Hey there! Hope you're doing fine. It's been years since I've last posted here on my blog and lots have changed! Really... it's a lot!!! #2020 This is not a clickbait post. I really did a Kids Workout Program called Double Time Workout by Beachbody®. The company was very generous during this pandemic because they offered Double Time and other Kids Workout Program for free until further notice. Link to the website: https://vimeo.com/showcase/6880106 You might ask, "Why do a beginner workout instead of an intermediate or advanced one?" And my answer to that is because, 'I had shoulder pain for quite sometime now.' It was a clicking and popping kind of pain where doing pull-ups and rows were nearly impossible. I was hesitant at first to do this program because I am fond of doing any workout that Tony Horton and Shaun T offers. But sadly, lifting weights wasn't an option and I needed something that would help strengthen my joints and small muscles that I've neglected in the past. Double Time seemed to be the perfect solution! I did not follow the workout calendar as prescribed but instead, I exercised four times a week alternating between resistance and cardio routines. You can experiment what works for you as this seemed to be working for me. After a month of doing Double Time, my joints and small muscles especially around the shoulders are now stronger than ever. There is less clicking and popping sounds and because of this, I can now progress to intermediate types of workout again. Doing a Kids Workout Program isn't as bad at it seems. In fact, it may be the one that you need in order to rehabilitate your body especially if you've been doing intense workouts for quite sometime. Give your body a break and give Double Time a try. 🙂 **Always consult your doctors before starting any workout program especially if you have underlying health issues or injuries. Since a lot of people can't get enough of this song, I decided to put a little twist on it. ☺ This is one of my favorite yoga sequences and because of that, I've made a shortened version of it which is perfect for our busy lives. This Mountain Pose Yoga series focuses on the opening and stretching of the arms, chest, and the back side of the body. Feel free to practice this short sequence any time of the day. #habitwhisperer #mountainpose #yoga Thumbs up if you LIKED it and Share if you LOVED it! ☺ Happy International Day of Yoga! June 21 has been declared the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations after the Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in his address to the UN General Assembly: “Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being." last December 2014. I was very fortunate to get a notice a few weeks ago that there would be an International Day of Yoga event here in the Philippines. I don't usually go to events especially if it is not in the budget but I guess luck was on my side because this event is free of admission. I didn't think twice and I just said to myself that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity which I must grab! #IDayofYogaPH Not many know that I have been doing yoga for quite some time now. My first introduction to yoga was from the home workout series called P90X in 2009. The title of the workout was Yoga X and it was a 90 minute-long practice of different variations of yoga. I hated doing it because 90 minutes was a bit long for me! Fortunately, they released a 60 minute version which was more doable for me because my allotted time for working out was between 45 to 60 minutes. One of the greatest benefits that yoga gave me was minimizing my lower back pain. I am not claiming that you start doing yoga when you have lower back issues because it help minimized mine. You should still visit a doctor and have yourself checked-up. In my case, I am a firm believer that our bodies are made to move that is why I did not let myself become stagnant and I practiced yoga cautiously. I began seeing results month after month and that was when my love for yoga started. Today, my two favorite yoga teachers are Travis Eliot from Ultimate Yogi and Kassandra Reinhardt who offers free yoga classes on her YouTube channel. The International Day of Yoga PH opened my eyes to the interesting community of yoga here in the Philippines. There are lots of great yoga studios where you can join and I recommend it to those who want to start their yoga journey. Alternatively, you can also find lots of great yoga teachers online who can certainly attend to your personal preference. I would also like to thank the official photographer of the event, Vincent Duke Photography for allowing me to share their wonderful pictures. I didn't take a lot of videos and pictures because I was concentrating on being present at the moment. I hope this blog post inspired you to step onto your yoga mats and hopefully see most of you in the Yoga events in the future. Until then, stay tuned!☺ P.S. If you want to see unique and interesting captions in a photo album then click right here! Photo Source: http://bit.ly/2rPIemo Last March 2016, I recall that I weighed in at about 66 kilograms. I was at the lowest point in my life and my belly was noticeably bigger that time. Exercising was my way out of being miserable and out of shape. Now, I think it is time to share with you another important aspect of self-improvement which is nutrition. Exercise and nutrition work hand-in-hand. Yes, you can exercise without fixing your old eating habits but the results will not be amazing. The same thing holds true with fixing your old eating habits without exercising. I am not much of a "weigh yourself everyday" guy but I am 66 kg or 146 lbs at the moment. I've equaled my weight one year ago but my body composition now is totally different as far as what my eyes can see. I can probably give you a long list of tips on how to lose weight but bear in mind that every person's body is different. What works for me may not work for you that is why I've narrowed my tips to the most general ones. 1. Ditch the scale - Don’t weigh yourself every week or worse, everyday. I think it’s best to weigh yourself every month or two. You don't want to feel anxious once you've learned you've "gained weight" after eating. For me, the best time to weigh yourself is in the morning on an empty stomach. 