What I Do – Cardio Kickboxing, What is it? Is this for You?

Are you looking for a total body workout that totally kicks butt?  How about a way to increase your stamina, flexibility, and strength while listening to your favorite dance mixes?

If this sounds good to you, keep reading to find out what you need to know before you take the kickboxing challenge.

Besides keeping your body fit, kickboxing has other benefits.  According to a study by the ACE, you can burn anywhere from 350 to 450 calories an hour with kickboxing!  Kickboxing also reduces and relieves stress.  (There have been many nights when I instructed classes and imagined someone who pissed me off face on the bag.  LOL.)  Its rigorous workout — controlled punching and kicking movements carried out with the discipline and skills required for martial arts — can do wonders for feelings of frustration and anger. Practicing kickboxing moves can also help to improve balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.

Kickboxing is also a great way to get a total body workout while learning simple self-defense moves.  Kickboxing fans say the sport helps them to feel more empowered and confident.

Although the true roots of kickboxing date back to Asia 2,000 years ago, modern competitive kickboxing actually started in the 1970s, when American karate experts arranged competitions that allowed full-contact kicks and punches that had been banned in karate.

Currently, one popular form of kickboxing is known as aerobic or cardiovascular (cardio) kickboxing, which combines elements of boxing, martial arts, and aerobics to provide overall physical conditioning and toning.  Unlike other types of kickboxing, cardio kickboxing does not involve physical contact between competitors — it's a cardiovascular workout that's done because of its many benefits to the body.

When I teach a typical 45 minute to 1 hour class I usually start with 10-15 minutes of warm-ups, which may include stretching and traditional exercises such as jumping jacks and push-ups, followed by a 30-minute kickboxing session that includes movements such as knee strikes, kicks (sidekicks, roundhouse kicks and front kicks), and punches.  Some instructors may use equipment like punching bags or jump ropes.  The last 5 minutes of my typical class is devoted to devoted to cooling down, followed by about 10 minutes of stretching and muscle conditioning.  Stretching is really important because beginners can strain ("pull") their muscles, and slow, proper stretching helps relax muscles and prevent injury.

Kickboxing isn’t for everyone.  But if you wish to give it a try you should know your current fitness level.  Kickboxing is a high-intensity, high-impact form of exercise, so it's probably not a good idea to plunge in after a long stint as a couch potato.  When you do begin kickboxing, allow yourself to be a beginner by working at your own pace and not overexerting yourself to the point of exhaustion.  I tell my “newbies” to “work at their own pace” until they feel comfortable bringing it up a notch.  I also suggest that before you sign up for a class “check it out first.  Observe or try a class beforehand to see whether it's right for you and to make sure the instructor is willing to modify the routine a bit to accommodate people's different skill levels.

Things to remember when doing cardio kickboxing are:

1. Remember to dress comfortable.  Wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows your arms and legs to move easily in all directions.  The best shoes are cross-trainers — not tennis shoes — because cross-trainers allow for side-to-side movements.   

2.  Start slowly and don't overdo it.  The key to a good kickboxing workout is controlled movement.  Overextending yourself by kicking too high or locking your arms and legs during movements can cause pulled muscles and tendons and sprained knee or ankle joints.  Start with low kicks as you slowly learn proper kickboxing technique.  This is very important for beginners, who are more prone to developing injuries while attempting quick, complicated kickboxing moves.

3.  Drink up.  Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your class to quench your thirst and keep yourself hydrated.

4. Have FUN and get out there and jab, punch, and kick your way to fitness.

Healthy Snack Choice

Its been a few days since I posted about my weight loss journey.  I have to say, Ive been keeping on track, sticking to what I promised myself I would do which was no junk foods and no wine consumption during the week.  I will at any rate,  reward myself during the weekend with a little something special, but don't go overboard.  So yes, I cant wait til Saturday.  :)

Since I have to look for more healthier snack foods, earlier this week I ventured into the aisles of Target and found Special K crackers CHIPS.  They come in different flavors such as sea salt and sour cream & onion.  Since I like sour cream & onion potato chips, I purchased that flavor.  I have to say, they taste like Pringles potato chips.  They are only 110 calories for 27 chips per serving.  To make this little snack idea even more filling, I eat them spread with The Laughing Cow light Swiss cheese which is only 35 calories per wedge.  The cheese is smooth and creamy enough for you to spread on the crackers.

