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  • aurecfit 10:08 PM on November 15, 2018 Permalink  

    Happy Fall AU! 

    As Finals Week is quickly approaching, here are some helpful tips to stay healthy, active, and prepared for finals week:

    Staying Healthy

    Finals Week is notoriously one of the most stressful weeks for college students; however continuous stress over an extended Stress-and-Immune-Systemperiod of time can have detrimental effects on your body, and specifically your immune system. If experienced in moderation, stress can be beneficial to your health and help you cope with troubling situations. On the other hand, regular exposure to stress can take a toll on your body and overall health.

    Also, make sure you are getting around 7-9 hours of sleep per night. This will help you retain more information and assure that Turkeysleepyou’re ready and alert for your finals. Chronic sleep deprivation can also contribute to high blood pressure, risk for diabetes, as well as mood changes – so make sure you catch those zzzzzz’s!

     

     

     

    Staying Active

    Stop by Jacob’s and Cassell Fitness Centers and check out our Group Exercise classes! During Finals Week (December 8th-14th), Group Exercise classes are FREE!

    groupex

    Exercise can help relieve some of your Finals Week stress through activating your endorphins (making you feel happy!) as well as improving your focus and concentration.

     

    So come on by and dance off your stress in Zumba, punch out your frustration in Kickboxing, or relax in Yoga!

     

     

     

     

    Be Prepared

    Say this 10 times fast: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

    ChecklistWhile you’re gearing up for finals make sure to plan ahead for the inevitable! You can create your own study guide, organizing a group study session, and quiz yourself with flashcards.

    Also, be sure to prioritize your time efficiently. Take breaks when you need them, and stay well-rested and well-hydrated. You might also realize that some exams will be more difficult than others – so make sure to evaluate the style and rigor of your exams and prioritize your study time accordingly!

     

    -Julia Snegg, Wellness Ambassador

     

     

  • aurecfit 10:21 PM on March 29, 2018 Permalink  

    Going GREEN On Campus 

    5 Easy (& Cheap!) Ways to Go Green at American University

    American University is on track to become a carbon-neutral university by 2020. What is carbon neutrality you may ask? Carbon neutrality refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent offset. I am here to give you a few tips on how to live more sustainably as a college student, but also in your everyday life!

    Believe it or not, you can be kind to the planet and save money without much effort at all. Adopting a greener lifestyle is easy with five tips:

    1. Use Reusable Bags
    Bring reusable bags with you when going to the grocery store instead of opting for paper or plastic. You save money and reduce waste. If you forget your bags at home or have a spur-of-the-moment grocery shopping trip, make sure you save your bags to reuse them. Using them as trash or recycle bags in your dorm is a great way to reuse them without throwing them out directly.

    2. Buy Less or Borrow
    Only buy what you need. Some of the best advice I have gotten in life is, “Less is more”. If we are on the topic of cheesy inspirational quotes, I am also a big fan of, “If it doesn’t nourish your soul or mind, don’t keep it” and “Collect moments, not things”. We live in a consumer culture and it is very easy to fall into the habit of overbuying unnecessary products. As a college student, we are also often overwhelmed with FREE things all the time! Which are great, but it is important to remind yourself if you truly need the item, or if it will just end up on your bookshelf or desk drawer at home. If you only purchase what is necessary, you will not only be going green, but you will be saving money on much more valuable experiences as well!

    3. Walk or Bike More
    The AU shuttle is great in that it runs on biodiesel, helping the university reduce emissions and save money. Unfortunately, we all miss the shuttle at times and are stuck waiting for another to come 20 or 30 minutes later. Instead of waiting and wasting time, walk into Tenleytown or your destination. With a brisk pace, it can take you as fast as 10 minutes, or on average 15 minutes to get to the Tenleytown metro station. This is a great way to get moving, be outdoors, and arrive at your destination in the same amount of time.

    I highly recommend walking as much as you can in the city as well. I believe the best way to see and learn a city is by foot. You can cover a lot of ground that you have otherwise missed if you only traveled by metro or Uber. The majority of us sit for multiple hours a day, maybe only walking from class to class. It’s important to take time out of your busy day to get fresh air; this will help you be more productive and focused later on.

