24 whilst 24

Ever heard of Workitout100? Well if you havent you definitely should! What is it exactly?

Photo credit: workitout100.com

#Workitout100 is a fun program where you have to workout for 100 days in a row (even active rest days count) that you do each day and commit to it. The program is ran by two girls named Amanda and Laura and their mission is to give you a great base for working out. After those 100 days are up, keep on going! They feel that your health and lifestyle will have changed and you will feel so much better and should feel proud for the 100 day challenge you completed. Which for me I am actually on day 97! (woo hoo!) and I have enjoyed the challenge since the beginning and makes you want to work out and feel better about yourself.

Our mission for this challenge is to give you a great base for working out. – See more at: http://workitout100.com/about/#sthash.eaxAWETm.dpuf

Recently the 2 girls decided to come up with a list of goals they want to accomplish while they are at their age as of right now which is 25 and 27. They came up with a list of 25 and 27 goals they want to accomplish before their next birthday. They want to see everyone else’s goals as well so I said why not give it a shot and come up with a list of 24 things myself since I recently just turned 24 on Memorial Day.

24 Things to Complete while I am 24:

1. Run at least 3 or 4 more 5K races this year. (Already ran 2 5k’s on April 14 and 1 on May 24th and will be running another 5k Race “Race for the Cure” on June 14)
2. Graduate with my Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications in December
3. Run another Color Run! SO much fun getting covered in different colors!
4. Read at least 2 or 3 more books before Fall Semester begins in August (This shall be easy since I love to read anyways)
5. Lose at least 5-10 pounds
6. Get into Yoga more
7. Meet some of my fellow #TIUSISTERS (toneitup.com)
8. Go to Six Flags
9. Go to the Farmer’s Market more this summer
10. Get a REALLY good pair of running shoes so that means save up more money!
11. Hopefully get engaged lol 🙂
12. Get another tattoo
13. Learn to make my own iced coffee from home
14. Go on more walks on bike path
15. Pay off bills
16. Get better at Disc Golfing
17. Run the Bix7
18. Try to do one more internship before graduating college in December
19. Learn to cook more things 🙂
20. Learn how to French braid hair and fish tail
21. Spend more time with friends.
22. Eat more fruit! I love fruit but I just never eat enough like I should.
23. Go to a few Iowa Hawkeye football games this fall
24. Go on a fun weekend trip in another state

Creating lists are fun but definitely makes you think! It was hard coming up with 24 things! Now your turn to give it a shot 🙂

Be sure to check out workitout100’s website and be sure to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

Amanda and Laura (Work it Out Creators)

Work it Out Facebook Page

Work it Out Twitter Page
Work it Out Instagram Page

 

Run Forest Run!

Well now that the semester is over with at school and I no longer have to have 2 posts a week, I still wanted to keep this blog running because I enjoy writing about health and fitness even if some people might already know about a certain topic I am writing about.

You can probably tell this post is about running which you are correct. I used to hate running and now I have grown to love it and I am not sure why. I guess it helps get my mind off of things and relieves a lot of stress. I now run about 10-20 miles a week now and I have been preparing myself for MANY 5k races this summer which next weekend will be my third 5K race.

If you are interested in running any races be sure to check out this site that shows all the upcoming races in Iowa
RACES IN IOWA

Upcoming ones I will be Participating in:
1. The Wild 5K (May 24)
2. Race for the Cure 5k (June 14)
3. Moonlight Chase 4 Miles (July 12)
4. BIX 7 *Maybe* 7 Miles (July 26)
Those are just a few…. I’d like to do more.

So how do you get into running ? Easy. Anyone can be a runner you just have to take it one step at a time.

All you need are some good running shoes, comfy workout clothes and a place to run whether its outside or inside on a treadmill.

