Tag: wellness

The Big Book of Exercises

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I’ll be honest, I don’t love that that there’s a big yellow tag that says “Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You” that is literally printed into the cover. Usually that’s a red flag in wellness literature. In this case however, you have my full endorsement to ignore that and check out this awesome book.

In my experience, there are two major reasons why people shy away from the gym. They don’t want to look dumb and they don’t know where to start. When you go to the gym, you are almost always doomed to be surrounded by at least 10 jacked fitness pros who seem to know exactly what they are doing. It can be daunting to try to learn to lift when you feel their eyes scrutinizing your awkward movements.

If you’re in this boat, the Women’sHealth (and Men’sHealth) Big Book of Exercises may be your ticket to a pleasant gym experience.

Basically, this book is an illustrated compilation of exercises for each major muscle group. As a personal trainer, it has been a handy resource to help me quickly put together workout plans for other individuals, groups, and myself.

What I love:

  • The book is literally broken out by each main muscle group. The start of each chapter covers the anatomy of the muscle group, gives you a high level education about it, and teaches you how the exercises will affect that muscle group and the rest of your body. I love the holistic approach. (Obviously, the Women’sHealth version is specific to women and the Men’sHealth version is specific to men.)
  • Included is a deep dive FAQ for lifting weights. It answers questions such as: How long should my workout last? How long should I rest between sets? How fast should I lift? Additionally, it walks you through all the equipment you are likely to encounter- from dumbbells to EZ-curl bars.
  • Also included are cardio workouts, suggested goal-based lifting workouts, and a section on nutrition (I don’t 100% agree with everything in the nutrition piece, but it’s overall pretty moderate and has some good content.) You can always cross check what you read with Precision Nutrition and peer-reviewed articles on PubMed.
  • The language used is conversational, engaging, and easy to understand.
  • There are at least 50 exercises per muscle group (619 exercises total) so there are lots of options and variations to give you a great workout and freshen up a stale routine.
  • Each exercise includes photos of being at rest and in motion, as well as detailed instructions. There are also interesting facts peppered into many of the pages.

I hope you find this as a helpful guide to make better health more attainable. If you want to get your hands on a copy, you can find the Women’sHealth version here , the Men’sHealth version here, or you can check one out at your local library. Happy lifting! ❤

Precision Nutrition

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The health and wellness industry is HOT 🔥🔥🔥 right now and seems to be going through it’s own “Great Awakening.” There are ministers for every conceivable branch of wellness that proselyte in the form of the internet, books, random people you met one time, experts, people who say they are experts but have zero credentials, etc. It can be really hard to know what to believe.

I graduated with a BS in Exercise and Wellness and it is beyond frustrating not only to see how much fake data is out there, but how many people are sacrificing precious time, money, and sanity into programs, diets, cleanses, etc. that are not supported by credible sources. The general results? Disappointment, weight re-gain (or even more gain), yo-yo dieting, binge eating, and self loathing.

Have you experienced any similar frustrations? I have a solution for you.

Meet Precision Nutrition. A friend who is a fitness professional introduced me to this company and it has (this sounds so cliché but it’s true) changed my life. They are a nutrition and fitness research and coaching company with a mission to “help people all over the world discover the joys of living a fit, healthy life.”

They have hundreds of free articles backed by data and like, SCIENCE and they even cite their sources. WOW! Got a question about the keto diet? Want to know what the best strategies are for sustainable weight loss? Google your question and add “precision nutrition.” You will almost always find an article to help answer your questions.

What I love:

  • The articles are written in a casual but intelligent voice and are a fun read (not like most science papers) with lots of tactical takeaways and realistic life application for those of us who don’t live at the gym. 🙋‍♀️
  • Huge emphasis is placed on change psychology, which is largely missing from most diets and programs
  • Generally they do not endorse diets, but encourage sustained change over time and they help you understand why and how to gain a healthy and happy relationship with food and your body.
  • They also have an infographics archive, which basically summarizes a lot of rich data in a digestible, concise and memorable way.
  • They offer a nutrition coaching program, which is the best I’ve seen. I was able to convince a family member who has been trying to lose weight for over 20 years to work with them. He had an enormous break through that has increased his muscles, energy levels, and athletic performance while decreasing his belt size. Now he seriously GLOWS! The reason? The program was doable even for a guy with a stressful desk job.
  • They also offer two certifications. I myself completed the level 1 certification and it was absolutely enlightening, even though I already had a related degree. Everything they taught aligned with what I learned in college. If you’re passionate about nutrition and wellness and want to help people, I totally endorse it.

Here are some of my favorite articles:

To learn more, check out their website here. Like I said earlier, you can google your question and stick “precision nutrition” at the end and almost always find an answer to your question. If you’re looking to find realistic answers and strategies to improve your well being, I hope you give them a try! ❤