active – Less Meat More Veg https://lessmeatmoreveg.com Source For Healthy Lifestyle Tips, News and More! Wed, 15 Sep 2021 08:52:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 Rest Days Vs. Active Recovery: Which Is More Important For Recovery? https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/rest-days-vs-active-recovery-which-is-more-important-for-recovery/ https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/rest-days-vs-active-recovery-which-is-more-important-for-recovery/#respond Wed, 15 Sep 2021 08:52:06 +0000 https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/rest-days-vs-active-recovery-which-is-more-important-for-recovery/

After a tough workout, it’s important to focus not only on physical recovery but also on mental health. It is incredibly important to ensure that you have the recovery time and techniques for streamlined muscle recovery. There are many ways to maximize your recovery period but also build your muscles. Peptides have been a researched bond that researchers have been working on to help with recovering after a workout and muscle growth to name a few.

However, this area of research is not suitable and can be extremely harmful to humans so it is not advised to make use of it. Many athletes rest on rest days during which they do dedicated recovery modalities to speed up this process. Which are options to take in other than what you can put into your body such as supplements or what researchers are currently working on. Two types of recovery are active recovery and rest days. Learn the difference between these two options as well as some ways to help with this process in the most natural ways possible.

Rest Days

When you decide to have rest days you are taking the time to heal your muscles and when you allow this you give them time to grow. Many experts will let you know that you should take rest days and make time for active recovery. Rest days or passive recovery allow you to take time off from training at the gym.

This helps you not only with recovering physically, but also mentally too if you are an extremely active person who may need it to ensure that you are taking care of your body in the best way possible. You essentially make sure that if your body requires it because of physical injuries or you are recovering from an illness you are gaining the healing that you need. When you are battling severe mental stress it can take you longer to recover after your gym workouts. So do not worry if it may take you longer to achieve post-workout recovery.

Active Recovery

Active recovery is not the same as having a rest day. It means that you still partake in light training sessions or physical activity when you have a day off. You do not do heavy workouts at all so that you can prevent your muscles from being overworked. When you decide to go through an active recovery to help heal your muscles you should try to do something outside to help activate your mind in the best way possible. The first things you do are to do post-workout or pre-workout routines.

You engage your mind with nature or natural activities like swimming in a way that relieves your mental stress. So this should be an option for you if you still want to do something physical that is less intensive. Doing a day of active recovery helps increase your range of mobility while your muscles are taking the time to heal. You also take the time to stay up to date on your eating routines.

Recovery Tips

Some tips that you can stay on top of include ingesting what is right for your muscles. Another thing that you can do is ensuring that external things that you use to help heal your muscles are utilized to increase the rate of recovery. What you can do is ensure that you are consistently hydrated and that you eat the right food or supplements. The external things that you can do to ensure that your muscles heal faster are getting your muscles massaged or taking a hot bath with bath salts or other external muscle relaxers.

*collaborative post


This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

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10 Tips For Staying Active With Arthritis – Art of Healthy Living https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/10-tips-for-staying-active-with-arthritis-art-of-healthy-living/ https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/10-tips-for-staying-active-with-arthritis-art-of-healthy-living/#respond Tue, 10 Aug 2021 09:01:57 +0000 https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/10-tips-for-staying-active-with-arthritis-art-of-healthy-living/

Arthritis can be unbearable for many, as it saps away your physical and mental energy due to chronic pain. The inflammation around the joint and other connective tissues leaves one with stiff and aching joints.

Nevertheless, one needs to stay active as reduced activity will only weaken the muscles and destabilize the skeletal system. Explore rheumatology services in Orlando to learn how regular exercises can help with chronic pain and help heal the body.

Staying active with arthritis does not mean joining a gym and sweat it out every day. Even simple everyday activities like hiking, gardening, walking can help a lot.

Here are some tips on how to stay active even with arthritis.

Walk Every Day

Go for a brisk walk every day, even if it is a short walk around the block or to the local grocery store. As walking is helpful for knee, hip, and back pain, you are sure to get some relief.

Swim

Swimming is the number one exercise that is highly recommended to arthritis patients. So, if you enjoy swimming, just go for it, and one can even perform aerobics in the water.

Yoga

Join a yoga class, as this is an excellent form of exercise for people with arthritis as it allows them a full range of motion. Those basic exercises or stretches can work wonders for your muscles and joints.

