A study looking at group fitness showed that physical, mental, and emotional quality of life improves when participants exercise together. It could also lead to a significant improvement in mood and well-being.
So, instead of working out solo, grab a friend, or your whole family. Here are some fun group fitness ideas:
Take a fitness class together like Zumba or Pilates
Don’t underestimate the healing properties of a good night’s sleep. Scientists have studied the subject extensively, and have concluded that sleep, although a bit mysterious, plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory, learning, and other vital processes.
Falling asleep can be difficult, especially if you’re stressed, anxious, or uncomfortable, but there’s a natural sleep aid that’s easy and accessible to everyone — exercise. Research suggests that moderate physical activity can decrease instances of sleep complaints and insomnia, and can make a notable difference/improvement in sleep quality. Moderate aerobic exercise increases the amount of slow wave sleep (also referred to as deep sleep) you get each night. This category of sleep gives the brain and body a chance to rejuvenate, and can also help stabilize mood and benefit cognitive functioning.
And while exercise at all times of day is generally considered good for sleep, exercising at the right time can be even better. If the evening is your optimal exercise window, try working out at least 2 hours before bed; this gives your brain and body time to wind down. The exercise doesn’t have to be especially rigorous, try some light aerobic exercise like a jog, fast-paced walk, or even some yoga, stretching, or tai chi. After 30 – 90 minutes post workout, your body’s core temperature should return to normal, which makes for prime sleeping conditions.
As the season of renewal blossoms, we’re thrilled to unveil our latest Playbook, brimming with an exciting lineup of programs, classes, and events spanning April through June. Whether you’re a child, adult, or senior, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
Embrace Nature: Join us for our Earth Day Festival on April 20th, where we celebrate our planet with eco-friendly activities and educational experiences. Plus, dive into biking adventures throughout May, as we pedal our way around Decatur in honor of bike month.
Celebrate Seniors: We’re rolling out a new round of senior parties and workshops, including our much-anticipated Senior Health and Fitness Fair on May 29th. It’s the perfect opportunity to socialize, stay active, and prioritize your well-being.
Explore New Classes: Shake up your routine with our exciting new classes! From dance fitness at Oakhurst to women’s self-defense at Decatur, there’s no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and have fun. Don’t miss our family-friendly activities like family yoga at Ebster—perfect for bonding and relaxation.
Youthful Adventures: Spring is in full swing for our young adventurers! Sign up for soccer, baseball, or join us for the opening day parade on June 1st. Plus, don’t miss our new skateboarding classes at McKoy Park—perfect for thrill-seekers looking to master new skills.
Ready to dive into spring with Decatur Parks & Recreation? Explore all the exciting offerings in our Playbook and secure your spot by registering on CommunityPass today!
What you eat before and after you exercise is almost as important as the workout itself. Food is your fuel—it gives you the energy necessary to be active and focused, and it also provides the nutrients required to build muscle and bone strength, as well as help the body recover post workout.
This Monday, plan some meals around your workouts.
What to Eat Before a Workout:
Carbohydrates help prepare the body for exercise, even if it’s something low-impact or low-intensity such as a Monday Mile. Eat foods that have the right nutrient balance to curb hunger and battle fatigue, and avoid foods that might lead to an upset stomach.
Bananas
A great source of quick energy, bananas are 90% carbohydrates. Keep one in your backpack or bag, and you’ll never be without pre-workout fuel. For a pre-workout breakfast, try adding them to this date and banana smoothie.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a breakfast staple that’s full of fiber, which makes it a great food to eat before exercising. Because it’s a complex carbohydrate, oats release their energy gradually, making it an appropriate choice for longer-length workouts. Oats are also a good source of vitamin B, which helps convert carbohydrates into energy. For a quick recipe idea, make this overnight apple peanut butter oatmeal.
Whole Grain Bread
Another good source of fiber that’s easy on the stomach, whole grain bread provides sustained energy throughout the workout. If you’re looking for a complete pre-workout meal, try adding a spread of hummus or a sliced hard-boiled egg for extra protein.
What to Eat After a Workout:
After a workout, your body needs to heal and rebuild—but this is a good thing! Eating the right nutrients after exercise can help your body speed up this process. The right combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fats can help increase muscle growth, decrease muscle protein breakdown, and enhance recovery. Foods high in protein allow the body to build new muscle tissue, while carbohydrate-rich foods are better for refueling after a run or another endurance exercise.
Beans
Beans are inexpensive, nutritious, and an excellent source of protein. Lean proteins, like beans, provide all the muscle-recovery benefits of protein, without the saturated fat of red meats like beef or pork. Recreate the flavor of meatballs using beans with this yummy lentil, mushroom walnut “meatball.”
Quinoa
Although technically a seed, quinoa provides the perfect balance of carbohydrates and proteins. Quinoa is easy to prepare (it’s cooked just like rice), and you can make a big batch to store in the refrigerator for when you need a quick post-workout bite, or you can form it into delicious corn and quinoa mini burgers.
