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A Beginners Guide to HIIT

Not sure what HIIT is or what it even stands for? This is the perfect place to start your education on a training program that has incredible benefits to your health and can add that diversity to your workout routine that you’ve been looking for.

High-Intensity Interval Training is defined by its bursts of high-intensity anaerobic exercise alternated with periods of low to moderate intensity exercise. The high-intensity portions of the workout will work your body to its max for anywhere between 30 seconds to 4 minutes, and the lower intensity periods that can last the same period of time will allow your body to recovery while you still remain active. This type of training has become increasingly popular in the fitness world due to its many health benefits, it’s shortened exercise time and it’s ability to be practiced anywhere, even from home.

So what exactly are the health benefits of HIIT?

You burn a ton of calories, even after you’re done working out! Thanks to Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption, your body is still using calories after a high-intensity workout to recover and restore itself from the effects of the exercise you just completed. This is also known as the “afterburn effect” and not only helps to burn additional calories hours after your workout but also helps to burn fat!  
Although this type of exercise might sound like a heart attack waiting to happen, it will actually benefit your cardiovascular system more than you think. Many people may be intimidated by the idea of going at 80% – 90% of their speed capacity on a treadmill but if you’re training properly you don’t need to worry that this will lead you to a heart attack, it will actually have the opposite effect! The intensity of the workout will help to increase the elasticity in your blood vessels and arteries, allowing for a better flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. So even though you might feel like your heart is about to pump out of your chest, it’s actually becoming stronger and healthier. 
The more your practice HIIT the more you’ll increase your body’s rate that it can consume oxygen. Your body has a specific rate at which it can consume oxygen while you are physically active and in the high-intensity phases of a HIIT, your body is demanding to be filled with even more oxygen than it would during a lower paced cardio exercise. Each workout can increase the threshold of oxygen you take in, and with that extra oxygen your muscles will perform better and you’ll boost your stamina.  
We all have busy lives and would probably rather spend our extra time with our families or catching up with friends than putting in the hours at the gym. And that’s another reason why HIIT is so great – it doesn’t have to take up as much time as your other workouts! You can even get a great fat-burning session done in just 20 minutes by practicing the technique of high-intensity exercise bursts mixed in with moderate to low-intensity exercise bursts.   
HIIT tests both you both mentally and physically. When you’re in the high-intensity phase of the workout you are going faster and harder and pushing yourself beyond what you thought possible. Not only are you testing yourself physically, but you’re giving yourself that mental challenge of pushing back against thoughts that might tell you aren’t strong enough. Guess what though, you ARE and with HIIT you’ll learn you have more mental and physical endurance than you once thought.  
Diversity is key in your workout regime and high-intensity interval training can be practiced among a range of different exercises from cycling, swimming, running and weight-lifting. It’s easy to incorporate into your favorite workout and you can even try it from your own home.

Although it might sound intimidating, high-intensity interval training can be practiced by almost anyone, anywhere. It’s a great workout to incorporate into your routine 2-3 times a week and will help keep you motivated and energized. Try out an Orange Theory Fitness Class (they’re all about HIIT!) and let us know what you think.

How To Be A Morning Person

There are many benefits to rising early. It boosts your energy and lifts your mood. It amplifies your productivity and sparks your creativity. And it improves your chances of getting to work on time!

Are you looking for ways to become a morning person? Getting more sleep is a great first step. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get seven to nine hours of shuteye each night. But it’s not just the number of hours you sleep that affects your ability to wake up and seize the day. It’s also the quality of those ZZZs.

Even if you’re a true night owl, you can transform yourself into a morning person by making a few tweaks to your daily routines. So what are you waiting for? Adopt these healthy sleep habits and you’ll soon find yourself waking up refreshed and ready to go

