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Fitness Challenges Work…Here’s Why

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Fitness challenges have the potential to help people make lasting changes to their habits, physique, wellbeing and other physical and mental attributes such as sleep quality and mood. There are many ways that joining a challenge can benefit you, so should you do it? What makes them work and why should you participate?

Read on for why we think challenges are worth it every time. 

  • Challenges provide structure. Ever been to the gym and wondered what to do? Challenges provide structure such as a time-frame (6-weeks), workout parameters (30 min/day) and ways to measure success (# of workouts completed, body measurements, strength measurements). Structure is the backbone of the entire thing and without it, you are going nowhere quick. 
  • Challenges provide a specific plan. Whether that is the actual workout and/or nutrition plan or guidelines for what to do, you need a plan to follow. It takes out the guesswork so you know if you are on track or not.
  • Accountability is built in. We need to be on the hook by something or someone otherwise we may not follow through. With challenges, there is the support of the group, text support, email support, perhaps an in-person or virtual meeting..all of these things ensure you are not alone and instill a sense of not wanting to let others down.
  • Challenges are a great source of motivation! Either from the leaders themselves or the participants in the group. Feed off of each other, share tips, workout together and see how much better you feel and how excited you become to continue.
  • The Fun Factor. Challenges are fun! They add novelty and excitement to exercise when it can sometimes seem boring. Harness this and find the joy in the experience. 
  • Rewards and prizes! Challenges often involve rewards or prizes for completion or just for participating. Prizes can also help motivate people to keep going. Prizes sweeten the deal and make things fun. Another reason to say “yes” to a fitness challenge…you just might win!


The more of these elements you have provided for you within a challenge and the more these elements fill in areas that you struggle with, the better your chances of success! So sign up for that challenge and make the decision to go “all in”.

Ready to dive in? Visit Flostate’s Challenges page to find out more about our latest fitness challenges!

Exercise for Better Metabolism

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How does exercise impact metabolism?

For the purpose of this article, we’ll think of “activity” and “exercise” as separate activities. Activity can be defined as natural movement that is part of our activities of daily living (moving the lawn, cleaning the house, walking to the mailbox, walking around during our errands, shopping, etc.). Exercise is defined as structured and intentional movement at a higher intensity and purpose than our usual activities. Examples: Lifting weights, running or brisk walking, aerobics classes, Yoga or other.

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We impact our metabolism (energy used/needed) with exercise in three ways:

1. Calories burned during the workout session.

This is what we see in our workout summary on our fitness trackers. How many calories did I use? What was my average heart rate? How hard did I work? Etc. The very act of exercise causes us to consume more calories than if we didn’t do it. This is the obvious part of the story, right? Of course we exercise to burn calories, but there is more. (Of course!)
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2. Calories burned immediately after your workout session.

This is the “after burn” – the phenomenon known as EPOC or Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. When we workout hard enough to reach an anaerobic state, the body requires more time and energy to “recover” and restore back to a steady state. This means more energy burned after the workout is over. At least there is a bonus to super tough workouts! A typical HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout will deliver these benefits. The drawback is, many of us don’t like pushing so hard or have physical limitations that prevent us from working out at this level. If you are up for it – great!
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3. Muscle built during workouts.

  • This is the exciting part. When we build muscle, we use more calories in general. According to Johnstone, et al. (2005), muscle is 5 times more metabolically active than fat. This means that if you build more muscle, your body will need more calories or energy to just maintain those muscle cells. Strong people can consume more calories and maintain a healthy weight. Lifting weights, doing weight-bearing activities and keeping fit allows you more flexibility with your eating. Finally some good news!
  • Think of muscle building as a weight maintenance strategy. Investing dedicated time each week to build muscle will reap rewards over time as you build a more robust metabolism. Not only will you have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight, you might find your shape change and inches lost as your body adjusts to your new svelte self.
  • The good news is that strength training is accessible for everyone. You can lift weights or use your body weight to generate strength without high impact (jumping), or uncomfortable cardio.

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Ready to get started? Try Flostate’s Total Body Strength Circuit (30 min) or Sunrise Strength & Stretch (30 min) class formats. Commit to 2-3 strength workouts each week and make an investment in your health that will pay dividends in the future!

How to Get Fit and Healthy in the New Year

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Q&A with Alice Halvorson: How to Rock your Resolutions and Get Fit & Healthy in the New Year!

