My favorite "secret" fitness tips
To many, I am known as the health and fitness expert in the area and yes, thanks to over 15 years in the industry I have an abundance of information to share at any given time.
Of course my clients walk away each day with a new tip from me or the latest research and advice, but many others are not privy to these tips unless they follow us on facebook or have joined our newsletter.
Because of this, today I thought I would share with you some of the latest gadgets that have helped me and my clients have great fitness success – you could call them some of my “fitness secrets” they are tools that help to empower us to continue on the road to health.
Of course these “secrets” can change by the week and they get added to all the time, but right now here is what’s trending and I am hoping that a few of these items might add some inspiration to your day and your health and wellness program too!
1. The “Lift” App
If you have not downloaded this free app yet then I say do so pronto. Lift helps you unlock your potential to change your life. It’s a daily motivation tool that can help you reach your goals.
Here’s an example at how you can use the app lift for success. You chose goals such as “no sweets”, “exercise” or “whole foods diet”. Each day that you complete this goal you give yourself a check mark. The app then provides you with daily tracking, motivations and group discussions on how to keep on achieving the goal.
The group discussions can be empowering and can push you to keep on. Users can even give “props” if for example you exercised 5 days in a row. This can really give you a “lift,” no pun intended.
You can chose to have lift send you reminders via email or push notifications and you can even have the weekly/monthly data sent to your computer. Seeing all the check marks and the streak that you can get on empowers my clients to keep going with their programs. Not to mention, it let’s me check in on them and make sure they are on track.
My clients tell me that lift is like having me as a personal coach in their phone giving them daily motivation and prompting to get them through their day. You can’t beat that!
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2. Foam Roller
I have always required all of my clients to purchase a foam roller. It truly is a must for your health. A foam roller for me is the equivalent of having a personal massage therapist on hand at any given moment.
It allows me to get all the knots and kinks out of my body that might have built up from exercise or just every day over use. I use it for 5 or 10 minutes before my workout to prep and prime my muscles for the workout that is about to occur. I also use it for 10 minutes or more at the end of my workouts to prevent lactic acid build up and knots from forming.
It keeps my muscles and my clients muscles supple and in prime form. Nobody want’s gunked up muscle that is tight and knotted. Most importantly, the foam roller can help prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.
Use it at least 3 times a week and I promise you, that you will begin reaping the benefits. Not only that, but you will begin to love the “massage” it gives your muscles so much that you might be carrying it with you everywhere!
If you are inexperienced with using the foam roller I highly recommend hiring a trainer to show you how to properly use it to get the most out of your muscle recovery. First time users might experience the foam roller as painful because the fascia around their muscles is badly in need of manipulation. In due time as the fascia gets used to this experience this pain will greatly diminish unless of course it’s an area that demands attention.
3. Supplements
I often get asked what supplements I take. Although this warrants an entire article in and of itself, I will tell you my top 3 picks at the moment.
Vitamin D – As most of us know, our levels of Vitamin D decrease greatly in the wintertime and unfortunately after this rough winter, many of us are most likely running low. Although the conventional vitamin D range is said to be between 32-100 (with below 32 being deficient in Vitamin D), many alternative medicine practitioners now recognize that Vitamin D levels should be above 50 with the optimal range actually between 75 and 90. If you have been feeling fatigued you should have your Vitamin D levels checked as it could be due to a deficiency.
Liquid Fish Oil – Fish oil provides omega 3 fatty acids, which can help lower triglyceride levels along with a host of other benefits. Most people can benefit greatly from taking fish oil and you should talk with your Dr. to see if it would be a smart choice for your health profile.
Rhodiola – Rhodiola is also called golden root and is placed in a class of plants called adapatogens. It is touted as helping to improve the body’s response to stress, as well as enhancing nervous system health. Again, talk with your Dr. to see if this might be a good supplement for you to try in your regimen. It is not widely known, but has worked very well for many of my clients (including myself).
4. Audible
I recently bought a monthly subscription to audible and it’s been nothing short of fantastic. Audible is partnered with Amazon and allows you to buy a membership for around $14 per month and then purchase any audio book in exchange for a credit. On my drives to client’s houses I love putting in something relaxing. Pema Chodron is one of my all time favorites; she has many wonderful meditation cd’s.
I also like to keep up with the latest nutrition and fitness books. Right now I am listening to Joel Fuhrman’s newly released book called “ The End of Dieting.” I highly recommend this read or any of his books for that matter.
You will be amazed at how quickly you can get through these audible sessions. I never realized how much time I actually spend in the car and I enjoy being able to put that time to good use by reinvesting in myself through education or calming of the mind.
I hope you enjoyed some of my favorite things and I also look forward to sharing more with you in coming posts.
Stay healthy and well!