How to Jump Rope Like A Pro

How to Jump Rope Like A Pro

The jump rope can be a great cardio exercise if you know how to jump rope properly. Not only does jumping rope help you burn a ton of calories and improve your speed and quickness, it’s also cheap and you can do it just about anywhere!


1) Jump on the Balls of your feet
When you jump rope, try to softly jump up and down on the balls on your feet. Your heels should never touch the ground, which is one reason why jumping rope is a serious calves workout!


2) Don’t Jump too High, Relax
If you’re trying to get in a rhythm and jump rope for more than 30 seconds without burning yourself out, keep your jumps as small as possible without tying up the jump rope.


3) Don’t Swing your Arms/Shoulders too Much
Jumping rope is all in the wrists. Jumping rope effectively is all about the efficiency of the revolutions. If you are using your arms and shoulders while jumping very high, jumping rope becomes a VERY difficult cardio activity. Just use your wrists in a circular motion.


4) Use the Correct Rope Length
The jump rope by putting it under your feet, the handles should reach your sternum. Much higher, or lower will affect the rhythm and make jumping rope much harder. The jump rope should tick the ground each revolution, which also makes it easier to count reps and get in a rhythm.


5) Hands Slightly Above Waistline
Hand position is important and this is also dependent on the length of the rope you have. Your arms should be comfortably bent, hands placed about a foot from your sides and about waist level.


6) Get in a Rhythm
Getting in a rhythm can make jumping rope easier and more fun. I like to complete a certain number of revolutions, or reps in a certain amount of time, let’s say a pace of roughly 150 reps per 60 seconds. It’s really up to you what feels comfortable and what type of workout you are doing.

7) Contact Zone
Carpet will make your rope bounce, there's no way around it, you have to jump higher than normal if you are on carpet. Each surface type has it's own characteristics and you should be aware of them before you get out there and strut your stuff.

If you have a choice in surfaces, a suspended wood floor is the best for your joints, plus it can give you some extra bounce in case you want to get up really high. Try to avoid concrete if possible since it will wear you out faster, it's also not good on your knees.


8) Practice makes permanent
This is by far the most important tip of all!

First, start out with the rope behind you, then:
a) Do one jump rope rep then stop
b) Do two jump rope reps, then stop
c) Keep on going

This progressive strategy helps prevent, or unlearn the dreaded “double hop”, which is when you hop twice in between every revolution. It’s really just a matter of putting in the practice, next thing you know, you’re jumping rope like a pro!

Stay Fit. Stay Classy. Stay True

Jenna

References: http://www.jumprm.com/fitness/?article=1

The Best Sources of Protein for Vegeterians

The Best Sources of Protein for Vegeterians

Vegeterians often hear from their flesh-eating friends that they're not getting enough protein! This has been a growing topic of conversation in my family as we have a lot more vegans/vegeterians than we used to! There is even a chance that the average vegetarian can consume more protein than necessary! I am here to debunk this myth (you're welcome sissy).

Milk and Eggs

The term "vegetarian" typically refers to people who refrain from eating meat, chicken and fish, but do eat milk and eggs. Both milk and eggs are excellent sources of complete protein. One large egg contains about 6 g protein. A glass of milk contains 8 g protein. One ounce of cheese -- such as mozzarella, Swiss or cheddar -- contains about 7 g protein. Four glasses of milk a day can provide the entire daily requirement of protein for a growing child.

Legumes

Soybeans, unlike most foods from plant sources, are a complete protein. Half a cup of firm tofu contains about 20 g protein. Half a cup of tempeh contains 15 g, while a cup of soy milk contains 8 g protein. One cup of Lima beans contain 10 g protein. One cup of baked beans contains 12 g. Kidney and pinto beans contain even higher amounts --- about 15 g per cup. A cup of split peas provides over 16 g protein.

Grains

Grains are incomplete proteins, but when combined with foods, such as beans, they provide a good source of complete protein. Whole grains contain more protein than processed white grains. A cup of cooked brown rice contains 5 g, and the same amount of white rice contains about 4 g. One cup of cooked bulgur contain 6 g protein. A cup of quinoa provides 9 g protein.

*Grains and legumes don't have to be consumed together; as long as you eat both on the same day, your body can combine their amino acids to complete proteins.

SeitanSeitan is prepared from the protein-rich gluten of wheat flour and serves as an apt alternative for meat sources of protein and also a relief for people suffering from soy allergies. A single serving of white wave seitan gives you about 18 grams of protein and proves to be richer source of protein than milk.

Flaxseed
You could gain around 31 grams of protein on eating one cup of flaxseed.

Vegetables
There are many vegetables that form healthy protein sources. Some of the vegetables rich in proteins have been listed below.

• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Artichokes
• Lettuce
• Turnip greens
• Eggplant
• Brussels sprouts
• Beets
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Green pepper
• Spinach
• Green peas etc are some of them.

Fruits
Fruits have always been promoted as a good source of protein. Orange, pineapple, tangerine, apple, grapefruit etc are some of those fruits, that can form a part of your protein rich diet.



References:

 http://www.livestrong.com/article/347476-the-best-sources-of-protein-for-vegeterians/#ixzz27am6ZC2d

How To Stop Overeating at Night

How To Stop Overeating at Night

How many times have you gone all day, sticking to your diet, and then you blew it by overeating at night? I think we have all done it at one point or another!! At night, the body actually needs less food than at other times of the day since it is metabolically less active. We will look into some ways to help prevent the nighttime eating!

Eat a healthy breakfast:

Start your day with a healthy breakfast. If you don't eat breakfast your body struggles to maintain the sugar levels in your blood, making you crave for candies and sweets. Without breakfast, you are less likely to make healthy choices or might skip other meals, making you more vulnerable to overeat later at night.

Eat regular meals:

In order to keep your blood glucose within normal levels and avoid fluctuations in your insulin response, you should consume small and regular meals through the day. If you don't have a balanced diet and you only eat at the end of the day, you will feel ravenously hungry creating conditions that lead to overeating at night: your body is attempting to compensate for all the energy it lost during the day. Try not to go more than 3 or 4 hours without eating something.

Emotional Eating:

Avoid emotional eating or eating to cope with stress. Many times stress leads to overeating at night. Cope with stress in healthy ways that don't involve food, i.e. exercise.

Adjust Your Diet:

If you’re eating a lot of simple carbs as part of your diet like white rice, crackers, popped corn, and other fake sugars, sometimes they can cause real cravings. Try to avoid simple carbs in favor of whole veggie or whole fruit carbs that have fiber, which will fill you up. Add protein whenever possible.

Drink Something:

Hot tea with honey or warm water with lemon can help you feel as if you’re indulging when you’re really not.

Get Rid of Junk:

It’s called “junk” food for a reason, it’s not even food. Why keep it in the house when you know how the aftermath will feel?

Brush Your Teeth:

Anytime you feel the urge to indulge, try brushing your teeth. The toothpaste will give you a nice flavor in your mouth and will satisfy the idea hunger.

Go to Bed:

If it’s close to your normal bedtime, just go to bed. You are likely eating because you are tired!

Stay Fit. Stay Classy. Stay True

Jenna

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/357357-help-to-stop-overeating-at-night/#ixzz27JnSXEMU

Health Benefits of Red Wine

Health Benefits of Red Wine

Current research suggests that a glass of red wine each day may be providing you with more than just a little relaxation. Lets take a look at some of the positives and negatives of red wine!

The positive side of wine: 

Sleep: New research shows that red wine, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, and Merlot, contains melatonin. Melatonin regulates the body clock, so drinking a glass of red wine before bed may help you sleep. Melatonin is also an anti-oxidant, which means it also has anti-aging and cancer preventative properties.

Longevity: A compound in red wine called resveratrol has been shown to increase lifespan in animal studies.

Brain Health: Resveratrol has been shown to protect against Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Researchers found that resveratrol, a red wine polyphenol, produces neuroprotective effects.

Heart Health: Red wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart and cardiovascular disease thanks to the resveratrol and other anti-oxidants it contains. Scientists believe the red wine reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing production of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and boosting high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

Lung Cancer: Researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain found that each glass of red wine per day reduced the risk of lung cancer by 13%. Acute smoking significantly impairs vessels' natural ability to relax, or vasodilate. Red wine, with or without alcohol, decreases the harmful effect of smoking on the endothelium - layer of cells that provide a friction-reducing lining in lymph vessels, blood vessels, and the heart.

Prostate Cancer Four or more glasses of red wine per week has been shown to reduce men's overall risk of prostate cancer by 50% and the risk of the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer by 60%.

Breast Cancer: Moderate consumption of red wine is believed to lower the risk of breast cancer. However, drinking more than 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per day appears to increase the risk of breast cancer in women, so moderation is key.

Colds: Researchers in Spain found that people who drank more than two glasses of red wine per day have 44% fewer colds than people who abstained.

Inflammation: Resveratrol has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which helps overall physical health since many diseases and ailments can be attributed to inflammation.

Cholesterol: Resveratrol has been found in studies to lower LDL cholesterol, while another ingredient in red wine, saponins, also have cholesterol lowering properties.

