Healthy Horizons

Healthy Horizons

Early Family Involvement in Sports – What Olympians Have to Say

 

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The dedication and athleticism on display during the Winter Olympics is awesome to watch, both as exhilarating entertainment and as a reminder of just how impossible these feats can seem for us mere mortals.

But a few of the U.S. Olympic Team’s veteran athletes say the passion for their sport began early and with their families – and that lifelong fitness for all of us can begin the same way. In fact, more Americans already could be getting a jumpstart. Participation in winter sports grew by 5 percent this past year, according to trade association statistics.

“For me it was a family activity, to enjoy the outdoors with my siblings, parents and friends,” said cross-country skier Andy Newell, competing in his fourth Olympics. The 34-year-old Shaftsbury, Vermont, native was on skis as soon as he could walk and eventually went to a “ski academy” high school.

Kikkan Randall, the most decorated skier on the U.S. cross-country team, is continuing the legacy of fitness her parents started when she was a toddler. Her son, Breck, who turns 2 in April, already is on skis.

“My parents were great. They introduced me to physical activity, sports, being outside a lot,” said 35-year-old Randall, who grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and is competing in her fifth Olympic Games. “My dad put me on skis the day after my first birthday, which officially, I think, was before I could walk.”

Both Randall and Newell have been credited with fostering new star skiers every season, helping to grow the U.S. cross-country team and boost its chances for a medal in Pyeong Chang, South Korea, where Opening Ceremonies on Friday kicked off the Games. A U.S. cross-country medal would be the first in more than 40 years, since Bill Koch earned silver in the 1976 Innsbruck Games.

Freestyle skier Shannon Bahrke Happe remembers those heady days of Olympic medals and pushing her body to the limit. She brought home the silver and bronze in 2002 and 2010.

“Everything we did had a purpose, and that purpose was to have the strength, to ski the moguls as fast as I could and with the best form, agility and quickness on the jumps,” said Happe, who retired in 2010. “Every single thing I did in the gym was directly related to what I wanted to do out on the hill, to reach my goal, my dream.”

Today, Happe’s exercise goals are entirely different. She runs a corporate motivational company and is the ski champion at Deer Valley Resort in Utah. She also just finished a children’s book, “Mommy, Why Is Your Hair Pink?” a riff on her pink locks and a way to inspire kids to find their own personal courage.

“Fitness changed completely,” said Happe, who is five months pregnant and has a 4-year-old daughter, Zoe. “Instead of having all the time in the day to do what I wanted and have fun, I would have one hour a day, and I had to make it count.”

She found a gym with childcare and even a class her daughter can attend. “It’s about teaching my daughter that it’s not something we just talk about,” she said. “It’s fun and can be done with friends. It’s a lifestyle thing.”

For further information check out the website:  https://news.heart.org/becoming-an-olympian-probably-not-but-lifelong-fitness-is-still-within-reach/

Do Something Good for Your Heart

Did you know that February is American Heart month?  According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.3 million deaths each year.  Unfortunately, this number is expected to rise to more than 23.6 million by 2030.

Being physically active is important to prevent heart disease and stroke, the nation’s  No. 1 and  No. 5 killers. To improve overall cardiovascular health, we suggest at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity). Thirty minutes a day, five times a week is an easy goal to remember. You will also experience benefits even if you divide your time into two or three segments of 10 to 15 minutes per day.

For people who would benefit from lowering their blood pressure or cholesterol, we recommend 40 minutes of aerobic exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity three to four times a week to lower the risk for heart attack and stroke.

 

Butler University cares about you and your health!  It’s important to know your numbers and take the necessary steps to stay active and healthy.  Did you know that the HRC (Health and Recreation Complex) offers FREE fitness assessments to employees with a $25 incentive on your next month’s paycheck?  

The fitness assessment is a comprehensive analysis of your overall health and fitness.  The assessment will take approximately one hour to complete and during the session, you will work out with a certified lifestyle wellness coach to discuss your health and wellness objectives, as well as determine baseline measures that address blood pressure, body composition, flexibility, strength, balance and cardiovascular endurance.  Your privacy is of utmost importance to us, and we ensure that all of the protocols and procedures uphold the current HIPAA standards.

Start 2018 off right and sign up for your free fitness assessment!  To schedule your appointment, please complete the Employee Fitness Assessment Registration Packet form found on the HRC website:  https://www.butler.edu/hrc/fitness-assessment.  The form can be submitted via campus mail to Chera Justice, Fitness Coordinator at the HRC, dropped off at the HRC front desk, or emailed to Nicole DeYoung, our Lifestyle Wellness Coach, at ndeyoung@butler.edu

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/American-Heart-Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp#.Wmn9_LynGM8

Winter Exercise Options

6 suggestions for indoor exercise

Sometimes exercising indoors is your only option, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Keep workouts interesting with these ideas.

Exercising outdoors isn’t always practical due to time constraints or inclement weather. But that doesn’t give you a free pass to skip a workout altogether. Stay active when you have to be indoors with these six suggestions.

  • Exercise at home to a DVD or television program. Many cable-television providers have an “on demand” exercise channel from which you can access fitness programs.
  • Log some miles by walking at your local mall. Most malls open early for walkers. There may even be a mall-walking club to join.
  • Put on some music and dance in your living room. Or better yet, improve your moves by enrolling in a dance class at your local community center or adult-education program. There are many options available, from ballroom dancing to hip-hop, salsa and belly-dancing.
  • Try something new at your gym. Take the opportunity to try a new class at your gym, or rediscover an old favorite. The options are endless: kickboxing, Pilates, weight training, yoga, spinning and more.
  • Take advantage of indoor facilities. Swim laps in the pool, log some miles on the treadmill, or find a partner and play a game of racquetball. Reward yourself with time in the steam room.
  • Build strength by using the weight machines at your local fitness center. If you don’t belong to a fitness center, build strength at home by using hand weights or resistance bands.

