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Challenge 10 Cardio Exercise

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Challenge 10 Cardio Exercise

This week challenge 10 cardio exercise, I want to explore cardio. I love cardio. I find it fun. Sometimes for a change, I do enjoy turning on a YouTube video by BeFit. I love the convenience of turning on a video and exercising at home. With the kids, their busy school schedule and activities. I do feel too exhausted to attend fitness classes. Fitness classes are fun but with all the rushing around the last thing I want to do with my time is to rush to a class.

Cardio

Cardio exercise is to increase heart rate. The amount of cardio a person should have for better health is 150 minutes weekly. A small amount would benefit the body.

  • would give a strong heart
  • bigger lunges
  • prevent health problems
  • good for mental health
  • feel confident

Cardio Options

You can decide what you like? What do you enjoy? What you find fun? There are various cardio types like running, cycling, walking, and hiking. If you do enjoy time at the gym, you can do elliptical, treadmills or climbers. Those who enjoy exercise at home. You can have a choice of exercise videos, an online exercise, fitness apps, or infographics diagram.

Challenge 10 Cardio Exercise

Nutrition after Cardio

If you did an intense cardio session, do eat 45 minutes to 60minutes. This is to restore the muscle lost or if you are continuing to exercise soon after. Light exercise should first replenish liquids. Do drink water or coconut water but watch for any sugary beverages. You can have a protein bar, banana, yogurt, whole grain bread, milk, and banana.

Spare Time

In my spare time, I turn on a cardio exercise video. I do enjoy a good sweating session. It feels very good. Rejuvenated. Cardio is good for many parts of the body. It helps the brain with the memory and to think. The exercise will help the skin to improve with circulation and have a better skin condition. Bones and joints will lower the chance of fractures. And, the ability to help with osteoporosis. Do try challenge 10 cardio exercise.

If you like to read my previous post regarding my workout challenge, please take a look at this.

Or, I might try a squat and plank challenge.

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Challenge 9 Yoga for Upper Back Tightness

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Challenge 9 Yoga for Upper Back Tightness

This week’s challenge, I wanted to focus on my upper back. I always have sore upper back. My stress has always been in my shoulders or upper back. I tend to scrunch up my shoulders. I believe this is from habit or due to stress. Yoga is a mind-body exercise to help to reduce stress. And yoga helps to improve the condition by reducing pain. My goal this weeks challenge 9 yoga for upper back tightness to target this area.

Causes of Upper Back Pain

Challenge 9 Yoga for Upper Back Tightness

There are many possibilities for upper back pain. If you do not use the muscle and have bad posture, the muscle will lose strength. The muscle loses strength and causes pain. This puts pressure on other areas of the body. And, the pressure turns to pain.

Over Work Muscle

When you use the same muscle group over and over again this can be painful. The constant use of some muscle groups causes strain. The muscle can become tight and irritated. The pain will become chronic. Muscles will need rest. The heat or ice will help blood flow to the area.

Yoga Pose to Help with Upper Back

  • Arms in a T position sit cross-legged
  • Sit cross legged, one arm reach upward then bend back to reach the other hand
  • Lift both arms as if blocking the face twist arm around each other
  • lie on your stomach, arms in a position where you are pushing yourself up
  • Legs slightly apart similar to kneeling position arms down bum up as in a worship position

Yoga Per Week

Start doing yoga 15 minutes a day. Meditation and yoga will help emotionally. Yoga will increase oxygen to different parts of the body. Yoga helps to calm a busy schedule. And it is wonderful for the body. With the holiday, yoga will help with the busyness. Do try this challenge 9 Yoga for Upper Back Tightness.

You can always do dance exercises. Or, something very different like these bodyweight exercises.

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Challenge 8 Strength Training

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My little ones are growing up quickly. They are getting heavier and tougher to carry. There are days where they get too exhausted to walk, therefore, I need to carry them. I feel I need to get stronger. I do love cardio but strength training and toning the muscle is important as well. Challenge 8 strength training.

Challenge 8 Strength Training

Photo by Sergio Pedemonte on Unsplash

Strength Training

Muscle training exercise:

  • climbing stairs
  • cycling
  • push-ups, sit-ups, and squats
  • dancing
  • yoga

Build Muscle

The above helps to build muscle. Muscle helps the body to move and build stronger bones. It helps to develop muscle. Also, this prevents injuries. If there is no exercise, not enough healthy nutrients, the body will lose bone mass. The bone will become weaker and tends to break easily. If bones are weak even with simple movements, it would be too much for the bones. Do consider challenge 8 strength training or do exercise.


The Benefit of Strength Training

Strength training is good for balance, performance, well-being, and strength training.

Help With Strength Training

  • Squats: Point toes outwards. Feet and shoulder apart 15 outwards. Tense the abs. Look in front. Be in a sit back position. The butt moves backward.
  • Lunges: Work on hip, glutes, hamstrings, and core. Focus on body muscle. Stand straight. Take one step forward. Move the weight forward. The heel should come in contact with the floor first.
  • One-legged Deadlifts: Stand straight. Hold dumbbells and lower in front. Lean forward. Move one leg behind you.
  • Pushups: Have hand and shoulder apart. Bend elbows. Move to the ground. Then up.
  • Planks: Planks are similar to push-ups. Hands under the shoulder- width apart. Hold for 20 seconds.

