Staying Strong and Loose through Week 8!
Challenge Reminder: Spring into Green
Earn at least 1,000 MEPs in the green zone or higher between March 5 and March 17. When you have achieved 1,000 MEPs in the qualifying zones, you’ll be entered to win a free month of Signature Training or J swag!
Five Stretches to Loosen Up Your Lower Back
Lower back pain is often caused by a weak core and/or overly tight muscles. The fitness staff at the J has created a list of five stretches that can help you loosen up those tight muscles and get your body moving more easily.
Workout Warm Up, Cool Down & Myzone
Didn’t get a chance to catch our Facebook Live? Watch it here for tips for warming up, cooling down and getting the most out of Myzone’s new Zone Match feature.
Weekly Health Tips
1. Eat real foods – Purchase and eat minimally-processed foods – plants, fruits, meats, nuts, etc. This helps eliminate things like refined grains, sweeteners and the ingredients you can’t pronounce.
2. Create a backup plan – Common obstacles can derail a fitness plan: no time, no motivation, too little knowledge, strapped for funds, etc. All of these roadblocks have a solution, and we’re here to help you find it!
– Too busy/no time: Try working out in the morning. Getting up a little earlier and fitting in your workout helps avoid any obstacles that can spring up throughout your day. You can make your workout shorter and still get in your sessions (you just need 10 minutes in the blue zone or above for the 100 Day Challenge!). You can try shorter, more intense workout sessions such as intervals or Tabata training.
– No motivation/lack of knowledge: Try working out with one of our trainers! The J employs many amazing and nationally-certified personal trainers that can not only educate but also motivate you towards your health goals!
– Limited funds: The J offers more than 200 group exercise classes each week with your membership. Check out the schedule!
3. Monitor your caffeine intake – Everyone responds to different levels of caffeine, but we think it’s a good rule to avoid consuming caffeine after dinner. Moderating your caffeine intake can help you get better sleep and feel more alert during the day.
4. Reduce the clutter in your life – All the “stuff” you have in your life can add stress, and you may not even realize it until it’s gone. Try cleaning out that junk drawer, going through those piles of mail or cleaning our your closet. Those small improvements could remove small sources of stress and give you a little more peace.
5. Hang out with friends – Having a supportive social network is important. The strength of your relationships with family, friends and your community supports your well-being and physical health.
6. Start to make your workouts harder – Your workouts are there to improve your fitness, however, if you keep doing the same things over and over, you’ll hit a point where you max out the benefits of that workout. Progressive overload, gradually increasing the amount of stress you put on your body during a workout, helps you to keep challenging your body. Aim to increase the stress of your workout each time to continually progress your fitness. For tips on how to do this, make an appointment with one of our personal trainers.
7. Season your food with healthy spices – Some spices, such as cinnamon, ginger and tumeric, are incredibly nutrient dense and can have positive effects on your health. For example, tumeric is a great anti-inflammatory, ginger contains many antioxidants and cinnamon has been shown to help control blood sugar.