Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Due to a busy time in my family life, researching the new topics, and finishing In His Strength, I will be taking a week vacation from blogging. Come next week for updated posts and information.

Until then enjoy some of my favorite posts:

Until then enjoy reading some of my favorite posts:

Sleep A Real Need

Training- Of Some Value

Gone Fishin’

Take the Treadmill Where It’s Never Been Before

Plan For Good Nutrition

Setting Captives Free

Mark Altrogge Interview

Currently I am working on the next series of posts. A few months ago I received a question from one of my readers regarding exercise and being overweight. I am looking forward to speaking with the creator of The Plus Factor to help me with this topic. This month we will also begin talking about prenatal fitness.

In His Strength is set to release by or before November 1. Be on the look out for an interview with the mixer and producer deejay essence.

Thank you for stopping by!

A few years ago I walked into my bosses office building where I worked and saw a lady doing a bone scan. She asked me if I would be interested and I said sure- it was free! At the time I was about 25 (maybe 26) years old so I thought surely I’m doing fine as far as bone health. To both my and the technicians surprise my bone density was below average for my age. She encouraged me to keep the document and show my doctor. I don’t remember taking her advice. Now that I am slightly older, married and have a child, I have begun to realize that taking caring for my bones is important. The good thing is, it’s never too late to start caring for your bones and one of the easiest ways is through weight bearing exercise.  I try to lift weights two sometimes three times per week. So today I wanted to share with you some information about weight training and osteoporosis; but instead of me rewriting what has already been written, I thought I’d direct you to some sights and articles.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation has an article entitled Bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. You may also want to peruse their site to learn more general information about osteoporosis and general bone health.

 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services women’s division answers common questions regarding bone health in women including a definition of osteoporosis and what to do if you do not like dairy products.

If you are in the Knoxville area and would like more information about osteoporosis or would like to speak with a physician you may contact:

Dr. Randall Hartline

930 Emerald Avenue
Suite 713
Knoxville, TN 37917
Phone: 865-544-1345

If you are not in the Knoxville area but would like to consult a physician who specializes in osteoporosis please consult your general practitioner or visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation for a referral.

(Note: I cannot promote all articles or information contained in the sites I have provided. I do not endorse the sites I have provided. They have been provided for informational purposes only.)

The women at the GirlTalk blog are about to begin a series on the topic of food. During the next few weeks they will feature different authors including Elyse Fitzpatrick, author of Love to Eat, Hate to Eat, which I have recommended in my links section under “Books”.

 I hope you will take a peek at their series.

If you’ve been to a fitness facility you have most likely seen a room packed with people lifting what appears to be enormous amounts of weights on a barbell. I have recently completed a training to be a Body Pump Instructor. I am also trained toteach Powerflex. After each training I have left with the same thought- barbells really are “the way to go” if they are available to someone. One advantage to using a barbell is that each muscle has to work at the same time. This provides a balance, helping both sides grow stronger together. So what can you do with a barbell? The answers simple, almost everything!

My first suggestion before we get started is to attend a class such as Body Pump, Flex-n-Pump or Powerflex. This will allow you to get a better understanding of how to use the bar most effectively and safely. And as always, consult a physician before beginning any fitness workout/program.

Use the barbell for:

Squats

Place the desired amount of weight evenly on each end of the bar. You can max out the weight on squats, in other words, don’t be afraid to go a little heavy. Place the bar on your shoulders and not your neck. Make sure shoulders are back and down and feet are slightly wider than shoulder width a part. Bend knees, keeping knee over your ankle and hips back. Your core should be tight and pelvis tucked in.

Bicep Curl

Using heavy to medium weights place wrap your hands around the barbell and place hands right outside of your thighs. Make sure not to rest your elbows on your hips but do keep them tucked into your side. Curl up and fully extend down.

Tricep Dips

Sit in a chair or on an aerobic step. Place weighted barbell on your thighs/lap. Lift yourself off of the step. Legs should be straight or slightly bent. Begin to bend with your elbows pointing straight back, shoulders are back and down away from your ears. Keep the small of your back close to your step. Rise up but don’t lock out your arms, keep a soft bend and repeat.

Dead Lifts

Grab that weighted bar and stand with your shoulders back and down, tummy in, chest lifted, and chin straight with a slight tuck downwards, feet should be hip width a part. Bend forward hinging from the hip with knees slight bent. This is not a squat.  The barbell should be straight ahead and at your knees. Hands can be shoulder width to slightly wider than shoulder width a part. Back is straight and chest is lifted. (Variation: Dead Row- take the bar from the knees, while still in the bent over position, straight to the belly bottom and back down.)

