15-Minute Full-Body Outdoor Workouts for Beginners

As the weather begins to perk up, it might be time to move your workout sessions outside. If you’ve never taken your workouts into the great outdoors, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how outdoor workouts can help break up the monotony of your cold weather fitness plan, especially if you’re a workout newbie. Read on to find out about all the benefits and joys of outdoor workouts for beginners. Spending time in nature brings about many benefits, such as diminishing stress and anxiety, improving gut health and generally boosting mood and well-being. Combine these health gains with the extensive perks of exercise—which include improved longevity and cognition and a decreased risk for disease—and you may never want to step foot inside a gym again. If you’re sold on the benefits, but not quite sure where to start with your outdoor workout, keep reading. There are very simple, yet fun, exercises that you can do outside without any equipment and at any fitness level. Grab a towel, some sunscreen and a pair of headphones and head to your backyard, beach or local park for a beginner’s workout that will work all of your major muscle groups and leave you feeling strong and happy. RELATED: 5 Important Reasons to Exercise That Have Nothing to Do With Weight Loss 15-Minute Full-Body Outdoor Workouts For Beginners This is a short, full-body workout that integrates both cardiovascular and strength training without equipment, which means you can do it almost anywhere. You can perform these exercises on their own or in a series. As always, it is important to check with your physician before starting any exercise program. If you feel sharp pain or lightheadedness while exercising, stop and check in with your MD or DO. If anything feels too difficult, you can simplify the workout by cutting back on reps (number of times you perform each exercise) or making modifications as outlined below. Lastly, before you get started, make sure to hydrate, especially during the warmer months, and fuel your body with wholesome foods both before and after your workout. RELATED: Morning vs. Evening Workouts This workout includes approximately 5 minutes for warmup and approximately 10 minutes to cycle through the exercises for a 15-minute workout. You can repeat the sequence up to 4 times. Why Warm Up? Warming up increases blood flow to your muscles, which helps prepare your body for exercise and prevents injuries. You should warm up for 5-10 minutes. This can include movements such as jogging or marching in place, walking lunges, standing windmills and yoga. Consider starting your warmup with five fast-paced sun salutations, which increase blood flow to the whole body, connect you to your breath and give you the opportunity to express gratitude for your natural surroundings—what a blessing to be outside moving your body! The Best Outdoor Ab Exercises Often overlooked because it’s viewed as either challenging or boring, core work is the foundation of all movement, including motions that you do on a daily basis such as walking, lifting and sitting. Taking time to focus on strengthening your inner and outer core can help you feel stronger in your day-to-day life, become less susceptible to injury and improve your posture. Let’s get moving! Dead Bug Perhaps appropriately named for an exercise you perform while lying in the grass, dead bug works a variety of abdominal muscles. This includes the lesser-worked inner core muscles, such as the transverse abdominis and pelvic floor muscles. These muscles help stabilize your spine and are key for pain and injury prevention. How to perform dead bug: 1. Start lying on the ground with your legs in the air, knees bent at a 90-degree angle with your shins parallel to the ground. 2. Extend your arms up towards the sky. Keeping your lower back pressed gently into the ground, extend your right leg forward so that it is hovering over the ground. At the same time, extend your left arm straight behind you so that it is hovering above the ground as well. 3. Come back to center and repeat the exercise with the opposite leg and arm. For the outdoor workout for beginners: Perform 10 dead bugs, five on each side. Plank The plank is an exceptional exercise. Not only does it work your inner and outer core muscles through isometric contraction (contracting your muscles without moving), it also works muscles in your arms, back and legs. Plus, you only need to perform a plank for under a minute, and you can do it anywhere, including during your outdoor workout. How to perform a plank: 1. Lower yourself down to the ground in a prone position. Make sure your feet are together and your elbows are under your shoulders. 2. Engage the glutes, and rise onto your toes. 3. Lift your hips up. You want your body to be parallel to the ground. Make sure your tush is not too high (you won’t be activating the core properly), nor too low (this puts too much strain on your lower back). 4. As you hold the position, feel that you are wrapping your transverse abdominis (inner core muscles) in a corset around your core. Think about actively driving your elbows toward your toes and keeping your body in a straight line. Beginner tip: If you are recently postpartum or have a back injury or pain, it might not be the right time for a plank. Rather, stick to inner core exercises until your strength returns. For the outdoor workout for beginners: Start by holding your plank for 30 seconds and work your way up to 60 seconds. RELATED: How to Do a Perfect Plank Outdoor Leg Exercises Without Equipment Squats Squats are the queen of do-it-anywhere leg exercises. They are one of the best, and simplest, workouts for your glutes and quadriceps. Working the glutes to strengthen them is important for many people who do not work out often since weakness in this area can cause lower back pain. How to

