Trying something new

With January approaching, we reflect on what has happened during the year as well as look ahead to the new year approaching.  As you reflect, think about what your highlights were this year.....what you can celebrate.....what personal or professional goals you met.  Then, think about what you didn't get around to doing yet.....what goals you still need to work on.  We all have both sides.

Looking ahead at the next year, what do you want to accomplish?  What do you want to TRY?  It is so much fun to inject new experiences into your life, whether it be with your family/friends or personally.

I tried several new things this year that I'm happy about, most of them fitness related:
-First was running two 5k runs this summer....not because I like to run, but to help others reach their goals; my daughter and a client.  What a sense of accomplishment for all of us!
-Secondly, I tried the local rock climbing gym twice and can't wait to go back!  That is a great, adventurous workout!  (I roped some clients into doing this once and my kids too!)
-I've taken yoga more to benefit my flexibility and peace of mind.
-This week, I got to take a Pole Dancing class as part of our staff Christmas party at the studio where I teach and rent training space. WOW!!!  I would do that again!  It was so fun and a great workout!

I haven't decided what new things I want to venture into in 2014 personally.  (I'm thinking about boxing class!?!)  Maybe more of what I just listed and also getting my family into fun fitness things that we can do together.  Professionally, I will be adding nutrition coaching to my business and leading more outdoor workouts in the community!

So, what will YOU do?  What do YOU want? Write it down.  Get specific.  Pick a goal or something to try and set a timeline and how you will achieve it.  Then, go get it!  Make it an "All Year" Resolution!

"Being good"

With Christmas so close, it's inevitable that people bring treats to work to share.  Not just one treat, TRAYS of treats.....candy, cookies, bars, breads, you name it.  We love each other with food.  We are proud to share what we've slaved over in the kitchen.  Christmas goodies can simulate traditions that we grew up with and recipes that have been passed forward.  Heck, I even bring plates of goodies to neighbors, not really considering if they want it or not.

I was having this very conversation with a client that other day and we were talking strategy for handling all of this temptation at work.  Imagine having big trays of treats sitting all around you within arms reach all day long.  What would you do??  Her response was not out of the norm when I asked her what her plan was; "I'll try and be good."  I asked her what "being good" looked like to her.  It was hard to answer that.  What does "being good" look like?  Does it mean putting space between you and the treats and avoiding them all together?  Could it be having just one cookie each day?  Taking a nibble of several kinds of treats?  How about trying a little bit and then making sure that you get up and move more during the work day, like taking a walk and climbing stairs over lunch?

I would define "being good" as making sure you are not sabotaging your goals for the sake of cookies.  Real life means enjoying some things that you only get once a year, but not diving into the treat tray head first and then reversing the hard work you've put in the past months.  "Being good" means if you have a few too many treats, the next time you eat that day is back on track with nutritional food and also means getting to the gym routinely.

Get FIT. Be FIT. Stay FIT.....through this Christmas season.

It's hard to do it all.....

Life is a juggling act.  We are working on so many things each day that it can be overwhelming!  When we try to do too much at once, what do we really end up getting done in the end?  And what you DO get done- is it done to the level it should be or did you rush through it to get to the next thing on the list?

This translates easily to your health and fitness journey.  There are the two main parts to this-- exercise and nutrition.  In my experience, it is difficult to put your maximum energy and attention into both of these areas at the same time all the time.  At least for me, if I'm putting my max effort into my workouts almost every day of the week, the nutrition is still good, but not my full focus.  I falter here and there.  On the flip side, if my full focus is on everything I put in my mouth, my workouts are still good, but I can always do better.  There have been short spans of time where I felt harmony between the two, but it was hard to sustain that level for the long term.  It's a cycle.

I guess it's something to work on, but we're all just human and there's only so much we can do.  We are not machines.  The point being-  ease up on trying to change everything at once.  It won't work and then you'll just get frustrated or feel mediocre at what you did accomplish.  I want you to ask yourself, "What will I work on this month?"  Work on changes a little at a time and if you falter, forgive yourself and move forward.  

It's hard to do it all.

Plan B- Holiday Recommendations

"It doesn't matter so much what you eat between Thanksgiving and Christmas as much as what you eat between New Year's and Christmas."  Have you heard this one before?

So, you've decided to make healthy changes in your life....you are out and moving every day, starting a new fitness routine, trying new recipes instead of eating out all the time, etc.  Through this holiday season, does it cross your mind that it's hard to keep up with your planning when people are bringing goodies to work or you are at other people's houses and at the mercy of their menu plan?  It's easy to put your new lifestyle "on hold" until the new year starts because it seems easier, right?  

Don't do that.  This is where "PLAN B" comes in.  Take out your calendar and write on there all of the parties or social things coming up.  Ask ahead of time what will be served.  If you are bringing something to the party/gathering, make it something that fits with what you've been doing.  You don't have to announce that it's a healthier version or healthy-anything, just set it on the table and wait for compliments on how good it is!  If you aren't bringing anything and are worried about the menu, eat ahead of time and just drink at the party or have a taste.  Again, you don't have to announce your plan, just go with it.  Focus on the social aspect of spending time with your co-workers/friends/loved ones.

What about the goodies?  You could remove yourself physically.  If you choose to participate, I'd pick the most special goodie off the tray and enjoy it.  Choose something that you only get this time of year, savor it (ONE!) and move on.  We all know that sometimes food = tradition and the celebration wouldn't seem the same without it.  

Exercise during these busy weeks.  Christmas shopping is active, but shouldn't replace a purposeful workout.  You will feel so good if you continue your fitness routine all December long....especially between parties and family gatherings.  Look at your calendar and get your workouts penciled in.  

