Making a big fitness progress

Grapes have over 1,600 natural plant compounds

Research into the potential impact to our heal when consuming grapes suggests that the whole grape which contains over 1.600 natural plant compounds, inducing antioxidants and other polyphenols-offers a range’of intriguing health benefits when included in our daily diet.

Grapes are heart-healthy

Grapes are a heart-healthy addition to your diet. in two studies conducted at the University of Connecticut, researchers found that adding grapes to the diet every day supports a healthy heart. Women who consumed 1/4 cups of grapes every day reduced blood triglyceride levels, LDL cholesterol levels, inflammatory proteins and other markers of heart disease/ Men with metabolic syndrome who consumed 1/2 cups of grapes every day reduced blood pressure, improved blood vessel’function and decreased a key marker of infiammationA whole bunch of healthy

Go with grapes every day for a whole bunch of healthy.

Quote of the Day.

One Sweat Snack, Please!

Guess what? There’s no such thing as a too-short workout. On jam-packed days, treat yourself (yes, exercise is a treat!) to what we’ve dubbed the “sweat snack”—a mini circuit (as in 15 minutes or less). “You’ll work your muscles, lubricate joints, train your heart rate, and release endorphins,” says fitness coach Gideon Akande (@getfitwithgiddy). Stick to compound moves that make your upper and lower body work together (they engage your core in the process)—like a squat and press, reverse lunge and curl, deadlift and triceps kickback—and minimize rest breaks. Tastes good, doesn’t it?

Do Yourself a Solid

Whatever your fit personality (class junkie, lifting lady, cardio queen), the split squat helps fix muscular imbalances and builds deep, foundational strength for taking any workout to the next level. Lock it down:

The 3 Step Process:

l. Stand, then step left foot as far forward as possible while keeping both heels planted on floor, toes pointed forward.

2. Clasp hands in front of you and hold torso upright as you bend both knees, allowing right heel to come off floor as you shift weight to left heel. Lower until back shin and front thigh are parallel to floor.

3. Pause; drive through left heel to stand.

Tip: Watch For A Stance Too Short or Wide

Your back shin and front thigh should be nearly parallel to the floor when you lower. Practice the move sideways in front of a mirror to see the angles—you want your feet far enough apart so your front heel stays planted as you squat.

Tip: Watch For A Leaning Torso

In order to protect your back and properly engage your glutes, brace your core and keep your upper body directly over your hips. This is especially crucial if you add weights to the move.

THAT FIRST-TIME FEELING

Marathon on the brain? Go for it—you’ll score way more than toned legs. Training for your initial 26.2 makes your blood vessels younger, new research from the European Society of Cardiology reveals. In the study, novice runners who trained for six months before crossing the finish line saw a reduction of/our years in the age of their arteries (i.e., they were way (less stiff) and a drop in blood pressure (comparable to the effect of meds). Whoa, baby. Next time someone shames you for how hard Dig M is on your body, whip out that little number and your-well-deserved medal.

Practice Makes Perfect

• Well.-.until it doesn’t. Turns out, repeating an exercise to the point of exhaustion may impair your ability to learn that skill, as it can prevent your brain from forming memories of the move, found new research from Johns Hopkins. But whether you’re trying a workout (indoor climbing) for the first time or learning a fresh move (oh, hey, pull-ups), how do you know when to persist—and when to throw in the towel? “If your muscles feel shaky or weak, it’s best to stop,” says exercise physiologist Rachel Straub, CSCS, coauthor of Weight Training Without Injury. Be sure to start at a low intensity: For strength training, use little or no weight when learning a lift. If you’re guinea-pigging a class, focus on form over pace-even if means missing a hill in cycling, a few reps in barre, or a pose in yoga.