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If designated kettlebell swing weight does not pose a significant challenge, add a “Power swing” component by dragging the weight down just as viciously as you drive it up.
I don’t have a sink sprayer in my current apartment, but I sure miss the one from my last place. I loved being able to pull out the sprayer to rinse fruit. And I especially loved being able to pull it out to give one final rinse all around my sink at the end of the night. It was so satisfying!
But over time — especially if you live someplace with hard water — gunk can build up in the sprayer’s holes, clogging them up to slow down the water stream. And over time, the hose can get gummed up with bits of debris, affecting its ability to retract. “Mineral buildup is the biggest problem for sink sprayers, but debris from the water can get into the nozzles from the inside, too,” says Christine Ramos, senior product manager for kitchens at Kohler.
And while most of us think about cleaning the sink and wiping down the faucet and handles, you probably hardly ever think about cleaning your sink sprayer. You should, though! Here’s what you can do the next time you think of it and have a few minutes to spare.
Chicken thighs are on the menu weekly in my house. It’s hard to beat their versatility and affordability. This is how I plan to eat them until fresh cherry season — aka the best season — comes to an end. The thighs are cooked in a cast iron skillet until their skin crackles and then they’re topped with a quick and easy cherry salsa made with red onion, jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and a big squeeze of lime. When piled onto the chicken thighs, it’s an effortless yet elegant summer meal that’s as ready for casual weeknights as it is for simple dinner parties out on the back porch.
I love when a simple addition completely transforms a dish. Take this roasted tomato appetizer, for instance. Just a drizzle of honey (yes, honey!) is all you need to turn up the volume on an otherwise standard appetizer.
As a Southern Californian living in New York, I thought I would find my go-to beach destination in the Hamptons. My first summer, I packed my bags and headed out on the first post-work Jitney my friends and I could get on. I soon realized, though, that the Hamptons just wasn’t my (beach) bag. The schlep is brutal, the restaurants are crowded, and the reservations are hard to come by. Plus, it just didn’t have the laid-back California vibe I was used to.
It wasn’t until I moved out of the city and across the river to Jersey City that I learned — I mean, really learned — about the Jersey Shore. Of course everyone’s heard of the television show, but that is definitely not the destination that I found. The Shore is actually a bastion of amazing food, drink, and culture.
There are many benefits to spending more time outside, like soaking up vitamin D and engaging in physical activities such as hiking, swimming, biking, and running. In addition to the physical benefits of spending time in nature, going outside can go a long way in helping you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally better.
Have you ever found yourself feeling super stressed and thought, “I just need to go outside for some fresh air!” Maybe a friend has suggested that you go take a walk because “it will help you relax” when life is feeling particularly tough.
It’s not a coincidence that more often than not you just feel better after a quick nature break.
Whether it’s the fresh air, the sounds, the colors, the physical activity, or simply time spent away from screens and technology, nature has a way of healing, supporting, and nurturing.
1. Nature reduces stress and relaxes the brain.
Spending more time in nature can be beneficial not only for immune function and combatting inflammation but for several of the greatest public health issues in our modern life as well, like obesity, depression, and eyesight. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Researchers from the University of Glasgow found evidence to suggest that physical activity in natural environments can improve mental health and reduce stress, and a 2015 study out of Stanford University found a significant difference in the positive effects that taking a walk in nature can have on mental well-being compared to going for a walk in an urban setting.6, 7
While I encourage you to go outside and engage physically with nature, even looking out at a view of nature through a window when you’re feeling stressed out can provide some relief.8
2. Nature improves cognitive function and mental performance.
If you’re experiencing mental fatigue and can’t seem to concentrate or make decisions, go outside! Spending time in nature has been shown to have positive effects on brain function for adults as well as kids.9, 10
Not only can natural environments improve your attention and ability to focus, according to a study led by psychologists at the University of North Florida, when you engage in dynamic physical activities outdoors like climbing a tree, balancing on a beam, or even walking barefoot, you can increase your working memory by 50 percent.11, 12
Moving in a new or unfamiliar environment or terrain not only challenges your fitness and physicality, but also engages your cognitive function in ways you don’t get to when you only move in the same terrain or environment like a traditional gym.
