NeeBooFit Video – Step to Side Lunge with Resistance Loop Bands

by | Aug 13, 2017 | Exercises

 

Our loop bands are amazing for small to medium range exercises. Click on the video above to watch as Nikki demonstrates a step to side lunge using the loop bands.

Instructions:

  • Stand with Feet hip to shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, abs engaged, chest up nice and tall, and keep your chin forward in neutral.
  • With the loop band around your ankles, step out to a side lunge with your arms out forward as you sit back as though you are sitting in a chair.
  • Keep both toes straight ahead, your lunging leg should have the hip, knees and toes in a line and the other leg should be straight on a diagonal, feeling a stretch in the groin.
  • Come back up to the center and alternate going to the other side.

NeeBooFit Video – Psoas Self Massage with Massage Balls

by | Jul 21, 2017 | Exercises

 

Our massage balls are perfect for helping you achieve a psoas release. Click on the video above to watch as Nikki explains the importance of releasing your psoas and how to use the massage balls to get there!

Using the harder density lacrosse-style ball or the medium density spiky ball, we are going to release your psoas.

The psoas is deep inside of your body in front of the spine and we will be working this area between your pubic bone, your belly button and your hip crest, forming a small triangle.

Instructions:

  • Choose the ball according to your level of sensitivity, body size and/or weight.
  • Make sure it is not too uncomfortable or painful or your body will push away and not allow the muscles to relax.
  • Lie on the ball, allowing it to sink into that region.
  • Move the ball slowly around that area looking for hot spots or trigger points.
  • Then hold pressure on the trigger point, breathe deeply, relax and hold that position while you wait for it to dissipate or let go.
  • The sensation may increase before it decreases and/or radiate to other parts of the body.
  • The psoas release can feel sharp or even uncomfortable and you may even feel a heat sensation.
  • This can take from 3-10 minutes so take your time, move slowly and breathe deeply.

NeeBooFit Video – Standing Overhead Shoulder Press with Flat Therapy Bands

by | Jun 30, 2017 | Exercises

 

Our flat bands can help you get a great shoulder workout. This overhead shoulder press exercise will work your shoulders and arms as you extend your arms against the resistance of the flat band.

Instructions:

  • Stand with Feet hip to shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, tummy engaged, chest up nice and tall, and keep your chin forward in neutral.
  • Anchor band at the bottom of the doorway.
  • Alternate pressing each arm up over your head with your bicep by your ear.
  • Keep your shoulders down, elbows in and palms facing your body.

17 Healthy Snacks You Should Try

by | May 31, 2017 | Education, Motivation, Nutrition

by Carrie Sowiak, NASM certified personal trainer

How many times a day do you snack on something healthy? If you’re a snacker, are you doing it wisely? Do you take time to think about what you should snack on? And some of you might not snack, but rather eat small meals. Here is a list of some good options for smart snacking and small healthy meals:

  • Avocado – have with lettuce, portioned out tortilla chips, or just with a dash of salt, it’s delicious and healthy with its good fats!
  • Hard boiled egg
  • Turkey (leftovers or deli meat, actually from the deli, not pre-packaged)
  • An easy salad – this does not have to be a big production! It could be just three things in a bowl, whatever you might have in the kitchen for fruits and vegetables to eat up (if you buy produce, it forces you to eat it!)
  • Cottage cheese with low-fat whole grain crackers (Trader Joe’s has great choices for crackers) Add pepper, fruit or chives, dill or fresh basil, whatever you might have, fresh or dried. Grow a container herb garden!
  • Tuna – play around with your tuna salad recipe, adding capers, lemon, scallions, pickle relish, or using your favorite low calorie salad dressing
  • Small bowl of whole grain, low sugar, high fiber cereal with fresh berries or bananas. Look beyond the major cereal brands and try the brands at Sprouts and Natural Grocers. Read the labels!
  • Bowl of homemade vegetable soup, or low sodium if not homemade
  • A V8! low salt of course
  • Blue Diamond Nut Thins
  • Trader Joe’s multigrain pita bite crackers (great w/hummus, Trader Joe’s has fun varieties of that too)
  • Popcorn, minimal butter if any, and if you don’t like it dry, pop it in olive or peanut  oil
  • Cut up fresh fruit (mangoes, melon, pineapple, berries)
  • Bread and butter pickles (Famous Dave’s makes a good pickle)
  • Black bean dip with a small bowl of tortilla chips, or use fresh veggies to dip (If you buy baby carrots, they’re ready to eat, also tasty with peanut butter)
  • Delicious varieties of interesting cheeses, enjoy in small quantities
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes (lots of varieties to choose from)

And here are some of my favorite tips for healthier eating:

  • Keep your food interesting and change it up frequently!
  • Ask yourself if whatever you’re eating or drinking is worth the calories rather than just eating it because it’s there, or out of boredom. If the bread or tortilla chips at the restaurant aren’t warm, don’t indulge. If the wine doesn’t taste great, give it away or order a different one. Really savor what you’re consuming!
  • When snacking, position food so you have to get up from your chair to get to it! And always serve yourself up a small bowl or plate rather than eating out of the bag or box; that way, you know when you’re finished! (And you look more civilized too!)

