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A Word From Jackie

It is amazing to think Thanksgiving is next week! It is the season of gratitude, and I am very grateful for each and every one of you, both as clients and friends! Thank you for trusting me with your health and fitness journey and I am looking forward to continuing our path together throughout the years to come.

The article this month is “Pamper Yourself – this holiday season and throughout the year. You all train really diligently on a regular basis, which is one of the primary keys to health and fitness success. However, taking a day weekly to pamper yourself a little bit is important as well. Hopefully, you will try out one or more of the suggestions very soon.

I am here Monday and Tuesday, the 25 and 26th of November, then the Calendar at a Glance includes the studio closure for the 27th of November through December 1st of December, for the Thanksgiving Holiday and also mentions the closure for the Christmas Holiday from the 23rd through the 29th of December as well as January 1st for New Year’s Day. Other than those holiday oriented closures, I am here per usual!

The exercise video of the month is an “Abduction Squat with Biceps Curls.”  This is an excellent compound exercise to add to your workout repertoire. 

• Begin with a step platform (although you may certainly perform the exercise from the floor), set up with the short end facing forward.

• We will be utilizing moderate dumbbells for the biceps curls and the step is at 8 inches, but you may decrease the height to lessen the intensity or increase it to 10 inches to increase the intensity.

• Standing on the platform with the left foot, holding the dumbbells suspended by your sides and the right foot on the floor close to the platform, engaging the quadriceps/hamstrings and glutes as you engage the hip abductors (i.e. gluteus medius and minimus located in your outer/upper hip), drive straight up, extending the left leg at the knee joint as you lift/abduct the right leg from the hip joint.

• You are performing the biceps curl as you lift the right leg and then extending the arms at the elbow joint completing the curl on the down phase into the squat. 

• Then, slowly lower yourself back to the floor, landing toe/ball/heel with the right foot and immediately into a squat position and repeat. Complete your repetitions on this side and then repeat on the opposite side.

• Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions (R/L = one rep), on two/three non-consecutive days/week.

• This exercise trains the quadriceps/hamstrings/glutes, hip abductors, biceps, and nose to toes core.

And Danelle Peters has provided you with another massage therapy tip as well!

The recipe of the month is “Chipotle-Pumpkin – Baked Beans which should be tasty as the temperatures cool outside!

Again, thank you for the honor of training you here at Lakewood Fitness and have a blessed, peaceful and enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday! And please take a moment if you are pleased with your experience at Lakewood Fitness and submit a review on our Google Business page, just 
CLICK HERE.


Cheers,
Jackie

Calendar at a GlanceNov / Dec / Jan

Wednesday, November 27th – 29th
Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday
Monday, December 23rd – 29th
Closed for the Christmas Holiday
Wednesday, January 1st
Closed for New Year’s Day 2025

Abduction Squat with Biceps Curls

During the Holidays & Throughout the Year, Train Hard & Then Pamper Yourself

By: Jackie Wright, Owner/Manager Lakewood Fitness

After a solid week of challenging workouts, it is time to pamper yourself a little bit. Recovery is crucial, as we know, in order for the body to grow and repair, so we require a day each week designated for true rest and recovery. And, that day may include vegging out a bit with a good book or a game that you saved to watch, but there is nothing like a little pampering to set up the next week for training success.

Consider the following pampering strategies which are good for the mind, body and soul and begin integrating regular pampering sessions for yourself and those you love. As always, prior to beginning any exercise program, or pampering session, please consult your physician.


Pampering Strategy #1
Enjoy a massage! There are many types of massages possible, so you need to consider what outcome you are seeking. If it is purely relaxation, then chat with the licensed massage therapist to make certain that is what they are prepared to perform. Conversely, if you are looking for a deep tissue massage which will concentrate on the deeper fascia and connective tissue, you will want to request that approach. Both are fantastic with the latter being a little uncomfortable as the therapist mobilizes waste by-products of energy production while breaking down the density of the fascia surrounding the muscle. However, you are always in control of the pressure applied so just communicate clearly and then experience the wonderful benefits that massage may provide. 

