Cross Fit Training - Not To Be Confused With Cross Training

 

If you ever run across something advertised as cross fit training, it is not the same thing as cross training. Cross fit training is a specific program which gained in population a few years ago at a variety of gyms. Cross fit is a high intensity form of exercise composed of highly functional movements all done at highly intensive rates.

The movements such as pushing, squatting, pulling, etc are ones you would do in your day to day life. Many of these movements are actually variations of squats, push-ups, or weight lifting for set amounts of time so the person builds muscles. This is not the traditional way of doing things where a person is expected to perform a specific number of reps. It is said that cross fit training is extremely effective due to its emphasis on load, distance, and speed.  

Everyone does a certain workout each day and the workout is listed on the website. In addition, there is a place on the website to advise people on which workout is best for them according to their fitness level by having suggested substitutions available. Cross fit trainers state that the training can meet the needs of every person because everyone has to do these functional movements.  Many cross fit places include an element of competition by using a scoreboard and posting the winners to social media to share their victories. 

Unfortunately, this type of training can also have risks due to the high intensity nature of the workout.  According to one study, they found that 20 percent of the folks who participated in this type of training injured themselves. This is a high rate of injury for a recreational activity. The injuries occur when the participant becomes fatigued and their form becomes sloppy.

If you want to do this type of activity, always monitor your form. You want to make sure you do not round your lower back and make sure your knees do not go over the toes during a squat. One way to help is to find the right trainer or coach. You want to make sure you do not over fatigue yourself but work only to the point of fatigue. 

If you are just beginning, make sure you take a class designed specifically for beginners so you learn to do it correctly.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day. Take care.

Later Spring

 

Early Spring

 

Cross Training - Why It Is Good.

Trying to stay healthy and in good shape can be quite challenging for the average person. You hear that one should be doing this, that, or the other thing so you stay in good shape, especially if you age.  I've seen references to cross training being a great thing to do but I've never looked at the topic in detail. 

Cross training is defined as a type of exercise where people train using other exercises than they normally do.  This allows your body to adapt to new routines while encouraging better overall fitness levels. Cross training means the fully body undergoes conditioning, while improving skill, agility, balance, and fitness. Your cross training routine might be incorporating riding a bike once a week into your daily running routine.  When you add the bike riding, you are using a different set of muscles from those used when you run daily. 

There are several benefits to cross training.  First you won't get as bored as easily.  When we get bored, it is so much easier to find excuses not to workout and pretty soon, your exercise regime disappears.  By switching up your choices of exercise, you stay motivated, work muscles in a new and different way, and fun.

When we exercise, the body works harder because it has to breath more, the blood flow increases, and increased muscle load.  Exercise actually stresses the body in a way that makes it healthier in general.  If the frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercise is the same everyday, the body becomes used to it and will not become fitter.  When you change it up, the body will improve.

In addition, when you cross train, you make sure your metabolism stays up and more efficient.  When you do the same exercise, your metabolism can stagnate so you might hit a plateau if you are trying to lose weight.  Furthermore cross training helps prevent injury.  When you do the same type of exercises every day, it puts your joints, bones, and muscles under stress which can increase the possibility of injury.  

A good cross training program will have an aerobic component along with  a strength component  and one that focuses on flexibility.  All training should consist of at least 30 minutes on most days but if you need to break it up into smaller chunks, that is fine but it needs to add up to 30 minutes. So switch up exercises, change things around, and enjoy the benefits of cross training.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear have a great day.

What To Look For In An Eye Cream.

 

At one point or another, most of us end up using an eye cream.  I use one regularly due to the wonderful bags I seem to have inherited from my father.  They are something I'll never get rid of but I can do things to minimize their impact.  As a result, I've been researching what things you should look for in a good eye cream. 

As we age, the skin around our eyes begins to form wrinkles referred to as crows feet.  In addition, the area might develop puffiness, or dark circles.  You might want to think about preventing them when you are in your 20's or you see them and want something to help minimize the issues, you want an eye cream.

Unfortunately, not all eye creams are the same so it is important to read the ingredients list to see if it contains the ones you most need.  Check for antioxidants as they protect the area against cell damage. You want something with vitamin C, vitamin E, or ferulic acid as it protects against environmental damage and helps decrease puffiness and swelling.

In addition, look for retinol which is a form of vitamin A that helps stimulate collagen.  Collagen helps reduce and prevent wrinkles.  Remember one thing though, both vitamin C and retinol are best used at night otherwise they can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.  If you have droopy, crepe paper like skin, make sure the eye cream has peptides because peptides help firm the skin by increasing collagen and elastin.

Furthermore, the skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body so it becomes dry and irritated more easily.  This is the perfect spot for hyaluronic acid and ceramides.  Did you know that when the area is hydrated, wrinkles are less obvious?  So make sure the eye cream has this in it.

If you inherited the discoloration from your parents, you might think about looking for niacinamide and koji acid as they both reduce the discoloration by brightening the area and reducing activity in pigment producing cells.  Finally, make sure the eye cream has sunscreen or wear a layer over it the eye cream.  This is an extremely important step.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear. Have a great day.

Should You Rotate Your Shampoo And Conditioner.

 

I grew up in a household where you were expected to switch between two different conditioners and  two different shampoos because your hair would get "used" to one product if you used it all the time.  It always seemed to me that this was true because when I had to use one product several weeks at a time, my hair started feeling blah.  Due to that feeling, I honestly thought it was true.  According to several hair stylists, this is not true. 

Instead, it is important to find the right combination of shampoos and conditioners for your hair based on type of hair, its condition, and overall condition.  They say the only reason to switch shampoos or conditioners is they either contain harmful ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate which can strip hair and damage it over time, or it doesn't clean it properly. 

If your shampoo does not clean your hair like it used to, you might want to see if you moved recently and now have harder or softer water than before. Is it winter or is it summer and you sweat a lot more. This might make you change shampoos but your hair has not become "used to it.", your circumstances have changed, requiring a change in you shampoo.

It is important to determine exactly what you want your products to do rather than just switching them up due to not working.  It might be you have an incorrect shampoo or conditioner to begin with. If you colored your hair, you want products designed specifically for hair that is colored so the color lasts longer and retain its moisture.  If you keep switching products, it won't do your hair any good.

When you look for a shampoo, you need to look at more than your hair type and if it is colored or chemically treated.  You also need to look at your lifestyle which includes what part of the country you live in, exercise, and humidity levels.  Look specifically for shampoos that meet your individual requirements.  

As for conditioner, look at your type of hair and it's texture. For instance, if you have fine hair, you will want a light weight conditioner where as if you have medium to coarse hair, you will want one with deep conditioning abilities so your hair is moisturized.  It seems as if companies offer shampoos and conditioners in pairs but the reality is that you might need one type of shampoo and a different conditioner so you aren't buying a pair.

Rather than deciding if your current products are not working right, ask yourself if your circumstances have changed?  Are you using the proper shampoo and conditioner or is one of them the wrong type.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

What Is Biophilia Exercise?

Prior to this past Wednesday, I'd never heard of biophilia exercise.  It is however, one of the latest exercise trends for 2023. Biophilia refers to the instinct people have to connect with nature and others.  Biophilia exercise is taking traditional indoor activities into nature. It is known as green exercise.

Think about it this way, instead of having yoga or cardio class in a gym or club, the classes are moved outside into the grass or on a lawn.  Many places are having classes on the green areas outside the buildings. In fact, the search on google for outdoor fitness classes has increased over 200 percent in the past five years. It came to the fore front due to Covid because people couldn't go to the gym so they started going outside.  I did a lot of walking by the ocean at the beginning because it was important to my mental health to feel the wind and breath the fresh air.

There has been at least one study done that indicates those who exercise outside are more likely to be involved in social interactions with fewer distractions and people were more likely to want to do it again. In addition, people felt that being in nature was more calming than being indoors and it was considered less stressful.

Other research indicates that people are more likely to work harder and perform better outdoors. This is because people feel that exercise is less strenuous when done outside and people are more likely to push. The exercises that work best outside include yoga, roller skating, biking, skateboarding, swimming, walking, hiking, trampolining, and climbing.  

In some places, gyms are beginning to bring the outdoors inside because the outdoors might be too hot, too cold, too smoggy or other reason.  These gyms have redecorated so there are plants spread out around the space with sun coming in so you feel as if you are outside rather than in a stuffy building. In addition, rope and wood is replacing metal and plastic to reinforce the feeling of being outdoors. 

So if you exercise at home, think about having plants spread around the room to make it feel nicer and so you can undergo some of the same benefits you'd receive by exercising outside.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.