Why You Should Be Strength Training

You probably know that strength training or resistance training has a lot of benefits, but it can be intimidating, especially if you haven't done it before. What exercises should I do? How do I know if I'm doing them properly? How much weight should I be lifting? Do I need to take rest days?

I get it, I used to be a cardio queen, I would run 4-5 days a week, cycle on the other days and throw in an occasional yoga. That worked well, in my 20's. I was lucky enough to not suffer any major injuries from overtraining but I noticed I didn't recover quite as easily or would feel sorer after a long run.

When I was in school for my degree in Nutrition & Exercise Science, I started learning about the benefits of strength training and how they actually impact day-to-day life. I got my personal training certification and started working with clients. Not only was I seeing changes in my clients, but I was programming for myself and seeing huge improvements in my balance, stamina during workouts, recovery, and self-confidence. I was hooked.

Strength training is great, especially for tracking progress. Progressively lifting heavier and heavier weights or being able to do more push-ups, hold a plank for longer, squat deeper, help you stay on track, and measure your progress.

Perhaps the biggest benefit for me has been in my daily life. Never did I imagine I'd be carrying around a 25lb weight with one arm for 15 minutes while cooking dinner. Or lifting said 25lb weight in a hiking backpack onto my back with one arm. Carrying that backpack with strong back muscles and legs on long hikes.

For me, motherhood has been the ultimate test of my strength training, and because I put in the time and energy, I can keep up with my active life and feel strong and powerful doing it. And flexing my biceps in the mirror from time to time doesn't hurt either.

If you need a few reasons to take the plunge, check out all these other benefits you can get from regular strength training. This doesn't have to be intimidating, you can start with bodyweight, you just need to work against some resistance.

If you're unsure or have any questions - get in touch! I'd love to create a unique program for you!

Top Reasons to Strength Train

1. Stronger bones - Strength training puts a unique and positive stress on bones by stressing the muscles involved. This can help increase bone density in the long run and prevent fractures later in life.

2. Increase your metabolism - While cardio is great for many reasons, strength training is great for building more muscle. More muscle has the ability to increase your metabolism unlike cardiovascular exercise, and will help you burn more fat, even at rest.

3. Sleep better - All exercise, including strength training has been shown to increase sleep quality in participants. Exercising each day should make it easier to snooze once you hit the sheets at night.

4. Make your heart happy - Along with cardiovascular exercise, strength training has been shown to have benefits for the heart including lowering blood pressure.

5. Get out some stress - Lifting weights and throwing around heavy stuff can be extremely therapeutic and often shown to alleviate stress and anxiety for those who participated on a regular basis.

6. Live Longer - Strength training has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and those who gained more overall strength were more likely to live longer and live independently.

7. Do everyday things easier - Strength training makes it easier to lift that heavy box, carry the groceries into the house in one trip and even simply get up from a seated position. Being stronger will translate to all areas of your life.

8. Improve your balance - Since strength training continues to challenge the body in new ways and develop essential core strength, you will see better balance in all your exercises and in your daily activities.

Are you ready to get started? Fitness is available for everyone, you'll never regret taking the first step, so get out there. You might surprise yourself at what you're capable of.

7 Reasons to Drink More Water

Most people know they should be drinking more water, so why don't they? A recent survey showed that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. It's no coincidence that many of us feel tired, sluggish, and foggy as well. While nutrition and exercise play a large part in our overall health, many people neglect to prioritize hydration alongside their other wellness efforts or are drinking too many caffeinated or sugary beverages and diets high in sodium.

Here are some of the best reasons to drink more water and some of the ways you can easily improve your health through getting more H2O.

1. Keep it Balanced

About 60% of your body is made up of water, if you aren't drinking enough, your body doesn't have enough for basic functions like regulating your temperature and digesting food.

2. Weight Loss

Now that I have your attention, most often when people feel hungry, they are actually experiencing thirst. Next time you're hungry, try drinking a full glass of water and waiting around 15 minutes before eating a meal or snack. Water also has zero calories and when swapped with higher calorie drinks, can help you lose weight. Plus, water can increase your body's fat-burning ability and promotes the breakdown and elimination of fat cells. Are you sold yet?

3. More Energy

One major side effect of dehydration is fatigue, next time you have that afternoon energy slump and think about reaching for another cup of coffee, try having a cold glass of water and going for a short walk.