Don’t forget that every effort to move more gets you one step closer to a happier, healthier lifestyle. Exercising indoors may not always be ideal, but keep your weight loss goals in mind when motivation is lacking!

http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/move/suggestions-for-indoor-exercise

What is the November Project

If you are looking for a free support group for workouts, you may find what you’re looking for in something called “The November Project”.  Here in Indianapolis is a group of folks who get together regularly once a week in the early morning  on Wednesdays.  Complimentary hugs, high-5’s and other forms of encouragement are accompanied by climbs and routines done at the the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza.  For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/NovProjectIndy/?hc_ref=ARTszFnzuAuX37WdFox_pmKDbWoG3IkxHapXLrKgrLGi8Y8zmiUotX6On_3d3REtiAU

New Year – New Schedule – New Workouts!

We thank the Butler University Health and Recreation staff for this contribution to the Healthy Horizons blog posts!

January and the New Year means a fresh new start for many. Have you been thinking about exercising again but feel the variety of workouts and information out there is overwhelming? Well, good news! We’ve created an easy to follow physical activity calendar for the month of January. Making small, manageable changes each day is a great way to get back into your grove. Are you ready to take the January physical activity challenge? If so, download the calendar below.

HRC Spring Group Fitness Schedule: https://www.butler.edu/fitness/group-fitness-classes

Be sure to click on the links provided in the calendar for workouts.

Workout examples and resources:

Cardio: brisk walking, jogging, running, cycling, dancing, jump roping

Legs: squats, leg raises, wall sits, kick backs. Find examples here: https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/exercise-library/body-part/legs-thighs

 

Cold Weather Activity

How to Stay Active in Cold Weather

women exercising outdoors in cold weather

When winter blows in, you can pull the blankets over your head and go back to sleep—or you can suit up and head out for an outdoor winter adventure! The American Heart Association offers these tips for working out in the cold of winter.

There’s no reason you need to take a break from physical activity when the temperature drops. In fact, exercising in cooler weather has some distinct advantages over working out in warmer weather.

Physical Activity – Smaller Portions

Thank you to our colleagues at the Health & Recreation Complex (HRC) for the following submission:

The holiday season is a time for celebration, unity and happiness.  Yet, it can certainly bring on challenges to both our physical and emotional health.  With schedules getting busier and delicious food at our fingertips, it is important that we take time for self-care.  If you are feeling you have fewer hours in the day to stay physically active, you are not alone.  According to the physical activity guidelines for Americans, adults are supposed to get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity 5 days a week.  Did you know you could complete your recommended exercise in small bouts?  For example, try taking a 10- minute walk in the morning, at lunch and after dinner.  Small bouts of exercise seem much less daunting and more attainable, especially when our schedules are unbalanced.  Is time lacking for a gym visit?  Check out this link for the top 25 exercises you can do from home:  https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6593/top-25-at-home-exercises.  Here’s to the holidays and physical activity!

 

Go! Tips to Put the Spring Back in Your Step

Hitting the great outdoors for a 5K or fun run involves more than just lacing up your sneakers and programming the perfect playlist. These five simple steps will get you on your feet again — the safe and healthy way.
Tips to Put the Spring Back in Your Step - Running

Go Eat

Starving yourself should never be part of an exercise regimen, but eating right should. Fuel up with whole-grain breads, pastas and rice two hours before your workout. “Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, are digested slower than simple carbohydrates, resulting in more sustained energy throughout the day,” says Heather Mangieri, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Foods to avoid include anything high in added sugars such as jams and jellies, cookies, cakes, pies and doughnuts, says Mangieri.

“The majority of our carbohydrates should come from complex carbohydrates, while foods with added sugars should be limited,” says Mangieri. “Foods high in added sugars may provide a quick fuel source, but they don’t offer much in the way of other nutrients. These foods can displace high-nutrient foods that keep us healthy, strong and feeling energized.” Nutritious options include energy and granola bars, low-fat or fat-free yogurt and fruit smoothies, peanut butter on a bagel thin, and chocolate milk. Foods that may help reduce inflammation such as salmon, tuna and nuts also are good choices.

Go Drink

“First and foremost, it’s important to start all activity well-hydrated,” says Mangieri. “A loss of just 2 percent body weight in fluids has been shown to have adverse effects on performance.” Mangieri says there is no easier way to feel energized, improve your performance and protect your health than staying hydrated throughout the day. “Every cell in our body requires water,” she says. “It’s important to drink fluids at regular intervals throughout the day to maintain a healthy hydration status. When trying to determine if you should drink water or a sports drink, consider intensity and duration. If the activity lasts longer than 60 minutes, a sports drink may be beneficial to provide some addition fuel and replace the electrolytes lost in sweat.”

Go Stretch

“Don’t skip the stretching! The warm-up and cool-down are very important components of any workout and are important to recover properly and prevent injury,” says Mangieri.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, warming up with light aerobic activity prior to stretching helps reduce the possibility of straining a muscle while stretching. Both static and dynamic stretches are effective. Static stretches should be held for 10 to 30 seconds and repeated two to four times.

http://www.eatright.org/resource/fitness/training-and-recovery/endurance-and-cardio/go-the-rundown-on-putting-the-spring-back-in-your-step