Fastest way to get FAT?

 

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Like it or not, there is only one major reason why most of us would ever not eat what we want and exercise regularly. It is to improve they way we look. Yes, there are absolutely other important reasons but that one is at the top of the list for most humans. This means that knowing how to improve the way we look in the shortest amount of time is also desirable. How about (re)thinking this whole equation in complete reverse… WHAT IS THE FASTEST WAY TO GET FAT? When looking at things from such a perspective, some things may become more clear. Even if this doesn’t apply directly, it can still be a great little exercise to do from time to time. Reverse engineering can be VERY helpful in any situation if or when things become unclear and fuzzy. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #austinpersonaltrainer #healthandwellness #healthandfitness #fatloss

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Apr 22, 2019 at 9:23am PDT

Thoughts on Jumprope

 

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When was the last time you tried to JUMPROPE? It’s probably been a while right? Skipping rope is a legitimate skill that requires practice. It’s not easy in the beginning and does take time but worth the effort. I consider Jumping Rope to be what I call a “fountain of youth” exercise. This would be anything that preserves or builds back movement abilities that we tend to lose quickly with inactivity and aging. The ability to run, hop and jump might seem trivial but it’s the difference between being a “spring chicken” or “old beef jerky”. Jumping Rope is an excellent way to put some “pep back in your step”. It’s also an excellent way to burn some extra calories and improve your conditioning, aka “cardio”. 5-10 minutes is typically all that most can handle in the beginning. It’s ok. Most folks won’t be able to last but about 20 jumps before resting. Some less. You may hit your feet every time the first few tries. That’s ok. Don’t quit. Any effort is good effort. Another thing I really like is that it keeps us on our toes, literally. Crashing down on the heals of the feet is not typically desirable. People often do this while jogging on concrete. This combined with poor running form literally destroys most people’s knees, feet and ankles. Jumprope is a great way to teach the body to absorb force using the calves, the body’s naturally shock absorbers. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #jumprope #healthandfitness

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Apr 15, 2019 at 6:56am PDT

…examples of BIG stretches

 

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FLEXIBILITY is this week’s theme. It should always be a “theme”. Watch the video from my last post. This post contains a few “stretches” I would recommend to most healthy individuals. If you already have pain or experience pain during any of these movements, make sure you see a qualified health professional soon. When doing any of these movements above, it’s very important to RELAX INTO the stretch. Never force a stretch. That’s exactly how to hurt yourself. Instead, start slowly and breathe INTO the stretch. If you cannot breathe reasonably well in any particular stretch, you’ve probably gone too far. Back off. Begin again. Breathe slowly in through the nose and out through pursed lips. How long should you hold? I’d recommend starting with a range 5-20 slow breathes. STRETCHES: 1) Child’s Pose 2) Rock Back Baby 3) Cat 4) Down Dog 5) Spider-Man Reach 6) Carlton’s Super-Stretch part one 7) Carlton’s Super-Stretch part two 8) Cossack Squat 9) Hang *Call these whatever you like. Names mean nothing. It’s the movement, the action that matters most. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #stretching #flexibility #mobility #mobilityfirst

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Apr 12, 2019 at 7:23am PDT

Flexibility is essential for many reasons…

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Some people are naturally flexible. This basically means they did a good job of NOT losing the flexibility they were born with. However, most of us are not in that boat. Because of a variety of factors (sitting, inactivity, injuries, etc) most of have lost quite a bit of our “natural” flexibility every year as time has moved forward. With that said, it’s not limited to just the mature. I regularly see young folks in the teens, 20’s and 30’s with poor flexibility. Obviously, this is an area that most of us should give more attention. There is no one stretch or technique that will fix everything for everyone. We are each unique. Some people think “I should try Yoga”. It might not be a bad idea. Some think, “maybe a good massage might help”. That’s also a great idea. But even Yoga and a great massage still might not fix everything. Becoming more flexible, increasing mobility and range of motion may require many approaches. The first step is to find what area(s) need immediate attention. We call this “finding the MOST limiting factor(s)”. A great tool to use is a screening test. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a great screening test that many Fitness Professionals prefer to use. Regardless, find a way to assess where you currently are. For many, backs and shoulders feel stiff. For others, it’s more in the hips and legs. Sometimes everything is a bit of a mess. Regardless, most of us will have at least one major area that needs some TLC. It’s ok. It happens. Do something about it. Today, I’m demonstrating a simple lower-body stretch, typically called a Cossack Squat. Try it out. Go slow. Be very careful! This is just a quick example of a little something you could do daily to help get some Stretching into your life. Increasing flexibility take does time. Start slow and practice regularly. The phrase that really helps the most with my mindset needed while stretching is “relax into stretch”. Lastly, count your breathes not the seconds, doing your best to breathe comfortably during all stretching. Holding your breath is the last thing you wanna do when stretching. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #stretchingexercises #flexibilitytraining #mobilitytraining

