Empower Blog

Did you know that how you treat your body in the minutes and hours after you exercise has a direct effect on not only muscle soreness, but also muscle strength and growth, and staying hydrated?

What to do first: Cool Down
When you are done exercising, the first thing you need to do is cool down. Even if running was all that you did, you still should do light cardio for a few minutes. This brings your heart rate down at a slow and steady pace, which helps you avoid feeling sick after a workout. Walking on a treadmill for five minutes is a good and easy way to cool down as well.

Next Up: Stretch
After a workout, muscles naturally contract. Stretching prevents muscles from shrinking and allows them to rebuild, which allows you to get the full benefit from your efforts. Stretching after exercise also relaxes your muscles, helps speed circulation to joints and tissues, and helps removal of unwanted waste products, which helps to reduce muscle soreness and stiffness.

Drink Water!
After your workout, you need to keep replenishing your fluid levels. It’s recommended that you drink 2-3 cups within two hours after you have finished. Then, drink water regularly afterwards. You may not feel thirsty anymore, but you still need to replenish yourself to avoid getting dehydrated.

Last but not least: Refuel
Eating is one of the most important items to do after a workout. You need to replenish the carbs you have burned through as well as repair your muscles and boost your energy level. It’s recommended that you eat within 90 minutes of your workout, but the sooner the better. Look for foods that are packed with complex carbohydrates and high in protein, like a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread.

So, the next time you complete your workout, remember to follow these post-workout tips to get the most out of exercising!

There are different schools of thought on this question, but in my opinion it comes down to what your goal is.

• If you want to develop cardiovascular endurance – such as training for a 5k – then do your cardio workout first.
• If you want to gain strength or build lean muscle, then do your strength workout first.

For the general cardio enthusiast who wants to be able to do a long-term, sustained cardio workout with ease and comfort, it may be best to perform the cardio workout while the muscles are fresh. An appropriate workout might be to perform the cardio portion first, then progress into a light strength program working all the major muscle groups involved with that activity (walking, jogging, biking, swimming, etc).

If your primary goal is strength/build lean muscle, it would be best to do the strength component of your workout first. This allows the muscles optimal energy to complete the workout at the highest level and without early fatigue. Performing the cardio work right after the strength workout can also help with recovery by removing any waste products accumulated by strength training and by supplying the muscles with oxygen and nutrients.

Regardless of which you do first, it is important to warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for the workout. The best choices include mild cardio exercise such as walking on a treadmill, or dynamic movements such as calisthenics.

How would you enhance a basic plan for intermediate or advanced workouts?

Once you have changed the way you feel about your body in motion (click here if you are just beginning your workout routine), you are ready to focus on your plan for your cardio-respiratory fitness.

A perfect place to start is to perform 20 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise (walking, swimming, bike riding) a few times a week. Moderate is key—to keep you feeling comfortable and coming back for more. On a self-perception scale of 1 to 10 (0 is resting intensity while 10 represents all out/breathless intensity) – you should keep your intensity 4 to 6. Continue to train there for a few weeks.

Once you are comfortable there you can progress towards the intermediate and advanced levels. This can be done in several ways, but first a quick exercise physiology overview. Our body condition will stay stagnant or stale when it comes to training if you don’t apply the principle of progressive overload to your fitness program. That simply means you need to shift things every few weeks in order to shock the body into improvement.

The FITT Principle is key to progression and variety in training (progressive overload).

• F for frequency
• I for intensity
• T for time or duration
• T for type or mode

Every week or two, you apply a positive shift to one or more of these factors to stimulate your body with a new challenge.

• First increase your training frequency. Instead of walking 3 days per week, you up it to 4.
• A few weeks later up the intensity. Instead of training at a moderate intensity (4 to 6) you up your pace for brief bouts (to 7 or 8) and get a bit winded for a minute here and there.
• A few more weeks go by and you feel the need for more, so you workout a bit more time.
• Last but not least you switch the type of workout you are doing (from walking to jumping rope or stair climbing), making it a whole new challenge to your body.

