A Checklist

I get Prevention magazine.  I have no idea why....it just started showing up in my mailbox each month.  Anyway, it really is a great little magazine!  The January edition is like any other magazine right now that touts changes to make in your life in the new year.  The part that I will post about here is a checklist of things to try and do for yourself and your health this year.  I think I'm drawn to it because I'm a list person...I make lists every day and feel accomplished if I am able to check things off.

I won't put the whole list here, but a few highlights:

"To-Do in 2013":

- Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Screening
- Get a Depression Screening if you've been feeling down for more than 2 weeks at a time
- Pelvic Exam and Mammogram
(Routine Exercise can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, chances of depression, and some forms of cancer like breast or ovarian cancer!)

- Eat more produce and healthy fats. You will feel fuller longer.
- Eat mindfully....pay attention to what and how much you are eating.  Slow down and enjoy your food.
- Cut back on refined grains (pasta, white rice, baked goods, etc.)
- Eat well when you are at home or at a restaurant

- Drop the "All or Nothing" attitude toward exercise.  (I wrote a blog post about this awhile back titled All or Nothing)
- Find the kind of physical activity that you enjoy.  You'll stick with it longer.
- Take every opportunity you can to move your body.
- Think of exercise as a gift, not a chore.  Think about the positives of exercise, like how it relaxes you, being with friends, the sense of accomplishment, along with the health benefits.

- Choose a mantra for yourself.  Saying a certain phrase to yourself can banish negative self talk and even get you through a tough workout or a food craving.  It can be something like "I can do this."  Mine is "You're stronger than you think you are" and "I've got this!"
- Get outside!  We all spend way too much time indoors.
- Drink more tea.
- Unplug (take a break from texting, emailing, etc)
- Get a massage....they can relieve stress, anxiety, and depression.

I think this is a wonderful, well-rounded checklist of things that we can do from now into the years to come.  We shouldn't just work on our physical health, but our mental health too.

Everyone has a story....

I was at the gym last night having a much needed workout after a few days off and I spotted a "fit female" across the room in the free weights.  Normally, I'd be right there with her, but it was a cardio night.  Anyway, during my rest periods, I had so much fun watching her because she was "lifting heavy."  It takes a lot to impress me these days, but her barbell chest presses were at 100 pounds.  She could crank out a good volume of pull ups and tricep dips with her body hanging free.  She was working hard and I thought I needed to go and tell her "great job!"  

So, at the end of my workout, she was putting her stuff away and I walked right up to her and introduced myself.  I complimented her on what I saw her doing and told her how I was a trainer who believes wholly in getting women to lift challenging weights.  She was shocked that I complimented her, but I could see that she was pleased too.  We stood there for twenty minutes talking!!!  She told me her fitness story and shared that she had lost 60 pounds and 40 inches over her journey!  I don't know how long she's been working at it, but it was so fun to hear about the things she's doing and even give her a few ideas of my own.  She commented on how her body has changed since she started "lifting heavy."  BINGO!!  It's just another living testimonial of how weight lifting will change your body for the better, not the bulkier.  

In our conversation, I found out that the trainer that helped her lose all of her weight is a gal that I partner up with sometimes.  She also knew a few people in our city that I know too.  Small world, I guess.  The point here is that we should all take the time to get to know those around us at the gym.  It's a great way to get inspired and get new ideas.

I went to the gym to do my own heavy lifting this morning.  I thought about the gal from last night and really cranked up my lift.  It felt great!  We all inspire each other.... you never know who's watching you!  

Cooks in the Kitchen

Do you know how to cook?  If so, do you actually take the time to cook?  Do you plan on teaching your kids to cook someday?  I've read several articles lately that talk about the importance of preparing and cooking healthy food in your house AND teaching your kids to do it too.  "Back in the day," we used to learn some of that at school...I grew up knowing it as Home Ec. As of 1994, it started being called FACS (Family and Consumer Science).  

Now, it seems, we need to pick up the slack again as parents because most of these "extras" have been cut from the school curriculum.  This can mean that basic cooking skills can get lost, translated into after-school specials, trade classes or electives if they're not ignored altogether. And if home ec is ignored or replaced by more academic classes, then learning how to cook, something that was once routinely taught at home, is now often not taught at all.

