5 Popular Fitness Trends to Try in 2018

5 Popular Fitness Trends to Try in 2018

In November, the American College of Sports Medicine released the results of a worldwide survey projecting the most popular fitness trends for 2018. Whether you’re looking to get reacquainted with consistent exercise, hoping to spice up your current routine, or searching for workouts that are fast and effective, these forecasted trends offer a little something for everyone. Plus, many of these workouts can be done in the comforts of your home with very little equipment. From a list of 16, here are my top five picks for convenience, affordability, and accessibility.

1. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

If you haven’t tried a HIIT session before, this time-saving, full-body workout might surprise you. Generally, classes last around 30 minutes, but they could be longer or shorter depending on the repertoire of exercises. HIIT incorporates short spurts of high-intensity training followed by a brief time of rest or recovery. You can find HIIT classes in just about every gym and online. When doing the exercises, concentrate on your posture and form. Because HIIT can be very fast-paced and intense, you want to minimize your risk of injuries.

2. Wearable Technology

Whether you wear a Fitbit or keep your phone in your pocket, counting your steps can help you track how much mileage you’re logging each day. As a bonus, you can monitor your heart rate and time spent sleeping, so you can make sure you’re not just working hard, but getting adequate rest as well.

3. Yoga

Every year, there seems to be something new in the world of yoga—from pool yoga, aerial yoga, and yogalates, to more traditional forms like Hatha, Vinyasa, and Kundalini. Yoga’s staying power lies in its variety, and its ability to challenge both the mind and the body. Since it’s available at nearly every gym and online, this fitness favorite won’t be going away anytime soon.

4. Functional Fitness

The study defines functional fitness as, “using strength training to improve balance, coordination, force, power, and endurance to enhance someone’s ability to perform activities of daily living.” In other words, this type of exercise trains your muscles to work more efficiently in your everyday life, which is why it’s a leading form of exercise around the world. Functional fitness may incorporate props like medicine balls, kettlebells, or your own body weight (to name a few). Additionally, you can complete a functional fitness session in your home, gym, or class setting. Who doesn’t like the sound of strengthening your body to make your daily activities a little easier?

5. Outdoor Activities

If the sound of going to a gym or working out at home has you feeling a little confined, you’re in luck! Outdoor, sporting activities make the list of next year’s fitness trends. Whether you’re into hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, or something else entirely, outdoor activities allow you to enjoy and interact with your natural surroundings. Best of all, they can be done alone or as a group—whatever motivates you to engage in an active lifestyle!

What fitness trends or activities are you looking forward to doing in 2018?

5 Things You Can Do to Feel More Energized Each Morning

5 Things You Can Do to Feel More Energized Each Morning

Are you tempted to hit the snooze button when your alarm goes off each morning? Do you groan at the thought of starting your workday? If this describes a typical day for you, a few tweaks to your daily routine can help you develop healthy, morning habits to put more pep in your step and help you feel more energized.

1. Try bullet journaling.

These days, this journaling craze seems to be sprawled across the pages of just about every major online site. But what is it, exactly? Bullet journaling mixes your to-do list, events, and notes in a brief format called “rapid logging.” While it takes a bit of time to master the layout and terminology associated with bullet journaling, once you understand it, you’ll find it can be a great resource to track your most important ideas, tasks, and wishes. Bullet journaling for a few minutes a day can help you feel more organized and use your time more efficiently, so there’s less mental effort expended on trying to remember what you need to get accomplished—less mental effort means less time spent stressing out and more time resting or doing activities you enjoy.

2. Never skip breakfast.

You’ve probably advised your patients never to skip breakfast. But when it comes to you, often, it’s easy to prioritize others before yourself. To fuel your body for the day, you need a combination of healthy fats, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber to keep you on your toes. If you’re searching for simple breakfast ideas, check out my piece, Energize Your Mornings with These Gluten-Free Breakfast Ideas.

