During stress and crisis, life can feel overwhelming and very challenging at times. 

This blog post is a MUST READ or WATCH VIDEO to help you learn simple ways to relieve stress into your every day life, so that you find the stress relief you've been looking for.

Stress is a part of life and that is WHY it's so important for us to learn how to manage stress, and to learn these self-care tools that I'm going to share with you today. 

Learning these self-care strategy tools will help you feel more confident, less stressed and help you cope better when faced with any life challenge that comes your way. 

Sleep

Getting enough sleep can be crucial to our overall health and wellbeing; especially, during stress and crisis.  Sleep is one the main self-care tools that you can use to help you decrease anxiety, stress and to feel better. 

Figure out how many hours of sleep you need to feel great and to be your best self. 

Try this free audio Guided Sleep...

 Hi, I'm Ranada.  

Welcome to Ranada Fitness!  An online-based community where I provide you with safe, quick and effective online workouts.  Workouts you can easily incorporate into your daily routine that you can do anytime, anywhere.  At home, work or when you travel. 

Today's online workout is one of my favorite workouts.  And, If you suffer with lower back pain like so many other people do, this workout is for you!   This workout will help you increase muscle strength, core stability and mobility where you need it the most.   

Let's get started!  Click on the YouTube video below. 

FULL WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS

Props:  Grab a yoga mat, towel or find a carpet space to workout on.  And grab a hand towel to place under your head (two towels if needed) and make your way onto the floor and lie on your back.  

 Warm-up 

• Bend your knees and place your feel onto the floor. 
• ...

10 Building Blocks of Pilates:  A Path to Strength and Flexibility

My neck aches. My back aches.  My knees hurt me all the time. I don’t want to live with this pain anymore! I need to build some flexibility and strength. Help! What can I do?

Does this sound like you?  Well, you’re not alone -- many clients and patients come to me for these exact same reasons.  A lot of them have coped with similar issues for years. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to put up with these aches and pains anymore.

The answer?  Pilates!  Pilates has helped me, and my clients and patients, tremendously.  Pilates was created in the early 1900s by Joseph Pilates, who'd been a sickly child growing up in Germany. Determined to overcome his weakness, he designed a fitness program to help build core strength. He also invented spring-resistance machines that could be used to perform the exercises. Pilates exercises build muscular strength, in...

Barre Workout:  Is Barre for You?

Ever thought about taking a barre class?  Or even wondered, what is barre? If so, read on. 

I fell in love with barre a few years ago, but not while participating in group barre classes. I truly fell in love with barre during Balanced Body Barre ® instructor training.  Group barre classes were fun, but as I looked around the room I noticed a lot of people whose form wasn't quite right.  I decided to train as a barre instructor to help people feel better, feel stronger, and exercise safely.  

What is Barre?

Barre is a full-body workout using a combination of movements inspired by ballet and other disciplines like Pilates and yoga.  Barre workouts incorporate the use of a ballet barre for balance and to perform certain exercises, but if you're working out at home you can use a chair instead of a ballet barre.  Other props may include light weights and resistance bands for strength conditioning or mini...

7 + Ways to Incorporate Exercise into Your Daily Routine

Have you ever felt like there’s simply never enough time in the day? Or that you need to put others first before yourself? Or that you are just too tired to exercise?

Well, you’re not alone.

Unfortunately, many of us feel like we are constantly burning the candle at both ends. We feel like we never have the time to put ourselves first, especially when it comes to making exercise part of our daily routine. Years ago, when I was a nurse, I used to think this way all the time. I loved to take care of others so much, but I didn’t leave any time to take care of myself, let alone allow time to exercise. It took me a long time to realize that I needed to devote time to taking care of myself and my body, and that in order to do that, I had to change my daily routine.

It wasn’t easy, but I’m here to tell you that it’s worth it, and you can do it, too. You can make time for yourself and incorporate...

7 Reasons To Try Pilates

I was first introduced to Pilates back in 2000, when I took my first private Pilates session to see what it was all about. That first experience was okay, but just okay. To be honest, I didn’t feel like I got anything out of it. Because of this experience, I knew how important and vital it is for people to make sure they find a good instructor who gives clear and precise cues, especially for those who are just starting a Pilates practice. 

Nine years later, I rediscovered Pilates after accidentally falling and injuring my ribs. My injury, coupled with the stress of worrying about how I was going to help take care of my parents who lived out of state and happened to be ill at the same time, meant that it was a very trying period of my life. In fact, my stress began to manifest itself in physical symptoms. As a result, I felt vulnerable, de-conditioned, and had constant upper back pain from the fall. It literally felt like a knife was lodged between...