Slim Down with Coach Astrid

Stretching equals good health regardless of fitness routine

Published on September 5, 2021 by Astrid Bidanec in Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody, Controlled Stretch, health benefits, home fitness

You might think that stretching is only for athletes, but think again! Everyone needs stretching to prevent joint stiffness and muscle aches, even more so as we get older.

If you have a desk job and spend your free time as a couch potato without any type of fitness routine, you will most likely experience back pain on a daily basis because your unused muscles, ligaments, and joints pretty much slowly weaken and deteriorate. This results in your ever-diminishing flexibility (ever wonder why it keeps getting harder to bend over as you get older?!). So if you can still reach your toes from a standing or sitting position, congratulations! If not, it’s time to get your stretch on at least two to three times a week. But why stop there– for best results stretch daily for 5-15 minutes. It could be part of your bed time routine and help you relax to get a good night’s rest.

Needless to say, if you do work out as part of a fitness and weight loss plan, it is simply imperative to perform basic stretching exercises before and after your workout sessions to prevent injury. And speaking of injury– stretching can aid the healing process, but be sure to use your body as a guide. In other words: stop when it hurts! Effective stretching is supposed to feel challenging as our flexibility improves, but it should never result in pain.

Recommended stretching exercise videos:

My personal favorites are the short “Controlled Stretch” videos with Autumn Calebrese available via Beachbody on Demand. They are calming and feel good. Autumn explains the technique and purpose of each stretch to help you understand and master it. You can use the videos with any other workout program or by themselves as a solid stretching routine. Check them out and let me know what you think.

If you want free coaching from me, you can click here to sign up for a free Team Beachbody account.

Tags: Autumn Calabrese, Controlled Stretch, Flexibility, home fitness, Injury Prevention

Why dehydration is making you fat and sick

Published on September 1, 2021 by Astrid Bidanec in dehydration, health, lose weight, post-workout recovery, Uncategorized

Summer may be almost over, but dehydration can wreck havoc on your body all year round if you are not drinking enough water.

Dehydration can cause weight gain, headaches, as well as body aches, and ultimately lead to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. You might also experience constipation, allergy symptoms, skin irritations, high blood pressure, and a whole lot of other health issues that will become acute as part of a biological chain reaction as your body struggles to maintain normal processes in spite of the lack of water. Listen to your body and adjust your physical activity accordingly. Needless to say, sweating during any kind of physical activity is normal and lost fluids must be replenished. So drink up before, during and after your workouts.

Don’t be surprised if the pounds are starting to creep on suddenly, too. Weight gain can be caused by choosing food instead of water when battling low energy that is in fact a result of dehydration. Not to mention that a lack of energy typically results in a lack of activity. So before you grab a snack when feeling tired, try drinking a cup of water first.