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Jillies Blog

health and wellness, fitness, foodie, lifestyle, better health

  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • FITNESS
  • LIFESTYLE
    • FOODIE

What to Eat before and After a Workout

November 9, 2022

Source: Pinterest Nutritionist Heidi Skolnik

Additional sources: Stephanie Clarke, R.D.; Willow Jarosh, R.D.; Renee McGregor, R.D., author of Training Food

The table above gives suggestions on what foods are best to eat before and after a workout.

The body needs fuel for you to be able to complete a workout that is going to be of benefit to you. The body also requires protein and other food to replenish your energy stores and repair muscle once you have completed your workout, especially if you have attended the HIIT class or weight training.

Nutritionist Heidi Skolnik has recommended the snacks 150-200 calories for pre and post your workout.

One exception is: You may not need a snack before and after every workout. If you’ve finished a meal within the last two hours—or if, say, you’re heading to dinner after you stretch and shower, it’s fine to skip the snack. A person cannot expect to perform on an empty stomach however. Your body needs fuel—and when it gets what it needs, it can do incredible things.

Workout – Rest Day

November 7, 2022

Making progress sometimes means taking a rest day from your workout plan. It is an essential part of any exercise program. A rest day is a day in which a person takes a break from their regular workout routine. A rest day helps your body to recover both mentally and physically, giving your body a chance to repair and recover, and help to prevent injury.

Plan to take regular rest days and learn to recognise when you are fatigued. If you are a beginner this can be difficult to identify, plan rest days every 3-4 days initially or even more often as needed. There is a saying “listen to your body” which is self explanatory and refers to identifying changes in your physical or mental health, and taking action.

Indicators You Need a Rest Day

  • persistent muscle pain or soreness
  • inability to complete a workout routine
  • continued feelings of sluggishness following a workout
  • binge eating or craving comfort foods
  • increased incidence of injury or illness
  • changes in mood or behaviour, such as
    • mood swings
    • irritability
    • insomnia
    • prioritising fitness over everything else
  • reduced beneficial effects of the workout, such as a decreasing rate of fat loss or muscle gain
  • increased heart rate

If you are being guided by a personal trainer you will have an individual plan modified to your specific needs which will be factored into your workout program. When you are following your own program it is important to be aware of the need for rest days and plan these as you need them.

What to do on Your Rest Day

A rest day is total relaxation. Modify your activities around your job and other responsibilities.

Take the opportunity to Practice Self Care. Select your favourite activities and treat yourself. Remember to acknowledge what you have accomplished and then continue with your program when you are energised.

What are the Health Benefits of a Rest Day

The health benefits of rest days include:

  • Alleviating muscle pain and soreness: During rest days, the body has a chance to remove excess lactate from the muscles. This helps to alleviate the muscle pain and soreness you are suffering from your exercising.
  • Repairing and building muscles: Exercise creates microscopic tears in muscle tissue. During rest days, cells called fibroblasts repair and build up the muscle tissue.
  • Replenishing the body’s energy stores: Glycogen is a form of energy stored in muscles. Exercise depletes glycogen levels, which leads to muscle fatigue and soreness. Rest days allow the muscles to replenish their glycogen stores, thereby reducing muscle fatigue and preparing the muscles for their next workout.
  • Preventing injury: Overexercising puts repetitive stress on muscles, tendons and ligaments therefore increasing the risk of injury. If you are a newcomer this is really important to be aware of because your body is not used to exercising and it is a fact that as we age if we injure ourselves we are slower to heal. It is a challenge to hear of people who start with great intentions and go to hard and end up with an injury.
  • Allowing the mind to rest: Overexercising can tire the mind as well as the body. Tiredness can lead to poor decision making during a workout routine, which increases the risk of injury. Overexercising can also decreased motivation because feeling tired is one of the most common causes of lack of motivation and loss of interest in creating a healthy lifestyle.
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Is Walking Good for You

June 29, 2022

Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. Walking is sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.

Walking is the perfect low impact way to exercise. It’s easy to do, you don’t need any special equipment and you can start at the fitness level you’re at.

If you havn’t exercised for a while or are embarking on a fitness plan don’t forget to visit your doctor to have a physical assessment this will rule out any physical conditions that may cause you any problems. Another reason to visit your doctor is to get a baseline, then you will have a starting point and will be able to monitor your improvement. When starting out start slow, even10 minutes of walking daily has been documented as being beneficial.