3. Begin your day with inspiration.

In a demanding job, it’s not difficult to sometimes feel overlooked or unappreciated. As a caregiver, you need to put your oxygen mask on before you tend to others. More specifically, you have to keep your tank full—remain inspired—so you can be effective in helping your patients. Finding inspiration can come in many forms, but the point of searching for it is to encourage your heart. Maybe a brisk, morning walk through nature will refresh you. Or, maybe you’re a spiritual person and a morning devotional is just the thing you need to uplift your spirit. Find your inspiration and make it non-negotiable to include it in your schedule each day.

4. Have a glass of water.

Dehydration can lead to fatigue; so, when you hydrate your body upon rising, you’re more likely to feel energetic. Plus, a well-hydrated body can help you think more clearly. Additionally, if you’re feeling sluggish throughout the day, reach for the H2O. Even mild dehydration can cause you to feel lethargic.

5. Put a morning playlist together.

Music has a way of instantly boosting your mood. Rather than slogging your way through your house as you get ready for work, put together your favorite tunes to feel more energized. Plus, no one will know if you decide to dance around a little while you’re at it. The exhilarating songs will get the blood flowing and do away with the morning grogginess.

5 Tips for Beating Holiday Burnout

5 Tips for Beating Holiday Burnout

Between work, fewer daylight hours, and the fast-approaching holiday season, it’s easy to experience burnout this time of year. If you’re feeling resentful, unfulfilled, exhausted, or bored of your job, these are your body’s warning signs that it’s time to make some changes—fast! Check out the following tips to reduce stress and beat holiday burnout.

1. Take inventory of your work-life balance.

Chances are good your work-life balance has gotten out of whack. When you’re home, are you able to disengage from work? Or, do you find yourself continually thinking about your job even when you’re not there? How’s your sleep, or your exercise regimen? If you’re overly focused on work and neglecting the activities that enhance your life, now is the time to reevaluate how you spend your time. Try shifting your attention to the things that increase your energy and sense of optimism, as opposed to drain or diminish them.

2. Immerse yourself in self-care.

As natural-born caregivers, it’s almost standard practice to put other people’s needs before your own. But if you want to beat burnout, it’s essential you incorporate a variety of strategies to help you unwind, relax, and rest each day. Maybe there’s a novel you’ve been excited to read? Or, perhaps you’ve been craving some time immersed in nature? Find whatever it is that de-stresses you and carve out some time for yourself. If need be, mark it on your calendar, and make these self-care activities non-negotiable. To combat burnout, you must continually recharge your mental, physical, and spiritual battery.

3. Set boundaries and stick to them.

This time of year, it’s almost a given that you’ll be tempted to overextend yourself in some way. But the more depleted you become, the closer you’re inching toward full-blown burnout. Set your boundaries for your work and home life and stick to them, even if you’re concerned you might be letting others down. Simply put, you can’t function well if you’re running on empty or ignoring the parameters you’ve set in place to revive you.

4. If you can take time off, consider doing it.    

Nursing is a 24/7 job, and patients’ health needs don’t stop just because the holidays are approaching. Knowing that others depend on you can create a sense of pressure that makes you feel like you can’t take time off. However, if you have the option to use some of your vacation time, consider doing it. Time away from work will help you feel less overwhelmed and more rejuvenated. Plus, you don’t need to travel if you don’t have the time or money; planning a short staycation might be just the thing you need to rest up.

5. Attend a continuing education class.

If you’re like me, your email inbox is flooded with a list of end-of-the-year sales for continuing education courses. There’s nothing quite like learning a new skill or deepening your understanding of an existing technique to re-invigorate your nursing practice and know that you’re helping your patients to the best of your abilities, and you’re combating burnout in the process!

3 Foam Roller Workouts to Reduce Back Pain

3 Foam Roller Workouts to Reduce Back Pain

Low back pain is a common complaint among many health care professionals. With long hours on your feet, repeated bending, and twisting, it’s no wonder your spine is aching at the end of the day. If you’re looking for a fast, safe way to get some relief, a foam roller might be just the tool you need to release the tight tissues of your body and ease your discomfort.

Plus, foam rollers are reasonably priced and can be found online or at most stores that sell sporting goods. Although they come in different shapes, densities, and sizes, a basic, high-density foam roller is a great place to start to learn some beginning techniques and learn what feels best to you.

