The Importance of Stretching

Everyone’s body benefits from stretching! Especially as we age or develop pains from past injuries or chronic conditions, stretching looses tight muscles and keep our bodies moving!

Stretching also helps to correct imbalances. For example, if we sit all day, our hips become tight, also effecting our glutes and hamstrings. If we don’t stretch these muscles, they will remain in that tight position and will over time become more and more drawn to that position. Similarly, if we sit with our shoulders rounded for an extended period of time, this elongates our upper back muscles and creates a ripple effect for surrounding muscles. As with our hips, glutes and hamstrings, we need to stretch these over-worked muscles to return them to the proper lengths or they will remain in their imbalanced positions.

Stretching should be done daily and also before and after exercise. The benefits of daily stretching is to loosen the tight muscles from our daily movements. The benefits of stretching after exercise are similar, but even more important because we want to loosen the muscles we just worked!

Below are a few stretches that can help everyone!

Hip

Exercise 1. Sit on a exercise ball or edge of a chair. One foot should be stable on the ground at 90 degrees, foot turned out slightly at a diagonal. Extend the other leg straight out.

For more of a stretch, bend straight down, folding at the hips

Low Back

Exercise 1. Lay on your back and draw your knees in.

Exercise 2. Place your left foot over your right leg above the knee. For more of a stretch, draw your legs in towards your chest.

Exercise 3. Cat Cow

Start in a table top position, look up round your spine. Then look down curving your spine up to the sky. Repeat.

Shoulder and Upper Back

Exercise 1. Start in a table top position left arm on the ball. For more of a stretch, slowly roll the ball to the right across your body. Be sure to keep your thumb up on while your hand is on the ball!

Exercise 2. Start with feet wide and slowly fold forward. Bring your right arm in front of you and make large circles. After 10, reverse the circle. Repeat with your left arm.

 

Hamstrings

Exercise 1. Lay on the ground or mat and slowly extend your right leg up to the sky, keeping your left leg on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds then repeat other leg.

Neck

Exercise 1. Start by rolling your shoulders back. Now slowly tilt your head to the left, bringing your left ear to the left shoulder. Hold. Come center and repeat other side.

Foam Rolling is also a wonderful technique used to reduce “knots” within your muscle. Foam rolling can be done daily or before and after an exercise. Those with less mobility may not find foam rolling as comfortable.

I recommend asking guidance from a personal trainer before you foam roll for the first time to ensure you are reaching the right muscles and at the proper spots.

 

 

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About the Author:

Emily Langlois is an Online Personal Trainer specializing in custom workouts to fit YOU. Your current pains, age, time limits or other responsibilities can no longer hold you back. You have a workout program designed for YOU to fit in YOUR life.

 I work with a variety of clients with the majority who have some type of chronic condition or injury that’s caused them pain. I will help you find exercises for YOU to help you stay healthy, strong, happy and doing the things YOU love.

Upper Body Workout For “Bad” Shoulders

Shoulder pain can come from a variety of causes. If you live with this, you know how frustrating it is. It is made even more frustrating when you try to strengthen your muscles, become healthier, make steps in the right direction but every workout program you try ends up leaving you in worse pain one or two days later!

I hear you.

You do not need to be held back by shoulder pain! You deserve a program that is meant for you. The circuit below will strengthen your upper body, including the muscles around your shoulders but won’t cause you pain in a day or days following!

Of course, please always consult your physician if you have any questions or hesitations.

Note: Avoid any movement that involves lifting above your head

Upper Body Circuit 1

By: Emily Langlois

1. Wall Push Ups
   1. Stand hip width apart facing a stable wall
      1. The further you stand from the wall, the more challenging this exercise will be
   2. Place your arms shoulder width apart, shoulder height on the wall
   3. Lower yourself, keeping your back in a straight line, down towards the wall
   4. Push yourself back up from the wall, again keeping you core in tight to support your back
   5. Repeat
2. Lateral Raise
   1. Sit tall in a chair keeping your shoulders back
   2. Draw in on your core to help you sit up straight
   3. Grab a pair of light weights
   4. Keep your arms straight, raise your arms out to the side, up to shoulder height
   5. Lower down
   6. Repeat
3. Bicep Curl
   1. Sit tall in a chair keeping your shoulders back
   2. Draw in your core to help you sit up straight
   3. Grab a pair of light weights
   4. Curl your arms ups bending at the elbow
   5. Keepi your elbow drawn in to your side at all times, using only your arm muscle to raise and lower the weight
   6. Lower the weights returning them to your sides
   7. Repeat
4. Tricep Kick Back
   1. Grab a light pair of hand weights and stand up straight
   2. Draw in your core and slightly bend forward, hinging at the waist keeping your back flat
   3. Extend your arms behind you.
   4. Bend at the elbow bringing your foream and weight down back towards your chest
   5. Repeat, extending your arm