How do you go about achieving New Year’s resolutions?

That’s the million dollar question, right?

Well, there is simply setting New Year’s resolutions and then there is actually achieving them. First off, I’d say really think about the resolution or goal you are making and ask yourself why you are doing it. Keep asking WHY until you get to the heart of it. Because you really have to care!  Don’t just do something because you saw it on TikTok or your neighbor is doing it.  Do something because you want to create meaningful change in yourself.

Aside from that, in order to achieve your goals, you need a plan or a road map to get you there and a source of accountability. Motivation and excitement will only take you so far. So, if you want to get stronger, how are you going to do that? What workouts are you going to do and when? How are you measuring if you got stronger? And who is holding you accountable? Support is huge when wanting to reach your goals – because there will be days you don’t want to do it! 

You also need patience. Don’t throw in the towel after two weeks…habits take time to form and results take time. And you are worth putting in the work for!! You can do this!

How do you get fit and healthy in the New Year and beyond?

First, it’s a good practice to reflect on what was going on last year. What didn’t work? What did? What do you already know you need to do or change? That could provide you with direction on what you personally can do. 

Overall, the number one thing I would say is simply move more. Make it a goal to reach 7-10K steps in your day. And find a form of exercise that offers some consistency. Increasing our fitness takes time and effort. So, if last year, you found it hard to get to the gym, maybe you need to join a group class, find a workout buddy or nix the gym all together and workout at home. And you have to enjoy it – at least somewhat! Love to dance? Sign yourself up for a class! Like skiing? Go for it. Make movement fun too.

I’ll say this…success, fitness-wise, boils down to movement that challenges you, done on a consistent basis, with a source of accountability to keep it a priority.

How do you get fit and healthy with high inflation and the high cost of groceries?

Well, our bodies can move anywhere, so take your fitness outside or in the comfort of your own home to save money on gym memberships. There are great online workout options too that won’t break the bank. Flostate is just $59/month for an unlimited membership…that is about 1/3 of the cost of big box full service gyms!

As for the food: plan, plan and plan your meals and build grocery lists around them. And then stick to it! Shop sales, and utilize frozen fruits and vegetables. Prep larger batches of food on the weekends and freeze any leftovers to it doesn’t go to waste in your fridge! Most of us probably have way too much food just sitting around (especially snack  food). Reduce the amount of food sitting around and you’ll also save $$!

How do you take care of your mental health?

Ask yourself, “What is the most important thing for my mental health right now?”  Is it stress reduction? Connection with others? Open time? Once you can identify a bit more of what you personally need in this area, then it is time to take this area BACK for yourself.

Create sacred time for just you. Maybe this is a walk with a friend, reading a book, meditating or getting a massage. 

If your schedule is crazy, then something has GOT to go. Delegate and clear part of your schedule. Give yourself space. Stress and anxiety levels can skyrocket when we feel like we are backed into a corner.

Keep asking yourself, “What do I need right now?” Maybe it’s just a few minutes to breathe deeply. Maybe you need to vent to someone. Maybe you need a walk. Take what you need in 2023.

Consider seeking out professional help if you are concerned about your mental health.

How do you eat healthier? 

What is “healthier”? That is a pretty general term and varies for everyone. But what this means to me, overall, is reducing the junk and processed foods and increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables – whole foods in general. Plan your meals around your protein, fruit, vegetable and a healthy grain, and you can’t go wrong. Watch the butter, mayo, oils and other fats. Although they can be healthy, they add up very, very quickly calorie-wise. A little goes a long way.


Q: If you want to lose weight in the New Year, how do you do it? What works? 

Increasing your exercise intensity and frequency and watching what you eat. No magic sauce here, sorry! You need to challenge your body to see changes. Lift weights as this helps burn fat off the body and gives you the look you want regardless of what the scale says. 

And watch what you eat – consistently. I don’t mean cutting out entire food groups here. Measure your food for a time period – ideally as long as you are trying to lose weight – and actually eat the serving sizes. If you are still hungry, eat more, but start there. Most of us overeat most things. Just the act of measuring and portioning will be an eye opener. Tracking apps like Myfitness Pal are great for this. Watching it can lead to less mindless eating and therefore less mindless calories that add up.

What do you offer at Flostate to help people achieve their goals?