• If you are new to running, start out by walking. If your body isn’t used to running all the time, take it slow and start off by walking. If you feel you want to run, first walk a few minutes so your legs get stretched out then start to jog after those few minutes.
• Keep a Running Log: For the past few years every workout I do, I log how long I workout and what I did and how far I have gone.  You don’t need to buy an expensive workout planner, all you need is a notebook and a pen. Track down how far you went (its good to have a pedometer or some sort of fitness app that tracks your steps and/or distance)- Product I use: FitBit to track my distance/steps.
  A great website I also use to track my workouts is: Running-Log.comDefinitely a great site that you can keep track of your workouts. Keeps me motivated too to see how well I am doing.
• Good Music to run to: Its always good to have music going while you run especially up-beat music. The faster the song the better. A pumped up song makes you want to run compared to a slow song. Keep the volume down lower though especially when running outside so you can hear things around you.
• Wear Comfy Running Shoes: You want to make sure you invest in a good pair of running shoes to help keep you from an injury. You want to make sure you have comfy running shoes if you are going to be running all the time. Go somewhere and get your feet fitted properly for the right shoe. Here is a great article to read by Runners World that shows how to pick the right shoe for you!
• Stay Hydrated: Make sure you drink plenty of water before and after your run. Drink at least 16 ounces of water before your run an hour before

Photo Credit: stayfitbeactive.wordpress.com

“RUN often. RUN long. But never outrun your joy of running.” – Julie Isphording

HIIT that Workout

Time to get off that couch and get ready for a great HIIT workout. Don’t know what HIIT is? To me, its one of my favorite types of workouts to do. HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training. Which obviously you do high intense workouts in short bursts of time followed by a short resting periods. You have to put all the effort you can into a HIIT workout. If you are into high intense cardio workouts, this one is definitely for you.

I never knew about HIIT until about 3 months ago when I found a program called Tone it Up that is ran by two personal trainers  Karena Dawn and Katrina Hodgson who are also best friends.

Photo Credit: Toneitup.com

They offer fitness workouts in all different types and their own Nutrition plan that you can join and be a member of and their own brand of Protein powders and protein bars which is called Perfect Fit.

Now that I came across Tone it Up I now incorporate many of their workouts every time I exercise and with so many different ones I never get bored.  Besides being able to follow their videos online they also have two different DVDs of their workouts. Beach Babe 1 & 2 DVDs.

Check out my favorite HIIT workout by them.

Be sure to check out Tone it Up and give it a shot! You will be feeling them sore muscles tomorrow after you workout with Karena and Katrina!

Be sure to follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as well!

WAKE UP AND EXERCISE

Wake up and get that body moving!

Photo Credit: DoctorOz.com

If only I could wake up everyday of the week and workout but with work and school I don’t have the time (well I do but that means I would have to be up at 4 am every morning..a bit early for me so I wait till after work and school). Thankfully on weekends, that is the first thing I do when I get up. I workout. So why can’t you?

With spring only 6 days away, that means more time spent outdoors so why not take your workout back outside. Get out of that house, the weather is finally becoming nice and spring is just about here. Go run or walk!

There are many great benefits to working out first thing in the morning. For one, you get it out of the way and you have the rest of the day to do whatever you want. Two, you will have so much energy the rest of the day. You would think you wouldn’t have any at all but surprisingly, exercising first thing in the morning will provide you with energy throughout your entire day.

What are some of the benefits to working out first thing in the morning?

• According to Women’s Health Magazine, Monica Nelson who is a personal trainer said that you will start your day with your metabolism being revved up. By having your metabolism revved up in the morning, this will help burn through the food you eat all throughout the day rather than while you are asleep.

• If you are able to work out in the morning, another great thing will be (if you go to the gym) will be that you will avoid all the people! It’s always nice to go to the gym and have hardly anybody there. More options are open for you to choose what you want to do for exercise. More machines are open to use!
• Like I said before, if you exercise in the morning you will have more energy throughout the day. Exercising gets your endorphins flowing through your body and you will be more awake throughout the day and be able to get a lot of things done without feeling tired.
• Knowing that you already have worked out for the day, you will most likely make better food choices when it comes to be time to eat lunch and dinner. Having a positive outlook on yourself by exercising and eating right will make you feel that much better. You will choose healthier options.

If you aren’t able to squeeze in that morning workout, at least try to later on in the day. Fifteen minutes of exercise is better than no exercise at all. Break a sweat whenever you have the chance.

Photo Credit: burn60.com

Another tip that I do to help keep me motivated to exercise in the morning is to have your gym clothes and shoes out the night before so as soon as you wake up, you see those out and you will know what you have to do.

The Best Fitness Trackers

Spring is just around the corner and that means it’s time to get back into those shorts, tank tops and of course swim suits.

Buying a fitness tracker might help you push yourself a little harder when you see the results at the end of your workout on your tracker and help reach your goals quicker.

