Time. There never seems to be enough of it for what we need and want to do each day. What if I told you that you can get twice the workout in half the time? If it sounds too good to be true, then you haven’t heard about High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT. Getting 30 or 60 minutes of exercise into each day means letting go of other priorities (like sleep, family time and leisure). If we do carve out time in our schedules to exercise, we often struggle to stay motivated to get in a full bout of vigorous activity. It’s not surprising. Our brains are wired to help us avoid suffering!
The trick is to trick the mind into looking forward to physical activity. This can be done by choosing exercise routines we enjoy (dance, hiking, etc.) but also by strategically engineering our workouts to get the biggest return from the shortest amount of time. Knowing we can swap an hour-long slog of a workout with a mentally manageable 20-minute workout can be the difference between frustration and success.
As noted in this article from the American Council on Exercise, one of the most common misperceptions about exercise is that a person has to spend hours sweating buckets in order to reap the benefits. We all know those marathon runners who really do sweat buckets to stay so fit but most of us just want to get into a routine that helps us look and feel better and improve our health in the process. HIIT is just the ticket.
What is HIIT?
HIIT involves alternating higher-intensity activity with intervals of lower-intensity activity. The idea is to get your heart rate up for a short period of time (work phase) and then slow down for a short period of time (recover phase). Intervals can be 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3. For example, you can alternate jogging for 1-minute and walking for 1-minute (1:1), jog 1-minute and walk 2-minutes (1:2) or run 15 seconds and walk 45 seconds (1:3). The key is to start with a cycle that you know you can stick with and build from. For a beginner, that could be as little as 4 minutes of brisk walking or jumping jacks for 15 seconds, followed by 45 seconds marching in place.
Cycling through intervals for as little as 10 minutes can provide similar benefits of a 30-minute sustained activity depending on the intensity levels. A good way to measure exercise intensity is by using a rate of perceived exertion (RPE), with 1 being very low intensity and 10 being the highest level of intensity you can manage. An effective workout should have at least a 5-minute warm-up, a minimum of five high-intensity work intervals and a cool down. As a general rule, the warm-up would be around a 3-4 RPE, with work phase between 8-10 RPE and rest/recovery phase around 5-6 RPE.
There are many benefits to HIIT training, including improved heart health and better endurance, but one of the most important benefits is psychological. HIIT workouts are both physiologically and psychologically easier. Building rest breaks into a short workout make it much easier to begin and stick with a regular exercise habit.
HIIT examples
Walking or jogging as fast as you can and then walking at a leisurely pace
Calisthenics – alternating short bouts of jumping jacks, push-ups, squats and lunges with marching in place
Swimming one lap as fast as possible with a recovery lap in between
Select the Interval Training or Hill Climb option for Treadmill, Elliptical or Rowing machines
Set up a dance play list with alternating fast and slow songs
HIIT can be safe and effective at any age or fitness level. To learn more about how high-intensity interval training can even be more effective for older adults, read this article from the Mayo Clinic. If you have health concerns, be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
AUTHOR: Michelle Jenck, Adventist Health Tillamook Director of Community Wellbeing and TCW Coordinator
For more local health and wellness information, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
“Dating violence is preventable, especially if education about healthy relationships starts early,” said Valerie Bundy, executive director of Tides of Change. “This month and beyond, we want educators, youth, and community leaders to join along with middle, high school and college students, to raise awareness of the differences between healthy, unhealthy, and abusive relationships.”
The good news? Talking about healthy relationships and dating abuse can help break the cycle of violence and stop abuse before it begins. Each February, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month highlights these issues by providing resources such as this Healthy Relationship Quiz (see below), and tips below for recognizing “warning signs” – opportunities for prevention of abusive relationships.
COVID-19 has changed dating and relationships, and in some cases endangering people that are dependent on an abuser, quarantine restrictions provide control and limits access or exit. “We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg and the pandemic has put extra pressure on all our relationships,” Valerie continued. “It’s important to talk about what a healthy relationship looks like, that relationships can change over time, and to let people know that Tides of Change is always available.” They provide resources for those experiencing abuse in a relationship or assistance with past abuse through counseling, support groups and connections to resources. Services are free and available for all ages. Bilingual/bicultural advocates are available and there are multiple ways to access Tides of Change services including discrete ways through an online chat at their website or text messaging. Tides of Change’s mission is to provide hope, safety and support to those impacted by gender-based violence and shift cultural norms through advocacy, education, and community collaboration. Contact Tides of Change for more information about teen dating violence awareness at 503.842.9486, Toll-free: 800.992.1679, text: 503.852.9114, email info@tidesofchangenw.org, or online at www.tidesofchangenw.org.
Studies show 1 in 3 high school students experience physical and/or sexual violence that is perpetrated by someone they are dating or going out with.* 43 percent of dating college women and 28 percent of college men say they experience violent and abusive dating behavior.* During February’s Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM), sharing resources and information about healthy relationships to “Know Your Worth” and work together to prevent dating abuse. Know Your Worth is all about learning about healthy relationships and self-empowerment! Everyone is deserving of a healthy, loving relationship.
For Teens & Young Adults – In any relationship, you have a right to:
Be treated as an equal
Make decisions about your own body
Choose your own friends
Express your own thoughts and opinions
Live without fear or intimidation
Feel good about yourself
Spend time by yourself
Choose what to wear
Say no
Change your mind
Spend time with your family
Feel safe emotionally and physically
Private use of your phone or computer
Spend time doing things of interest to you
Tell the truth and be told the truth
End a relationship
If you’re concerned that your rights or the rights of someone you care about are not being respected, call Tides of Change at 503-842.9486, Toll-free: 800.992.1679
For Parents, Teachers, and the Community
The following may be warning signs that your child or another young person you know might be in an abusive relationship:
You notice that their partner is extremely jealous or possessive.
You notice unexplained marks or bruises.
You notice that their partner messages or texts them excessively.
You notice that your son or daughter is depressed or anxious.
Your son or daughter stops participating in extracurricular activities or other interests.
Your child stops spending time with other friends and family.
Your child’s partner abuses other people or animals.
Your child begins to dress differently.
“Warning sign” is another way of saying “opportunity for prevention.” If you are concerned about your child’s relationship:
Tell your child you’re concerned for their safety.
Ask questions that focus on their experience, and let them do most of the talking.
Believe them, take them seriously.
Be supportive and understanding.
Never put down their partner.
Avoid telling them what to do. Remember that ultimately your child must be the one who decides to leave the relationship.
Contact a local Tides of Change advocate at 503-842.9486, Toll-free: 800.992.1679 or online at www.tidesofchangenw.org to help start the conversation.
loveisrespect is a project of The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The purpose is to engage, educate and empower young people to prevent and end abusive relationships by providing information and support to concerned friends and family members, teachers, counselors, service providers and members of law enforcement. Advocates provide free and confidential support through online chat at https://www.thehotline.org/, text (send loveis to 22522*) or phone, 1-866-331-9474.
*Statistics from the American Psychological Association and Department of Justice.
AUTHOR: Laura Swanson, Tillamook County Pioneer Editor and TCW Advisory Committee Member
For more local health and wellness information, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (16 ounces) navy beans
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fat-free chicken broth (see notes)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup shredded cheese
10 thin corn tortillas
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, and cumin, and sauté until onion is softened but not browned.
Drain and rinse beans. Add drained beans, tomatoes with liquid, and chicken broth. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat.
Stir in tomato sauce, chilies, oregano, and chicken. Simmer 15 minutes.
When ready to serve, stir in cilantro and 1 cup cheese until melted. Serve tortilla strips on the side as soup toppings.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
Broth can be canned or made using bouillon. For each cup of broth use 1 cup very hot water and 1 teaspoon or 1 cube bouillon.
To make tortilla strips, stack tortillas and cut in half. Cut each half-stack into thin strips. Spread strips on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees, tossing frequently, for 15 minutes or until crispy and starting to lightly brown.