The Evolution of Fitness: 10 Killer Trends We’re Trying in 2022

It’s hard to talk about anything these days without mentioning the impact COVID-19 has had on all aspects of our lives, including the way we approach fitness. With traditional gyms faced with challenging restrictions, many facilities have had to pivot to meet safety guidelines while continuing to deliver the workout experience members expect. It hasn’t been easy for any of us, but in the name of health, wellness, and getting our fitness on, we (lovers of a nutritious and healthy lifestyle) continue to find hacks for incorporating exercise into our “new normal.” Here are some of the hottest new and evolving trends in the fitness world, including: The equipment and tech that helps us get it done, the gear we wear to sweat it out, and the places we choose to roll out our mats, and more. Check out what we believe fitness will look like in 2022 and beyond. Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2022 If anything is certain for 2022, it’s that we’re intent on figuring out how to fit exercise into our ever-changing lifestyles. Sure, we’re busier than ever, but that doesn’t mean we’re willing to sacrifice our health; it only means we’re getting more creative, and more mindful about how we’re moving our bodies. All-in-one approach to fitness Now, more than ever, the fitness industry is approaching exercise in a holistic way—one that results in more than just a fit body. Today, we want to be fit physically, but also mentally. As a result, gyms and other fitness brands have evolved their offerings to include more than just fitness equipment, tech and a space (or app) to help members sweat it out. They’re also integrating nutrition, mindfulness, and accountability into their services, and gym-goers (or app users) are eating it up. Gyms and fitness brands are offering wellness communities and coaching for added inspiration to help members with every aspect of their health and wellness goals. Whether we’re at home or in a gym, we’re working out together and connecting to like-minded individuals who prioritize their health and fitness, and we expect more of the same in 2022. Shorter workouts without sacrificing results While nothing quite trumps the feeling you get after going for a long run, the benefits of shorter, more intense workouts, such as HIIT (high-intensity interval training) are many. Aside from the time savings, you can also burn 25%-30% more calories doing this type of exercise, compared to more moderate-intensity workouts . The ability to get more out of your workouts in less time makes it easier to fit some fitness into even the busiest of schedules, or while traveling. Many HIIT workouts can even be done without any fitness equipment whatsoever, using only bodyweight resistance, which makes them even more accessible. In a world where our schedules are jam-packed and time is of the essence, shorter workouts that can be done from anywhere are here for the foreseeable future. Nature is the best gym What’s better than an intense sweat session? One that can be done with nature as your stunning backdrop! Getting outside for a walk, jog, hike, or bike ride, alone or with a friend–human or canine–combines the best of two worlds. We’re burning calories while breathing in fresh air. And, if you bring your pooch along, then he or she is getting their exercise on, too. More strength training While cardio certainly has its place in our fitness routines, strength training is often misunderstood and underestimated as far as its benefits are concerned. There are so many reasons why strength training and weight lifting are good for your health, and not just if you’re trying to bulk up or win a bodybuilding competition. In fact, if you’re looking to lose weight and keep it off for good, strength training is where it’s at. Adding strength training to your fitness routine helps keep your metabolism functioning at optimal levels, and it can be done with or without weights, making it another popular fitness trend. No boys allowed! No offense, guys, but sometimes women want to work out with only other women. This isn’t a new concept, by any means, but women-only gyms appear to be on the rise again. Perhaps it’s because our bodies are so different from men’s, or that many women feel more comfortable working out with other women. As a result, females are uniting (again!) to lift, sweat and improve their health in the comfort of a girl-gang environment. Stretch it out This one’s sort of surprising, given our focus on shorter workouts, but in the name of efficiency, it makes complete sense. Stretching after a workout helps your body’s muscles to recover, so you can come back again tomorrow and do it all again with minimal soreness. We’re finding that more and more people are prioritizing stretching these days. Even when time is tight, we’re finding ways to fit this crucial aspect of fitness into our routines. Mixing it up (Virtual & Hybrid Workouts) With advances in technology and the ability to work out pretty much anywhere at any time, we’re seeing more and more people opting for virtual and hybrid approaches to fitness. Sometimes you just want to be around other people; we feed off of each other’s energy and get inspiration from seeing others work hard. Other times, we either can’t physically go to the gym, or we just would rather work out alone. And, with all the latest wearable tech and at-home equipment available, it has become a lot easier to choose on any given day, when, where, and how we work out. While Peloton and Mirror exploded during the height of the pandemic, there’s still a place for these smart home gyms, but we’re seeing a return to physical gyms as well. RELATED: The Best Fitness Trackers for Women In fact, 75% of virtual fitness users also go to in-person classes, according to Runrepeat.com. Gyms offering a mix of in-person and virtual workouts are seeing great results, and this trend should

