Week #5: Fitness Challenge

Happy Monday everyone!!!

Hopefully you all had a great weekend and got outside now that the weather seems to be getting warmer and a little more sunny... depends on where you are I guess. 

OK, down to business.  Here's the deal with this week's challenge.  During the times that we are watching TV and all those annoying commercials come on, which for some reason we all decide to sit and wait and watch all of it.  Instead, lets have fun and make it a fun activity/ game time.  How many sit-ups can you do during that car ad? How long can you do fast feet during that preview? etc. 

So for however long or how many shows you decide to watch this week, you will do an exercise for each commercial that you have come on.  Now, you will want to keep it simple but effective and somewhat challenging.  Some recommendations are:

• Cardio based: High knee runs/Jogging in place, Burpees, Jumping Jacks, skaters, Mt. Climbers, Fast Feet, Tuck Jumps, "Jumping Rope" (pretend that you are), etc.
• Strength: Push-ups, Sit-ups, Lunges (in place), squats, Plank hold, etc.

Hopefully, those exercises will help people fill their TV time with fun times and exercise to help burn off those  unwanted pounds and calories.  Remember, there needs to be a caloric deficit for there to be weight loss and with spring around the corner there is no better time then now.  We all have times were we are more into or less into our health and fitness goals.  But that time for being into them 100% is now and Better Body Fitness NW is here to help support that. 

Good Luck this week! We know you all can do it!

Committed to your health and fitness,
Justin and Angie LaPointe

Week #4 Fitness Challenge

Happy Tuesday Everyone,

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend and are looking forward to kicking this week off with nothing short of awesome!

How have your challenges been going the last couple of weeks? Have you been able to complete them? Have there been any struggles that you have experienced or successes that you have had? Remember, we are here for you and are able to answer any questions that you may have.

Ok, on to this weeks challenge.  This week we are doing: Limit your caffeine...( I know, NOT the caffeine!) to only 16fl.oz. each day.  This will cover ALL forms of caffeine (coffee, soda, tea, etc.) This will be good for you and I won't lie some of you might go through a withdrawal but the reason for this is because caffeine is a stimulant and while I won't say its bad for you (because research has shown with coffee and 1-2 cups a days has health benefits) we typically replace water with other beverages (most with caffeine) and it doesn't hydrate us, it will do the opposite and dehydrate us.  So, lets get to drinking less caffeine, replace the remainder with water, and get hydrated! (I know, I made it sounds very exciting.) But, it really is a great thing for your body.

For the fitness part of your challenge this week, daily you must complete 30 push ups and 5 burpees! Yay! This will help boost your

I hope that you guys have a great week and I know you all will rock these challenges.  Keep up the good work and kick butt! Just remember to keep going forward towards your health and fitness goals.  Make a motivational wall, take out those clothed that you want to wear, write down a quote or leave a book that speaks to you out, etc.  Do what its is you have to do to help yourself stay motivated. You can reach your goals.  It is all possible.  I assure you, it all can come true.  And, as always....

Committed to your health and fitness,
Justin and Angie LaPointe

Great Total Body exercise and ab toner!

We all are rushing around these days finding time to work out hard to come by or we feel too tried to workout. BUT there really is no excuse for not working out if your workout only take 20 minutes or less. This is done by combining exercises that work large muscle groups. As mentioned earlier, one of the best is the Burpee but surely there are other exercises that can have the same affect? Well, there are. The Inchworm is another great total body exercise that will work all the major muscle groups and help tone and strengthen your core.

The inchworm is done by starting out on your feet standing. Then you bend forward at the hips with your legs straight, as best you can, and place your hands on the floor in front of your feet, engage your core and slowly walk your hands out till you are in a push up or plank position. (Now, if you are wanting to make this move more advanced add a push up, refer to number 4 on the diagram.) Pause for a second in the plank position, make sure the hips and back are in line with with floor and that they are not sinking. Then walk your hands back towards your feet keeping your core engaged still. Then repeat this move 10-15 times.

Try to insert this exercise into your workout routine to add some spice and to make it more challenging. Hope that you all have a wonderful week!

Committed to your health and fitness,
Justin and Angie LaPointe

Ask The Professionals!

Hey you guys!

Its that time again where  you can ask the professionals. You can comment on this post and ask about anything that you would like to know about in regards to your health and fitness.  Then on Monday the 23rd we will answer all your questions! Hope that you all have a wonderful, healthy and happy weekend!

Committed to your health and fitness,
Justin and Angie LaPointe

Move Of The Week: The Push-up

This week we are going to focus on the push up. The reason why it is the Move Of The Week is because it is one of the few moments that you can do anywhere, modify to meet the level of every person regardless what level they are at, and lastly, it is one of the most functional movements that you can do. 

The muscles that are being worked when you do a push up are the chest muscles, the triceps (the back of the arm), and the core muscles (which start at the belly button and wrap around to the back) and even your legs work because if you are on your toes then you are having to engage the muscles in your legs to keep them straight! So, what does a proper form push up look like and how is it done? Well, let us scan below to our image:

·         Notice that his shoulders are active to avoid him from sinking and to keep him up, his core is tight which keeps his butt level and his back straight.

·         Note you don’t have to come down to touch the floor like the drawing does but it is an option for people that have a lot of experience with push-ups, are advanced and would like to challenge themselves to make it harder. Then try bringing your chest all the way to the ground and pushing up from there.

·         Also, you can do this move from your knees, work up to your toes, and then work up to chest to ground push-ups.  That is a great progression for beginners.

That is one of the best things with this move, you can do it anywhere, anyone at any level (beginning, intermediate, advanced) can all do it and you can even mix it up by adding unstable surfaces, making incline or decline, adding weight, even moving your arms closer to your chest or further away can make it harder or easier, and the list can go on!

Try to incorporate this move this week in your work outs. Whether you are going to try to work this exercise for the first time or if you are going to try one of the more advanced moves, make sure to keep your form. That is the most important part, as soon as it starts to break, then take a break and rest.

Good luck this week you guys and I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

Committed to your health and fitness,

Justin and Angie LaPointe