By Ryan Unverzagt Wow…It’s hard to believe that 2025 is almost over – thank God. This year has dragged on for what seems like forever. However, now it’s time to celebrate the holidays and time to find that perfect gift. If you are one of those people who struggle to think of gift ideas, you should consider something fitness-related. Here are a few things that I recommend: Heart Rate Monitor: This is a tool that I think everyone should own. Heart rate monitor prices can vary anywhere from $30 to well over $300 depending upon the brand and type. The best thing about having one is that it will track the intensity of your workout no matter where you exercise! You don’t need to rely on a cardio machine at the health club to check your heart rate. It’s also easier than stopping in the middle of your workout to feel your pulse and count while watching the clock. Exercise Ball: (A.K.A. Fit Ball, Swiss Ball, or Stability Ball) I’m talking about the big ball you can sit on at the office or perform multiple exercises for the “core”. However, you can do much more than abdominal exercises with a Fit Ball such as squats, stationary lunges and pushups. Every ball should have an exercise sheet included to show you how to use them. They also come in different sizes and colors, so which one should you buy? Most manufacturers will have a size chart printed on the side of the box. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends these sizes for height: 4’8” – 5’5”……….45 cm Ball 5’6”- 6’0”………..55 cm Ball (most common size in stores) 6’1” – 6’5”……….65 cm Ball (most common size in stores) Taller than 6’5”…..75 cm Ball Prices for exercise balls vary from $20 (typical)…
By Lauren Bowling Forget Hallmark movies or Christmas trees in Home Depot. I know the holiday season has started when my skin starts freaking out on Black Friday. If you’re like me and experience multiple nasty breakouts every yuletide season, you’re not alone. And while you may wonder, “Is it just the types of foods I’m eating and all the holiday booze that’s driving my skin crazy?” the answer is yes. And also no. This month-long period known as “the holidays” are the perfect storm for bad skin ― not only because of food and alcohol, but also because of holiday travel, unavoidable winter weather, irregular schedules and expected holiday stress. And while these things definitely happen all at once during the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the tips for mitigating holiday skin woes work for any period during the winter months when chaos wreaks havoc on your normal diet and routine. Holiday Skin Sin #1: Skipping Sleep Maybe you don’t associate the holidays with a lack of sleep, but there are many sneaky factors that can make December the most sleepless time of the year. To start, alcohol majorly impacts sleep, and holiday stress ― from financial obligations to juggling work and a packed social calendar ― can keep us up longer. But if you want to keep your skin in peak condition during the holidays, getting good sleep is key. “Lack of sleep not only makes us feel bad, but makes our skin look tired, too,” said Sandra Lee, a board-certified dermatologist and doctor behind the popular TLC show “Dr. Pimple Popper.” “Bags under the eyes are more obvious, skin looks more sallow, we are probably smiling less, and this translates to negativity,” she told HuffPost. Holiday Skin Sin #2: Indulging In the Wrong Holiday Foods “Most people believe greasy foods lead to…
By Nicole Flanagan With the cold weather rolling in and the days getting shorter it seems like we all have less time on our hands. With an already jam-packed schedule we tend to skip out on workouts (or stop exercising entirely) and by the time we get to the New Year we all feel compelled to get back to that pre-holiday shape. This year let’s try to do things a little different. Instead of slowing down on the exercise routine and abandoning your diet completely, keep up the good work and by the time the New Year gets here you will be starting off on a positive foot. Pay attention to what you eat at your holiday parties and keep your butt moving through the last leg of the holiday season. Here are just a few tips to keep you looking and feeling your best! Keep Moving: Without realizing it we sometimes slow down on our exercise routines. This time make a steadfast commitment to workout. Just like you make your work schedule, take time to pencil in a workout. If you end up missing a workout, make it up as soon as possible. Remember it is easier to stick to a fitness program than it is to start one after months of inactivity. Take your workout outdoors: Most people will bring their workouts inside when the weather starts to get chilly. Instead, take advantage of what the weather has to offer. Bundle up a bit and take a walk, you’ll have to walk a bit faster to keep yourself warm while also burning more calories. Travel Smart: Don’t abandon your workout because of traveling for work or family holiday parties. If you are on a business trip, try staying at a hotel that has a gym. You don’t need…
