Good Habits for Working Out

Many people work out to feel better, get healthy, and gain more strength. And it doesn’t really matter if it’s a one hour power workout in the gym or a ten minute video done in the living room. It just feels good. familykenkel shares some good habits for people who work out – alone or with others.

Hungry? Grab a protein snack on the way to the gym or from the fridge if working out at home. Don’t ignore grumbling stomachs. Exercising on an empty belly can breakdown muscle tissue – which is counteractive to why people workout in the first place. One good habit to keep in mind is the closer to workout time you are – the more simple the meal or snack. Eat a banana, a piece of cheese and some fruit. Even a small bowl of cereal will give you added fuel to start and finish the workout.

Using the equipment at the gym? Take your own sanitizing hand wipes or spray and bring your own water bottle. Wipe or spray the handles, knocks and anything else your hands touch before using the machine. Dry it well with a paper towel. No one wants to put their hands on someone else’s sweat. Make your own flavored water at home with water, lemon, lime, mint, and orange slices, add ice, cover and shake. Avoid using the water fountains.

In a rush to get to spin class on time? Leave a little earlier and avoid speeding to the class.

If working out at home, familykenkel learned the hard way to move free weights out of the way when done using them. One accidental toe stubbing resulted in a week’s worth of limping. Choose a time when no one is home to work out. Or carve time out for yourself by taking a power walk around the area. This is your time. Make it work for you.

Why a Little Jogging and Running is Good for Us

A new study is out which implies that most people should run for at least a few minutes every day. It doesn’t have to be a fast run. But a little jog for a few minutes can apparently add 3 years to our life.

Are you wondering what we’re wondering? If we start jogging/running for a few minutes every day, will we eventually work harder so we can enter our first marathon race? Or do we just want to add a little jog to our daily walk and let that do? We at Familykenkel focus every day to make our lives and yours a little healthier. So where does that leave us on the question of how much running must we do of we do not like to run or jog?

The current U.S. guidelines for physical activity call for 75 minutes per week as a minimum of running or other vigorous workout, and 30 minutes of moderate intensity. But people who do less than that still receive the health benefits, according to this new study. The research mentions that people who ran less than an hour per week reduced their death risk as much as runners who put in three hours or more weekly of the super cardio exercise.Familykenkel suggests start out walking at a brisk pace and when it is comfortable, add 2 minutes of jogging and then go back to walking briskly. This is a good way to enjoy daily exercise. It also works well when we need to get out of the house for a little “me time”.

Remedies for Thinning Hair

Nothing can be more shocking than having to clean the hair off of the drain every other day and realizing it is yours. It leaves us wondering how we can stop what seems like the sudden mass exodus of our pride and joy.

Familykenkel learns how to fight the agony of thinning hair with some suggestions from health experts.

Eat more food with zinc, protein, iron and vitamin B12. These are leafy greens, lean meat, nuts, beans and fish. There are many easy recipes for all of the above.

Give your scalp a massage. Don’t just stand in the shower, shampoo and rinse. Really massage your scalp which increases blood flow and helps the shampoo do a better job on your hair.

Lessen the amount of styling products being used. This especially important for people that color their hair and use blow dryers, straightening irons or other implements. 

Visit a health food store and buy a supplement that helps hair grow. There are a few on the shelves.

Get a check up from the doctor to see if there are any deficiencies in the blood as this is sometimes where hair loss can stem from.

Familykenkel suggests relaxing more. Stress can cause hair to fall out. Try meditation, yoga (it’s doing good things for combat veterans), and rhythmic breathing.

If nothing works, talk to a doctor or dermatologist to see if there is something else to be done.

Five Good Reasons to Drink Coffee Before Working Out

Nothing  wakes us up like a good cup of coffee. Now, there is news that a cup of joe is beneficial to drink before working out. Familykenkel offers five reasons why we should stop at the coffee house on the way to the gym.

It improves circulation by adding oxygen to blood, which is what Japanese researchers found when they ran a study.

Two cups of coffee consumed an hour before working out resulted in showing University of Illinois researchers that those who drank it did not feel much pain during high intensity workouts.

Caffeine helps retain memory which we may need when working on a specific workout routine. 

It helps preserve muscles. Scientists at Conventry Universityfound that coffee can prevent age-related muscle loss.

Familykenkel learns that drinking coffee increases 66% increase in muscle glycogen four hours after intense, glycogen-depleting exercise. 

But take it easy on the coffee. Drink water and give your muscles a break every now and then.

Why Gardening is Therapeutic

Digging in the dirt and planting flowers, bushes and veggies not only beautifies the backyard, but gives us a good mental health boost to boot. Familykenkel shares the good news about gardening.

Anyone who has spent a little time planting a container garden or one which is larger can attest to the fact that it feels good to get your hands dirty. It also feels good to know that you’re beginning something you are vested in seeing grow and bloom – literally.  Some therapists are treating patients with a new treatment called horticultural therapy. Those who gain the most benefits from it are those who are anxious, stressed out, or depressed. Planting live things makes people feel happier and more alive. It is a mild form of exercise for both the body and the brain. It eases stress. It awakens the brain. It is relaxing.

However, Familykenkel notes that therapy gardening is a bit different than home gardening. People who are taking horticultural therapy do it away from the home. Professional gardeners come by to help keep the planted items alive. The patient can either plants things or can sit in a garden-like area and work a little bit with the plants and flowers. If being outdoors is something you enjoy, take time to find and create your own therapeutic garden. Plant herbs which are fragrant and can be dried and used for other purposes. Try to grow vegetables and fruits to eat also. It’s all good and all good for us. Invest in your own type of horticultural therapy and begin to feel better.