    4. B.Y.O _____
    If you are willing to bring your own drinks or snacks to a party, why not bring your own water bottle, shopping bag, travel mug, snacks, etc. around with you for the sake of the Earth? Fortunately, many college students travel with reusable water bottles. I personally am very attached to my water bottle, I love to give it some personality by adding my favorite stickers to show what I care about. It can also be a great conversation starter! Having your own water bottle can save you lots of money and saves plastic from being wasted and not recycled.

    Join the Mug Club at the Davenport Coffee Lounge! Purchase a reusable mug from the Dav for $100 and get UNLIMITED free refills of drip coffee for the entire semester, without waiting in line!

    5. Go to the Farmers Market!
    We are very fortunate to have our own farmers market on campus, every single week of the semester. Get your favorite fruit, bread, sweets, drinks, and more on the quad next to Bender Library every Wednesday from 11am-4pm. Buying local is a great way to support sustainable farms and businesses. By purchasing directly from the farmers, you are reducing your carbon footprint and nourishing your body with the best possible ingredients. Another great farmer’s market to visit is the DuPont Farmer’s Market which runs all year on Sunday’s from 8:30am-1:30pm. Hop on any of the N-busses and you will be there in no time!

    I hope you can take some of these few tips with you throughout your everyday lives here at American University and spread the message about being a more sustainable college student. Remember to be conscious of your environment and choose a more Earth-friendly path whenever possible!

    Green looks great on you,
    Nicole Turner, Wellness Ambassador

     

    Getting Greens into your Diet

    Dark leafy greens have been proven to contain a great deal of nutrients that support a health body and mind. The most common greens found are spinach, kale, broccoli, and arugula. The USDA recommends individuals consume about 2.5 to 3 cups of greens per day, which is easier to achieve than you may think!

    Vitamins and Minerals

    Dark leafy greens are known for their abundance of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, K, and E. These vitamins are essential for growth and maintaining tissues within the body. Dark leafy greens also contain B vitamins, including folate, which help maintain DNA duplication and prevent cancer! Dark leafy greens are a great nutrient dense choice, meaning you can receive a large amount of nutrients for relatively few calories.

    Best ways to include Greens in Meals

    Some of my favorite ways to include dark leafy greens into my diet are in soups and stir-frys! By simply adding a handful of spinach or kale to any canned soup you can make the meal heartier and more nutrient dense! Next time you think about making stir-fry, try using cauliflower rice, some coconut milk, a cup or two of spinach, and a little curry paste for the perfect simply curry stir-fry dish!

    Buying Greens

    When purchasing dark leafy greens, keep in mind lettuces will be a bit more mild and sweet tasting compared to some of the more bitter greens such as swiss chard. Fall is the best time to purchase dark leafy greens because they are in season, which means they may also be sold for cheaper! Buying pre-cut and cleaned dark leafy greens may be easier for prepping, but keep in mind the unprepared greens will likely save you some extra cash!

    Best of luck,

    Zoe Rosner, Wellness Ambassador

     

    Fitness Outside

    As spring is quickly approaching, we want to encourage you all to engage in activities outdoors while the weather is improving! There are so many fun (and free) places to visit all around Washington D.C.! Get off campus for a minute and see what the city has to offer!

    Explore Rock Creek Park

    1. Rent a bike or take a walk through this awesome 4.4-square-mile park!
    2. Explore the various hiking and biking trails and be sure to stop by the nature center!
    3. Grab some friends and explore the picnic areas and tennis courts!

    Walk or run along the C&O Canal Towpath in Georgetown

    Grab your hiking boots and join the bikers trekking their way down the C&O Canal Towpath!

    This path runs along the Potomac River from Georgetown and stretches all the way up to Cumberland, MD.

    Be prepared for some awesome sights along the way!

     

    Take a trip to Great Falls Park

    Great Falls Park is the perfect place to explore nature and is only a 30-minute drive from DC.

    The 800 acres of parkland consists of hiking trails, casca rapids and amazing waterfalls

    Grab your friends, rent a Zipcar, and explore this beautiful site!

    Explore the National Arboretum

    The National Arboretum is a 446-acre park with a plethora of flowers and bonsai trees! It is also home to the original Capitol Columns.

    The park also has designated areas for picnicking and relaxing.

    Enjoy your time outside!

