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Meditation has many benefits that go beyond feeling calmer and Zen. 

What we also love about mediation is that it does not require very much time to reap the benefits (5 minutes a day can make a difference) and no special equipment is needed.

8 Benefits of Meditation:

1. Reduced Stress
2. Emotional Balance
3. Increased Focus
4. Reduced Pain
5. Reduced Anxiety
6. Increased Creativity
7. Reduced Depression
8. Increased Memory

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Why is sleep so important and what are the benefits to getting good, restful sleep?

Getting a good night sleep on a regular basis is so important for our health and cognitive function.

The Importance of Sleep

Did you know that your muscles build and repair themselves when your body is at rest, especially when you are sleeping? It’s true.

Not getting good quality and enough sleep on a regular basis can cause health issues like heart disease, stroke, obesity, dementia, and hormonal issues (especially in woman who are entering menopause).

10 Benefits of Getting a Good Night Sleep

1. Increases your immune system (so get sick less).
2. Helps aid in weight loss or helps you maintain a healthy weight.
3. Better cognitive function so can focus better and do better at work or school.
4. Feel more energetic and motivated during the day or for your workouts.
5. Being a happier, healthier you.
6. Feel less drowsy during the day or less mid day crashes.
7. Less cause of injury since your body is functioning better.
8. Reduces inflammation.
9. Helps your muscles build and repair overnight.
10. Reduces the risk of health problems like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, weight gain, etc.

How Much Sleep Should You Get a Night?

Adults typically need anywhere from 7-9 hours per night of sleep. We should be getting a minimum of 1.5 hours-2 hours of Rem sleep per night within your 7-9 hours of sleep.

Younger, school aged children need more sleep than adults. They should be aiming to get between 9-12 hours of sleep each night.

Have Trouble Falling or Staying Asleep?

If you find it hard to fall asleep at night or find yourself waking up feeling restless or going to the washroom all hour of the night. There are tools that may help you get better quality sleep.

There are many factors that may cause you to have issues sleeping, such as too much caffeine, drinking alcohol, stress, anxiety, too much on your mind before bed, some medications, heart burn, acid reflex, eating too close to bed time, pain in your body, and than there are specific medical conditions like insomnia or sleep apnea that may cause a disrupted sleep.

10 Daily Things You Can do to Help You Get Better Sleep

1. Hydrate during the day but cut off the liquids an hour or two before bedtime.
2. Eat healthy – Less sugar, salty and processed foods.
3. Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
4. Do not eat too close to bedtime. Your body needs time to digest your food before laying down.
5. Yoga (for stress and anxiety management & relief).
6. Daily meditation (for stress and anxiety management & relief).
7. Cut back on caffeine or only drink it in the morning. Consider drinking decaf. FYI – Soda and tea also have caffeine in them.
8. Take supplements- multivitamin, omega, magnesium or probiotics.
9. Try taking supplements for stress – 5-HTP, L-theanine, Ashwagandha, Passionflower, Lemon balm, or supplements for your adrenal glands.
10. Daily exercise – the earlier in the day you exercise, it may be better for sleep.

Have Trouble Falling Asleep at Night? Try These Hacks to Help You Sleep

• Have a set wake-up and bedtime schedule.
• Have a comfortable sleep environment that is dark, quiet and comfortable.
• Have a healthy bedtime routine.
• Try a 10- minute meditation before bed.
• Focus on deep breathing prior to sleep or while you are trying to fall asleep.
• Avoid watching TV or any screen time an hour before bed. Try reading.
• Don’t do stressful activities close to bed. These include responding to emails or taking work phone calls.
• Still your mind while falling asleep. Try counting up from 0 until you start to dose off.

If none of these daily routines/tasks seem to help and you have tried everything to help you get a longer, better quality sleep at night with no success, asking your health care provider for assistance could help. Many naturopaths can help assist you in getting better sleep.

Sleep well tonight and every night!

BTW – If you’re looking to improve your sleep with exercise, we can help! Contact Premium Personal Training today to set up your complimentary consultation and meet with one of our Personal Trainers in East Gwillimbury.

Kettlebell swings are a full body, multi-muscle, multi-joint exercises that work your lower and upper body including your core muscles. This exercise will help build power and strength, and they will help increase your cardiovascular system.

Why do Kettlebell Swings?

For these 7 reasons:

1. High calorie burn.
2. Easier on your joints than other cardio/power exercises.
3. Full body workout.
4. Increase your power.
5. Stronger posterior chain (muscles on the back of the body).
6. Better cardiovascular fitness.
7. Increase overall strength.

What Muscles Are Used in a Kettle Bell Swing?

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Calves
• Erector spinae
• Trapezius (traps)
• Rhomboids
• Deltoids (Shoulders)
• Core Muscles

How to Perform a Kettlebell Swings

It is important to know how to do a kettlebell swing properly to prevent injury and to get the most out of the exercise.

Here are step-by-step instructions for how to do kettle bell swings:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a kettlebell with both hands (palms facing toward you) and arms straight down.
2. Inhale and push your hips back (hinge your hips) and slightly bend your knees to bring the kettlebell between your legs.
3. Keep your back straight and core engaged. No rounding the spine or this could result in a back injury.  
4. Exhale, contract your glutes, and push your hips forward to lift your body into a standing position. Swing the kettlebell up until you reach shoulder height or parallel to the ground.
5. Inhale and lower the kettlebell between your legs by pushing your hips back and slightly bending your knees.
6. Perform 3 sets of 10–20 reps or as many as you can do to start with.

IMPORTANT – During your kettlebell swing, the power is coming from your lower body (your hips and glutes). You should not feel you are using arm strength or muscling the kettlebell up.

On your last rep, make sure to slow your momentum down gradually until your swing comes to a stop. If you abruptly stop the exercise in the middle of a swing, it can result in an injury, specifically in the back.

Premium Personal Training – Your Newmarket & East Gwillimbury Personal Trainers

Looking for more support to help you achieve your personal fitness goals? Contact Premium Personal Training today to set up your complimentary consultation and learn from one of our Certified Personal Trainers.

‘Tis the season for yummy treats!

Holiday treats and food can be healthy and also easy to make, like this Gingerbread smoothie.

Gingerbread Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 700 ml Almond Milk
• 1 banana (frozen is best)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves

Instructions: 

• Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Enjoy this festive healthy smoothie, and the holiday season!

Life is all about balance, which is why from time to time we need a little indulgence in our eating!

If you love bacon, here is a delicious recipe to try out.

Bacon Wrapped Smoky Chicken Thighs Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, Skinless chicken thighs
• 4-8 slices of bacon
• Smoky spice blend (see recipe below)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Prepare smoky spice blend (see recipe below).
• Sprinkle each chicken thigh with 1 tsp smoky spice blend.
• Wrap each thigh with 1-2 strips of bacon.
• Sprinkle bacon wrapped chicken with smoky spice blend.
• Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken is 165 F.

Smoky Spice Blend Recipe: Mix these spices together.

• 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sea or Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Happy eating!