Read more about the article Enjoy Thanksgiving and Keep Your Fitness on Track
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Enjoy Thanksgiving and Keep Your Fitness on Track

It’s official – travel for the holidays is back. About 70% of Americans said they have travel plans to travel for the holiday, Airport officials and industry analysts say passenger traffic for the Nov. 24 Thanksgiving holiday through New Year’s is set to reach or exceed 2019 levels.

This post updates the hottest tips for staying sane and healthy during Thanksgiving.

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10 Ab exercises that won’t mess up your hair

Whether it’s a midday workout or a quick one before you hit the office, or your weekend activities, you might want to just zoom through a workout with as little “muss and fuss” as possible. For me, sometimes I have just gotten my hair done the day before, or maybe I don’t want to look like I have been rolling around on the floor just minutes ago. If you are working at home, you can do many of these between calls. If you only have 15 minutes to actually be in the gym you can easily do an amazing ab workout after a five minute brisk work or HIIT workout. (see my post here for a simple explanation of HIIT and how it is easily accessible)

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Read more about the article Why You Should be Skeptical of the 12-3-30
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Why You Should be Skeptical of the 12-3-30

Every single day when I walk into the Equinox I see the treadmill -style workout still sweeping the nation – the 12-3-30 workout. But a lot of what I see is people holding on for dear life on the handles and craning their necks to overcompensate. It is important to consider whether a certain “hot” workout is right for your physique, as opposed to jumping on some social media bandwagon. You should always be skeptical. This is why.

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Read more about the article How to Show Steps on Your Apple Watch Face
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How to Show Steps on Your Apple Watch Face

If you have or are considering getting an Apple Watch, you may be aware of this fact: unlike a Fitbit, you do not see the number of steps immediately on the watch face. Wait, what? 

Steps don’t automatically appear on the watch face. Which can really decrease your motivation when you are trying to track steps. The good news: There IS A WORKAROUND. I learned it, I did it, and so can you! All is right with the world.

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Read more about the article Spring Cleaning: The Sneaky Workout You Didn’t Know You Needed
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Spring Cleaning: The Sneaky Workout You Didn’t Know You Needed

Spring cleaning may not be the most exciting task on your to-do list, but it can actually be a sneaky way to get a workout in. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy we burn during our daily activities, and cleaning and organizing your home can be a great way to boost NEAT and burn some extra calories. In this article, we’ll explore some common spring cleaning tasks and how many calories they can burn per hour, as well as tips on how to tackle cleaning out and organizing your closets and kitchen cabinets.

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Read more about the article How to Get Toned Arms for Summer – Starting Now
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How to Get Toned Arms for Summer – Starting Now

Spring is here,  and it’s time to start thinking about getting those arms ready for tank tops, sundresses, and other warm-weather attire. Whether you’re looking to tone up, build muscle, or just feel more confident in your own skin, there are plenty of ways to get nice arms for spring.

Here are some tips to help you achieve your goals. It might be only spring but it generally takes about 8 weeks to notice a difference when you start a new training program. Be patient, and follow along!

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Read more about the article The 5 Biggest Myths About Strength Training, Busted
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The 5 Biggest Myths About Strength Training, Busted

“You don’t need to do cardio if you lift weights!” “Weights will make women bulky.” “You have to lift heavy to see your body change.”

Ever since bros have been lifting, there has been “broscience.” A classic way to spot one of these broscientists is the guy walking around the gym with a protein shake and a brightly colored pre-workout drink. And he may also be sporting a bag of trolli gummi worms, because it’s “chest day.”

A lot of the myths surrounding strength training make it more of an intimidating world to approach. How can you dedicate hours of extra time a day to doing sets when you can barely tear yourself away from that spreadsheet?

Here are 5 common beliefs about strength training and how to keep your busy schedule without having to become a “bro” parked in the gym for hours.