    Julia Snegg, Wellness Ambassador

     

  • aurecfit 8:00 PM on February 22, 2018 Permalink  

    Healthy Living On Campus 

    You’re half of the way through the school year (almost halfway through this semester in fact!) and you may be wondering, “how can I make a healthy lifestyle work in this new environment?”.  The Wellness Ambassadors are here to help answer the questions of how to stay well through mindfulness on campus, healthy eating on campus, and working out in the living space you have!

    How to Incorporate Mindfulness into the Day

    With course work and exams starting to come up, mental health and well-being often gets put on the back burner. Incorporating mindful moments into the day is a great way to stay grounded and in tune with your emotions and thoughts. Here are a few simple mindfulness practices to do anywhere on campus.

    Breathing techniques

    One of the best ways to keep grounded is to focus on the breath. A simple breathing technique is the 4-7-8 exercise. In this exercise, you exhale completely, then breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. By counting the inhale, hold, and exhale, the body can calm the nervous system and you can better focus on how you feel in the moment! Also, this technique works great right before an in class presentation!

    Find a Spot on Campus to Decompress

    Campus can be a very busy place with students and faculty always in a hurry. It’s important to know of a spot or two on campus that is quiet and comfortable. Maybe you find peace in Battelle Atrium or on a comfy seat in Katzen. Wherever it may be, just know you can always go there when you need a mindful moment.

    Mindfulness Apps

    Technology is so prominent in daily life, so why not use it to help with mindfulness! A few apps available to smart phones and computers that help ground and relax users are The Mindfulness App, Headspace, Calm, and many more. If you find that you could use a guided meditation or even just need to use your phone more productively, go ahead and give these apps a shot!

    Best of luck,

    Zoe Rosner, Wellness Ambassador

     

    Fitness Anywhere

    With everyone leading incredibly busy lives in today’s day and age, it can be challenging to find time for fitness. You don’t have time to drive to and from the gym each day, along with getting in an hour-long workout. Does this mean you should give up on achieving a higher level of fitness? Certainly not.

    With a short, but intense workout that you can do anywhere, you can achieve the same results of an hour-long gym workout on your own terms. To achieve a holistic workout, you want to include both cardio and strength-building elements. Here is an example of a holistic workout that you can do anywhere, that only takes 30 minutes!

    Additionally, you can perform these tasks on a variety of surfaces or mediums. For example: chair squats or desk push-ups. Use whatever materials you have at your disposal to achieve your workout goals!

     

     

     

    Here are some other exercises that you can do practically anywhere!

    These sets of exercises are a great way to get a full body workout in no matter where you are! Living a healthy and fit lifestyle is based on time management and organization, so it’s up to you to prioritize your health, even when you’re on the go.

    Julia Snegg, Wellness Ambassador

     

    Eating Healthy on Campus

    For those of us who live on campus, finding ways to eat healthy can be difficult. However, there are many ways to eat healthy all around campus.

    The Tavern

    Pi and Fry serves large portions. A key to eating healthy is only eating as much as you need. Try to eat slowly to notice the feeling of fullness. Pi and Fry also has salads (Greek and Caesar) if you are looking for a healthier alternative to the chicken tenders and curly fries.

    Elevation Burger has chicken now! Elevation Burger has begun serving both grilled and crispy chicken sandwiches under the meal exchange program. This is a great way to get your lean protein in with a delicious meal.

    Global Fresh has the option to add sautéed vegetables to any meal. Take advantage of this opportunity to get your greens in.

    MGC

    Freshii is a great option for healthy eating on campus. Their meals are packed with vegetables and protein. However, opt for chicken or falafel as an alternative to steak or tofu if you can.

    Einstein’s Bagels egg sandwiches are a great way to add protein to your breakfast. Grab a honey oat or whole wheat bagel for more productive carbs.

    TDR

    TDR’s salad bar is a great way to get your vegetables in. They typically have three different types of lettuce. This is a great area for you to get creative with how you eat. They have so many different types of toppings, the possible combinations are endless. The grill station has lots of potential for lean protein, as they frequently have grilled chicken and veggie burgers. The menu on a day to day basis is more of a mixed bag, but there are always options. Try to get a full serving of vegetables and stay away from fried foods as much as possible.

    Eating healthy is always more difficult when you’re not in control of your own food options, but AU dining has a plethora of ways that you can eat healthy, even if they may not seem obvious. Utilize these tips and work your way towards a healthier lifestyle!

