Wellness App Review: C25K (Couch to 5K)

Does running a 5K sound like an impossible goal?  If so, the Couch to 5K app was developed for people just like you! The Couch to 5K app can take you from a sedentary lifestyle to being a 5K distance runner in under two months.  

The app gives you three workouts to do each week, and the intensity of the workouts increases over time.  Over an eight-week period, you will gradually build strength and stamina, increasing your overall health and fitness. 

How it works

To get started, you’ll log into the app, put on your headphones, and start the Week 1, Day 1 workout.  You don’t need to look at the screen once you start the workout since the app will talk to you and let you know when to walk and run (don’t worry, the app also lets you listen to music on your playlist during your workouts). If you are curious about how much time is left during any of the segments, you can always look at the timer on the app. You’ll probably want to purchase an armband for your smartphone so that you don’t have to carry your phone in your hand while running. 

For the first workout, you will start with a warm-up walk, and then alternate jogging and walking for a total of 20 minutes.  By the last week of the program, you will be ready to jog a full 5K (3.1 miles) or 30 minutes non-stop. After you complete the 5K program, you can continue to increase your fitness by downloading the app for the next step: 10K. 

Pros: The app is really basic, so you can just jump right in—you won’t need to spend any time learning how to use it. The app is free (available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon app store), and if you want, you can pay $1.99 to remove the ads.  It can be integrated with Nike + GPS and MyFitnessPal for added tracking. The app also has a strong Facebook and Twitter following, where you can share your milestones and connect with other runners. 

 

Cons: It’s not the fanciest app—there aren’t many bells and whistles to it. The app’s audio coach prompts you to do your walk/run intervals, but it doesn’t really do much more than that.  If you’re looking for additional motivation or insight about your progress, look into other apps that are better designed for that purpose. 

Overall consensus: Runninga 5K can seem very intimidating, but this app can help you build the strength, stamina, and confidence you need to meet the 5K goal.  Couch to 5K turns the daunting goal of running a 5K into a manageable undertaking. Just download the app and do your workouts outside or indoors on a treadmill.  The key to building strength and endurance is to keep practicing and making small improvements over time, and this app does a great job at guiding you through the process!

If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for assistance with finding the right wellness resources for you!

 

WOW –Workout of the Week: Bicycle Crunches

This week’s workout is Bicycle Crunches. Bicycle Crunches are a great core and lower body exercise that can strengthen your abs while burning fat.  Here’s how to do them:

·         Start by sitting on the ground, with both feet on the floor in front of you.

·         Next, raise your feet off the floor and find your center of balance.

·         Straighten out both legs and place both hands behind your head, keeping your elbows in.

·         Next, bend one knee and bring it in toward your chest. At the same time, twist your torso so the opposite elbow meets the opposing knee.

·         Finally, repeat for the other knee, twisting your torso and touching your other elbow to the opposite knee. Congratulations—you just completed one Bicycle Crunch!

Try doing 15-20 Bicycle Crunches, or as many as you can, for 30 seconds. For an added challenge, try adding 10 Bicycle Crunches to your set each day! 

We hope you’ll try Bicycle Crunches over the weekend and then build them into your daily routine Monday through Friday of the coming week.  

Want more fitness ideas?  If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for more healthy ideas to get—and stay—fit. And remember, talk to your doctor before beginning any new fitness regimen.

Healthy Cooking Technique: Poaching

Poaching is a healthy cooking method that involves gently simmering your food in water or broth until it is cooked through.  This technique allows you to cook without using fat while still keeping your food moist and tender.  Poaching works best with foods that are rather delicate, like eggs, chicken, salmon, and pears.  This simple cooking technique can be especially helpful on busy weeknights when you don’t have too much time to spend cooking. 

One of the best ways to change up your regular dishes is by incorporating a new way of cooking.  If you haven’t tried poaching before, give it a try with one of these recipes:

Eggs. There’s more to eggs than just scrambled and over easy.  This Sweet Potato Hash with Poached Eggs recipe makes a delicious breakfast, lunch, or even dinner!  

Chicken. Poached chicken can be used in so many different ways.  You can toss it into soup, use it to make fajitas, add it into chili, or use it to make chicken salad. Here is a simple recipe for Poached Chicken. 

Salmon. Salmon is often baked and grilled, but it also tastes great poached. This Quick Poached Salmon with Dill Mustard recipe is elegant and easy to prepare.

Pears. Poached pears make a delicious, healthy dessert for any night! This Poached pears recipe will end the meal on a sweet note. 

If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for more healthy cooking tips!

Review: Fitbit Zip Activity Tracking Device

Are you looking to increase your physical activity levels, but don’t know where to start? The Fitbit Zip is a wireless activity tracker that can help you gain a better understanding of your current activity and provide the support you need to become more active. 

The Fitbit Zip can track steps, distance, and burned calories. It will then sync those stats to your computer and smartphone. The device is fairly small and discreet; it can be clipped on your waistband or kept in your pocket. The Fitbit Zip is primarily an activity tracking device, but the app and website have additional tracking capabilities. In addition to exercise, you can track your water intake, weight, and food right on the app. This information doesn’t appear on your device, but it’s easily accessible on your smartphone. The website and app also includes graphs that help you visualize your progress over time. 

The app and website include several motivational and social tools. You can add friends, which allows you to see their activity and cheer each other on. There is also a group feature, letting you compete against other Fitbit users. Another helpful feature is goal setting. Fitbit automatically sets personalized activity goals (such as steps or distance) for each user. If you have a specific goal in mind, you can easily edit your goal on the site. As you make progress toward your goals, you earn badges on your dashboard. 

To view your data on the Fitbit Zip device, all you need to do is tap it. Each time you tap, the display rotates among different views: number of steps walked, calories burned, time, and distance traveled. There is also a cute cartoon face display that changes expressions based on your activity level throughout the day. 

Pros: The device is small and it’s easy to wear every day. The display is really simple and provides just the right amount of information that you need to stay motivated to increase your activity. Many other websites and apps easily connect with Fitbit devices. For example, you can track your food in apps like Lose It! or MyFitness Pal and then your daily calorie allowance will be automatically modified based on your Fitbit activity. You can also connect Fitbit Zip with your Withings scale to monitor your weight progress. 

Cons:Because the Fitbit Zip is so discreet, you might forget to remove it from your clothes before throwing it in the wash! Also, while the Fitbit device and app have simple user interfaces, the website can become a little overwhelming to navigate. You may also find the Fibit to be a little on pricy—while the Fitbit app (available for iOS and Android devices) is free, the Fitbit Zip device costs $59.99. 

Overall consensus: The Fitbit Zip is a great little device for tracking basic activity levels. The app does a great job at helping you create small, realistic activity goals and provides useful tools and messaging to help keep you moving forward. 

If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for assistance with finding the right wellness resources for you!