Flostate makes workouts easy with hundreds of online workouts you can do at home, at work or on the road. We help you drop the excuses and get back on the fitness wagon so you can finally feel better in your skin. 

We have fitness programs you can follow to provide the plan, guidance and support. From our Stress Less Program and 21 Days to Toned Arms Challenge to our 30 for 30 New Years Challenge and more…we help you achieve your goals!

Why is it important to make measurable resolutions to achieve goals. 

 Because tracking progress is  a huge motivator! How do you know how far you’ve come if you can’t keep track of it? This could be amount of weight you are lifting in the gym, miles walked, weight loss, inches lost, cups of daily vegetables, sleep improvement…the list goes on! Decide what metrics you are going to track and keep at it. This is information you can use to make adjustments along the way to your goal.

Anything else you want to add? 

You can do this! And don’t feel like you need to do EVERYTHING all at once. That is a recipe for overwhelm and leads to quitting. Get really specific with your goal or resolution and then choose 3 things you’ll do to achieve it. Grab an accountability partner, stay consistent day by day and you’ll rock 2023!

 

How to Stretch and Release Tight Calf Muscles

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Oh our little calves. They seem to always take the back seat to other bigger and more sexy muscle groups like our glutes. But – they are such an important part of our body and may hold one of the keys to increased circulation and mobility.

Circulation

Did you know that your body has a second blood pump? It’s your calf muscles! With each and every step you take, the calf muscles pump venous blood back toward your heart. Our heart can pump blood to our lower extremities in seconds, but, since the blood is flowing against gravity, sending it back towards the heart will take more than a single pump from the heart. Because of this, the body uses the calf muscles to pump blood from your lower legs back to the heart.

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Here is how it works:

The veins in your calf act like a reservoir for blood your body does not need in circulation at any given time. These reservoir veins are called muscle venous sinuses. When the calf muscle contracts, blood is squeezed out of the veins and pushed along the venous system. One-way valves in the leg veins keep the blood flowing in the correct direction toward the heart. The valves keep the blood flowing in the right direction and prevents gravity from pulling the blood right back down.
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When you walk, your foot plays a role in the pumping mechanism as well. The foot also has a (smaller) venous reservoir. During the early motion of taking a step, as you put weight on your foot, the foot venous reservoir blood is squeezed out and ‘primes’ the calf reservoir. Then, in the later stages of a step, the calf muscle contracts and pumps the blood up the leg, against gravity.
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When you are immobile for long periods of time, like on an airplane seat or sitting at a desk for hours, your calf muscles are not contracting much and blood can pool in your lower extremities. That’s why walking is so good for the circulation in your legs. And it’s not just walking though,…the best way to improve circulation is to get moving in general! Whether that is walking, running, swimming or participating in a Flostate live or on demand class.

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Mobility

Abnormally tight calf muscles cause issues up and down the kinetic chain. You can think of your kinetic chain as interrelated groups of body segments, connecting joints and muscles that work together to perform movements. This helps explain how the movement of one joint can affect the movement of another joint within the kinetic link. In a nutshell – everything in the body is connected. The good news is we can use this information to help us figure out what is happening in the body.

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Calves can become tight for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’re a basketball player or a runner, wear high heels or even sit for extended periods of time. Let’s take one of these as an example. Wearing high heels puts the ankle in an excessive plantarflexion (“toe point”) position. This can lead to tightness in your gastrocnemius and soleus – the main muscles of your calves – causing your imbalances like overpronation or the flattening of the arch of the foot. This causes the knee to move inward and the hips to be misaligned – further altering movement patterns. This can lead to plantar fasciitis, shin splints, knee pain and lower back pain. That’s quite the chain reaction – all starting from our calf function.

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To get things back in balance, a few things need to happen. First, we need to release the tight muscles via inhibitory techniques such as foam rolling (Self-Myofascial Release). Then, lengthen the muscles by stretching. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, when self-myofascial release is applied in conjunction with stretching techniques, it was shown to significantly increase range of motion.

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Next we “activate” underused muscles with targeted strengthening exercises, and finally “integrate” via dynamic strength exercises.

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Step 1: Foam Roll

Sit on the floor, sporting your body with your hands. Place the foam roller underneath your calf muscles, possibly stacking one leg over the other for added weight. Roll your calf muscle across the roller – down, up and side to side – pausing the rolling action over painful areas until a “release” is felt in the area or the pain sensation dissipates a bit. Hold tender spots for 30-90 seconds depending on the intensity of application.

