive with yourself, and go for perfect form. That way, you’re getting the true purpose of the workout, and you’ll get a lot more of the benefit, as well.

KF: You’re 30+ now and in amazing shape; how has your workout routine evolved over the years to help you maintain your level of fitness?

NC: Evolving is important in training. I train at UC Berkeley, so I train with 18-year olds, and what’s appropriate for them at that age is not necessarily appropriate for me now.

Essentially, I’m working out to have the best performance in a race as possible. Something I learned over [the years] was that I was a little overzealous in training – I think I swam a little too much – and my [previous] performances in the Olympic Trials and the Olympics suffered because of it.

Recovery and rest is becoming much more important as I get older, but on the flip side there are some benefits to getting older: I’m much stronger, and I maintain that strength better than before.

But as you age you tend to break down faster, so it’s really important for me to keep my strength and ease back when I swim, focusing more on race relevance.

Photo courtesy of TRX

Photo courtesy of TRX

KF: When you’re not training, what does your workout look like?

NC: It always changes when I’m not in training mode. I’ve been exploring yoga, running, doing my TRX. Over the years, I’ve tried all sorts of different things, though – I’ve done kickboxing classes, Dancing with The Stars after the last Olympics, etc.

I’m always active in some way, shape or form, but that could range from a hike with my dogs to running 10 miles; it changes every day based on my mood. But I am someone who likes to be active and likes to maintain an active lifestyle – mainly because I like to eat!

KF: Do you have any advice you can share for prioritizing and incorporating exercise and healthy eating habits into a busy lifestyle?

NC: It’s really important to prioritize your fitness routine, as well as your diet, because we are all busy, and it’s easy to make poor choices when you’re on the go.

You just need to think ahead; for me, it’s making my green smoothie. I’ll make a big batch and put it in Mason jars and keep it in the fridge. In the morning I can just grab one and put it in my bag with an ice pack, so it’s waiting for me and it’s packed with nutrition.

I’ll also look at my schedule, which changes on a day-to-day basis, and carve out at least a half an hour for something active. Like what I did with [contest winners] Renae and Chad – that was an intense workout, but it was only 30 minutes. We can all find 30 minutes in our day to do that.

Photo courtesy of Natalie Coughlin (Instagram)

Photo courtesy of Natalie Coughlin (Instagram)

KF: You’re known for your backyard garden – can you share some kale recipes?

NC: I grow so much kale it’s ridiculous, mainly because a lot of my yard is shaded, but also because it’s a superfood.

I like to braise it in chicken broth and add hot chili flakes and garlic, which adds so much flavor. I also have it in my green smoothies every day. I’ll put kale, romaine, spinach and celery in with a little bit of fruit to sweeten it up.

I find that if you don’t like that bitter taste, pineapple does a really good job of balancing it with acidity and sweetness. So just get some frozen pineapple and throw it in with coconut water, and it should taste a lot better. But as your palate changes, you could do less fruit and more greens.

KF: With your interest in cooking and gardening, plus experience in fashion and entertainment, do you have any specific post-swim career aspirations?

NC: I have been blessed with wonderful sponsors, such as TRX and O’Neill (Coughlin helped design their O’Neill 365 collection), and I have had a lot of really cool opportunities because of that.

I’m still trying to figure out what my post-swimming career is going to look like, but I’m going to continue to compete for a little longer. I definitely want to write a cookbook at some point, so that’s something in the back of my mind, but right now it’s just about [staying] in shape.

KF: Do you have any lucky charms or superstitions, when it comes to competitions?

NC: I don’t have any superstitions, but I do find myself counting all the time, so when I’m in the pool, I’ll always do eight kicks off of the wall.

And another part of my routine is that I always do a running dive into the pool. It’s just something I’ve done for the past 10 years at Cal. I’m always in the end lane, and I hate getting in the water more than anything, so I just wait for everyone else to get in the water first, and then I run alongside the pool and dive in.

Photo courtesy of TRX

Photo courtesy of TRX

KF: I have to ask – what’s it really feel like to win an Olympic medal?

NC: It’s indescribable. There’s so much pressure going in that there’s a certain sense of relief, in addition to the excitement.

It’s really an emotion that there are no words for, though, and it’s something I’ll never forget.

KF: Switching gears…what are your guilty pleasures?

NC: This definitely does not go along the lines of a healthy diet, but my ultimate guilty pleasure is to be at a Raiders game with a bratwurst with relish and onions and an ice-cold beer. If I do make it out to a baseball game or a football game, that’s my treat.

KF: Any final fitness advice you can share with us?

NC: I believe that it’s important to stay active. You don’t necessarily have to go to the gym or run five miles a day.

Just fit in ways to be active – if you’re at a desk all day, get up and move around; walk around when you’re on the phone, and take the stairs when you can. Little things like that make a big difference.