The Real Difference Between Amino Acids and BCAAs—And Which Is Best For You

Think of this topic like one of those nesting dolls. Proteins are the largest doll. More than 10,000 different proteins construct our bodies and play a role in many crucial systemic functions. Your body breaks down protein into many small molecules called amino acids; these are the medium doll. Nine of these amino acids are deemed “essential,” since the body can’t make them on their own and we need to get them through food or supplements. And the smallest doll of all are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are a select subset of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. Read on for the skinny and benefits of both amino acids and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)—plus whether supplements lead to muscle gains (or losses). RELATED: Will Counting Macros Help Me Lose Weight? What are Amino Acids, Exactly? Let’s dial it back to the basics. The calories we consume come from four macronutrients: fat (9 calories per gram), carbohydrates (4 calories per gram), protein (4 calories per gram) and alcohol (7 calories per gram). The protein we eat through dairy, beans, meat, nuts, seeds, soy and more is then broken down by our gastrointestinal tract into amino acids. As a refresher, our bodies can’t manufacture essential amino acids, so they must be obtained from foods or supplement sources. They are crucial to help the body synthesize and build protein. (Every cell in the human body needs protein.) Beyond providing structure to our bodies, amino acids offer energy, aid in digestion, plus play a key role in neurotransmitter messages, hormones and enzymatic cues. The nine essential amino acids include: Methionine Lysine Histidine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Leucine Isoleucine Valine The non-essential amino acids, which can be produced by our bodies irregardless of whether we ingest them through food, include: Alanine Asparagine Aspartic Acid Glutamic Acid Conditionally essential amino acids are typically non-essential, except in times of illness or stress. They include: Arginine (essential for kids, but not adults) Cysteine Glutamine Glycine Proline Serine Tyrosine Each amino acid plays a separate role within the body. For instance, tryptophan aids in serotonin creation to promote high-quality sleep. BCAA 101, and Who Might Benefit From Them The three BCAAs actually do the lion’s share of the work creating 35% of our body’s muscle proteins. In supplemental form, BCAAs are digested and absorbed even quicker than they are through some foods. This is why many athletes and bodybuilders take them in powder form while training, typically as either whey protein or casein protein. They act fast and are metabolized in quick order by skeletal muscles; skipping the liver to head straight into the bloodstream. But while we know BCAAs play a role in the way our bodies create muscle, we don’t definitively know whether supplementing with them leads to strength gains. Research findings on the subject have been contradictory. A 2016 study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology found that, compared to a placebo, those who consumed BCAAs after resistance training noticed quicker repair and recovery while building more muscle. But a recent review of the research found BCAA supplementation alone doesn’t promote muscle growth. One small study showed that the biggest bang for the protein buck came when BCAAs were paired with other essential amino acids. RELATED: Should You Take Branched-Chain Amino Acids if You Want to Get Stronger? Research has also shown that in supplemental form, casein protein as found in many protein powders may be best for athletes in need of a protein boost. Unlike whey (the other milk protein), casein is more slowly digested and provides a sustained release of amino acids. BCAAs can, of course, be obtained through diet. Foods that contain BCAAs include: Meat, poultry, fish Eggs Dairy Nuts and seeds Soy, such as tofu and tempeh Legumes It’s important to note that the majority of Americans already easily exceed our minimum protein intake needs. So with that in mind, and especially since we’re always of a food-first mindset here, if you can cover your protein bases through food, that would be the best route. The Bottom Line Those who are vegan, fasting (ahem, not recommended for these populations) or facing an illness may benefit from additional essential amino acids and BCAAs in supplemental form. Consult with a dietitian before beginning a new supplement, amino acid or otherwise. If you don’t fall into one of those categories, aim to obtain a wide variety of protein within two hours of exercise through sources such as: Grass-fed beef Quinoa Eggs Turkey Yogurt Seafood Cottage cheese Chia seeds Milk Remember, you absolutely *can* overdo it on protein consumption. So spread it out throughout the day in 25- to 30-gram doses, and consult with a nutrition coach or dietitian if you feel like you’re falling short or notice any muscle loss. (Images: Shutterstock)

