exercise

Fitness Gift Giving

Stuck on any last-minute gifts for people you love? Encouraging people to move is a wonderful gift. Of course you never want to try to twist someone’s arm if movement isn’t their thing. This year for CT LIVE we put together a few fitness ideas that are playful and practical. Click here to watch. I hope these ideas help with someone you are stuck on. And we aren’t paid by anyone to plug these gift ideas…

Trekking Poles: Can’t speak highly of these enough. I started hiking with them in my 20’s. I was embarrassed because no one my age used them, but my knees felt so good when I used them. People resist them but they are a game changer for anyone you know who likes hiking (and wants to continue lifelong) or anyone you know who is getting a bit older and a little unsteady.

For hikers they give you a more full-body workout, help you move faster, burn more calories, help with balance, and reduce how sore you’ll be after you hike.

A Stretch Strap: this gift can be for the person you know who LOVES stretching or the person […]

Fitness Gift GivingMaggie Downie2024-12-20T10:46:01-05:00

Monster Moves

As children, movement is often playful and fun. Then, as adults, we tend to see it as repetitive and grueling. But it is important to remember movement can be playful and productive. As long as moves are safe, it is okay to be light-hearted with them, especially if that makes you more likely to move.

These are all movements named after monsters. That is silly to begin with.

Try them if the Halloween season is bringing out your playful side. Or encourage your kids to Keep Moving by doing their best impression of these monsters. Have a family monster impression challenge and see who can pull it off best. Hopefully you’ll wind up laughing and movement will feel fun!

Check out all these fun moves in the video below from NBC CT Live.

Frankensteins – This is a great warm-up move. It stretches the hamstring. You are trying to move with a stable pelvis. And if you want you can add some arm circles or twist.

Mummy – This works your shoulders and upper back muscles. It’s actually beneficial at counteracting that forward slump […]

Monster MovesMaggie Downie2024-10-23T17:52:46-04:00

Exercise on Vacation

Maggie hiking Mt Kilimanjaro

A few people have asked me what I do for exercise on vacation. The answer: it depends.

Sometimes I don’t. And that’s okay for anyone. It is necessary to allow your body a break from its typical routine for a week or two. In fact, it’s probably good. My regular routine has a lot of physical activity in it. And breaks are vital. As someone who LOVES to be in motion, I probably don’t take breaks as often as I should.

Also, sometimes our personal trips are so physically active whatever we are doing is my exercise. When we hiked Kilimanjaro or the Inca Trail, I wasn’t adding exercise. When I did the El Camino with my mom, I didn’t add more exercise to the 15 miles we were walking each day. However, if we had access to a pool, I tried to swim for 30 minutes. But moving in a pool is a wonderful addition to any workout routine, especially if your body is sore.

Maggie finishing the El Camino with her Mom

Exercise on VacationMaggie Downie2024-09-19T16:44:12-04:00

Stiff Neck

September is Pain Awareness Month. And, sadly, a fifth of us are dealing with chronic pain. Often pain can make us afraid to move. We don’t know what we should do. We worry about making it worse. But research shows movement is almost always the better option. Lack of movement tends to create more pain.

The exception would be an acute injury. If you got in a car accident and got whiplash yesterday, you would want to talk with your doctor before moving. But even after many surgeries, doctors have patients up and moving the same day. Our body needs movement the way it needs food and water.

Let’s consider the common problem of a stiff neck from when you’ve slept “wrong.” Your range of motion is likely restricted. So here are some steps to take:
1) Do an assessment. 2) Add micromovements. 3) If that feels okay, add some gentle stretches.

First you are going to nod your head up and down like you are saying “Yes” about 5 times, and then turn left and right like you are saying “No.” Force nothing. Notice what your range of motion is and the moment you […]

Stiff NeckMaggie Downie2024-09-20T11:52:32-04:00

Standing Abs

There are multiple reasons to opt for a standing ab workout.

If you have trouble getting up and down off the floor, you don’t have to. Even if you can get up and down, these moves are convenient because you don’t have to pull out a mat and get on the floor. If you’re prone to neck pain when doing traditional ab exercises, standing abs reduces the chances the neck gets aggravated. Often, lots of other body parts are working with you while you do standing abs. And, as most of the physical challenges we face in life occur when we are standing, standing abs are a real functional type of movement.

Consider trying these moves in the NBC CT LIVE video below:

Side Bends with a Squat

Standing Bicycle –single leg or alternating

Opposing Limbs

Keep Reading

Looking for a more gentle way to Keep Moving? Click here to read about Low Impact Cardio.

Struggling to sleep? Read This Blog for effective exercise tips to improve your sleep quality.

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Standing AbsMaggie Downie2024-08-21T17:01:17-04:00