Senior Fitness With Meredith

Sciatica pain or back pain is very common for most people especially as we age. Dealing with this kind of pain can be debilitating and worst yet, can keep us from living active and healthy lives. It may seem like there is very little we can do to help curb this pain but in reality there are things you can do everyday to help deal with issues from sciatica. In This Episode You Will Learn: 1). What sciatica pain is (or back pain) and the areas that are commonly affected by it on the body. 2). Some of Meredith’s experiences with clients who were dealing with back pain and the common feedback she would get on their struggles. 3). How certain strength training movements can be beneficial to helping ease pain in your back by strengthening the muscles and areas to support your core. 4). Why stretching on a regular basis is highly recommended if you deal with common sciatica pain as it also is a good way to lengthen and relax the areas of your body that can cause issues. 5). Why considering a third party like a masseuses, chiropractor or medical professional to help you with your pain can be also be helpful if you still aren’t getting relief after trying the suggestions in this episode. /// If you are dealing with back pain or know someone who is then we hope the tips we share in this episode help inspire you or someone you know to take action. Staying active and healthy for as long as possible is the name of the game and making sure to partake in the safe steps of “self care” that help curb the pain of sciatica and back pain is a big part of you health and wellness journey. Team MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.”-Carl Rogers This motivation is remembering that having a good life isn’t a constant “always”, it is a constant “work at”. MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Core stability is essential to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Incorporating exercises that help strengthen your core which consists of your abdominal muscles, lower back and obliques will help add stability and balance to your overall physical health. This week we’re sharing our 5 best recommended core/ab exercises that you should be incorporating into your weekly workouts. You can also see examples of all of the exercises mentioned in this episode at our workouts page here and filtered by “Core / Abs”. In This Episode You Will Learn: 1). The areas of the body that are designated as your essential “core” muscles. 2). Some of the reasons and excuses that Meredith has heard in her classes on why some people don’t like to do core style exercises and what is preventing them from doing them regularly. 3). How core exercises can be done in the seated position which can be more accommodating to those who may have limitations with core exercises on the floor. 4). Some of Meredith’s tips you can try during your core routines to help you benefit from the movements that are working your targeted muscles. 5). Meredith’s 5 (plus 5 more!) bonus core exercises encompassing both seated and standing routines. /// We hope you found this episode on core exercises helpful to you. Maintaining a strong core is the center of living an active lifestyle and making sure you can incorporate one ore more exercises into your weekly routines that focus on this area of your body is important to staying active safer, healthier and longer. Team MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”-Oprah Winfrey This motivation is Celebrating your life and ALL you have! MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fad diets and workouts are marketed everywhere including TV and on the internet. We are bombarded by marketing ads claiming that they will all help you lose weight quick and get in your best shape in a short amount of time. But are these claims real? Knowing what to watch for when being marketed to about these fad diets and workouts is important. Being able to know what they are really offering and what the long term effects can be for you as a consumer can make the difference in following a successful health and fitness journey. In This Episode You Will Learn: 1). How marketing new fad diets and workouts has grown in the past years and why it has become such a booming industry. 2). How fad diets and workouts can become “addicting” in a way that many people tend to go through many different programs with very little success over the long term. 3). Why many fad diets may have early success but don’t offer much help or guidance when it comes to the long term and sustaining an healthy life without limiting certain foods or consuming food purchased by a diet plan. 4). How popular fad workouts are usually marketed in a way to get you to purchase an item like new fitness equipment of supplements. 5). Meredith’s best advice on how to avoid these fad diets and exercises and why you should focus on instilling long term health habits when it comes to diet and exercise while avoiding the “noise” of the current popular fad. /// Fad diets and exercises are all around us and being able to identify the real reason they are popular may not be the healthiest reasons for you. Making sure you choose the right path to a healthy lifestyle through proper diet and exercise is the key to longevity and a meaningful active lifestyle now and into the future. Team MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The only time you fail is when you fall down and stay down.”-Stephen Richards This motivation is remembering that we never fail unless we do not learn from it, and we do not get back up and keep trying! MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Using an Air Ball (Playground Ball) as a piece of exercise equipment has many benefits. This week we wanted to dive into the many reasons why we love publishing exercise videos that use an air ball which is simply a small plastic inflatable ball that you can usually find at your local grocery store or sporting goods store. Also called a “Playground Ball”, exercises using this workout apparatus can help with your resistance training in a safe and secure manner. Air ball workouts can be done both sitting and standing and have benefits for all levels of fitness. In This Episode You Will Learn: 1). Our explanation of the air ball as a piece of exercise equipment and why Meredith loves using it for designing workouts. 2). Some of the experiences Meredith has had with clients when introducing the air ball in her fitness classes. 3). How using the air ball in your routines can help you work areas of your body that are normally hard to work on with traditional home exercise equipment. 4). Some examples from Meredith on how you can use the air ball to work both your upper and lower body in a safe and secured manner whether seated or standing. 5). How using an air ball is great not just for lower impact exercises but can also be used at advanced levels and provide the same amount of benefits as a beginner level routine. /// Our exercise videos cover a wide variety of workout routines and the air ball exercises are some of the best we have to offer. Using an air ball may not seem very beneficial but we hope that after listening to this episode, you will agree with us. Perfect as seated or standing routines, the air ball is here to stay and we hope you get a chance to try them out or share them with someone you know who will benefit from these types of exercises. Team MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness."-Ralph Waldo Emerson This motivation is a reminder to know there will be moments of anger, but try not to stay in that for you lose moments of happiness while angry. Meredith   SR FeaturedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you feel yourself getting stronger? Achieving more strength through weight training is a common goals for most people who exercise regularly. Whether you are a beginner at weight training or more advanced, we all are challenged with knowing when it is safe and appropriate to start using heavier weights to build strength. If you start lifting heavier too early you could risk injury and on the other hand waiting too long will slow you progress down to building strength. These are common concerns we hear and this week we wanted to share some of our best tips in knowing when it is the right time for you to consider increasing the weights during your strength training sessions. In This Podcast Episode You Will Learn: 1). Why we receive a lot of comments from people asking when is the right time to increase weights and why we felt it was important to address this issue. 2). Why we sometimes have preconceived notions when starting out of how heavy we think we can lift when in reality it may be much less. 3). Some of the injuries or risks you take when attempting to increase weight too early. 4). Meredith’s thoughts on the ideal weight increments when choosing heavier weights as you progress through your training. 5). Meredith’s best tips on how to know when it’s time to move to a heavier weight during your strength training exercises. /// Building strength no matter what your level of fitness is a great way to stay active and live a healthy lifestyle. But making sure we approach getting stronger by increasing the weights we use in a safe and proper manner is very important. Staying injury free is also just as important and we hope the tips we share in this episode help you along your journey to becoming stronger safely and effectively. Team MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." -John Lennon This motivation is remembering to live in your present moment…we can always plan for more in the future, but remember to enjoy now! MeredithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.