How to Get In The Habit Of Walking

Getting and staying in the habit of going for a walk each day can be a challenge. We spend most of our time sitting down, this is not good for our body and can lead to a host of health problems. Most of us sit at work, we eat sitting down, and because of our busy lives we are exhausted by the end of the day and watch television or sit and read.

A great place to start is to find a walking track you enjoy, preferably around your neighbourhood. If this is not possible because of your safety, weather or other factors save your walk for the weekends. You may find it is more convenient to walk before or after work, some people even walk at lunchtime. Be creative!

Taking the same track every day helps form the habit. It’s also encouraging when you notice that you can walk the same loop faster or with less effort over time. It proves that you’re making a difference and are getting stronger and your fitness is improving.

Track your progress with a Fitbit or Smart Watch.

Listening to your favourite music, podcast or audio books is also helpful. Upbeat music is great, gives you fun tempo to keep in time to.

Consider walking with other people. Find a walking group in your area, or talk a friend or neighbour into becoming your walking buddy. Not only is it more fun to walk when you have someone to talk to, it will also give you accountability.

It’s much easier to commit to a walking workout when you know that other people are waiting for you and relying on you to join them. This is a safer option too.

Give these tips a try and see if they help you make walking a daily habit and an integral part of your health, your fitness, and your life.

Tips to Stay Motivated to Exercise in Winter

June 22, 2022

Summer Bodies are made in Winter!

Does your motivation to exercise plummet in winter?  The cold weather doesn’t mean your exercise fitness program needs to freeze up too. Give me summer and the beach anytime however you can make the colder months work for you!

Here are some tips to stay motivated to exercise during these colder months.

Before starting on any exercise program be sure to consult your doctor for an assessment of your general physical health. If you haven’t exercised at all or haven’t exercised for a long time be sure to start slowly to allow your body to get used exercising. Start your program slowly to reduce generalised soreness and to eliminate injuries to your muscles and tendons.

Set Yourself an Exercise Goal for Spring

Setting yourself a goal gives you something to work towards. Spring may seem a long way off however if you set your goal the SMART way the possibility of your success will be greatly increased. The post highlighted will give you a guide on effectively setting your goals.

Your goal could be either a personal goal or a race like a fun run challenge, triathlon or maybe the local park run. Another example of a goal could be organising a beach party to show off your toned body.

I have set myself a goal for my upcoming birthday, which is in winter. It is to complete the modified pushup routing to the song Bring Up Sally. Exercise can be a lot of fun.

Choose the Correct Exercise Gear

Your summer workout gear may not be appropriate for winter weather. Invest in proper winter performance gear to stay warm and dry. Be sure to warm up inside before you head out the door.  

Reflective Running Vest Gear 

Make sure you can be seen I reflective gear. There is some great reflective gear available. I have seen runners wearing head lights and other reflective identification.

Be Safe if you are exercising outdoors

Choose a time of the day when you feel safe to exercise outdoors. In winter the sun rises earlier and sets later. It can be difficult to get your exercise in in the morning particularly if you are a morning person. The same would be in the evenings of you like to go for a run after work. As I suggested above get yourself some reflective gear or use an exercise bike or exercise treadmill.

Be sure to consider your personal safety as well if you are out exercising in the early morning or later in the evening. In Australia we are in in the time of the shortest day of the year, so our days will start to lengthen again 🙂.

Exercise at Home

  1. Find a suitable workout space. Designate a corner in your home as your workout spot. …
  2. Put on your gym clothes. Dress like you’re going to the gym. …
  3. Warm up, stretch & cool down. …
  4. Cross Train. …
  5. Invest in some exercise equipment, like treadmill or exercise bike
  6. Listen to Your Body if you get sore spots take notice
  7. Know your limits especially when commencing your program
  8. Rest: quality, not quantity. …
  9. Have fun with it.

Stay Well Hydrated

It is easy to drink less water in winter because we don’t seem to get thirsty. It is important to stay hydrated, it is surprising how much your body dries out from internal heating.

Set Your Alarm

Set your alarm when it rings get out of bed. It’s a good idea not to set the snooze button or during the time the snooze is activating you will procrastinate and then come up with a reason about why you don’t need to exercise today.

It can be difficult to get out f bed in the cold and dark.

Set your clothes and other gear out the night before, even if you are exercising at home, or have your gear out to do your program when you get home from work.

