Stretching Sore, Stiff Muscles

Tons of snow in Pennsylvania this week end!  If you’re like me you had to do some snow shoveling and I’m still a little stiff and sore today!  A full body stretch will feel great!  Use the below tips to get started and remember you can stretch any time!

•    Always stretch after your muscles are warmed up, never stretch a cold muscle.
•    Remember to stretch slowly, exhale as you gently stretch a muscle.
•    Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
•    Always ease into a stretch and never bounce.
•    When pain starts ease up – never push a stretch until it hurts.
•    Remember to breath!

Stretching is a soothing way to connect your mind & body, and it just feels great!

Be Fit! Be Healthy! Be Happy!   ~ Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com

Snow Day

Wow – if you live in the East – It’s snowing!!!  Not my favorite thing in the world; but it presents a great way to burn some calories using all kinds of different muscles!  Go ahead get out there and have fun with the kids; sledding and walking back up to the top of the hill is great for your quads, gluts and hamstrings.  Make it more intense by giving the kids a ride up the hill on the sled!  How about building a snowman or igloo fort or having a snow ball fight?  Your core and upper body will get a great workout!  If you’re shoveling; remember it’s a good idea to stretch before and after and make sure you take a couple of breaks so you don’t over do it!  Enjoy the snow – burn some calories and have some fun!

Be Fit! Be Healthy! Be Happy!   ~ Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com

Mechanical Low back pain

Mechaincal low back pain is a very common diagnosis I see in my clinic.  In general terms, this diagnosis describes a person with back pain as a result of a muscular imbalance of strength and/or flexibility.  The muscles that need to be optimally strong include the abdominals(core) and the hip gidle musculature (gluteus medius/minimus, etc).  The muscles needed to be optimally flexible include the hamstrings, hip flexors and iliotibial band.  The muscles need to be strong to “stabilize” so that your low back muscles don’t to over work and become painful and tight.  Your flexibility needs to ideal in order for your pelvis and spine to move “normally” so that muscles attached to the pelvis and spine are not “fighting” each other and are working together during motion.  This is just information about one diagnosis, so if you are having back pain, please do not self diagnosis and start “treating” yourself, go see your healthcare provider and have them set up a plan of care.

Calorie Burning Mini Circuit

When you’re pressed for time, and who isn’t during the holidays, this is a great way to burn some extra calories when you only have a few minutes.  Do this mini calorie burning circuit 3 or 4 times throughout your day and you’ll burn an extra 60 to 80 calories each time!  Or use this to increase the intensity of your workout.  Burn even more calories while strength training by performing the following 7 exercises immediately after your warm up and then once again half way through your workout!

Reverse Lunges – 30 seconds to 1 minute
Step Ups – 15 to 20 (on each side)
Jumping Jacks – 30 seconds to 1 minute
Standard Crunches – 10 to 20
Squat w/ front kicks – 30 seconds to 1 minute
Squat w/ leg extension – 30 seconds to 1 minute
Plank & Hold – work up to 1 minute

This is an advanced mini circuit ALWAYS listen to your body, if something doesn’t feel right stop immediately, if it seems to challenging take it slowly and work up to the desired length of time.  Have a great workout!

Be Fit!  Be Healthy!  Be Happy!  ~Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com

Cocktails and Calories: A Sneaky Calorie Alert

What a fantastic holiday season with all the meals, celebrations and parties with family and friends!  Just like portion control with food, knowing the portions of your libation is critical because cocktails and other alcoholic beverages, except canned & bottled beer, don’t come with nutritional facts or labels and their volumes vary widely!  For example a martini at 1 bar may contain 300 calories, while the 1 at “Big Bob’s” may have over 500 calories!  Don’t worry – you don’t have to just settle for seltzer while everyone else is sipping margaritas – Check out the guidelines below and remember to always drink responsibly!

Amstel Light (12 oz)                                          98 calories
Budweiser (12 oz)                                           147 calories
Red Wine (6 oz)                                              126 calories
White Wine (6 oz)                                           120 calories
Champagne (6 oz)                                          120 calories
Bloody Mary (6 oz)                                         138 calories
Gin & Tonic (6 oz)                                           141 calories
Vodka & Tonic (6 oz)                                      154 calories
Rum & Coke (6 oz)                                         171 calories
Cosmopolitan (6 oz)                                        218 calories
Frozen Margarita (6 oz)                                  234 calories
Margarita on rocks (6 oz)                               295 calories
Pina Colada (6 oz)                                          352 calories
Martini (6 oz)                                                   374 calories

Happy Holidays!
Be Fit!  Be Healthy!  Be Happy!  ~Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com

It’s the Start of the Holidays!

Can you believe it’s already a week after Thanksgiving.  I wish you a belated Happy Turkey Day.  I had a fantastic holiday week end – yummy food and lots of fun with close family and friends!

But even through all the festivities, I still found time to put a few workouts into my schedule.  Working out is so very important between now and New Years because statistics show that the typical American consumes an average of an additional 400 to 500 calories per day from Thanksgiving to New Years Day.   Holidays are hectic with parties, shopping, family visits, etc.  And trust me – working out will not only help you burn some of those extra calories but it will help you stay focused & keep the stress down – just like it does for me!