If you have questions or would like more information on Online Personal Training with Emily, please complete the quick form below or visit FITonYourTime.com

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Stay Healthy. Stay Strong. Stay Happy. Stay YOU!

About the Author:

Emily Langlois is an Online Personal Trainer specializing in custom workouts to fit YOU. Your current pains, age, time limits or other responsibilities can no longer hold you back! You have a workout program designed for YOU to fit in YOUR life.

I work with a variety of clients with the majority of them over 50 and/or have some type of chronic condition or injury causing them pain. I will help you find exercises for YOU to help you stay healthy, strong, happy and doing the things YOU love.

Stretch and Strengthen Your Hips!

Hip pain can come from a variety of causes. If you live with this, you know how frustrating it is. It is made even more frustrating when you try to strengthen your muscles, become healthier, make steps in the right direction but every workout program you try ends up leaving you in worse pain one or two days later!

I hear you.

You do not need to be held back by hip pain! You deserve a program that is meant for you. On days that your pain is naturally worse, please take it easy on your hip flexors. On a day that you feel ready for leg exercises, try one similar to the circuit I’ve created below. The circuit below will both stretch and strengthen your hips but won’t cause you pain in a day or days following!

Of course, please always consult your physician if you have any questions or hesitations.

Lower Body Circuit 1

By Emily Langlois

Do 12 Repetitions for Each Exercise. Repeat.

Bridge

1. Lay on your back on your mat or padded floor
2. Knees should be bent, feet hip width apart
3. Push through your heels and draw in your core
4. Lift your hips off the floor, keeping your back in a straight line
5. Slowly lower back down to the ground
6. Repeat

 

Side Step

1. Stand with your feet together and squat to a 45 degree angle or halfway down to a chair
2. Step with your right foot out and step again
3. Now step with your left foot and left again
4. Repeat

Seated Leg Extension

1. Start in a seated position
2. Plant your left leg on the ground
3. Kick your right leg out parallel to the ground
4. Bring down to the ground
5. Repeat a full sent on this side
6. Switch to other side

 

 

 

Partial Squat

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart.
2. Sit back in your legs about 45 degrees or halfway down towards a chair.
3. Hold for 15 seconds.
4. Stand.
5. Repeat.

 

 

Calf Raise

1. Stand Facing the tall side of the chair holding the chair for support if needed.
2. Raise up on to your toes, keeping your heels off the ground.
3. Lower heels to the ground.
4. Repeat.

Bird Dog

1. Start on the ground with your hands and feet on the ground.
2. Wrists should be directly under shoulders, knees under your hips, hip width apart
3. Draw in your core and slowly raise your right leg back to the sky
4. If you feel stable, lift your left arm up to reach parallel to the ground
5. Lower your arm and leg to the ground
6. Repeat lifting your left leg and right arm

Seated Hip Stretch

1. Sit tall in a stable chair
2. Extend your right foot out to 45 degree angle, keeping the knee behind the toe
3. Extend the left leg straight back behind you
4. For more of a stretch, fold your upper body down towards the ground

 

For questions or to learn more about Online Personal Training with Emily, please complete the quick form below or visit FITonYourTime.com.

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Stay Healthy. Stay Strong. Stay Happy. Stay YOU!

About the Author:

Emily Langlois is an Online Personal Trainer specializing in custom workouts to fit YOU. Your current pains, age, time limits or other responsibilities can no longer hold you back! You have a workout program designed for YOU to fit in YOUR life.

I work with a variety of clients with the majority of them over 50 and/or have some type of chronic condition or injury causing them pain. I will help you find exercises for YOU to help you stay healthy, strong, happy and doing the things YOU love.

