January and February are the months in which more enrollments open in the gyms of Spain. Around 25% more than the rest of the year. But it is not just a purely physical issue: most of the time what we are looking for has more to do with "feeling good" than having a tablet worthy of Mario Casas. To start the day feeling strong, you need only a small exercise routine and a few nutritional tips. Below we show an example.
07.00 h. Pipipipi, pipipipi ... The alarm sounds. Choose a melody or song that motivates you: the goal is to become your ally, not your enemy. Still, if getting out of bed at first is too hard for you, take a break, press the snooze function and allow yourself five more minutes.
07.05 h. Yes now. Remove the sheets and stand up to face the new day. It doesn't matter if you support your right or left foot before, they are nothing more than mere superstitions. Raise the blinds and let the daylight flood your house. The reason? Natural light stops the secretion of a hormone called melatonin, known as the "sleep hormone," which is what regulates our biological clock, causing drowsiness to pass before us. First things first, so go to the bathroom and empty your bladder after eight hours of accumulation. Eye, it is important to observe the color of the urine in the morning to know the state of hydration, warns us Lara Lombarte, Dietitian-Nutritionist of Nutritional Coaching. “The most appropriate color is like the juice of a lemon (almost transparent). The ideal is to drink 500 ml of water in the morning and if the color of the urine is more concentrated, increase the intake up to an hour before exercising to avoid feeling full bladder, which is very annoying, ”he explains.
07.10 h. Breakfast time Taking into account that breakfast in a normal person must provide between 20% and 25% of the daily energy needed, it is easy to realize that it is one of the most important meals of the day, and even more if activity is performed physical. "After the hours of night fasting, your body needs to be nourished to start the day with energy, provide the necessary glucose to your brain, seek optimal coordination and avoid irritability and low concentration," says personal trainer and nutritionist Miguel Naranjo. "It should be noted that there are no better or worse foods, but that each person should try several versions of breakfast to know which one suits them best," recommends Jaume Giménez, Nutritionist Coaching Dietitian-Nutritionist. This meal will allow us to start the day with enough energy. If we are also going to train, "the food you eat should be easily digestible, low in fiber and fat," he adds. "This will help improve the quality and intensity of training and get more satisfactory results."
Some of the recommended foods to take early in the morning are low-fat dairy, such as milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, fresh cheese, Burgos cheese ... Some vegetable drink can be incorporated as a milk substitute if it does not fall well . Canned tuna, turkey meat, sweet ham, vegetable pate (humus), quince or low-sugar jam are also good allies for breakfast. In addition, it is necessary to consume foods rich in carbohydrates, such as some piece of fruit or compote, bread, cereals or toast. All this is more important than it seems, since it will regulate the behavior of your body the rest of the day.
"Studies have shown that skipping breakfast increases food intake by 20% for the rest of the day, causing overweight, anxiety and desire to peck between meals," explains Miguel Naranjo. This nutritionist also points out another compelling reason not to skip this meal: “The hormone called cortisol stimulates the destruction of muscle proteins to convert them into glucose. This hormone predominates in the early hours of the morning, so if you do not feed your body, you will be favoring the loss of muscle, not fat ”. Cortisol not only destroys muscle, but also the ligaments of the bones and the skin's collagen. For all this it is not only important to have breakfast, but to have a good nutritional balance; It depends on the proper functioning of your entire body, which will be reflected on your outside.
(Breakfast idea . Toast with avocado and canned tuna, accompanied by a milkshake of oatmeal and banana milk. With the toast and the smoothie the carbohydrate contribution is assured, with the tuna the protein part and the avocado gives us Monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. Do not forget to drink a good glass of water).