There are some great fitness trackers out there that you can purchase and I myself have two of them that I use when I workout. Of course I will post the two I have since I think they are great products but I will also post others that seem to be great fitness trackers according to others that have purchased them.

Fitness Trackers can be pricy but they are worth the cost.

1. Polar FT4 Watch

Photo Credit: Polar.com

*Product I have*
Cost: $99.95 (can purchase cheaper on Amazon for around $70)

• Basic Fitness Tracker that allows you to track your heart rate and calories burned.
• Comes with a comfortable heart rate sensor band that you wear around your upper body that tracks your heart rate.
• Comes in a variety of different colors
• Battery Life lasts long (have only had to change battery once so far, have had it for 2 years)
• Polar has many different other types of fitness trackers that you can purchase that have more options than just calories burned like the FT4.

2. FitBit Zip

Photo Credit: Fitbit.com

*Second Product I have*
Cost: $59.95 (sold online and at many sport department stores as well as Best Buy)

• Very small tracker that you can attach anywhere to your clothing. I put mine on my waist.
• Zip tracks steps taken, calories burned and distance covered each day.
• You can sync it anywhere from your phone, computer or tablet/iPad.
• Comes in 5 different colors (pink,black,lime green,gray and blue)
• You can create a Fitbit account where you can also track goals, water and food consumed and of course challenge friends!
• You can earn badges by daily and weekly achievements.

3. Nike+ Fuelband SE

Photo Credit: Nike.com

Cost: $149

• Wear on your wrist
• Tracks intensity of your workouts, steps taken, calories burned, time, number of active hours, and sleep tracking (with Nike+Sessions)
• Available in three different sizes (small,medium/large, extra large) and available in a few different colors.
• Water-resistant
• Bluetooth 4.0 pairing with Iphones and Ipods 5th generation or higher to use the Nike Fuel Band App

4. Fitbit Flex

Photo Credit: Fitbit.com

Cost: $99.95

• Similar to the Fitbit Zip only larger and worn on the wrist.
• Tracks distance traveled, steps taken and calories burned.
• During the night it can track your sleep quality and can wake you up in the morning with a silent alarm. (tracks hours slept and the quality of your sleep)
• Also can sync with your phone, computer and tablet/ipad
• Water-Resistant
• Available in 5 different colors

5. Withings Pulse

Photo Credit: Withings.com

Cost: $99.95

• Tracks steps, distance traveled, calories burned, elevation climbed, heartrate and even sleep quality.
• Sync with your smartphone or tablet
• Clips onto waistband or bra
• Available in 4 colors (black, orange, blue, green)

Top 5 Must Haves for Home Fitness Equipment

We all enjoy the benefits to working out but not all of us can afford a gym membership. Working out at home is even better especially living in Iowa, not always can you get to the gym if the weather is bad.

For one, you are allowed to wake up and not care what you look like since nobody (except your family maybe?) will see you. You will save money on gas for not having to travel to the gym and you can workout whenever you want from your very own home. You don’t need expensive gym equipment at home to still get in a good workout .

All you need are these top 5 essentials and you are good to workout from home. Save time and money from going to the gym.

1. Yoga Mat

Photo Credit: Fit & Feminist

Not everyone has nice carpeting in their homes.So having a yoga met will help with not having to lay on a hard floor. And you don’t have to use it just for yoga. Yoga mats are great for stretching, doing sit ups, planks and other forms of core work and push ups. Also most yoga mats are non-slip so they wont go sliding from underneath you when using.

2. Dumbbells/Kettlebells

Photo Credit: StrengthRules

Whether they are 3 pounds, 5 pounds or even 15 pound dumbbells, they are always great to have at home. Dumbbells are great for strength training and focuses on the muscles you want to improve on toning up on. They are portable and you can find many different sizes at reasonable prices at any sports or department stores.
Kettlebells are also great to have. Lifting and controlling a kettlebell engages multiple muscle groups at once and they are easy to hold onto.

Alternatives if you don’t have dumbbells: Filled Water Bottles, cans, books. Anything heavy and easy to hold onto.

3. WATER BOTTLE

Photo Credit: CookingLight

Its essential to drink water while working out. It keeps you hydrated and lets you work out longer. So make sure to have a full bottle of water ready before you workout. Hydration is key. It is good to get in at least 8 cups of water each day, that totals to be about 64 ounces of water daily.