 

Work Your Core Without Low Back Pain

Low back pain can come from a variety of causes. If you live with this, you know how painful it is. It is made even more frustrating when you try to strengthen your core, become healthier, make steps in the right direction but every workout program you try ends up leaving you in worse pain the next day.

I hear you. I too used to suffer from low back pain since I was a young teenager. My spine is too far forward and sits too far to one side causing me severe pain down through my leg. Exercising takes away the pain because moving my back looses the tight muscles. Over-exercise or work the wrong muscles, however, and you’re back on your back – no pun intended.

You do not need to be held back by your pain! You deserve a workout program that is meant for you. One that will strengthen you and help you reach your goals and won’t leave you feeling worse than before.  The circuit below will strengthen your core including the muscles supporting your low back.

Of course, please always consult your physician if you have any questions or hesitations.

Core Circuit 1

By Emily Langlois

Bridge

1. Lay on your back on your mat or padded floor
2. Knees should be bent, feet hip width apart
3. Push through your heels and draw in your core
4. Lift your hips off the floor, keeping your back in a straight line
5. Slowly lower back down to the ground
6. Repeat

 

 

Plank

1. Place your wrists on the ground under your shoulders
2. Start with your knees on the ground and as you become stronger and ready —
3. Lift your knees up from the ground drawing in your core keeping your back in a straight line
4. Hold for 15 – 30 seconds

 

 

 

Side Plank

1. Lay on your right side
2. Place your right wrist on the ground in line
3. Push up through your right wrist and up to your shoulder keeping your shoulder, wrist and elbow in a straight line
4. Lift your hips off the ground to create a straight line with your body
   1. If needed to start, keep your right knee on the ground, still lifting up through the hips

 

Plank V up

1. Start in the Plank position from above
2. Walk your feet in under your hips, drawing in your core and squeezing the low belly
3. Hold for 2 seconds
4. Walk your feet back out to a high plank
5. Repeat

 

 

Knee In

1. Start in a seated position at the front of a solid chair
2. Sit tall, bringing your shoulders back
3. Draw in your core
4. Using your low belly bring your right knee in towards you
5. Place the right foot back on the ground
6. Lift the left knee towards you
7. Repeat

 

Bird Dog

1. Start on the ground with your hands and feet on the ground.
2. Wrists should be directly under shoulders, knees under your hips, hip width apart
3. Draw in your core and slowly raise your right leg back to the sky
4. If you feel stable, lift your left arm up to reach parallel to the ground
5. Lower your arm and leg to the ground
6. Repeat lifting your left leg and right arm

 

 

 

 

Cobra

1. Lay on a mat with your front side down on the ground, arms beside you on the mat
2. Squeeze in through the core and lift your head, neck and shoulders off the ground
3. Hold as you lift through the whole upper body, strengthening your low back
   1. NOTE: Be sure not to collapse in your low back but think to lift everything up

If you have questions or would like information about Online Personal Training, please complete the form below or visit FITonYourTime.com

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Stay Healthy. Stay Strong. Stay Happy. Stay YOU!

About the Author:

Emily Langlois is an Online Personal Trainer specializing in custom workouts to fit YOU. Your current pains, age, time limits or other responsibilities can no longer hold you back! You have a workout program designed for YOU to fit in YOUR life.

 I work with a variety of clients with the majority of them over 50 and/or have some type of chronic condition or injury causing them pain. I will help you find exercises for YOU to help you stay healthy, strong, happy and doing the things YOU love.

Strengthen Your Legs Without Pain In Your Knee

Knee pain can come from a variety of causes. If you live with this, you know how frustrating it is. It is made even more frustrating when you try to strengthen your muscles, become healthier, make steps in the right direction but every workout program you try ends up leaving you in worse pain one or two days later!

I hear you.

You do not need to be held back by knee pain! You deserve a program that is meant for you. On days that your pain is naturally worse, please take it easy on the legs. On a day that you feel ready for a leg workout, try one similar to the circuit I’ve created below. The circuit below will strengthen your legs, including the muscles around your knees but won’t cause you pain in a day or days following!

Of course, please always consult your physician if you have any questions or hesitations.

Lower Body Circuit 1

By Emily Langlois

Note: When squatting, please be sure to ALWAYS keep your knee BEHIND your toes. This will engage your leg muscles and avoid putting too much pressure on the knee.