When exercising, the focus should be to build muscle. Therefore, slowly push yourself to increase the amount weekly. Do push your body to do more. Your body can handle more. This will help to build better strength and more muscle. Do try challenge 8 strength training.

If you like to multi-task, why not consider dance exercise.

My next challenge I would like to focus on more yoga exercise.

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Day 5 Dance Workout

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This week, the weather is getting really cold. The forecast states this week it will snow. Hopefully not a lot. Early mornings from 6 am – 10 am and late in the evening around 9 pm – 11 pm can get quite chilly. Need to plan for an indoor workout due to the winter. I love to continue jogging outside but sidewalks can get slippery. This can get dangerous. Might cause injuries. Time to exercise indoor. My day 5 dance workout.

Time for Exercise

What I enjoy the cold? I enjoy a nice cup of warm drink in my hand. Wrap a soft fluffy fleece blanket to stay warm. Sometimes the quick way to stay warm is to exercise. I would involve my kids too. Give them some time to burn some energy and be active. Late November, it is getting close to December or Christmas. I turn on Christmas music and let the kids choose which Christmas song. Turn on my timer to track how long I am exercising. I just tell my kids to dance. We just dance. It does not matter how you dance. Just be silly. Have some fun. I am spending time with the kids and having fun together. Just move. No one is watching you. You and your kids will have some quality time together. Dancing helps to de-stress. The kids love it.

Why Dance Exercise?

I do enjoy my regular routine. Sometimes a change is nice. A break from the gym and to change things up. I do like dancing. A whole body exercise. It’s fun. When you have fun, you forget you are exercising. Time goes a lot quicker. There are many different types of exercise from ballet, hip hop, Zumba, and tap dancing. Many different types to choose from.

Day 5: Dance Workout

Freestyle Dancing

Dancing is about expressing yourself. Dance exercise helps to burn calories. Good if you are concern about your weight. Great to Improve your health. With freestyle dancing you can move freely without restrictions. Improves on flexibility. No exact movements. You can choose to dance however you like. Choose a fast pace or slow pace or a combination of both.

If you are interested in an exercise challenge, do follow my exercise challenge. Do try day 5 dance workout at home. How about seeing how people challenge themselves with their exercise challenge.

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Day 2 of the 7-day exercise challenge

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Day 2 of the 7-day exercise challenge

What I did I do on day 2? I did not have as much time. This is not surprising being a mom. I want to make time. I turn on my timer for 10 minutes to ready for a jog. Then, at home on a spot or I jog around the house. I can turn on my favorite series while jogging at home. The time goes faster when you are occupied. This is my process for my day 2 of the 7-day exercise challenge.

Yoga

Yoga is an extremely important part of the exercise before and after a jog. After jogging, I spend a small amount of time to do yoga. Yoga helps to prevent injuries. Different poses aim to target different parts of the muscle. This forces you to slow down which can be very difficult. Yoga helps to reduce stress. Not only that but yoga helps with the focus.


The Beginning

When you start exercising, the first couple of days might feel tough. However, if you kept on wanting to give up, remind yourself how you would feel after a workout. Or, treat yourself to something you would enjoy. This would encourage you to exercise. I don’t know if you have ever heard about bullet journals but it helped me. I find putting together a chart in the bullet journal and each time I workout I would mark it down. This helps to encourage me to exercise every day. When I mark it down, it is very fulfilling. And this pushes me to exercise more.

Day 2 of the 7-day exercise challenge

This is my day 2 of the 7-day exercise challenge. What would you do to challenge yourselves for a good workout, even just 5 to 10 minutes would help.

If you need help to de-stress, do try aromatherapy it is very soothing.

Things to think about after a good workout.

In workout challenge

7 day workout challenge

Author adminPosted on Leave a comment

At home, I have always done some minor exercises. Whenever I Have some time I would do some exercise like a couple of minutes of Pilates, aerobics, or yoga. However, I find that the amount of exercise is not enough. I feel like I need to do some more. I decided to challenge myself to a 7-day workout challenge.

Taking a Toll

This September, both of my children are in school. I decided to keep them occupied by signing my children for more activities. My children are quite energetic I felt I need to keep them busy with activities. I believe the regular school, activities, and all the running around are taking effect on my body. Also, I still need to do my regular mommy duties. All these add up. I believe I need the 7-day workout challenge.

7 day workout challenge

Issue

I find I am extra grumpy dealing with my kids. I feel I needed some kind of outlet. Or, an intense workout to release some stress. My children don’t give me any breaks. They want something every 5 minutes. My daughter either wants a snack one minute. Then, she is asking to go to the playground next. I feel I don’t even have time to catch my breath. Constantly, I am reacting or doing rather than having any time to think. It is extremely exhausting.

The first week

My goal for the first week is to take baby steps to improve my stress level or improve my health. I want to start slow. First, I walk and slow jog around my block. I aim to jog for 7 days straight. Therefore, this is my 7-day workout challenge to push myself to run for 7 days straight. Hopefully, I will slowly increase the amount of time I run as well.

7 day workout challenge

I am inspired to do more stretches or yoga to improve my body’s flexibility.

When exercising it is important to snack on healthy snacks, try these energy bites.