How I Survived My Summer Desk Job

Well, this has been a crazy few months! As you may know, I began the summer with a juice cleanse and the intention of blogging tons. Well, unfortunately, the real world got in the way. Even though I thought I’d have more free time, my full-time summer internship, spending precious non-work time with friends, and preparing for grad school has kept me a lot busier than I expected!

However, in the downtime I have had, I have been enjoying tons of wellness blogs, books, and more. It has been a summer full of self -discovery and experimenting, and I have so much to share!

Let’s start with what I’ve done every day, 5 days a week…worked a desk job.

Don’t get me wrong, my internship has been an amazing professional experience, my team is absolutely fantastic, and I am so thankful for the opportunity.

Nevertheless, I literally could do my job without standing up for more than 5 minutes if I wanted to. Now for someone like me, who loves to move and be active, this was hard…very, very hard (biggest understatement in the world).

Sitting for so long made me feel like I was turning to mush. My metabolism 100% slowed down. I came home exhausted from just sitting all day, and hence sat some more. I didn’t feel good in my body, and I was plain old cranky. Very very cranky. The first few weeks went like this, until I decided to implement some much needed changes. If you google exercises to do at work, you’ll find some crazy ideas that even I am not comfortable doing in the work place. So here is how I personally survived my desk job, without looking like a total crazy person.

      1.  I became a morning person.

This seems like an impossible feat while in college. Getting up before 9? What? Yet all it takes is a few days of practice, and becoming a morning person becomes second nature. Today is Sunday, and I naturally woke up at 7. Who am I?! Anyway, getting up early has allowed me to get up and work out every day (or every day I want to) , and often times meditate, before work. I feel so much better sitting down for my daily job duties, already having gotten my blood pumping and my muscles moving earlier in the day. I love when I’m super sore or tired, in which cases I welcome sitting, knowing my body needs a little rest time. Days where I don’t get to work out before work…the mush feeling sets in, and I’m totally restless. But, as always, one needs to listen to their body. Some days we need a complete rest day…don’t be scared of that either!

2.  I learned to become an intuitive eater.

In Miami, I was constantly running around from class to class, meeting to meeting. My metabolism was always humming, and I could eat a lot during the day and stay at a happy, light, weight. I kind of knew what I ate everyday, and with my active schedule, it worked. Well, when I started sitting for long periods of time, it became apparent that I didn’t need to eat as much as I used to. My metabolism wasn’t revving as much, and my body showed when I was eating more than necessary. For so long, I just kind of ate the same thing every day without thinking, believing I always needed the same amount, even if I was full. This summer I learned to really listen to my body, and realize when I truly need a snack. The amount I eat has gone down significantly, but for the time being, so has the amount I move. Makes sense I suppose? Now, at work, I pack all of my own healthy snacks and lunches, so I feel good about what I am putting into my body, and can gauge how much fuel I need each day. It’s hard not to just eat out of boredom, and it’s something I’ve been improving upon all summer. I’m excited to be back on a student schedule, and maybe I will need to start eating more again then. At least now I can recognize what kind of fuel my body requires.

3.  I boycotted the elevator.

My office is located on the fifth floor, and yes, even I took the elevator for the first few weeks. I was once told by a nutrition expert that the whole “taking the stairs” thing doesn’t really make difference, that our body’s temperatures and metabolisms adjust to that very easily, so it’s not super effective. Well, let me tell you, walking up those stairs everyday has made me feel a lot better. Each morning I walk up 5 floors. Lunchtime is another daily trip. Even if it’s not nice outside for me to eat at out picnic tables, I do a round of stairs anyway. Sometimes, I’ll use restrooms on different floors just to get moving, and just wander around the office in general.  I figure as long as I complete all of my required tasks, it’s ok to do so. It’s amazing how moving more during the day makes me have more energy after work!

     4. I do jumping jacks in the bathroom.

Confession of a wellness junkie: It’s true. I do jumping jacks in the bathroom. This may seem ridiculous. But, in comparison to some suggestions I saw online, this is nothing. Whenever I am alone in the restroom, I bang out at least 40 jumping jacks, and wiggle around a little. I get my blood flowing, and my heart pumping. Does this actually have any physical benefit? Who knows. Does it make me feel better? Absolutely. And that is what matters.