Shoulder Press

Standing with your shoulders back and down, chest lifted, tummy tucked, and feet hip width a part, take a weighted bar (less weight than all other exercises) and place your hands around the bar slightly wider than shoulder width a part. Tuck your elbows in so they are positioned underneath the bar. Hold bar to the level of your chin and drive the bar straight up. Keep your eyes forward and chin down. Don’t lock out your elbows at the top. Slowly bring the bar back down to chin level.

We have barely touched the surface and I’m already tired! These are only a few (and I mean a few) ways you can use the bar. If you don’t own a bar or have a gym membership all of these exercises may be done with dumbbells.

Enjoy your workout!

Recently I received the following email and I wanted to share it with you… 

“I just wanted to let you know that your website has served me.  After reading some of it, I was convicted of gluttony and have since planned out my meals for the entire week!  It will also wind up saving me a lot of money, too, as I won’t be thinking, “Hmm…what can I eat, guess I’ll eat out!” as often.”

I was so humbled to receive this for several reasons but most of all that God would be so kind to this person and reveal sin and then help them apply what they were learning. I am amazed that God would use this site in such a way. My prayer has been that the site would be useful and that God would be glorified. Thank you readers for the emails letting me know you are reading, for signing up for the newsletter (keep signing up!) and for those of you who know me personally, for coming up to me to encourage me. My faith is built and stirred. I hope that the site would continue to serve people as they pursue God as it relates to fitness and nutrition.

News and Updates

Interviews with Mark Altrogge and deejay essence

In the next few weeks you will begin to learn more about the CD, In His Strength! I am so excited to share my heart with you regarding the CD. I am also excited to announce that you will get a chance to hear from Mark Altrogge, the original songwriter of three of the songs, and deejay essence, the producer and mixer of the CD, through interviews I plan to post soon. 

WRJZ JOY620 and The Bob Bell Show

If you are in the Tennessee Valley and 60 miles surrounding you can tune into Joy620 this Friday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 am to hear me on The Bob Bell Show (I may not actually be on until 7:45 am so stick around just in case). I was once again humbled to be asked to come on the show and look forward to sharing information  about Trill Fitness and In His Strength with Bob Bell’s listeners. If you miss it, no worries, all of his shows are archived on their website. You may access it here and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

New Topics

Once we are finished with weight lifting we are going to explore diets and diet plans. I was also asked a question via email about exercise for the plus size person. I have asked an expert in this field to come along side me and share some information that I am sure will serve those of you who believe you struggle with exercise and being overweight.

Are you ready to start lifting? Okay then, what are you waiting for? Grab your 30 lb weights and get started. Wait, wait!  Strength training is pretty simple, but if it’s done incorrectly it can be catastrophic to your body. So before we starting lifting I thought we would go over some general saftey guidelines. I will focus mainly on form while using body weight as weight, free weights and barbells. Believe it or not, there is a proper way to perform every exercise. I am going to break these posts up into exercise segments. I thought we’d start with the areas most women want to work, their legs and abs.

Squats

To perform a squat properly sit down like you are sitting in a chair (you may even want to grab a chair to practice and hover over it). Your knees should be over your ankles, in other words there is a straight line from your knee to your ankle. Your weight should be in the back of her heels and not towards the front of your foot. Feet and shoulders are facing forward.  To squat you go down as far as you can without breaking your form (knees over your ankle, hips back, weight in your heels, feet facing forward).

Squat Variations

Plie squat:your feet are facing out, away from each other. Your stance will be wider. When you squat your knee stays over your ankle and lift by squezzing your inner thigh muscles.

Squats with a barbell: If you own a barbell you can perform a squat using it by placing the weight on your shoulders. You want to avoid resting the weight on your neck. It is very important to remember your form when performing squats but it’s even more important when doing a weight barring squat. Without proper form you could injure your knees, back, and neck.

What are you working?

Squats work the thigh muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, inner thighs, and gluts. If you are wondering what to do to work your legs; I think we’ve found the answer!

Okay- now that we’ve finished talking about saftey feel free to give it a try.  Remember always consult a physician before starting any workout. Drink pletny of fluids and warm up and stretch.

How often am I suppose to lift?

During the next post I’ll give you some general frequency guidelines for weight training. We will also focus on our abs or core muscles.

I want to draw your attention to a post my friend Janelle Bradshaw at the Girl Talk Blog just posted. She discusses the same issue I discussed in regards to training our bodies but on the topic of food. Please click over there and enjoy!

Hey!

After some thought and speaking with my editor, best friend, and husband :) I decided to change my previous post suggestion from “Don’t buy snacks” to “Limit snacks”. I by no means am advocating a rigid, legalistic restriction of foods! Enjoy all that God has made with thanksgiving! For that post we were speaking about budgets, I’d say limit your snack (or “junk” food) and you’ll see a difference in the wallet and freed up to purchase more fruits and vegetables which are undoubtedly better for you.

Thanks so much. I’m sure there will be more clarifications in the future!

Now email me your stories!