4. Better Focus

Dehydration has been shown to put stress on cognitive functioning and linked to decreases in concentration and short-term memory and even increase anxiety and irritability. Prolonged dehydration can cause persistent symptoms, meaning that cognitive function in some cases was compromised even after adequate hydration was reached.

5. Smooth moves

Drinking adequate water helps your digestive system work more smoothly. It will also help your body break down food more effectively and help boost your metabolism.

6. Clear complexion

Water can help flush toxins out of the body that can build up and lead to skin congestion and acne. Water will also help hydrate your skin from the inside out helping it look more plump and radiant.

7. Rock your workout

Intense cardio and weight lifting sessions can make you break a sweat, which means you are losing electrolytes and fluids that make it harder for your muscles to perform. By replenishing those fluids, your muscles, which are 75% water, won't fatigue as quickly and your body can recover faster meaning you can hit that next workout just as hard.

If that isn't enough to convince you, water is delicious! If you need to mix it up, non-caffeinated beverages can count towards your water total like sparkling water and herbal tea. For even more flavor or an extra boost, tablets like Nuun can help replenish electrolytes to give you that extra boost! Even choosing a fun water bottle, setting reminders on your phone and keeping your water in eyesight can help you stay on track.

Happy hydrating!

Make Your Morning Workout Happen

It's a new year and if one of your goals is to be a morning workout person, you're not alone. Getting in your workout first thing means you're more likely to do it since as the day goes on, we often find excuses or our schedules get busy. Working out first thing in the morning often means you have more energy throughout the day and can lead to better productivity and mental health.

Still hate getting up early in the dark? I hear ya, here are some of my best tips for ensuring you don't hit snooze on your morning sweat session.

1. Set Out Your Workout Clothes - We all like to get as much sleep as possible, so don't waste time fumbling around for clothes in the dark when you're half-awake. Set your clothes out the night before, or better yet, sleep in your workout clothes if they are comfortable. You'll be ready to roll right out of bed and be on your way to a great workout.

2. Get More Sleep - It will definitely be easier to get up early if you go to bed at a decent time. Try getting to sleep 15 minutes earlier to start and work your way up to 30 minutes. You'll feel better and give your body more time to recover which means you can hit your workout harder and achieve those gains.

3. Distance Yourself From the Alarm - It's much easier to roll back to sleep when you can hit the snooze right next to your bed. Put your phone or alarm across the room or somewhere you have to get out of bed to turn it off and you'll be less likely to get back under the covers.

4. Shed Some Light on the Situation - Yes it's that time of year where it's often dark when we wake up which makes it hard to not only get up but really wake up your body. Try turning on a soft light as soon as you get up to signal to your body that it's time to be awake and start moving!

5. Make Breakfast Ahead of Time - Skipping breakfast before an early morning workout isn't always the best option, but many of us don't want to get up even earlier to cook something. Plan your breakfast ahead so you can just throw it in the microwave or grab a healthy snack bar if you need to eat something before you workout. Also having breakfast ready means you can replenish those muscles post-workout quickly. (Check out my homemade bar recipes here)

6. Get Brewing - If you are a coffee drinker, this is the time to go ahead and have that cup of joe. It will not only help wake you up but studies show moderate amounts of caffeine can assist with exercise in reducing fatigue and helping you perform longer.

7. Stick With It - No matter how you feel or easy it is to snooze that alarm, remember that the more you do it, the easier it will get and become part of your routine.

8. Create Accountability - Whether it's with a personal trainer, an appointment you're paying for, or a friend you're meeting, even for a virtual workout - make yourself accountable to someone or something. Knowing someone is waiting for you will motivate you to get out of bed even when you don't feel like it.

9. Crank Up the Tunes - Don't underestimate the power of a good playlist. Having something that's going to get you moving and in a good mood is a great way to energize your morning and mood.

10. Remember those good feelings - Just remember, your workout is most likely no more than an hour which is only 4% of your entire day. Commit to making time for yourself and remember how good you will feel once you have done it and get to carry that good feeling with you for the rest of the day!

Getting your workout in first thing has a lot of benefits but ultimately, the best time of day to workout is when YOU are likely to do it and stick with it. A lot of these tips can be applied to any time of day if you're needing some extra help wih consistency.

Need even more support? I'd love to help - my exercise coaching and programming offers accountability to help you reach your goals so feel free to reach out. Happy New Year!