Gettin' Fit & Healthy with Rickie

  Bitecise workout                      Do you hear everyone at the gym or your friends brag about their hour(s) long workout? You think to yourself  'I don't have that kind of time with work and kids, etc.'  You can do quick 10 minute workouts that can be very beneficial to your physical and mental health.  It also gives you the opportunity when you have more free time to squeeze another 10 minute session or more.       The link below is a short 12 minute video with a brief warm up and stretch and about 10 minutes of strength exercises.  The only equipment needed is a set of dumbbells but you can use just your body weight.  If you have more time you can repeat the exercises, combine with your existing routine or more videos on my Youtube channel.     Enjoy whether you are new to exercise or experienced, considered another tool in your toolbox.  Sincerely, Ricarda...

  Which is it,  diet or exercise??     The age old question, do I need to exercise more or eat less?  Well the answer is very individual and both are important in a healthy lifestyle.  In most cases the combination of a healthy diet and exercise is an effective approach.       A balanced diet includes a variety of foods from all food groups providing the essential nutrients and energy needed to support overall health and well being.       A good diet can help to regulate weight, improve mood and boost energy levels. Eating healthy can also help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.     Regular e xercise helps to keep the body physically fit, agile and reduces stress.  Regular physical activity can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscle and bones, and improve balance.  Exercise can also help boost mood and increase energy levels. ...

  Tabata training...what is it?       You may have come across Tabata training while doing searches for home workouts or HIIT workouts, it is a type of HIIT workout with higher intensity. It was developed by Dr. Izumi Tabata in 1996, hence the name, to train Olympic speed skaters.  You don't have to be an Olympian or speed skater, it can be a great addition to your workout for variety and calorie burning in a short amount of time.  Tabata involves 20 seconds of full intensity and 10 seconds of recovery for 8 cycles. The workout below is a HIIT workout with Tabata.  Give it a try and adapt it to your fitness level and time.     I chose to have 2 moves in my Tabata circuits, you will go through each circuit 4x followed by a short recovery (no more than 30 seconds) and some strengthening exercises.     See the video link below for demonstration.  ENJOY!!!     Tabata circuit #1       20 seconds fu...

     HO, HO, HO, wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas!  This can be a tough time of year to keep up our healthy habits whether it be exercise or nutrition.  Keep in mind this is a wonderful time of year so please be sure to partake in all that you enjoy and make modifications as needed.        When it comes to our eating habits don't deny yourself of those holiday foods you love just control your portion and consider some of these tips to help.   🎄 Focus on keeping your eating in check Sunday - Thursday 🎄 Pass on the pre-dinner wine or cocktail (saves calories) 🎄 Be sure not to skip meals during the day before you go to holiday party or you will go to the party ravenous and you will likely overindulge 🎄Try using a smaller plate and fill you plate only with the foods you really enjoy.     As for our exercise routines, we all think we are too busy during the holidays but in reality there is time you may just nee...

  It's a beautiful day for a walk outside!!     The fresh air, sound of crunching leaves, gentle breeze brings leaves floating down.  This is fall, at least here in the northeast it is and it is a great time to take your fitness routine outside.  Yesterday was one of those days for me, after fulfilling a commitment there was still enough time before the sun went down to get in a good sweat, some quiet time and prepare for the new week.  Below is my 'Final  Sunday of Summer' workout.     I began with a gentle paced walk to get the blood flowing to my muscles and let them get nice warm, as I felt warmer I picked up the pace, for you this could be running or a gently jog.  I like to do a mix of a faster walk and jogging, full out running has gotten a little rough for my back and hips.     I planned my route so I would come to areas where there would either be benches or nice flat open space for some exercises no specific distance...

Start the Fall season with a workout refresh...      AAHH Fall!!  Cooler weather, shorter days accompanied with the beautiful colors.  This is a great time of year to take your exercise outdoors, enjoy the scenery, colors and fresh, crisp air.  If you have a friend always asking you to hike or if you were just considering it yourself, fall is the perfect season to start.  The color changing leaves or the fresh fallen leaves can make hiking so calming at the same time energizing.  A few more bonuses to hiking in the fall, less humidity, cooler temperatures, fewer bugs and so peaceful. If you can't tell from all these descriptions I am a person who enjoys hiking and just getting outdoors.  Many of our vacations involve some kind of hiking or biking and enjoying what nature has to offer. If you are lucky you may experience some wildlife, who wouldn't love to come upon a deer, bunny rabbit or turkey nibbling along the trail.  Anyway enough ...