By Nicole Flanagan With fall comes brisk mornings, followed by cooler days, and not to mention the beautiful foliage and delicious fall foods. Now is the time to get that workout into your schedule so that it becomes part of your routine before things get hectic for the holidays. Here are just a few reasons why you should use this fall to make fitness part of your life. Enjoy the year’s most beautiful season. Get outside and enjoy the season by bicycling, walking, hiking, jogging, and playing golf and tennis. Explore parks in your area; find a new bike path through the woods, take a walk around a lake. The time spent out in nature will do as much good for your mind as for your body. Get back to the club. As I have said before, it takes 30 days to make a habit, and supplementing your outdoor activities with a regular gym workout will help keep you on track. While cardio exercise is good for your heart, it is important to add some resistance training to your program as well. If you are looking for something new, sign up with a personal trainer for a few sessions and have them come up with a new program for you. This is especially a good idea if you are looking for a program specifically suited to help you improve your running or hiking. Take advantage of what fall has to offer. Fall makes me think of apple picking. Turns out that this awesome fruit has incredible health benefits. Apples contain pectin, which has been shown to reduce bad cholesterol and can help with managing diabetes. The antioxidants found in apples have been found to lower the risk for asthma and lung cancer. In addition to that, apples also provide us…
By Ryan Unverzagt Welcome back faithful readers! I’ve decided to skip the regular “Exercise of the Month” in this issue of the OTC to focus a little more on food and nutrition. I have addressed this in previous years around the holidays and I think it is a good reminder as we head to the Thanksgiving Day table. Admittedly, November can be a difficult month to control our eating habits with football and tailgating season in full swing and the aforementioned Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner. It’s the time of year when we seem to let our eyes and stomach get the best of us and give into temptation. So, what advice can I give you to stay on the fitness track this month? Put down the fork and back away from the table! Just kidding, but we could all use a little bit of will-power when it comes to eating. I think the biggest issue to address first is portion control. Eating the correct amount of food can save you a ton of calories. Sounds easy enough, right? Let’s review how much a serving size actually is: 1 fruit serving = 1 small to medium fresh fruit, ½ cup canned or fresh fruit or fruit juice, ¼ cup dried fruit 1 vegetable serving = ½ cup cooked veggies or vegetable juice, 1 cup raw veggies 1 starch serving (carbohydrate) = ½ cup cereal, grain, pasta, or starchy vegetable such as corn, potatoes, beans; 1 slice bread, ¾ to 1 ounce snack food 1 dairy serving = 1 cup milk, ¾ cup yogurt, 1 ounce cheese (about the size of 4 dice), ½ cup ice cream or pudding, 1 medium egg 1 meat serving = 3 ounces chicken, turkey, shellfish, beef 1 serving pumpkin pie = 1/8 pie and…
By Kim Putens We have addressed this age-old subject several times over the years but it’s always good to circle back to. Remember the saying, “Beauty is only skin deep.” While that may be true, the biggest dilemma for women as they age is do you show your age or not? Taking care of our skin and how to do that is often a confusing web of vitamins, acids, peels, scrubs, toners, and cleansers. Many of us are rightfully confused about how to care for our skin. Let’s start with the basics of good skincare. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize. It’s important to select products within this regimen that are appropriate for your skin type. If you have extremely oily skin, it would be completely inappropriate to choose a milky, creamy cleanser. And, vice versa, if you have very dry skin, don’t select a product with too many acids or alcohol that will strip and further dry the skin. The key is balance, and to keep your skin balanced, you need to choose the right products for your skin type. Beyond the basics are a variety of products, targeted ingredients and a myriad of solutions for all skin issues. How does one know what is best for your skin ailment. Let’s break it down to the main ingredients that are necessary to affect change in the skin. Vitamin A – often referred to as Retin A or Retinol – helps to change the way our skin cells work. This is an important ingredient because of its ability to tackle many skin issues. Vitamin A is often prescribed to treat severe acne and is touted as a wonder ingredient for aging skin. Its ability to change how our skin cells work makes it a small miracle. Vitamin C (scientific name – L-ascorbic…
By Kim Putens …with your lipstick…or wish you were? Are you convinced there is a conspiracy to make your lipstick fade quickly? Well, you’re not alone. The most frequently asked questions are: HOW do I make my lipstick stay on longer…WHAT is the longest wearing lipstick? In reality we are all simply in the dark about the different types of lipsticks and their “wearability”. Let me shed some light. So, what is the longest wearing lipstick? Well, I wish I could say it is Brand X in so and so color. It’s just not that easy, but it is simple to understand how to find the longest wearing lipstick. Lip color is generally broken down into three categories – lip gloss, sheer lipsticks and matte lipsticks. Lip gloss does not wear long. It isn’t meant to and it usually doesn’t have enough color to stain the lips. They only offer a hint of color balanced with a lot of shine. They are perfect for the woman that doesn’t like the look of lipstick or the trouble of putting it on, but wants a little color to brighten her lips. Lip gloss is also perfect for drier, chapped lips because all that ‘glossy shine’ instantly makes the lips look moist. Sheer lipsticks are the next category of lipsticks. These have really accelerated in popularity in recent years. Almost every major brand of cosmetics has a collection of sheer lipsticks. Sheer lipsticks come in a traditional lipstick tube, but they don’t pack as much color punch as a traditional matte lipstick. These sheer alternatives are usually lighter weight, moisturizing, and a lighter pigment than a matte counterpart. Sheer lipsticks wear a little longer than lip gloss, but not much. If you do have a favorite lipstick color but don’t always want the…
