Be Healthy, Be Happy

As I look back on the last 8 weeks of blogging I would just like to thank everyone who followed my through this journey. Physical activity has always and will always be an important aspect in my life and I hope that I have motivated some of you to share in my views.

Whether you go for a 20 minute walk in the park or take out all our rage and frustrations on a punching bag, being physically active will improve not only the body but the mind as well. It is important to always remember that the body and mind go hand-in-hand, and when one is health the other will sure to follow.

Before I leave I would just like to leave you with a few quotes that have left a lasting impression on me when it comes to staying physically fit, and hopefully they will have the same impact on you as well!

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states." - Carol Welch

"A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs." - Joan Welsh

"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world." - Paul Dudley White

"If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end." – Julius Erving

“A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs.” - Joan Welsh

Don't Sweat It!

Are you feeling stressed, drained both physically and mentally? Do you need some form of a release that will make you feel recharged and rejuvenated? Then I have the perfect solution for you. Hot yoga combines all the stretch and strengthening poses of yoga on they are practiced in a heated room, usually around 90^oF. This combination works to stretch, strengthen and tone the muscles while detoxifying the body and calming the mind.

I practice hot yoga at a local studio in Burlington called Moksha Yoga, and below I have provided some of the benefits they have heard from students taking their classes.

Students have reported that Moksha Yoga has helped them to:

• De-stress

• Lose weight

• Improve their immune systems

• Increase their cardiovascular abilities

• Feel more energized

But the benefits of Moksha Yoga go beyond the studio. Students have told us that Moksha Yoga has:

• Healed them emotionally and physically from the challenge of chemotherapy

• Improved their relationships with family members

• Increased their ability to focus

• Helped them heal from brain injury

"Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured."

- B.K.S. Iyengar.

Tip #2

So I was at the gym last night going about my business when all of a sudden this girl drops her weights from a standing position. Caught off guard by the unnecessary crash I look over to see what the issue was and sure enough this girl was fixing her hair. Her hair! Of all things to concern yourself with at the gym your appearance is not one of them. So this is my tip for everyone out there, especially for the ladies, sweat, sweat and after that sweat some more. If you leave the gym sweaty and gross and should not be seen in public you know you had a great workout. If you were like this girl however, checking and adjusting your hair every few minutes, looking at your reflection more than looking at the weights you have a problem. If you can go straight from the gym to a night out on the town you fail, but more importantly you have wasted your time and money at the gym. No one cares what you look like while your working out, it's not a fashion show, you're suppose to look gross, and in this instance sweat is your friend.

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, 
while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it." 
- Plato

Punch Away All That Rage!

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seems to be going right, people around you are getting on your last nerve, and all you want to do is rage and put your fist through a wall. Well if you’re like me then you have had many of those days. But not to worry, I have the perfect way for you to unwind and take your stress levels back to normal.

Boxing is a fantastic way to stay in incredible shape; you can build stamina, tone muscle and burn double the calories in half the time you would spend on a treadmill. It also allows you to release any negative energy you’ve been carrying around with you.

Now when it comes to participating in this sport I HIGHLY suggest working with a professional, they ensure that you follow the proper form and technique and make sure that you get the best workout possible while avoiding injuries.

A proper stance allows you to throw harder punches and get a better workout. Remember to stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, stay light on your feet as you move around, and remember to NEVER lock your elbow when throwing a punch, this is a perfect way to get an injury.

Boxing sessions at my gym last half an hour, I know that may not seem long to you but when the average person burns 600-700 calories an hour running, I have burned over 1000 calories in half that time. You’re exhausted and you will hurt the next day, but when you’re leaving the gym your mood has changed drastically and everything that bothered you before has seemed to disappear.

"Breathing correctly is the key to better 
fitness, muscle strength, stamina and athletic endurance." - 
Dr. Michael Yessis

Tip #1

So along with providing you with information on various exercising activities I have decided to also give you any helpful tip I have along the way.

This first one comes to you not just from a sanitation level but one that also irritates and disgusts me on several levels...CLEAN YOUR EQUIPMENT!!! I can't tell you how many times I am in the gym and I see too many people use the machines, sweat like a beast, and then just walk away. Think that's bad? Not even, what's even worse is when the next user gets on and starts their workout...now that's disgusting! It's also how germs and diseases get started. A

few years ago Brock had an outbreak, it was a a type of flesh eating disease that started in they gym, and it was all from the combination of hundreds of dirty people not cleaning their machines after use, the combination of various types of sweat turned into this flesh eating disease - barf. It is because of these people that I clean my equipment before AND after I use them.

