Whether you’re a fresh faced fitness newbie or an experienced fitness fanatic- admit it, you still have fitness and nutrition related questions. There’s so much information out there to sift through and sometimes your questions just seems too simple that you feel silly not knowing the answer! Well fear not my friends, here are your fitness and nutrition questions answered by yours truly!
What are good vitamins to take for a 20 something?
While I always recommend that you get as many of your nutrients as possible from the foods you eat, as a realist I know that meeting ALL my nutrient needs is not possible. In that case, I recommend taking a multivitamin which can give you a good foundation for your health.
When looking for a multivitamin it’s important to make sure your vitamin contains these seven things:
Vitamin D: helps your body absorb calcium which helps with bone health.
Magnesium: important for bone health, energy production, ease sleep problems and balance blood sugar levels.
Calcium: important for strong bones and teeth. Women start losing bone density in their mid 30’s and calcium can help to defend against that.
Zinc: supports your immune system and helps the body use carbohydrates, protein and fats for energy. Try and find a vitamin that has 5-10mg of zinc.
Iron: is SO important. It increases energy, improves brain function and keeps red blood cells healthy. If you eat a lot of red meat you’re probably getting enough iron… if not look for a vitamin with about 15-20 mg of iron.
Folate aka Folic Acid: aids in fetus development and prevents birth defects for all our pregnant mamas out there. It also helps with healthy nails, hair, combats depression and inflammation.
Vitamin B12: creates and sustains our body’s energy supply by breaking down the nutrients we consume. Vegans and vegetarians tend to be deficient in B-12 because most sources are animal based.
Check out Webber Naturals Women’s multi-vitamin here– it contains all the above vitamins, plus its suitable for vegetarians and is very cost friendly!
What are your thoughts on CrossFit?
CrossFit is a form of high intensity interval training that is made up of functional movements performed at a high intensity level. It involves movements you perform on a daily basis- squatting, pulling, pushing. However, “functional movements” vary depending on the person and their lifestyle. As a personal trainer we are taught to select exercises and other variables to suit the needs of our clients One of the issues I have with CrossFit is that they don’t change the program for the client… just the load (weight) and intensity. This means that if a 77 year old grandfather and an Olympic athlete walked into a CrossFit gym they would do the same workout but with different resistance.
Another issue I have with CrossFit is that there is an emphasis on completing workouts faster. As a personal trainer I vary speed or tempo of exercises depending on the clients age, fitness level, and goals. In CrossFit speed is a characteristic of the workout, rather than a variable to adjust.
Is CrossFit effective? That depends on the individual and their level of expertise and fitness. CrossFit is conducted in a group setting, against the clock with the encouragement of trainers which tends to motivate people to “go hard.” Most of us will work harder in these conditions. However, if you are someone with more specific needs CrossFit is probably not for you.
If you want a challenge, have at least a moderate fitness level and have experience lifting weights I would deem CrossFit “safe.” However, if you have injuries, medical conditions or specific training needs I would highly advise against CrossFit. 
What are the best stretches for someone who isn’t flexible at all?
I tell this to my clients all the time- you don’t have to be flexible to stretch. While stretching might not be the most exciting part of your workout routine it is incredibly important in keeping and improving flexibility and joint range of motion as well as allowing your muscles to recover faster after a workout. I highly suggest checking out Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube. She has yoga for all fitness levels and flexibility levels from 5 minutes to over 60 minutes in length. She also has specific programs for improving flexibility, for meditation and for post workout stretching.
What are some guidelines to keep motivated for healthy eating? I’m finding it boring.
There is always the thought that healthy eating has to be boring… that you have to eat chicken, rice and broccoli for every meal, but that’s just not the case. Here are some of my guidelines to stay on track nutritionally.
- First off, start off with setting realistic expectations of yourself. Make sure that you set a realistic, achievable goal so that you don’t feel discouraged.
- Think about your WHY. Always remind yourself of why you are choosing to eat healthy and what it means for both your physical and mental health. I find that writing down your why can really help you to stay motivated.
- Don’t have an all or nothing approach. This tends to be the number one reason that people fall off the healthy eating “bandwagon.” If you indulge at a get together or on a girl’s night… don’t write off your entire week. Choose to make healthy, high protein choices for your next meal. Resist the urge to judge your day as “good” or “bad” as it can then prevent you from overeating and making poor choices.
- Have an accountability partner or someone who is tackling the journey with you! I cannot stress how helpful this is! Research shows that having a partner (especially if it is a spouse, bestfriend, boyfriend or roommate) vastly increases your chances of success.
- Finally, figure out what works for YOU. There is no one size fits all diet plan. It’s important to find an exercise and eating plan that is sustainable for you and your lifestyle. Consistency is the key.
Can you give examples of some 7 or 12 minute workouts?
If you’re looking for an efficient style of workout I would suggest doing an AMRAP (As many Rounds as possible) if you’re only looking to workout for 7-12 minutes.
Set a timer for 12 minutes and complete one of these circuits as many times as possible.
Squat thrusters 6x Squat Jumps x10
Bent over rows 6x Dead Stop Push-ups x5
Reverse lunge to curl 6x Surrenders x10
Push-ups 6x Alternating Jumping Lunges x10
Squat Jumps 6x Plank Up-Downs x5
Well friends- I hope you find some answers here to some of your burning health and fitness questions. If you have more questions, head over to the Lifestyle and Wellness section of Pretty and Smart Co. here to find the last q&a blog I did! Continue working hard my friends! Remember that a health lifestyle is a marathon, not a sprint! It takes time to build sustainable and healthy habits!
So many helpful tips, thanks for sharing!