And if you have 20-30 minutes in your day to get a workout in, try to superset exercises where you work on one muscle group and immediately go into next. Your heart rate will skyrocket, but you’re allowing separate muscle groups to rest in between, so you’re getting the most bang for your buck in a short amount of time.

Photo courtesy of NatalieCoughlin.com

Photo courtesy of NatalieCoughlin.com

Special thanks to Natalie for taking the time to chat!

Follow along on her adventures — athletic and otherwise — via her website. And if you think you can keep up, give her TRX Challenge a shot.

Checking in with ultra-momma Sarah Evans

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I first spoke with Sarah Evans earlier this year after seeing that she totally smashed her marathon PR (and qualified for Boston) a mere four months after having a baby.

Inspired and intrigued, I asked if I could pick her brain, and my interview with her continues to be one of the most popular KineticFix posts to this day.

Six-plus months have passed since then, and we have yet to coordinate trail running schedules (one day!), although we do connect every so often over social media to root each other on.

So I figured it was about time for us to catch up on life, running and our shared love for getting lost on the trails…

KineticFix: How has training been going since we last chatted?

Sarah Evans: Training has been fun and one of the things that has remained consistent and steady in my life.

Since the first of the year I’ve ran several races, including a PR (personal record) at the Kaiser Half Marathon in February (1:33:40), a 35k on my (34th!) birthday in March and a fun 5k (tried to break 20 min; not quite there yet!) with my mom in April, culminating in my first Ultra (a 50k) this month!

I’ve continued running, cross training with cycling and have been including a lot more yoga and HIIT (high intensity interval training), boot camp-type workouts to my regimen instead of the boring, slow strength training that I did in the past.

I also decided to resign from my job as a medical device rep at the first of the year to stay home and raise my daughter for the time being. Since then I’ve studied for and passed/received my personal training certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and I’m also going to take classes to become a certified run coach next month through Road Runners Club of America.

So I’m really exploring other opportunities in the sport that I love while still being able to stay close to home with my baby girl.

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KF: Wow, you’ve sure been busy! So can you share your latest tips for maintaining a workout schedule with a increasingly-active baby girl?

SE: With having an ever-changing and super-active baby, running has continued to remain my outlet and my ‘me’ time to get out in the early mornings before the day gets hectic (or exhausting!).

I still maintain my Sunday mornings with my friends on the trails; those are my 3-4 hours that are an unspoken religion to me to get out solo, so my husband is very supportive of that routine. But I’m also finding more time to run with my daughter in the BOB stroller, since she’s becoming much more aware, active and awake for longer periods; it’s a time we can spend together and I can start sharing my love of running with her!

During a typical weekday, I’m awake around 5:30/6am to get in a run or a spin on my bike before my daughter wakes up (at 7am). Twice a week I get until 7:30am to go on a longer run if I want, and my husband gets up with our daughter. It gives me some extra ‘me’ time and my husband gets some of those precious morning minutes that are so sweet with a baby. It’s a great compromise and schedule that we have worked out!

On those mornings, I know I have a chunk of my training done for the day, and then me and my daughter can enjoy the morning together taking a walk, playing in the yard or at the park. Then I will add on small/additional ‘workouts’ throughout the day.

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That’s what I think is important for many busy women and moms to realize: You don’t need a full hour or two a day to work out. Just add it in little by little throughout your day! I keep resistance bands, my yoga mat, foam rollers, some small hand weights, ankle weights and an exercise ball out in our living room all the time (hey it eventually blends in with all the toys!).

While my daughter is laughing at her reflection in front of the mirror, practicing crawling or working on developmental skills with some toys, I can get in 10 minutes of core work, leg and butt exercises, lunges (during which I will hold her for extra weight!), you name it. I also have 10-20 minute ‘bootcamp’ or total-body workouts I’ll do, where each exercise is done for one minute.

It’s easy to stop those workouts, if needed, in the middle and pick them up later in the day. And when my daughter takes a nap, I’ll fit in a 20-minute yoga session in between dishes, laundry, taking a shower and preparing her meals. It is truly the small things you do throughout the day that add up.

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Another way I also stay active with a 10-month old baby is by walking (or many times run!) when I do errands. We jog the mile to the grocery store or run/walk the 1.25 miles to the park, all instead of driving the car. We spend a lot of time outside, so that automatically lends itself to being active, in fresh air and staying fit.

And how I maintain my workout and training schedule is truly planning my weeks in advance. This works especially well when you have a training plan for a race mapped out, then you already know what  will be running weeks/months in advance!

I will put the entire plan into my calendar, marking down what mileage or workout I need to do and on what days. Then when I look at my week on Sunday evening, I already know whether I need to carve out time early in the morning, during a ‘lunch-break’ (for me that may be nap-time) or sometimes later in the evening.