4. Aerobic DVDs

If you love cardio workouts, aerobic dvds are a must have. I myself have over 5 different workout DVDs that I enjoy working out to and keep the routine mixed up so I am not always doing the same thing over and over again. All you need is a dvd player and a tv and you are set.

Some of my favorite workout dvds are:

• Beach Babe DVD 1 & 2 (Tone it Up)
• Jillian Michaels DVDs (Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism) (Ripped in 30) (Kickbox Fastfix)
• *OLD SCHOOL BUT FUN* Gilad’s Bodies in Motion
• Gilads Bodies in Motion (on Amazon)

5. Resistance Bands

Photo Credit: Amazon

There are a variety of different size resistance bands of your choosing such as light,medium and heavy. They are great for strength training and are used to tone up all different muscles in your body. You can do chest presses, tricep extenstions, shoulder presses,rows, bicep curls, and even squats when you place the band under your feet.  Resistance bands are very cheap to buy and can be purchased for under $10.

There are many more items that are great to have in your home gym but those 5 are the 5 must haves! Some others you could purchase are medicine balls, stability balls, chin up bars, jump ropes and stop watchers or timers.

University of Iowa offers free Intuitive Eating Workshop

IOWA CITY, Iowa- Do you think you know your body well enough when it comes to nutrition and physical activity? Most people might say they do but there is a lot that goes into it. Unless you are a health expert you probably don’t. That’s where Intuitive Eating comes into play.

Photo Credit: Intuitive Eating Website

What exactly is Intuitive Eating? According to the Student Health and Wellness site at the University of Iowa, they say that “Intuitive eating is an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with food, mind, and body.” You yourself would become to know your body so well you would feel an expert at knowing what your body truly needs each day. You would learn how to distinguish between emotional and physical feelings and also would gain a sense of body wisdom. Sound like something you’d be interested in?

The Student Health and Wellness at the University of Iowa is offering free workshops for students that are interested in creating a healthy relationship with food, their bodies and their minds where students will be able to become experts of knowing themselves and their bodies.

The University of Iowa is offering free four-week workshops for students that will be taught by certified Intuitive Eating Counselors. This is the third year that the University of Iowa has held the Intuitive Eating workshops. There will be two different workshops available to register for and will be held at the CRWC (Campus Rec and Wellness Center) in downtown Iowa City on Tuesday nights. The first 4 week workshop starts on February 11^th and ends March 4^th.  It will begin at 7 p.m. and goes until 8:30. If you were not able to make the first workshop, students will have a second chance to attend beginning April 7 and runs until April 28. Same time as the first workshop but will be held on Monday nights.

Heidi Bohall, Behavioral Health Consultant at the University of Iowa spoke about the Intuitive Eating workshops and what all will be involved.

“The goal of Intuitive Eating is to create a health relationship between mind, body, food and exercise.” Bohall explained. “We spend time on each of the 10 principles of Intuitive Eating.”

“It’s a combination of us sharing information, video clips, participant discussions, practice activities and take-home challenges.”

Students do not need to bring anything but themselves to the workshops. Packets will be distributed at the first workshop which students are expected to bring each week for activities and practice. The class sizes consist of 10 to 12 individuals but allow up to 25 in registration. There will be three different health educators that will rotate the workshops. JoAnn Miller (SHW Dietician), Trish Welter (SHW Senior Behavioral Consultant) and Heidi Bohall (SHW Behavioral Health Consultant).

If you’re a University of Iowa student interested in participating in the Intuitive Eating Workshop, click one of the links below where you can register for either workshop that suits you.

1st Workshop- 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday’s Feb 11-March 4

2nd Workshop- 7-8:30 p.m. Monday’s April 7- April 28

If you are interested in the program but can’t make it to the workshops you can even have your own 1-hour session for your dorm floor, sorority or organization with a health educator.  The health educator is then able to provide anyone with a 1-hour session that will introduce you to Intuitive Eating andthe 10 Principles that it has to offer. If you are interested in this program you can request the 1-hour program and fill out a program request form.

Want to know more on Intuitive Eating, check out the Intuitive Eating site at http://www.intuitiveeating.org/

Any other questions you can contact Heidi at heidi-bohall@uiowa.edu.