Do 12 Repetitions for Each Exercise. Repeat.

1. Partial Squat
   1. Stand with your feet hip width apart.
   2. Sit back in your legs about 45 degrees or halfway down towards a chair.
   3. Hold for 15 seconds.
   4. Stand.
   5. Repeat.

 

1. Calf Raise
   1. Stand Facing the tall side of the chair holding the chair for support if needed.
   2. Raise up on to your toes, keeping your heels off the ground.
   3. Lower heels to the ground.
   4. Repeat.

1. One Leg Raise and Extend
   1. Stand to the right side of the chair and plant through your left foot.
   2. Raise your right leg to hip height
   3. Extend the right leg out parrel to the ground and hold
   4. Hold the right leg out, working to keep hip height for 30 seconds.
   5. Bring the leg in and then down
   6. Repeat other side

 

1. Up and Over
   1. Plant through your left foot
   2. Raise your right knee up to hip height
   3. Lower your right foot down over your left foot
   4. Raise the right foot back up bending the knee as it crosses hip height
   5. Plant the right foot back down to the ground
   6. Repeat with your left, crossing up and over your right.

1. Sit and Stand
   1. Start sitting in a chair
   2. Plant your feet firmly on the ground
   3. Stand
   4. Squat down, barely tapping the chair (not sitting all the way back down)
   5. And stand again
   6. Repeat

1. Step, Squat and Throw
   1. Grab a partner for this exercise! If a partner isn’t available, remove the throw and use a light weight instead of a ball.
   2. Stand tall with shoulders back, drawing in the core and holding a ball (or light weight)
   3. Take a large step to the right
   4. Squat into your heels, sitting back, keeping your knees behind your toes
   5. Toss the ball or stand with the light weight
   6. Standing, take a step now to the left
   7. Repeat

If you have questions, would like more workouts or have questions about Online Personal Training with Emily, please complete the form below or visit FITonYourTime.com

 

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Stay Healthy. Stay Strong. Stay Happy. Stay YOU!

About the Author:

Emily Langlois is an Online Personal Trainer specializing in custom workouts to fit YOU. Your current pains, age, time limits or other responsibilities can no longer hold you back! You have a workout program designed for YOU to fit in YOUR life.

I work with a variety of clients, the majority of them over 50 and/or have some type of chronic condition or injury which can cause them pain. I will help you find exercises for YOU to help you stay healthy, strong, happy and doing the things YOU love.

 

How Often Should I Work My Abs?

When you see a “fit” person, we always look to their stomach first, right? The vast majority of my clients measure their success on their waistline, ab definition, flatness of their stomach or some version of this. So of course, if the area we want the best results in is our abs, how often should we do ab exercises to see results?

A false myth is thinking you need to work your core every day in order to see results. Do you work other areas every day? Imagine 5 leg days in a row. Who wants to do that?!

Like any other muscle, you must give it rest in order for it to grow and recover. The magic is in both completing effective core exercises with proper form but ALSO giving it enough time to rest so you prevent injury, can work hard the next day and give the muscle time to grow during the recovery phase.

I recommend to clients looking to shred their midsection to complete full ab workouts no more than 3 times per week. Make sure these workouts are effective, reaching every muscle of your core and trust me, you will be begging for the rest days in between! Quicker than you think, you will start to see results. I also recommend completing Total Body Conditioning workouts if you are looking to see definition in your abs. Total Body workouts require you to use your upper and lower body at the same time. Thus, activating your core for stabilization. You won’t realize your working your core until the end when it is thanking you!

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Burn More Calories During the Day

Exercising for 30- 60 minutes a day will do wonders for your body. But if you think about it, that is just a small percentage of your day! If during the other 23 hours, you sit in a chair or lay on a couch, you are missing huge opportunities to see even bigger results. Here are a few easy ways to incorporate a little extra exercise throughout the day:

1. Park further away everywhere you go

2. Stand every 30 minutes

3. Use a restroom further away from your desk at work

4. Take the stairs instead of the elevator

5. While watching TV, use commercials to stand and/or do squats or crunches

6. If you are going to a store, walk the whole store

7. During your lunch break, walk a lap around your building

8. Have to walk your dog? Take him for an extra block – He’ll enjoy it too!

Do you have other ideas?

