Tag: fitfits

Rest day: 4 reasons not to skip it

restLet’s assume you’ve started your year off with an awesome fitness kick. You’re working out daily, eating right and you wake up the next morning finding your muscles cursing at you. Or, we could also assume you are continuing being fit-focused, continuing to workout regularly. No matter what end of this spectrum you fall on, you have to make sure you include a rest day into your weekly routine. I literally begged my classes this past week to not do too much, overdo it and then burnout and give up on their 2015 resolutions. Yes, I am the weirdo instructor who tells her students to not come back to class. But seriously. Rest days are just as important, if not MORE important, than your workouts. What?! Yes, it’s true. Here’s why…

1. Prevents injury from overuse. You don’t want to do too much to your body too frequently so that it overcompensates in a way that could hurt you. Once while training for a race, I increased my mileage too fast and had pain in my IT band whenever I passed a certain mileage during my final month of training. I should have listened to my body and given myself an extra taper week or dropped in mileage to regain strength, rather than push through. Over training simply was not worth it.

2. Allows for glycogen stores to restock. Imagine a car being driven for a long trip. At some point the car needs to stop, refuel and let the engine cool down. Same thing goes with you!

3. Prevents mental burnout. If you are trying to make fitness a part of your regular routine, the best thing you can do is give yourself a day where you don’t have to go to the gym and let yourself do something else with your valuable free time. That way, the next day you are refreshed and ready to up the intensity.

4. Lets muscles rebuild and minimize fatigue. You literally tear muscles to make them bigger, and it’s crucial to allow them proper time to rebuild so they can get stronger.

Now, the key is to remember that it is a rest day, not week or month. If you are very sore after a workout, sometimes you really do need to rest and let your body recover. But, if you workout one time and take the rest of that week off because you are too sore…well, you can see how that might not be beneficial to your fitness regimen. Working out can help get rid of that lactic acid buildup in your body, and actually help you be less sore faster. SO rest days are not always the best solution when you’re sore, but rather working out IS the solution. Crazy, right? Just listen to your body, and do what’s best for you, but don’t be afraid to take that rest day.

rest dayIf you’re one of those weird people (such as myself) that just don’t know what to do with themselves on a rest day (see accurate picture to the left), you can always go for a walk or do some gentle yoga or stretching. Whatever it is, just do something light depending on whatever your fitness level is. True story; today is my rest day and I just got back from walking my dogs because I just had to do something.

Keep that rest day a part of your weekly routine, and remember that the best rest day is a rest day well earned!

Happy sweating!

Warmly,

Dani

On By Dani Sanusi FitnessIn fitness, gym, health, motivation, nutrition, recovery, workoutLeave a comment

Fit Fits: 5 easy ways to fit fitness into everyday activities

If you, like so many people at the turn of a new year, are trying to achieve a more fit lifestyle, you are probably doing some form of a traditional form of exercise. Maybe you’re going to the gym, attending some classes, running, walking, doing that new home workout video, something like that…right? That’s absolutely fabulous! But, there is more that you can do than just the normal form of exercise. Why not incorporate it into your everyday routine? Here are some great ways to do just that!

1. Balancing on one foot while washing dishes. Yep! Why not? You’re standing there anyway, and balance is a very much overlooked component of overall fitness. It spills over into so many other aspects of your life, and can even help prevent future injuries.

2. Do your own house/yard work. Ugh, sounds terrible, right? NO! Just look at each blade of grass, or each weed, and think about how many calories you could burn out there by taking care of it yourself. Or those dirty cars that need washing and cleaning. It’s the perfect opportunity for exercise! Plus, the money you no longer spend on having it done for you can now go straight to those new running shoes you will need with all those miles you’ve been logging 😉

Enjoying a beautiful long walk with my fur babies (yes, I do love long walks on the beach)
Enjoying a beautiful long walk with my fur babies (yes, I do love long walks on the beach)

3. Walk those dogs. Have you ever heard of the phrase “A tired dog is a happy dog”? Well if your pup has been acting up, or has put on a couple extra holiday pounds because of the winter (maybe both the dog AND you), the best thing you can do for both you and them is to go walk! Plus, it’s great bonding time with your furry friend.

