Kara Hamada, Author at PGX®

How to Start Exercising: 4 Tips for Beginners

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 29 September 2016

How to Start Exercising: 4 Tips for Beginners

Making the decision to start exercising is a huge step, one that will help shape your lifestyle, and your future health.* It can also be hugely intimidating, leaving you to wonder, where do I begin?

If you’re new to exercising, one of the most important things to know about getting started is that it’s best to start slow. Easing into a regular workout routine can help prevent injury and shock to your body, due to over-exercising. It also sets the foundation for maintaining healthy workout habits right from day one.

How to Start Exercising

1. Research

There are many effective ways to exercise. You can go solo, or join a class, workout from home, or join a gym – you can can even choose to work out on land, or on water!

Before you settle on how you want to exercise, do a little research on the cost and quality of gyms close by, and whether or not there are any local groups that pique your interest. Here’s a sampling of some of the types programs you may find to join:

Here are a few fun and popular exercise programs you may want to learn more about:

Zumba: A non-choreographed dance workout, that’s super fun and high-energy.
Pilates: A system of exercises done on a mat or using a special machine that focuses on full body strength using your own body weight. There will be a lot of core strengthening.
Yoga: A series of exercises that require holding body positions, while focusing on breathing. There are many types of yoga, such as hot, hatha, power, etc.
Spin/Cycle: Indoor bike riding on a bike machine. Tends to be a high-intensity, fast-paced workout.
HIIT: A mode of exercise that alternates between low/moderate intensity levels and high-intensity levels. Generally encompasses movements such as burpees, high-knees, and push-ups.

2. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Exercising is only part of the healthy living equation. A healthy diet is the other. When you combine a healthy, balanced diet with regular exercise, you’re helping your body get the full of benefits of both.

3. Nail the Warm-Up

Doing a warm-up before getting started helps ease your body into the exercise. It also helps prevent muscle injury, get your heart ready, and mentally prepare you.

Dynamic warm up exercises can be done before most workouts. This is referred to as “active stretching” and involves movement versus static stretching (staying in place and stretching a muscle for an extended period of time).

Here are a few examples of dynamic, easy-to-execute, warm-up exercises:

Walking lunges
Frankensteins
Step forward, touch your toes
High knees and butt kicks

4. Get Enough Sleep

Maintaining a quality sleep cycle will help ensure that you’re energetic enough to do your workouts. It’s detrimental to try and exercise when you’re tired, and it can also lead to injury. Plan your nights so that you get to bed at a reasonable time.

*If unsure, include your doctor in your decision to help determine which exercise are best for you.

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How to Work Exercise into Your Vacation

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 9 August 2016

How to Work Exercise into Your Vacation

You may find it hard to fit in exercise on your vacation between all the adventuring, exploring, and relaxing you’re doing. But logic dictates that a little maintenance when you’re away will help you stay on track with your long-term health and fitness goals. Luckily, we have a few simple ways to work exercise into your vacation, while still leaving plenty of room for fun and adventure.

Track Your Steps

While playing tourist you will likely be doing a lot of walking, so keeping track of your steps is an excellent way of gauging how much exercise you’re getting. As a basic fitness guideline, aim for a daily minimum of 10,000 steps.

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are light, easy to travel with and have the ability to give you an awesome full body workout, all within the comfort of your hotel room!

Partner Exercises

The benefits of working out with a partner are pretty great. It’s a fun way to spend time together, you can execute many different types of exercises you aren’t able to do solo, and you can provide each other with motivation when needed. If you’re vacationing with someone, partnering up to get your workouts done can be a refreshing change of pace from your every day routine.

Here are two partner exercises to try:

1. The Abdominal Workout

Lie on the ground and hold your partner’s ankles
Bring your legs straight up while your partner throws your legs down
Try to slow your legs down as quickly as possible without letting them touch the ground

2. Partner Pushups

Face your partner and as he/she goes down into a pushup, follow
When you both push up, reach across and high five each other with your right hand
Repeat the movement, the high five each other with your left hand

Mindful Food Choices

Exercise is key of course, but nutrition is just as important to your long-term health and fitness goals. Try to eat as many whole foods as possible, keep up the fruit and veggie intake, and hydrate often!