Plan B = a healthy, successful ending to 2013.  "On Hold" = having to start over again.  Either way, keep going no matter what season it is!

Fitness at (ALMOST) 40

I recently turned 39.  That's right, the last year in my 30s!  Life passes by so quickly.  For a long time, I believed that by the time I reached this point, (almost mid-life) physically, it would all "be over."  You hear all the time about hitting 40 and that's it-- no metabolism, big time weight gain, destined for the body you never wanted to have and frustration to go with it.

I now personally know that it's a bunch of nonsense.  Sure, your body feels the effects of time and age, but there is no reason to give up on yourself.  My secret weapon to a fit body at this point really isn't a secret:  it's strength training.  This is imperative for all ages, young and old.  Strength training will keep your muscles, joints, and bones strong, help with optimal movement, and raise your metabolism.  If you do nothing, or JUST cardio activity, you will lose your muscle with age, gain fat, and have a flat metabolism.  No thank you!

Can you be as intense in your workouts in a 40 year old body as a 20 year old body?  It won't be the same, but you can push yourself and your abilities at any point.  Be careful not to slip into the "all or nothing" mentality, but find the right intensity for you.

There is hope.  It's never too late to start strength training.  Your aging body will respond positively and lead to a snowball effect of feeling better, stronger, clothes fitting better, etc.  If you don't know what to do to get started, find some guidance....a trainer, a book, a class, etc.  

Get FIT. Be FIT. Stay FIT......at any age.

If you don't have anything nice to say...

Don't say anything at all.  Isn't that how we all learned it?  (I feel like I'm telling my kids this all the time!)  I want to talk about how we talk to ourselves more than how we talk to others.  What is your internal dialogue like?  What do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror or get dressed in the morning?  How about when you see yourself in a picture?

We are our own worst critics.  We love to hate on ourselves, especially when we don't feel good about ourselves.  I think there is even one step further than being down on yourself, and that is not caring anymore.  At that point, you just let go of trying to make improvements and that is a dark place to be.

So, how do you change the way to talk to yourself?  How do you stop from muttering negative comments as jokes when others are around?  Or, how do you keep from joining in when in a group of people (primarily females on this one!) that are all bashing themselves or others?  

I think instead of "don't say anything at all," we should all practice positive affirmations.  This takes a lot more effort, I know.  I remember a point in my life when I looked in the mirror and thought, "Gross," about certain areas of my body.  It's a place I never want to go back to.  I didn't deserve to treat myself that way.

Celebrate what you DO like about yourself.  I've said it before, but use what you want to change about your body or even your attitude/mindset as fuel to move forward toward your goals.  Turn, "My butt looks so big in these jeans!" into, "I can't wait to get into the next size down....I'm going to work hard to get there!"  Or, "My favorite thing about myself is...."    If it's a rough day, then just acknowledge that it is and move on without the bashing.

Overhauling your mindset is just as hard if not harder than overhauling your body.  We spend years developing negative dialogue just like we do forming poor eating habits.  It takes a lot of time to unwind that.  Ultimately, you have to decide what you want and how bad you want it.  When it gets hard, you have to talk yourself through it in a good way.  Be encouraging to yourself and others.  "I CAN do this" and "I AM worth it" are a good start.

If you don't have anything nice to say, then change it.

Feast or Famine

It's "feast season" now.  Two big holidays are coming up that revolve around food and the traditions of food-- Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Don't forget all the work/family/friend holiday parties in between the two!  

The following was excerpted from the In Practice blog on Boston.com. and an article called "The Stuffing"-

" ’Tis the season when we’ll see countless articles about holiday weight gain. It’s commonly believed that Americans gain, on average, 5-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. It turns out that the average gain is closer to 1 pound — but that, according to a study, is a pound you never lose."

After a few decades if you don't work to counteract it, that annual pound becomes . . . obesity.  We all know it-- we eat too much this time of year.  We FEAST!  Feasting obviously leads to gaining weight.

Then, usually January 1, many swear to themselves that it will all change and they have to "get to work."  The pendulum swings to the other side and what happens-- FAMINE.  One will try to cut too much out of their daily intake and not eat enough.  Your body needs a certain amount of nutrients just to function properly and stay alive!  If you don't eat enough, not only are you hungry, (which leads to bingeing and feasting and starting over) but your body is going haywire because you aren't taking in enough nutrients to allow it to thrive and make energy.  Your metabolism goes CLUNK!

I'm learning a lot about nutrition since I'm studying to be a nutrition coach through Precision Nutrition.  You have to find that "sweet spot" or "just right range" of dietary intake to lose weight if you need to, yet have sufficient nutrients.  Or if you need to gain weight, it's important to learn what to eat and when with appropriate results without stuffing your face all day with unhealthy foods.

How do you know if you are right between feast or famine with how much you are eating?  I've learned a neat way to just use your hand as a visual from Precision Nutrition.  Next time you load your plate, put a palm-sized portion of protein on there (2 for men).  You should have 1-2 fist sized servings of veggies.  Include 1-2 finger sized portions of healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, etc).  Lastly, one cupped palm of grains.  I love this-- your hands are always with you, so it's easy to do this!

It's helpful to many to eat every 3 hours or so to keep from getting so hungry that you eat the first thing you see or stop at the first drive through alongside the road.  If you are hungry after 3 hours, you've eaten just the right amount at your last meal.  Not hungry yet?  You may have overeaten at your last meal.

Be mindful.  Start working on your goals now, before the holidays.  Think of how it will feel to have a head start before the New Year!