This post about the benefits of trampolining (some of you may know it as “rebounding“) was written by guest blogger, Rita G, who is a former nutritionist, researcher (she helped with research for The China Study!), and is writing a book about incorporating healthy living habits in our stressful, busy lifestyle.
The Benefits Of Trampolining
One type of fitness and recreational activity that is often neglected or forgotten about is that of trampolining. This can be a very enjoyable type of workout and will also provide a number of fitness benefits. For many people it will not even feel like they are doing a workout at all, therefore is a great resource to turn to when you’re just plain bored with your classic gym routine.
Here are some of the main benefits you’ll get from trampolining.
Extreme Stomach Strengthening
One of the biggest benefits you’ll get with regular trampoline sessions is a great abdominal core workout. If you’re searching for a six pack, this is one exercise type you won’t want to miss. Each and every time you rebound into the air your body will have to tighten up to support yourself for landing, which will primarily be accomplished by the abdominal muscles tensing up. This constant tensing-relaxing cycle is enough to help strengthen the core and also improve posture in the process. In fact, the abdominal muscles are going to be called into play to a larger extent during trampolining than in most of the boring sit-up movements you may have performed in the past.
Low Impact
The second big benefit of adding trampolining to your workout program is that it is very low in overall impact. You may have thought the opposite – after all, you are rebounding up and into the air, but remember that because you are heavily cushioned when you land back on the trampoline, this takes much of the pressure right off the joints. If you usually suffer from knee pain during normal exercise such as running or biking, this is a good substitution.
Lymph System Improvements
A third nice benefit of trampolining is that it tends to help out with lymph system drainage. This will aid with the removal of any toxins or other poisoning substances that may be present in the body, ensuring that your immune system stays nice and strong.
Cardiovascular Benefits
One of the most common goals of any fitness program is to enhance your overall cardiovascular system. This is what ensures that your heart stays working effectively and that you have blood pressure readings that are within the healthy range. If you can keep up with your trampolining for a good twenty to thirty minutes you will get these cardiovascular benefits and also help to enhance fat loss as well. It is a very calorie demanding activity if you are continually jumping up and down and you can almost burn as much as you would if you were skipping.
Bone Strengthening Benefits
Maintaining strong bones is also an essential element for promoting good health and being able to stay active for many years to come and trampolining will also help you accomplish this task. Any weight bearing activity is often regarded as bone strengthening and since each and every time you jump up and down on that trampoline you will be bearing your weight, it is just as effective as running would be.
If you are bouncing on a smaller rebounder rather than a larger scale trampoline you will see greater benefits with regards to bone strength since the number of impacts per minute will be higher.
Enhanced Coordination and Motor Skills
Finally, the last benefit that you’ll see from participating in a regular trampolining routine is improved coordination and motor skills. Being able to effectively control the body as it moves through space especially at the accelerated rate that it will be after coming off the rebounder takes a lot of coordination. Then you must also prepare the body for landing and ensure that you maintain proper form to rebound up again. This improvement in balance and coordination can transfer over to any other recreational activities or sports you might perform improving your overall performance there.
So if you’re looking for a change of pace with your usual workouts, why not consider trampolining? You can purchase small rebounders at a very cost effective price and you may even want to check your gym or a local gymnastics facility for adult rebounding glasses. It’s a great way to get out, try a new activity, and get more fit in the process.
Kristen Suzanne’s note: It’s recommended that you check with a physician before embarking on any new physical fitness routine.
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Monday, February 8th, 2010
Raw vegan food… it’s changed my life.
When people first learn that I’m a Raw vegan, they usually ask Why? My initial response is always the same… “Try it and you’ll see for yourself. You’ll be amazed.” Sometimes I follow it up with examples that I can’t help but brag about…
- I have energy through the roof without caffeine.
- I have clear, soft skin that is going to age slowly and beautifully.
- I effortlessly maintain my weight.
- My previously debilitating headaches cease to exist.
- I’m helping my body prevent the common diseases afflicting our culture today.
- I’m setting myself up to win and to reach my goal of being a centenarian.
- I deserve this! My family deserves this!
- Need I go on? Because I can…
This lifestyle is awesome!
I have to laugh with pure rushing joy when people doubt, question, or dare to make negative assumptions about my lifestyle, because I have no regrets. It’s like having a secret key that opens the door to life at its best, and if you don’t have it… then, guess what? You can. But, if you pass it up… well, then I wish you luck (and if you come back for help later, we’ll all be here cheering you on!). (I’m a brunette now, but my laughing expression is the same)
I love my relationship with Raw Vegan food.