This helps because just as I’ll schedule a lunch, a meeting or an appointment with someone, I also schedule my run (or any workout, spin, strength, core work, etc.) It’s  important to make that meeting with yourself, and this way it’s really difficult for me to miss a run or cross training workout because it’s pre-scheduled into my day!

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KF: All great ideas! Speaking of getting active in the great outdoors, you’ve entered ultra territory, too. Why the step up to longer distances? 

SE: I am competitive, especially with myself, and I’m always looking for the next challenge. I found myself wanting another hurdle to overcome (as if having a baby or my come-back from breaking my foot two years ago wasn’t enough!).

I had recently broken my personal records for the marathon and half-marathon within four and six months, respectively, post-baby — so I thought an Ultra (starting off with a 50K) would be the natural next step. Pair that with my absolute LOVE of the trails, and it seemed like a no-brainer.

There’s a big difference going from road runs with speed to the long, slow pacing of a trail ‘ultra’ distance. It taps into a different part of yourself and your spirit, and it seems to exceed a certain fitness level and delves into mental strength…but I like that new challenge!

I’m hoping that this isn’t my last Ultra. The community that surrounds the trails and ultra-running is very unique, open and friendly, and I love the feeling I get from getting dirty, sometimes lost (I think you can relate!) and being out in nature.

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KF: Oh, yes! I like to say that if there’s a way to get lost, I’ll find it — especially on the trails. What’s next on your list, and can you share your game plan for getting there?

SE: I’m looking forward to kicking it up a notch and getting back into speed work and intervals when I start training for the Chicago Marathon, which I will be running along with my mom for her first marathon! This was also my first marathon in 2008, so I am looking for another personal record and Boston Qualifying time.

I’ll create my own training plan; I enjoy researching and finding new workouts to add to my runs and being my own coach. There’s not the pressure of answering to a coach, but I’m also my own worst critic, so I do a pretty good job at keeping myself in check!

I am also working out the details of registering for the 2015 Boston Marathon (with my last marathon qualifying time) and then trying to get into the Boston to Big Sur Challenge next April where you run back-to-back marathons, six days apart, on opposite coasts of the country. And I’ve always been a big fan of The North Face Endurance Challenge, so that could possibly be another 50k (or dare I say 50 mile!?) opportunity.

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On the exploring and fun side, I have a deep desire to also run Rim to Rim (and maybe Rim!) in the Grand Canyon, so I may be putting together a group for late next Spring.

All of these races really are just a celebration for the running that I do on a daily, weekly basis. I don’t run just to race, the races just seem like a great opportunity to add on challenges to my running, which I still do purely for the freedom, joy and love of it.

I am very excited to share this passion with my daughter and possibly run a race with her one day, as I am doing with MY mom this year! I am also very lucky to be able to spend time at home with my daughter in her first year of life and to start to use my personal training and coaching certifications for my own knowledge and to share with my friends and family who seem to enjoy picking my brain for advice and input in their own active lives.

Now, as I look at my plans for the next year, there seems to be a lot going on. But in the end, it’s done for the fun of it all, to spend time on the trails with my running crew and to celebrate our training with races…not to mention coming home to my husband and daughter and going out for Mexican!

It’s the easy, simple things sometimes 🙂

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Special thanks, Sarah, for taking the time to chat. Can’t wait to follow along on your adventures over the next year — and hopefully hit those trails with you soon!

‘Tri’ a new challenge to kick off summer fitness

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Think triathlon is only for elite athletes and endurance junkies? Think again.

According to USA Triathlon, participation in triathlons in the United States is at an all-time high. The group’s membership has grown exponentially from around 100,000 in 1998 to 550,446 when last reported in 2012.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association also estimates that the total number of triathlon participants rose 59 percent from 2008 (1,251,000) to 2011 (1,992,000), thanks to the rise in popularity of endurance sports.

And — let’s face it — if I can do it, anyone can!

Why Tri?

  • Beat boredom by switching focus between swim/bike/run
  • Get in shape from head to toe with weekly full-body workouts
  • Reduce risk of overuse injury in one sport, thanks to cross-training
  • Develop a lean, mean body with endurance & resistance training
  • Fall into a more healthy, balanced lifestyle (nutrition & sleep are necessities!)
  • Reap the benefits of being highly organized around training
  • Reduce stress on the body with swimming & cycling, which are non-impact
  • Drop pounds, thanks to high-intensity cardiovascular training
  • Give more purpose and motivation to your workouts by setting a goal event
  • Lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease & diabetes, reduce risk of osteoporosis
  • Choose from a variety of distances for an individualized challenge

How to Get Started: 

  1. Pick a distance.
  2. Choose an event.
  3. Find a training plan.
  4. Prepare for the big day.
  5. Enjoy your first race.