Here, I’ve rounded up three videos that will show you how to use a foam roller to reduce or eliminate your back pain.

 

1. 15-Minute Foam Roller Tutorial for Low Back Pain Relief

In this 15-minute video by YogiApproved.com , the instructor guides you through a variety of exercises that release and mobilize the spine. Verbal cues are given to help deepen the sensation you may feel or to back off if a movement is too intense. What makes this video unique from others is that the instructor combines foundational yoga postures with the foam roller to target hard-to-reach muscles that become taut and contribute to low back pain.

2. 4 TOP Foam Roller Stretches for a Healthy Spine by Bozeman, MT Sports Medicine Specialist

If you’re pressed for time, this short video by Pro Chiropractic showcases four stretches, which will keep your spine healthy by improving mobility and flexibility. Foam rolling lengthens muscles, increases circulation, and delivers nutrients to restricted areas of your body, even when you only have a few minutes to spare. Since these stretches require a minimal time commitment, there’s no excuse not to give your back a little TLC!

3. How To Massage Away Lower Back Pain with Foam Rolling

In this video, foam roller DVD creator, Michaela Sirbu, leads you through a gentle session to remove trigger points and knots in the muscles that support the spine. These exercises are useful for both the novice foam roller user and the expert. A few words of caution when using a foam roller: You don’t need to induce pain to release the tight tissues in your body. Most likely, it took a while for the muscle tension to accumulate, so it’s going to take you a bit of time to dissolve it. Also, don’t hold your breath when performing the stretches. A steady breath will relax your body, reduce stress, and optimize the benefits of the foam roller.

5 Life Hacks to Burn 100 Calories a Day

5 Life Hacks to Burn 100 Calories a Day

Be a better nurse. Sleep more. Eat healthier. Exercise each day. Try this new diet.

If you’re like most nurses, you see and hear these messages every day. But some days, you just can’t fit in all the necessary self-care tips you’re supposed to incorporate into your life. Maybe you find a way to get more sleep, but it’s at the expense of exercising. Or, to be a better nurse, perhaps you’re spending less time on healthy eating, so you have more time with your patients.

Are there some lifestyle hacks to burn calories and fit more fitness into your life without a lot of hassle?

Yes, there is! In this article, I discuss five ways to burn 100 calories a day without adding more stress to your life or rearranging your schedule to accommodate huge chunks of time. With these simple strategies, you don’t have to head to the gym for extra calorie-burning.

1. Take the stairs.

You likely have several opportunities throughout the day to take the stairs (as opposed to waiting in line for the elevator). Since the stairs are often readily available to you, they’re easy to incorporate into your daily routine with next to no additional time spent. If you take the stairs for a minimum of 10 minutes per day (provided you keep a consistent pace when you’re moving), you’ll burn right around 100 calories.

2. Chuckle out loud.

In 2005, researchers at Vanderbilt University found that 10-15 minutes of belly laughter a day could burn up to 50 calories. If you spread that belly laughter our during your shift, you’ll not only burn 100 calories, but you’ll boost your mood and smile your way through the day in the process.

3. Pick up your walking pace while at work.

For those of you who track your steps with an app or device, a brisk, one-mile walk will burn approximately 100 calories. Although your typical day probably consists of several starts, stops, and periods of sitting down, pick up the pace in locations where you have a longer jaunt (like from the parking lot to the building, down long hallways, through the cafeteria, and more). This way, you’ll sneak in exercise while on duty.

4. Stand whenever possible.

An article from Shape magazine suggests standing, as opposed to sitting, for a minimum of 40 minutes per day to burn 100 calories. Also, the article mentions you don’t have to stand for 40 consecutive minutes—You can break it up into four 10-minute segments, which might be more suitable in a busy setting.

5. Cook dinner for yourself and your family.

Shredding, chopping, dicing, and cleaning up your culinary endeavors will give your metabolism a jolt even before you eat. Depending on how vigorously you cook, 40-50 minutes of cooking prep is sufficient to hit the 100-calorie mark (and maybe more).

Over time, the calories burned by making these small changes will add up. It can’t get much easier than this to torch calories.