Blood clots: Red wine produces anticlotting, or antithrombotic, action. Light to moderate consumers of wine have lower levels of protein fibrinogen which promotes blood clot formation.

Kidney stones: Red wine intake reduces the risk of kidney stone formation.

Atherosclerosis: Red wine may prevent the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Atherosclerosis starts when blood vessels begin to lose their ability to relax. Both the alcohol and polyphenols in the red wine appear to favorably maintain healthy blood vessels by promoting the formation of nitric oxide (NO), the key chemical relaxing factor that plays an important role in the regulation of vascular tone.

The negative side of wine:

Wine, however, is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine, so it’s vital you seek the advice of your personal physician. 

Here’s a few things to know:

• High Triglycerides: One downside to wine consumption is that it can elevate triglyceride levels, which is associated with health problems such as diabetes.  Those who already have high triglycerides should, therefore, avoid or dramatically limit their wine (and alcohol) consumption. 

• Migraines: Wine is often a big trigger for people who suffer with migraine headaches. Although white wine contains more sulfites than red wine (sulfites are added to white wine to preserve its light color), red wine seems to be a much bigger migraine trigger. That’s probably due to the accumulation of histamines and tannins from prolonged contact with the skin. 

• Weight Gain: People who drink alcohol also consume empty calories, calories that lack nutrients and can lead to weight gain. Five ounces white or red wine = approximately 120 calories.  Drink a bottle of wine (4 glasses), and you’ll be consuming about 480 calories (that’s the equivalent of two 20-ounce Cokes!).

Stay Fit. Stay Classy. Stay True

Jenna

References:

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/01/8-straight-benefits-of-red-wine.html

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-red-wine.html

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21478144/ns/today-today_health/t/wine-good-you/#.UFx4ibKPVIE

What Does the Dead Lift Work?

 

Back and Shoulders

When you maintain the proper form for a dead lift, your back and shoulders support the weight of the dumbbell/barbell/kettlebell, not your arms. As you move the weights, your shoulder blades squeeze together for an effective back and shoulder workout. Note that by keeping your back flat, you'll isolate the back muscles so they become fatigued, but not sore.

Quadriceps

As you bend your legs to perform a dead lift, you'll press down into your quads in order to stabilize yourself and bring the weights upward. As long as you maintain a squat position as though you were about to sit in a chair, your quads will get an effective workout.

Glutes and Hips

When you complete a dead lift, your hips and glutes should be stable and shouldn't move. Still, you'll need to flex your glutes in order to create balance and help propel the upward motion. The deeper your squat as part of your technique, the better the glute isolation will be.

Core

When completing a dead lift, all those muscle groups must be engaged in order to support your body as you lift the weights upward. This can help you get more out of your workout by strengthening your core along with your glutes, back and quads.

Technique

To perform the dead lift, start with your feet under the bar, spaced roughly shoulder-width apart. Squat down with your back straight and arms extended downward. Once your hands reach the bar, grab onto it with a shoulder-width grip. Stand straight up, looking forward, and pull your shoulders back slightly once you reach the top of the movement. Put the bar down the same way you lifted it up; repeat.

Stay Fit. Stay Classy. Stay True

Jenna

References:

 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson101.htm

 

 http://www.livestrong.com/article/437397-what-does-the-dead-lift-work/#ixzz26vh0PqMc

 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/533099-what-does-the-deadlift-work-out/#ixzz26viLGVnX

What Are You Grateful For?

What Are You Grateful For?

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more.
If you concentrate on what you don't have,
you will never, ever have enough." 

Oprah Winfrey

A couple months ago I read a blog on things you are grateful for in which the writer advised the readers to go through an exercise where they listed the things they were grateful for. I haven't forgotten this blog post. I literally go through this exercise almost on a daily basis in my head. I have a lot to be grateful for in my life and I like to constantly remind myself that the little struggles really don't matter.

The exercise is:

Whenever you feel down or worry too much, sit down in a quiet place, take a pen and piece of paper and start writing. Write for at least 15 minutes all the things that you are thankful for. Write down whatever comes to your mind. Be very specific with all the details. Do not think the list is too long!

Do not pay attention to the grammar or style. Just express your thankfulness. When you finish writing, read over the things you just wrote. Read aloud!

Whenever you are writing something on paper about yourself, you are sending messages to your subconscious. Your subconscious will accept whatever you are saying to yourself, without checking or arguing with you!

By giving uplifting, positive thoughts to your subconscious, you will produce  "positive energy." With positive energy in your mind you will be able to think differently. By changing your attitude, you will find many other ways to solve your problems and overcome obstacles. Your mind will become clear and be ready to give you new ideas on what to do. You will gain new motivation and meaning.

