If you’ve been reading NeeBooFit for a while, you’re likely familiar with Carrie, one of NeeBooFit’s trainers and fitness consultants. Carrie has developed some great exercises and routines for our NeeBooFit Resistance Bands, including her Core Challenge and her 7-part Yoga with Resistance Band series. She also writes fitness and nutrition articles for NeeBooFit, drawing on her extensive experience and training as a Personal Trainer. So, let’s get to know Carrie!
Carrie Sowiak
NASM Certified Advanced Level Personal Trainer, IDEA Elite Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor, YOGAFIT certified yoga instructor, Barre Basics Certified Instructor, 2012 CO State Natural Fitness Championships 1st Place Sports Model
Carrie graduated with bachelor’s degrees in both health promotion/wellness and German from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. She has served in a variety of roles in the fitness industry since 1990: corporate, country club, health club, hotel and spa, educational, and physical therapy settings. She is an Elite Level Personal Fitness Trainer with the IDEA Personal Trainer Recognition Program.
Over 22 years, her clientele has been quite diverse: diabetics, cancer patients, recreational athletes, older adults, teenagers, post-rehabilitation therapy patients, pregnant women, and those simply seeking a higher level of fitness. She also has experience working with sciatica, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, fibromyalgia, joint replacements, obesity, and postural problems.
An essential element as we age is maintaining or increasing our flexibility. Poor flexibility can lead to sciatica, low back pain, poor posture, immobility, and structural weaknesses. Carrie incorporates hands-on stretching techniques, along with yoga, to improve your mobility, manage pain, and enhance body awareness.
Carrie strives to help people find enjoyment in exercise! Functional core training with a vast repertoire of exercises and yoga, keep her clients challenged and motivated. Carrie can help you achieve efficient results with fun workouts!
If you live in the greater Denver/Boulder area, Carrie is available for personal training. You can reach her at 303-437-8668 or csowiak@earthlink.net.
Are you exercising and wondering why you can’t lose weight? Exercise alone is not enough, particularly if you’re just doing cardio. You must reduce the number of calories and speed up your metabolism, which is not a surprise, but many people have trouble applying this simple concept, because it’s not easy!
Check out this checklist and pick at least two of these tips to work on every day. As they get easier, add in another until three of them become habit. You should notice at least a small drop in your weight and feel better too. If your scale is stuck on a number, take notice of the way your clothes fit, your endurance for things like climbing stairs, if aches and pains have diminished, and your posture. Focus on positive changes that are happening in your body even if the scale is not changing. You really don’t have to step on the scale more than once a week or every two weeks. Remember, if it took you years to put the weight on, it will take some time to lose it.
The important thing is that you adopt a healthier lifestyle in the process! The keyword here is lifestyle – it’s not a temporary situation. Even someone who is 50 or more pounds overweight can become much healthier on the inside, and more fit, even though their weight is stuck at an undesirable number. But that’s a step in the right direction! Just keep at it!
Checklist for Better Health
Drink more water. Add lemons or cucumbers to make this more desirable if you struggle to do this.
Reduce the amount and eventually omit high calorie beverages such as coffee drinks, sodas, cocktails, wine, and beer. If omitting these is unattainable, find lower calorie options to your favorite drinks.
Drink less alcohol, or omit it completely! Alcohol has empty calories providing no nutritional value and slows the metabolism. If you must, limit yourself to one drink per day, like one glass of red wine for heart health. However, you must then omit those calories somewhere else, like dessert, sugary snacks, or extra helpings of carbohydrates.
Eat more veggies and fruits, striving for 5-9 servings of both per day. “Surround yourself” with them, by buying them or picking them, the ones in season, and eat them all day. If they’re there, and they’re tasty, you’ll eat them. If you’re at a restaurant, be sure to eat any fruits and veggies on the plate – they are not just a garnish, they’re good for you! When making meals at home, center your meals around them, or at least include 2 servings of them at every meal. So instead of focusing on meat to be the main part of the meal, try a new recipe to prepare the vegetables you just bought. Again, make yourself use them before they perish. And remember veggies are filling, so you will feel satisfied.
No fast food. Talk yourself out of even stopping. And don’t use the kids as an excuse. You must set a good example for them anyway so let them help you make a healthier meal or snack at home.