Greek Yogurt
The perfect post-workout breakfast, Greek yogurt is loaded with protein and calcium, which helps the muscle repair and also contributes to bone strength. If the slightly tangy taste of Greek yogurt isn’t your favorite, throw it in a blender with some milk or plant-based milk, fruit, and leafy greens for a quick nutritious meal.
Moderate resistance training helps strengthen bones, manage weight, and improve posture, sleep, mood, and endurance, but fitting it in isn’t always easy — especially when you need to get dinner on the table.
The good news is that you don’t need a gym to fit in a workout; you’ve got all the equipment you need right in your home kitchen. Even a brief kitchen workout can help you maintain a consistent fitness regimen that you can later expand upon.
And you’ll be surprised at just how effective some of these exercises can be.
Counter-top pushups target your triceps, chest, and upper back: Simply face the countertop and place hands on the edge, around shoulder-width apart. Step your feet backward and lift your heels up so your body is in a plank position. Slowly lower your chest toward the counter, keeping your forearms parallel to each other; press your body back to the starting position and repeat.
To work your lower body — quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings — do some stove squats. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, interlace your fingers behind your head, and keep your elbows wide and chest high. Lower into the squat position, bending your knees to as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Rise back up and repeat.
For the back, do some lateral pan raises. Grab a pan — make sure it’s not too heavy — and hold it at your side with palms facing in. Slowly raise the pan outward until your arm is aligned with your shoulder, and then lower to starting position. Switch hands after each set.
The target your hard-to-reach forearms, try some forearm plate lifts. Simply hold a small plate in one hand, raise your arm out to the side so that it’s aligned with your shoulder, and bend at the elbow, making an L shape that is parallel to the floor. While holding the plate, move your wrist up and down. Then, switch hands. If you feel a burning sensation in your forearms after a few reps, you’re doing it right.
Physical activity comes with psychological and physiological benefits that can help improve mood and manage stress.
All forms of exercise — from walking and jogging to yoga and weight lifting — can help reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Plus, many forms of movement are free, accessible to all individuals, and doesn’t come with any unpleasant side effects (when done properly).
Both high- and low-intensity workouts offer physiological benefits by triggering a series of chemicals events that help improve brain function and regulate mood. That means, regardless of your current level of physical fitness, there are plenty of exercises and movements you can practice — anytime or anywhere — to help relieve stress.
But how much physical activity is necessary to start feeling the benefits? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing 30 minutes of exercise a day for three to five days a week, but don’t feel like you have to get it all done in one session.
Beginning this Monday, try to record 150 minutes of physical activity per week by using our list of small steps to get you moving. Because getting active doesn’t have to be a workout.
One small step for mankind, one giant leap for your overall wellness.
We’ve all got busy schedules, but it’s important to remember to set aside time for some movement. It might be hard to believe, but it’s possible (actually, pretty easy) to go an entire day without having to walk more than a few hundred steps.
But making slight modifications to your daily routine can lead to monumental life transformations. Simple activities such as walking, gardening, or even climbing a few extra flights of stairs can positively impact your overall health, reducing the risk of developing diabetes and helping with weight management. If you want to expand your range of motion and incorporate more physical activity into your day, then you’ve got to go small and walk home.
Here is our list of other small changes you can make to your daily routine that can help you become more active.
Take a Lap (Around the House)
It might not seem like much, but tidying up the house or simply walking from room to room are two simple ways to re-introduce yourself to some low stress movements.
Wearable fitness devices like an Apple Watch or Fitbit can serve a number of functions like track steps and distances, measure the calories burnt, and monitor heart rate and sleep quality. Tracking your progress and seeing improvements will help keep you motivated and committed to your activity goals.
Suggest a “Walking” Coffee Date
We know that everyone loves a meet-up over coffee, but what if you could take your chat outside? Ask for your Joe to-go, and try walking and talking – you’ll get fresh air and extra exercise.
Park Far Away
May not seem like much, but those extra steps in and out of your barber shop or grocery store do add up.
No, this isn’t a way of tricking you into cleaning the stove top or lint-rolling couch cushions. By giving the house or apartment a thorough cleaning, you’re doing your body a lot of good by engaging muscles that you may not use otherwise. A little bit of elbow grease goes a long way.
Take a Class Outdoors
We’re not talking extreme kayaking or rock climbing. Learning a new skill that gets you out of the house — be it photography, birdwatching, or gardening — can help add a surprising number of steps to your daily routine.
Walking doesn’t always feel like exercise; you probably won’t work up a sweat or be sore the next morning. But walking is still a very beneficial form of physical activity that can improve your health and wellbeing in a number of ways. Besides helping with weight management, walking can also lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve digestion, and a reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
But there are ways you can boost the benefits of walking even more.
With a few simple practices, you can upgrade your walk so that you are not only meeting your weekly physical activity goals, but managing stress levels and improving your strength and dexterity as well. Whether you’re zipping through the hallways at work, on a lunch break, or taking a stroll around the neighborhood before breakfast, try adding a few of the practices below to get more out of your walk.