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A Complete Light and Healthy Summertime Meal

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 26 July 2016

Cooking nutritious, light, and tasty meals, to compliment the hot and sunny days of summer is one of my favorite things to do! Today, I am going to share my go-to healthy summertime meal with you – complete with an appetizer, main dish, and dessert!

1. The Appetizer: A Summer Salad

Starting a meal with dark, leafy greens like spinach is a simple and delicious way to increase your intake of protein, fiber, and minerals.

This summer salad makes use of an assortment of fresh veggies, nuts, dried fruit, and a healthy homemade dressing, for the perfect green appetizer.

Salad Ingredients:

Spinach
Chopped carrots, onions, snap peas, tomatoes
Dried cranberries
Diced avocado
Sliced cashews

Dressing Ingredients:

2 tbsp unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh orange juice

Directions:

Mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle over salad.

2. The Main Dish: Salmon

Salmon is a known superfood boasting omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, iron, and more.

Perfectly seared, and paired with grilled asparagus and naturally sweet mashed yams, salmon is the perfect summer meal to leave you feeling full and satisfied, but not heavy.

Ingredients:

Wild-caught salmon
Asparagus
Lemon
Garlic
Olive Oil
Yams

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Line a pan with foil and place salmon skin side down. Rub with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. For every ½ inch of salmon, cook for 4–6 minutes.
While the salmon is cooking, rinse and chop off the hard ends of asparagus. Mix with olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Let stand for a few minutes to absorb the juices.
Reduce oven to 400 degrees and cook asparagus for 15–20 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, cut the yams into ½-inch round pieces (skin can stay on).
Bring ¾-inch of water to a boil in a pan, place yams into boiling water and cover, reducing heat to low – for 15 minutes or until yams are easily pierced with a fork.
Once done, mash yams with a fork and remove the skin (per preference).

3. The Appetizer: A Summer Smoothie

A healthy, fruit smoothie, using your choice of nut milk, is the perfect sweet treat to cap off a great meal.

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana
1 cup coconut milk or almond milk
Handful of frozen berries
Handful of spinach

Keep in mind the fruit-to-liquid ratio. Too much liquid and your smoothie will be very runny. Not enough, and it will be too thick. Depending on how big your banana is and how many berries or spinach you put in – you may need to use more or less – adjust as needed and enjoy!

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How to Exercise Safely in the Heat

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 19 July 2016

image-blog-PGX-How to Exercise Safely in the Heat-20160719 During the sunny days of summer, a lot of people like to take their workouts outside. But with all that glorious sunshine also comes the heat, and the need to be extra cautious and smart about the way you exercise out of doors.

Follow these five tips on how to exercise smartly and safely outside during the summer:

1. Avoid the Hottest Times of the Day

One of the simplest things you can do to exercise smartly in the summer is to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

Usually, the hottest point of the day is the early-to-late afternoon – when the sun is blazing above – but a quick glance at your local weather forecast should help pinpoint more exact times.

Ideally, you’re able to schedule your workout in the morning, before it gets too hot, or in the evening once it’s started to cool off a little.

2. Pick the Right Clothing and Accessories

Opt for lightweight, light colored, breathable clothing. If you’re going to be working up a sweat, look for tops and bottoms that are designed to wick away sweat and moisture, and have vents or mesh built in. And don’t forget about your feet! Make sure your socks are also moisture wicking, light, and comfortable.

You’ll also want to invest in a good hat. Look for something made from light materials, with a decent brim, and vented panels that will allow for air flow and help keep you cool. And don’t forget to protect your face and other bare limbs with sunscreen!