Set bedtime reminders: Sticking to a healthy sleep schedule starts with hitting the sheets around the same time every night. On your smartphone, set an alarm with a soothing sound that reminds you when it’s time to start winding down. (If you have an iPhone, check out the Bedtime tab on your alarm clock for a sleep analysis bonus.)
Start slowly: Training your body to get sleepy when it should doesn’t mean you need to convince yourself to hop into bed at 9 p.m. when you’re used to doing so much later. Making too big of a leap will keep you lying awake and restless, plus more likely to rebound into old habits. Instead, try turning in just 15 minutes earlier than usual. When your body adjusts to this new bedtime, turn in another 15 minutes earlier.
Stay consistent: Waking up at the same time every day will also help you stick to your new schedule, which you may find easier to commit to on weekdays. If you’re tempted to reward yourself with extra shut-eye on the weekends, resist the urge to lounge in bed. Sleeping in a couple of hours later than normal may feel luxurious now, but it can throw off your body’s internal clock—and land you with “a case of the Mondays.”
Reframe your thinking: Do you tend to procrastinate when it’s time to go to bed? How you think about bedtime sends signals to your body, which may trigger or inhibit a sleepytime response. By the time you feel tired, you might find yourself saying, “It’s late, I should go to bed.” A little trick to make bedtime less flexible is to shift the way you think about it. Next time you’re up an hour later than intended, try saying to yourself, “It’s an hour past my bedtime.”
Destress your morning routine: How you start your day can set the tone for a positive day—or not. Hectic mornings may seem like the norm, but they don’t have to be. Shorten your morning to-do list by shifting tasks to the night before, like picking out what to wear, preparing a make-ahead breakfast, packing a healthy lunch, setting the coffee timer, and organizing your work bag.
Skip the snooze button: Tired of being tired, even after a full night’s sleep? If you tend to hit the snooze button, you may be making yourself more tired than you think. Setting your alarm to go off just eight to 10 minutes into a new REM cycle can lead to sleep inertia or that feeling of heavy morning grogginess that’s hard to shake. Moving your alarm clock away from your bedside will encourage you to get up and start moving right away.
Cut back on caffeine: Any coffee lover knows that going cold turkey on the joe can be quite the feat. Gradually scale back on your caffeine intake. Not only will it help you snooze more soundly, you’ll be less likely to spend those extra dollars on a cup of coffee the next morning.
Jumpstart your day: You don’t have to leap out of bed and hit the gym for a vigorous workout to reap the benefits of morning exercise (unless, of course, you want to).There are plenty of early-bird workouts you can do from the comfort of home, and all you need is 10 – 30 minutes of moderate physical activity to get your heart pumping and feel more energized for the day ahead.

All it takes to start your journey to becoming a morning person is to make one small change. You’ve got this! Which healthy sleep habit will you try tonight?

Chiropractor and CEO of DREAM Wellness
—
Dr. Brian Stenzler

In this episode, I interview Dr. Brian Stenzler, a well-respected chiropractor and CEO of DREAM wellness. We explore the role of chiropractic care for overall health promotion, the image crisis chiropractors face, "staying in your lane" as a practitioner, the role of collaborative care, and of course the role of evidence based care. Enjoy!

Music: Surfing Day by Marcos H. Bolanos
Music can be found at freemusicarchive.org. Music has be altered and repurposed for and by Bret Scher of The Boundless Health Podcast.

Hormones Demystified

In this episode, we interview the endocrinologist behind the blog, “Hormones Demystified.” He prefers to remain anonymous, but I can tell you he is a highly respected and a very well-trained physician, and he is no stranger to controversy. He speaks his mind and has made it his mission to educate the public about fringe health practices that may be doing more harm than good. This episode may get your blood boiling, or it may make you rethink some assumptions. Either way, it is bound to be entertaining and informative.

Music: Surfing Day by Marcos H. Bolanos
Music can be found at freemusicarchive.org. Music has be altered and repurposed for and by Bret Scher of The Boundless Health Podcast.

Boundless Health Introduction

Welcome to the Boundless Health Podcast! We aim to be your go-to source for accurate and cutting-edge information to help you achieve your best health ever! Led by Dr. Bret Scher, a practicing cardiologist with over 20 years of clinical experience, we are going to help you explore evidence based, practical information and dive deeper into the controversies as it relates to your health and your healthcare.

Music: Surfing Day by Marcos H. Bolanos
Music can be found at freemusicarchive.org. Music has be altered and repurposed for and by podcast name.