Pilates

Like yoga, Pilates is also a great exercise for arthritis as it does not place any stress on the joints or forces them into awkward positions. Those exercises, in fact, align your joints and help you perform the exercises better because of a good alignment.

Gardening

Develop a hobby such as gardening or pottery making that will keep your body and mind busy. You can join any activity that will help you with your condition. Even doing housework can work as an enjoyable activity for some.

Cycling

Cycling is another suitable aerobic exercise for arthritis patients, who can benefit from the leg resistance and strengthening exercises and improve their muscle condition. Just go at your own pace and don’t overexert yourself.

Strength Training

Strength training can strengthen your muscles, and all you need to do is lift some weights. There are a ton of exercises that one can do to strengthen both their upper and lower body, such as squats, planks, push-ups, abdominal crunches, and more.

Just keep in mind that if the pain increases after exercising or any activity, you should stop. Try to do something a bit gentler and progress to the high level once you have developed the strength and stamina. It is strongly advised to stay away from high-impact sports that can further stress the joints and aggravate the pain.

Here are some more tips for arthritis patients:

  • Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.
  • Take a break in case of severe pain but don’t give up on an exercise plan.
  • Accept that some days will be bad and just keep with the activity plan.
  • Eat healthy, stay positive and drink plenty of water.
  • Carry proper equipment for your exercise or activity.

*collaborative post


This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

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How to Keep Kids Active With Adventure Points https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/how-to-keep-kids-active-with-adventure-points/ https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/how-to-keep-kids-active-with-adventure-points/#respond Sat, 17 Jul 2021 14:33:59 +0000 https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/how-to-keep-kids-active-with-adventure-points/
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Imagine a world where kids happily keep themselves busy and learning while doing activities that they love and learning math at the same time. A place where kids compete in a friendly way by doing athletic activities, creative games, and reading books.

Sounds too good to be true, right?

I’ve always heard that necessity is the mother of invention and this is certainly true of this Adventure Points idea. Ever had one of those motherhood moments where every child needed something at the same time, one had just spilled a smoothie everywhere and the baby needed a diaper change?

I had one of those moments and realized that for the sake of my sanity and the kids’ activity levels I needed to have a plan for summer that didn’t involve them watching TV every day.

We reinstitute the system every summer or over breaks. It puts my kids’ natural creative and competitive sides to work for the good of all!

What Are Adventure Points?

We already have the “Mom I’m Bored Jar” which works really well but is more of a help when they are already bored. I wanted to find a way to encourage them to find activities without getting bored in the first place.

In short, this is a simple system of points for doing creative or athletic activities that encourages movement and creative play over TV watching. It also has surprisingly reduced the bickering and fighting in our house.

The idea for the name “Adventure Points” came from my kids’ hiking boots, which they call “Adventure Boots” since they wear them for hiking, fort building, and other outdoor adventures.

How Adventure Points Work

I sat down with a piece of paper and thought of activities I wanted my kids to do this summer and assigned a point value to each. The kids helped me brainstorm and we came up with a big list of activities that they enjoy (that don’t involve a screen or a snack). Things like:

  • Riding bikes (30 mins) = 10 points
  • Pull-ups = 2 points each
  • Push-ups = 1 point each
  • Swimming = (30 mins) = 10 points
  • Drawing (30 mins) = 5 points
  • Preparing a meal for the family = 20 points
  • Reading a book = 5 points
  • Reading a chapter book = 20 points
  • Fort-building = 20 points per hour
  • Folding origami (30 mins) = 10 points (Great tutorials in this book)
  • Make paper airplanes (30 mins) = 10 points (They love this book for ideas)
  • Draw with sidewalk chalk (30 mins) = 10 points
  • Read to a sibling (30 mins) = 25 points each
  • Do a chore (not on regular chore list) = 10 points
  • Play Monopoly = 15 points
  • Play Scrabble = 15 points
  • Climb a tree = 5 points per tree
  • Play Battleship = 10 points
  • Play Chess = 10 points
  • Water the plants = 5 points
  • Play Uno = 5 points
  • Play War (card game) = 10 points
  • Jump rope = 3 points
  • Play Apples to Apples = 10 points
  • Play hopscotch = 2 points
  • Weed garden (30 mins) = 10 points
  • Play a game of wiffle ball = 15 points
  • Run around the yard 5 times = 10 points
  • Jump on the trampoline for 10 minutes = 3 points
  • Do a puzzle = 20 points
  • Do 25 cartwheels = 10 points
  • Write and mail a letter to friends or family = 10 points
  • Create a scavenger hunt for siblings = 10 points
  • Play Legos (30 mins) = 10 points
  • Get caught doing something unexpected and kind = 50 points bonus
  • Rollerblade outside (30 mins) = 10 points
  • Listen to a history podcast = 10 points
  • Watch a TED talk (from this list) = 10 points
  • Watch/do a lesson from Udemy or Great Courses = 15 points