Cardio alone is not enough! Strength training must be incorporated to impact your metabolism by increasing lean tissue because it burns calories at a faster rate than fat. If you’re unsure how to safely do this on your own, invest in yourself and hire an experienced and certified personal trainer, at least for a few sessions to get your program established.
Keep increasing your exercise intensity so it is a little uncomfortable. If your current routine gets comfortable and habitual, you need to spice it up! An effective workout should challenge you and it should be an effort to complete, both the cardio and the strength portions. These can be combined for a metabolism boosting interval workout.
Only eat out once per week if at all, unless you have researched a restaurant’s menu and philosophy to see if they’re cooking healthy. Making meals at home doesn’t have to be a big production. For a quick and easy meal, use those veggies you bought in sandwiches, a stir fry, with whole grain pasta, or a big salad (pay attention to the calories in your dressing. A good balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or dressings with good fats and not saturated fats in smaller quantities are your best options.) When you have time, pre-make your salad toppings. Chopping up a variety of salad veggies on the weekend and storing them in an airtight container (except tomatoes, those will have to be added when serving) makes it easy to throw together a salad during the week. If you don’t have time for that, buy a pre-made salad at a grocery store, not a fast food restaurant. You’re staying away from those!
Don’t eat past 7:00 pm. It’s better to digest a while before you lie down.
Eat on small plates, with chopsticks when possible. And don’t eat mindlessly. Set the table and eat there, not on the couch. Again, this sets a good example for the kids and promotes conversation and mindful eating so you can enjoy the food. If you’re eating alone, TV may be your choice of company, but still try to be mindful. Maybe set up your place on a pillow on the floor in front of the coffee table. The important thing is that you’re aware of having the meal, how much you’re eating, and how satisfied you feel when you finish. Make it an enjoyable activity.
When possible, eat your larger meal earlier in the day, and taper off in the evening. Weekends may be easier for trying this technique.
Savor the flavors. If it’s not really delicious, and the situation allows for it, skip those calories if the food is not enjoyable.
Try these tips and don’t get discouraged! A healthier you will be a happier you!
Ah, we love autumn, don’t you? Summer’s heat is gone and the leaves are beginning to change, but it’s still warm enough to take your workout outdoors. Before you’re cooped up inside for the winter, why not take your NeeBooFit Resistance Tube Bands to the local park and get in a great workout?
The best thing about working out with our tube bands is that as you get stronger, you can increase the resistance to continue challenging yourself. We suggest starting with some of the lighter bands (yellow and green) and working up to the heavier bands. For even more specific weights, combine our bands to get the exact weight resistance you desire.
Next time you’re heading outside to workout, find yourself a lamppost, tree, or pole and try out this set of resistance tube band exercises from the great people over at Mind Body Green. You’ll strengthen your core, raise your heartrate, and get a nice dose of fresh air…all at the same time!
In the past, we shown you how to perfect your form in a plank using a NeeBooFit Resistance Loop Band to better stabilize your shoulder girdle. Now it’s time to try some progressions in all three types of planks: prone (facing floor), side plank, and reverse planks (face up). You won’t need a NeeBooFit Band around your arms for these exercises; however, imagine it’s there as you go through these challenging plank variations. There are a couple of exercises here that use the loop band around your ankles. Each photo shows a different variation on the standard plank positions.
Prone forearm plank progressions
Starting with your best forearm plank with your core engaged and armpits pulling towards your hips:
Leg lift (hip ext) option to use loop band
Alternating jacks w/loop band
Arm reach: side, forward, and to opposite thigh
Mountain climbers (elevated onto step) pull knee just under hip
Hip rotations
Tip: If you need to make these easier, place your feet further apart, unless you’re using the loop band.
Side plank progressions
From your best side plank with your elbow set directly under your shoulder, bottom arm rotated out slightly, head aligned with spine
Crunch: top hand behind head, modify by staggering legs or placing bottom knee down
Hip lifts, top arm high
Reach through
Hip abduction (leg lift)
Reverse plank progressions
From your best reverse plank with your fingers pointing out, shoulders rolled back, abdominals held in, and hips lifted
Inflammation is a natural reaction to injury or infection. The causes of chronic inflammation vary, but include being overweight, smoking, stress, environmental toxins, sedentary lifestyle, and lack of sleep. When a body becomes chronically inflamed, a multitude of negative and potentially injurious conditions can result. Inflammation is at the root of many chronic diseases. A diet rich in colorful plant-based foods, quality protein, and healthy fats can fight inflammation.