How to Outsmart the Grocery Store

It’s happened to all of us. You ended up in the grocery store, hungry, tired and unprepared and suddenly you have a cart filled with frozen pizzas and potato chips. You end up staring at shelves upon shelves of Kraft Mac & Cheese, intriguing cereal boxes, microwave dinners and twelve different types of fruity, sugary yogurts. You definitely don’t need any of these items but you somehow end up with a cart full of them and you leave the store guilty of falling prey to the hidden psychology tricks of grocery stores. Have you ever noticed how essential foods like milk and eggs are spaced farthest from the entrance and to get back there you have to walk by all those packaged foods you didn’t even think you wanted? Or what about all the candy and sodas that are so conveniently placed by the checkout to tempt you while you stand in line waiting for your turn at the register? Or take a look at how large grocery carts are lately, do you really need to fill that much space or could you opt for a smaller shopping basket? Grocery stores are smarter than we think…but we can beat them at their own game and here’s how!

Make A List

Do not enter the grocery store without a list, whether it’s on your phone or written down on an old receipt you found in your car. Make sure to plan ahead, list out the items you truly need and do not allow yourself to deviate from this list once in the store. It may take an extra five minutes to do before you head in but it will save your wallet will be thankful for taking that time after you’re done the shopping!Also, don’t even think of walking down an aisle that doesn’t have one of the items you need.Not only will this save you from purchasing that junk food you don’t need, it will also save you time AND money. You could even turn this challenge into a game by timing yourself each time you go into the store. How quick can you get in and out? Get your friends in on the challenge and see who can make the best time!

Never Go To The Store Hungry

This is a rule everyone should live by. Your eyes are always bigger than your stomach and going to a grocery store with an appetite can land you in the frozen dinner section, or even worse, the bakery section picking out a donut to eat as you stroll through the rest of the store. Have a healthy snack before you go like an apple or a hard boiled egg. This will provide you with the energy you need to tackle the produce aisle and stock up with all your fruits and vegetables for the week! If you end up at the grocery store without a snack, just grab an apple or a banana from the fruit section (but don’t forget to pay for it on your way out!!).

Avoid Grocery Stores Completely

That’s right! Abandon the grocery store completely! Buy meat from a butcher and get your fruits and vegetables from your local farmers market. Or if you have a busy schedule, grocery shop online. There are countless platforms like Vons and Amazon that will deliver groceries right to your door. After having a snack and making your list, you can opt to shop online for the healthy foods you really need to stock your kitchen. If you’re interested in learning to cook new recipes you could also try one of a meal delivery service like Blue Apron or HelloFresh! These services can be very affordable and help you inspire you with creative & healthy new dinner options.

Stocking up your kitchen with the right foods is just one of the first steps of living your best health ever! If you can successfully get through your trip to the grocery store you’re already on your way to improving your health with meals that feature the foods you really need to fuel your body and your mind. If you need inspiration for your next meal, try out this great recipe from our friends at Whole30!

Simple Ways to Burn Extra Calories Throughout the Day

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important for the body to be in peak condition. You need to be physically active to make sure your excess fat and stored energy are used up. Staying active is also vital for our mental health as exercise acts as a natural form of treatment for stress and anxiety. You will be at your best health ever only when you have a proper fitness regimen that you stay committed to, watch your health and nutrition, and be an active member in your community.

That said, busy schedules and demanding lifestyles can mean you don’t always have that extra hour or two to hit the gym every day. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t be in control of your body AND burning those extra calories! Here are a few simple tips to get you through the day when you notice you’ve been more sedentary than usual and you don’t have time to lace up for a run. Don’t think of these as a substitute for working out but as an extra boost when you need to pick up the pace throughout your day!