I’m so grateful it came into my life. How could I not be? I experienced massive health changes at two levels. The first level of going vegan greatly reduced my headaches, decreased my lethargy, and gave me a beautiful purpose as I set out to save as many animals as I could, along with helping preserve our planet earth for future generations. The second level, going Raw, made me soar to new heights I had not experienced as only a vegan. I experienced life like never before. I felt energy explode in my mouth with every bite of organic raw food. I sensed the cells in my body wake and dance for the first time, and let me tell you… they love to dance!
Raw vegan food makes me feel alive, light, happy, extraordinarily vibrant – from my head to my toes.
And, that’s just the beginning. With fresh, pure, plant-based foods, I’m connected to something that can be hard to describe for people who haven’t shared the same experience. It’s a connection to the earth. To life. To the sun. To the stars. To the moon. To animals. They are precious interconnections that are impossible to take for granted. You know that scene in Avatar where the tribe is sitting on the ground, swaying, and chanting, and they’re all connected to the forest and Eywa at the tree of souls?… don’t laugh, but I actually feel that way when I eat fresh, organic Raw plant-based foods. I feel like I’m experiencing — and deeply connected to — a planet that is alive!
I’ve been vegan for about 7 years, of which 5 have been either high raw or all raw at different times. I eat with purpose and I love it. Now, I sometimes find myself saying to the same people who asked questions years ago…
- Heck no, I don’t miss junk food.
- Yes, it’s super easy to do.
- And, no, it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Some of them still don’t get it. One of the fun things about it is that it can be flexible. Many of you know that I’m not a purist with my diet. Nor am I a zealot. And, I definitely don’t stress about it. I do have some cooked foods and goodies on occasion, to which I usually follow it up shortly thereafter with a fresh green juice or salad. I can count on my body to direct me to what I truly crave… alkalizing foods. My body knows better. If I’ve traveled and eaten more cooked foods than raw for a spell, that’s OK because I run back to raw. Every time. Even during the first trimester of my pregnancy when I had about 10-14 days where there wasn’t much of anything that sounded good, and I ended up eating more cooked food than raw food – that didn’t last long. It was an exciting day shortly thereafter when I felt the change ripple through my body, and I couldn’t wait to bite into a juicy piece of organic fruit, to crunch a fresh crisp salad, and to fill my mouth with a nutrient-dense green smoothie - in spite of my all-day-morning sickness! How magnificent to share all of that pure goodness with the precious life growing inside of me.
My flexibility does not cross over into vegan-land however.
I’m not always 100% raw, but I’m always 100% vegan. I’m militant about that, and proud of it. The reason is simple… the vegan aspect of my life reaches far beyond me. It saves and respects both animals and our shared earth, which I refuse to compromise. Why would I? Check out the powerful documentary Earthlings for more information.
These past years have been amazing, and I can’t wait to see how my health continues to soar year after year. What an advantage to live this way! When I look back I am thrilled about my decisions and so happy that I started when I did, but it’s better late then never for those of you still debating on this lifestyle. If you’re looking for more information on living a vegan and raw lifestyle, then check out the following favorite resources of mine.
The China Study
Food Revolution
Skinny Bitch
Food Matters dvd
KristensRaw.com
So… why do you love Raw vegan food? How has it changed your life? Or, what do you hope it will do for you?
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Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
Every year I get my blood checked and an annual physical. Due to my healthy lifestyle, I don’t expect to find anything wrong, but:
a) it’s still responsible to get checked
b) it’s inspiring for staying on this path, and
c) what can I say? I like the bragging rights that come with great results!
I have to say, I’m extra excited because my numbers have improved since last year – honestly, I wasn’t sure they could, as they were already very good! I’m setting myself up for a wonderful future with easy aging. The great thing is, anybody* can get similar results just by sticking with a Raw vegan or High Raw vegan lifestyle. Now for the numbers…
My cholesterol is 96! The recommended number is to be under is 200 (if you’re comparing yourself to the SAD eaters that make up the majority of our culture), and if you’re one of those in-the-know, then you recognize that you actually want your cholesterol under 150. I did a big happy dance when I received these results. Coming from a family that has some heart disease, it’s empowering to see that I can make a difference in my health. The rest of my numbers are all superior as well, including my B12 which is 1194! The recommended range is between 243-894. I do supplement with B12 on a fairly regular basis. Needless to say, my doctor was impressed. (She’s not vegan, and this totally negated any concerns she might have had about getting sufficient B12.)