I researched a few sources on this subject.  Here are some thoughts from a NY Times article: "Revive Home Economics Courses to Fight Obesity" (Sept. 2011)

Today we remember only the stereotypes about home economics, while forgetting the movement’s crucial lessons on healthy eating and cooking.

Too many Americans simply don’t know how to cook. Our diets, consisting of highly processed foods made cheaply outside the home thanks to subsidized corn and soy, have contributed to an enormous health crisis. More than half of all adults and more than a third of all children are overweight or obese. Chronic diseases associated with weight gain, like heart disease and diabetes, are hobbling more and more Americans.

In the midst of contracting school budgets and test-oriented curricula, the idea of reviving home economics as part of a broad offensive against obesity might sound outlandish. But teaching cooking — real cooking — in public schools could help address a host of problems facing Americans today. The history of home economics shows it’s possible.

Next, parts from a recent Cooking Light article: Sept 2012 "Bring Back Home Ec!"

The classes used to be one year long, now are 9 week courses.  There is an entire generation of "lost girls and boys" who have graduated from high school with few practical home-making skills like cooking. ( approximately 25%!)

Today's FACS classes, if offered at all, have shifted their focus to the jobs market, such as training young chefs, caterers, hotel and restaurant managers, child care workers, and fashion merchandisers.  You don't necessarily get the basic skills of cooking, nutrition, and household management.

Marilyn Wagner, a FACS teacher in Colorado, commented in this article that "We are so focused on getting kids ready for college, but we're not preparing them for life.  

Americans are growing up not knowing the whats, whys, and hows of eating healthy.  Since 1980, as traditional home ec classes waned, the rate of obesity among children ages 2-19 tripled.  Every child should have the basic skills of preparing fresh food, but many don't grow up in an environment where there's someone to teach or model them.

Have you thought about this before?  Maybe you are thinking, "I have NO extra time for cooking or teaching my kids how to do it!"  Well, you have to make time for it, just like making time to exercise.  It doesn't just happen.  This is important and we can all benefit. It's just too easy to swing through the drive-thru or heat up a frozen pizza on busy nights.  Teach your kids how to plan ahead and make preparations.  Show them how good you are at multi-tasking AND cooking.  It will also take some of the burden off of you if they are the ones in the kitchen preparing and cooking supper.  We have to be good role models.

What's your kryptonite?

I'm sitting here at my parent's home enjoying a bit of quiet time before the busy festivities of the afternoon of our family Christmas.  The tins and boxes of goodies are out on the kitchen counter calling out to anyone that walks through there.  I can hear them now....

I've talked about holiday food before and how some things are tradition and that it's okay to have some of it....especially if it's something that you only get once a year.  Well, I believe that there are "kryptonite" foods that you just can't leave alone no matter how disciplined or dedicated you are (like me).  My kryptonite foods??  Molasses cookies and in general, all things peanut butter.  I just love them.  I don't usually bake those things because I will eat them, but this Christmas, I baked a batch of molasses cookies to share with everyone.  I even made them small.  Making something smaller isn't necessarily the answer for everyone because then you may pop one in your mouth and think, "Well, it was small, so I'll have another."  Before you know it, you are in the full "Blowing It" mentality! (See post titled "Blowing It")

How do you deal with kryptonite foods?  I've had a few molasses cookies, but I ate them slow and really tasted them.  I consciously felt it in my mouth and smelled it before I took a bite.  I think ignoring the calls from the goodie box can work sometimes, but not today.  I'll enjoy my cookie and promise myself not to take one every time I walk through the kitchen.  I will make healthy choices during my mealtimes.

What are some of your "kryptonite" foods?

Progress! (Are you getting there?)

If you watched my video coaching session from November 29th, you'll know about my goal pants challenge.  The purpose of the video was to choose a pair of pants that you wish to get into (or BACK into) and work on getting into them and being able to wear them in public.  This is a picture of me wearing MY goal pants!  Yah!  Nothing fancy, but I was going for a certain size and did it!  Will I stop working now that I can wear them in public?  No way!!  I will find a new piece of clothing to work toward.  Maybe even a swimsuit (groan).  Always, always, make new goals for yourself.

