Patreon Please

I love doing my crazy fitness podcast! Really, I do! Do you even know I have one? It’s called Funky Fitness Now and it’s about all the insane ways people try to stay fit. It’s a lot of fun. My co host and I wish we could do it everyday but there is this pesky thing called bills that both Steve (my co host) and I have to consider. So because of that we started a Patreon page. I know you are thinking “why the heck would I give money to their project?” That is a logical question to ask yourself. I thought I’d post about why someone would support a Patreon project:

• Supporters want the product being offered, and without the project funding the product will not be created or not created as often. FUNKY FITNESS is possible because of people like you. We too have lives and responsibilities. It would be nice if we could just do what we wanted all of the time but we can’t.
• Supporters want to be cool.  They want to be first.  They want the badge of pride that comes with being responsible (at least partly) for a fantastic product being brought to market.
• Supporters want to be involved.  They want to be able to provide input, see progress, and be close to the project/product as it comes to fruition. Wouldn’t it be awesome to be on the ground floor of a podcast before it becomes HUGE? Duh. The answer is always, YES!

Now you can be a supporter too! Please think about it and donate today. Even $1 will help.

Post Workout. What to do.

I don't know about you but after I do a hard workout I used to just want to veg out. The thought of exercise was just too much. Sadly, I learned that this kind of thinking was doing me more harm than good. Pain and soreness come from a lack of taking care of your body post workout. It's important to know what causes you muscle pain so you can prevent it! In this post I want to talk about what to do post workout.

Think about your last great sweat session. Where your legs shaking? Did you feel like you gave it your all? After you were done what did you do? Once your workout is over, you need to quickly replenish whatever was lost. Muscles require vitamins and minerals in order to function so when you push your body to the limit they become depleted at a rapid pace.

Try eating a small bowl of whole grain rice. The quick burning carbohydrate will help to feed your muscles while you rest. You want to include a protein shake (I’ve talked about a one of my favs in this post Be Fit Protein Shakes ) or a good source of protein like chicken, cottage cheese, or nuts. And the most important rule of all,, make sure to have a plate of vegetables ready to eat. You can’t go wrong with the vitamins, minerals and water found in veggies. Eat your favorite and you will make a great choice. Also, make sure you hydrate a lot after your workout so you can replenish.

Take a few extra minutes to make a plan so you can get the most from your gym time. That plan should include stretching too (here’s another post where I talk about stretching Stretching (the truth). If you properly stretch before a workout and take care of your body afterwards, you may never have to put off a workout because of soreness or pain.

Take A Day Off

When you take a day or two off of the gym do you feel guilty? I used to. Sometimes life gets in the way and other things become more important.

What is important to know that without proper rest between your sweat sessions, all your training can be worthless. When you rest you give your body the rest it needs and allow yourself to repair and renew. If you train continuously, you actually run the risk of becoming weaker or burning yourself out.

How do you know if you are over-training?  If you have any of the following I suggest you take some time off from your workouts:  headaches, loss of appetite, disturbed sleep patterns and an inability to perform the way you once did. If you are training hard on a regular basis and notice any of these symptoms, it’s your body’s way of telling you that you are failing to take enough time off between workouts.

What you do in between your workouts is super important. When you train your muscles with heavy weights it causes the proteins within them to degrade and break down. When you rest, additional proteins are used to rebuild the muscle fiber.

The take away? Build 1-2 days of rest into your workout plan. 6 days a week is way more than enough. 4-5 is ideal, 3 minimum.

Weird but awesome fitness classes to try

Does the thought of your workout make you yawn from boredom? I found 2 different fitness classes you can take that will jazz things up for you. They are weird, wacky, and wild! Not only are they totally entertaining but you might turn some heads if you try out these workouts at the gym.

Yoga Bells

Yoga bells combine kettlebell training with Hatha Yoga – a weird combo but can be effective for weight loss. They aid in providing flexibility and strength all while doing something different.

I really like the idea of mixing two different workouts for a time saver but is this safe? You be the judge.

Circus Workouts

Have you ever watched circus acts and watched the acrobats wow you with their grace, but also by their balance and strength? Have you ever wanted to do it? You can! Learn some awesome trapeze, silks, and aerial arts. All of ones I mentioned are effective in building lean, functional muscles, and working out multiple muscle groups at once. Training might be challenging, (I have done silks and let me tell you, it was HARD! I could barely climb up the silk much less preform "moves") but it will also be fun and you will be surprised as to what your body can do. Or not. You will definitely be surprised at yourself.

If you are totally into the idea of flipping your body around here is a workout for you: