Energizing Morning Stretching Routine to Kick-Start Your Day

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Most people wake up each morning with a crazy day scheduled and a to-do list longer than their arm. It’s easy to neglect self-care in a rushed and busy morning but taking time for yourself each morning is important for many reasons.

A great way to show yourself some self-love each morning is with this Morning Stretching Routine.

Creating a routine each morning to stretch is important for more than just peace of mind. Morning stretching can help improve flexibility, prevent aches and pains, and can get your blood flowing.

Increased Flexibility

The most common benefit of stretching is increased flexibility. With most people working at a desk these days, it is important to improve or at least maintain flexibility to stay healthy.

Sitting at a desk can cause certain muscles to loosen, such as back and glute muscles, while allowing other muscles, like chest and hip flexors to tighten. It’s important to open up these tight muscles to prevent injury, increase range of motion, and improve posture.

Prevent Aches and Pains

Morning stiffness is very common. After sleeping for 8 hours, fluid around the joints and spinal discs increases, creating joint discomfort and stiffness. Gentle stretching increases blood flow and helps move that fluid away from the joints, alleviating pain and stiffness.

A few minutes of stretching can also keep your spine supple and agile, preventing back pain. Muscles tightness, either from exercise the day before, or from your body’s sleeping position, can be alleviated by stretching and lengthening your muscles.

Increased Blood Flow

Gently stretching helps raise your body’s temperature by getting the blood flowing from the core of the body out to the extremities. Increasing blood flow helps circulation and delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the rest of your muscles and organs. Increasing circulation can also help improve and restore energy throughout the day.

Mental Clarity

With increased blood flow throughout the body your brain also has increased blood flow. This blood flow to the brain increases concentration and focus for the rest of the day. It also accelerates endorphins to the brain helping relieve stress and anxiety. Stretching can also help release mental tension and improve mental wellness.

Morning Stretch Routine

Instead of hitting snooze in the morning, wake up a few minutes earlier and get this short 5-10 minute stretch in to help start the day off right.

• Neck Stretch – Tilt your head to the RIGHT, reaching your ear to your shoulder. Very gently, use your right hand to increase the stretch and reach your left palm towards the floor. Repeat on the LEFT side, and do a few neck circles to stretch the back of your neck as well.

• Upper Back Release – Place your palms together and reach them in front. Slightly bow your chin to your chest and pull your shoulders away from each other to stretch between your shoulder blades.

• Chest Release – Reach both arms behind you and and clasp your hands together. Pull your shoulders together and reach your arms up slightly to stretch your chest.

• Forward Fold – Hinge from your hips and reach the crown of your head toward the floor. Cross your arms, or let them hang to the floor, and allow gravity to pull you deeper into the stretch. You should feel the stretch in the back of your legs and in your lower back.

• Side Stretch – Stand with your feet hip distance apart, reach your arms overhead and grab on to your LEFT wrist with your RIGHT hand. Side bend towards the RIGHT, so that you feel a stretch through the left side of your body.

• Cat/Cow – Starting on your hands and knees, tuck your chin towards your chest and round your back up to the ceiling, focusing on stretching and elongating your lower back. Flow through a neutral spine and slightly arch your spine pulling your shoulders away from your ears and focusing on stretching your upper back.

• Seated Spinal Twist – Sit down and extend your RIGHT leg straight out in front of you. Cross your LEFT leg over the right and place your foot flat on the floor. Rotate your torso to the LEFT either grabbing on to your left leg, or hooking your elbow over your knee. Be sure to lengthen through your spine and keep your chest lifted.

• Hamstring Stretch – Lay on your back and reach your RIGHT leg up to the ceiling, Grab behind your hamstring or calf depending on your flexibility. Keep your leg as straight as possible and your back and hips completely on the ground.

• Hip Flexor Stretch – Start in a lunge position with your RIGHT leg in front and your LEFT knee on the floor. Keep your abs engaged so that you don’t arch your back. Slightly lean forward to increase the stretch in the front of your LEFT hip.

• Cobra – Lay on your stomach with your elbows under your shoulders and your forearms and palms flat on the floor. Lift your head and your chest off the ground to stretch your upper back. You shouldn’t feel any discomfort or pressure in your lower back.