It's all about progression....not only progressing in your fitness abilities and goals, but letting that spill over into other areas of your life, like what you wear and how you feel in that piece of clothing when you get there!  Message me with your goals or a picture of you in your goal pants when you get there!  Just keep going!

Through sickness and health

I've had a cold all week in my head and now my chest.  Despite that, I still go to the gym and exercise my heart out.  I find that although I may feel a bit cruddy before my workout, I feel better afterwards!  It's almost like my body is saying "thank you!" for working it even with a plugged head and a bit of fatigue.  

One of my clients asked me about this very subject a few days ago as she is also battling a cold.  I encouraged her to give her workout a try as long as she wasn't violently coughing, nauseous, and didn't have a fever.  I told her to be the judge and trust her body.  If she started, but couldn't make it through, then it was okay to stop.  It turns out my advice was right on the spot.....I read several articles about exercising while sick and the information is listed below for your perusal:

1)  "Is it OK to exercise if I have a cold?"

Answer from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. (Mayoclinic.com)

Mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a garden-variety cold and no fever. Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion.

As a general guide for exercise and illness, consider this:

Exercise is usually OK if your signs and symptoms are all "above the neck" — symptoms you may have with a common cold, such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. Consider reducing the intensity and length of your workout, though, or you may feel worse. Instead of going for a run, take a walk, for example.

Don't exercise if your signs and symptoms are "below the neck" — such as chest congestion, hacking cough or upset stomach.

Don't exercise if you have a fever, fatigue or widespread muscle aches.

Let your body be your guide. If you have a cold and feel miserable, take a break. Scaling back or taking a few days off from exercise when you're sick shouldn't affect your performance. Resume your normal workout routine gradually as you begin to feel better. And check with your doctor if you aren't sure if it's OK to exercise.

Remember if you do choose to exercise when you're sick, reduce the intensity and length of your workout. If you attempt to exercise at your normal intensity when you have more than a simple cold, you could risk more serious injury or illness.

2) Gym Etiquette When Exercising With a Cold (WebMD)

It's one thing if you decide to exercise when sick, but how do you keep from spreading it to others in the gym? And what about you if they are the ones exercising with a cold?

Be careful that you are not blowing your nose constantly. And you should be using a towel and putting it down on every surface you touch and wiping it off when you are done.

The value of hand washing cannot be overstated.  Wash hands before and after using the restroom, before meals, after using public transportation, and after returning home from school or work.  Also, carry alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel in your gym bag to use when you realize that you have come into contact with someone who is sneezing or coughing.

3) Notes from FitnessHealthZone.com

Exercise has the ability to boost immunity. Research has shown that those who exercise get sick 30% less often than those who do not exercise. Those who exercise when sick also experience feeling less sick and stay sick for a shorter period of time. However, excessive exercise can have the reverse effect, depleting energy reserves and lowering the immune system.

Be sure to drink lots of water. Wash your hands frequently. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables in order to give your body the nutrients it needs in order to heal more quickly. Be sure to get plenty of Vitamin C and zinc into your diet during this time. Must importantly, get plenty of rest.

Great information for all of us!  I like the part about backing off on the intensity of your workout when necessary....I wish I would have listened to that a few years ago when I couldn't figure out why I was so darn tired and could hardly walk the treadmill or ride the bike (my how my workouts have changed!!!!) at my then-normal speeds.  The violent cough and extreme fatigue should have cued me in, but I had double pneumonia.  That definitely was a time that I should have been resting and not trying to work through it.  

The most important point here is to listen to your body and adapt or rest as necessary.

Who needs equipment??

It's December and people are scrambling all over the place to get their "end of the year" affairs in order and get ready for the new year to start in January.  For most people, that includes thinking about or re-thinking fitness goals in preparation for resolutions (see my post about New Year's resolutions!) and changes they  want to make.  If you check Craigslist regularly, like I do, you'll see that there is A LOT of fitness equipment for sale this month.  People want to get rid of their unused treadmills, ellipticals, weight benches, fitness DVDs, etc.  We're all guilty of purchasing equipment that eventually goes unused, myself included.