Fruits and vegetables in every color, particularly leafy greens, blueberries, pomegranates, strawberries, fresh pineapple, tart cherries, and red grapes. Frozen fruits and veggies offer the same benefits out of season.
Legumes such as soybeans, lentils, pintos and peanuts
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish and plant sources such as flaxseeds and walnuts
Garlic
Ginger – found especially effective as an anti-inflammatory medication for pain management in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (Ribel-Madsen et al. 2012).
Turmeric, a member of the ginger family, is a widely used spice–especially common in South Asian dishes such as curry–that has been associated with anti-inflammatory effects owing to its active ingredient curcumin, which reduces the activity of inflammatory enzymes in the body (Kuptniratsaikul et al. 2009).
Parsley (great w/eggs, potatoes, fish, chicken, pasta salad, be creative!)
Green tea (iced or hot) instead of sweetened beverages – sugar causes inflammation
A glass of red wine, peanuts, and cranberries all have anti-inflammatory properties due to their resveratrol.
Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao)
Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which is known to blunt the pain response (Leong et al. 2013). If you don’t like spicy, get your capsaicin in topical creams or ointments.
Metabolism, the process of converting food into fuel, is a complex interaction of hormones and enzymes that work together around the clock to produce energy needed to function. The rate at which we burn calories depends on age, gender, genetics, lifestyle, and body composition. Muscle tissue contributes approximately 20% to total daily energy expenditure, whereas fat tissue contributes approximately 5% (for individuals with about 20% body fat). As we age, our metabolism plummets 5% each decade after 40. Men burn more calories than women due to higher lean body mass.
Here are a few things you can do to help increase your metabolic rate:
Strength train
Eat your biggest meal earlier in the day, and then taper off to a small meal in the evening. Eat often: Small, frequent healthy snacks keep metabolism on track. Skipping meals or starvation diets only suppress metabolism. Metabolism jumps slightly after eating because of the thermic effect of food, which keeps your metabolic “fires burning”.
High intensity interval training
Strive for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
When you must sit, do it on a therapy ball or stand if possible. Clerical workers can expend more energy by ditching the office chair for a therapy ball or standing (Beers et al. 2008).
Caffeine, capsaicin, and green, white and oolong teas may increase energy expenditure 4%-5% (Hursel & Westerterp-Plantenga 2010). Green tea has been shown to promote dose-dependent weight loss and weight maintenance, especially if combined with caffeine (Hursel et al. 2011). Try a catechin-caffeine combo: Caffeine stimulates thermogenesis via the sympathetic nervous system. Green tea contains both catechins and caffeine. This dynamic duo causes a dose-dependent increase in energy expenditure, particularly in some ethnic groups. (Hursel & Westerterp-Plantenga 2010). Capsaicin puts the hot in chili peppers and boosts thermogenesis via catecholamines. Significant increases in metabolism have been reported in Asian populations consuming this hot commodity, but results are mixed in other ethnic groups (Hursel & Westerterp-Plantenga 2010).
There’s nothing new about the fact that drinking more water helps you lose weight and improve health. In a study, led by Brenda Davy, PhD, RD, associate professor in the department of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech, researchers found that “middle-aged and older people who drank 2 cups of water right before a meal ate 75–90 fewer calories during that meal. In this recent study, they found that over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals three times per day lost about 5 pounds more than dieters who did not increase their water intake” (Webster 2010). If you fill your stomach before a meal, you will eat less. And if you’re drinking water, you’re probably not drinking sugary/high calorie beverages. All of this helps us along the path to weight loss.
Dehydration Can Lead to Health Problems
In spite of the fact that we know drinking water is good for us, most of us have trouble taking enough in. This can lead to kidney stones, difficulty with weight loss, headaches, poor nutrient absorption, constipation, and a slower metabolism since water is the medium for most chemical reactions in the body, especially those involving energy production. Because of its numerous and diverse functions in the body, water is often regarded as the most important nutrient.