3. Have Water On-Hand

This should really go without saying, but water is a must-have when exercising in the heat. If you’re worried about a water bottle being cumbersome, you can buy belts that hold little water bottles in them while you workout. You can also buy slim, lightweight water bottles that are easy to hold if you’re doing an exercise like running, where your hands aren’t required.

If you’re worried about a water bottle being cumbersome, you can buy belts that hold little water bottles in them while you workout. You can also buy slim, lightweight water bottles that are easy to hold if you’re doing an exercise like running, where your hands aren’t required.

You can also pour a little water over your head, neck our shoulders to help you cool down.

4. Pick a Shaded Route/Spot

Finding a workout spot or route that is partially or fully shaded is a great option to keep cool. Parks, rural areas, and local athletic fields are a great choice, as they often provide wide open areas and trails that offer shade.

5. Cool Down

A 10–15 minute cool down will help naturally bring your temperature back down after exercising in the heat. To cool down, take a slow walk for 10–15 minutes while sipping on some water.

To cool down, take a slow walk for 10–15 minutes while sipping on some water. Add in a few upper and lower body stretches afterward, and you’re good to go!

Working out in the heat of summer can be a fun and rewarding way of keeping in shape. Just remember to be thoughtful of your body and how you’re feeling during the exercise.

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4 Moves to Strengthen and Tone Your Arms

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 6 July 2016

Arm day – one of my favorites! Help strengthen and tone your arms with these four exercises targeting your triceps and your biceps.

Working with weights is not only mentally stimulating and energizing; it also helps maintain healthy muscle groups. As we age, we begin to lose muscle, which is why your workout plan should include lifting weights as it can help combat early muscle loss.

2 Exercises to Tone Your Biceps

Your biceps are the front muscle in the upper arm, with its main purpose being to flex the arm. To give your biceps muscles the best workout, we will be doing pulling actions.

1. Standing Bicep Curls (3 sets, 10–12 reps)

For this workout, you’ll want to have two weights that feel moderate-to-heavy to you, and that you can lift 10–15 times.

Stand shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged. Hold weights in both hands at the sides of your body. Your elbows should never move, they should stay tight against your body and simply flex to bring the weights up.
When you flex your arms, bringing both weights up, your arm should stop when it’s bent at a 45 degrees angle before slowly lowering back to the start position.

If you get too tired doing both weights at once, you can alternate arms. For a visual representation of this exercise, watch How to Do Standing Dumbbell Curls.

2. 21s (3 sets, 21 reps)

Stand shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged. Hold weights in both hands at the sides of your body. Your elbows should never move, they should stay tight against your body and simply flex to bring the weights up.
When you flex your arms, bringing both weights up, your arm should stop when it’s bent at a 90 degrees angle. Do this movement for 7 reps.
Next: Start with the weights all the way up (arms bent), then lower to 90 degrees. Do this movement for 7 reps.
Next: Complete the movement in full. Do this movement for 7 reps.

For a visual representation of this exercise, watch How to do 21s

2 Exercises to Tone Your Triceps

Your triceps are the large muscle at the back of your arms. It’s primary purpose is arm extension. To give your triceps muscle the best workout, we will focus on executing pushing exercises.

Tricep Dips (3 sets, 8–12 reps)

For this exercise, you’ll want to find a bench, low table, or workout step up.

Position your back against the bench, arms extended shoulder width apart, and holding onto the edge of the bench.
Slowly lower your body till your arms are angled at 90 degrees before pushing back up again

For a visual representation of this exercise, watch Bench Dips.

2. Standing Dumbbell Extensions (3 reps, 15 reps)

You’ll only need one dumbbell to complete this exercise, so it should be a bit heavier than the ones you use when doing an exercise that involves two weights.

Hold the weight with two arms and lift above your head
Lower the weight behind your head (only bending at the elbow) to about 45 degrees before pushing your arms back up.

For a visual representation of this exercise, watch Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension.