Where am I going with this?  Here it is: YOUR BODY IS YOUR BEST PIECE OF FITNESS EQUIPMENT.  You take it with you everywhere.  Body weight exercises can be done almost anywhere.  You can add things on to body weight exercises if you choose, like cable bands or dumbbells, but you don't have to.

I have researched some of the most popular body weight exercises and list them here:

-Tuck Jumps

-Squats (various types: single leg, wide base, etc)

-Pushups

-Bridges

-Lunges (front, reverse, side)

-Plank

-Triceps dip

-Single Leg Dead lift

-Bird Dog (also called spinal balance or quadraped)

-Bicycle abs

-Kick downs

-Burpees or squat thrusts

-Jump squats

-Lunge jumps

-Pull up/chin ups

-Jumping Jacks

-Butt Kicks

-Mountain Climbers

-Frog Jumps

(Source: Livestrong.com)

A few of my personal favorites include:

-Inverted Rows

-Step Ups

-Any sort of plyometric moves (i.e.- power moves that most times include jumping)

-Combination moves of any in the above list, like plank with pushup or plank jacks (planks with jumping jack legs).

Check it out for yourself and build a workout that you can do anywhere!  It's fun to experiment and see results!  Start with 2-3 sets of 12-20 reps of each exercise that you choose.

Mindless eating strategies

We mindlessly eat all year long, but especially during the holiday season.  All of those yummy goodies are laying around the house or are brought to your workplace for everyone to try and it's hard to have control.  I read an article recently about being "portion aware" by Brian Wansink, author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think."  Here are his top tips for gaining control....

1) Slow Down!  

It takes a few minutes for your stomach to relay signals of satiety to your brain.  If you are shoveling in the food as fast as you can, your body doesn't know right away that it's getting full.  You can pile on unwanted calories!  Make a pledge to eat slower.  Here's a challenge:  put your fork down between every bite.  It's a bit annoying, but will definitely make you slow down.

2) Abandon the Clean Plate Club.

Wansink did a study with Parisians and how they knew when to stop eating.  They said when they felt full.  Chicagoans, on the other hand said they were done eating when everyone else was done eating or when their plates were empty.  Work on the Parisian mentality in this situation.

3) Be selective about what you put on the table.

Plate your entrees in the kitchen and put veggies and salads on the table to serve family-style.  Proximity can make a 20% difference!

4) Think about the color of your dishes.

Wansink says, "If you are having mashed potatoes, you'll eat 18% more if they're served on a white plate than if they're served on a plate that offers more contrast."  The higher the color contrast, the more aware you are of how big your serving is.  Serve potatoes or pasta on a darker plate and see if it helps you eat less.

5) Face your food.

Don't eat directly from a package, but portion your food out on a dish so that you have to face exactly how much you'll eat.  We consume 20-30% more food when eating straight from a box or bag.  The bigger the package, the more we consume.

6) Remember the "movie-muncher" rule.  

According the Wansink, moviegoers who ate popcorn from a large bucket ate 53% more than those who chose a medium-sized bucket. Get in the habit of choosing and serving smaller portions all around.  If you give people a lot, they eat a lot!

So, what can you do right now?  Serve your Christmas goodies on small plates.  Store some of it in the freezer so that it's out of sight and harder to mindlessly munch on.  Have just one plateful at the office party and then move away from the food.  If everyone around you is mindlessly eating, you'll be more apt to do so too.  Carry a drink in your hand so that you can keep your mouth busy with something else besides cookies and fudge.

Remember, it's not about what you eat between Christmas and New Years, it's about what you eat between New Years and Christmas!

Spot Reduction

Have you ever done crunches in the hopes that your belly fat would magically disappear?  Or, perhaps it was that stupid thigh machine at the gym that would somehow make those thighs firm up overnight.....We all have "trouble areas" on our bodies.   I'm sorry to say that there is no way to "spot reduce" your fat.  That is, you can't do specific exercises to take the fat off a certain part of your body.  