Five Moves to Increase Core Strength

We’ve all been in a yoga, Pilates, circuit training, or boxing class when the instructor says (over and over), “engage your core muscles.” We immediately clench our tummies (er, hold our breath) and try our best to engage. But are we doing it right? What is this engaging doing exactly? And if I clench hard enough will I get those 6-pack abs?  We’re here to fill you in on the benefits of core training and the top five moves to increase core strength.  What is the core, really?  The core, also known as the “powerhouse” in Pilates, is the foundation for all movement and provides the upper and lower limbs with the power to  execute movement efficiently.  This group of muscles (front, side, and back of your abdomen) is incorporated in almost every movement of the body. When we think of the core, we may just think of the superficial layer which involves the rectus abdominals and external obliques, however there are deeper layers to the core which include the transverse abdominals, internal obliques, multifidus, pelvic floor, and diaphragm.   These muscles play a key role in maintaining strength, mobility of the spine, stabilization of the pelvis, providing internal pressure for biological functions and adding an axis of power for the kinetic chain. We should aim to train the core in all three planes of motion.   Benefits of Core Training  Core training has many benefits. It can improve your posture, balance, and help you gain greater coordination when training regularly. It will also help you execute exercises confidently and ultimately improve your athletic ability.  Sadly, many of us have become highly sedentary, so certain core muscles may have become inactive. If our core muscles become too inactive, they’re unresponsive when we need them (like bending down to pick up a box or picking up your kids) leading to muscular imbalances. To avoid this from developing, make sure your training plan involves core training.   Add these exercises below to your training to help build your core strength and stamina. You’ll improve your core stability and coordination, as well as build a foundation of technique and body awareness. No equipment needed!  TOP 5 MOVES Repeat this sequence 2 to 3 times through and either modify or introduce the progression. Bird Dog  30-60 seconds on each side  Come down onto your hands and knees in an all fours position on your mat. Make sure your hips are  stacked over your knees and your hands are directly underneath your shoulders. Engage your core  and maintain a strong flat back.  Extend your right leg back, keeping your hips parallel to the mat and pointing the toe. At the same  time lift the left arm (opposite arm to the extended leg) forward.  From this position, pull the right knee in towards your chest, whilst pulling the left arm in to meet the  right knee.  Modification: Keep the hands placed down and complete the leg extension. Progression: You could place a stability pad or Pilates ball under the base of the hand which stays on  the floor, for an additional core challenge.  Plank on elbows with oblique knee pull  30-60 seconds on each side  Come down onto your hands and knees in an all fours position on your mat. Drop down onto both of  your elbows, making sure your elbows are directly underneath your shoulders.  Step each foot back to come into plank position and think of creating a straight line from your head to  your heels.  Pull your right knee up towards your right elbow and then move the foot back into a plank position. Modification: You can take out the knee pull and hold plank position.  Progression: You can increase the reps on each leg for an additional core challenge.  Side Plank hold on elbow with rotation  30-60 seconds on each side  Lay on your right side, using your right elbow with your hips stacked and knees together. Lift your hips off the mat so you come into a side plank and lift the left arm up towards the ceiling.  Bring your left arm through and thread in-between your waist and the mat and then open up to the  ceiling again.  Modification: You can do the same movement but come down onto your knees so you are in a half side  plank.  Progression: To progress you can either increase the reps or add a hand weight to the extended arm. I recommend using a light hand weight so you can nail the technique and still keep the focus on your core. Double leg lower & lift with crunch  60 seconds  Lay on your back with your legs extended up towards the ceiling. Place your hands on the back of  your head and think of opening the chest and keeping the elbows pulled back. Slowly lower your legs down towards the mat but try to avoid arching your back and only take your  legs as low as you can manage without arching. Slowly lift the legs back up towards the ceiling and  lift your shoulder blades off the mat to come into a crunch.  Modification: To modify you can keep one foot firmly placed on the ground and lower and lift the right leg  and then switch onto the left leg.  Progression: To progress you can either increase the amount of repetitions or add a challenge to the  exercise by using a dumbbell. Hold the dumbbell above your chest by holding each end of the weight  and complete the exercise as is. This will incorporate your upper body into the movement and will  help to build strength in your arms.  Cross Body Mountain Climbers  60 seconds  Come down onto your hands and knees in an all fours position on your mat. Step both your feet back  into a high plank position on your hands.  Pull your right knee across your body towards your left elbow and then move your foot back into the  starting position and then switch to the left leg.  Modification: To modify you