Have you heard?    It's back to school time!          This means different things to different people, some have kids going back to K-12 school, for some it is the kids heading off to college. Those with no one in the household returning to school it still brings a sense of schedule change, cooler weather, more time at home with the busy travel season coming to an end.  With the majority of students returning to in person learning this will hopefully reduce some of the stress of at home learning and possibly the chance for some adults to return to the work place. Keep in mind even though we have been here before it is important to allow your children and yourself to transition back in to this routine.  After more than a year of at home learning and remote work it WILL be an adjustment.      All that being said some families have made the decision to continue their children's education at home.  Keep in mind it is important...

Boardwalk Workout      Those who know me well know I love the beach and here on the east coast we love our boardwalks. Boardwalks feature food, games, rides, stores, all kinds of fun stuff and of course the opportunity to just have a seat on a bench and enjoy the view of the ocean, sunrise or sunset or just people watch.  Boardwalks are also great for getting in your outdoor exercise with an amazing view. You can go with your traditional run, walk or bike but it also provides the chance for some creativity.      The workout below was my 'boardwalk workout' during a recent beach trip but it can of course be done anywhere.  Replace the benches with picnic tables, railings, fence boards, etc. Now lace up your shoes, dress comfortably and get ready to sweat.     Begin with 3-5 minutes of easy walk or jog to warm up than pick up the pace for 5-7 minutes or pick a spot to which you would like to do you first round of exercises.   💦...

  Hey all ,  A new workout below that can be adjusted to fit your time frame.  You can do all of it, do 1 block at a time, do all the blocks but only go through once or twice.  Whatever you need to do to take of your physical & mental health & fitness.     I realize when we are in the summer season, it can be tough to carve out time for yourself but remember if you don't take care of yourself you cannot take care of others and you deserve it.  You can find several workouts on this page to give you some variety and flexibility.     ENJOY and Happy Summer to all!! Total Body III Full work out is 3 rounds of each block, blocks 1 & 2 doing 12 reps of each exercise, between each round do cardio move following this symbol💓 for 30 seconds.  Block 3 is also 3 rounds but preform each exercise for 30 seconds. Block 1 12 reps each exercise Around the clock lunges - Stand feet hip width apart, step forward right leg into front lunge, ...

Let's Just Be...      W e are all feeling the gradual return to normal, which also leads to adding more to our schedules, children's activities, returning to the work place or just outings with friends or family.  Frankly we are trying to make up for lost time.  You may be one of the lucky individuals who has discovered you were enjoying that free time and have decided to make a conscious effort to leave time in your schedule, unscheduled.  For that I say good for you, I do feel one of the good things to come out of this pandemic is we all learned our daily schedules, including our children's, were packed leaving us very little time to "just be" with family, friends or even yourself.      I would like to task you with trying to hold on to some of that time we gained over the past year, hold on to some of the new habits or connections that bring you joy or some stability in your lives.  As we return to our regular or new normal schedules ...

  New Year, New Workout     We are now 3 weeks into the New Year and some of you may already be losing interest in your fitness or health resolution.  Remember variety is key for boredom, success and injury prevention also important to note it is okay if you do not get in a full hour workout everyday.  If you need go for a shorter workout even if it is 15 minutes it's ok and if you need a rest day(s) take them.      This work out is all about adjusting to your schedule. Full body circuit:  You will find 2 circuits below choose to do both in one workout, just do 1 circuit, choose to mix in some cardio before, in between and / or after the strength circuits. Begin with a 5 minute warm up, always and move into some cardio work ie; treadmill, elliptical, bike, etc. Circuit #1 Squats Bent over row Bicep curl to overhead press Pushup to superman Bicycle     10-15 reps each exercise repeat circuit 3-5 x Circuit #2 Reverse lunge - one leg a...

  New Year, New Resolution...       How many times have you set exercise, getting healthier, losing weight, etc. as your New Years resolution?  We have all set this resolution at least once in our lives unfortunately statistics show on average 70% of those individuals give up.        Why is that??  most people set lofty goals for which they would not achieve until the far future such as lose 100 lbs., drop 3 sizes, run a half or even full marathon.  All of these are possible but we need to set smaller goals which are attainable and we can celebrate the accomplishment and move on to the next level as we work towards that bigger goal.   So if you want to run a half marathon and have not been exercising at all you cannot expect to go out and run 5K/3M.  As long as you are healthy or discussed with your physician go ahead and do that 3 miles but mix it up with running and walking.   Walk for a set amount of...