    Stacey Friedman, Wellness Ambassador

     

  • aurecfit 8:40 PM on August 24, 2017 Permalink
    Tags: , clubs, fundraising, rugby, sports, team   

    AU Men’s Rugby: An International Experience 

    Men's Rugby Team Photo

    The American University Rugby Football Club (AURFC) is the oldest continuously-active club sport at American University. Founded in 1964, AURFC competes in the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) and has consistently ranked among the top teams nationwide, finishing in the top 30 last season.

    The team, which comprises of 30-40 members, welcomes players from all backgrounds, from newcomers to seasoned veterans, and strives to be productive members of the AU student body and the larger rugby community. Men's Rugby Game Overlooking Monuments

    In entering it’s 53rd season, and building on past successes, the team looks to take a major step forward this year in its development: an international tour! AURFC looks to become the first-ever AU club sport to travel internationally when it will head to Scotland for an 11-day tour in March 2018. Consisting of matches against Scottish universities and excursions to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Scottish Highlands, AURFC team members will truly have a once-in-a-lifetime cultural and rugby experience.

    “Our tour to Scotland will be invaluable to the club. The opportunity to practice and play with top-level players from one of the game’s home nations, along with the various cultural excursions, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” – Zach Mitlitsky, Captain

    The team plans to send 23 of it’s highest-performing AU students on this tour and estimates their fundraising efforts to be around $50,000. Players are planning numerous fundraising events for the fall semester, as well as reaching out to club alumni.

    Men Rugby Team scrum

    “Joining AURFC was the greatest decision I’ve made in my college career, and I can’t think of a better way to give back to the club that has given so much to me than an international tour. I have no doubt the tour to Scotland will raise the profile of club sports at AU and solidify the development of the club for years to come.” – Alex Chabala, President

    Interested donors can donate by going to the Donations tab on our website and following the instructions.

     

  • aurecfit 1:58 PM on May 8, 2017 Permalink
    Tags: , , hiking, outdoors, running, summer, washington dc,   

    5 Outdoor Exercises That Aren’t Running 

    Capital Bikeshare across from Katzen Art Center

    It’s that time of year again: say goodbye to the freezing temperatures, puffy jackets and sweatpants and say hello to gym shorts, muscle-t’s and sunshine!! After a long hibernation it can be hard to leave the nice weather and go workout in the gym, so here’s five ways to take your workout outside in the sun!

     

    USE AN OUTDOOR GYM

    Outdoor gyms are a great way to mix up your workout. In Rock Creek Park, next to the Cleveland Park exit, there’s a series of stations that look like playground equipment, with instructions on how to use them for your workout. Take a friend and think of it like going to a playground for grown-ups!


    RENT A BIKE AND EXPLORE

    Capital Bikeshare makes it easy to bike all over D.C. since the bikes can be rented and returned to stations all over the city. Nervous about biking in traffic? Take a bike down to Rock Creek Park, around the monuments or across the bridge to the Mount Vernon trail in Arlington! 

     

    BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES: THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE YOU CAN!

    The great thing about body weight exercises is that the only piece of equipment they require is you. Mix it up with squats, inchworms, jumping drills, push-ups, burpees, an abs circuit, bear crawls, or anything else you can think of!

     

    Kayaking on the Potomac

    HIT THE WATER IN A KAYAK OR PADDLE BOARD

    The Key Bridge Boat House in Georgetown opened April 15 and offers a generous student discount. Rent a kayak or paddle board and paddle up towards the monuments, or around the river for a break from the city!

    CHECK OUT ALL THE HIKING TRAILS NEAR CAMPUS

     

    Right near AU there is the Glover Archibald hiking trail with multiple entrances and exits (namely the two where it crosses Massachusetts Ave) that stretch from Tenleytown to Georgetown.

    Glover-Archbold Trail near AU

    Looking for something new? Check out the Theodore Roosevelt Island Nature Preserve trails just across the bridge from Georgetown via the Mt. Vernon trail. Or wander the 11-mile Capital Crescent Trail starting along the canal in Georgetown and stretching into Maryland.

     

    STAY SAFE

    No matter what you decide to do, remember working out outside comes with new challenges. Plan ahead how much water you’ll need to bring, let a friend know where you’re going and when they should expect you back, and don’t skimp on the sunscreen. Most importantly, have fun and embrace the return of Vitamin-D!!