How Often Should I Eat?

There is a common misconception that the key to loosing weight is eating less. No! It is about fueling your body with the food that it needs and when it needs it! I will talk about what KINDS of foods you should be eating in another article but for the purpose of this dialog, I want to talk about how OFTEN you should eat.

We’ve all been at that place where we realize it’s been too long since we’ve eaten and we are STARVING. Visualize it. What happens? We tend to eat too much and not care what we eat. Anything in sight is up for grabs, the more carbs and sugar, the better. Our blood sugar has dropped too low for us to care; we have zero energy and just want food, right?

To prevent our blood sugar from dropping too low and to keep our metabolism going, we should be eating every 2-3 hours or approximately 5 times per day. This includes breakfast (never, ever skip breakfast), snack, lunch, snack and dinner.

Breakfast is what gets your body running in the morning. It provides the fuel that your body needs to start your day, improve your focus and start your metabolism.

By eating every few hours throughout the day, you avoid becoming overly hungry and are more likely to choose healthy, balanced foods.

You may choose to eat 5 small meals a day, or 3 meals and 2 snacks. How you divide your caloric intake throughout the day is about what works for you. You may also want to consider when you exercise to base your eating schedule appropriately around that time allowing for a pre and post-workout snack if needed.

The key is, don’t starve yourself! Eat every few hours to provide your body with the energy it needs to keep you functioning at your highest potential.

How to Stay Healthy on the Weekends

Weekends are our vacation days. Our time to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. It doesn’t have to mean Splurge days though or completely wasting away all of the hard work you’ve put in throughout the week to eat healthy and exercise! Here are easy ways to stay healthy and still enjoy yourself this weekend!

1. Plan. Plan. Plan.

If you know you’re going to be out all day, bring snacks! Don’t leave yourself to become overly hungry and therefore accepting any poor choice or fast food. Grab an apple, almonds, whole wheat crackers, a protein shake… A balanced snack will keep you going and better yet, stop the hangry 🙂

2. Eat a small meal or snack before going out to eat.

Sounds weird right, eat twice? Yes! We all know how long it takes to actually eat when you go out to a restuarant – you have to drive there, wait for a table, wait to order, wait for the food. You will be STARVING by the time you actually eat and subsequently you’ll be more likely to overeat. OR you will find yourself filling up on the chips/bread. Not good either. Save yourself and eat a balanced snack before you leave the house!

3. Let’s piggyback off of #2: say no to the chips and bread! Don’t even have them come to the table. You went out for good food, don’t full up on things you have at home!

4. Split a meal with someone. The portions at restaurants are HUGE. Add in the sides, salad and any appetizer, you are easily looking at a few meals worth if portions! So share a meal with a friend! Not only will this bring your portions back to size for you, you’ll also be saving money. Two goals achieved!

5. Dance more (or at least walk around!)

Burn some calories and you’ll be less likely to chug the drink at your table too!

6. Skip the mixers.

All of the soda, juice and extras are adding calories you didn’t even realize to each of your drinks. Need an easy way to add flavor? Bring a Mio or other flavor adder that as zero calories! Try it, you might like it.

7. Be the first to order.

You will be less likely to switch your healthy choice plan for the better sounding burger if you place your order first! Stick to your plan and you won’t regret it!

8. Drink your water!!!

Trust me, you will thank me tomorrow 🙂

9. Know the facts: with alcohol you will consume AT LEAST 11% more food than you would without alcohol. Alcohol actually triggers your mind to eat more than you need/normally would have. Understand this and be ready to tell yourself to stop well before you’re full. We’ve all had that late-night food run. Be ware!

10. Love yourself. You deserve to have fun and enjoy a splurge here and there. So give yourself a break and have the dessert. Eat a few french fries. Just get back on track tomorrow and don’t loose sight of your bigger goal.

Lose Weight While Watching TV

We all have those favorite shows that we HAVE to watch. I get it! But don’t let that stop you from burning calories and achieving your goals. You can do both!

During commercials, do this circuit:

30 sec jog

30 sec high knees

30 sec push ups

30 sec squats

30 sec bicycles

30 sec russian twists

Do this during every commercial break. You will feel better, more awake and make healthier snacking choices.