So for 145 calories, you have a nice snack, which you can enjoy while watching your favorite show, sport, or even after a work out.

Give it a try and enjoy!

6 Ways to Get Healthy Nails

This past weekend, I was out with a friend for lunch.  She complimented me on my nails and asked how do I maintain them and manage to get them strong and healthy.  I told her that I did them myself.  I  said to her as I laughed, that “I can grow nails, but not hair”  lol…Plus, I don’t have the time and don't want to waste money to go to the salons to get them done. 

With the United States being in a recession, money is tight and we women may not be able to afford the extras to keep ourselves beautiful.  Some of these extras are visits to the hair and nail salons.  Below are some tips to help you achieve strong healthy nails without going to the salon.

If it feel like your nails never get beyond a certain length? Most likely, your lifestyle habits or  genes are to blame. Our nails grow about a millimeter every day. Nail growth occurs when new cells develop under your cuticle, causing old ones to harden and push out towards the end of your fingers. If this natural process isn't happening for you, try some of the following approaches to give them a boost.

It's common sense that exposing your nails to harsh treatment or chemicals will damage them. If you're not a fan of wearing gloves to do the dishes, then try covering them with a layer of nail hardener or polish to keep the nail bed covered.  Be sure to avoid products that contain toluene sulfonamide, or formaldehyde, since these can be harmful to your skin.

If you're a cuticle picker, know that this habit opens your nail up for an infection that can stop or slow down growth. It can take up to six months for an injury like this to heal. If you bite your nails, the solution is rather obvious. Try keeping them covered with polish which will discourage you from unconscious nibbling.

Many of us may like the look of a manicured hand with cut cuticles, but cuticles are there to protect the nail bed from bacteria and infection. When you remove cuticles, you leave the area where nail growth happens susceptible to harmful germs. If you get regular manicures, request that your aesthetician "push back" your cuticles. And make sure the tools touching your nails are sterilized so you don't end up with an infection like hepatitis B or warts.

As with every part of your body, you are what you eat. While most dietary tactics meant to stimulate nail growth don't work, a lack of protein or calcium will surely stunt nail growth.   

Your nails need moisture and delicate treatment - just like your skin. Only trim them after soaking them in water and oil. Apply moisturizer liberally before bedtime and sleep with cotton gloves. Liberally apply moisturizer and sleep with cotton gloves.  Make sure you're not overusing nail polish remover. Try not to use it more often than every two weeks.

Are you following these recommendations and still having problems? Unfortunately, some of us may have a harmless condition which simply makes it difficult to grow long nails. These include vertical ridges, white lines and spots caused by an injury. However, other problems could indicate a problem.  Yellowed nails, nails that are pitted, or clubbed, pale or thin nail beds, and dark and discolored cuticles are signals of a potential health problem. If you have any of these issues, you should see your doctor.

Sources

The Mayo Clinic

Day 7 - A Successful Week!!!

Yeahhh... So I made it.  Seven days of watching my diet and guess what?  I'm down 5 pounds, Yes 5 pounds.  I couldn't wait til I woke up this morning to weigh myself.  I was only expecting to see a 2-3 pound weight loss, but to my surprise it was 5!.  I'm not revealing my start weight, but my sister Kim Porter-Smith at Beautyandthebump.blogspot.com can vouch for me because I revealed it to her on Day 1.  When I reach my goal weight or when I lose another 10-15 pounds, Ill probably reveal it then.

So after I had my weigh-in, I had a toasted English muffin, with a smear of butter and a dab of jelly (cant deprive yourself jut know portion control) and some green tea.

I met my friend Dawn who is the best ZUMBA/Shakin It Instructor in the world for a sushi lunch.  I had a spicy tuna roll, shrimp and avocado roll, miso soup and a salad.  We shared one of their specialty rolls called the Mizuki Special which had lobster in it... YUMMO.. And YESSSS...I had one glass of plum wine and a large glass of water.

Dinner consisted of a small slice of pizza and some diet green ice tea and water.

I think my plan is to pick one or two days out o the week where I will "TREAT" myself, but not go overboard.  That way I'm not depriving myself.