When you are balancing or climbing a tree, for example, you are moving in an unfamiliar and unpredictable environment which challenges your proprioception (that is, your awareness and ability to sense the position and movement of your body parts in your surrounding space without visual assistance). This engages the “problem-solving” part of the brain (your working memory) to process the incoming information and helps you adapt to the environment, which results to improved working memory performance in general.
Spend some time moving outside, and you may notice that you can focus more own your studies or your work performance.
I’ve noticed this myself, when hiking on a trail I’ve have never been on. I am much more aware of my surroundings and how my body is moving in that space. It’s new information for my senses, my body, and my brain that requires me to be fully present to navigate this new terrain and avoid injury. It can feel like you’re working out a real-world puzzle for the body and mind.
3. Nature can protect eyesight.
We spend most of our days indoors, looking at screens and very rarely needing to look beyond a few feet. It is no wonder why myopia (nearsightedness) is increasingly prevalent.13 Just like the body requires natural movement to function optimally, so do our eyes.
Numerous studies have found that children who spend more time playing or participating in sports outdoors have a lower prevalence of myopia.13, 14, Researchers in China found, over a three-year period, that children who spent as little as 40 extra minutes outside during the school day were less likely to develop myopia. 15, 16
At the very least, it is beneficial to take a break from the computer every 20 minutes to look out the window at the farthest point for a few minutes, and even better to step outside regularly and scan the environment and give our eyes a break if we spend most of our time indoors, under artificial light, or in front of a screen.
4. Nature improves mood and can help manage depression.
Studies suggest that spending time in nature reduces our cortisol levels and heightens our sense of well-being.6 Simply going for a walk has been shown to reduce anxiety and help with depression.7
Going outside and sitting by a lake or stream and allowing myself to melt into a state of relaxation has helped me to cope with depression and anxiety. There is research linking both, movement and nature to improved mood, though it’s hard to say what exactly is responsible for that result. Is it simply being outdoors? Is it the physical activity? Is it a combination of both? 17, 18 Does figuring that out even matter?
I think Dr. David Strayer, a cognitive psychologist from the University of Utah sums up the body-nature relationship beautifully in an interview with National Geographic Magazine on this topic: “At the end of the day, we come out in nature not because the science says it does something to us, but because of how it makes us feel.”19
We have a pervasive disconnect from nature and the more we can re-immerse ourselves in natural settings, the more it can help us feel more alive, vibrant, and strong, benefiting in ways physical, mental, and spiritual in the process.
Ready to connect with nature?
If you’re ready to start reaping the benefits of spending time outdoors, here are a few things you can do:
Go outside, lay on the ground, and look up at the sky. Feel all your senses come to life as you breathe peacefully and take it all in.
If there is an area in which you feel safe, take a walk. If you’re in the habit of walking the same route, switch it up if you have options.
Climb or hang on a tree.
Go hiking and explore a new environment and terrain through some dynamic movement like stepping over and under, crawling, balancing, or climbing.
Walk barefoot. If this is new for you start on a gentle surface like sand or grass. Feel the ground beneath your feet and notice how you have to pay attention to the surface to avoid stepping on something sharp or hot. Each step you take barefoot you are using your working memory to help problem solve. It’s a win-win for your brain and foot-health. As your feet grow accustomed to different textures and surfaces over time, you can explore on more challenging surfaces like stones and rocks.
If you have kids, take them to the park. Move and engage in the environment by climbing and hanging on the monkey bars, chasing your kids under, over, and through various obstacles, balancing on a beam. Everyone benefits!
These are just a few ideas. However you choose to do it, get outside today and fuel your body, mind and spirit with some vitamin N!