    Julia Baldwin, Wellness Ambassador

     

  • aurecfit 6:47 PM on April 24, 2017 Permalink
    Tags: , exercise, , , recfit, sleep, stress,   

    5 How-To’s to Reduce Stress During Finals Week 

    During the last two weeks of the semester, procrastination among college students reaches an all-time high. This is the time of year you will find students studying late in Club Lib, consuming large amounts of caffeinated drinks, and shuffling through loads of papers.

    Stress is not inherently bad when it is maintained at a healthy level. Being at the ideal level of stress keeps you on your toes and motivates you to study for your exams and finish your final papers. When you can function at this level, you are able to push yourself to do your best without exceeding your stress level. Unfortunately, external factors outside of studying for exams can increase your level of stress! Here are five tips along with some fun events to reduce and maintain a healthy stress level during finals week…IMG_1310

    1. Exercise

    Short exercise breaks can help relieve stress, socialize, and burn off the extra sugary calories you may consume. Take a jog downtown, ride your bike, do yoga or attend a RecFit happy hour class! Exercise helps you focus, it gives you additional energy, and it releases endorphins to make you feel better.

    Consider attending group exercise May 1 – May 7th, all classes are free!

     

    1. Eat Nutritious Meals and Snacks

    We often eat even more unhealthily during finals week than they do the rest of the semester. In a time crunch, we go for quick, tasty, on-the-go foods and mindlessly munch away until we are left with an empty package. This is a big mistake! Junk food gives you instant energy or a sugar high, but it affects your concentration and memory and will end in a food coma or sugar crash.brianFFF

    Eating nutritious foods will energize you and increase your concentration and retention. Check out the healthy vending machines around campus for more nutritious choices. If you’re choosing snacks from your kitchen or TDR, fruits and vegetables are best; they have the required vitamins and nutrients to prevent sickness and give you energy!

     

    1. Catch some Zzz’s

    Everyone has different sleep habits, but it is never healthy to pull an all-nighter. If you do, make sure you have time to take a nap so you get the sleep your body needs. Sleep will improve the quality and retention of studying, even though you may have less study time. Less is more.

    1. Prioritize & Plan

    “Failing to plan, is planning to fail.” If you start studying without a plan, you are likely to focus on the wrong material or get distracted. Plan how to allocate your time and what to study.

    Stop by the Stress Fair, April 27th from 10-1pm on the Quad! AU RecFit and other campus partners will be tabling about stress management, playing lawn games, and loving dogs on the quad!

    Brennan

    1. Ask for Help

    Don’t afraid to ask for help! If you do not understand what to do or study, ask someone. You could speak to your professor during office hours or talk to your friends and classmates. Not to quote High School Musical, but we’re all in this together. Your professor wants to see you succeed and so do your friends!

    Incorporating these steps into your routine during finals week will help you manage stress in healthy ways. Remember to stay calm and take everything one step at a time. Finals week is marathon, not a sprint!

    We hope to see you at our final’s week program “Release the Beast” on May 2nd from 2-5pm. Drop-in anytime to Cassell Fitness Center studios for meditation/relaxation, aromatherapy, and DIY trail mix to make as some nutritious study snacks!

    Best of luck,

    Bobby McCabe, Wellness Ambassador

     

  • aurecfit 3:01 PM on April 10, 2017 Permalink
    Tags: , change, , goal setting, goals, journey, personal training,   

    Exercise in the Era of Immediacy 

    Enjoying the process of the journey as much as the results in the destination.

    Humans are a species that crave immediate results. Especially in today’s world. We want to know when our text messages get read (read receipts), we want to have goods and products we buy in two days (Amazon Prime), we want to lose unrealistic amounts of weight in a short period of time (fad diets). Among many other examples, everything we desire, we desire it immediately.

    We have this notion that having immediate results will somehow satisfy us differently than if we took the time, energy and mindfulness to get to the end goal. But does it really? Or would living in the “work” and enjoying the process, not just the end, also give us that satisfaction?