So I think that's it.  I will not bore you everyday with what I'm doing as far as dieting, but I will keep you updated every now and then as far as me reaching my goal and other information regarding fitness, health, beauty, fashion, etc.

Continue to follow me and thanks for your support.  You too can accomplish what I did it you stay focused. 

Day 6: Saturday Harvest - 1 day to Weigh-in

I slept late today, got up around 10.  Had an English muffin for breakfast with green tea.  With summer coming to an end, I went into the backyard to see what I could pick from my garden.  I managed to pick a few cucumbers, tomatoes, string beans, okra and figs.  After that had a Special K Shake for lunch with a plum and a handful of cashews.  Dinner, I wanted something light, so I cut up some of the tomatoes and cucumbers I picked from my garden and made a salad with red onion and feta. There is nothing like fresh garden produce!  I'm actually going to miss picking my veggies.  Maybe one day Ill get a small greenhouse.

That's it for today.  Tomorrow is my big weigh-in!  Cant wait...

TGIF...Day 5 ... Faced a Challenge

TGIF everyone.  This was a loooong week Ughhh!  Usually I end of my week by having a glass or two or three (haha) of Moscato, but not tonight, bottled water will have to do. :(

This morning I was faced with a challenge.  My co-worker who knows I absolutely love the dunkin donuts with the chocolate and cream in the middle surprised me with one.  She didn't know I was dieting, so when she approached me with the donut you would have thought she was a vampire and I was a priest holding up a cross to keep the vampire away.  Good thing I have strong willpower, because I said "Jackie, you now those are my favorite, but I'm on a diet, so what Ill do i wrap it up and give to one of my skinny minnie kids" .  WE both laughed and I went to the kitchen, wrapped up the donut and then proceeded to make my cup of green chai tea to eat with my yogurt and a plum.

Lunch was simple today as well.  There was a Partners meeting the night before and there was leftover salad.  The was a mixed greens salad with cranberries, I think sprinkled with blue cheese and slices of cinnamon baked apples.  It was delicious.  I topped it with what I think was a raspberry vinaigrette.

All I had for dinner was pasta with ricotta and spinach by WW Smart Ones. Its a nice portion size and only 280 calories.  Its so good.!  That's one of my favorites :)

So I survived the workweek despite all the major junk (jar full of snickers, kit kats, almond joys as well as oreo cookies) that's always in the kitchen at the office.  Managed to stay away from eating takeout this week which is big in my household with our busy schedules.  And the biggest challenge of all was NO NIGHTCAPS!!! 

I have to admit, I will indulge in 1 glass of plum wine on Sunday when I meet a friend for a sushi lunch.  But after that... Ill start the week off again without alcohol.

What challenges have you faced while dieting? Do you have people trying to sabotage your weight loss plans whether it be on purpose or innocently?

Tales of a Kickboxing Beauty: Day 4… Almost There

Tales of a Kickboxing Beauty: Day 4… Almost There

Day 4… Almost There

Four days into my week long detox and I feel great!  Started off my day with Green tea, yogurt and the best apple I’ve had in a long time (I think it was a Fuji).  Lunch was simple, brought in leftover salad made with red leaf lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, a small sprinkle of feta cheese and some grilled chicken; and finally for dinner, teriyaki chicken, a small portion of brown rice and lots of steamed vegetables.  From the picture you will notice that the majority of my plate is filled with veggies.  It looks like a lot of food, but really its not.  Vegetables are practically no calories and good source of vitamins and fiber and the chicken is a good source of protein.  I barely ate any of the rice.  All this is being washed down with a bottle of water.  For a snack later on I may snack on some Lorna Doone cookies.  Those 100 calorie packs are the best!!! You dont have to worry about counting calories and watching your portion sizes and they are also a great way to curb a sweet tooth craving without going overboard.

I still have not weighed myself.  I’m dying to do so… I can’t wait till Sunday morning.  I’m shooting for 3-5 lbs this week…☺

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Benefits of Drinking Green Tea While Dieting

In my daily updates, you may have read that I drink Green Chai tea along with water daily. I have read and heard that green tea is a good dietary aid when you are looking to lose weight and it is also in my opinion a great alternative for when you need that “Morning Caffeine Fix”.