Mao GX, Lan XG, Cao YB, et al. Effects of short-term forest bathing on human health in a broad-leaved evergreen forest in Zhejiang Province, China. Biomed Environ Sci. 2012 Jun;25(3):317-24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22840583
Mao GX, Cao YB, Lan XG, et al. Therapeutic effect of forest bathing on human hypertension in the elderly. J Cardiol. 2012 Dec;60(6):495-502. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22948092
Miyazaki Y, Lee J, Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Matsunaga K. Preventive medical effects of nature therapy. Nihon Eiseigaku Zasshi. 2011 Sep;66(4):651-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21996763
Sherwin JC, Reacher MH, Keogh RH, et al. The association between time spent outdoors and myopia in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2012 Oct;119(10):2141-51. http://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(12)00363-6/abstract
Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. Outdoor activity reduces the prevalence of myopia in children. Ophthalmology. 2008 Aug;115(8):1279-85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18294691
He M, Xiang F, Zeng Y, et al. Effect of Time Spent Outdoors at School on the Development of Myopia Among Children in China: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2015;314(11):1142-1148. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2441261
Heesch KC, van Gellecum YR, Burton NW, van Uffelen JGZ, Brown WJ. Physical Activity, Walking, and Quality of Life in Women with Depressive Symptoms. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2015 Mar;48(3):281-291 http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(14)00567-4/abstract
Craft LL, Perna FM. The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2004;6(3):104-111. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/
The brains behind the incredibly popular food blogs How Sweet Eats and Two Peas and Their Pod have launched a meal planning subscription service. Called Sweet Peas Meals, the goal is to get people to cook balanced and delicious meals without having to spend too much time in the kitchen.
“When we first started talking about Sweet Peas Meals, our main goal was to create something that would simplify your everyday life, every single day,” reads the website. “We do all of the work for you to plan delicious, family-friendly menus week after week, giving you the time to focus on enjoying the joy and fun that mealtime should be.”
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
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Warrior Fit Testimonials
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Ever since I was convinced to do Tabata I have seen huge results, I lost 6 pounds and gained energy in the first 3 weeks. I have been working out for 3 months before I decided to do Tabata and I struggled to lose weight.
At first I thought "How am I losing weight by bringing my heart rate up then cooling down then bringing it up again?" I don’t know how it works but it does!
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The first day of Tabata, I wondered WHAT AM I DOING - I AM 56 !! Five weeks later I knew that it was what I needed. I learned that I could push myself well beyond my comfort zone and feel good later. I have a marked improvement in physical as well as emotional endurance. - Lyn C.
When I was first told about Tabata I was very excited from the word go, however that excitement stemmed from the fact that I had no clue what it meant. I missed the first week of class b/c I was traveling for work so when I came in during the 2nd week I had some making it up to do.
It was hard at first b/c my body wasn't used to working out at such a fast pace, but once I got into a rhythm I started to feel very good. These classes are no joke. If you stick with it you will leave there feeling stronger, healthier and overall better about yourself and what you've accomplished.
I would recommend these classes to anyone. Darrin is a great trainer and he'll keep you going with his energy.
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Warriors Fit Audio
Warrior Fit uses High Intensity Music to get ya Moooovin' So we can all "Get Our Sweat On"
The link below will give ya a freeee shot at Audible plus a couple audio books just to try it out and if you haven't used audio books on your commutes you are missing out. Get pumped up before you get to where you are going and exercise your mind. I use it Everyday. Go get yours now!
1. Nature reduces stress and relaxes the brain.
Not only can natural environments improve your attention and ability to focus, according to a study led by psychologists at the University of North Florida, when you engage in dynamic physical activities outdoors like climbing a tree, balancing on a beam, or even walking barefoot, you can increase your working memory by 50 percent.11, 12
Numerous studies have found that children who spend more time playing or participating in sports outdoors have a lower prevalence of myopia.13, 14, Researchers in China found, over a three-year period, that children who spent as little as 40 extra minutes outside during the school day were less likely to develop myopia. 15, 16
Going outside and sitting by a lake or stream and allowing myself to melt into a state of relaxation has helped me to cope with depression and anxiety. There is research linking both, movement and nature to improved mood, though it’s hard to say what exactly is responsible for that result. Is it simply being outdoors? Is it the physical activity? Is it a combination of both? 17, 18 Does figuring that out even matter?
Go outside, lay on the ground, and look up at the sky. Feel all your senses come to life as you breathe peacefully and take it all in.
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
Val's Steppin it Up