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Apr 8, 2019 at 8:25am PDT

Know your Blood Pressure

 

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Keep your BLOOD PRESSURE in a healthy range. Aim for 120/80 or lower. It’s ok if it’s not quite there. Do get regular checkups with a qualified medical professional. Do everything you can to get your numbers in a healthy range. Read more about the many natural ways to do this. Keep in mind, you may need medication if things are not getting better with diet and lifestyle changes. Managing Blood Pressure is literally one the most important things any of us can do to prolong life. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #healthandwellness #bloodpressure #hearthealth #healthylifestyle

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Apr 5, 2019 at 7:52am PDT

Heart Health is important!

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The #1 killer of men & women in America is HEART DISEASE. It’s also largely preventable and quite possibly even reversible. There is no one thing that causes or prevents heart disease. A variety of factors influence Heart Health. The most important is BLOOD PRESSURE. Do everything you can to keep it within the safe range of 120/80 or below. Most grocery store/pharmacies have free stations to check your blood pressure. Take advantage of them. Too much salt (sodium) in the diet can make blood pressure worse. Extra body weight also causes problems. Most heart issues will be due the development of plaque buildup in the arteries. High Blood Pressure makes this worse. So do diets lacking in plant-based whole-foods such as Vegetable & Fruits. Remember when they told us in grade school that Fiber was important? Exercise is also obviously important. The blood vessels are very similar to muscles in that they expand and contract. But they don’t expand much without regular activity. Exercise doesn’t need to be an all-out effort to be effective. Daily “brisk” walking can go a long way. Managing stress, getting proper rest and learning to better control your breathing may also help. Lastly, don’t forget about “Connection”. We are all human. We weren’t meant to be isolated and alone all the time. We all need some contact with others. And this is what I meant by Connection. Stay away from negativity. Be kind to yourself and others. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to open your heart. I truly believe each of us has an unlimited amount of Love in our heart. Don’t wait till the end to discover a better you. All in all, just know that you cannot “trick” the body (or the heart) into being healthier or loving. It will always require work. The body wants to be healthy. It wants to heal. Our hearts want to love…not hate. We should all try to NOT get in the way of ourselves. I promise it is worth it. #healthandfitness #nutrition #healthandwellness #drgregersdailydozen #hearthealth #bloodpressure #walkingasexercise #eatyourfiber #managestressnaturally #stressmanagement #stressmanagementcoach #lifecoach #lifecoachtips #sleepisimportant #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Apr 3, 2019 at 10:21am PDT

How to Get more Veggies & Fruits in your daily life…

 

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Most of us are aware that we need more Vegetables & Fruit in our daily-diets. By the way, these are also called Plants. Don’t be scared or bothered by that. Embrace it if you can. You don’t have to like everything. Try stuff out. I feel confident that with enough effort anyone could find a few vegetables & fruits to suit their taste buds. Attitude has a lot to do with it. Also, understand that it might take some time for your taste buds to get used to new things, so remember to be patient. And yes, you can still eat meat if you want. You can still have some bread, some chips, sodas, cookies, etc. (maybe don’t go too crazy). Just know this, Plants = Healthy Nutrition. And yes, there are even a few great plant protein sources. Lentils are a great example. The problem is HOW to actually get more in each day?! For many of us, it’s difficult to navigate the real-world logistics of actually getting more veggies & fruits in DAILY for say…an entire year. And make no mistake, the goal is every single day, for a lifetime. Once a week is just not good enough. Obviously, this takes time. A lot of people think they eat “healthy” just because they cut a few unhealthy things from their diet. That’s great. I applaud your efforts but don’t stop there. What’s equally important are the things we DO intentionally choose to consume regularly. The ONLY solution i’ve found to help overcome this obstacle is to drink a SMOOTHIE each day. I make mine at home. Everything in it is healthy. No BS. Most of my stuff is frozen. For me, this is a simple, fast and affordable option. Otherwise, I can’t lie, there’s no way I’d get in both veggies & fruits every day. I’m too busy. Keep in mind, I enjoy non-healthy food as much as anybody. I also know the importance of proper nutrition. A smoothie is just a suggestion and something I think worth considering for anyone that cares about their health yet finds themselves forever busy. I know the struggle is real. I just wanted to share what’s worked well for me for years. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #smoothies #healthandwellness #healthandfitness #nutrition #drgregersdailydozen

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Mar 27, 2019 at 11:13am PDT