By applying these small gradual changes to your workout plan every few weeks you will see continual results. If you are looking for a great cardio tool to help you get your program going, try a fitness hoop or walking weights!

Work the core. A strong core is about more than a super 6 pack!

The stronger the core muscles, the stronger you will be in everything you do, from getting out of a chair or walking to sports. As an added benefit strengthening the muscles of the abdomen, hips and lower back helps to prevent back problems.

Core strengthening exercises and chronic low back pain were evaluated in a study conducted at the University of Technology in Perth, Australia. Group-A performed core strengthen exercises and after 10 weeks showed a significant reduction in the intensity of their back pain as well as their functional disability levels.

These improvements were still apparent at a 30-month follow-up. Group-B underwent other commonly prescribed conservative treatments. These participants demonstrated no significant change in back pain or functional disabilities after intervention.

E- energy
M-motivation
P-positive attitude
O- optimism
W-wellness
E- enjoyment
R – rejoice

Empower is a verb, which means to enable or invest with power. What a wonderful thought, what an even better action! To enable ones energy, motivation, positive life attitude, and optimism in the face of challenge; while at the same time improving their state of wellness and ability to enjoy life to the degree that they can rejoice in the beautiful, vibrant human they have become. ~ Whew, now that’s a mouth full :)

As I dissect the concept of empowerment I can best relate it to the 7 dimensions of Wellness; a well-known tool used by health educators to help people understand the interrelated components of a healthy lifestyle based on self-responsibility and personal choices. When applying this tool to the goal of personal empowerment it would look like this:

The Empower Wheel

When I relate the 7 dimensions of Empowerment to my own life, I immediately think of those positive things that have made me the active, healthy, strong woman I am today; my family, my friends, my belief in a higher spiritual power. I feel blessed by all the things life has given me, from a healthy body to a loving support system.

But I also realize that the choices I make everyday are interrelated and have a direct impact on the things I hold most dear. I have had the opportunity to learn from the best educators about the power of health and fitness and it’s tremendous impact on the way we think, feel and act. I have also had the opportunity to share my knowledge and empower others towards a healthier lifestyle. In doing so I have tapped my own empowerment wheel… and continue to do so everyday whether it is through the example I set for my family, the workouts I lead in my community, or the knowledge I impart in my writings. By tapping this wheel I am in a continuous state of positive energy. I realize that there are negative forces and bad days that may come along in my life and the lives of those I strive to help. This is when it is even more important to reflect on the empowerment wheel to solve and rise above any challenging or dark days with a sense of optimism and self-fulfillment.

Defining “Empower” or “Empowerment” is a subjective, personal, and emotional endeavor. Now that I’m in my 30’s, a wife and mother of two (soon to be 3), I realize that being “empowered” has meant something different throughout the various stages of my life. Today my priorities are my family, my health, and the health of my loved ones. At this moment in time feeling empowered encompasses the following elements:

• Embracing the constant change and unpredictability of daily life
• Being physically strong and fit to handle the daily demands and stresses
• Confidence in my abilities, my intelligence, my judgment for my own direction
• Faith in my decisions for my children, their development, and their futures
• A solid, positive self-image for my personal happiness, my marriage, and to set a positive example for my children
• The freedom to help others by supporting the charities and organizations close to my heart
• The knowledge to find the outlets necessary to give me peace of mind and mental clarity for true happiness in all aspects of my life.

Let me be clear that defining and identifying “My Empowerment” doesn’t guarantee that I’m always on target with all of these elements on a daily basis. Empowerment in my life is a constant journey as is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There are days or weeks that I’m more balanced and focused. Then there are times that a hectic lifestyle seems to take over.

I’m learning that feeling empowered in my own life is not a matter of success or failure but rather a positive journey of change and growth that will never stop! Get on board and enjoy the ride!

