Fit It In

Kristina and I have implemented a program called Fit It In, and it’s targeted toward getting people to move more—stretch and use muscles during the day (that don’t get used by just sitting at a desk). The idea is to pick a few exercises to do a couple times during the day. The benefits?  (1) Strengthen muscles (2) Stretch muscles (3) Increase blood flow to muscles.

See a trend there?

Sometimes women don’t see or understand the importance of using our muscles in ways above and beyond daily tasks or cardiovascular exercise (if I want to lose weight, why would I build muscle?). The truth is, women don’t have the amount of testosterone floating around that will make our muscles super bulgy and huge. In the end, building and toning muscle will do a few things for us.

1. Increase oxygen transport throughout the body

2. Improve the shape of the body

3. Improve metabolism (muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest).

As a result, it’s important to use your muscles frequently throughout the day to get benefits. Even if you don’t ever make it to the gym for a strength training workout, you can still make big improvements!

You may ask if our Fit It In program is effective, and the answer is Yes….If you do it!

All it takes is 5 minutes twice a day—Note: I also urge you to get out of your chair once an hour and just walk up and down your hallway once or twice. Please don’t feel like you’re wasting time—this type of activity has been shown to increase productivity. You may spend 3 minutes an hour away from your work, but the gains you have in productivity will more than make up for this (you get more oxygen to your brain, muscles and organs—seriously, that can’t be a bad thing!).

Ultimately, the more you use your muscles, the more benefits you get—and although muscle building is a long-term fix for weight control (i.e. if you exercise and then pig out or ignore the food part, you won’t lose weight), it is very important in shaping your body.

Let me know if you’re interested in trying the Fit It In program! I will provide you with all the instructions and what you need to do it.

If you do fit strength training into your day in addition to our neat little Fit It In program, try this recovery smoothie!

Add to blender:

1-2 Tbsp protein powder (any plant-based unprocessed kind–my faves are Vega Sport Protein, Hemp Protein, and Sun Warrior Protein

1-2 cups Almond or Coconut Milk (amount depends on how thick you want it!)

dash of stevia (to taste)

banana or frozen berries (or both—the banana will make it creamier)

Keep it simple! This will help you replenish and repair your muscles—it’s also yummy, and could definitely help in other situations (….like dehydration or a hangover, not that I’ve tried it for that!).