Tips for Morning Stretching

• Keep stretches gentle – There is no need to get deeply into your stetches or force your stretches, your body has been at rest and has not been warmed up. Trying to force a stretch could cause injury.

• Drink lots of water – After 8 hours of no water, it’s important to drink a large glass of water to help with circulation and the delivery of nutrients to the rest of the body.

• Breath Deeply – Exhale into each stretch and take long deep breaths during the stretch. This will help you relax and will further help circulation.

• Hold for at least 30 seconds – Hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds to help improve flexibility. Avoid bouncing and don’t rush into a stretch, ease into each stretch slowly.

Watch this video– Energizing Morning Stretching Routine to Kick-Start Your Day

Written by Deanna Dorman

Author Bio:

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

4 Easy Exercises to Improve Your Posture and Life

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

How to Improve Your Posture and Improve Your Life

 

I’m sure you were always told growing to “sit up straight,” or “stop slouching”. Well, your mother and teachers weren’t wrong. However, there is much more to posture than just looking better.

 

Posture has an effect on your overall health and well-being. Posture can affect your mood, confidence, and even your memory and digestion. Learning good posture and improving your posture can make all the difference in your day to day activities, mental and physical wellness, and how others perceive you.

 

How Posture Affects Different Areas of your Life

 

Mood

 

Improving your posture will not only help you look more confident, but actually make you feel more confident and improve your mood.

 

Dr. Erik Peper, of San Francisco State University, performed various different experiments involving posture and how it affects energy level as well as its ability to generate positive and negative thoughts.

 

In one experiment, his test subjects either skipped down a hallway or slouched as they walked down the hall. Almost all of the skipping participants reported feeling more energetic and happier, while those who had slouched reported feeling sad, lonely, and sleepy. 

 

Poor posture has also had a strong correlation to feelings of stress and depression.

 

Memory

 

In his experiments, Peper also discovered that body posture can either recall positive or negative memories. When sitting in a collapsed position and looking downward, participants in a study found it much easier to recall helpless, powerless, and negative memories.

 

When sitting upright and looking upward, it was easier to recall empowering and positive memories. An upright posture can also improve memory in general.

 

Good posture facilitates breathing and increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, by up to 40 percent. Oxygen is like food for your brain, and when well-fed, it functions properly and recalls memory better.

 

Confidence

 

Besides your mood and your memory, good posture can also improve your confidence. A study at Ohio State University found that sitting up straight reinforced confidence.

 

In this study, researchers divided students into two groups and instructed them to maintain opposite postures while answering prompts in a business questionnaire.

 

Those who were told to sit up straight were overwhelmingly more confident in their thoughts concerning whether they were qualified for a job than those told to slouch in their seat.

 

This suggests that people’s thoughts are influenced by their posture, it’s similar to the “fake it until you make it” principle, in that you can convince yourself to have more confidence just in the way you hold yourself.

 

Digestion

 

Standing and sitting with good posture allows your internal organs to assume their natural position, allowing the natural flow and function of your gastrointestinal tract.

 

Researchers believe poor posture is a contributing factor for several digestive issues including acid reflux, constipation, and even hernias.

 

“When you sit in a crunched position, your intestines are folded up as well, and that slows everything down.” says Steven Weiniger, author of Stand Taller – Live Longer.

 

To improve digestion it’s best to sit and stand up straight, as well as get up and move around as much as possible.

 

Bones & Muscles

 

Proper alignment and good posture puts less stress on your spine and skeletal system. Your skeletal system is built to support your body mass as intended, which means in proper alignment. When in good posture, your bones are able to work properly, which helps keep them strong and healthy.

 

When you are in poor posture it puts stress on certain bones, muscles, and ligaments. Your muscles start doing a majority of the work which starts to pull at them and cause muscle imbalances.

 

When your muscles are doing most of the work, your bones will start to become weaker, and this can eventually lead to muscle pain, back pain, and can even contribute to osteoporosis.

 

Headaches

 

Tying in to strain on bones and muscles, poor posture can eventually lead to headaches. Most people, especially those working at desks, have a “forward head posture,” focusing that strain on their upper back and neck muscles.

 

Dr. Adalbert I. Kapandji, an orthopedic surgeon, states that to keep your head upright these muscles must work as though they are supporting an additional ten pounds of weight for every inch your head moves forward.

 

The added strain puts pressure on the nerves in your neck and keeps upper back and neck muscles in a constant state of contraction, causing tension headaches.

 

What Contributes To Bad Posture?

 

Many factors can contribute to poor posture. These can include obesity, pregnancy, high-heeled shoes, tight-fitting clothes, weak muscles, tight muscles, inflexibility, poor sitting and standing habits, and a poor work environment.

 

Carrying something heavy on one side of the body, like a heavy briefcase or purse, can also contribute to bad posture.

 

Sleeping on a mattress that doesn’t provide proper back support can also affect poor posture.

 

How to Stand with Good Posture

 

·         Hold your head up straight with your chin in.

·         Ensure that your earlobes are in line with the middle of your shoulders.

·         Keep your shoulders back.

·         Push your chest out, slightly.

·         Keep your knees straight, but not locked.

·         Stretch the top of your head toward the ceiling.

·         Engage your abdominals, but don’t suck in or tilt your pelvis.

·         Carry your weight equally between the balls and heels of your feet.

·         Breathe naturally.

 

Ways to Improve Posture

 

1. Exercise

 

Focus on stretching tightened muscles in the chest, front of the shoulders, and hip flexors (front of the hips) as well as strengthening back, abdominal, and glute muscles.

 

Be sure to look at this Morning Stretch Routine to help guide you on stretches to do each morning and even throughout the day to help combat sitting for extended periods of time. Find a workout below that’s geared toward strengthening the muscles need for correct posture.

 

2. Foam Roll

 

Foam rolling, or myofascial release, is becoming much more popular, and for good reason. It is essentially like a deep tissue massage for your muscles. This is important because it allows tight muscles and fascia to loosen up so that stretching those muscles becomes easier.

 

If you have formed bad posture of years and years of bad habit, it may be very challenging to correct it without release those over worked and tight muscles.

 

3. Ergonomics

 

Ergonomics involves changing your environment to support and encourage good posture. Adding lumbar support to your chair is a good example, or even invest in a standing desk. You could also modify a tool, work station, counter height, or task to improve its ergonomics.

 

4. Eliminate Bad Habits

 

You must first be conscious of these bad habits, but things such as slouching in a chair or reading while laying down are some places to start. Working under dim light is also one, it results is craning your head forward to see your work better as well as slouching. Even driving your car in a bad position can help contribute to poor posture.

 

Posture Workout

 

These exercises are geared towards strengthening the muscles of your upper back and rear shoulder muscles. It’s best to foam roll and lightly stretch tight muscles before starting this workout.

 

Complete this workout 2-3 times to help improve posture. (Watch a video demo of each exercise by clicking on the names of each exercise)

 

1. Bird-Dog

 

Starting on all fours, make sure your weight is even between your hands and knees. Engage your abdominals and lengthen through the crown of your head. Slowly, and with control, extend your RIGHT arm in front of you and your LEFT leg behind you. Try not to shift your weight too much and come back to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side. Complete 10 repetitions on each side.

 

2. Back Extensions

 

Lay on your stomach and rest your forehead on your hands so that your elbows are out to the side. Keeping your head glued to your hands, lift your upper body and your feet and legs off the ground a few inches.

 

It’s important to remember that you want to think about lengthening through your muscles and to keep your abs engaged. You don’t need to lift too high and you shouldn’t feel any compression in your lower back. Complete 10-15 repetitions.

 

3.  Bent Over Row

 

Grab a set of dumbbells relative to your strength. Hold the dumbbells in front of you, with your palms facing you. Hinge at your hips, making sure to keep your back straight. Hold your abs tight and pull the weights up towards your underarm.

 

Squeeze your shoulder blades together without tensing through your neck, and slowly lower your arms back down. Repeat for 15 repetitions.

 

4. Rear Delt Fly

 

Lower back into your hinge position, keeping your back straight. This time, have your palms facing each other and a slight bend in your elbows. Moving from the back of your shoulders, squeeze your shoulder blades together to lift the weights out to the side. With control lower back down and repeat 15 times.

 

Watch this video - 4 Easy Exercises to Improve Your Posture and Life

 

Written by Deanna Dorman

 

Author Bio:

 

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

 

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

 

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

 

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

 

The Benefits of Pilates and 10 Classic Pilates Moves

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Pilates is something that many people I talk to still don’t quite understand. Most think of it as a form of yoga, and although Pilates and yoga have some similarities, Pilates is much different.