Gratitude is a mind state that leads to happiness and contentment. So, it’s good to walk through life with a grateful heart. We can get caught up in negative emotions, like resentment or anger. But such emotions are destructive and painful for you as well as for others.

Here is a list of things I am grateful for in my life (Top 5)?:

1. Family- They have given me everything I have ever needed and they continue to support me with anything I choose to do. 

2. Friends- They have provided me so much happiness and inspiration.

3. Health- To be pain free, healthy, and strong is a blessing.

4. Educators- The ability to be back in school for something I am truly passionate about is a an incredible experience. I cannot thank my teachers (from both work & school) for providing the proper guidance and pushing me that extra inch.

5. The ability to grow- It's not always easy to face your faults. It takes a lot of courage to recognize who you really are. This is a beautiful process. =)

Feel free to share the things you are grateful for in the comments section!

Stay Fit. Stay Classy. Stay True.

Jenna

Cappuccino Blast Protein Shake Recipe

Cappuccino Blast Protein Shake Recipe

 

Ingrdients:

• 1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder (I used DotFit Protein Powder)
• 3/4 cup coffee
• 1/4 cup of cappuccino flavored soy milk (I used WestSoy brand)
• Ice

Directions:

• Place all ingredients into Magic Bullet (my preference) or Food Processor.
• Enjoy! =)

 

Stay Fit. Stay Classy. Stay True

Jenna

Is it Better to Take Vitamins at Night or Morning?

Is it Better to Take Vitamins at Night or Morning?

When Your Metabolism Is at Its Best

You should take vitamins when your metabolism is most efficient. For most people, this is not in the morning. When you awaken from a long night's sleep, having gone without food since your previous night's dinner, your metabolism is relatively slow. The food you eat at breakfast gives you a metabolic boost, which prepares you for digestion later in the day but is not typically sufficient to reach your peak metabolic level.

Taking Vitamins With Food

The labels on many daily vitamin supplements suggest that you take them with meals. You should not take vitamins and minerals in the morning on an empty stomach due to poor absorption and the frequent nausea that accompanies them.

Some meals, such as a typical breakfast, may not be enough for you to absorb the greatest possible amount of nutrients, so take your vitamin supplements with a larger meal (for many people, dinner is larger than breakfast or lunch, so plan to take your vitamins with food in the evening).

Taking these nutrients at certain times of day or night can make them more effective for overall health.

Taking individual vitamins instead of a multi-vitamin

Step 1

Take B vitamins in the morning or early afternoon. B-complex vitamins and individual B vitamins such as B-3, B-5, B-6 and B-12 are important for metabolism, red blood cell production, oxygen transport and energy production in the body. Take a B complex vitamin or any of the individual B vitamins earlier in the day as they increase energy and reduce tiredness and fatigue. Do not take them in the evening or at night, as they may interfere with restful sleep.

Step 2

Consume fat-soluble essential vitamins D, E, A and K with your supper or dinner at night. This meal commonly contains both fats and proteins, which are necessary for the absorption of these nutrients. These vitamins can be safely taken in the evening or at night, as they will not deter sleep.

Step 3

Take vitamin C supplements in the morning. This antioxidant nutrient helps to absorb iron for increased red blood cell production. Eat an iron-rich breakfast containing eggs or fortified cereal along with this vitamin for more effective nutrient absorption. Vitamin C also increases blood and oxygen circulation and energy levels for a good start to the day.

Tips and Warnings

• It is best to take individual vitamins instead of a multi-vitamin in order to take specific nutrients at certain times of the day and with certain foods if necessary.
• Use a weekly supplement organizer that contains three chambers per day to separate vitamins to be taken in the morning, afternoon and evening (they have a good one at The Container Store)
• Excesses of some vitamins can be toxic to your health; do not take more than the recommended dosages and consult your doctor before beginning a supplement regimen.
• Supplements cannot replace a balanced lifestyle; take vitamins in conjunction with a balanced diet and regular exercise for the best nutrient absorption and overall health.

Stay Fit. Stay Classy. Stay True

Jenna

*Special thanks to my client Christina for inspiring this article*

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/499569-vitamins-in-the-morning-or-evening/#ixzz25nUyQbSS

http://www.drozfans.com/ask-dr-oz/dr-oz-when-is-the-best-time-of-day-to-take-vitamins/?utm_source=REFERENCES_R7

http://www.livestrong.com/article/307215-is-it-better-to-take-vitamins-at-night-or-morning/#ixzz25nVeuBtx

http://www.livestrong.com/article/397092-how-to-take-vitamins-in-the-morning-or-the-night/#ixzz25nWIv1wJ