So why not ‘tri’ something new this summer? You just may like it!

Effective Exercise: The right way to warm up and cool down

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When you’re pressed for time, it’s easy to think that skipping a warm-up, cool-down and stretch might be the most efficient way to work out, right?

Big mistake. As counter-intuitive as it may sound, taking some time to allow your body to ease in and out of things — even if it means shortening the actual workout — will actually help you reach your goals faster.

How? It’s simple, really: Focusing on flexibility can lower your risk for injury, so you’ll be able to keep a more consistent workout schedule, thus obtaining better results in the long run.

I’ve talked before about several other benefits to warming up and cooling down, but here are some specifics to consider before your next sweat session.

Ideal Workout Sequence: 

  1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of low-intensity cardio to get blood pumping
  2. Light stretching: Mix gentle and dynamic moves to prime body for performance
  3. Intense Exercise: Attack the workout confidently now that you’re loose and limber!
  4. Deep stretching: Take advantage of warm muscles, which are more pliable
  5. Cool-down: 5-10 more minutes of low-intensity cardio to bring heart rate down

How to Warm Up:

Gradually increase intensity. If you’re going to run, for example, progress from a fast walk to a jog to a run. For biking, start in a low gear and allow legs to spin out before adding elements of speed and resistance. And if you’re lifting, try a series of light weights before progressing to several sets at your goal weight.

Wake up your brain. Get your mind and body in sync for workouts or sports that require hand-eye coordination or fancy footwork. Add some balance and agility drills to activate your reflexes, which will help you respond and react better during peak activity.

Include dynamic movements. After your body is warmed up and you’ve done a few static stretches, move onto dynamic stretching, which takes your body through its full range of motion and should include things like arm and legs swings, torso twists, jumping jacks or fast running.

How to Cool Down:

Gradually decrease intensity. Reverse the progression, whether it’s slowing from a run to a jog to a walk, allowing legs to spin out at a slower speed on low resistance or doing a few sets of easier exercises with lbs in the weight room.

Think loose, long and lean. It’s time to reward muscles for a job well done by allowing them to relax into some deep stretches that speed circulation to joints and tissues, remove unwanted waste products and reduce soreness and stiffness.

Refuel and replenish. Within an hour (really, the sooner the better), drink up and eat up. Use water to rehydrate, and aim for a snack with a carb/protein ratio of 4:1 for maximum benefit when it comes to repairing muscles and restoring energy levels.

Do you bookend your workouts with a warm-up and cool-down for better results? 

4 Reasons Not to Skip Your Warm-Up and Cool-Down

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If you consider “warming-up” and “cooling down” to be the walk back and forth from your car to the gym (guilty!), there’s a good chance you’re missing out on some added health benefits that come from book-ending your workout properly.

Not only does it help you make the most of your current sweat session, but it also helps protect and prepare your body for your next workout. Here are four more reasons to prime your muscles pre- and post-exercise:

1. Decrease perceived exertion. Refer to Newton’s law of inertia (“A body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion continues to move at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force”), and it’s easy to see why a workout feels easier when you’ve taken the time to ease into it versus starting out cold.

2. Work harder, reduce injury risk. A gradual warm-up circulates oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, fueling muscles and safely preparing them to better absorb shock, impact and other demands associated with all types of exercise.

3. Remove waste products. Anaerobic exercise (think intense bursts where you’re out of breath) builds lactic acid in muscles and can cause painful swelling, so cooling down properly can help the body flush toxins and usher in oxygen and other healing nutrients.

4. Burn more calories! Every little bit counts, and stacking an extra 10 minutes of movement to both the beginning and end of your workout means you’re getting more bang…er, burn…for your buck every time you exercise.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post where I’ll be covering some suggestions for simple warm-up and cool-down exercises!

30-Minute Total-Body Elliptical Workout

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Confession: I’m not a real fan of the elliptical machine. I think it dates back to my college days when I used to read a magazine during some so-called “workouts” and barely break a sweat.

But after avoiding it like the plague for years, I figured it was about time to reconsider my attitude toward the machine — especially since my sister happens to love hers.

So I started playing with different elements to keep things fresh, and I added in a few strength-training moves mid-session for more of a total-body workout.

The result? A fun, non-impact way to cross-train on those days off from running…or a great way to break up the monotony of typical treadmill time at the gym.

Here’s one of my favorite workouts, which will get your heart pumping and your muscles burning — all in 30 minutes (not including warm-up and cool-down).

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Once you’ve mastered the moves above, kick things up a notch by throwing in some backward pedaling and alternating between pushing and pulling the handles.

Another tip: Work the core, test your balance and challenge stabilizing muscles by going hands-free for a 10-20 count of strides every few minutes.

Happy ellipticaling!