Green tea basically comes from the same plant as regular black tea called Camellia sinensis. The difference between the two is in the processing. Green tea is dried, but not fermented. The shorter processing gives green tea a lighter flavor than black tea. It also helps keep all the beneficial chemicals intact, which is why green tea is so good for you.

Many studies have shown that drinking green tea will aid in helping you with your weight loss goals. Drinking green tea alone is not the miracle diet additive that will cause you to lose ten pounds in a week, but many research studies have shown that it does genuinely burn up calories. Studies suggest, you can burn 70 to 80 calories per day if you drink 5 cups a day. So green tea weight loss combined with healthy eating and exercise can be a great combination to accelerate weight loss. Additionally, if your aim is just to lose a few pounds, then simply drinking 5 cups of green tea a day might just do the job. You might find this will work without changing your usual diet or physical activity levels.

Some research indicates that green tea may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and mildly decrease body fat, possibly through catechins, a type of phytochemical. The phytochemicals in tea have a half-life of a few hours, so have one cup now, and another later in the day to get the biggest benefit. When deciding which green tea to buy (there are some great flavored options on the market,my favorite is Chai), remember your nose always knows. If a tea bag smells delicious, that's how it will usually taste when brewed. Below is an excellent recipe for a no calorie Green Tea beverage:

Lemon Ginger Iced Green Tea
2 cups water
1 cup Splenda low-calorie sweetener
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 green tea bags
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• Add water, Splenda, ground ginger, and lemon peel to medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to where it sustains a gentle boil and cook for about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and add the green tea bags. Steep this tea mixture for 10 minutes, stirring or dunking the bags often.

• Remove tea bags and stir lemon juice into the tea liquid. Cover and refrigerator for up to 1 to 2 weeks.

• To make a cup of iced tea, pour 1/4 cup of the concentrated tea mixture into a tall glass and stir in 3/4 cup of sparkling or seltzer water or club soda. Add ice cubes and enjoy!
Yield: 1 1/3 cups of syrup (or at least 5 glasses of iced tea)

Nutrition Information: 2 calories, 0 g protein, .7 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, .1 g fiber, 0 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 0%

Recipe provided by Elaine Magee; © 2006 Elaine Magee

Day No. 3 "Hump Day"

Ok, today is Wednesday, a/k/a Hump Day and I’m on day no. 3, of my week of detox/dieting. I haven’t weighed myself since Monday, but I feel like I’m right on track to meet my goal for the end of the week. I don’t feel and look as bloated as I did. Wine and beer will do that to you. I am confident that all the water and green tea I’m consuming is what’s helping relieve the bloat.

So last night, I instructed a nice, yet intense “cardio kickbox mix” class (yeah I think that’s what Ill cal it). It wasn’t too large of a class but just enough people showed up for us to utilize the bags and I also incorporated some weights. Even though we only pumped the 3lb weights, it was still intense. Flames were coming off of our traps and biceps…lol…Right after that I instructed the girls to put on their gloves and we started doing punch and kick combos. No pain no gain… Overall, it was a great 45minute workout. The girls hate to love me…

Today, my breakfast consisted of Oikos Vanilla Greek Yogurt, a banana, and a large cup of Green Chai tea; lunch I had tomato and mozzarella over mixed greens and balsamic dressing large cup of ice water; and for dinner mini rigatoni with vodka cream sauce (WW Smart Ones 290 calories) and a bottle of water. BTW... WW Smart Ones are my goto meal when I don't feel like preparing anything. Before I ate dinner though, I went on a mini jog for about 45 minutes. Running is not my thing … Ughhh!!!...

P.S. A tip that I learned from when I was on WW is to not weigh yourself everyday. This can be very discouraging. Its more important how your clothes fit. Most times you loose inches before you see significant weight loss

Day No. 2....

Today is the 2nd day of my detox/weight loss plan. I have to admit, it was hard not sipping on a beer to wind down last night.  But I did it... :) (I hope it doesn't sound like I have a problem..lol).  I started my day similar to yesterday by having a cup of green chai tea and a Special K shake for breakfast; for lunch I had an Activia Strawberry Greek Yogurt YUK!!! (Ill probably write a post about this later), thank God I had my light Swiss cheese and some crackers, because I couldn't finish the yogurt; for dinner I had the most amazing, homemade Greek chicken salad.  So far I'm pretty satisfied, but I know, after I work out tonight I will need to replenish so I will probably have a banana or another piece of fruit and some water.