I thought of about 50 activities that were worth points and assigned values to each. Then, I made a list of fun family activities that would be good goals for milestone points. 100 points would earn a healthy dessert after dinner one night while 1000 points would earn a larger reward like a special activity, new art supplies, or a contribution toward something they’ve been wanting. (Tip: Use things you plan on doing anyway! This is just a fun way for the kids to earn them).

I’ve also found that the kids are excited to be helpful around the house when I offer “bonus points” for doing the things above and beyond their normal responsibilities.

After a few days of using the system, I decided to create two separate lists for older kids (8+) and younger ones (7 and under) to match their skill levels since the younger kids were being left behind by older kids (who could do many more pull-ups!).

How to Implement Adventure Points

If you’d like to try this system (and I’d highly recommend it!), here are a few tips for getting started:

1. Decide on Activities That Work in Your Home/Yard

Make a list of activities you’d like your kids to do and break it down by age group if needed. Figure out how much each activity is worth in the point system you’d like to use and assign a point value to each. Feel free to use my list as a start!

2. Decide on Rewards

Chances are that while points are a great motivator, your kids won’t be thrilled with just earning points that don’t mean anything. Decide on what the points will allow the kids to do or earn and create a list of this for the kids. We try to focus on activities and experiences rather than stuff so our rewards were activities, but physical rewards can be great too especially if they will help kids be active or build a life skill.

Some ideas of material rewards that encourage learning:

3. Track the Points

I realized that the system wouldn’t encourage the independent creative time I was hoping for if the kids had to check in with me every time they did an activity to get the points. I decided to use the honor system (which has worked really well so far) and get each kid a small spiral notebook to track points. This way, the kids track their points each day and I just tally once a day to keep the running totals.

I also created a chart to help track the points for each activity. You can download a copy for yourself here.

4. Enjoy Watching Your Kids Learn and Play!

I was really hoping that creating “Adventure Points” would free up some of my time by stopping the refrains of  “I’m bored” and “Can we watch a movie.” It certainly has and I’m definitely grateful for that.

I’ve found that even more than the free time, I’ve enjoyed watching my kids’ creativity soar and the older kids play with the younger ones more easily since they have more structure and ideas for activities (and because there is a goal in mind). Also, keeping track of points has been a fun and unexpected math boost for the little kids as I keep hearing questions like “Does 243 plus 15 equal 258?!” 🙂

Your turn! What are some fun ways you encourage creativity and activity during free time at home?


This article was originally published by wellnessmama.com. Read the original article here.

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From Town To Trail: The Perfect Shoes For An Active Lifestyle https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/from-town-to-trail-the-perfect-shoes-for-an-active-lifestyle/ https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/from-town-to-trail-the-perfect-shoes-for-an-active-lifestyle/#respond Mon, 24 May 2021 07:56:35 +0000 https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/from-town-to-trail-the-perfect-shoes-for-an-active-lifestyle/

As an active person, you never really know what life is going to throw at you. Maybe it’s an impromptu hike, or your kids have successfully pleaded for an afternoon at the pool. Chaco Z/Sandals are versatile sport sandals that ensure you’re ready for anything. These sandals have 360-degree adjustability for a cozy, customized fit, as well as the LUVSEAT™ footbed (very lovable indeed). And because we know you don’t hold back when it comes to activity: these shoes are a part of the ReChaco Program, meaning you can send your sandals in for repair whenever needed.

We all know how it feels to get an invite to an outdoor adventure, only to look down at the wrong pair of shoes. There’s no way to say what the day will bring, but the Z/Sandals allow you to go with the flow. Having that shoe-for-any-occasion is the luxury you didn’t know existed, until now.

This article was originally published by mindbodygreen.com. Read the original article here.