The Benefits of Stretching—Plus 5 Stretches to Do Post-Workout

We’ve been putting in the effort and making it a priority to workout (go us!). We’re painstakingly selecting our workout outfits, purchasing the best equipment and being extremely careful with our form. But when it comes to stretching post-workout, well, it’s something most of us almost always skips.  Does that  sound familiar? It’s easy to come up with an excuse—not enough time, you think you’re flexible “enough”, you don’t need to bother with that. Well, sorry to be the one to share the news—stretching is one of the most important aspects of fitness.  It can be used in recovery to help enhance athletic performance, prevent injury, reduce any muscular pain and restore and improve range of movement.  We’re breaking down the benefits of stretching, plus giving you five stretches to do after your workouts. Your body is going to thank you, we promise! Benefits of Stretching  Reduce Muscle Soreness  We all know that feeling when our muscles feel tight, sore and stiff after a training session. This soreness is because of micro tears within the muscle fibres and accumulated waste products such as lactic acid. If these toxic substances are allowed to build up in our body they will cause muscular pain and stiffness the day after you workout.  Stretching can help to alleviate this pain by lengthening the muscles fibres, increasing blood circulation and removing waste products. By removing waste products we allow for the delivery of essential nutrients and proteins to the muscle tissue, this can be extremely beneficial when recovering from an injury. This cellular exchange that occurs when removing waste products from the body and replenishing your muscles with nutrients and proteins, will help us to maintain healthy muscle tissue and speed up recovery.  Increase Blood Circulation  Stretching can help to improve circulation by increasing the blood flow to your muscles. It also increased delivery of nutrients to the muscle tissue, while simultaneously removing any waste products and toxins. So this helps to facilitate the recovery process and repair muscle tissue.  Improved Range of Movement  By increasing our range of movement, we’re allowing ourselves a greater ability to move more freely and reduce the risk of muscle and tendon strain injuries. When stretching we’re able to restore and improve the length of our muscles, creating a reduction in muscle tension and thereby our normal range of movement is increased.  Along with the benefits listed above, having a regular stretching program will help to improve posture and relaxation, and provide stress relief. It will also help you to develop body awareness and coordination and may also increase your energy levels.  Add the following stretches to the end of your training sessions. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds and repeat the sequence 2 to 3 times. Remember to breathe and gently move deeper into the stretch each time you exhale.  STRETCHES Downward Facing Dog Benefits: Energizes the body  Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves and the arches of feet Strengthens the arms and legs Beneficial for sciatica  Steps to follow: Come onto the floor on your hands and knees, with the knees directly below the hips and the hands slightly in front of the shoulders.  Spread your palms out onto the mat and tuck your toes underneath. Exhale and lift the knees off the floor, straightening the legs and coming into a high plank position.  Exhale and lift the hips up and away from the shoulders and lengthen the spine.  Press your hands firmly into the floor, rotate the forearms out and draw the shoulders away from your ears.  Lengthen the backs of your legs by pressing the heels down towards the floor and try to lift the tops of your feet towards your shins.  Modifications: If straight legs feel too intense, bend both the knees and focus on keeping a long spine.  Hold for 30 seconds. High Lunge  Benefits: Stretches the groin and hip flexors Strengthens legs and arms Steps to follow: Start in Downward-Facing Dog Pose.  Exhale, and step your right foot forward between your hands.  Try to align your right knee with your heel so you create a right-angle shape with the knee and it stacks directly above your ankle.  Keep your left leg strong and engaged with your hips in line and press the ball of your foot into the floor.  Position your palms or fingers on the floor on either side of your leg and try to keep the stomach engaged so you are not relaxing the stomach down onto your front leg.  Roll your shoulders down and backward, lift your head and gaze straight forward, keep the upper body forward so you create a strong line from your head to your heel. Repeat on the opposite side.  Modifications: Drop the back leg down to the floor if the stretch becomes too intense. If this feels uncomfortable place a folded towel underneath your knee.  You could also place a yoga block either side of your right foot and place your hands on top so you are able to keep length in your spine.  Hold for 30 seconds. Figure 4 Stretch  Benefits: Stretches the piriformis and glutes  Stretches the lower back and hips  Steps to follow: Lie on the floor with your knees bent and place your feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle on top of your left knee and keep the right foot flexed.  Reach through either side of your left leg to hold the back of your left thigh and interlace your fingers.  Gently pull the left knee towards your chest using your arms and relax your back and head down onto the floor.  Repeat on the opposite side.  Modifications: If this is too intense to bring the knee in towards the chest, you can simply leave the left foot on the floor and hold the figure 4 position here.  Hold for 30 seconds. Wall Chest Stretch Benefits: Stretches the pec major and minor  Steps to follow: Take a split stance, by taking the left foot forward and right foot