Depending on who shows up to the class tonight (skill level, experience, etc.), I may do a cardio kickboxing class which will include 20-25 minutes utilizing the bags.  That way I can not only get the heart rates up, but also punching the bags is a form of resistance training.. Boy do you SWEAT...

Again, if you read my posts and like what you see so far... PLEASE FOLLOW ME!!!

Fall Fitness Plan

The promise I made to myself was that after Labor Day Week, the following Monday I was going to start on a new fitness/wellness plan.  So as of midnight on Sunday, all junk food, alcohol, sodas, etc. were cut out of my diet.  Summer is a hard time to eat healthy, especially with all the cold fruity drinks, sweet wines and not to mention all the food at bbq's.   Unless you have the metabolism of a 7 year old, you have to exercise extra hard in order to enjoy all the above and still maintain a body image that you would be happy with.  With this summer having more heat waves than I can remember, it was so hard to even exercise as hard as I wanted to, cutting down my routine to 2 days a week which included 1 day of kickboxing and 1 day of ZUMBA.

So today, September 12, 2011, begins my new journey.  I have a goal, and that goal is to fit into my fall/winter wardrobe.  We are in a recession,  so who has money to buy an entirely new wardrobe?

My meal plan for today was as follows: 16 oz of Green Chai tea and a Special K Strawberry Shake for breakfast; small portion of ritz crackers and lite swiss cheese for lunch; a banana for snack; and for dinner, grilled chicken with a side salad.  I also tried to increase my water intake.  Drinking water and the green tea is a good way to help with my detox process.

I was going to attempt to go walking/jogging today with the hubby, but I got sidetracked with grocery shopping, checking homework, etc. and it got too late and I wanted to eat dinner before 7:00 pm.  But tomorrow, I will be teaching my cardio kickboxing class and plan on kicking MAJOR BUTT... lol.

If all goes as planned, I'm hoping to be down about 10lbs and toned within the next 3-4 weeks.  That's about 2 to 2.5 lbs a week which is considered to be healthy weight loss. So wish me luck.

Welcome...

Hey Ladies and gentlemen!

First I would like to welcome you to my Blog and I hope it will help you stay Fit ‘n Beautiful.

What motivated me to do this blog is the fact that I wanted to create a platform for women to use to give them the motivation to “snap” back into shape after having children.  My blog will focus mainly on fitness since I am an avid cardio kick boxer and also instruct kickboxing in my spare time.  I will also touch on some aspect of the importance of being fit, healthy eating and fashion and beauty.  Since I'm always trying to stay and look my best, every now and then I will blog about my journeys on weightloss, maintenance, fashion and beauty. 

I got into fitness after the birth of my son in 2004.  I have to admit, I didn’t snap back the way I wanted to like I did after I had my daughter.  So after my son was born, I got comfortable ... and kind of O.D.’d on everything I couldn’t eat or drink during the pregnancy.  Boy what a mistake!  The reality check came to me when me and the hubby went on a weekend trip to Atlantic City and I weighed myself at the rest stop on one of those scales that give you a lucky number.  Yeah, I got a lucky and an unlucky number all right.  The scale showed that I weight 152lbs!!!  I was like “WTF, what the hell am I doing?, 152lbs at 5’4””!  So it was that day back in March of 2006 that I knew I had to do something.  Plus I knew, I couldn’t use the excuse “I just had a baby and this is baby weight” anymore because my son was almost 2 years old.  So the following Monday back in March of 2006 I joined a kickboxing class and also did weight watchers.  I mean, I went hardcore, kickboxing, body sculpting, boot camp, 5-6 days a week, plus eating healthy according to my weight watchers plan.  Low and behold, 6 months later I was down 40lbs. 

A few months after the weight loss, I was approach by the owner of the karate school to be an instructor.  I said yes, since it was something that I loved to do and was happy to help other women (and men) snap back into shape.  So since then I've been an instructor and have continued to do so till this day.  In the near future I am hoping to become certified in group fitness.

In closing, this blog is for something I wanted to do myself, for my family and for YOU.  I hope to pass along the information that I learn so I can help others make and meet their own personal goals.

Best regards,