 

As a trainer with extensive training and a specialty in Pilates, I am very excited to introduce the top benefits of Pilates and ten classic moves to get you started!

 

First, What is Pilates?

 

Pilates has actually been around for over 100 years now. It was developed in Germany by the late Joseph Pilates. He developed it as a cure for himself of ailments such as asthma.

 

During World War I, he began teaching his methods to others, mostly bedridden military patients who needed exercise to prevent them getting sicker. It was used almost as physical therapy for them.

 

In the 1920s, Pilates moved to America where he opened his first official “studio.” It happened to be in the same building as the New York City Ballet — and this is where the “female” and “dancer” workout association comes from.

 

During World War I, he began teaching his methods to others, mostly bedridden military patients who needed exercise to prevent them getting sicker.

 

Until his death 40 years later, he trained many others who have carried on the Pilates traditions.

 

Pilates is one of the most popular workouts today, with classes at almost every gym or athletic club. But the root of Pilates is deep, and many of the exercises have not changed in over 100 years. 

 

Benefits of Pilates:

 

·         It’s a Total-Body Workout – While Pilates focuses on core strength, it also develops full-body strength. It ensures that certain muscles will not become overdeveloped or underdeveloped. Pilates promotes balance through the body while increasing flexibility and joint range of motion.

 

·         Improves Mind-Body Awareness – Attention to core strength and matching movement with your breath provides a challenge to the mind as well. This mind-body connection becomes important in everyday movement as well as in your other non-Pilates workout routines.

 

·         Perfect for Everybody – No matter what your fitness level, Pilates can be adapted to your workout routine. The foundational exercises and movements are used for the very most basic exercisers all the way to athletes.

 

With thousands of exercises and modifications, Pilates can be tailored to any individual. Focusing on core strength and proper alignments allows the exerciser to develop the strength to progress at a safe, yet challenging speed.

 

·         Increases Flexibility – With each movement, you will work through contracting certain muscles, while finding length through other muscles. Many exercises work on increasing range of motion through a joint or focus on building flexibility through muscles.

 

·         Improves Posture – With increased core strength and an understanding for the correct alignment that comes with Pilates, better posture will also soon develop. Good posture is a reflection of good alignment supported by a strong core.

 

Complete this workout as a series, moving from one exercise to the next with minimal breaks in between. As you develop strength, you may even be able to complete the entire series without resting.

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Roll Up 

 

Watch this video – How to do Roll Up

 

Start by laying on your back with arms extended overhead and legs out straight.

 

Engage your abdominals to flatten your lower back into the mat. Without using momentum, peel your spine off the mat, one vertebra at a time, pulling your navel into your spine. Keep using your abdominals to sit all the way up and reach towards your toes, making a C-curve with your spine.

 

Slowly lower back down keeping your heels glued to the mat, and place one vertebra on the mat as you lay all the way back down, reaching the arms back overhead.

 

The key is to make sure you roll SLOWLY through your spine, using your abs, and not “hoisting” yourself up with momentum. Complete 4-6 repetitions. Works your abdominals, stretches your spine, and warms the body up for more intense exercise.

 

The Saw

 

Watch this video – How to do The Saw

 

Sit right on top of your sit bones, and reach your arms out to the side, extending through your fingertips. Imagine a string pulling you up from the crown of your head and rotate from your spine to the RIGHT. Scoop your belly button in towards your spine as you start to reach your LEFT arm forward to your RIGHT foot.

 

Imagine “sawing” off your pinky toe with your pinky finger. Stack your spine back up straight using your abdominals and rotate to the other side, reaching your RIGHT arm to your LEFT foot.

 

Make sure to reach through the fingers and always lengthen through your spine. Complete 6-8 repetitions on both sides. Works the abdominals, including the obliques, and stretches the spine and hamstrings.

 

Single Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Single Leg Stretch

 

Lay on your back and bring your RIGHT knee in towards your chest. Hold onto the knee with both hands, but don’t “pull” the knee into the chest. Just use your arms as support. Extend the LEFT leg out so that it hovers over the mat a few inches (making sure your back doesn’t arch). Lift your head and the chest off the mat and lengthen out through the crown of the head.