Ultimate Success Starts With This One Simple Activity

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of Dogpound, the personal training studio that’s sculpted half of Hollywood from Ashley Graham to the Victoria’s Secret model squad. Sure, it’s a hot spot for celebrity sightings, but it’s the trainers like Julia Brown that have put the studio on the map.  Brown accredits her healthy lifestyle to one simple rule, “Live a full, healthy, and happy life,” she tells Nutritious Life. “I motivate my clients the same way I motivate myself by setting goals and being my best for them.” She sits down with Nutritious Life sharing her personal pandemic journey and reveals the tools that have helped her push through—from at-home workouts to her favorite sleep-aiding app.  How Julia Brown Lives a Nutritious Life What are some of your tips to stay focused…especially now?  My advice on how to bring focus into your life during this pandemic is to set short and long-term goals. Your short-term goals should cumulatively guide you into your long-term ones. Journal and write about them as if you’ve already achieved them. If you are a visual person, a vision board can help you see what you want to manifest. If routine works for you, create a healthy and consistent schedule for yourself.  Do you prefer to work out in the morning or evening? Morning. That is when I have the most energy.  What is your fitness philosophy? Not one body is the same, so do what works best for you. and do it well.  How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I exercise 4 to 5 days a week, mixing strength training, cardio, and HIIT. How do you motivate yourself (and your clients) to work out? I motivate my clients the same way I motivate myself by setting goals and being my best for them.  If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? The Thrive Tribe. The goal is to live a full, healthy, and happy life.  Has it been hard to stay on track with your nutrition while in quarantine? In the beginning, yes, because snacking is one of my weaknesses. When I started to notice how much weight I was gaining, I cut down and got back on track.  What’s your go-to breakfast? I typically fast in the morning. To break my fast, I’ll have a juice or a smoothie.  Your go-to workday lunch? A nice, green, crunchy salad filled with chickpeas, seeds, pickled onions, cucumbers, and olives. What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? Fruits and vegetables. What do you eat before and after a workout? It depends on the workout I am doing. Typically,  I’ll keep it light before a workout, unless I plan to lift heavy. Before, I’ll have juice and rice cakes with peanut butter, or slices of apples with peanut butter. Afterwards, I’ll always have a protein shake.  Your favorite food indulgence?  I absolutely love thin french fries with the perfect amount of crisp, and salt and ketchup on top.  Other than water, what do you sip regularly? Wine, preferably red.  What causes you stress? A high volume of work causes me stress. To manage it, I’ll make a list and prioritize what needs to be done first. How do you pamper yourself when you need it?  I pamper myself by listening to my body and what it wants that day. Pamper days include treating myself to a massage and spending the day by myself, preferably by the ocean. How do you express and spread love? To me, love is an act of kindness sprinkled with generosity. It’s doing something out of your own willingness with pure intention. It’s putting your all into something and still feeling whole. You can spread love with positive actions and words.  How have things changed for you since COVID-19 hit? Amidst the pandemic, my physical environment changed. I had to adapt my approach with clients to ensure that they could stay motivated at home and still achieve their fitness objectives. The biggest challenge was that my client interaction was now through a screen! I am a very hands-on trainer, and I found it difficult not to be physical with a client (such as correcting form or even high fives!). With the city shut down, my home became my workspace; and at times, it was hard for me not to be distracted. Being inside allowed me to reflect more. I took the time to figure out what was working for me and what wasn’t. Did I like routine or flexibility? What emotions was I feeling and why? For me, it has been about digging deep into my issues, tackling them head-on, and finding solutions. COVID-19 has made me appreciate life even more. It has allowed me to see things in a different light. Although we are still in a pandemic, I now choose to see the positive wherever (and whenever) possible.  What is your evening routine to wind down at the end of the day? I wind down once I’ve completed my work for the day by taking a nice warm shower and doing my nightly facial routine. I crawl in bed with my dog and turn on Insight Timer, my favorite meditation app. I use sound frequencies to fall asleep. Sometimes, I’ll meditate and journal before going to bed, but that doesn’t always happen.  Bonus Workout Grab a timer and do each exercise for 30 seconds followed by 15-20 seconds of rest after each exercise. Complete 3 rounds.  Pulse squats  High knees  Jack knives  Side lunge  Push ups  Spiderman plank  Mountain climbers  Burpees  Shoulder tap plank jacks    (photo credit: Dogpound)

Mirror Trainer, Rachel Nicks’ Genius Tips Will Motivate You to Sweat

Movement has been a part of Rachel Nicks’ life since she can remember. One of the lead instructors on the Mirror, Nicks is a certified Hatha yoga, barre, T.R.X., kettlebell, Pilates, prenatal and postpartum fitness instructor.  When she is not pushing you to your fitness limits, she is a certified DONA doula, and a working actress on hit shows like “Grey’s Anatomy.” Her fitness philosophy is all about getting up and moving. She wants you to set goals, but celebrate your strengths instead of obsessing over your weaknesses. “Health is wealth,” Nicks shares. “My goal is to empower people to achieve health from the inside out by equipping them with education, tools, and encouragement.” Nicks sits down with us to talk about staying focused while working from home (without childcare!), her go-to healthy meals, fitness motivation, and top tips for managing stress.  How have things changed for you since COVID-19 hit? Well, I have not been back home to New York City, where I live, since March 14th. When COVID hit, my family made the decision to stay with my parents in California — and are here until January. I’m pregnant and we will have our baby here and spend our maternity and paternity leave here. Living with my parents has been a beautiful and challenging experience. Not knowing when I would return home or where I would give birth was overwhelming. After three months, I needed to make a decision to ease my anxiety. Once we decided to stay and get our own place I was able to feel more settled. I have learned to embrace chaos. Trying to balance work while being pregnant and mothering a 2-year-old is not easy. Then, with the added stress of COVID-19, it can truly be all consuming. Having my son is truly helpful because he forces me to live in the moment.  What are some of your tips to stay focused, especially now? Focus with a 2-year-old and pregnancy brain is interesting! I usually try to get work done when my son is napping and when I feel I have the energy or clarity. I have given myself permission to ask for extensions to deadlines and I have embraced that my phone calls may include a toddler meltdown. I accept my circumstances which helps me focus and not be so stressed about how unique and challenging my circumstances are. It also helps to know that we are all dealing with the same thing so I feel a sense of camaraderie and support.   Do you prefer to workout in the morning or evening?  Mornings are my favorite, but I don’t have that luxury anymore because my husband works the first half of the day. So my workouts these days have consisted of baseball, golf, and chasing my son on a scooter.  How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I exercise at least 5 times a week. I try to walk daily to get fresh air. I love variety. I find that different disciplines not only challenge me differently physically, but they impact my mind and spirit differently as well. I love HIIT, kickboxing, pilates, barre, and yoga. Only thing that is not my jam is running. I find other ways to get my cardio in. How do you motivate yourself (and your clients!) to workout?  Just get started. The times you don’t feel motivated is when you really need to move. Movement is medicine. It shifts your energy. I am amazed every time I move how quickly I feel my energy shift and it is always a positive shift.  Don’t wait for the perfect time or the perfect mood. Just move. Try different types of workouts. Vary your workouts. Try to find something you enjoy. Don’t just do something because it’s trendy. There are too many options to dread your workout. If you have children, work out with them. It will teach them to move and it’s fun. It won’t necessarily be a “perfect” workout but who cares. For myself, I get moving when I have some energy or to help boost my mood. I usually try to do some yoga to just connect to my body and breath and release tension and stress.  If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it?  I believe in wellness. It’s a lifestyle. I believe in eating fresh, local, and real food. I avoid processed foods and cook as much as I can because I can control what I am putting into my body. I pretty much eat everything. I do not believe in cheat days or punishing myself for eating certain things. Food brings me immense joy. I try to not wait to eat until I am starving. I eat 3 meals a day and have little snacks throughout. I control my portions. I don’t fill my plate. I listen to my body. Your body will tell you what it needs if you listen. Pregnant women aren’t the only ones with cravings. Has it been hard to stay on track with your nutrition while in quarantine?  My father is a Cookie Monster so when I was staying with him, staying out of the pantry was tough. In my home, I avoid stocking my fridge or pantry with a lot of tempting snacks. Now that I am in my own space, I have been doing much better with my nutrition. I also just feel so much better when I avoid a bunch of sugar.  Your go-to breakfast?  Yogurt, fruit and granola. Colder seasons I love oatmeal and berries with honey.  What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? I only get to pick one? I always have eggs, apples, yogurt and almond milk. What do you eat before and after a workout? Before a workout, I’ll have a boiled egg and toast or a piece of fruit. I try to have protein after a workout —and hydrate well. Your favorite food indulgence? I love a good