     5.  I walk everyday after work

About half way through this summer, I stopped napping after work and began walking. Not intense walking, just leisure walking. After sitting all day, simply walking either outside or on the treadmill feels amazing. While on the treadmill I’ll take time to myself to read, or watch the news. I go for at least a mile (20 minutes), and often more. It just feels so good to make up for some of the movement lost throughout the day. When it’s nice out, I walk with friends, enjoy nature, and have long talks. Sometimes, I run errands and just stay on my feet for a while. Walking is so underrated. It helps lower our cortisol levels, which is vital for the maintenance of a healthy weight and body.

Implementing these few changes have helped me feel a lot better, even while working a desk job. I come home with much more energy, have a much better attitude, and have been able to keep my body a lot happier! As someone whose future career will be in Human Resources, this experience has made me even more passionate about giving employees options such as adjustable stand up desks in the office to avoid sitting for so long. I am excited to look into how to make wellness initiatives more mainstream in the business world in the future.

How can you get a little more active at your desk job? Experiment, and find what works for you! Let me know if you have any fun ideas yourself!  

Can’t wait to write more =)

Be Well.

Love, Julie 

Recipe for a Happy, Healthy Day

Hi everyone!

Check out my latest contribution to Beauty of Becoming! This site is full of awesome health and wellness inspiration, tips, and motivation.


http://www.beautyofbecoming.com/9/post/2013/03/recipe-for-a-happy-healthy-day.html

Hope you enjoy!

Be Well.

Love, Julie 

Yay for 5ks !!!!

So you may notice my new schedule...crazy crazy weeks, time on the weekends...

Better late than never right?!

Anyway, today I ran my very first 5k and it was so so so much fun! Like I have mentioned in previous posts , I am NOT a runner. In fact, I haven't run since I've been back into Miami until today. Yet, my crazy kickboxing keeps me in killer cardio shape.

Last year, my mom did the PUBLIX Tropical 5k here in Miami. This year, I decided to join her, and my aunt is running the half marathon tomorrow (putting us both to shame)! So, it's been a lovely and fabulous girls weekend of fitness in South Beach.

Yesterday, we went to register at the Health and Fitness Expo for the weekend. It was like a dream come true. Me and a huge room of fitness company booths. Love. Except we got there super late and only had a few minutes. But, in those few minutes I did get to stop at the VEGA BOOTH where I obviously rambled on about how huge of a fan I am, and how I drink Vega one every morning, eat Vega Vibrancy Bars, and have read Brendan's book! Let me tell you, expressing your love for a brand pays off. I left with a free VEGA Sport running shirt (that they weren't just giving out), which I wore for my race today!

 

The race started at 7:30 and we were at the start line by 7am. I haven't been up that early in ages! However, it was definitely worth it. The race took us by the port of Miami and all of the beautiful cruise ships and then along south beach, near my family's home. It was a little tricky starting because I had to weave through so many people, but once I got going it was fabulous! I kept a solid pace, going as hard as I could for that distance and was able to sprint to the finish.

 

And I got THIRD PLACE IN MY AGE GROUP without really trying!

...There obviously were not a lot of people in my age group.

 

Regardless, it was a super fun surprise that I did not expect, and I got not one medal, but two! I'm so happy I pushed myself to do this race. I could have very easily have chosen to go out with friends last night and passed up on it. But, today I learned how much fun it is to be part of a big crowd and a big fitness event! The energy is incredible. People dress up like crazy and dance and route you on. Also, there was a great little party at the end. So much fun!

Whether it is a 5k, a 3k, a spinathon, a zumbathon, an anything-athon...I truly encourage you to find an event like this that can get you excited about fitness, and that recognizes and encourages your effort! You will love it!

Be Well.

Love, Julie

Fun new things I bought this week

This week was very exciting on the shopping front! I found a few new things I wanted to share with everyone!

1. Organic Pink Lady and Cameo Apples 
              At the end of break I was in a panic. The wonderful Honey Crisp apples I had fallen in love with were gradually disappearing from my Whole Foods Market. What was going on! The Honey Crisp had become a staple snack of mine and I didn't know what to do! What I learned was that Honey Crisps were going out of season. Apparently, Whole Foods was rejecting most of the Honey Crisps they received due to quality. And so, I roamed the apple section unsure of what to do. As I said in my post "New Love" the Honey Crisp was the only apple I had enjoyed! It was like someone knew my predicament that day, and nicely had Whole Foods offer Cameo apple samples. I took a bite and loved it! Yay! Another option and another winner. They are a little less sweet than Honey Crisps, but still super refreshing and full of flavor.

