Pigeon Pose: Glute and Hip Stretch

Hello lovely readers,

I want to share a step-by-step version of another one of my favourite stretches and yoga pose! The pigeon pose is an excellent way to get some release through tight glutes and hips. I am warning you that it does hurt (for me at least!), but it is totally worth it to get a deep stretch.

Step 1:

 Start in downward dog for as long as you like!

 Step 2:

Swing your right leg up and hold for a few seconds. Prepare to swing this leg forward.

 Step 3:

Swing your right leg forward. IMPORTANT: make sure your RIGHT KNEE is OUTSIDE your RIGHT WRIST. Feel free to adjust your foot until you find a comfortable position. The two pictures below show how this position should look from both sides. Get comfy and move right into the next step.

Step 4:

Slowly walk your body forward and place your elbows on the ground. OPTION: you can continue to stretch and lay your arms down flat, with your head nearing the ground (if you're super flexible). Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Step 5: OPTIONAL

Keeping your right hand on the ground, lift your body, take your left arm, and grab your left leg, keeping your left knee on the ground. This really increases the stretch! Hold for 20 seconds.

Step 6: OPTIONAL

Lift your right hand to meet your left to have both hands grabbing your left foot. You'll get a reeeeeaaaalllllly deep stretch and your balance will most definitely be tested! Hold for 20 seconds.

Step 7: REPEAT on the other side!

Happy 2014!

Hello Dear Readers,

I hope the start of 2014 has been fantastic for all of you! 

Just a quick update on my end...I've started my first work term for school. So far it's only one week down and I'm slowly finding my routine and happy place.

One of my biggest goals over the next 3.5 months is to lose some weight! Starting grad school plus not being a member of a fitness facility was not a good combination for me, and unfortunately I was not as disciplined as I'd hoped last semester to stay on top of working out. 

I know I need a little more structure myself at the moment and I'm back at the gym now and super excited to get into a routine!

I'd love to hear about your fitness goals so please share below! 

- Kirren

P.S - I definitely think you can create and stick to a successful at-home workout routine and it is something I encourage - you can save time and money, and have a little more flexibility to work on your own schedule.

Video: Lying Down Quad Stretch

So I'm super excited...this is my FIRST REAL VIDEO (yes less than 20 seconds). Thanks to my sister for patiently filming in the chilly weather. I hope this is helpful in showcasing the stretch. I know the music is super cheesy but maybe better than just hearing the wind? 

Lying Down Quad Stretch

Hello lovely readers,

The lying down quad stretch is one of my favourite post-running stretches, not only for my quads but hips as well. Here's a step-by-step guide for stretching your right side (forgive any pained expressions. It was sunny!):

 Step 1: Start in a seated position with your knees bent

 

                                                                
Step 2: Grab your right ankle with your right hand as your left knee bends to the left

 Step three: Slowly lean back on your elbows. You should now feel the stretch through your right quad and right hip flexor. Hold for about 10 seconds.

                                                                         

Step 4 (Optional): For an even deeper stretch lay all the way down on your back. Hold for about 10 seconds.

 

Repeat on the other side!

*I'll be posting a video of this move shortly done with the left leg*

Hip Flexors: Stretch 2

Alright, so I'd like to present you with another one of my favourite hip flexor stretch. I find this one super effective, shows me how tight my hips really are, and really helps me stretch it out. 

This is basically a variation of the lunge where you'll get an awesome stretch down the front of your leg.

How to: 
1. Start in a kneeling position with one leg in front of you with your thigh parallel to the ground and your knee and ankle aligned. 
2. Have your other leg stretch out behind you with your knee bent and on the ground. 
3. Roll your shoulders down and shoulder blades back with your hands on your hips. 
4. Finally tuck your butt under and push your torso forward. 

You will feel the stretch down the flexor of your leg which is along the ground. Hold for 30-45 seconds and repeat on the other side!

Hip Flexors: Stretch 1

Hey guys,

I wanted to apologize for not starting all this hip stuff sooner...October has been a crazy month and I will definitely be continuing this into November! Another reason it's taken so long is that I really want to demonstrate certain moves that Google hasn't satisfactorily found for me. Expect those later!

So the first really great and super easy stretch is simply the bridge...

How to: lie on the floor with your feet hip width apart and knees bent. Place your hands by your sides, or alternatively, under your back in a fist, with your shoulder blades rolling inwards. Raise your hips until you feel a comfortable stretch (generally when you create a flat plane from your core to knees). Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat until you  feel like you've had a satisfactory stretch!

A plus: this move helps tone your glutes while stretching out your hip flexors.

Happy stretching!

- Kirren

Hip Series Coming Soon!

Hey guys!

