Be Fit with Kristen

Friday Fit Tip: Roll it Out

on May 18th, 2012

Are you stiff from working out? Try using a foam roller to release the tension. The foam roller works wonders on the legs. Roll along the sore muscle. When you find the point that is most tender, hold it for at least 30 seconds to allow the muscle a chance to relax. This will break up the knots and scar tissue. Repeat as needed.

If you haven’t heard, my goal this month is to work on flexibility. I’ve challenged myself to stretch at least 10 minutes daily. If you’re following me on Twitter than you have without a doubt seen me mention the foam roller on more than one occasion. With 2 races on top of the 5 Spin classes I teach a week, the foam roller and I have become BFFs this month for sure.

Have you tried the foam roller?

Make this Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

on May 16th, 2012

Here’s to my first batch of homemade granola. I never knew it was this easy or I honestly would have done it long ago. Lately when it comes to snacking, I lean towards DIY recipes instead of store-bought goods. You know what you are putting into it so you know it’s fresh and you can rest assured that it is all-natural. The benefits here well out weigh the convenience factor of store-bought granola bars.

On to the recipe. Did I mention that it is delicious? It’s got just the right combination of salt and sweet; right up my alley for sure. It’s versatile, you can use any combo of fruit and nuts you. Use whatever strikes you at the moment. I went with what I had on hand; sunflower seeds, sliced almonds and diced dried plums. I also added unsweetened shredded coconut. I’ve been on a coconut kick lately…

I found this granola bar recipe on DIY Kitchen. I’ll admit that I didn’t follow the recipe exactly as instructed and wound up with some slightly different results. But it still worked. I used a cookie sheet instead of an 8×12 baking dish giving me a much thinner layer to work with. My batch came out less like a bar and more like granola that you could crumble into cereal. It worked out perfectly for me. Instead of crumbling the granola I decided to break it up into large pieces; kind of like you would with chocolate bark. It made a great snack to take on the go.

Homemade Granola

From the DIY Kitchen of bklyn Foodie (with a few minor changes)

It tastes great on its own but try it with plain Greek yogurt for some added benefit

Ingredients

2.5 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1.5 cups of Plum Amazins
2/3 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Evenly distribute the oats, almonds and sunflower seeds across the cookie sheet. Bake until slightly browned, about 15 minutes or so. Make sure you stir it about halfway through.

Once it starts to brown take the pan out of the oven. Decrease the oven temperature to 300°.

Whisk the remaining ingredients (except for the dried fruit) together in a large bowl. Add the oat & nut mixture and stir until the oats are completely covered. Stir in the dried fruit. Mix well.

Pour the granola mixture onto the cookie sheet and distribute evenly. With a spatula press down on the granola so that it’s nicely packed in. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool for a couple of hours and then break up it up into large pieces.

Enjoy!

Have you ever made your own granola?

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Monday Morning Inspiration: It’s Never Too Late to Get Started

on May 14th, 2012

A little humor from Ellen to start off our week. The point here is that it is never too late to get started on a fitness program. You only have one body so you might as well treat it right by eating healthy and exercising.

What are your plans for exercise this week?

Friday Fit Tip: Swap This Dried Fruit Out For Raisins

on May 11th, 2012

Try substituting dried plums for raisins in your next snack. Dried Plums have more fiber, less sugar and less calories than raisins per 1/4 cup serving. I like Sunsweet’s Dried Plum Amazins. They are free of additives and are a NON-GMO food. Their only ingredients are dried plums and sunflower oil.

Since they come already diced it makes it super easy to through into yogurt, trail mix or even on cereal. I bet they would also be tasty in baked goods. Perhaps in a healthy bran muffin? I will have to give it a try and let you know.

What is your favorite dried fruit? Have you tried dried plums before?

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Disclaimer/Disclosure: I did not receive any financial contributions or free product from Sunset in exchange for this mention. I just did it because I love them! All opinions are my own.

Use this Warm Up Routine to Prevent Injury

on May 10th, 2012

Do you do a proper warm up before exercise? It’s okay, you be honest with me. I won’t tell a soul…

The truth is most people do not warm up long enough before engaging in exercise. The warm up is the most important part of your routine. A proper warm up will loosen up your joints allowing them to move through their full range of motion thereby lessening your chance of an injury. Plan a good 10 minute of warm up before hitting the weights.

I experienced negative impacts of skipping a workout first hand last Spring. I was rushed for time so I skipped the warm up and headed straight for the weights. I was doing deadlifts with some heavy weights. As I was standing back up I heard a noise and quickly turned to the left. Make a mental note here, this is not a good idea when you have heavy weights in your hands and can be especially dangerous when your muscles aren’t warmed up. As a result I pulled a muscle in my lower back. Ouch! It took a good 6 months to fully recover. Those are 6 months of my life that I will never get back. It’s not worth it.

When you are at the gym it is easy to jump the treadmill, elliptical and bike for a few minutes and yes that is an effective way to warm up your muscles. However it doesn’t address joint mobility. Add in this routine after doing a few minutes of cardio and you will be good to go.

This is also a great warm routine for those of you who workout from home or in the great outdoors. You may not have access to cardio equipment. So you need to get creative and find other ways to warm up your body. This routine the perfect option in that scenario .

Notes on proper technique and form

Shoulder Rolls: Extend your arms out to the side at shoulder height. Move your arms in a circle at a slow and controlled pace.

Ankle Rolls: As you stand on one leg don’t let the hip drop. Keep your body up straight maintaining good posture.

Linear Leg Swings: Swing your leg forward then back looking behind you as the leg comes back. This will allow you to open up your hips even more.

Lateral Leg Swings: Swing the leg out to the side and then back across your body. Keep your hips and shoulders squared off.

Alternating Knee Raises: Lift your right knee up to meet your left elbow alternating sides as you go. This can be done in place or as you walk across the floor.

Body Weight Squats: No weights involved here. Your feet are slightly wider than your shoulders. Your toes squared off facing forward. Star with your arms by your side. As you lower into the squat raise your arms forward lifting them to shoulder height. Once you are in the squat position make sure you keep the weight of your body in your heels. Helpful hint: keeping the arms flexed to make this a total body exercise.

Jumping Jacks: We all know how to do jumping jacks but here are some tips to get the most bang for your buck. At your starting point your legs should be hip with apart, no closer. This will keep the leg muscles engaged. As you bring your arms up keep them slightly in front of you. as with the body weight squats keep them flexed to make this a total body exercise.

Remember that stretching after your workout is just as important as a good warm up. When done properly, there are many benefits to stretching. Leave yourself 10-15 minutes to stretch after a workout.

How do you warm your body up before exercise?

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DISCLAIMER: I am a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist and group fitness instructor. I am not a doctor, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist or physical therapist. You should always be mindful of any injuries, food allergies, special diets or specific health conditions that pertain to you.As fitness professional I recommend that you consult your doctor before taking on any significant changes pertaining to health, nutrition and exercise.

DISCLOSURE: Much of the form and technique I used to creat this warm up was inspired by what I learned in the Corpbasis’ Instructor trainer program.

8 Ways to Add Flavor to Your Food Using One of the Best Spice Blends Ever

on May 8th, 2012

A few weeks ago I stopped off at the Somerville Farmer’s Market after my morning run. I love shopping at farmer’s markets. They have everything from locally grown produce to fresh made bread, pastas, chocolates (my personal favorite) and much more. Being a member of Somerville Local First, I’m all about supporting the local business economy when possible. And really, doesn’t all food taste better when it’s local and fresh?

When I got there I was instantly drawn to the Soluna Garden Farm table. Why? Because they had fresh loose leaf tea for sale. As most of you know, I have a huge tea addiction. :)

Soluna Garden Farms is in Winchester MA, not too far from Somerville. They sell organic tea blends, organic herb and spice blends, sustainably grown fresh herbs and cut flowers.

Though the tea is fantastic that’s not the product I’m reviewing today. After I purchased my tea I got to talking with Amy of Soluna Garden Farms. She gave me the run down on some of their spice blends and offered me the spice of my choice to sample.

I chose the Ras El Hanout for Coffee for two reasons:

1. Because Amy said it is one of her personal favorites.

2. You can use it for things like baking, a HUGE selling point for me.

Ras El Hanout is a Moroccan Spice Blend made of nutmeg, ginger, sesame seeds, cardamom, rosebuds, anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, galangal, pink peppercorns, allspice, lavender, and mace.

I’ll admit that I’m not a big coffee drinker (remember my tea addiction) but enjoy the occasional cup of decaf when the mood strikes me. To test it out I picked up a cup of True Brew from Bloc 11 Cafe, another local establishment I frequent, and added a pinch of spice as Amy suggested. I really enjoyed it; the flavor of the nutmeg and clove really stand out. Fair warning; your coffee will be slightly gritty because of the added spice. But with that said, it doesn’t detract from the flavor at all. It’s delicious. I promise.

Helpful hint: If you make coffee at home go ahead and add it right in with the coffee grinds before you brew. You’ll have the same fantastic flavor without the grit.

If you are following me on Instagram then you’ve probably seen the other great things I’ve done with the spice blend.

1. As I mentioned, I added it to my coffee.

2. I sprinkled it on my peanut butter, banana and toast. Amazing! My mouth waters every time I see this photo.

3. I substituted it for cinnamon in my homemade bran muffin recipe. I absolutely loved how it changed the flavor.

4. I added it to my hot breakfast cereal. Pictured here is a bowl of oat bran but oatmeal works too.

5. I sprinkled it on sliced apples. Again, it adds fabulous flavor. I find myself adding it all the time now.

I also used it with a few other foods but unfortunately did not capture the moment with an Instagram.

6. It added great flavor to my Overnight Oats.

7. I loved it mixed in with my Fit to Go‘ Cottage Cheese.

8. And also with my Greek Yogurt.

While Soluna Garden Farms does not have its own retail outlet you can find them at several local farmer’s markets. Visit their home page for a full list of locations and dates. This spice blend is also available online. While you are at it I suggest that you check out their fine assortment of teas. I tried the Relax and Renew and the Ruby Rose. Both very soothing and refreshing.

They also sell some really nice gift sets. Perfect for a Mother’s Day gift perhaps?

Disclaimer/Disclosure: I did not receive any financial contributions for this review; however, I did receive free products from the company so that I could try it and offer my feedback. All opinions are my own.

Do you have a favorite Spice Blend? If so please share.

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Monday Morning Inspiration: Make the Mind-Body Connection

on May 7th, 2012

Have you ever felt intellectually stimulated after a good run? Or perhaps more focused after a brisk walk? This doesn’t happen by coincidence. Studies have shown that regular exercise can make you smarter. As little as 8 – 12 minutes of intense cardiovascular exercise a day can generate the growth of new brain cells as well as stimulate nerve growth factors. Exercise is like “Miracle Grow for the brain” says John J. Ratey, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

There is no doubt in my mind that leading a fit and healthy lifestyle can do wonders to clear your mind and sharpen your focus. Exercise not only strengthens the heart and helps with weight management, but it also trains the brain. If you haven’t already, it’s time to start thinking about how you can incorporate exercise into your daily life.

What type of exercise do you enjoy the most?

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Friday Fit Tip: Strengthen Your Core and Much More With This Exercise

on May 4th, 2012

In addition to being a great core strengthening and stabilization exercise, the side plank with hip abduction will increase hip mobility. It will also strengthen your gluteus medius; a muscle we often forget to train. If you want a shapely bottom then you should work all areas of the glute.

Technique

Start by laying on your right side. Align your elbow directly under your shoulders. Your body should be in a straight line so that your shoulders, hips and ankles are in alignment. From here lift your body off the ground. Once you’ve stabilized your body lift and lower your left leg for 10 – 15 reps. Keep your foot dorsiflexed throughout the exercise. The hips should also stay raised, don’t sag into it. Repeat on the other side.

Be sure to take your time and control the movement. You never want to sacrifice form for speed. Plowing through the exercise will only increase your risk losing balance or pulling a muscle. When done at a proper tempo the 10-15 reps should take you about 20 -30 seconds to complete. If you need to, break it down into 5 reps at a time and build your way up from there.

In the exercise pictured here, she is doing her side plank suspended on a step which is more challenging. There are many ways that you can both regress and progress this exercise to suit your fitness level.

Regressions

Take your feet to the ground rather than suspending them on a step.
Change the position of your free arm. For more balance and support place your free hand your hips or even on the ground in front of you.
Modify to a bent knee. Bend your bottom leg and keep it on the floor so that the leg is taking on more of your body weight. Doing this you will recruit more muscle fibers in your glute. This would be a nice change-up if you want to focus more on your gluteus medius and less on your core.
Do a side plank without the leg raises. You’ll still feel the burn.

Progression

Use a bench. As pictured here you can suspend your legs on a step. For the average person, 3 risers would be the highest you’d want to go so that you can still maintain proper body alignment.
Add a Bosu ball to challenge your balance. Place your upper body on a the ball instead of on the ground. The same form applies here, elbow directly under shoulder and body in full alignment.
Add an upper body rotation. With your free arm, reach down and then under your torso rotating towards the ground. You should now be looking at the floor. Slowly move back up and raise your arm back up above you. Alternate the torso twists with the leg raises.

As always, I recommend you warm up before doing this exercise and stretch afterwards. I’m stretching daily these days. You can join my on Twitter and send me a tweet after you stretch using the hash tag #DailyStretch.

Disclaimer: This is an advanced exercise and may not be for everyone. You should consult a trained professional or your doctor before trying this or any new exercise.

What is your favorite glute exercise?

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Why, When and How Should You Stretch

on May 3rd, 2012

When it’s time to hit the gym we head straight for the treadmill to make sure we get our sweat on. Maybe we lift some weights too. But when it comes time to stretch we tend to do a quick bend at the hip for our hamstrings and maybe pull our foot back to get our thighs and call it a day. Total stretch time; 30 seconds. Now does that really constitute a good stretch? I think not.

I will be the first to raise my hand and admit that I am guilty of this too. I don’t stretch nearly enough. Of the 3 types of exercise; cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training, stretching is always the first to go on a busy day. With all the teaching I do, it’s no wonder my legs are always so sore. It’s time to make stretching a priority in my day.

A few years back I was in the habit of stretching daily. It did wonders to improve my flexibility. When I started I couldn’t get my forearms to touch the floor on in a seated stretch. After a few months of persistent stretching I could get my head to touch, a proud moment indeed.

Benefits of a Good Stretch

We stretch to improve our flexibility. The more flexibility we have, the more freely our joints move through their full range of motion. Stretching, we’ll refer to it as flexibility training here, has many benefits. I’ve listed a few of them here.

Increases range of motion at the joint

Decreases muscle tension

Corrects muscle imbalances

Relieves stress at the joints

Increases circulation to the body

Delays the onset of muscle soreness

Optimize functional movement in daily life

Enforces good posture

I’m sure there is at least one thing here on this list that you could improve on. For me, the biggest driver is to relieve muscle tension

F.I.T.T. Guidelines for Flexibility Training.

So now we know that we want to stretch but what is the proper way to do it? The F.I.I.T. guidelines will tell us.

Frequency: Aim for 5-7 times a week, especially after exercise.

Intensity: Stretch to the point of mild discomfort, never to the point of pain.

Time: The rule of thumb is 10-15 minutes at a time holding each stretch for 30 second or so. This may vary slightly depending on the type of stretching that you do.

Type: The most common types of stretching are self myofascial release (think foam roller), dynamic stretching (shoulder rolls, leg swings & body weight squats), static stretching (touching your toes, or any instance where you fully lengthen the muscle and hold it) and active stretching (commonly used in Yoga). There are a few more types but we’ll save those for another time.

Tips for a Better Stretch

Always stretch when your muscles are warm. After exercise or a hot shower is ideal. Stretching while your muscles are cold then will increase your risk of muscle pulls or tears.
Don’t bounce. As you stretch your muscles need time to adjust, relax and lengthen. Normally this takes about 30 seconds to happen. Quick bouncy motions will only tighten your muscles more so hence increasing your risk of injury.
Be sure to breathe. Take deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Controlled breathing will relax you allowing you to get a better stretch
Avoid locking out your joints. Keep a slight bend in your knees and elbows to avoid added stress to your joints
Never stretch to the point of pain. Over time you’ll do more harm than good.

If you’re following me on Twitter then you’ve probably noticed that I’v put more effort into stretching this week. I decided that a daily stretch would be a great goal for May considering I have 2 races coming up this month. The first is on Sunday, a 5 miler to support HAWC, Healing Abuse, Working for Change. The next is on May 20th, the 2012 Run-Walk to Home Base. I will have the honor of crossing home plate at Fenway in support of our local troops. These are great causes and I am super excited to be apart of both!

My goal is to stretch at least 10 minutes a day. This will include either foam rolling or static stretching or a combination of both. I’ll be tweeting about it using the hash tag #DailyStretch. I’m doing this for the month of May with hopes of making it a habit. I’m off to a strong start; 25 minutes today, 20 minutes yesterday and 10 minutes on Tuesday. Won’t you join me in a daily stretch?

How often do you stretch?

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Fitness is Not About a Look, It’s About a Feeling

on May 2nd, 2012

If you remember from last week, Be Fit with Kristen was featured on Fitblogger. For many reasons, this one of my favorite posts that I’ve written so far. I’ve had such a great feedback on it, I couldn’t resist sharing it with all of you. With that said, here is a re-cap on what fitness means to me and how I believe in making fitness a lifestyle change.

And I quote myself…

“Fitness is not about a look; it’s about a feeling”

It’s about the high you feel after a great run. The strength you feel after completing a set of push ups. The excitement you feel when your jeans fit and the joy you feel when you receive a compliment from a friend. Most importantly it’s about the motivation you find from within, and the sense of accomplishment you feel after conquering your goal.

Getting there is about making lifestyle changes. After struggling with my weight for nearly 30 years I finally caught on. First I changed my exercise routine, then my eating habits and finally my outlook on life. It wasn’t an easy battle. It took a lot of patience, hard work and dedication. I did it by making gradual changes that eventually turned in to healthy habits. It all proved to be worth it. Here I am 7 years later living a fit and healthy lifestyle and loving life. I say this not because of how I look, but because of how I feel. I will never forget the compliments I received at my 10^th year high school reunion or crossing the finish line at my first 5k. My experiences define me and have motivated me to create this blog. My goal is to share my philosophy on fitness in hopes of motivating you.

Nobody knows better than I that change is overwhelming. As much as we would like it to, it doesn’t happen overnight. The good news is that you don’t have to change everything all at once. If you take it one step at a time, as I did, you will find success. And how do you get there? Maybe this week you start by eating a healthy breakfast every morning, such as overnight oats or healthy muffins. And next week you add interval training to your workout routine and so on. Before you know it each change becomes part of your everyday life. It becomes a habit.

The bottom line is, only have one body so why not take care of it? When was the last time you reaped the benefits of a good night’s sleep? Or took measures to de-stress and de-clutter your life? Or read something inspirational? Be Fit with Kristen is more than fit tips and healthy recipes, it’s about inspiring you to a life of overall health and wellness. Being healthy isn’t just about exercise and eating well; it’s about having a positive self-image and taking care of you.

My friend Boh shared this pic on Facebook today and I thought it was all too fitting for this post (orginally posted by Go Red For Women – The American Heart Association)

I will leave you with this; I believe that leading a fit and healthy life will do wonders to clear your mind, sharpen your focus and strengthen your soul. Won’t you come and join me?

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