The Best Workouts To Begin Your Week

There’s something about starting the week strong that can set you up for success. ClassPass, the fitness collective that streams thousands of live or on-demand workouts from top studios around the world, released new data revealing the most popular days, times and workouts for their millions of active users. Monday morning strength training and Sunday yoga were among the most popular.  With thousands of people partaking in each, we did some digging of our own to find some healthy body benefits that will help motivate you to get up and move. Monday Morning Strength Workout According to the ClassPass research, strength training early Monday morning is the most popular among users. Mondays are also my busiest days with clients. They view the beginning of the week as a clean slate or as a need-to-makeup-for-their-behavior-over-the-weekend day. So, a challenging, strength training workout can make sense to kick start your morning. If you need some motivation to set that alarm to lift those weights, there are many benefits to strength training. You’ll  increase lean muscle, decrease body fat, and burn calories more efficiently.  Plus, it can help more than just your muscles. Strength training first thing in the morning has been found to  jump start the brain. Recent studies have shown that exercise has the potential to increase levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor) — improving cognitive health.  Sunday Evening Yoga Benefits Yoga is such a beautiful form of exercise. The challenging poses of yoga improve posture and flexibility over time making it a great workout to go along with strength training, running, HIIT, etc.  Also, it can help your gut. Yoga’s twisting the body poses help your digestive system.  I like to visualize my body as a sponge being wrung out. “Twists help massage abdominal organs and stimulate Agni,” according the the Chopra Center. “Your body’s Agni allows you to digest food efficiently and absorb essential nutrients from your food. By gently twisting your body after a large meal, you encourage fresh blood to flow to your digestive organs.” Another big part of yoga is using and being mindful of your breath. How many times have you been told to stop and take a deep breath when feeling stressed or anxious? Breath can be calming. In my yoga studies, I have been taught that by steadying the breath, we relax our body and tell our brains that we are not in fight or flight mode.  Whether you want to improve flexibility or to just have a relaxing, stress-free moment before the week starts — Sunday yoga is a great way to do something nice for your body.    — By Jane Hanisch, NLC, personal trainer  