This Monday, set the intention to “spice up” your daily walk with different strength-building, mindfulness, and breathing techniques that can be adapted to each individual’s comfort and ability level.
Mindfulness (5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Method)
When walking, use your five senses to focus on the moment as you move through your environment. Also known as the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method, this technique can help reduce stress and keep you calm. First, acknowledge five things that you can see around you. Next, think of four things that you can touch around you (hair, hands, elbows, walls, desk). Third, listen for three things that you hear around you. Next, acknowledge two things you can smell. And finally, find or visualize one thing you can taste. For example, when walking outside, look at the different trees, plants, flowers, people, or cars; think of touching the gravel, grass, branches, or your hair; listen to the birds or the wind or the cars; smell the dew or freshly cut lawn; and visualize eating that sandwich from your favorite café. At the end of the process, you will feel focused and renewed.
Arm Circles
To improve your shoulder strength and range of motion, do some light arm circles as you walk. With straight arms, slowly circle your arms in both directions (ten forward, ten back). Be sure to keep your core engaged, chest open, and shoulders down. Inhale as you reach up and exhale as you lower your arms, working to initiate the movement from your back. Just mind your surroundings when engaging in the practice to avoid injuring yourself or others.
Deep Breathing
Incorporating deep breathing while you walk can help calm the body and mind. One breathing technique you can do is square breathing. It’s pretty simple: Walk 100 steps and pause, then inhale for a count of four, hold for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and hold for a count of four.
Heel-and-Toe Walking
Heel-toe walking is a great technique to help improve balance and stability. To do the movement, walk for ten steps on your heels only with your toes raised off the ground, then return to normal walking for ten steps. Finish by switching to walking on your toes for ten steps. Repeat three times.
Speed Intervals
Quickening the speed of your walk is a great, low-impact form of physical activity. Once you are a little warmed up, try quickening your pace for a count of 30 seconds. Return to your normal walking pace and repeat as desired.
By adding different elements to your walk, you can work towards your physical activity goals while generating energy and focus for the rest of the day ahead.
A number of factors affect your heart health, with physical activity being one of the most important. Your heart is a muscle, and just like your biceps and quadriceps, it too benefits from a weekly workout. Because when your heart doesn’t get the care and attention it requires, problems can develop.
The American Heart Association recommends that adults get around 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Some examples of moderate intensity workouts include fast-paced walking, water aerobics, dancing, gardening (it can make you happier, too), tennis (doubles), or biking. High-intensity aerobics, such as running, swimming laps, and hiking, are also beneficial, but make sure to consult with your physician before incorporating these exercises into your physical-activity routine.
Another important point to remember is that you don’t have to be “exercising” to stay active. Small adjustments to your day-to-day life, like sitting less or taking a few extra laps around the house, can contribute positively to your heart health. A great way to do this is to “habit stack,” or incorporate extra movement into your normal routine. Waiting for the coffee to brew? Walk up and down the stairs, do a quick set of squats, or get in a quick stretch.
This Monday, set a goal of getting in 30 minutes of physical activity, and try to keep it up for the rest of the week. If you don’t reach the 150-minute mark, don’t sweat it. You can always refresh your intensions the following Monday. Your heart will thank you.
While many may dismiss stress as just part of life, it’s actually known as a ‘silent killer’ as a result of the negative health outcomes it can trigger. Now is the time to listen to what your stress is saying before it stresses you out. This Monday, reconnect to your plan to stay fit and keep moving in order to reduce your stress level.
Having a full life is a blessing but it can also be stressful. You’re not alone: two-thirds of Americans are stressed out! According to the American Psychological Society, money and work top the list for stress triggers – and even a single late night can throw sleep patterns into a flap. We’ve all been there. Fortunately for us, scientists, researchers, and doctors are intent on studying and unlocking the patterns of stress. There’s plenty of good information available that can help us to effectively reduce stress levels and have better, fuller lives.
Exercise
According to experts and scientists (and your personal trainer), exercise is a fabulous stress-buster. The more sedentary you are the more stress you may have. The Mayo Clinic says that the benefits of exercise can include an improved mood, increased sense of calm, and uptick in endorphins. And studies show even short two-minute bursts of exercise 15 times a day can help you live longer – which gives new meaning to taking out the trash or a walk around the block!
#MondayMile
The Monday Mile is a fun way to walk off stress, get exercise, and be social. Walk a mile with friends, family, or co-workers, and enjoy the positive health benefits while socializing with others. All you need is two feet and a heartbeat!
Yoga and Meditation
Yoga provides benefits to your body and mind while gently releasing stress. It can refresh your mental outlook, reduce your stress levels, and increase your flexibility, muscle strength, and respiration. Meditation continues the work that you start in a yoga session. By committing to yoga, meditation, or quiet contemplation, you allow yourself to refocus, reset, and renew for the week.
This Monday, take a deep breath, inhale, and exhale to lower your stress levels and stick to your fitness plan, guided by expert advice on exercise, walking, yoga, and meditation.
cburnette
Gael Doyle
saraeholmes
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