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Posts in the womens wellness category

Don’t Resist The Resistance Bands!

by Kathy Smith

What’s long, can stretch from head to toe, and will help you look fab in your summer tanks? That’s right…a resistance band!  You already know that they’re one of the best ways to increase your strength, because they’re inexpensive, small enough to travel with, and they make it easy to target specific muscle groups.

But what you might not know is that unlike dumbbells, tubes also provide what’s called linear variable resistance. Basically, this means that as you increase a move’s range of motion, the tension of the elastic also intensifies.
Imagine you’re doing a bicep curl. As you curl your arms up to a ninety-degree angle, the resistance provided by the tube gets stronger. Because the tube is made out of elastic, it provides more workload as it stretches. This can’t be done with dumbbells or other forms of free-weights.
Another reason linear variable resistance is so beneficial is because the elastic tubing better mimics the way a muscle’s strength changes throughout a movement. Until a certain point, most muscles increase in strength over the range of motion. For example, during a bicep curl, the muscle is weakest at the beginning, and at the halfway point the muscle is the most strong.

When you perform a bicep curl with a dumbbell, you’re limited to how much tension you can use based off of how strong your muscle is at the weakest point. This hinders the strongest part of your muscles from receiving adequate training.

But, try this same bicep curl with a tube, and the workload increases as the strength of your muscle increases.
Moral of the story…don’t resist the resistance tube!

To get started, try this 5-minute video designed to strengthen your lower body with a tube!

 

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

Raspberry Chia Seed Pudding

by Kathy Smith

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup of coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup of raspberries
  • 1/4 cup of chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
Directions:
  1. Combine the milk and fruit in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into a mason jar. Add the chia seeds.
  3. Close lid tightly, and give it a good shake!
  4. Then, refrigerate and allow to gel for at least 3 hours {I let mine sit overnight}.
  5. Top with walnuts and serve!
Kathy Smith
, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

 

5-Min Chair Stretch

by Kathy Smith

We were built to move! And it’s been proven that spending too much time sitting increases your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. Plus, the more you sit, the more likely you are to have an achy back and muscle pain.

If you have low or mid back tension, or if your neck and shoulders feel tight throughout the day, chances are you’re slouching too much! You can release the discomfort from sitting all day in just 5 mins with today’s chair stretch routine.

The key is to become consistent with these types of stretches. They will not only make you feel revitalized by increasing circulation, but stretching also can ease the discomfort from sitting all day long.

As a bonus, it’s a great wake-me-up to refresh your mind and body before you head out the door!

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

6 Ways To Protect Your Joints As You Age

by Kathy Smith

According to the Harvard Health Publications, close to 20 percent of people in the United States have arthritis. As we age, joint movements like gliding, rolling, bending, and rotating are no longer performed with ease. Instead, our joints creak and resist movement, causing aches and pains. So how can you protect your body from experiencing this as you get older?

Try these 6 tips to help protect your joints from injury as you age:

salmon-salad

1. Add Omega-3 Fats To Your Plate

Foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, olive oil and flax seeds help promote joint comfort. These omega-3s get incorporated into joint cartilage cells, where they allow joints move smoothly. To increase your intake of omega-3s, try cooking with olive oil, taking a daily fish oil supplement, or add flax seeds to your morning smoothie.

2. Eat Antioxidant-Rich Foods

Studies have shown that seniors with better joints also have more antioxidants in their blood and joint fluids. So eat plenty of antioxidant-rich fresh fruits and vegetables daily, along with a daily multivitamin will protect your joints. Foods that are high in anti-oxidants include the berry family: cranberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

3. Have a regular exercise program

Exercise is the fountain of youth, because it keeps your muscles well oiled and your joints fluid and supple. Exercises that are specifically gentle to joints are cycling, swimming, and stretching. Also, remember to include a warm-up before all of your aerobic and strength training activities. Tendons, ligaments and muscles tend to tighten with age and need a longer warm-up before engaging in physical activity. A simple marching in place can do the trick.

4. Keep Your Weight Down

The greater your weight, the more wear and tear your joints go through. Over time, your joints are unable to bear your excess weight, and there are minute tears in tissue of your joints can get inflamed leading to further complications. Also, obesity can trigger osteoporosis and arthritis, both of which can lead to ultimate joint degeneration.

5. Keep moving!

Sitting is the new smoking! Keep your body moving and avoid sitting in one place for more than a half hour. When you remain seated, your joints have to take a great deal of your seated weight, leading to more wear and tear.

6. Maintain proper posture

It’s time for a posture check! If you’re sitting, make sure your legs are straight and let your body make a 90-degree angle with your knees; do not stoop. Let your weight rest on your hip and leg bones. Use adequate back support and ensure proper height alignment to a counter, table or desk, keeping both feet on the floor.

When you stand, distribute your weight and stress evenly on both feet. Keep your head level; avoid holding the head bent forward nor to one side.

Remember, protecting your joints as you age should become a high priority in order to maximize your ability and function as long as you can.

Here’s to your health!

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

 

A New Twist On Strength Training

by Kathy Smith

A good balance routine changes everything. So today, take weight training, and add a balancing twist! The video move in the blog is a must-try, because it combines the core strengthening principles of balance, and adds upper body toning moves. After practicing this routine regularly, you’ll notice a big difference — not just in how you look, but in how you move, stand, and especially how you feel.

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

10-Min Ultimate Sculpt

by Kathy Smith

 

Own Ultimate Sculpt On DVD

For only $11.99!!!

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

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