    Enjoying the means to the end is a line of thinking that is often applied to exercise and body composition goals, but not often practiced. Expecting immediate results during exercise is not only unrealistic, but may reflect inauthentic motives. Expecting to gain muscle or drop weight immediately can set us up for failure, rejection and disappointment. When we seek transformation, we are not just transformed by what we look like or what we can do at the end, but by learning from and conquering the steps it took to get there. HAPPINESS is not a desitination, it's a byproduct of enjoying the journey.

    First, it is important to recognize change is going to take time. Second, it is vital to make that time for yourself. Being aware of the time it requires to reach a goal is vital to comprehend before even stepping into the gym. However, what can be immediate is the decision to dedicate more time to self-care, the decision to go to the gym, to try a new exercise or new exercise class. Those are the things that can be accomplished and decided immediately.

    There are many models used to describe how humans change and adopt new behaviors. For example, the Stages of Change Model, consisting of 8 stages for change. The first stage is pre-contemplation, when an individual has not even thought about making a change. Second is contemplation, when an individual has started thinking about making a change. The third stage is preparation, when an individual may start gathering resources and information for how to make the change. The fourth step is action, and actually changing the desired behavior. Fifth, maintenance, meaning an individual sustains the behavior change over time. Sixth is relapse, when an individual reverts back to an old behavior pattern. Reconnecting and reevaluating your goal is vital during this step. The last step is adoption, when the new behavior is officially changed and accepted.[1] What’s important to remember is that each step will take time and there is a lot to learn about each step and the transition to the next.

    When embarking on a new exercise goal or change, we often learn more about our strengths and willpower from the incremental changes over time made in those last sets, miles and minutes, than the big reveal at the end.

    Personal training can be a great way to create a reasonable and SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and time-bound) goal. Similarly, personal training can give you the tools to reach those goals. This often begins with a fitness assessment that anyone can take at Cassell Fitness Center.

    bob

    Bob Beahm, Personal Training Coordinator at American University

    The Personal Training Coordinator at American University, Bob Beahm, gave his insights on personal training and enjoying the small steps it takes to get to the end goal.

    Q: What is the biggest misconception about training goals many of your clients have?

    A: “There are misconceptions about people’s expectations of what they can accomplish. Many clients come in with the goal of weight loss and they want to lose 50 pounds in a month. Realistically, the human body is only capable of losing 1-2 pounds a week. So it is important to change their perception of what is realistic and when people make realistic goals, they are more susceptible to continuously working hard and making progress. Motivation stems from people believing they are capable of accomplishing the goals they’ve set.”

    Q: What is your trick to keep your clients motivated and excited about training? What about when they are not seeing results?

    A: “Communication. It’s about understanding what clients enjoy doing and what they don’t like. If they like something, I try to incorporate it more. As a trainer, I need to be able to adapt to the client’s needs. For example, every goal has 100 different exercises you could do, but it’s about finding the right fit for the client.

    A: When a client is not seeing the results they anticipated it’s time to revisit goals. I ask them what they are doing outside of the sessions to reach those goals. We may need to add something else to the plan or just focus on one thing at a time. Similarly, I try to keep them from losing site of the long term goal and the progress they have already made.”

    Q: What is the best piece of advice you could give someone who is contemplating making a fitness goal or embarking on a change?

    A: “No sustainable change is going to happen overnight. There has to be a lifestyle approach. Behavior change is like changing a habit. It’s about the big picture, but also about the small steps and incremental changes.”

    Q: What is the encouragement you could give someone who is on the fence about getting a personal trainer?

    A: “If someone is new, I would encourage them to take a fitness assessment. That means just talking to a personal trainer about where you currently are and where you want to go. The fitness assessment really is the first step and is about getting to know them. This is a chance to identify what improvements you would like to make.

    PTThe main hesitation someone has to starting a fitness goal is they just lack knowledge about what to do. It can be very intimidating. A fitness assessment and working with a trainer gives you that information and is a judgement-free zone.”

    Abby Lore, Wellness Ambassador

    [1] Garber, C. E., Allsworth, J. E., Marcus, B. H., Hesser, J., & Lapane, K. L. (2008). Correlates of the Stages of Change for Physical Activity in a Population Survey. American Journal of Public Health, 98(5), 897–904. http://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2007.123075

     

  • aurecfit 5:34 PM on March 27, 2017 Permalink
    Tags: , confidence, , lifting, strength training, , women   

    Women on Weights: Getting Women in the Weight Room 

    The common, and stereotypical, image in a gym is women putting in work on the treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals, and males are aggressively pumping iron in the weight room. This would be acceptable, and some regimes work for others, but the fact is integration of strength training is key for many women to reach their fitness goals. This contradiction can leave women feeling confused on a lack of results, or restricted in their exercise plans.