2. Do Strength Training - As we age, the muscles that we don't use weaken over time that is why it is very important to do strength training at least twice a week on top of your cardiovascular exercises. Another thing is, more muscle exertion equals more calories burned. More calories burned equals weight loss. 3. Eat mindfully - You don’t have to track every single food that you put into your body unless you are joining a physique competition or something else. Eat 4 or 5 times a day, each meal consisting of a good balance of protein, carbs, and fats. Stop eating when you are almost full and chew your food well. 4. Treat yourself once in a while - Dieting can be hard that is why every two weeks or so, treat your body with foods you’re normally accustomed with (comfort foods). ☺ 5. Don’t stress yourself - Life is full of ups and downs that is why we should keep on being positive no matter what the situation may be. Try adding yoga to your workouts and the habit of meditation. That's about it. The shorter the better because too much information will only lead to confusion. Don't do things especially building habits at the same. Focus on one habit at a time for 21 days and then you can move on to the next. I try not use the word diet as much as possible because diets only work for a short period of time. Make eating healthy a lifestyle and your body will thank you a lot. Let me know what topic you would like to see next time. Until then, stay tuned! ☺ Warming-Up before a workout is very important because it gently prepares the body for exercises by gradually increasing the heart rate and circulation; this will loosen the joints and increase blood flow to the muscles. Stretching the muscles prepares them for physical activity and prevents injuries. The warm-up is also a good opportunity for an individual to prepare themselves mentally for the game ahead and for a team to work together prior to the start of the game. Source: http://www.nsmi.org.uk/articles/injury-prevention/warming-up.html The Warm-Up of the Champions is divided into two parts; the Initial Warm-Up and the Main Warm-Up. If you have very limited time, do the Main Warm-Up only. Do these exercises with as little rest as possible but do not sacrifice speed for quality. Let's get started! --- Initial Warm-Up --- Huggers (16) - With your feet shoulders width apart, raise your arms straight like a T and act like you are hugging someone. Alternately switch your left hand over right to right hand over left for a total of 16 repetitions. This exercise is great for warming-up the chest and shoulder muscles. Wrist Rolls (8) - Clasp your hands near your chest and rotate your wrist 8 times in a forward motion and then 8 times in a backward motion. Polka Stretch (8) - Step your right foot a couple of inches forward and land on your heels. Make sure you have a slight bend on the left knee but keep your right leg as straight as possible. Bend at the waist and reach your right foot with your left hand in a controlled manner making sure the abs are tight and your back is straight. Repeat with the other leg and then alternate again to complete the 8 repetitions. Leg Swings (8/8) - Grab a chair or lean on a wall and swing your right leg all the way up to your waist in a controlled manner. Swing your leg in a backward motion and repeat this for 8 times. Afterwards, Face the chair or the wall and swing your right leg with an in and out motion for 8 times. Repeat the whole sequence with the other leg. Fire Hydrants (4/4) - Get down to your knees on all fours and bend your right foot up. Move your right hip in a circular motion inward for 4 times and reverse the motion for 4 times also. Afterwards, do the same thing on the other side. Scorpions (4) - Lie down on the floor with arms extended like a T. Bend your right foot up and carefully reach your left hand with your right foot by twisting your right side of the body. Do this for 4 repetitions and then do the same thing for the other side. --- Main Warm-up --- Run in Place (16) - Bring your right knee up to the height of your waist while you bring your left hand forward at the same time. Repeat the same thing on the other side by creating a running motion for 16 times. Jumping Jacks (16) - Bring your feet together and place your hands on side. Slightly bend your knees and jump a few inches from the floor. You will simultaneously lift your arms up and try to clap above your head. Jump back to your starting position and repeat for 16 times. Twist and Pivot (16) - With your feet shoulders width apart, pivot both of your feet 45 degrees to the right. Bring your hands to the height of your chest and flare your elbows out. You will twist your torso to the left while you also pivot your feet 45 degrees to the left. Repeat this movement for 16 times. Arm Circles (8) - Raise your arms straight like a T and close your fist halfway leaving your thumbs out. Point your thumbs forward and create a circular motion for 8 times. Afterwards, point your thumbs backward while still maintaining the half-closed fist and create a circular motion for 8 times. Chest Openers (8) - While still maintaining the half-closed fist with thumbs out, place both ends of the finger on your temple while flaring your elbows out. Bring your elbows close to each other without losing contact from your finger and temple. Repeat this movement for 8 times. Double Knee Pull (8) - Bring up your right knee to the height of your waist. Grab your right knee with two hands and carefully pull the knee towards your chest twice. Switch knees and do the same movement while alternating for 8 times. Double Pigeon Pull (8) - Bring up your right knee to the height of your waist but this time, flare your knees outward. Grab your right foot with both of your hands and carefully pull it towards your chest twice. Switch feet and do the same movement while alternating for 8 times. Double Quad Pull (8) - Curl your right foot and grab your ankle with your right hand. Carefully pull your ankles towards your lower back twice. Switch feet and do the same movement while alternating for 8 times. _ After you have completed the warm-up, rest for a few minutes and you are now ready to start with your workout. How did you find this warm-up routine? I would like to hear them from you. Until then, stay tuned! ☺ The best time to workout is like a war between two opposite factions. One says it's better to workout in the morning, the other one says it's better in the evening. Do I think there is a third faction? Maybe? I believe they are the ones who workout in the afternoon. Peter (blue): I believe working out in the afternoon solves both your problems. After the dust has settled and the smoke has cleared, maybe it is time to find out when is the best time to workout by analyzing each schedule's pros and cons. *Disclaimer: these are all based on my personal experience. Working out in the morning: Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Despite having one con higher than working out in the evening, I prefer working out in the morning because it has been a habit that I've been doing ever since. Do I never workout in the evening? The answer is no and that is because the key to what I am trying to explain is, workout when it is very convenient for you. There are days when my schedule doesn't allow me to workout in the morning that is why being flexible is also beneficial. The take away lesson here is find a schedule that will fit your lifestyle and stick to it. You can also experiment for 30 days or so to see if you're better as a morning exerciser or an evening exerciser. Let me know when is the best time for you to workout. Until then, stay tuned! ☺ |
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My name is Gelo Amurao. I created the Habit Whisperer because of my desire to help people improve themselves, by creating one good habit at a time. Archives
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