Plyometrics anyone?

Have you heard the word and wondered what it meant? Plyometric exercises are movements that are explosive and designed to increase speed and power. This is something that every runner desires, especially in shorter distance races, when one does not have a long time to increase speed. Plyometrics were developed by Russian scientists during the Cold War. A system of exercises called "Jump Training" used repetitive jumping in order to increase of speed and explosiveness of Russian track and field athletes. Dr. Verkhoshansky developed this type of jumping and published his studies on this new form of training in 1964.

Runners and any athlete who wants to mix up their routines to avoid staleness would do well do add plyometric exercises. There are benefits to the muscles, tendons, and the nervous system and when these are improved through the plyometric exercises, one can run faster, jump higher, and hit harder. A word of advice, if you haven't worked out in a while it is a good idea to work on strength and flexibility with cardio, weight training, and stretching before embarking on the plyometric exercises. Once you feel like you have gained strength and can run twenty to thirty minutes or so without stopping or getting winded, then you are probably ready to do some "jump training."

Baby steps to better fitness! Take the five minute challenge!

Did this happen to you this morning? You are planning a beach trip this weekend so you tried on your bathing suit and went "oh no." If you are not feeling too happy about the way you look then maybe it is time to try a "5K to couch" training program or find a boot camp in your town. But if you think you don't have time then try this five minute plan.

Start with five minutes a day of walking, jumping rope, throwing a frisbee, or attempting to juggle. Set your inner child free with whatever activity gets your heart rate up. Do another five minutes the next day and whenever you find you have a few extra minutes throughout the day continue with a cardio activity. Everyone can usually find a few minutes of free time and after a week of doing this you will realize you feel better and your skirt or pants may even be looser.

The worse thing we can do though is beat ourselves up over our looks or our size. Beauty comes in all packages. Being able to chase after the grandkids or keep up with the teens can be very gratifying when we feel fitter. Rome wasn't built in a day so why not start out with baby steps on the path to better fitness.

Reacting to Stress

We all respond to stress in different ways but the bottom line, too much stress, not so good. If you are one of those drama queens who reacts to every little thing that happens, you might want to evaluate your responses. Research shows that too much stress might actually destroy some of our brains cells. If you are like me you want to keep as many of those brains cells as possible, and even grow some new ones along the way.

When the brain is signaled that danger is present it will release adrenaline. When this happens the heart rate, as well as blood pressure goes up. If no physical threaten is present, you don't need to be spiking increases in cortisol. Over a prolonged period this could kill brain cells. Taking a walk in the woods or enjoying a relaxing bubble bath might help to relieve anxiety or unnecessary worrying. Writing in a journal about a stressful situation could also help alleviate some of the tensions we hold in our body when we get upset.

Whatever tool you find to help you combat the stress in your life, it could help save your brain cells and maybe even change your brain chemistry.When high levels of cortisone are present in your brain, the cells are sending signals continuously. Even hear the expression "worked themselves to death?" It probably meant their brain cells never got a rest because they were continually responding to stress. If you happen to see a saber tooth tiger however, run as fast as you can!

Restoring equilibrium!

The days are longer now, the sun is shining more brightly, so why not take in the fresh air? Stepping outside to take some deep breaths can do a lot to restore our equilibrium. With the sun's rays becoming stronger, yet not those scorching rays of summer, there is no better time than now to fit in a walk or run. Life is all about balance and finding the time to do the things that are really important. I would rank taking care of the heart the most important and there are many ways to do this. Smiling at someone you meet on the street or letting a past slight go can help to create inner calm in a crazy world. Holding on to old hurts does not achieve anything. We have all seen grumpy old people and they are not much fun. It could be that they too just need someone to smile at them to put their world right again.

Neuroplasticity, in the news a lot!

If we want to continue to have great brain health there are some very simple things we can do. Some of the things that affect positive neuroplasticity (the capacity of the brain to change with experience) are physical activity. Seems like a no brainer, no pun intended, but even light exercise such as walking promotes cognitive function. Wonder how you can fit more walking into your daily routine? Take the stairs at work, park at the outer edge of the parking lot when shopping, or walk to the office!

In addition, learning something new that is interesting and requires your focus for long periods of time can have amazing effects. Taking a class that requires homework or learning a language could have you focusing for quite a while. However, it is good to get up from your desk every twenties minutes or so. It keeps one from getting stiff and gives your brain a little rest, ready to tackle those verb tenses when you sit back down.

Another way to improve brain health is simply diet. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet insures that you get antioxidants. Eating more of these fiber rich foods can affect neuroplasticty in a positive way. Instead of reaching for the chips or candy bars at work, pack some fruit before leaving home. Your waistline and your brain will be healthier and happier.

Halfway through January!

 I thought I would check in with my readers and see how it is going with the New Year's Resolutions. I would love to hear from anyone who has some ideas on how to make their resolutions stick. I, for one have not had much luck. I resolved to do less complaining but I am beginning to wonder if to complain is just human nature. When I really look at my life I have it pretty good. I live in a lovely neighborhood, I'm healthy, and I have friends. When there is something that we complain about constantly it's either time to change it or just accept it.

Maybe the key to our resolutions is to give ourselves a break. There is no point in beating ourselves up for slipping. That never accomplished anything. If we resolved to exercise everyday but we miss a day or two, there is always tomorrow, right?

 "To err is human, to forgive is divine." Why not apply that to ourselves? When we feel ourselves slipping in our resolves, we can look around and take pleasure in having friends, family, and the chance to start a new day, tomorrow!

We have many chances to get it right!

Have you made some New Year's Resolutions and already feeling like you aren't sticking to them? Don't get discouraged, it takes time for new routines to stick. Maybe you resolved to have a better diet and eat more meals at home. If you find yourself sliding off that band wagon try this idea when you do eat out.

Have you noticed that restaurant portions are usually gargantuan? If you ask for a to go container when your server brings your food you won't  be tempted to eat everything on the plate. You will have a lunch for the next day, making dining out both economical and better for the waistline.

Another way to save calories when eating out is to order a couple of selections from the appetizer menu. Often one can have a delicious soup and salad that is gratifying and healthy without breaking the  budget. If the restaurant serves whole grain bread then you are getting healthy carbs as well.

Most importantly don't feel guilty about the choices you make when trying out a new diet plan. It doesn't do any good to beat yourself up. There is always tomorrow and a chance to get it
right… Happy 2014 and best  of luck in your New Year's resolutions!