Introducing the NeeBooFit Massage Ball Set!

by | May 2, 2017 | Fitness, Products, Promotions

Check out our newest product!  Introducing the NeeBooFit Massage Ball Set!  Our massage balls come in 3 shapes, sizes and densities and are great for working out pain through myofascial release.

Our innovative Double Foam Roller Peanut Ball is a blend of the best of both worlds! It is made of the same material as a standard foam roller, but it is small and portable and shaped like a peanut to allow you to cradle your legs, arms, or spine for a better and more comfortable fit.

Our lacrosse-style ball is a similar size to a lacrosse ball but made of silicone to provide a more comfortable surface. This is perfect for rolling out tough trigger points on various spots on your body such as your glutes, psoas, diaphragm, or scapula.

The spiky ball is best for more tender spots as the spikes actually provide more give for a softer touch. They are great for using on the bottom of the foot as well as any other trigger points that are more sensitive.

 

Use the following coupon code to order NeeBooFit Massage Ball Set and you’ll be on your way to portable self massage. The coupon code is valid until the end of this month (5/31/17). To use it, simply copy and paste this code into the promo code box during checkout on Amazon.com.

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Questions about our new product?  Contact us!

Fitness Apps

by | Mar 30, 2017 | Fitness, Motivation

by Carrie Sowiak, NASM certified personal trainer

Looking for some motivation without hiring a trainer? Try some of these free helpful fitness apps:

Daily Yoga

  • 50+ classes
  • HD video
  • each sequence has specific focus
  • detailed pose library w/ videos of more than 500 poses

 

Nike Training Club

  • expert guidance
  • workouts doable anywhere
  • motivating
  • easy to follow videos to guide you through every drill
  • can share progress with friends and Nike community

 

Lose It! and Snap It

  • Upload food pics to Lose It!, and Snap It identifies the food to get calorie count and nutrition info

 

My Fitness Pal

  • database of more than 5 million foods
  • barcode nutrition scanner and recipe importer
  • quickly track food intake and exercise to help you balance your calories daily

 

MapMyRun

  • feedback and stats help you improve performance with every mile you go
  • new workout routines which you can save and share
  • for beginners and seasoned runners

 

Fitnet

  • an abundance of 5 and 7 minute targeted workouts
  • uses your phone’s camera to measure how closely you follow the moves

 

Diet Bet

  • for the gambler who wants to lose weight
  • bet on yourself and win money for achieving your weight loss goal

 

Strava

  • track all your runs and rides
  • works with your GPS device
  • view your activity and earn badges for completing certain challenges or compete with other users

 

SWorkit (“Simply Work It”)

  • offers videos of exercises demonstrated by professional personal trainers
  • versatile with over 200 types of exercises

Exercise and Cancer

by | Feb 23, 2017 | Education, Fitness

by Carrie Sowiak, NASM certified personal trainer

We probably all know someone who’s had a battle with cancer, or perhaps even had it ourselves. But what we may not know is how exercise plays a part in its development and treatment. As if we needed another reason to exercise, we can reduce the risk of getting cancer by exercising. A paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Moore et al. 2016) revealed that physical activity lowers the risk of 13 types of cancer!

Regular physical activity is also linked to increased life expectancy after a cancer diagnosis in many cases by decreasing the risk of cancer recurrence (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Grisham 2014). For those who already have cancer, exercise has been shown to help with getting rid of it and minimizing the harmful effects that both the disease and treatment have on the body.

When our immune system is strong we are better equipped to battle cancer successfully. In a 2005 Harvard study, breast cancer patients who exercised at moderate intensities 3-5 hours per week lowered the odds of dying from cancer by about half, compared with sedentary patients (Holmes et al. 2005). However, one must be careful not to overdo exercise as that could suppress the immune system. Even a little exercise improved patients’ odds regardless of stage or diagnosis timing.

Vigorous exercise increases blood flow more than moderate exercise does, and this increased blood flow increases oxygen and immune cells flowing through the body, including the liver. The liver detoxifies carcinogens and other damaging substances, including excess estrogen.

Research has also found that those who exercised early in life have reduced chances of breast cancer later in life. Strenuous exercise in 12-year-old girls was associated with reduced breast cancer during pre- and postmenopause (Lee and Oguma 2006).