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The Surprising Lifestyle Factor That Can Influence How Active You Are https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/the-surprising-lifestyle-factor-that-can-influence-how-active-you-are/ https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/the-surprising-lifestyle-factor-that-can-influence-how-active-you-are/#respond Thu, 20 May 2021 22:21:01 +0000 https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/the-surprising-lifestyle-factor-that-can-influence-how-active-you-are/

Over the course of a nine-year follow up, the researchers found two things. Firstly, “people with a greater sense of purpose in life may be more likely to engage in physical activity,” write Yemiscigil and Vlaev, “At the same time, physical activity can contribute to a sense of purpose in life.” All that to say, those that felt more attached to a purpose were more active, and those that were more active were more likely to feel a sense of purpose.

This connection between a sense of purpose and physical activity, which is termed a ‘bidirectional relationship’ in the paper, was specifically found in samples of middle-aged and older adults. Of course, the positive impacts of physical activity on overall mental well-being are well researched. As referenced by the authors of this study, a 2018 meta-analysis concluded that the evidence of 49 studies supports the fact that physical activity can be help to prevent depression in some cases.

However in this study, it was not happiness or another factor that was considered: it was the simple existence of a sense of purpose—which, like physical activity, can decline with age in some cases. Purpose, for many Americans in particular, can be tied to the roles we exist in during our lives, so it makes some sense that aging and the things that go with it, like retirement, may be tied to a loss of that feeling.

This article was originally published by mindbodygreen.com. Read the original article here.

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Here’s how plant-based supplements can boost your active lifestyle – Rosanna Davison Nutrition https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/heres-how-plant-based-supplements-can-boost-your-active-lifestyle-rosanna-davison-nutrition/ https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/heres-how-plant-based-supplements-can-boost-your-active-lifestyle-rosanna-davison-nutrition/#respond Mon, 22 Mar 2021 13:29:14 +0000 https://lessmeatmoreveg.com/heres-how-plant-based-supplements-can-boost-your-active-lifestyle-rosanna-davison-nutrition/

Maintaining an active lifestyle is tricky, especially in an age of increasing sedentary working conditions, deteriorating food quality and endless sugary temptations vying to drag you off course. Indeed, maintaining a balanced diet is one of the most crucial ways to fuel your active lifestyle. This is because it directly affects your energy levels throughout your day. If you eat the wrong foods, or don’t have access to sustenance when you need it most, your energy levels can be sapped. It could make your active lifestyle impossible to follow. 

This is why plant-based supplements are so powerful. When used properly, they allow you to maintain an even level of energy and stay healthy, especially when you’re on the go and don’t have access to a full meal. 

Here’s how plant-based supplements can boost your active lifestyle:

Rest and recover after exercise

One of the most useful qualities of CBD is its potential ability to help your body rest and recover after an intensive work out routine. While you should always take the necessary breaks between days of strenuous exercise, using a CBD muscle relief – see www.thecbdsupplier.co.uk for examples – can potentially help ease the burden. Alongside any training or workout program, you should include stretching and mobility exercises. These will help you stay supple as you age and will help prevent injuries when you’re working out.

Juicing can boost your energy levels before and after a workout

Another powerful plant-based supplement to your active lifestyle is juicing. While there are a variety of types of approaches to incorporating juicing into your diet and lifestyle, the effects can be positive no matter how many juices you consume. This is because it allows you to consume a huge amount of fruit, vegetables and other healthy, energy-boosting foodstuffs in one go, without having to create entire meals to cater for them. Make sure to include some of the solids from the juicing process in your juice as this will add fibre to the drink.

Naturally-sourced protein shakes can supercharge your muscle gains

While protein shakes are nothing new, they are no less effective for it. Thanks to the increase of plant-based shakes, it is easy to use protein shakes as a supplement to maintain your active lifestyle. 

The benefits are clear. Protein helps muscle growth, which is why these shakes are so commonly used by bodybuilders and weightlifters. However, you don’t have to be a hardcore gym-goer to feel the benefits of regular shake supplementation. If you exercise regularly, drinking a shake afterwards can both serve to supercharge your muscle growth and maintain your energy levels. 

Another benefit of plant-based protein shakes is that they offer you a great source of protein without you having to consume meat. However, although they can be used as a meal-replacement if you are on the move and haven’t got time to stop, bear in mind that there is no substitute for a traditional, well-balanced meal that comprises protein, complex carbohydrates, vegetables and healthy fat.



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