 

When I arrived back in Miami, I searched for my new go to. 

No cameos. 

So, naturally, I turned to google to tell me which  apple was the closest in taste to a Honey Crisp. The answer I got was the Pink Lady. These are a little smaller and softer than Honey Crisps, and very sweet. However, they definitely make an excellent substitute. Thank goodness I found them! I do not buy all of my produce organic quite yet because of budget reasons. However, apples are very important to buy organic because of their status on the Dirty Dozen! Also, they taste so much better! 

 

2. Vega Vibrancy Bars 

I've been trying to find these for so long and was lucky to stumble upon them on sale in my Whole Foods this week. I swear they're not always there, but hope they will be from now on! To me, they are a wonderful dessert chocolatey bar. In reality, it is a blend of plant-based super foods like sprouted buckwheat, raw almonds, white chia, hemp seeds and Vega SaviSeed (sacha inchi) oil. Little will you know, when you are enjoying the chocolatey treat, you are getting 10 grams of protein, 1 gram of Omega 3's, and 40% of your day's fiber, without any artificial flavors or sugar. That makes it so much more enjoyable!

  

 
   

3. Foam Roller! 

 After last night's post, I took the plunge and decided to buy my own foam roller! Now anytime I feel tight or sore I can roll it on out without having to go to the gym. I decided to go for a little 18" one, figuring it would do the job for me! I was surprised to find one while at target for only $20! Great deal! Made by GAIAM, the innocent looking green cylinder of intense power came with a dvd to guide you through different exercises. It was interesting, not exactly what I was looking for, but interesting! I think it's worth taking a look at to get an idea of different exercises. Then you can go off on your own! I also purchased a few tennis balls (couldn't find lacrosse). So we will see how my experimenting with that goes . 

                 

I'm super excited about this week's purchases, and highly recommend looking into them! It's always fun to have new things to get you excited about your health!

Coming up next...getting back into Deepak!!!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Be Well. 

Love, Julie

Adventures in Foam Rolling

Oh my goodness I have missed blogging! I am so so happy to be back to my active, busy schedule, but I miss this! The good news is, I have lots to write about. The bad news is, I have a lot less time to do so! But don't think I'm giving up on you, I will be fitting this in whenever I can!

Anyway, today's topic is foam rolling!

Ever see that big foam cylinder in the gym? Have any idea what it's for?

Basically it is a compact, portable, inexpensive deep tissue massage. It was actually while I was getting a massage right before I returned to school that I decided the foam roller and I needed to become friends. Historically, I have always had super tight muscles. Sometimes I can even feel tightness in my hips, glutes, and IT band when I sleep! Tight muscles are never fun. You move less freely, your exercise form is off, and your body can become misaligned. It's just no good. Massages are wonderful for you because they release tension in your muscles and stretches them out. Think more of how pizza dough is worked and stretched out,rather than a simple pull stretch. This is how massages (and foam rolling) works! But, obviously not all of us (aka barely any of us) are lucky enough to get a deep tissue massage every day. From friends and previous track training, I knew that the foam roller held the answer I needed in releasing the knots and tension in my body, but I wasn't exactly sure how. So I decided to do some research!

The tightness in our hips/IT bands/backs etc is all about fascia, a tissue that surrounds our bones and muscles. According to Canadian Running Magazine , "with repeated stress in one direction or in the same pattern, fascia will lay down new material to become stronger in order to protect the surrounding tissue. Too much build-up of new material, however, can also lessen the extensibility of fascia, restricting movement and altering movement patterns."

So it's a scar tissue buildup happening! What foam rolling does is use your body weight to roll out and break down this tissue, releasing the tension, and allowing you to move more freely. It also lengthens tight areas that are hard to stretch, like the IT band and hip flexors.I would very much like all the extra build up and tightness in my body to go away, wouldn't you?

Now I can't lie, foam rolling isn't always the most comfortable experience. Think about that massage again. When your masseuse is working out a knot, it hurts. Same goes for this. It's going to hurt at first. But, the more regularly you do it, the better things will get, as there will be less and less buildup and tightness to get through!

Try these exercises out at your gym!


 Roll yourself back and forth to hit those hamstrings!

 
This is for the IT bands! For more pressure, stack your legs one over the other .


For the quads. I roll very far down to work the hip flexors too.

For more check out
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/finder/lookup/filter/equipment/id/14/equipment/foam-roll !

Once you begin, you will get the hang of it and eventually feel out which angles work best for you! Also, I have heard that lacrosse balls are great for working out smaller areas. I will let you know once I try this!

So do not be afraid of looking funny on the foam roller at the gym! Memorize some exercises from online and do not go another day suffering from tightness and fascia buildup! Chances are, people are going to think you're super hard core, knowing how to use that mysterious foam thing! Flaunt it. You care about you body, and are awesome for it. The grimace on your face as you work out a knot will cue instant respect and admiration. You know what you're doing! Don't be surprised if everyone is rolling out next to you soon. After all imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. =)

Sitting here writing this is bringing all the tension in my body to my attention. I may need to invest in a roller myself, so I can treat my body to a massage any time! They're only around $30 from Sports Authority.

Join me in my new foam rolling routine! Soon we will be tension free!

Be Well.

Love, Julie

My bout with Bikram

Whenever someone mentions Bikram yoga you can expect one of three answers:

1. Oh my god I loveee it

2. Ah I want to try it so badly

3. Oh my gosh I’m so scared, I could never do it

                 

I must admit, before I tried Bikram out myself, my reaction was basically a combination of those three. So what’s the big deal? Bikram is a copyrighted style of Hatha yoga , which goes through 26 postures and two breathing exercises performed in a 105 degree room at 40%  humidity. You will hear horror stories of nausea and passing out, while also hearing that it’s the best thing ever. Naturally, people are intimidated. I was no different. Yet, in the end I fell in love.

                 

When I decided to try Bikram, I was at a very stressful point in my semester. Both my mind and body needed a little change of pace. I needed to stop rushing and breathe. As a former dancer, I have always loved yoga, stretching, moving gracefully, and being led by a peaceful instructor. Yet, I have always been concerned that I was not getting the physical workout I wanted out of it. Bikram is known for major calorie burn, so I decided to give it a go.

                 

My first class went wonderfully. I think things worked out for me because I was used to such intense work outs before. I also made sure not to eat for three hours before the class, and to hydrate well up until an hour before class. I immediately fell in love with the peacefulness of the practice, the meditative state I got into, and how I began to move like a dancer again. For about a month I replaced most of my cardio with Bikram, and continued to lift on alternating days.

                 

When I decided to go back to kickboxing, I felt rejuvenated and at ease. Taking a “break” allowed me to approach my usual cardio routine with a more positive and appreciative attitude. Although I ultimately decided to stop practicing so frequently due to my own personal fitness preferences, Bikram did teach me many worthwhile lessons.  

1. It taught me to slow down and breathe again. So often my mind is go go go. Do this do that, stress about this, finish that, go crazy, go to bed and do it again. Going to Bikram allowed me to slow down and focus for 90 minutes of my day. In such a strenuous class, sometimes the only way to get through a pose is by focusing on your breath. This method of remaining calm throughout the practice has spilled into all areas of my life and since has allowed me to take on each day with a more serene attitude, allowing me to enjoy life more fully.

2. It taught me that “perfection” is a relative term. Bikram is a practice. People have been practicing for days, months, and years. Absolutely every body in the room has its own strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. One has tight hips, the other tight hamstrings. Some postures can be hit deeper than others. Everyone is different. In the sauna of a room, all you can do is focus on your gorgeous body in the mirror and own it. This is what you have. This is what you can do. And for you, today, as long as you are giving it 100%, this is perfect.

3. It taught me that putting down other people will not lead to your own success. What can I say, I’m not perfect. I have my competitive side. I like to be in the top tier of things. It’s something I’ve been working on. Bikram certainly pushed those efforts along. Admittedly, I’d sometimes be in class, checking out the other members similar to me. A few times, I would see someone my age, and notice that they were not handling the heat as well as me. For about a millisecond, I’d be proud…and the boom, I’d immediately fall out of my pose. Bikram requires full mental focus. Letting yourself be distracted by superficial judgments will, well, result on you potentially falling on your bum. Pretty awesome life lesson though, right? It’s best to just focus on ourselves and try to be the best we can be. Wasting time judging others will only be detrimental to our own well-being.

So, if you haven’t tried it, give Bikram a whirl! Even if it is just a once and a while thing, it is sure to bring you back down to earth, filling you with peace and calmness, while detoxifying your body. Don’t be scared! As the Bikram dialogue says, the only requirement is to stay in the room and breathe. Even if you just need to sit there all class, do it! Take the time to yourself, and embrace this different form of exercise. It turned out that, despite how much I enjoyed it, Bikram wasn’t exactly my “soul mate” work out. But who knows? It could be yours!