By Nicole Flanagan October marks the beginning of the holiday season. This is the time of year when we start making all those yummy baked goods and delicious homemade soups. Instead of letting all this wonderful food catch up to us this year, let’s make a goal to maintain our fitness. The kids are back in the full swing of things at school and your work schedule starting to fill up, be sure to take some time for yourself before things get too hectic. Working out is your time to unwind and de-stress whether it’s before the start of the day or at the end of a crazy work shift. I’m sure that some of you have had a little extra time to set aside for your workout now that the kids are back in school. Just remember that dedicated workout times are great but you can get your exercise other ways as well. You don’t necessarily have to set aside a whole hour to workout. Exercising can actually be a lot of fun. Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Look for an activity that suits the whole family! Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you’re moving, it counts! Exercise helps us deal with stress and can increase the energy we need to have to deal with all of our daily activities. Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly. This will…
By Ryan Unverzagt Bodyweight training is nothing new, but I would like to discuss how you can integrate this type of training in your fitness routines. For centuries, man utilized his own bodyweight as a means to get stronger for battle which is one reason why our military still uses this type of training today. Bodyweight training uses the forces of gravity as a means of resistance without the need for barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc. If you are searching for a change in your exercise routine, just try using your own bodyweight. The best thing about training this way is that you can do it anywhere. No more excuses of why you didn’t get to the gym this week. Below is a sample bodyweight workout: Jumping Jacks…………….. 3 x 50 repetitions Squats……………………… 3 x 25 Mountain Climbers………… 3 x 50 Pushups……………………. 3 x 20 Sit Ups……………………… 3 x 25 Front Hover (Plank)………. 3 x 30 seconds Alternating Forward Lunge… 3 x 24 repetitions Squat Jumps………………… 3 x 15 Let me explain a few of the exercises above. Mountain Climbers are performed in the pushup position by bending your hip and knee with one foot forward and underneath you while the opposite leg is straight. Bodyweight should be evenly distributed through each hand and foot. Next, switch foot positions rapidly by “jumping” and alternating the landing position. Try to keep your hips level with the rest of your body. Arms stay straight as your feet do the work. Each alternation counts as a repetition. Make sense? I hope so because that’s a hard one to describe on paper. The Front Hover or Plank is similar to the pushup position except that you will support your upper body with the forearms (elbows directly under the shoulders) and your feet together. Try not…
By Ryan Unverzagt Since September is National Aging Healthy month, I feel the need to discuss a few reasons why exercise (particularly balance) becomes even more crucial to our well- being as we age. Balance naturally declines with age due to a variety of contributors. Factors such as the vestibular system (inner ear), medications, vision, nervous system, blood pressure, muscle mass loss (sarcopenia) and decline in strength can all effect our balance and coordination. Falls can be life changing for the geriatric population. These mishaps are one of the major reasons why the elderly ultimately end up in a care facility such as a skilled nursing facility or nursing home. On the bright side, exercise and balance training, like the one featured in this article, can help prevent a potential catastrophic event later in life. More importantly, balance training will improve reflexes, coordination, and spacial awareness, which will translate to maintaining independence and better quality of life. September is one of my favorite months because college and pro football are in full swing. Athletes have been grinding it out for the past month and a half in training camps and the weight room. Now is their opportunity to showcase their talents to the world. I can only hope that you can find that same type of motivation to keep working hard on your health. Think of how exercise makes you feel better. You have more energy, sleep soundly, stress less, and think clearer, but more importantly, you have more confidence and happiness in your life. If these benefits don’t get you going, I’m not sure what will! This month’s exercise is called the Bosu Balance Single-Leg Abduction. A great challenge for balance and concentration. You want to get comfortable standing on top with both feet before attempting just one. This exercise…
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