4. Take the stairs. Well, that’s a no brainer. Who likes elevators, anyways? That music is always terrible. And if you’re wearing nice shoes, you can bring that brand new pair of running shoes with you. And if you’re worried about what running shoes would look like with your work outfit, I promise you this; fitness looks better on everyone.

5. Park far away. It amazes me sometimes when people try to park as close as possible to the gym entrance (or any entrance for that matter). Hello, people! Park a few rows away. You’re probably already wearing the right clothing for it anyways, right?

Now at this point you may be saying; Dani, I do not have time for this. There is no room in my schedule for it. To you I say; isn’t your health and overall well being more important than anything else? If you’re healthy and taking care of yourself, then that allows you to have a work and have busy schedule. But if you lose that health, then how are you supposed to be able to work? If you don’t think preventative health is key, you may want to start thinking about what your favorite prescription drugs are (sarcasm). I know you have room in that crazy schedule! There is always something you know you can cut out or do to be more efficient with your time. I believe in you! Now get out there and start fitting fitness into your every day!

What are your own ways to include fitness into everyday activities?

Happy sweating!

Warmly,

Dani

On By Dani Sanusi FitnessIn fitness, goal, health, motivation, workoutLeave a comment

5 ways to stick to your New Year’s resolution!

Is your New Year’s resolution to eat right? Lose weight? Get fit? Run a race? Even if it’s not fitness related, here are 5 great ways to help stick to your resolution and make 2015 a fantastic year of achieving your goals!

1. Keep Track

Keep a calendar so you can check off each day, or a food log, depending on what your goal is. If you’re trying to keep track of what foods you’re eating, use an app (there are tons of free ones out there!). It will help you keep yourself honest and help track your progress! Same thing goes with a calendar: if you are trying to work out 5 times a week, mark off what days you do fit your exercise in and make sure you keep hitting your goals. One day at a time!

2. Have an accountability buddy

Maybe you and a friend have similar goals?! Buddy up and help motivate one another to stay on track  🙂 Everything is way more fun with a friend!

3. Give yourself an off day

The best way to stay on track? To allow yourself to get off track! If you’re working on your diet, allow yourself a cheat meal every once in a while. A meal will not undo all your hard work, I promise you 🙂

4. Don’t be vague with your goal

Don’t just have your resolution be to “get fit”. Try wording your goal in more measurable terms, such as; I want to lose 10lbs this year. Or I want to reduce my body fat percentage to X%. Just don’t give yourself an unrealistic deadline! Be patient with yourself. You WILL get there.

5. Write it down!

Write down what your actual resolution is, and put it somewhere in your home or a place that might be particularly helpful to see the reminder. Just seeing your writing and remembering what your goal is will help you start and end your day on the right foot!

Remember, whatever your resolution is, make sure that it’s truly something you want for yourself. It takes 21 days to create a habit. Be patient with yourself, and don’t give up. Make 2015 your year!

What is your 2015 resolution? Mine is to eat right, run a PR half marathon and to work on my Yoga arm balances and inversions! (THERE, it’s out there! It’s also written on the 2015 goals bulletin board at my gym for all to see…eek!)

Happy sweating!

Warmly,

Dani

On By Dani Sanusi FitnessIn 2015, fitness, goal, gym, health, motivation, nutrition, resolution, workoutLeave a comment

Fit fits!

Hello world! Here I am! I am so excited to share my passion for health and fitness. Just last night, I had finished teaching my one year anniversary class for a cycle & core group fitness class, and I was talking to a member of the gym. He told me that I really should share my classes and love for fitness and bring it to the masses. What a kind and inspirational suggestion! I couldn’t stop think about it, and I was so excited about it that I was up until 2:30am.

‘Fit fits’ has a twofold meaning for this blog – fitness fits, as in rants, about all the things going on (both good and bad) in the industry, which I promise to be light-hearted and funny. Sit down, sit down. I know you’re jumping with excitement. I’m not done yet. ‘Fit fits’ is also to say that, on some level, fitness can fit into anyone’s life, which is so important as a preventative measure to stay happy and healthy. And I’m not just talking exercise, I’m also talking about nutritional aspects of fitness as well. Boom.

I’d love for this blog to be more of a conversation, rather than simply a monologue of my fantastic thoughts and opinions. Please keep it positive, though! I know you will. Rock on!

Warmly,

Dani

On By Dani Sanusi FitnessIn fitness6 Comments