Be Well.

Love, Julie

Lessons from Zumba

            I’ve always been one who wants to get all of the certifications/expertise I can about areas that spark my interest. The first (and least expensive) thing I was able to do is become a certified Zumba instructor! I was the first Zumba instructor at Wake Forest, and then became a core member of the UM group exercise team when I transferred. My Zumba career lasted about two years before I decided to step away from teaching, and taught me many lessons along the way.

1. When it comes to working out, you get out of it what you put into it.-

 Zumba is a trademarked class that provides a lot of standard choreography etc. However, it is also a genre of group fitness that gives teachers a ton of freedom. Instructors are able to choose their songs, sequences, and intensity. What we learned in our certification is that the company likes 60-70% of the class to be pure Zumba material, and the rest is up to you! What results from this is that one’s experience in class depends very much on the instructor.

Well, I became known as the super energetic, bouncy, crazy teacher (luckily, in a good way). I would often hear from students about how with other instructors, they would take an hour class and then be able to do another cardio kickboxing or something. They quickly learned that that would not work with me. My philosophy was (and is), that if you dedicate an hour to doing something, you should make the most of that time and reap its full rewards, not have to do a whole extra hour to get what you want. There is no way you should be able to do two crazy cardio classes back to back. Something is wrong. You are not working hard enough. So, my classes became high energy and high in intensity. We would sweat, a lot, while often times looking completely ridiculous doing crazy Zumba moves. Not everyone always made it all the way through. But at least they knew their body was working hard! I would always tell my students, give it your absolute 100%. If you need a water break, that’s ok. If you need to just mark the moves, that’s ok too. But don’t walk out feeling like you have energy to spare. If you put in a moderate amount of effort, you’ll get moderate rewards. Give it all you got, and you’ll walk out stronger, tougher, and with a wonderful sense of pride and accomplishment.

2. Smiles and Positivity go a long way.

                My favorite part of being an instructor was being a positive motivating force, inspiring others to enjoy taking care of themselves. This involved tons of smiling and words of encouragement, even in the midst of serious (and at times painful) cardio. I loved getting to know my regulars and hearing about how they loved the energy of the class. One of the greatest compliments I ever received was hearing I had been the inspiration for one of my students to get her teaching certification as well. As I continue on with my life, I carry with me these lessons on how to be a good role model and example for something I’m passionate about. In whatever you do, always smile and shed love on those you are hoping to inspire. Lead by example and make them want to share your secrets! No one wants to know more about people who seem too high on their horse or judgmental!

3. Sometimes you need to let things go * I think this is the most important* .

               I taught during the school year, sometimes once a week, sometimes twice, depending on the semester. With school work, and an increasingly busy college schedule, things began to become stressful. Teaching was like taking on another full class. It required many hours of outside work, putting together choreography …memorizing routines etc. Zumba began to be more of a source of stress than enjoyment. Things worsened when I began to struggle with anemia. My body would go in and out of periods of fatigue, which simply did not work when I had a pre-set time that I had to perform at 100% each week. Sometimes I wouldn’t feel great, resulting in days where I had to seriously push through class ( a little scary). My heart gradually started not to be in it anymore. The anxiety overshadowed the previous joy.

                

              I’ve never been a quitter. As a child I was always taught to stick to my commitments, and finish what I started. However, one day, when things were not going so well, I heard a remark by Chalene Johnson. She spoke about cutting out everything that caused anxiety in your life . She indicated how things like this are detrimental to our well-being, and if they're optional, should be put aside. What is the point of wasting our energy on things that do not make us happy? This seriously spoke to me. Although I had enjoyed teaching in the past, and had such fun being a motivator to others, things had changed. It was time to let Zumba go. I stopped teaching, and was able to focus on me and my own needs. Yes, I lost that income; but I gained back my sanity. Ever since, I have learned to filter my commitments, making sure not to over-exert myself to the point of a mild mental break down. I now only engage in things that I can put my full effort into, and that bring me joy. Take a look at your life. Are you compromising your inner-calm for anything? Is it worth it?

               

             Be Well.              

                 
                 Love, Julie

Sometimes I only go to the gym for these things...

               Abs, probably the most annoying part of my fitness routine. See the problem is, once you get pretty strong abs, keeping those results becomes harder and harder. The body becomes used to what was working before, and after some time, progress starts to steadily decline.