How to Do a Bent-Over Dumbbell Row the Right Way

By Robin Barrie Kaiden, MS, RD, CDN, NLC The bent-over dumbbell row is a great exercise—when done with proper form. It improves your posture, stabilizes your core, and sculpts your upper, mid, and lower back. In particular, you’ll work your latissimus (aka lats), trapezius, rhomboids, and erector spinae, along with your biceps. Yeah, that’s a lot. If you’re not super familiar with these muscles, here’s a quickie primer: Your latissimus is found at the side of your back, and it’s the main muscle we’re targeting with this exercise. It’s the largest muscle of the upper body and spans all parts of the spine, which is why this is a solid move for those who suffer from back pain. RELATED: 5 Simple Tips to Improve Your Posture—for Confidence and Overall Health Your middle trapezius is located across your shoulder blades, and the rhomboids are between the shoulder blades—you know, the ones you <3 showing off in a racerback tank during the summer. (Trust me, you’ll feel these muscles working hard if you have proper form!) The erector spinae is a group of eight muscles that span the back from the bottom of your pelvis to the back of your skull, and they’re super important for keeping you stable and upright. They also help you maintain that confident, promotion-worthy posture (NBD). The biceps are a secondary muscle used in the dumbbell row. Since they’re much smaller and weaker than the lats, they often “feel” the exercise and tire out first. Of course, this is all contingent on you doing your bent-over rows properly, and form is *so* important in this exercise. It’s crucial to avoid rounding your back, rotating your torso, and using jerky pulling motions, all of which can cause, instead of alleviate, back pain.  And no one wants that! So, here are the key cues to follow while rowing: Place legs out wide, about 3 to 4 feet away from the bench.  Begin in an athletic position with knees bent and hips back, pressing knees out. Place one arm on the bench, maintaining a flat/neutral back and tall chest. Row the dumbbell towards your chest, pulling elbow towards back pocket and keeping elbow inside the knee. Slowly return to the starting position, without dropping your hand too low or rounding the shoulder. Repeat with your other arm. Start with a low weight and advance once you’re certain you’re in the proper position. Remember: Good form is always more important than more weight. You’ll be surprised how much you feel your muscles work when you perform a bent-over dumbbell row correctly—and you’ll exit the gym with better posture, feeling more badass than when you entered. And isn’t that the whole point? More Perfect Form with Robin Barrie Kaiden:  How to Do a Push-Up How to Do a Plank How to Do a Squat How to Do a Deadlift

Xen Strength Yoga: 10 Minutes for a Strong Core

How to work your abs with sun salutations instead of sit-ups.

How to Get Abs Without Doing a Million Crunches

This functional fitness approach is all about building core strength, working your abs during every exercise, and keeping up the intensity.

Dr. Jordan Metzl’s High-Intensity, Fitness-Focused Nutritious Life

Dr. Jordan Metzl’s mom had a motto that clearly stuck with him: “Rest means rust!” The esteemed sports medicine physician, popular fitness instructor, athlete, and best-selling author almost never stops moving, and his new book reflects that ethos. Dr. Jordan Metzl’s Workout Prescription: 10, 20 & 30-minute high intensity interval training workouts for every fitness level brings the science of high-intensity exercise to the busy masses, with workouts you can do quickly, wherever you are, no equipment required. To celebrate the launch, we asked Dr. Metzl to share how he lives his own most Nutritious Life daily, and he dished out the details on how he swims, bikes, and runs all over the town, the foods he eats for fuel, and more fun facts. How Does Dr. Jordan Metzl Live a Nutritious Life? If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? “Dr. Metzl’s A Little Bit of Everything Diet.” I’ve done 14 Ironman triathlons and 35 marathons, and food is fuel to me. I love all different kinds of food, and the more efficient I make my body, the more foods I can enjoy. What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? Greek Yogurt. It’s simple, fast, and packed with protein. The one food you’d never buy? Peanut butter. I hate it! What do you eat before and after a workout? I like doing the “naked workout” once or twice a week—as in working out on an empty stomach. If I do eat before a workout, it’s usually some type of complex carbs like whole wheat bread with honey and coffee. Afterwards, if it’s been a serious training session, I usually go for the first thing I can get my hands on. Your favorite food indulgence? Ice cream. Other than water, what do you sip regularly? Coffee. How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? Every day. I try to never miss a day. I vary my workouts regularly. I run, swim, bike, and I’m obviously a huge fan of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) that focuses on strength. My latest book is all about that. Which workout would you NEVER do? There isn’t a workout I wouldn’t try at least once. How do you stay active outside the gym? I’m hardly ever in the gym! I get around New York City on my bike. If I have a meeting or an event downtown, I’ll put clothes in my backpack and run to the closest Equinox. I keep it moving all the time. My mother always says, “rest means rust!” What’s your go-to tool for managing stress? Exercise, 100 percent. How do you express and spread love? I try and do it as much as I can. I smile and high-five every single patient I see and every person I interact with. I try to build that same idea within my IronStrength fitness community, too. We do a lot of partner workouts and supporting and cheering each other on. Which healthy habit do you wish you had more time for? Sleep! Lighting Round Meditation or massage? Massage. A hot shower or a soothing bath? Shower. Almond butter or peanut butter? Neither! Coffee or tea? Coffee. A long run outside or a dark spin class? Run. “How Do You Live a Nutritious Life?” is a recurring column. Featured guests complete a questionnaire and select answers are then chosen and edited to share, here. Are you a wellness pro interested in sharing how you live a Nutritious Life? Email lisa@nutritiouslife.com to be considered.