07:30 Physiologically we are not equal at all times of the day and it is in the morning when we have more bowel movements (peristaltic movements), which are what allow us to go to the bathroom more easily. The nutritionist Lara Lombarte explains: “One type of peristaltic movement that occurs in the large intestine is mass movement, which are strong waves that occur in order to empty most of the colon. These waves occur 3 or 4 times a day and one of the times they occur is in the morning. ”
7:40 a.m. Let's do it. A small exercise routine is undoubtedly the best way to start the day and get energized. "You activate the metabolism and make it work faster throughout the day, burning more calories even at rest," Miguel clarifies. In addition, "playing sports on a regular basis will improve your muscular and skeletal system, secrete happiness hormones (serotonin), which will help you have a more positive and cheerful mood and, overall, you will feel better physically." Important! Get a list of songs that you like and get to train with them to motivate you. "Music is a trigger that connects with our emotional side," says Naranjo. He has been in charge of designing a series of exercises to complete, performing two sets of 12 repetitions each, alternated with breaks of between 15 and 20 seconds. It is important that you adjust the rhythm to your physical level:
Stride with jump-starting sitting . Start sitting in a chair and with one leg stretched parallel to the floor. Advance the other leg and bring both knees to ninety-degree flexion. Then change the legs twice with a little jump and back to the chair again. Repeat alternating legs each time. If you suffer a knee injury, perform only one flex without jumping. (See example in the video, above).
'Superman' fund. Leaning face down on the floor and with your legs apart, gradually lift your body with an elbow extension (flexion) while extending one arm forward, looking for your entire body to stay parallel to the ground during movement. Alternate arms at each flex. You will exercise pectoral, triceps and shoulder (among others), as well as the stabilizing musculature. (In addition to these photos, see example in the video, above).
Exercise 2.
Exercise 2.
- Abs with broom . Lying on the floor, take a broomstick with both hands at shoulder height and bring it straight up, not forward or backward, toward the ceiling. The arms should be straight at all times. It contracts and works the middle and upper abdominal. (In addition to these photos, see example in the video, above).
Exercise 3.
Exercise 3.
- Crossed abs . Keeping the left arm extended on the ground and in a fixed position, raise the right hand straight from the ground, and the same with the opposite leg, the left. The hand and foot should be in the center. With this we work the lower and oblique abs. Perform a series with each arm. (See example in the video, above).
08.00 h. Before finishing the exercise routine it is very important that we do some stretching. As Selene Hoyas, Physiotherapist and Professor of Piltaes tells us, "these movements help us prepare muscles and joints for the daily activity that our body faces." They should always be done very smoothly since at this time of day our body is not prepared for great demands. Selene offers us this series of exercises that we must keep between 15 and 30 seconds each.
Lumbosacral stretching. Bend your knees and hips until you sit on your heels, while flexing your neck. Slide your hands forward at the end of the movement. Click here to see an example.
Hamstring stretch. Sitting and with one leg bent supporting the sole of the foot on the opposite thigh, lean the body forward keeping the lumbar spine straight. Hold 15-30 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.
Hamstring Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
General back stretch. Lying on your back, flex your hip and knee ninety degrees. With the hand on the opposite side it helps to bring the leg to the other side of the body until we notice tension in the lower back. Repeat to the other side. Click here to see the example. (Appears in minute 2.55)
Cat-Camel. Arch the spine up, flexing the neck. Hold 5 seconds Arch the spine down, extending the neck. Hold 5 seconds Flexion, extension, inclination and cervical rotation. Click here to see the example.
Stretching arms. Standing, put your arm over the opposite shoulder, stretch with the help of the other hand. Change arm Click here to see the example.
08.10 h. After the exercise session nothing better than a good shower. Not only to remove our sweat, but it also provides benefits for our body, influencing our mood and helping our body to get going. Miguel Naranjo advises "showering with warm water and gradually let it cool, and finish with a cold water splash that helps you finish clearing and reactivate the circulation." Once you shower, you just have to dress.
08.20 h. Almost everything is ready. You just need to prepare a good lunch, preferably with fresh ingredients to keep your body in full power. In the middle of the morning you can take a handful of almonds or walnuts together with a piece of fruit and an infusion. Almonds provide us with vegetable proteins, calcium, magnesium and vitamin D. And the fruit will provide us with antioxidants and vitamins. In this way you will avoid the temptation to assault the chocolate vending machine at work.
08:30 Take your things from the job, leave home, lock the door and if you can walk or take the bike to your office. It will be the ideal complement for the exercise and will also help you clear your head before another hard working day.