So do any of my lovely readers have tight hip flexors like me? Sitting for even an hour cause you AGONY? Constantly trying to stretch out your hips? Your pain is normally down the front of your hips NOT the side?

If you answered yes to any of these a) I feel your pain, and b) I am going to address this issue and hopefully come up with a permanent solution. 

I know I experience this partly due to running- a constant forward motion activity easily puts strain on your flexors. This pain sometimes goes hand in hand with IT band pain, which you can feel down the outside of your knees and lower back.

It is absolutely essential to warm up and do dynamic stretches before you workout. Afterwards it is super important you stretch it out to minimize pain.

While stretching can help reduce this pain, why wouldn't we try and avoid it in the first place?! You can get away from constant pain by strengthening your flexors, and this is my long-term goal. 

Stay posted for different stretches and exercises I'll be bringing to you this month to help your hips!

Happy October Readers

But it's all chunky and stuff...

...yes that may be true, however I promise it makes a tasty, healthy and filling snack!

COTTAGE CHEESE

Some facts you should know about it:

1. It is a cheese, however it is not fermented. This is great for people who have a sensitivity towards fermented foods.

2. It is a low fat, protein filled food making it a good choice to keep you full for a while. Half a cup is only 100 calories, but has 15 grams of protein.

3. There are many different ways you can enjoy it. Have it savory or sweet- add some diced veggies or sliced fruit. Make it more interesting with spices or honey!

One thing to watch out for is that it can have a high sodium content as seen on the label here. You can get cottage cheese in  non-fat, 1% or 2%.  

Fruit wise I think cottage cheese tastes awesome with berries. If you're looking to make a veggie snack my personal favourite is with diced cucumber. 

TIP: Try replacing your toast at breakfast with cottage cheese! Cut out some carbs and add some protein.

Tone It Up Stars&Stripes Workout Review

Hey peeps!

Sorry I've been MIA for such a long time...things have been crazy and unfortunately I have neglected the Nutrition Edition. I'm back now and foresee myself being more consistent!

Tone It Up is a community based fitness site filled with women of all ages working towards their fitness dreams. You can check out their website here. I recently started following the Tone It Up girls on Instagram (@karenakatrina) and created a profile on their website. They send positive and motivating messages and their workouts look amazing!

I finally decided to try one that popped up on my Instagram today and I just wanted to share it with you and let you know how I felt about it. It is called the Stars&Stripes workout and it incorporates cardio with body toning moves without weights. Check it out below. 

Overall I really liked the workout. Burpees are no fun so I got easily pooped out after 13. I like squats so next time I'd probably add 25 regular ones as well as the plies. 

It only took about 40 minutes so it's great if you don't have a lot of time. You don't need any equipment besides a mat, your shoes, and your body so it is a great option if you're not a member at a gym.

By the time I was on the last 10 Bikini Bicycles I was getting tired. I guess we'll see how my body feels tomorrow.

Stars&Stripes was a great workout and I'm excited to try more from Tone It Up!

Chia Chia!

Salvia hispanica, more commonly known as chia seeds, is an ancient seed and traditional food originating from Central and South America. More recently it has been dubbed as a "super food" with a number of health benefits associated with it. Chia has an excellent composition- protein, omega-3s (even more than flax seed!), carbs, plus a lot of fibre. The ratio of omega 3 to 6 fats is an excellent one. Furthermore it contains no gluten and an expanse of phytochemicals giving it antioxidant activity. 

Chia seeds have been suggested to help with weight loss because the high fibre content provides satiety- you just feel fuller for longer so essentially you eat less. With its strong antioxidant activity it has been suggested to decrease the inflammatory response as well. Some studies have looked at it in regards to cardiovascular disease since it has a great combo of omega-3s and antioxidants. It appears to have a positive effect against CVD, but more research needs to be done. Since the majority of all chronic diseases (think obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, etc.) have now been determined to be inflammatory in nature, I wonder if chia would prove to be effective against them as well? There is tons of room for research on this tiny seed and I'm sure we'll be hearing more about it soon.

One interesting article I did come across was using chia seeds for carb loading. The study used 50% chia seeds plus 50% of a sports drink and it was found to provide similar results to just a carb drink. This successfully cut the participants sugar intake down a lot, and at the same time gave them a boost of omega-3s.

I use ChiaNutra and I like to put the seeds in my smoothies (about a tablespoon), and from experience they really do fill you up! Something I'd like to try is creating a chia gel- you soak the seeds in water for about half an hour and you can add it to your cooking, baking, etc. You can easily toss them in your cereal or oatmeal, or on salads. 

If you're looking to boost your omega-3s chia seeds are your best choice, definitely the way to go!




References:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2012/171956/
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/142/1/64.long
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21183832
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA365093/Chia-for-Health.html