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Conquer Your Post-Workout Hunger With These 3 Meals

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 14 June 2016

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During exercise, your body is burning calories and depleting stored energy. To replenish your energy, and to help your body get the protein and other nutrients it needs, healthy and satisfying post-workout meals are key.

It’s important to keep in mind that food can take a while to digest, so ideally you’re aiming to eat as close to completing your workout as possible. However, for the times when that’s simply not possible, remember to pack a light snack, like an apple or a healthy bar, to help stave off big hunger urges until you get home and can prepare a healthy meal.

3 Healthy Post-Workout Meals

Conquer your post-workout hunger with these three healthy, hearty, and mouth-watering meals:

1. Salmon With Yams and Kale

Yams are a versatile superfood and a tasty way to add fiber and potassium to your diet. Salmon is a delicious protein that adds omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins to your plate. This savory and nutritious dish is an easy option for busy weeknights.

Instructions:

Cut the yams into ½-inch slices (you can peel the skin off if you’d like), fill a pan with ½-inch of water and steam until easily pierced with a fork. Mash together. *You can sprinkle with cinnamon prior to steaming for added flavor.
Sprinkle wild salmon with lemon, salt, and pepper. To bake: for each inch of thickness, the salmon will take about 8 minutes in the oven at 425 °C.
Sauté the kale in a frying pan with olive or coconut oil, and garlic for 3–5 minutes.

2. Almond, Banana, Spinach Shake

Oftentimes, you’ll see bodybuilders drinking their post-workout meal. This is because liquid doesn’t take as much time to digest as solid food, and they want to get protein into their systems quickly to get the most benefit out of it.

Try whipping up this tasty smoothie for a quick post-workout meal:

Unsweetened almond or coconut milk
Frozen banana
Almond or peanut butter
Spinach
Hemp seeds (optional)
Chia seeds (optional)

Almond Banana Smoothie

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Depending on your taste, you can play around with how much of each ingredient you like.

3. Brown Rice Burrito Bowl

Brown rice is a great source of fiber. Black beans also offer a lot of fiber, protein, and vitamins.

The following are the basics of a good burrito bowl, but you can spice yours up any way you like it. With burrito bowls, anything goes!

Brown rice or quinoa
Black beans or white kidney beans
Refried beans
Salsa
Guacamole
Cheese (cheddar, jack, havarti, etc.)
Sour cream
Olives
Lettuce or spinach
Cilantro
Green or red onions

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How to Make the Most out of Your Treadmill

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 8 June 2016

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A treadmill can offer a great workout; they keep you at a consistent, controlled walking or running pace, can be done indoors, and can be modified to focus on specific exercise goals.

Many people have a love/hate relationship with treadmills. When it’s rainy and cold treadmills are awesome, but when it’s warm and sunny who wants to be stuck running inside when they could be getting their workout outside.

When jumping on the treadmill begins to feel like just another boring workout, try some of these ideas to shake up your routine and make the most of your treadmill:

HIIT the Treadmill!

Consistent running or walking can get boring, so it’s a great idea to spice up your treadmill workout every now and then with circuits and new movements, like this HIIT cardio circuit:

Please ensure that you have been cleared by your doctor for cardio exercise prior to doing this workout.

HIIT Cardio Treadmill Workout

2–3 min fast walk (warm up)
1 minute at 5.0 speed
30 seconds at 4.0 (slow jog)
1 minute at 6.0 speed
30 seconds at 4.0 (slow jog)
1 minute at 6.5–7.0 speed
30 seconds at 4.0 (slow jog)
30 seconds at 3.0 (walk)
Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4

Shake Up Your Moves

If you’ve been sticking to simply walking and running on your treadmill, it may be time to shake things up! Here are three movements I love to do with clients that you can try:

1. Walk Backwards

Walking backwards puts more pressure on your quads and calves, which generally take a back seat when walking (glutes and hamstrings are more so used for walking). For an even bigger challenge, increase the incline!

2. Side Steps

Side stepping focuses more on your hips and inner/outer thighs. It’s a fun way to add a little variety and flavor to your routine, with the benefit of focusing on different parts of your legs.

3. Hold Your Arms Up

Holding your arms above your head can elevate your heart rate while also giving your upper body a great workout. For an added challenge, try adding light weights, or moving your arms in a circular motion.

Whether you like a steady walking pace, a major incline, or a decline jog, a treadmill can be the source of many great workouts – not just walking and running!

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Two Amazing Stretches You’ll Fall in Love With

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 18 May 2016

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Stretching is an important part of a cool down routine as during exercise, our muscles become fatigued and tighten. Here are two amazing stretches that can easily be incorporated into any post-exercise cool down:

1. Hip Flexor Stretch

When you’re in a standing position, your hip flexors lift your leg to step up onto something. If you’re lying down, your hip flexors can lift your legs or lift your torso to sit you up. Your hip flexors are made up of muscles such as your iliopsoas (psoas muscle and iliacus).

Keep these flexors flexible to enjoy continued back health!

How to Stretch Your Hip Flexors:

Kneel on the floor (with legs bent), and rest your shins on the ground. Then, take one leg and lunge forward so that the leg is bent at a 90 degree angle. Ensure your knee is not going over your toes. Watch the below video below from

Watch the below video below from Sam Visnic on how stretch your hip flexors.

2. Hamstring Stretch

The hamstrings are made up of three different muscles: biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. This muscle group is generally known for knee flexion and hip extension. Tight hamstrings are a common discomfort.

How to Stretch Your Hamstrings

Note that you’ll need the help of a friend for this stretch!

Start by lying on the ground, legs straight. Lift one leg straight up, and with the help of a friend, have them hold your weight (so your leg can relax) and push gently until it is uncomfortable to go any further. You can hold this stretch for 45 seconds to 1 minute before switching legs.

Watch the below video by Expert Village on hamstring stretching.

Things to Keep in Mind

Studies have shown that static stretching before exercising may not be beneficial and can lead to injury. When you’re gearing up for a good stretching session, do it after your workout as part of your cool down, or before you’re getting ready for bed. As an added mental bonus, just 10 – 15 minutes of stretching will help to relax and calm your mind!

If you ever feel as though you have pulled or strained a muscle, remember not to stretch it. When you strain a muscle, you’ve likely over-extended it, so re-extending it with stretching will have a negative impact on your recovery.

According to fitness expert Peggy Hall, “Stretching increases your blood flow and circulation for a healthier body and sends oxygen to your brain for a clearer mind and sunnier moods.” [1]

References:

[1] Usigan, Ysolt. “6 Good Reasons You Need to Stretch.” Shape Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2016.

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2 Outdoor Spring Exercise Routines

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 4 May 2016

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Spring is a great month to get back into a routine of working out as the change in season brings warmer temperatures, plenty of sunshine, and longer days. As a precursor to summer, spring also inspires many people to ramp up their workouts in anticipation of beach days and warm weather outfits.

So shake off the last of those cold, dark winter days and get outside with two of my favorite spring exercise routines:

1. HIIT

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a circuit that increases your heart rate then brings it back down before bringing it back up again. It burns a ton of calories in a short amount of time. Always check with your doctor to ensure you’re cleared for high-intensity workouts.

What You Need: Just your body and lots of water!

Warm-up: 3-4 minutes of low-intensity movement (jogging, dynamic warm-ups, etc)

HIIT Routine:

All exercises sets are 1 minute on and 30 seconds of rest.

Sprints x 4 sets
Burpees x 2 sets
Jumping Jacks x 2 sets

– WATER BREAK (less than 1 minute) –

10-15 pushups, 30 second upward plank x 2 sets
15-25 sit ups, 45 seconds glute bridge x 2 sets

2. Running Circuit

Sometimes your body needs a low-intensity run. The steady state cardio is great for building endurance, burning calories and can be easier on your joints. This run incorporates a circuit throughout, allowing your body to try new movements while keeping your heart rate fairly steady.

