Health and Fitness Highlight Reel #2

The health and fitness highlight reels are occasional postings on health and fitness related products, tools, articles or other interesting things I’ve found.

1. Online tools – there are hundreds and probably thousands of online tools dedicated to health and fitness.  There are tools that allow you to track food intake, exercise and goals and/or follow a program for a particular period of time.  Many of these sites have great information and tools to help you stay on a path to good health and wellness.

Again, if you’re looking for a place to track your food and exercise information and find inspiration, you can check out sites like WebMd, Fitness Magazine, Live Healthy America, FitBit and Spark People for their online tools and programs.  A recent program I found via Fitness Magazine is one offered by the American Heart Associations’ Go Red for Women movement – the BetterU program.  I just started week 1 of their program.  So far it looks like a good tool for someone who is just beginning a journey into health and wellness.  What online tools and apps do you use?  What do you like or not like about those tools?

Jumping rope can be super
intense if you push yourself
to move quickly for one to
two minutes.  

2. Fitness Trends for 2012 – The American College of Sports Medicine released the results of their “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2012”.  I love that #2 on the list is strength training!  I am a strength training instructor with Farrell’s because I’m a big believer in its benefit to the body.  It certainly doesn’t hurt that I see the benefits (aka I see definition in my bicep and quad muscles) but knowing what it does for my body on the inside is key.  What fitness trends are you interested in following or trying in 2012?

3. Jumping rope – Yes, a key staple to any eight year olds’ routine but have you honestly jumped rope in a while?  It’s intense work.  I used to jump rope as a part of my exercise routine but let it go by the wayside.  There’s more than one way to jump rope than the standard forward twirl and jump.  You can skip the rope backwards or do over-unders (turn the rope over twice under foot before you touch the ground).  In addition to adding jump rope to my 2012 fitness list, I also plan to incorporate kettlebells and swimming.  Have you added anything new to your exercise routine lately?  What did you like or dislike about it?

4. Breakfast – I love breakfast!  It’s one of my favorite meals of the day.  Breakfast foods are super nutritious (well, if you’re eating nutritious foods :)) and so filling in the morning after a workout.  I am partial to a handful of breakfast items but I make sure to switch it up between those items so I don’t get bored.  My favorite breakfast options include: oatmeal with cinnamon and crushed pecans, Kashi Go Lean cereal, omelet (with options like turkey, feta, peppers or spinach), toast with peanut butter, and Van’s flaxseed waffles.  I also like to occasionally add in fruit, greek yogurt or a protein bar.

My breakfast staples include cereal, oatmeal,
waffles, greek yogurt and protein bars.

Besides loving breakfast food options, I know that eating in the morning actually helps kick start my metabolism.  Yes, I’d like my body to start burning calories as soon as possible please!  There is lots of debate about exactly what time you should eat, if you should eat before you work out, after you work out or half before and half after.  I have to do what my body asks me to do each morning so if I need a snack before a workout, I’ll have a small one.  I know that I need to replenish calories after a workout so I always eat following my morning workout.  What is your favorite breakfast food?  Do you eat when you get up or wait until lunch?  

What’s topping your fitness list right now?  Have you found a great new health food or recipe?  Did you start a new exercise routine you love?  Did you find fun and functional workout gear?

Miss FitGab