Five Pieces of Advice to Never Give

We all know someone who thinks they have the answer to everything, can solve all types of problems and is the best life adviser. Familykenkel has some advice for them.

There are big topics that no one should ever advise anyone else about.

Raising children – Parents know their children the best. What works for one family may not work for the other. Refrain from offering parenting advice unless asked.

Pregnancy – Oh boy are there people who just love to make comments to expectant moms about what to eat, not to eat, wear and not to wear. But to be clear, unless you are her doctor, please keep your comments to yourself.

The home – Some people are busier than others, some have full-time jobs and some do not. What you see in someone else’s home from a random dust bunny to a cloudy glass should not be commented on – unless you are offering to come over do the dishes or clean the house.

Single Friends – There is a reason some people are still single when the people around them are married. They like it this way. Please don’t make comments on what they need to do in order to find a mate.

Physical appearance –Familykenkel knows that no one is perfect. Your style of dress may not be someone else’s style. Some men prefer a scruffy beard and others a clean shave face. Some women like to change their hair color regularly while others prefer to stick to their hair’s natural color. Whatever the difference are, they are the differences which make all unique. Embrace them. And refrain from offering advice if not asked.

Fitness Series-Yoga

Yoga is an exercise that almost everyone can benefit from. It is a practice that originated in India and it includes breath control, meditation and specific body postures. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice. 

Many people find inner peace and physical wellness through yoga. Familykenkel did a bit of research on yoga and found out what the benefits are. For more information on exercises like yoga go to 

Forbes Living on the Benefits of Yoga

Flexibility-one of the significant benefits of yoga is flexibility. Many people have trouble touching their toes when they start a yoga class, and within time they not only touch their toes but they are able to do things they never imagined possible. It takes time but after a while you will notice a loosening of the body and poses that once seemed impossible become possible. As your body loosens up you will probably notice certain aches and pains disappearing. 

Strength-one of the benefits of yoga is building strength. As your muscles become stronger you will experience less pain and protect yourself from developing certain health issues. Yoga is especially good for older women and men because it helps keep their muscles strong, which helps with balance. 

Calming-research has found that yoga lowers cortisol levels. It helps calm the mind and teach you how to be present. So many of us are thinking about the past and the future and forget about the present. Yoga helps you get in touch with what is happening now. 

Less Depression-research found that regular yoga practice improves depression and increases serotonin levels. It was found that the left prefrontal cortex showed heightened activity in people who meditate. This heightened activity increased their happiness and immune function.  

Some of the producers of Familykenkel practice yoga on a regular basis and have found all of these benefits to be true. Always check with your doctor before you try a new exercise program though. If you have a stressful job yoga might be the right exercise for you.

Fitness Series-CrossFit

A CrossFit workout isn’t for everyone. If you like a challenging, high intensity workout and you don’t have a lot of time this might be the right workout for you.

CrossFit is a challenging workout that combines aerobics, weight training, gymnastics and more. The idea is to push every part of your body to its maximum performance to become strong and fit. Familykenkel did a bit of research on this type of workout and found quite a few benefits.

Forbes Living on 5 Benefits of CrossFit Training

Intense-if you like intensity you will love this workout. It is fast paced, intense and challenging.  The workout incorporates squats, jogging, weight training, burpees (a type of jumping) and much more.

Endurance-you will increase your endurance, stamina and strength with this type of workout.
Flexibility and Balance-you will notice that your coordination, balance and flexibility are much better.

Get Fit Faster-if you want to get fit fast this is the right workout program. Research shows that interval training (high intensity with active rest) gets better results in a shorter period of time. The research found that this type of exercise routine increases muscle quickly and boosts the metabolism.

Lean Physique-one of the benefits of CrossFit is a lean, beautiful body.

If you like a hard workout with a lot of quick benefits you will probably enjoy this type of workout. The producers of Familykenkel would like to remind you that you should always check with your doctor before you start a new exercise program especially one as strenuous as CrossFit.

Five Part Series on Fitness Programs

When it comes to fitness there are many different types of fitness programs available. Choosing the right one for you depends on your personality and your fitness goals. Many people are involved in more than one fitness program so that they will get maximum benefits. It’s also a good idea to incorporate some type of strength training into a cardiovascular workout. Familykenkel did a bit of research into exercise programs and came up with a few that we think are worthwhile. This is a great website to get fitness and nutrition tips.

We have created a five part series on several different types of workout programs with various benefits.

Familykenkel on Some of The Top Exercises Programs 

CrossFit-this is a cardiovascular and strength training workout. CrossFit is a program that builds strength and stamina through challenging workouts. This is for the person who likes a hard core workout.

Yoga-yoga is good for many things including stress management, flexibility, muscle tone and strength, lowers blood pressure and much more.

Pilates-Pilates increases range of motion, flexibility, circulation, posture, core strength and much more.

Strength Training-strength training is good for everyone. It strengthens the muscles in your arms, back, shoulders, legs and core. When you have strong muscles you tend have less pain and injuries.

Spin Classes-this is great for losing weight and building stamina. You work out on a stationary bike with various tension levels. You will tone muscles, burn calories, relieve stress and increase endurance.

This five part series on fitness will take a more in-depth look at these exercises. The producers of Familykenkel wanted to give our viewers information on different exercise programs so that they could pick one or more that would fit their needs. Keep in mind that before you start any exercise programs you should consult a doctor first. Take a look at one of our favorite exercise websites for more workout ideas.