CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

Alright Siwicki Fit Fam! I get loaded with questions about my diet. Fun fact about me, I am a Type 1 Diabetic. I was diagnosed at 5 years old. I try to be extremely cognizant of what foods I choose to put in my body. I drink this smoothie every morning pre-workout. It helps to sustain my energy and it feels good to know I am loading my body with the nutrients it needs. I challenge you this week to make this smoothie every night before you go to sleep. I promise, it’s quick & easy.

tips of the week

#1 SPRINTS

Want to shred the fat? Get rid of those stubborn love handles? Arm fat? Back fat? I hear you. I have been an athlete my entire life - I swear by sprints. I encourage my clients to limit long distance runs due to the damage that it can do to your knees. Sprints are a great way to raise your heart rate and get that fat burning. Check out the video to see the recommended distance + time to sprint. You will be pleased with the results!

#2 EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO ORDER ASAP

meal & snack ideas for The WEEK

INDUSTRY NEWS

Why squats?

Squats are a compound movement, meaning they engage more than one muscle group — which translates into a lot of bang for your buck. It doesn’t take very many squats to raise your heart rate and fatigue your muscles.

Not only that, but the strength you develop while squatting will also keep you in shape for virtually any outdoor sport you’re itching to get back to. Squats serve as excellent cross-training for activities such as running, cycling, hiking and rowing.

Squats also prevent the loss of bone and muscle that can lead to falls and fractures. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of death and injury-related death in Americans 65 and older. Falls often result in broken bones, because an estimated 43.9 percent of older adults have low bone density, and another 10.3 percent experience osteoporosis. The surgeon general named osteoporosis, which literally means porous bone, one of the most significant contributors to bone fractures in older adults.

When it comes to falls, prevention is the best cure. Trainers and physical therapists tell their older clients that it’s  important to perform strength training, and squats in particular, to keep their bones, ligaments and tendons as strong as possible. As Nina Geromel, a Milwaukee physical therapist, explains: “Our bones get denser when we use the muscles that pull on the bones.” Building strong muscles increases your chance of catching yourself if you stumble. And if you do fall, strong bones are less likely to break.

Squats also make you more stable. “The more strong you are in your core, your hips [and] your quads, the more stable you’re going to be walking around on your feet,” says Kristin Oja, an Atlanta-based nurse practitioner and certified personal trainer.

The move, which uses the hips, knees, ankles, glutes, quads and core, supports all kinds of functional fitness. Strengthening the lower body can not only prevent falls, but it can also make it easier and safer to perform activities of daily living, such as playing with grandchildren, bending down to pick up a basket of laundry, using the toilet and getting into and out of chairs and cars. Oja also notes that squats can strengthen the pelvic floor, thereby helping with urinary incontinence and urinary frequency.

For those using only body weight, five times a week is reasonable, but if you’re lifting heavier weights, Oja says, your muscles need 48 hours to recover between sessions. To make your squats more challenging, you can easily modify them — even if you don’t have any fitness equipment. Oja suggests standing up to a calf raise as you come up from your squat or touching the ground as you come down and raising your arms overhead as you come to the top of the movement. You can also go right into a vertical jump as you stand up from your squat; this is called a squat jump. If that’s still not hard enough, try the squat jump while wearing a heavy backpack. No matter where you are in your life or how fit you are, squats should be part of your routine. When I asked Geromel if there was anyone who shouldn’t perform the exercise, her answer was simple: “No one.” She explains, “We do it every day, and there’s no way to avoid squatting.”

Article via: Washington Post by Pam Moore

HEALTH & WELLNESS