    There are a variety of reasons why women avoid strength training. This could be from misconceptions about “getting bulky” or being intimidated by the weight room. However, there has been a societal shift in the views of women over the past few years. This shift is trickling down into gyms and weight rooms across the country. WoW 44

    Trends show that more and more women actually are interested in lifting weights. There has been a collective effort by researchers, fitness bloggers and trainers to prove strength training misconceptions wrong. The challenge now is less about convincing women why they should be lifting weights and more about educating them how to safely and effectively lift weights; and creating the space for them to do so. Now that the curiosity women have for weight lifting has peaked, the goal is to empower them to act on their curiosity.WoW 19

    The hard part has passed, it’s not that women do not want to be in the weight room, it’s that they have never felt it was their space. Now it’s on us as trainers, fitness enthusiasts, and fellow female weight lifters to create that inclusive environment. It’s on the male weightlifters to step aside, drop judgement and let women lift! There is finally more research on “best practices” for women to lift weights, what affects it has on the female body specifically, and how to best teach women proper techniques.

    The AU Rec Fit Women on Weights (WOW) program is a perfect example of teaching women what to do and how to do it so they have an unparalleled confidence when walking into the weight room.

    WOW11

    “The Women on Weights program was the educational program I knew I wanted but didn’t know I needed. It covers everything from proper warm-up, how-to on all the equipment, weight room tips and tricks, and left me with my own custom workout plan. There is power in numbers and one of the best parts of the program is that you are with a group of peers equally as excited to explore this world of strength training they would not have individually. WOW showed me that a lot of the “intimidating men” often do not know what they are doing either. More importantly WOW showed me how strong my body, and mind, actually is, and something I carry with me in both my workouts and my day-to-day life.”WOW7

    Women lifting weights comes down to empowerment. Women and (men) empowering women to take agency over their bodies, take control of their workouts and collectively create an inclusive space for those with the passion and curiosity for working out. Taking the first, and often scary step, into the weight room could be tomorrow, next month or next year. But women need to know that the weight room belongs to them, and there will be other women lifting them up, along the way.

    Abby Lore, Wellness Ambassador

     

  • aurecfit 7:45 PM on March 21, 2017 Permalink
    Tags: , ,   

    Two Simple Steps Toward a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle 

    In this day and age, it can be extremely difficult to maintain everyday activities that benefit your collective heart health, however, this guide will help you adapt your habits in order to achieve a heart-healthy lifestyle.

    NutritionFFF1

    • Eat whole grains and beans
    • Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables
    • Eat vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds
    • Eat fatty fish and avocado
    • Limit fatty animal products

    A few whole foods that you can commit to eating, which will drastically improve your heart health are oatmeal, brown rice, salmon, almonds, spinach, and berries. These foods contain specific substances that are crucial to maintaining heart-healthy lifestyle. Some of these substances include:

    • Omega 3 Fats
    • Whole grains
    • Soy Protein
    • Soluble Fiber
    • Fish Oil

    ExerciseIMG_5926

    For optimal heart health, the American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise throughout the week. Three 10-minute sessions during the day can also be just as beneficial as a half-hour exercise session. Some activities to help improve your heart health could include:

    • Walking
    • Stair Climbing
    • Biking
    • Swimming
    • Elliptical Machine
    • Zumba
    • Yoga

    In addition, your heart-healthy exercise plan should include both aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercises get your heart rate up, and help to strengthen your heart and lungs. Anaerobic exercises like weight-lifting, help your body accumulate muscle which allows your body’s metabolism and immune system to function more efficiently.

    Heart-Healthy Facts

    • On average, every minute you walk extends your life by 1 ½ – 2 minutes
    • Regular physical activity and a healthy diet can help prevent you from depression and arthritis
    • Physical activity helps prevent bone loss, and improves coordination and balance
    • Increased levels of physical activity reduce the risk of many aging-related diseases
    • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), physical inactivity is the top heart disease risk factor

     

    Julia Snegg, Wellness Ambassador

     

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