Pampering Strategy #2
Self-Myofascial Release! All you need is a foam roller, or stick roller and the direction of a certified, qualified fitness professional, who has training in myofascial release, to guide you through the “rolling” experience. The beauty of this approach is that you may do it yourself. Foam rollers and stick rollers are inexpensive, but you do want to purchase a good quality one so that it will last. You may spend five minutes rolling a trigger point, or thirty minutes rolling the soft tissue of the entire body.

Pampering Strategy #3
Take a relaxation/stretching fitness class or meditative/restorative yoga class! What would be wonderful would be to take one of these classes, which may include myofascial release followed by a massage. Talk about floating through the rest of your recovery day!

Pampering Strategy #4
Meditation and Diaphragmatic Breathing! Meditative techniques, such as Transcendental Meditation, have been shown to lower stress levels and to refresh the mind which then impacts the body. Spending 15-20 minutes of your recovery day meditating (or any other day for that matter) pays off big dividends in terms of stress management. Additionally, a session of diaphragmatic breathing inhaling oxygen through your nose, inflating the lunges, expanding the diaphragm, pausing briefly and then slowly exhaling the carbon dioxide through pursed lips, may slow the heart rate and calm the mind/body. When practiced regularly, deep breathing may have a dramatic impact on stress reduction and control.

Pampering Strategy #5
Hot Bath, Hot Springs, Jacuzzi, Hot Tub, Sauna, Steam Room/Shower and Short Bouts of Warm Sunshine! One of my favorite pampering and therapeutic strategies following a challenging physical activity week is to sit in the hot tub for about 15-20 minutes followed by a short bout of lying in the sun, with sunscreen of course. The level of spirit elevation, recovery and relaxation is tremendous.

A Physical Benefit of Massage

Offered by: Danelle Peters, LMT

The human touch is a powerful thing. Today, massage remains one of the life's most universally enjoyable experiences!
Swedish massages are the most common form of bodywork – and for good reason. This ‘best all around’ rubdown  helps with a host of healing properties from improved circulation and relaxation to decreased muscle tension and joint pain. This is best experienced as a “full body” massage to dissolve your built up of tension. 

Add a little mood- lifting essential oil to this massage and you'll experience total bliss. 

Chipotle Pumpkin Baked Beans

It looks like adding a dash or two of hot sauce to our meals, like these chipotle pumpkin baked beans below, might be good news for our gut health. Consumption of the plant compound capsaicin, which is found in various chili peppers and what lends them their fiery bite, was associated with changes in the gut microbial structure that increased microbiome diversity and short-chain fatty acids abundance, according to a study in Nutrients.

Short-chain fatty acids are compounds produced by certain microorganisms in our guts and are thought to be responsible for a number of the health benefits such as improved immunity associated with the microbiome. The researchers suggested these changes may be why past research has found there might be certain health benefits attributed to consuming capsaicin such as driving down inflammation.

While it’s not known how much capsaicin exposure is needed to have a positive impact on the microbiome, we have a gut feeling you’ll agree this punchy baked bean dish is a keeper.

Chipotle Pumpkin Baked Beans Recipe
2 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 1/2 C water
1 1/2 C cooked cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
1/4 C tomato paste
2 small canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
3 T brown sugar
2 T molasses, maple syrup or date syrup
2 T cider vinegar
1 t dried oregano
½ t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
3 pepperettes, chopped (optional)
1 large carrot, chopped
2 chopped shallots

Heat oven to 350 Farhenheit. Blend together pumpkin, water, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, brown sugar, molasses, cider vinegar, oregano, cinnamon, salt and black pepper into a smooth paste. Place beans, pepperettes (if using), carrot and shallots in a casserole dish. Sir in pumpkin mixture. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Makes four servings. 

(recipe credit: Matthew Kadey, MS, RD - IDEA Health & Fitness)

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