Do your best to keep up with your Tanyastroh.com Workouts – and try some of these helpful hints too!   Park as far away from store entrances as possible, walk at a brisk pace whenever you’re out & about,  always take the steps (besides it’s usually quicker) & instead of using the drive throughs, park your car and walk in!

Finally, remember that motivation is key to your success!  What motivates you may not motivate someone else, so find your motivation and stick to it.  Try working out with a buddy, scheduling your workout, sharing your goal with friends and family or writing notes and keep a journal.  Just do what works for you to keep your motivation strong during the holidays!

Be Fit!  Be Healthy!  Be Happy!  ~Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com

Enjoy Thanksgiving Day!

If you’re like me, you love the Thanksgiving Turkey and all the fixings that go with it!  Everything from the appetizers to the stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, casseroles and all the way to the pumpkin pie!  I’m hungry just thinking about it!  With all the yummy foods it can be a real challenge to not over due it.  The following are some of my favorite tips on how to enjoy dinner but still be careful of the calories!

Eat slowly – it takes your brain approximately 20 minutes to register that you are full
Stick to only 1 plate of food – no seconds
Go skinless & remember white meat has ½ the fat of dark meat
Check out the menu and then eat only what’s special – you can have rolls or corn any time
Wear snug pants (one of my favorites!)
Remember portion control
Move – after dinner help clear the table, do the dishes, put everything away or play with the kids
Leave the left over’s

Let me know what holiday tips work for you!  Enjoy Thanksgiving and get right back into your fitness groove!  Shopping on Black Friday or any day for 2 hours burns approximately 300 calories?

Be Fit!  Be Healthy!  Be Happy!  ~Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com

Great for the Holidays . . . Mini Cardio Workouts

Don’t have time for a full workout – No worries – Try this ‘mini cardio circuit!  I actually created several different ‘mini cardio circuits’ for new mom’s – but came to find out that everyone liked to use them to increase the intensity of a workout!  The theory is that a mini cardio workout takes less than 5 minutes to do – so whenever you have a couple of spare minutes throughout the day, you can burn some calories and get your heart rate up – 3 to 5 times per day is great!  For this circuit all you need is a flight of stairs!

Run up & down the stairs 2 or 3 times
Do 10 – 1/4 squats with left foot on the bottom step
Do 10 – 1/4 squats with right foot on the bottom step
Do 10 fast step ups with each foot
Lie down on the floor and do 10 standard crunches and 10 alternating oblique crunches
Run up and down the stairs 2 or 3 times
Do 10 lunges w/ right foot on bottom step
Do 10 lunges w/ left foot on bottom step
Do ten fast step ups with each foot
Lie down on the floor and do 10 standard crunches and 10 alternating oblique crunches
Run up and down the stairs 2 or 3 times

Remember when you’re busy and stressed any kind of physical activity is great!

Be Fit!  Be Healthy!  Be Happy!  ~Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com



CARDIO BLAST – WEIGHT LOSS CIRCUIT

Intervals are a great way to up the intensity of your workout.  The Cardio Blast – Weight Loss Circuit adds interest because you are manually doing the adjustments for the intervals and it keeps your workout fun!  Remember to listen to your body, use the RPE scale as your gage.  The speed is optimal, if it’s too challenging slow it down a little and work up to the recommended speed!

For more info on the RPE Scale, click here!

TREADMILL CARDIO BLAST, WEIGHT LOSS CIRCUIT
High Intensity – Intervals
30:00 minutes

DESCRIPTION        DURATION        SPEED            RPE
Warm Up                 3:00            3 mph                RPE 4
Easy Jog                  7:00            5 mph                RPE 5
Cardio Blast #1        1:00            8 + mph            RPE 9
Recovery #1            2:00            6 mph                RPE 5 – 7
Cardio Blast #2        1:00            8 + mph            RPE 9
Recovery #2            2:00            6 mph                RPE 5 – 7
Cardio Blast #3        1:00            8 + mph            RPE 9
Recovery #3            2:00            6 mph                RPE 5 – 7
Cardio Blast #4        1:00            8 + mph            RPE 9
Recovery #4            2:00            6 mph                RPE 5 – 7
Cardio Blast #5        1:00            8 + mph            RPE 9
Recovery #5            2:00            6 mph                RPE 5 – 7
Cool Down                5:00            3 mph                RPE 5

Be Fit! Be Healthy! Be Happy!   ~ Tanya
www.tanyastroh.com

BE HEALTHY AT THE OFFICE

Sometimes the office can be one of the most challenging places for us to incorporate our new and healthy lifestyles!  Here are some hints and tips to help with your success!

• Tell co workers about your diet and exercise goals and ask for their support and help

• Keep healthy snacks in your desk drawer so you have an option when the 3 pm munchies hit

• Avoid walking by the snack and vending area – take the long way around instead

• Stand up whenever you are on the phone

• Get up at least 1 time every hour just to stretch your legs for a couple of minutes

• When possible walk to a co workers office instead of using txt or email

• Take the steps instead of the elevator

• Switch your chair for an exercise ball

• Incorporate some desk exercises & stretches throughout the day

• Get out and go to the park, mall or even just walk around the parking lot at lunch time

Every little bit helps, start by picking just one of the above & incorporate it into your work routine this week!  Next week go for two!  Remember the more you move the more calories you’ll burn!

Be Fit! Be Healthy! Be Happy!   ~ Tanya
www.Tanyastroh.com