Here are a few articles I found in my research on this topic:

"Arguably the most compelling evidence refuting the myth of spot reduction comes from a study conducted at the University of Massachusetts in the mid-1980s. In this investigation, 13 male subjects participated in a vigorous abdominal exercise training program for 27 days. Each participant in the study was required to perform a total of 5,000 sit-ups over the course of the research project. Fat biopsies were obtained from the subjects' abdomens, buttocks and upper backs before and after the exercise program. Contrary to what spot-reducing proponents would have you believe, the results of the study revealed that fat decreased similarly at all three sites—not just in the abdominal region. These findings may help explain one reason why spot reducing sometimes appears to work. If the caloric expenditure is sufficient enough, it will cause fat from the ENTIRE BODY to be reduced, including a particular target area. Although fat is lost or gained throughout the entire body, it appears that the last areas to become lean tend to be those areas where an individual tends to gain fat first. In most men (and some women), the abdominal region is the most difficult area to trim, while the hips, buttocks and thighs tend to be the trouble spots for most women (and some men)."

Source: Bryant, Cedric X. ACE FitnessMatters, January/February 2004."

Spot Reduction - Myth or Truth?

By Michael Carrera, MSc. and

Natasha Vani, MSc., ATCP

Spot reduction is simply the idea that if you work a specific muscle group you will decrease the amount of fat in that area. The most common example of this is people focus on abdominal exercises in an effort to lose weight in their stomach area.

In reality, there is no such thing as spot reduction. You will never attain a flat stomach just by performing abdominal exercises. The reason for this is simple: a muscle does not own the fat that surrounds it. Sit-ups, for example, will definitely strengthen your abdominal muscles, but sit-ups alone will not get rid of the layer of fat that is covering the muscles. To lose fat anywhere on your body you need to burn calories by following a program that involves both cardiovascular training and weight training. In doing so, you will decrease fat stores throughout your entire body, including the problem areas.

You may notice that you sometimes lose fat in some areas more quickly than in others; this is simply due to a genetic selective pattern rather than a particular type of exercise. It is a well known fact that men tend to gain weight in their abdominal region, whereas women tend to gain weight in their gluteal region. If fat was mobilized, or used from the stores near the exercising muscle, then you would expect both men and women to lose weight in the same areas when following a similar program. However, losing weight in the gluteal region is much more difficult for women than it is for men.

  Another common myth is that muscle gained during a strength training program will turn to fat once you stop strength training. Again, muscle and fat are two different tissues which are completely independent of each other. If you stop weight training, your muscles will shrink because the stimulus to increase or maintain their size is no longer there; but by no means can they, or will they, turn into fat.

If you feel your body is becoming less toned or, for lack of a better word, more “soft” it is simply because your proportion of fat to muscle has changed. Fat, although you may not have gained any more of it, is now dominant simply because you have lost muscle. Another possible reason for the change is a common problem that exists with many people, primarily athletes. The problem is that they stop exercising, but maintain their eating habits, and thus slowly begin to put on weight. If you had been exercising but stopped, be sure to make dietary changes to compensate for the decrease in daily energy expenditure.

Strength training & pregnancy

I really wish I would have worked out when I was pregnant with each of my three kids.  I know that I would have felt a lot stronger, maybe not have gained as much weight, and I think my body would have "bounced back" a lot faster afterward.  The other day at the gym, I was talking to a friend about the safety of strength training during pregnancy and how things may need to be modified as a pregnancy progresses.  There are many online articles out there for your perusal.  I read several and pulled out the points that I'm posting today.