Give Yourself a Reward

Work out a reward system for when you achieve your short term goals and then the longer term.

It could be a new outfit or treating your self to the movies or having coffee with a friend.

Document your goals, and acknowledge your achievements.

Find a Personal Trainer

Can’t do it alone? Get a personal trainer. A personal trainer will help achieve certain results, so if you are having difficulty achieving your goals as well as assisting you with your exercise program a personal trainer will keep you motivated.

Find an Exercise Buddy

If you can’t afford a personal trainer exercising with a friend will keep you accountable, pushing you both to exercise when you may lose motivation. Talk to your friends and family about your goals. This will also give you some accountability and much needed support.

Use Your Technology

Technology can be a great motivator.  Check out the Apps on your smart phone or download upbeat music from your favourite music app. There are several fitness apps that track sessions and progress. This enables you to monitor and enter your workout information. It is very rewarding to get home from a walk, cycle or run and download the information.

The technology will work for your exercise at home as well. If you are exercising at home you can monitor how hard you are working because of your heart rate.

Motivation to Exercise

Everyone had challenges with motivation, you will find your motivation changes daily. I hope the above tips will assist you to achieve your exercise goals. Be passionate about what you want and set yourself SMART goals to achieve it.

Feel free to comment or send me an email on your progress or what works for you.

Don’t Forget

Before starting on any exercise program be sure to consult your doctor for an assessment of your general physical health. If you haven’t exercised at all or haven’t exercised for a long time be sure to start slowly to allow your body to get used exercising. Start your program slowly to reduce generalised soreness and to eliminate injuries to your muscles and tendons.

Self Care

February 18, 2022

Self Care is an increasingly common topic. Implementing self care strategies into our daily routine means we are taking responsibility for our emotional, physical and mental health.

Self-care enables us to establish and maintain a healthy relationship with ourselves. We cannot be an awesome wife, mother, friend, carer, proficient at our jobs and manage whatever else we have on our plate if we don’t self care.

Practice self care to prevent burnout and to refill your tank to be on top of your game.

What You Need to Know about Self Care

  • Everything you need for self care is within you right now, you are enough
  • Self Care does not mean you are “broken” its means looking after yourself and prioritising your needs
  • Self Care means being the center of your own life
  • Self Care is soul food, you can give to others when you give to yourself
  • Self Care is not being selfish, it is a necessity for your growth
  • Self Care is individualised, it is not one size fits all
  • Your Self Care routine occurs within the cultural and social context of your life
  • Self Care is dynamic and fluid, be flexible to accommodate changes in your life
  • We are all worthy of Self Care, it is not something we have to earn
  • Self Care is not about your behaviour it is a mindset to be integrated into your everyday routine
  • Self Care is not meant to be complex it is meant to compliment you

Self Care is not a One Size Fits All!

Self care is about looking after you, there are copious amounts of articles on the Internet defining what self-care is, how to go about it and giving you tips!  These are great tips however managing your own self care is not be a “one size fits all” approach.  Choose what suits you taking into consideration your time constraints, what your current needs are and the resources you have available.

Check out Setting SMART Goals post for tips on setting your goals.

The list above contains examples of self care strategies. I am sure you will have favourites, or if this is new to you find a suitable strategy on the self care list.

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How to Kickstart a Healthy Lifestyle

January 11, 2022

There is no right time to kickstart a healthy lifestyle.  There will always be something to make our decision to live a healthier lifestyle a challenge. 

It is a fallacy to think it will easier when COVID-19 is under control, the threat of getting sick has gone, when our job is secure, when we start working from the office again, when our kids go back to school. There are heaps of when’s!

Decide you want to make the change then believe in yourself and you will.

What is a Healthy Lifestyle?

The World Health Organisation defines a healthy lifestyle as:

A way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or dying early.  Not all diseases are preventable but a large portion of deaths, particularly those from coronary heart disease and lung cancer can be avoided. Scientific studies have identified certain types of behaviour that contribute to the development of noncommunicable diseases and early death.

Health is not just about avoiding disease.  It is also about physical, mental, and social wellbeing.  When a healthy lifestyle is adopted a more positive role model is provided for other people in the family particularly children.

What do I need to change to live a Healthy Lifestyle?

Food Intake

Clean eating is a way of eating that focuses on natural, mostly unprocessed foods. When we talk about diet, we’re not talking about the latest and greatest weight loss program. In this case, we’re talking about a way of eating. The focus with a clean diet is on fruits, vegetables, meats, and gains in their most natural, unprocessed form.