So what type of exercise is best? To reduce cancer recurrence and mortality, current recommendations suggest higher intensities, resistance training, and less sitting time. With NeeBooFit resistance bands, you won’t even have to go to the gym to achieve this! If you already have cancer, I also recommend working with a personal trainer who will consult with your doctor. Of course, if you’re new to exercise, always start slowly and listen to your body. Consult the book Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis Balch for a great resource on foods and supplements to include and omit in your cancer fighting diet. And since stress can weaken the immune system, keep a positive outlook and feel confident that you can beat cancer!

NeeBooFit at Equinox

by | Jan 13, 2017 | Promotions

NeeBooFit made a splash at Equinox Sport Club’s VIP Holiday Party in West L.A. last month. Tier X clients received NeeBooFit products in their holiday gift bags – we’re looking forward to hearing about all the ways that Equinox’s most valuable clients use their NeeBooFit products in their exercise routine.

Mindful Movement

by | Dec 13, 2016 | Motivation

When we’re hurried, we forget to be mindful of our posture and movement patterns as we go about our daily life. Awareness of movement prevents accidents, bumps, and the resulting bruises, while helping us to avoid chronic alignment issues in our body that cause nagging aches and pains. It also helps us be more graceful and less clumsy, which is always a good thing!

Learn to be mindful of your body with these simple tips:

  • Drop your shoulders and keep your neck long, which is good practice for even just walking or standing.
  • Lift things with your legs and core engaged, not with a rounded back.
  • When reaching for things, don’t use just your arm – think about engaging the core muscles.
  • Switch hands to perform tasks if you can, as your dominant arm may already be fatigued from typing or whatever repetitive movements it does all day.
  • Lighten your load! Are you one of those people with a large heavy purse or carrying two bags at once? Before carrying these things around for an hour or two while shopping, remove things that are not necessary for that particular day. Be sure to switch arms frequently while carrying bags and purses.
  • Watch your texting and computer posture, and notice it on your friends and family so you can kindly correct them! Avoid long duration use of these devices. If you’re already struggling with pain in your wrist, forearm, shoulders, or neck, take a “tech break” as often as you can.
  • Notice your driving posture. Do you lean to one side? Are you slumped in your seat? Do you jut your neck forward? All these movements can take a toll on your body.
  • Take time for stretching! Even if only a few minutes each day, consistency is key! As you walk through a doorway, place each hand against the door frame, and lean forward. Take 5 deep breaths, then go about your business!

For tips on specific tasks and how to use your body more efficiently to complete them, check out Get Fit While Spring Cleaning.

More Small Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss

by | Nov 22, 2016 | Fitness, Motivation, Nutrition

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By Carrie Sowiak

Hopefully by this time, you have incorporated some of my previous weight loss tips into your life. Now, if you’re ready, here’s a few more tips. And if you’re not, there may be one here that’s easier to handle! The first tip is a repeat, but it’s important!

  • Eat your larger meal or the bulk of your calories early in the day, tapering off as the day goes on. Make the majority of those calories a high quality protein, not excluding other foods, but as a complement to balance the meal. High quality proteins are complete proteins that contain all the essential amino acids, such as eggs, fish, lean beef, cottage cheese, poultry, milk, yogurt (watch the sugar content), whey protein, and soy. Eat one palm-sized portion (approx 20-30 gms) of quality protein at each meal, and decrease this portion in the evening, when most people are eating significantly more than their bodies can benefit from.
  • Watch your sugar intake. Americans eat 20 percent more sugar now than they did in 1986! The average American consumes 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day (that added sugar doesn’t include the naturally occurring sugars in milk and fruit). Many mini candy bars, 12-ounce sodas, and one-cup servings of ice cream contain 10 or more teaspoons of added sugar. The USDA recommends adults get no more than 6 to 10 percent of their daily calories from sugar (about 6 teaspoons per 1,600 calories). Your sugar craving may indicate you’re not getting enough nutrients. Eat the recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein and you may be less inclined to indulge in sugar.
  • Sneak in activity wherever and whenever you can. Seek it out, like stairs and parking further away from your destination. 10 minutes of exercise on a busy day is way better than none! You’ll be a better person for making that time for yourself!
  • Hold yourself accountable. If you have a bad day of eating, make up for it the next day – instead of a muffin or cereal at breakfast, make an egg with whole grain toast and an avocado, or make the day a “vegetarian day”.
  • Strive to sleep 8 hours each night. Lack of sleep alters hormones in the blood that control appetite and promote weight gain (Chaput & Tremblay 2012). Chronic poor sleep, or lack of sleep, triggers more signals to the brain to eat and reduces signals that enough food has been eaten (Markwald et al. 2013).

Remember, try one or two things at a time and make them habitual before tackling another tip.