First of all, strength training and most exercise is safe during pregnancy provided that you aren't high risk or on bed rest.  If you are pregnant, you should discuss your workout interests with your doctor up front and get their opinion.  There are many benefits of strength training while pregnant:

Benefits:
- Strengthen the muscles to support your joints and help your body compensate your posture as you get bigger.
- Less back pain
- A stronger body to help you through labor and delivery
- More energy and stamina
- Better postnatal recovery
- Better circulation
- May help with balance and coordination
- May help with weight gain during pregnancy

Limitations:
- Avoid overextending or deep flexion (your joints are relaxed and softened due to hormones getting ready for childbirth)
-Avoid laying flat on your back.  The weight of the baby can affect your circulation in this position.  Try a stability ball instead for things like chest presses.
- Avoid laying on your abdomen.  This seems obvious.
- Avoid straining or holding your breath.  This one is REALLY important!  You don't ever want to seem like you are bearing down due to lifting a heavy weight while pregnant.
- Monitor exercise intensity because your blood volume is 40% higher during pregnancy.  Your heart rate may increase due to this and lead to dizziness during an intense workout.
- Avoid high impact workouts with jarring or forceful movement.
- Avoid dehydration or raising your body temp too high by drinking plenty of water and avoiding exercise in hot, humid environments.
- Avoid maximum strength lifts.  It may cause too much strain or a sudden increase in blood pressure.

Recommendations:
-Take time for a proper warm up  to get your body ready for a workout.  Remember to cool down after your workout to restore heart rate and body temperature.
- Stretch
- Rest during your workout as needed.
- Listen to your body!
- Make sure you use proper lifting techniques. (Everyone should be doing this, not just pregnant women!  That's another blog topic on it's own!)
- Talk to your OB/GYN about your routine.
- Modify weight training exercises and adjust positioning as your belly expands and your balance and coordination change.

I have several friends that lifted weights until the end of their pregnancies.  It's safe as long as you are mindful about what you are doing.  Read more about it on the web if you want to.  Remember, ladies,  lifting a few weights is easy compared to labor.  You can do anything and being stronger will help you!

Pull up a chair....

It's about time I posted a workout here!  This one will only require a chair, a means to watch time (watch, timer, second hand clock), a towel, and an eagerness to work hard!   Just 6 moves to do...

1) Traveling plank: 
Put your feet on the chair, hands on the floor in a plank/push up position.  Hold your belly button in and walk your hands to the right, letting your feet pivot on the chair.  When you can't travel any farther, go back all the way to the left, letting your feet pivot on the chair.  Only your arms should be moving, hold the rest of your body still.  Nice flat back, keep your caboose down.  Travel your hands back to the center.  Stop and rest, then repeat.

2)  Step-Up:
Set one foot on the chair seat and push through your heel to step up to a standing position on top of the chair.  Tap your other foot on the chair lightly. Pause, then lower back to the floor.  Use only your top leg....it is your "working leg."  Don't push off the "non-working" leg!!  That's cheating.  15 each leg.

3)  Elevated side plank:
Put your feet stacked on the chair while you lay on your side on the floor.  Put a folded towel under your elbow for cushion.  Your elbow on the floor should be under your shoulder at a 90 degree angle, forearm touching the floor.  Lift your hips so that you are supported by your elbow and forearm on the floor and your feet on the chair.  Your body is a straight line from shoulders to toes.  Your front side is facing the wall in front of you.  Hold 30-45 seconds, then switch sides.

4)  Bulgarian split squat:
Stand in front of the chair but facing away from it.  Reach one foot back onto the chair resting the top of your foot on the seat.  Step out a little with the foot on the floor.  Standing tall, squat with the standing leg until your thigh is parallel to the ground.  (Keep your knee behind your toes... if not, step out even further from the chair to help with this.)   Push through the heel to raise up to standing position.  Don't lean forward at all, this is strictly and up and down movement for your body.  15/ leg, then repeat on the other side.

5)  Chair push ups:
Depending on your level, put your hands or feet on the seat of the chair and the opposite on the floor.  Bend your arms to lower your chest toward the chair or floor. Push back up and repeat.  10-15 push ups (no knees on the floor!!)

6)  Hover squat:
Stand in front of the chair like you are going to sit down.  Lower yourself toward the seat for 4 counts.  Hover your rear above the seat for 2 counts, then squeeze your glutes, push through your heels to the standing position.  Repeat for a total of 15 squats.

Let me know how it goes!  If you want to repeat all 6 for a second or third round, go for it!