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Step 2: Stretch

Place your hands against a wall with arms relatively straight. Bend one knee, and lean into the wall. Straighten the other leg behind you (careful not to lock or hyperextend the knee), working the heel of the back foot down to the floor. Lean forward a bit to accentuate the stretch through the back calf muscle. Hold the stretch 20-30 seconds or 60 seconds for exercisers over 65 years of age. Do 1-4 repetitions.

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Step 3: Isolated Strength

Let’s do some strength work.

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Calf Raises: Stand on a step or platform with just the balls of your feet (widest part of your foot should be on the edge). Lower your heels down and lift heels up so you are standing on your “tip toes”. Squeeze the calf muscle at the top.

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Anterior Tibialis Pull: Take a loop band (any size) and wrap it around a bench leg, banister – something to anchor it. Put the top of your foot in the band. Point and flex the foot back towards your body to work the anterior tibialis – the muscles located in the front of your calf. Do 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps. Take 4 counts to release back to a pointed or neutral position with the foot and hold 2 counts at the contracted position when the foot is flexed.

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Step 4: Dynamic/Integrated Strength

‍Wall Ball Squat or Squat: Place a stability ball against the wall and stand with the ball positioned across your mid & low back. Squat down – lowering your body until thighs are positioned parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glutes and thigh muscles and stand back up to your starting position. If you don’t have a stability ball, just do a normal squat.

Do 1-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

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References:

NASM Essentials of Corrective Exercise

https://veinatlanta.com/your-second-heart/
Caring for your ‘second heart’

How to Boost Mental and Physical Resilience

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RESILIENCE. It’s a pretty strong word, right? We want to be resilient. Have a resilient body. And be able to count on a resilient mind. So what exactly does that mean, and how do we become more resilient?

Definition of Resilience
The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

Resilience is multidimensional and encapsulates the mental, emotional, physical, spiritual parts of us. Let’s focus on the mental and physical aspects here.

Mental Resilience is the ability to adapt to change and uncertainty.


Physical Resilience is the ability to recover and optimize function in response to the stressors of disease, injury, or age-related physical decline. 

Resilience is what gives people the emotional strength to cope with trauma, adversity, and hardship. Those lacking resilience get easily overwhelmed, and may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Resilient people do the opposite. They utilize their resources, strengths, and skills to overcome challenges and work through setbacks. They have healthy coping mechanisms and support systems.

You can increase resilience by:

Mental:

  • By creating support systems, healthy coping mechanisms, stress relieving strategies and using them
  • By getting out of your comfort zone and flexing your “resilience muscle”
  • By fostering overall mental health

Physical: 

  • By consistently moving your body in different ways
  • By trying different things that challenge or scare you (hint: this is mental too!)
  • By fostering overall physical health

Resilience is also built through “reps”: The more times we face mental and physical challenges and overcome them, we build resilience. The learning and confidence that results from overcoming challenges is powerful, and reminds us that we can do it again the next time we encounter adversity.

5 Resilience Building Self-Care Strategies 


Mindset Muscle
Having the right mindset is essential. Each thought has power. Are we powering constructive or destructive thoughts? Practice having empathy for others and reframing your situation in a more positive way.

Breathe Through It
Breathing is proven to calm the mind and body and increase awareness and attention. The next time you are stressed or overwhelmed, close your eyes and inhale/exhale for 4-6 seconds each.

Get Moving Now
Movement helps create a strong, mobile, healthy body and a clear mind. Also, try something new physically that gets you out of your comfort zone or requires you to learn a new skill. Sign up for a race, try snorkeling on that vacation, etc. When we overcome nervousness or fear we flex that resilience muscle!

Create a Margin
Intentionally creating space for what’s meaningful to you reduces stress levels and creates freedom to actually be present. It takes us out of scarcity and panic mode and allows us to be more flexible and tolerant. Create space in your calendar now. 

Get Vulnerable to Connect
Vulnerability encourages connection. And connection fosters relationships and a
support network that you can rely on when things get tough. Open up and share your struggles.

We can’t escape stressful situations and the challenges placed on us, but we can equip ourselves to handle it all just a little bit better and in doing so, make ourselves a little more resilient each time.

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The Flostate | PO Box 251155, Woodbury, MN 55125 | 833-218-5525 | info@theflostate.com

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