It’s not like I didn’t expect these great results though. Let’s take cholesterol for example. I don’t consume it… ever, which is obvious because I’m a vegan. There isn’t any cholesterol in plants. And, just like there isn’t dietary cholesterol in plants, there isn’t dietary fiber in animal products. As I like to say, cholesterol gunks you up, fiber cleans you out.
According to one of my all-time favorite books (life changing material here, if you haven’t read it, you need to), The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell…
Blood cholesterol is clearly an important indicator of disease risk… animal-based foods were correlated with increasing blood cholesterol. With almost no exceptions, nutrients from plant-based foods were associated with decreasing levels of blood cholesterol… Saturated fat and dietary cholesterol raise blood cholesterol, although these nutrients are not as effective at doing this as is animal protein.
Furthermore, blood cholesterol is not only an indicator of heart disease. According to The China Study…
As blood cholesterol levels decreased… cancers of the liver, rectum, colon, male lung, female lung, breast, childhood leukemia, adult leukemia, childhood brain, adult brain, stomach and esophagus decreased.
So… have you been getting your blood checked every year?
* Some people suffer from medical conditions causing extremely high blood cholesterol that can be hard to lower without medication. That said, a Raw vegan diet is a very important part in lowering cholesterol.
For those of you who haven’t entered to win the Lexen Healthy Juicer, you can do so here.
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Friday, November 9th, 2007
This is a fun and interesting topic and here is my take. Yes, it’s okay to date a carnivore…because it’s possible that he/she won’t be one forever. And whether they go Raw, well, the same logic follows. I remember back in my carnivore days I went on a date with a vegan. I didn’t even know what the term meant at the time. He took me to dinner and I thought to myself, “What the hell? You don’t eat meat? Are you serious? What-evaah!” Even though the guy was nice, I felt uncomfortable dating someone who didn’t eat meat. I wondered how we’d eat together if we were ever to make a more permanent relationship of it. Looking back, the date taught me a lot. I learned patience with the subject and I try to answer people’s questions about it, without ever getting defensive. It’s the only way people will learn. As it turns out, when I became a vegan I was single, and not surprisingly, I wanted everyone to give me a fair chance. Keep in mind the following:
- People don’t know what they don’t know. Although nature designed me to be an herbivore, my parents didn’t know that. I grew up like many Americans…eating meat. I didn’t know any better UNTIL I began reading and learning on my own. I try not to judge others and remember that they probably just don’t know any better either (there was, after all, a time when I didn’t).
- Even after enlightening people on the topic, not everyone is ready to make a switch over night. It could take months or even years. When I met my boyfriend, I was vegan (mostly Raw) and he ate meat. I didn’t mind. I knew he was a smart fellow (after all, he was dating me, right? Haha) He was cool with the fact that I wouldn’t make him meat dishes and happy that I made him fabulous vegan and Raw vegan foods. When we went to dinner, that was the time he ate meat and I was fine with that. He respected me and I respected him. He knew it was important to me, so he made an effort to learn more. He was curious and an open-minded skeptic. He asked hard questions that we looked into and both learned from it. After about 8 months, he read the book, The China Study, and one day just stopped eating meat… in fact, he went High Raw at the same time. So, keep in mind, it could take the time to read books, see movies or just staying up all night talking about it on multiple occasions. My advice is to “be there” for him/her and make as many resources available as he/she wants and needs. What would not have worked, however, is dating somebody who either didn’t respect my decision, or care enough — or was too closed-minded to try to understand. Humility means to remain teachable, and I believe it’s a quality you want in a partner for all things, not just dietary choices.
- Make terrific recipes and show him/her how easy it can be. Get your carnivore mate involved by asking him/her to pick out recipes for you to make. (Hey, it works with kids, why not grown ups? haha) Get their opinion and help them feel involved. If you’re set on only dating a vegan/Raw vegan and you have no idea how to begin. Then, pay attention to proximity. Spend time in places where vegans and raw vegans go… vegan or vegan-friendly restaurants, pot lucks, health food stores, retreats, classes for vegan/Raw vegan food prep, yoga classes, gyms or health clubs, hiking clubs, etc. — in fact, university campuses in general! :) A great place to get started is through meetup.com. It’s a useful way to find local groups of people with similar interests doing fun activities.
Bottom line: If you meet a carnivore who is crazy about you, then that person will be excited to learn more and support you. Odds are in your favor, in my opinion, and they won’t be a carnivore forever.
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I'm Kristen, and welcome to my blog. I'm a wife, mom, author, and I love to eat so food is usually the topic of my blog posts. I'm a former (almost decade long) vegan turned back omnivore who enjoys reading, rebounding, coffee, and dark chocolate. 