Not Fair. Not Fair at all. 

We’ve worked so hard for that sore feeling that lets us know our tummies are tightening. Why is it going away!

                 

             I like my workouts to be quick and efficient and having to make my ab sessions longer and longer began to drive me bonkers. Luckily, I discovered how to up the intensity and cut back down the time. It’s all about making normal exercises harder and adding resistance. Tools to help with this can be found in your gym. I have a lot of workout equipment/dvds at home. However, these few things will single handedly make me go to the gym so I can get my abs burning!

The Bosu

                Ah, rediscovering the bosu was the best thing ever. This little half fitness ball works wonders. It makes every crunch more effective and can be used for balancing and planks as well. It’s a little tricky to figure out just what moves to do. I’m honestly still experimenting and learning. But Youtube is a great source of inspiration and video demonstrations!!

                Some of my go to moves:

                 

                 1. V-Sits…balance yourself on top of the bosu with your legs up and arms supporting you on the ball behind you. Extend your legs in and out, making your body flatter and then bringing it back up into the V position. A more advanced version of this involves just balancing and not using your hands for support.

                 

                  2. Half Bicycles…Lie back on the bosu so that the arch of your back fits right along the side curvature of the bosu (I’m super technical with my terminology, I know). Assume a crunch position. Now, extend one leg parallel to the floor, leaving one down to support your weight. With your arms behind your head, bring the extended leg’s knee in while performing a twisting crunch towards your knee. Extend the leg back and release the crunch. See…like a bicycle, but half. (This is my first attempt at explaining an exercise, bare with me…hopefully I can get someone to document me doing this in the future!) For an even more challenging move, try to do a full bicycle on the bosu, like this…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3sOOtXOtBI

               

                  3. Crunches- The Bosu makes even the average crunch more effective. Simply set yourself up with your back aligned with the curve of the bosu like so…

and crunch! Focus on extending your upper body fully back, and then crunching while lifting your hips to get the rib cage as close to the hip bones as possible. Also make sure to lead with your chest. As Chalene Johnson would say, make sure there's a fist's distance between you chin and your chest. The bosu allows you to get a way fuller range of motion than if you were to do crunches on the ground. Try all your usual variations of crunches using this extra resistance!

               

           4. Planks- Probably my favorite use of the bosu! It makes planks more challenging by destabilizing your supporting foundation. I love to do side planks with a fully extended arm placed on the top of the bosu.

  I also balance as I do hip dips in this position. You can flip the bosu over, so the flat part is facing up, and do planks, mountain climbers, pushups… The possibilities are seriously endless. 

The Fitness Ball

                 

           The fitness ball can be used for a lot of the same things as the bosu. It provides instability, requiring your abs to work harder to balance, and makes it possible for you to get a fuller range of motion. Some things I particularly like to do with this are…

             1. Alphabet planks- Place your elbows on the ball and roll out so you are in an angled plank position. Keeping your arms on the ball, trace out the alphabet, moving your hands together, so that the ball is in constant movement as you are trying to hold your plank.

             2. Jack Knifes- Place your stomach on the ball and roll out, so that you are in a push up position with your ankles and feet kept in the air by the ball. Stabilizing your core, bring your legs in towards your arms, creating a huge contraction, and then extend them back out, all while moving the ball along with you. In a more advanced version, keep your legs straight and lift your hips up while rolling the ball forward with your ankles/feet. 

Captain’s Chair

                I’m not sure if this is really what it’s called…I had to google it. But that thing in the gym that looks like a chair with no bottom!! This is an ab killer. Get up on the equipment and place your back against the pad. Place your arms in position, gripping the handles. Hanging like this, lift your legs (straight) until they are parallel to the floor, and lower down. Repeat. (I usually do sets of 12). Make sure to make the movement slow and controlled, contracting your abs the whole time. After one set of these…I usually do a set with my knees bent, where I lift my bent knees up together and lower without touching the side supports of the apparatus, keeping my core engaged the whole time.  Try doing 3-4 sets of each! 

These are just a few tips from my ab experience! Much more to come, and hopefully I will get better pictures/explanation skills as this blog goes on. You have to start somewhere, right?!!!

When I implemented these moves into my routine, I felt that awesome soreness again, and brought my abs to the next level. I hope when you’re in a rut, this will help you too. Some of this is already getting easy for me…so you know what that means, more experimenting to come!

Be Well.

Love, Julie