Instead of eating pizza, pasta, bread and fried chicken, a clean diet consists of meals like steamed broccoli and grilled chicken, omelet’s, homemade chili or steak, baked potato, and a side salad. In essence, it’s going back to how we used to eat before there was a fast-food restaurant at every corner and grocery stores packed with processed foods and meals ready to heat and serve.

The idea behind clean eating is to get back to consuming fresh, mainly unprocessed foods that contain their full nutritional value. As an added bonus they aren’t stuffed full of preservatives, additives and flavour enhancers. The main reason for choosing to stick to a clean diet is to eat healthier.

Sleep Hygiene

If you are going to have the best chance of improving your lifestyle by changing your habits, an area that most of us overlook is the amount of sleep we get at night. If you are you a shift worker you may have difficulty managing to establish a sleep pattern?   There are so many factors that can affect the amount and quality of sleep we get, like snoring, our partner snoring, our age, work hours, anxiety related to work, poor sleep hygiene or no self-care routine, strenuous exercise before going to bed.  The lack of and inability to sleep causes its own stress and this sets up a cycle of anxiety.  

Take the time to monitor your sleep patterns and seek professional assistance if required to ensure you have healthy sleep hygiene habits.

You may be advised to have a Sleep Apnoea Test.

The data from the Sleep Apnoea Test will include information about your sleep, such as:

  • How long you spend in each sleep stage
  • How often you wake up
  • Whether you stop breathing or have trouble breathing
  • Whether you snore
  • Body position
  • Limb movements
  • Unusual brain activity patterns

Management of your sleep issues (if any) will then be attended to by your health professional.

Mental Health

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

We can monitor our own mental health by being aware of our thoughts and feelings, moods and behaviour in relation to our environment, family and social interactions.

If you identify that there are excesses or deficits in your behaviours, inability to manage your mood or other signs or symptoms you are unable to manage contact a Health Professional or seek help from your Doctor.

Your mental health can be affected by so many issues, for example: from your day to day interactions, diet, motivation or feelings of self worth.

Move More

Get regular exercise. Exercise is not a “one size fits all” situation.  Take the time to think about what type of exercise you like to do. One of the most important aspects about an exercise routine is to make it enjoyable, you will be more likely to sustain the program is it is enjoyable.

Getting exercise doesn’t have to be a major effort, one of the most enjoyable exercises is to walk.  Walking is very low cost and it gets you out in he fresh air and sunshine.

If you are starting an exercise plan ensure you visit your Family Doctor to have a physical check up. It is unwise to start an exercise program if you haven’t exercised for a long time or if you have never exercised. Start slowly to enable your body to get used to moving and your muscles, tendon and ligaments will gradually strengthen. This also refers to attending a yoga session or other exercise program you commence.

Find your Purpose

Having a purpose in life is vitally important. Your purpose is the reason you get up every morning. Life without a clear purpose can get boring and unsatisfying and. lead to bad habits like overeating, smoking drinking alcohol and in some cases poor mental health.

A lack of purpose can result from being recently retired, losing your job or other major events could have caused you to you to loose your sense of connection to your self, family and friends.

Plan to do something meaningful each day to make you want to wake up in the morning and jump out of bed and give you the excitement you have not felt since you were a child. This will give you a sense of direction and create meaning in your life.

It is never too late to take up a new hobby or enrol in a course you have always wanted to do.

Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol

Similar to tobacco, too much consumption of alcohol brings unwanted health and daily consequences. Some damages include high blood pressure, liver disease, digestive problems, mental health problems, learning and memory issues, and possible consequences leading to death. Although a certain amount of alcohol can be beneficial, controlled drinking is crucial in all situations.

Drink More Water

Hydrating yourself is important to many physical and biological activities and benefits. Some benefits of staying hydrated include weight loss, skin elasticity, mood balance, temperature control, and much more!

A good amount of intake per day for men is roughly about 13 cups (3 liters) and for women is about 9 cups (2.2 liters).

All the best in your pursuit of a Healthy Lifestyle, if I can be of any assistance please send an email to jillie@jilliesblog.com

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I am a lifestyle blogger whose interests follow my career and hobbies.  My intention for my blog is to be an informative interactive platform so my readers will have a positive experience from visiting.  I encourage you to contact me with comments or further information you may require.

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