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Read more about the article Exactly how to do stealth workouts in the middle of the day
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Exactly how to do stealth workouts in the middle of the day

The Wall Street Journal had a recent article, “Why Working Out During the Workday Is the Ultimate Power Move”. The article has an interview of CEOs who humblebrag about being able to disappear for two hours unaccounted for to do sets at the gym. This is the exact kind of messaging that makes the rest of us think that we have to be some big wig to “get away” with midday workouts. 

I beg to differ. I have been doing mid-day workouts for years – when I was an on the clock government worker, as a junior associate at a law firm, and now as a director at a Big 4. The secret is knowing exactly what you will do and exactly how you will do it. And being PREPARED. You may not be the CEO of a company, but you should be the CEO of your own body. 

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Read more about the article How to attend conferences without blowing your fitness goals 
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How to attend conferences without blowing your fitness goals 

If you are in a professional services field, you know that conferences are like our Superbowl. It’s the ultimate opportunity for companies to showcase their talent, swag, and brand power. 

It’s also the ultimate opportunity to pack on the pounds. A lack of choice for food options, many of which are not healthy. Wining and dining. Little sleep from compressed schedules for presentations and time zone differences. 

Slowly, you make decisions that you would never make if you were at your own home base. Like, maybe that stale mini cheese Danish IS a good idea. 

If I know one thing from being a professional in this workforce for many years, pre and post-pandemic, I know how to navigate this minefield. And I am here to tell you all the best tricks and tips so you can come and go like the fit boss that you are. 

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Read more about the article The DAOFitLife Hotlist: Summer workouts to enjoy before fall
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The DAOFitLife Hotlist: Summer workouts to enjoy before fall

There are murmursof a “false fall” or “early fall” happening. But despite some of these breezy days, we still have 3 weeks until real fall. So let’s get out there and enjoy some fun outdoor sports.

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Read more about the article How to Cure Tech Neck
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How to Cure Tech Neck

Did you know looking down at your phone is like putting the weight of a bowling ball on your neck? Not to mention, when you add stress, your neck will tense up further. The way we sit in front of the computer and look at our devices means we are always looking down. Overt time this causes your head to move forward, and eventually throw off your neck alignment. This is known as “tech neck.” And this is beyond an annoyance. Over time, untreated neck issues can cause massive tissue damage and harm to the spine including slipped or herniated discs. The good news is, there are easy hacks and exercises you can do right now to ease the tension in your neck and cure the related headaches.

Here is your guide to cure tech neck AND get better posture below.

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Read more about the article How Exercising for Success is as Easy as 4-3-2-1
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How Exercising for Success is as Easy as 4-3-2-1

Finding time to exercise (see my earlier post) is half the battle. The other half is actually doing it. This is where we get struck by analysis paralysis. What workouts are the best for body goals – burning fat, maintaning muscle mass, and feeling great?

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Read more about the article The Best YouTube and Fitness Apps
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The Best YouTube and Fitness Apps

As professionals on the go we often have to rely on the guidance of others to just be able to wake up and jump into a quick workout before we hit the shower and get ready to start the day. Or, we may be traveling and need something on the go when we do not have access to our home equipment or gym. Or it may be over 100 degrees outside and you need a good indoor workout in the comfort of your air conditioning and ability to be barefoot and in super comfy clothes.

Last year, I started a YouTube Channel and I realized this is a great way to curate and collect content just like I have been doing for the blog with all of the articles. I have made playlists for cardio, strength training, stretching and yoga. 

Check out each link, or scan the QR code to open it on your own device. 90 percent of the workouts are NO equipment. For those workouts that do

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Watch these videos to get in shape this summer

In our 50th anniversary issue, we are looking back – at the best of times. Here are the top DAOFitLife YouTube videos you may have missed. I have included a QR code for each one in case you want to scan to your phone and listen on the go! For more videos, check out the DAOFitLife YouTube Channel (please like and subscribe!)

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