 

Use the abdominals to switch the legs so that the LEFT knee comes in to the chest. Continue alternating which knee comes into the chest, using the lower abs to bring the knees in. Complete 6-8 repetitions on both sides. Works the upper and lower abdominals. Stretches the lower back.

 

Double Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Double Leg Stretch

 

Bring both knees in towards the chest so that the knees are directly over your hips. Lift your head and your chest off the mat and position the hands on the knees.

 

Keeping the head and chest lifted, extend the arms overhead, keeping your biceps in line with your ears, and extend the legs out into a diagonal position to your point of control.

 

As you use the lower abdominals to bring the knees back into the chest, circle the arms around to lightly “hug” the knees into the chest. Repeat 8-10 times. Works the upper and lower abdominals. Stretches the lower back.

 

Single Straight Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Single Leg Stretch

 

Extend both legs up to the ceiling and hold on to the back of the RIGHT thigh, calf, or ankle (depending on flexibility), and extend the LEFT leg so that it hovers at your point of control.

 

Keeping the head and the chest lifted, “scissor” the legs to switch the LEFT leg up to the ceiling as the RIGHT leg hovers off the mat. Repeat scissoring the legs side to side for 6-8 repetitions on both side. Works the upper and lower abdominals, stretches the hamstrings.

 

Double Straight Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Double Straight Leg Stretch

Keep both legs extended up to the ceiling as you bring both hands behind your head, keeping your elbows wide. Press your lower back into the mat completely as you lift your head and chest off the mat.

 

Keeping the legs straight, lower them a few inches to your point of control. Engage the lower abs and pull the legs back up. Be sure the lower back doesn’t leave the mat and stays imprinted into the mat during the length of the exercise. Targets the lower abdominals.

 

Criss Cross

 

Watch this video – How to do the Criss Cross

 

Keeping the hands behind the head, bring the knees into the chest. Keep the RIGHT knee into the chest as you extend the LEFT leg out to your point of control. Rotate from the spine to the RIGHT, reaching the LEFT elbow to the RIGHT knee.

 

Keep the hips steady as you rotate the RIGHT elbow to the LEFT knee. Continue rotating side to side for 6-8 repetitions on each side. Works the upper and lower abdominals, the obliques, and increases spinal mobility.

 

Plank

 

Watch this video – Plank Pilates Workout

 

Bring yourself to a full plank on your hands. Engage the abs to keep the spine straight and lengthen through the crown of your head.

 

Make sure you don’t lock out your elbows, and keep your middle fingers pointing straight forward with your fingers spread apart and pressing into your knuckles (to prevent discomfort in your wrists).

 

Rotate the inside of your elbows forward to engage your biceps. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths. Works the abdominals, shoulder girdle and stabilizers.

 

Side Plank

 

Watch this video – Side Plank Pilates Exercises

 

Lay on your RIGHT side, stacking your hips and feet. Position your bottom RIGHT elbow directly under your RIGHT shoulder. Lift your bottom hip off the ground to create a straight line in a plank. You should be lifting from your bottom oblique and feel a slight pinch in the waistline.

 

Reach your top hand towards the ceiling or place it on your top hip. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and then switch sides.(To modify this exercise, keep your bottom knee on the ground.) Targets the obliques and strengthens shoulder stabilizers.

 

Teaser Preparation

 

Watch this video – Teaser Prep Pilates Exercise

 

Lay on your back with your arms by your sides. Just as with the roll up, roll one vertebra at a time off the mat as you also lift the legs up pulling the knees in towards the chest. Balance on your tailbone as you reach your arms towards your toes.

 

Try to bring your shins parallel to the floor, and focus on lifting your chest and lengthening through your spine. Slowly, and with control, lower back down, one vertebra at a time. Repeat 6-8 times. Works the abdominals and spine erectors.

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Adding this Pilates sequence into your workout routine 2-3 times per week will improve posture and help you develop strength in your other exercises. A strong core and a better mind-body connection may help you take your workouts to a level you didn’t even think possible.

 

Watch this video - Gentle Pilates - 15 Minute Pilates for Beginners Workout!

 

Written by Deanna Dorman

 

Author Bio:

 

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

 

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

 

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

 

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook