Kelly Gonzalez
Busy Bodies
Date Published: July 1, 2009
Jump Rope to Scorch Calories
I’m a huge fan of efficient workouts. One of my all time favorite cardio workouts is jumping rope. If you think it’s just for kids or boxers think again. Jumping rope is a great way to get in shape and scorch calories.
Jumping rope can burn about 600-900 calories per hour, about the same as running. It is very high impact, can be hard on the joints when performed for an extended period of time, and it takes a bit of practice and coordination. I don’t know many people that jump rope for an hour as their steady-state cardiovascular exercise. Maybe that’s a good thing, because in order to get the best benefits from jumping rope you don’t have to!
Take the Jump
Jumping rope is a perfect form of interval training. I’m an advocate for interval training because you can burn more calories in less time, and interval training has a huge impact on fat loss. When you perform short bursts of high intensity training your body releases a higher level of human growth hormone (HGH). This hormone helps regulate metabolism, burn fat, and build lean muscle. Adding intervals into your exercise program can help you break through plateaus and get better results.
Jump ropes are great, because they are affordable, usually $15 or less at your local sporting goods store, light and portable making them the best piece of exercise equipment to throw in your suitcase when traveling, and challenging, which relieves exercise boredom.
Choose a lightweight rope. Weighted ropes can cause wrist strain. To find the right length place the rope under both feet while standing. The handles should come up about 4-6” below your collarbone.
When you jump your shoulders should be relaxed, the swinging motion comes from the wrists not the arms. Look forward. Have a slight bend in your knee, keep your abs contracted (jumping rope is a great ab stabilization exercise!), and bounce off the balls of your feet. You should only come about 1-1.5” off the ground. It may take a bit of practice, and may be frustrating in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it jumping rope can be a lot of fun. With some practice you will be able to mix up your jumping patterns-alternate feet, double foot jump, single legged hop, lateral jump, high knees and kicks, etc. Get creative and challenge yourself!
Jump Rope Workouts
Improve your stamina, speed, agility, and tone and strengthen your body in just 15 minutes!
Mix Jump Rope Intervals Into Your Strength Training Routine
By performing jump rope intervals in a circuit fashion with strength training exercises you can get so much more out of your workout. You can strengthen and tone your muscles while keeping your heart rate up, which will give you the cardiovascular health benefits as well, and burn more calories. An added bonus is that cardio intervals mixed in with strength training can help reduce soreness by increasing circulation and flushing lactic acid from your muscles.
Example Circuit: Perform 2-3 sets of 15-20 repetitions of the first 3 exercises followed by a 1-minute jump rope interval. Rest 1-3 minutes between sets.
- Bodyweight squats
- Push-ups
- Crunches
- 1 minute Jump Rope Interval
15-Minute Jump Rope Workout
Warm-up for about 3 minutes with easy jumping
Perform 30 seconds of speed jumping followed by 30 second recovery. Complete 5 repetitions.
Recover for 1 minute.
Alternate between high intensity jump roping for 15 seconds and recovering for 15 seconds for one minute. Complete 3 repetitions.
Jump easy for 3 minutes.
Making Fitness a Priority
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Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Sculpt Sexy Arms This Summer
Kelly Gonzalez
Busy Bodies
Health and Fitness
Date Published: June 24, 2009
Sculpt Sexy Arms This Summer
Nothing goes better with a sleeveless top than toned arms. This summer get shapely arms in just minutes a few times per week by incorporating strength training exercises to your routine.
To truly sculpt shapely arms you must execute a variety of exercises to target the various muscles of the arms, shoulders, chest, and upper back. The individual muscles must be stimulated in order to hypertrophy (tone), and fat levels must be reduced for the muscle definition to be visible. So remember, nutrition plays an important role in reducing body fat levels to let all that hard work show through.
To get the most out a quick upper body strength training session try mixing things up by supersetting the exercises. By doing one exercise right after another you can easily increase the intensity. Another way you can spice things up in the weight room is by performing combo sets in which you perform one exercise that flows right into the next. Combo exercises use more muscles at once and take more time to complete a single rep, which makes the muscles work harder and respond by increasing the time of contraction. Supersets and combo exercises are not only more intense, but also more efficient. You are capable of burning more calories in less time.
The Circuit: Perform each of these exercise combinations with no rest in between. Perform 10-12 repetitions of each, and 2-3 sets. Rest 30 seconds to 1-minute then move on to the next group of exercises.
Triceps Dip/Incline Push-Up
Targets: Triceps, pectorals, front deltoids, back muscles
(Bodyweight exercise. Perform one set of each consecutively and repeat for a total of 2-3 combo sets.)
- Triceps dip: Using a bench or chair, sit down, place your hands palm down beside you, walk your feet out straight in front and scoot your hips off so your back is against the edge. Keep your arms in a 90-degree angle to begin then extend your arms and raise your body up. Lower back down, and repeat. * To make the exercise more difficult extend your legs all the way out in front of you with no bend in your knees.
- Incline Push-Up: Place your hands on the bench with your body in a plank position, arms extended and shoulder width apart. Keep your body stable, and lower your chest to the bench as you bend you arms and push back up. * To target the triceps more keep your hands closer together.
Bent Over Row/Triceps Kickback Combo
Targets middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoids, triceps
(Use Light weights- dumbbells/resistance band/etc.)
- Start with a Low-Row- In a standing position with your knees slightly bent. Bend over slightly from the hips keeping your arms at your sides. Pull you arms up so your upper arms are parallel to the ground. From that position perform a Triceps kickback by extending your arms all the way out.
Biceps Curl/Shoulder Press Combo
Targets Biceps brachii and medial deltoids.
(Use Light weights-dumbbells/resistance band/etc.)
- Standing tall with your knees slightly bent and the weights down by your
side, perform a biceps curl, hold and squeeze for about one second and then raise the weights overhead for a shoulder press, lower back down and repeat for 10-12 repetitions.
Deltoid Trio
Targets anterior, posterior, medial deltoids.
(Use Light weights- dumbbells/resistance band/etc.)
- Standing tall with your knees slightly bent and the weights at your sides-raise the weights straight out in front of you shoulder height, lower back down then immediately raise them up simultaneously at your sides, lower down and finally bend over slightly from your hips and raise the weights out to the side shoulder height for a rear-deltoid raise and lower back down. Repeat the series for 10-12 repetitions.
* Once you’ve become accustomed to this circuit you can mix it up by performing each set at different speeds, which varies the duration of the muscle contraction. For example: Perform the first set of triceps dips/push-ups at a basic 2 count (2 seconds down, 2 seconds up) then for the 2nd set make it a 4 second count on the way down, 2 seconds up, and finally, if you’re doing 3 sets, reverse it and do 2 seconds down, 4 seconds up.
Wave goodbye to underarm flab and look sleek a
Busy Bodies
Health and Fitness
Date Published: June 24, 2009
Sculpt Sexy Arms This Summer
Nothing goes better with a sleeveless top than toned arms. This summer get shapely arms in just minutes a few times per week by incorporating strength training exercises to your routine.
To truly sculpt shapely arms you must execute a variety of exercises to target the various muscles of the arms, shoulders, chest, and upper back. The individual muscles must be stimulated in order to hypertrophy (tone), and fat levels must be reduced for the muscle definition to be visible. So remember, nutrition plays an important role in reducing body fat levels to let all that hard work show through.
To get the most out a quick upper body strength training session try mixing things up by supersetting the exercises. By doing one exercise right after another you can easily increase the intensity. Another way you can spice things up in the weight room is by performing combo sets in which you perform one exercise that flows right into the next. Combo exercises use more muscles at once and take more time to complete a single rep, which makes the muscles work harder and respond by increasing the time of contraction. Supersets and combo exercises are not only more intense, but also more efficient. You are capable of burning more calories in less time.
The Circuit: Perform each of these exercise combinations with no rest in between. Perform 10-12 repetitions of each, and 2-3 sets. Rest 30 seconds to 1-minute then move on to the next group of exercises.
Triceps Dip/Incline Push-Up
Targets: Triceps, pectorals, front deltoids, back muscles
(Bodyweight exercise. Perform one set of each consecutively and repeat for a total of 2-3 combo sets.)
- Triceps dip: Using a bench or chair, sit down, place your hands palm down beside you, walk your feet out straight in front and scoot your hips off so your back is against the edge. Keep your arms in a 90-degree angle to begin then extend your arms and raise your body up. Lower back down, and repeat. * To make the exercise more difficult extend your legs all the way out in front of you with no bend in your knees.
- Incline Push-Up: Place your hands on the bench with your body in a plank position, arms extended and shoulder width apart. Keep your body stable, and lower your chest to the bench as you bend you arms and push back up. * To target the triceps more keep your hands closer together.
Bent Over Row/Triceps Kickback Combo
Targets middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoids, triceps
(Use Light weights- dumbbells/resistance band/etc.)
- Start with a Low-Row- In a standing position with your knees slightly bent. Bend over slightly from the hips keeping your arms at your sides. Pull you arms up so your upper arms are parallel to the ground. From that position perform a Triceps kickback by extending your arms all the way out.
Biceps Curl/Shoulder Press Combo
Targets Biceps brachii and medial deltoids.
(Use Light weights-dumbbells/resistance band/etc.)
- Standing tall with your knees slightly bent and the weights down by your
side, perform a biceps curl, hold and squeeze for about one second and then raise the weights overhead for a shoulder press, lower back down and repeat for 10-12 repetitions.
Deltoid Trio
Targets anterior, posterior, medial deltoids.
(Use Light weights- dumbbells/resistance band/etc.)
- Standing tall with your knees slightly bent and the weights at your sides-raise the weights straight out in front of you shoulder height, lower back down then immediately raise them up simultaneously at your sides, lower down and finally bend over slightly from your hips and raise the weights out to the side shoulder height for a rear-deltoid raise and lower back down. Repeat the series for 10-12 repetitions.
* Once you’ve become accustomed to this circuit you can mix it up by performing each set at different speeds, which varies the duration of the muscle contraction. For example: Perform the first set of triceps dips/push-ups at a basic 2 count (2 seconds down, 2 seconds up) then for the 2nd set make it a 4 second count on the way down, 2 seconds up, and finally, if you’re doing 3 sets, reverse it and do 2 seconds down, 4 seconds up.
Wave goodbye to underarm flab and look sleek a
Thursday, June 11, 2009
June is Men's Health Month
Kelly Gonzalez
Busy Bodies
Health and Fitness
Date Published: June 17, 2009
Men's Health Month
Hey guys, have I ever told you that you look great in a gown….
- A patient gown that is. There’s nothing more masculine than a man who cares about his health. Besides the basics of a healthy lifestyle like proper nutrition, exercise, and stress management, it’s important to receive age-appropriate tests and health screenings.
The month of June is Men’s Health Month. Health education programs across the country aim to increase awareness of men’s health problems and prevent future health problems through regular screenings and early detection.
Common health problems in men include heart disease, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
Heart Disease is the number killer in men in the United States. It’s imperative to know about your family’s history of heart disease since it highly affects potential risks. Yearly health screenings should include:
- Blood pressure: high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher
- Cholesterol: Total level of cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL 200-239 mg/dL is considered to be borderline high risk.
- Triglyceride Levels: less than 150 mg/dL is desirable.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men. Each year about 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer usually has no early warning signs, which makes screening and testing very important. Men should begin testing yearly at age 40. Health professionals test for prostate cancer by using the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and digital rectal exam. To prevent prostate cancer it is recommended to drink plenty of water to flush out the bladder, eat more fruits and vegetables, and less red meat, and manage your weight.
Testicular cancer is more common in younger men, ages 15-35. Luckily, testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers at any stage. Self-examinations help detect abnormalities.
Other tests and screenings that should be performed on a yearly basis include:
- Obesity: test body mass index (BMI). To measure BMI, take weight (in kilograms) and divide it by height (in meters) squared. A healthy BMI for men is between 20-25.
- Diabetes tests
- Testing for sexually transmitted diseases
- Colorectal cancer tests
- Depression
Decrease health risks by living a healthy lifestyle:
- Manage stress levels: Don’t let any situation get the best of you. Take time to engage in activities/hobbies you enjoy. Try relaxation methods such as yoga, deep breathing, and meditation.
- Eat a well balanced diet: Try to consume 5 servings of fruits/vegetables everyday. Eat lean sources of protein, and limit consumption of red meat.
- Drink plenty of water: Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
- Receive adequate amounts of sleep and try to stick to a regular sleep schedule.
- Limit use of alcohol/caffeine
- Be smoke-free
- Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 times per week.
It’s never too late to take more initiative towards living a healthy lifestyle, and educate yourself about risks and prevention. If you’re over the age of 40 and you can’t even remember the last time you had a physical exam try to schedule an appointment soon and embrace the gown!
Busy Bodies
Health and Fitness
Date Published: June 17, 2009
Men's Health Month
Hey guys, have I ever told you that you look great in a gown….
- A patient gown that is. There’s nothing more masculine than a man who cares about his health. Besides the basics of a healthy lifestyle like proper nutrition, exercise, and stress management, it’s important to receive age-appropriate tests and health screenings.
The month of June is Men’s Health Month. Health education programs across the country aim to increase awareness of men’s health problems and prevent future health problems through regular screenings and early detection.
Common health problems in men include heart disease, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
Heart Disease is the number killer in men in the United States. It’s imperative to know about your family’s history of heart disease since it highly affects potential risks. Yearly health screenings should include:
- Blood pressure: high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher
- Cholesterol: Total level of cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL 200-239 mg/dL is considered to be borderline high risk.
- Triglyceride Levels: less than 150 mg/dL is desirable.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men. Each year about 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer usually has no early warning signs, which makes screening and testing very important. Men should begin testing yearly at age 40. Health professionals test for prostate cancer by using the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and digital rectal exam. To prevent prostate cancer it is recommended to drink plenty of water to flush out the bladder, eat more fruits and vegetables, and less red meat, and manage your weight.
Testicular cancer is more common in younger men, ages 15-35. Luckily, testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers at any stage. Self-examinations help detect abnormalities.
Other tests and screenings that should be performed on a yearly basis include:
- Obesity: test body mass index (BMI). To measure BMI, take weight (in kilograms) and divide it by height (in meters) squared. A healthy BMI for men is between 20-25.
- Diabetes tests
- Testing for sexually transmitted diseases
- Colorectal cancer tests
- Depression
Decrease health risks by living a healthy lifestyle:
- Manage stress levels: Don’t let any situation get the best of you. Take time to engage in activities/hobbies you enjoy. Try relaxation methods such as yoga, deep breathing, and meditation.
- Eat a well balanced diet: Try to consume 5 servings of fruits/vegetables everyday. Eat lean sources of protein, and limit consumption of red meat.
- Drink plenty of water: Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
- Receive adequate amounts of sleep and try to stick to a regular sleep schedule.
- Limit use of alcohol/caffeine
- Be smoke-free
- Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 times per week.
It’s never too late to take more initiative towards living a healthy lifestyle, and educate yourself about risks and prevention. If you’re over the age of 40 and you can’t even remember the last time you had a physical exam try to schedule an appointment soon and embrace the gown!
Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods for Beautiful Skin
Kelly Gonzalez
Busy Bodies
Health and Fitness
Date Published: June 10, 2009
Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods for Beautiful Skin
Creams, powders, gels, lotions, the cosmetic aisle offers so many options. Who can keep track of all the products designed to keep you looking your best?
The best beauty secret doesn’t come in a bottle. It comes from the earth. Receiving appropriate amounts of antioxidants from a balanced diet can keep you looking and feeling great, add years to your life, and even give you smooth beautiful skin just in time for summer.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are nutrients in the foods we eat. They aid in the protection of our cells from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules created by environmental pollution, the natural aging process, and mainly, metabolism, the use of oxygen to produce energy.
Free radicals are caused by the process of oxidation- the loss of an electron. When this occurs the molecule missing an electron attacks other stable molecules, making that molecule into a free radical as well, and the reaction continues, which eventually disrupts the normal activity of the cell allowing disease and illness to occur. Antioxidants are powerful agents that are capable of stabilizing the free radicals and prevent numerous illnesses including cancer and heart disease from occurring. Antioxidants are friendly givers. They stabilize the free radical by giving one of their own electrons. How kind, now don’t you want to be kind enough to give your body the necessary antioxidants it needs?
Antioxidant substances include beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, Vitamin A, C, and E. These can be found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and lean protein sources.
The level of antioxidants in a particular food is measured by an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score- the higher the score the higher the level of antioxidants.
The United States Department of Agriculture ranks foods according to their ORAC levels. Winning foods that are bursting with antioxidants include prunes, berries-blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, strawberries, plums, oranges, cherries, kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli florets, and beets. While these top the list, mostly all fruits and vegetables provide a hefty amount of antioxidants.
Glow from the Inside Out
Those nasty free radicals are the cause of premature skin aging and cell damage. There’s no skin cream that can fight free radicals like antioxidants. Antioxidants from a diet rich in top ORAC scoring foods can help you keep your youthful glow.
Here’s the skinny on some of the best foods for your skin:
Berries: You can’t go wrong with berries. Try cranberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, strawberries, whatever you like. Berries are rich in vitamin C and E, and also help keep skin smooth and youthful by aiding in the manufacturing process of collagen.
Nuts: Nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E and fatty acids; both keep skin from becoming dry and dull. Nuts also contain a significant amount of zinc that helps skin cells grow, prevents inflammation, and helps maintain skin elasticity.
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body, which is important for skin collagen formation, and the development of skin cells. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin E and vitamin C. Vitamin E helps stimulate the powerful effects of vitamin C, which helps rid the body of free radicals from over exposure to the sun.
Salmon: Salmon contains a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which helps decrease inflammation, clogged pores, and dry skin. Omega-3 fatty acids keep the cells in the body healthy by strengthening the cell membrane, keeping harmful agents out, letting healthy nutrients in, and keeping water in the cells for smooth soft skin.
This Summer, shed your layers and reveal beautiful skin that is nourished from the inside out instead of out of a bottle. Thank nature and a balanced diet for smooth, soft skin.
Busy Bodies
Health and Fitness
Date Published: June 10, 2009
Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods for Beautiful Skin
Creams, powders, gels, lotions, the cosmetic aisle offers so many options. Who can keep track of all the products designed to keep you looking your best?
The best beauty secret doesn’t come in a bottle. It comes from the earth. Receiving appropriate amounts of antioxidants from a balanced diet can keep you looking and feeling great, add years to your life, and even give you smooth beautiful skin just in time for summer.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are nutrients in the foods we eat. They aid in the protection of our cells from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules created by environmental pollution, the natural aging process, and mainly, metabolism, the use of oxygen to produce energy.
Free radicals are caused by the process of oxidation- the loss of an electron. When this occurs the molecule missing an electron attacks other stable molecules, making that molecule into a free radical as well, and the reaction continues, which eventually disrupts the normal activity of the cell allowing disease and illness to occur. Antioxidants are powerful agents that are capable of stabilizing the free radicals and prevent numerous illnesses including cancer and heart disease from occurring. Antioxidants are friendly givers. They stabilize the free radical by giving one of their own electrons. How kind, now don’t you want to be kind enough to give your body the necessary antioxidants it needs?
Antioxidant substances include beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, Vitamin A, C, and E. These can be found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and lean protein sources.
The level of antioxidants in a particular food is measured by an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score- the higher the score the higher the level of antioxidants.
The United States Department of Agriculture ranks foods according to their ORAC levels. Winning foods that are bursting with antioxidants include prunes, berries-blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, strawberries, plums, oranges, cherries, kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli florets, and beets. While these top the list, mostly all fruits and vegetables provide a hefty amount of antioxidants.
Glow from the Inside Out
Those nasty free radicals are the cause of premature skin aging and cell damage. There’s no skin cream that can fight free radicals like antioxidants. Antioxidants from a diet rich in top ORAC scoring foods can help you keep your youthful glow.
Here’s the skinny on some of the best foods for your skin:
Berries: You can’t go wrong with berries. Try cranberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, strawberries, whatever you like. Berries are rich in vitamin C and E, and also help keep skin smooth and youthful by aiding in the manufacturing process of collagen.
Nuts: Nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E and fatty acids; both keep skin from becoming dry and dull. Nuts also contain a significant amount of zinc that helps skin cells grow, prevents inflammation, and helps maintain skin elasticity.
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body, which is important for skin collagen formation, and the development of skin cells. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin E and vitamin C. Vitamin E helps stimulate the powerful effects of vitamin C, which helps rid the body of free radicals from over exposure to the sun.
Salmon: Salmon contains a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which helps decrease inflammation, clogged pores, and dry skin. Omega-3 fatty acids keep the cells in the body healthy by strengthening the cell membrane, keeping harmful agents out, letting healthy nutrients in, and keeping water in the cells for smooth soft skin.
This Summer, shed your layers and reveal beautiful skin that is nourished from the inside out instead of out of a bottle. Thank nature and a balanced diet for smooth, soft skin.
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