Vitamins & Water
Taking vitamins and herbal supplements is a great opportunity to have a full glass of water and if you’re not taking any vitamins, you probably should be! Have your doctor do a blood test to determine what you may be low in. Surprisingly, many of us – male and female alike – are deficient in vitamin D. I found out that I was, so now I get outside as much as possible! If you are feeling stressed, you may need to take a B complex. If you’re having any pain issues associated with inflammation, turmeric is a great herbal supplement in a capsule form that can help relieve pain when taken regularly. Vitamins C and E are great for the skin, and fighting wrinkles from the inside is just as important as treating them on the outside. And of course, a multiple vitamin can be beneficial for most people since we may not eat enough fruits and vegetables (5-9 servings per day).
Flavors Make It More Enticing
If you’re still not excited about water, maybe you’re not drinking the right kind. Maybe you need to filter your water, or change the filter on the water dispenser in your refrigerator. If you want a little flavor in your water, squeeze in some fresh lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber wedges. Even making a batch of mint tea, or other herbal tea, hot or iced, can count as a water serving, just don’t over-sweeten! Use honey or agave nectar to sweeten it if you want a little sweetener.
Make Opportunities to Drink More Water
How many times have you been offered water and you declined? Or, when in a restaurant, did you forget to ask for water at a place that doesn’t automatically pour it and you just ordered another kind of drink? Whenever you are offered water, take it, and drink it! If you are in your car frequently, try to take it with you. However, don’t drink from a plastic bottle that sat in the heat.
All Fluids Count, But Water’s Best
Of course, water is the preferred beverage to replace the fluid you lose each day, followed by beverages that contain little to no calories. But all daily fluids you consume do add up. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men get about 14 cups of fluid daily, while women should aim for 10 cups per day. Pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding may need more. Here’s a basic rule: if the color of your urine is pale yellow, you’re probably getting enough fluids. If it is dark yellow, probably not.
Now, if you don’t already have a glass of water beside you, go get one! Cheers!
Sources
Webster, Sandy Todd. IDEA Fitness Journal (Oct 19, 2010).
In this 8-part series, we’ll teach you how to use our latest product, NeeBooFit Resistance Pull-Up Bands. Ideal for assisted pull-ups, our Resistance Pull-Up Bands are also great for a whole range of exercises. Buy a set today and check back each week for a new video in this series.
For the eighth and final video in our series, we’ll learn to perform Front Raises. This great exercise works your shoulders and is easy to adapt to different strength levels – simply increase the tension on the band to make the exercise more difficult. Here’s how to do it:
Instructions
Stand on the band with your feet shoulder width apart.
Grip the band with your hands hip width apart.
Keeping your elbows straight, raise your arms straight up in front of your body.
Tip: Keep your shoulder blades squeezed together and maintain a neutral spine position.
In this 8-part series, we’ll teach you how to use our latest product, NeeBooFit Resistance Pull-Up Bands. Ideal for assisted pull-ups, our Resistance Pull-Up Bands are also great for a whole range of exercises. Buy a set today and check back each week for a new video in this series.
For the seventh video in our series, we’ll learn how to do X-Walks. When you perform this walking exercise using NeeBooFit Resistance Pull-Up Bands, you’ll be stabilizing the knee and strengthening the glutes. Here’s how to do it:
Instructions
Stand on the band with no tension between your feet.
Keep your feet shoulder width apart.
Twist the band to create an X shape.
Grip the band shoulder width apart and stand up.
Holding tension on the band, step to the side with one leg and then the other.
Tip: Don’t rotate your hips or your knees; stay facing forward.
In this 8-part series, we’ll teach you how to use our latest product, NeeBooFit Resistance Pull-Up Bands. Ideal for assisted pull-ups, our Resistance Pull-Up Bands are also great for a whole range of exercises. Buy a set today and check back each week for a new video in this series.
For the sixth video in our series, we’ll learn how to perform Straight Arm Pull-Downs. By attaching the NeeBooFit Resistance Band to a pull-up bar, you can use the band to strengthen the muscles between the shoulder blades, the lower trapezius, the posterior chain, and the triceps. Here’s how to do it:
Instructions
Attach a resistance pull-up band to a pull-up bar.
Hold the band with your hands shoulder width apart and with slight tension to form a triangle with the band.
Pull your arm down as you engage your shoulder blades until the bottom of the triangle reaches your waist.
Tip: Keep your belly strong to maintain proper form.
Carrie Sowiak