You can do this circuit until you feel tired or for up to 5 miles. Always listen to your body while exercising.

Things You’ll Need: running shoes, hydration pack, watch (to keep track of your time), and a running route of 5 miles or less.

Warmup: start your run with some dynamic exercise movements or a 3-4 minute brisk walk to slow jog.

Running Circuit Routine:

5 minutes x jog at 40% effort
5 minutes x jog at 50 % effort
1 minute x jog at 30% effort (slow jog)
Slow down, stop, then start the following:
- 1 minute x walking lunges
- 1 minute x walk
5 minutes x jog at 50% effort
3 minutes x jog at 60% effort
1 minute x jog at 30% effort (slow job)
Slow down, stop, then start the following:
- 30 second per leg x side-step squats (moving to the right or left)
- 1 minute x walk
5 minutes x jog at 50% effort
5 minutes x jog at 60% effort
1 minute x jog at 30% effort
Slow down, stop then start the following:
- 10-15 elevated pushups*
- 1 minute x walk
5 minutes x jog at 50-60% effort

*For the push-ups you want your head well above your heart. Try to find a railing or some other prop for your push-ups

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Post-Baby Exercise: Getting Started

Written by Kara Hamada - Posted on 5 April 2016

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Easing back into exercising post-baby can be tough – you’re figuring out your new life, you’re likely sleep-deprived, and you’re taking care of a brand new, tiny human! – but I promise that getting your body moving again will feel great. Remember that your body is probably not going to move like it used to, so be patient with it, and prepare for your first post-baby exercise to be something easy and low-key. Before getting started, please ensure your doctor has cleared you for exercise.

Here are my suggestions for easing back into a post-baby exercise routine:

Start With Walking

Start your post-baby exercise journey with a low impact exercise like walking. Your body has been through a lot, and you want to make sure you go easy on yourself when you start working out again. Walk a mile and see how your body feels before continuing on.

When you give birth, your core and pelvic muscles can get compromised. Walking can help restore function to these muscles in a safe and practical way.

A great thing about walking is that you can take your baby with you – a nice stroller ride can soothe your child to sleep! It also gets you both out of the house for some fresh air and a change of scenery. Try making walking a part of your new, daily routine.

Exercise Videos

Getting out of the house for scheduled classes, or even impromptu drop-ins, is probably not likely during those first few months. Hello, exercise videos!

The great things about exercise videos are the variety of workouts you can do; yoga, pilates, zumba, there’s something for every interest and level. Because your core and abs will need a lot of work, focusing on low-impact workouts, including pilates and yoga, will be beneficial to your body.

I am a huge fan of exercising at home; there’s hassle-free parking, no line for the shower and you can fit it in when it works best for your schedule. Babies take awhile to settle into a schedule, so working out at home when the opportunity arises is a great option to have.

HIITM (High-Intensity Interval Training)

Moms don’t have a lot of time for themselves. When you’re feeling ready to amp up your exercise output (and you have been cleared by your doctor), high-intensity interval training may be just the thing to satisfy your craving for a more intense workout.

High-Intensity Interval Training utilizes short, quick bursts of energy with short rests periods in between. Getting your heart pumping will burn calories. Even when you’re done with your workout, your body still burns calories, this is known as Excess Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

Here’s a 10 minute HIIT workout you can utilize:

1 minute of jumping jacks | 30 seconds rest
1 minute of push-ups | 30 seconds rest
1 minute of jumps squats | 30 seconds rest
Rest 1 minute then start again

Join a Community

Having a good attitude about your body as you start your post-baby exercise journey is important. Find a support system to share stories, tips, and new mom experiences with. Mom fitness groups are all over the place! A quick search on-line can have you joining a like-minded, supportive community of Mom’s all working toward feeling healthy after pregnancy.

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