So please be wise, and for the love of everything that is good and pure in this world please clean your equipment!

"Fitness needs to be perceived as fun and games or we subconsciously avoid it." - Alan Thicke

Just A Regular Day

I’m sure everyone will agree with me that our Wednesday’s and Thursday’s are beyond crazy. They are wicked long and drain the life right out of you. Because of this I don’t normally go to the gym on those days which is why when Friday’s comes I’m there for quite a while making up for lost time.

When I arrive I do a light stretch to get my legs loose and then I hop right on the elliptical. My cardio is the one aspect of my time at the gym that never changes. My first 5 minutes I use as a warm up and stick to a light to medium level after that I increase to a high intensity and I stay on that rate for another 35 minutes. Once I reach 40 minutes I then do a 5 minutes cool down.

Stretching is extremely important, especially after cardio, it prevents lactic acid build up and your muscles from locking later on. My stretch usually lasts about 15-20 minutes and I use a gym matte to cushion my body from the hard gym floor.

Now onto chest and back! Because of my accident last Christmas I was told to take 1 year off before I could workout my back again, so I have been starting out slow and working my way back to my original weight use. For my back I use lateral pulldown and back row machine and a seated bench press for my chest at 30 lbs. for 4 sets of 12 for all.

I finish my workout with abs. An abdominal workout can be done

so many different ways but I have found the using an ab crunch machine works the best. Like with other weight machines you get to choose your settings, this allows you to add intensity to your workout and I find you get better results. I place my weight setting at 60.5 lbs. and do at least 120 crunches

So there you have it, the Jamie Kreiner Full Body Workout, I hope that it provided some motivation for you to join me and start your exercise adventure.

"Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness." – Earl of Derby

Finding the Right Fit!

Looking for a gym can be a workout all in its own. There are many to choose from and all offer different components that may or may not fit in with what you need so don't be afraid to shop around for the "right fit."

Availability is crucial, a gym that is open 24 hours or at least until 10 p.m. gives you plenty of opportunity to make it in for a workout. Also, gym's like Good Life and Mademoiselle Fitness allow you to workout at all of their locations, so if you have one close to you at work or school and don't want to wait to drive home you will be able to workout there hassle free.

Ask to test out the facilities. Gym's are eager to get you to join but I highly recommend asking for a trial workout before committing to a contract, this way you can test out the equipment and see if it's what you want and need. This is also the perfect opportunity to check out what kind of clientele that gym is bring in. For example, when I was shopping for a gym Good Life was one of the finalists, so when I asked them for a trial they naturally were more than happy to allow me a day pass. Everything up until that point seemed great, then I saw the kind of people I'd be working out around, and let me tell you, Steroid Nation is not a place I want to be a citizen of.

And my final piece of information when looking for your "right fit" is checking out the overall shape and condition of the equipment. Newer is generally better, but if it's an establish gym then the equipment could be a little older and that's perfectly fine as long as they seem to be taken care of. And for those of you that like using free weights make sure they grow in increments of 2.5 lb., this way you can have a gradual increase in weight as you improve and decrease the chances of injury.

There you have it, I hope these little titbits prove to be helpful, I know they were for me!

"The first wealth is health" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beginning Your Journey

Every year countless people make the most common New Year's resolution to get into shape. While I feel this is an excellent choice that many more people need to make, it doesn't happen over night and involves hard work on a number of different levels. Proper exercise requires sweat, concentration, determination but above all else dedication. I have found over the years that dedication is the most crucial element you will need to be successful, it's so easy to sit there and say " oh, I don't really feel like going to the gym today. I'll go tomorrow." But believe me I'm telling you when you find yourself following a routine you love your attitude will change, and you'll find yourself getting angry every time you skip a workout!

After a while you'll begin to see results not only in your physical appearance but you'll begin to notice that your health improves and your mind becomes more alert to the point where you can feel the difference.

For the next 8 weeks I will take you on an exercising adventure, allowing the body and the mind to experience several forms of exercise. From hot yoga to boxing I am going to push both body and mind. Interested? Then follow me on my movement journey and hopefully you'll fall in love with exercise just as mush as I have.

But wait! Before you begin it is important to make sure you have the following pieces:

- Proper fitting running shoes

- Workout clothing - remember it's not a fashion show!

- Water

- Towel (if you feel its necessary)

- If you like an iPod/MP3

"If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end." – Julius Erving