By: Karen Polcaro

At Empower, our goal is to help you become an ACTIVE, HEALTHY, and STRONG woman. To us, becoming active, healthy, and strong does not only refer to becoming physically fit, it also ties into every other aspect of your life, physical, mental, and emotional. To be ACTIVE, HEALTHY, and STRONG is to be EMPOWERED!!

Although as women we stand together, we recognize that each of us is very unique and have different needs. We are at various stages in our lives. We each face unique challenges, whether they are related to family, career, life in general, or a combination of everything! That is why we have carefully selected four amazing women; all seasoned fitness professionals who come from different backgrounds and are at different stages in their own lives. Gin Miller, Heather Hawk, Kathy Stevens, and Rachel Howe will be writing to provide answers to your questions, offer advice, and share their experiences.

However, we thought it was important that before they began sharing their experiences and ideas, that they each define what it means to them to be EMPOWERED.

Over the couple weeks, each of these women share with us what empowerment means to them. Also, check out some of the questions they will be answering (below). These questions came from women JUST LIKE YOU! If you have a question or a topic you would like to explore, please share! We can all learn and grow from the experiences of others! Your voice is important and you deserve to be heard!!!

1. How do I find the time to add exercise into my schedule and what type of exercise is best?
2. What are the best options for eating healthy meals with such a busy schedule?
3. How do I get rid of my meno-pot!... The dreaded 50+ potbelly.
4. What can I do to reduce the pain in my (back, legs, arms, etc) while exercising?
5. Can I ever get rid of the sagging skin on my (belly, back of the arms, neck or thighs)?
6. Which exercises are best for burning fat?
7. Which exercises will strengthen my back/core?
8. How do you get started if you have been inactive for many years?
9. How do you stay motivated about your exercise program?

By Heather Hawk

Everyone has different motivational tools and triggers to keep them on track. Some people need accountability to stay consistent. The consistency has never been my obstacle. My challenge is to push myself beyond my threshold whether it’s get those few extra reps or for the extra mile. Over the years I’ve tried several things to help give me an edge. Here are a few of the tricks that motivate me to kick it up a notch:

• Download music that will pump you up. A mix of up-beat and slow doesn’t do it for me, I need songs that we keep me jamming.
• Talk yourself through the tough spots. When I feel I’ve reached a breaking point I remind myself of my goals (sometimes in my head and sometimes out loud) like a lean body or a tight booty – I repeat it over and over to push through the challenge.
• Find a workout partner (or a few). The key is to find a partner that will motivate you as much as you motivate them – you want to push each other rather then holding one another back.
• Remind yourself of the level you’ve achieved in prior workouts. When I find it difficult to hit a prior distance or number of reps I remind myself that I did before so I can do it again – quitting is not an option!

By Heather Hawk

We all know that finding time for fitness can be a challenge.

Whether it’s work, family, or school we all have life pulling us in several directions. Having my own company provides me the luxury of working from home a few days a week so squeezing in a workout early morning or mid-day is usually convenient. Lately, my work has had me on location most weekdays. By the time I get home I want to spend all the time I can with mygirls before their bedtime.

I was finding myself stressing out over when to fit in my workout. So I decided to combine the two activities and I’m using my playtime with my girls to be as physical as possible. My oldest, who is three, loves to crawl over and under furniture, jump, run, and climb through the jungle-gym at the park. Instead of simply cheering her on from the sidelines, I’m now right by her for all her fun and exploration.

You’d be amazedhow exhausting it can be keeping up with a three year old…I know I’m working up a sweat, burning calories, and using my muscles in very different ways.

By Heather Hawk

When was the last time you jumped rope?

This fun activity is an effective way to burn 10 calories a minute (or more) and boost your endurance. Jumping rope continuously for just 10 minutes a day can burn the same calories as 30 minutes of jogging or 2 sets of tennis. You can also add a few minutes of jumping rope between sets of strength exercises for a great circuit workout.

In addition to challenging your heart, jumping rope helps to improve your balance, coordination, bone density, and muscle endurance.

Jump ropes are also compact, great for travel, and can be used indoors or out!