Park farther away from your end destination. Whether it’s the parking lot at work or at the grocery store, find an empty spot as far away as you can to add in those extra steps. This adds a few minutes on your feet and can give you extra ‘burn time’.
Cycle to work. This is a great way to pick up a new hobby while joining the movement to reduce air pollution (and save on gas money!).
Take the stairs. Forget elevators or escalators and always opt for the old-fashioned staircase. To burn some extra calories, take 5 minutes out of your day to run a couple of laps up and down the stairs in your office building or in your home!
At your desk, when seated, flex your core constantly. Sit upright and flex your glutes, stretch your back, and try your best to not sit idle at any time.
Take a walk around the office during breaks. If you are on the phone, get up and walk as you talk. Doing this has the added benefit of no one overhearing your conversations as well, a double win! If you need a reminder, set a timer on your phone every 30 minutes so you know to get up and move around.
Purchase a fitness tracker like a Fitbit. This can help keep you accountable as it tracks your steps throughout the day. You can even set goals for 10,000 or 20,000 steps a day and compete against yourself to make sure you're always hitting that number!
If you have a dog, add an extra 10 minutes to your daily walks with them. Not only will your body appreciate being outside and active for longer, so will your furry friend.
Do you already walk to the nearest Starbucks or coffee shop by your home or work? Check out where the second nearest one is and opt for that one each morning when you're going to grab your daily cup of joe!

Try out any of these tips to burn some extra calories and you’ll feel the difference in your body, physically and mentally. Also, make sure to take the time to examine your day to day routine and find other opportunities that you could be using to walk around and be more active. It’s easy to get caught up in the race to get from point A to B but if you begin to move with more purpose you’ll be one step closer to living your best health ever.

3 Simple Breathing Techniques You Can Practice Anywhere

It doesn’t always take a vacation to a private island or a lavish spa day to get some relaxation time in. There are simple, quick techniques you can learn and incorporate into your everyday schedule to help ease that nagging tension and anxiety you might feel, and they take only take 5 minutes or less! Any time you might feel overwhelmed by an upcoming deadline at work or stressed out just coping with everyday tasks, you can try out any of these three breathing techniques. Find a quiet space wherever you are (even at work!) and try one of these out to help you feel more relaxed and ready to tackle the rest of your day.

Belly Breathing

Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this technique requires you to focus on expanding your stomach, rather than your chest, as you take in each deep breath.

1. Preferably lying on your back, place one hand over your stomach and another over your chest.

2. Breathe in slowly through your nose and through your stomach so that you feel your stomach rise against your hand as your abdomen fills with air.

3. Exhale completely and as you exhale through your nose, feel your stomach deflate to its neutral position.

4. Repeat this process for 5-10 minutes, focusing on the sensation of your stomach rising and falling with each breath.

The 4-7-8 Method

This exercise helps you breathe more deeply while putting your mind into a meditative state as you focus on counting the seconds during each breath in and out.

1. Sit in a comfortable position and start by slowly inhaling through your nose on a count of 4 seconds.

2. After the fourth second, hold your breath for a count of 7 seconds*

3. After 7 seconds, exhale your breath for a count of 8 seconds. Repeat this exercise 3-4 times.

*If 7 seconds feels too long, lower the count to a number of seconds that feels more comfortable for you.

Progressive Relaxation

Your entire body will take a role in this breathing exercise as you coordinate each breath with the tensing and relaxing of your toes and feet all the way up to your shoulders and head.

1. Lying or sitting, start by tensing the muscles in your feet as you breathe in through your nose. Hold the breath for a moment as you experience what the tension feels like in your feet and toes.

2. As you relax your feet, release your breath and exhale through your nose. Take another moment to appreciate the feeling of your feet no longer tensing and contracting.

3. Continue the process throughout your whole body, including your legs, abdomen, arms, hands, shoulders, jaw and eyes.

4. Finish the exercise by tensing the entire body as you take a final deep breath in, and as you release your breath make sure to focus on the sensation of each muscle returning to a relaxed state.

Taking the time to breathe deeply not only helps remind your brain to calm down but it can help remind you to be mindful and present in the moment. Just by taking 5 to 10 minutes out of your day to try any of these breathing techniques you’ll notice a difference in how you cope with your stress, negative thoughts and the tension you’re holding in your body. Give it a try and let us know which one works best for you!

Author: admin

A Beginners Guide to HIIT

How To Be A Morning Person

Chiropractor and CEO of DREAM Wellness
—
Dr. Brian Stenzler

Hormones Demystified

Boundless Health Introduction

How to Outsmart the Grocery Store

Simple Ways to Burn Extra Calories Throughout the Day

3 Simple Breathing Techniques You Can Practice Anywhere

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