Staying hydrated is so important when working out in this heat! Here are some tips to keep you cool ….
Obesity Epidemic in America August 4, 2011
I found this article to be really interesting and wanted to share it: http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/us-adults-eating-moremdash-more-often?utm_source=Fit+Tips+August&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=E1
I think the whole trend of eating 5 small meals a day (or small snacks) can be a great way to speed up your metabolism so that your body is constantly working to digest your food. However, when the small meals or snacks turn into 500 calories + per sitting, then we are no longer talking about a way to speed up your metabolism … we are just talking about plain old overeating! Controlling portion sizes is not an easy thing, but it is the best way to really get a handle on eating too much.
A great tip: If you are out to dinner and your meal is a huge portion size, ask your server for a to-go box before you even begin eating it and put half of the meal in your to-go container. Not only will you have lunch for the next day, but you’ll be able to control how much you are eating.
OR
If you are out to dinner and know that you are feeling full, but are just SO tempted to eat those last 5 bites because the meal was so amazing that you can’t let them go to waste (let’s face it, we’ve all been there!), pour salt or pepper all over it so you won’t be tempted to finish your plate for no good reason … every calorie counts!
The Best Trainers and Instructors July 20, 2011
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Think about the best group fitness class you have ever taken. Whether it is cardio kickboxing, muscle conditioning, Pilates, yoga, boot camp, zumba, or something else and now think about the instructor or trainer that was leading the class. How would you describe that trainer or instructor in 3 words?
I was asked to describe myself as a trainer/instructor in 3 words the other day and had never really thought about it before. The words I came up with for myself that I would want someone to think about me as a trainer/instructor were supportive, tough, and creative. Afterwards, I started to think about it a little bit more. If those truly are the ideal 3 words, then what could I be doing better to improve in each of those areas? Here are some things in each of those areas that I try to remind myself about on a daily basis when teaching classes:
Supportive – use encouraging words, give a little extra attention to those who are struggling, learn more names and use them frequently, correct posture and form, give modifications
Tough – push people just a little bit harder if I know they can do it, give one-on-one attention to those who look like they might give up, be right in everyone’s faces so they push themselves a little harder
Creative - come up with fun, new, and creative exercises to keep everyone interested, change-up routines and music every class, give lower intensity modification for those who are struggling, and higher intensity modifications for those who can handle more
Are you an instructor or trainer? What are your 3 words?
Do you have a favorite instructor or trainer? How would you describe them in 3 words?
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Motivation … July 13, 2011
Ever find yourself in the same workout rut over and over again? You know, there one where you decide it’s time to start working out again and you get all ramped up, you go at it hard for a few weeks or so and then you slowly fade off until you find yourself right back to where you started. A lot of people find themselves taking months off at a time from working out. You’re not alone if you find yourself going through this vicious cycle time and time again.
Here are some tips to keep yourself motivated and get on a healthy well-balanced schedule of working out that you make part of your everyday life. I can’t stress enough how important it is to make lifestyle changes rather than doing fad diets or going on workout binges. You have to be able to maintain and make the changes necessary to carry you through the rest of your life!
- Schedule your workouts! At the beginning of every week, take a look at your schedule and figure out when you are going to have 30-60 minutes each day for 3-5 days a week to get in a workout and schedule it out ahead of time. If you work full-time, maybe that means that 2-3 days during the week you get up an hour early to go for a run or get to the gym or take a class. Or maybe you can do something on a lunch break or schedule some time after work. Whatever it is, make sure you have a plan. By scheduling your workouts ahead of time, you are going to hold yourself accountable. Make working out as important in your life as anything else is. Think of it as part of your everyday routine. This is your life, after all and that sounds pretty important to me!
- Set small achievable goals for yourself. By doing so, you will give yourself something to strive for that is feasible. Once you reach those goals, set another one. This will keep your interest and keep you from discounting all of the progress you are making just because you didn’t hit a major goal. It is still important to know what your long-term goal is, but setting short-term specific goals will give you the motivation to get there. It could be as small as “Next week I am going to do 3 more push-ups in each set” or “Within the next 2 weeks I want to be able to do 3 extra squat thrusts within a minute”. If you don’t achieve your goals, don’t give up … you probably just set your timeframe a little too aggressively. Set another goal based on that assumption and try again!
- Write things down! By writing down your workouts and how you felt with each one, you will be able to chart your progress and keep track of what it is that you are doing. Go back and review it every couple of weeks. Do you see any trends? Did you feel amazing the rest of the day after you took that morning boot camp class? Did you notice that you were extra sore from doing that leg workout and then the next day you did a spin class? By looking at what your workouts are and how you felt, not only will you be able to schedule things more effectively, but you will be able to chart your progress as you go and see the changes that are happening. Writing things down will also make you hold yourself accountable!
- Do things you enjoy! Do you hate running? Hate going from machine to machine at the gym? Hate the elliptical? Don’t force yourself to do things that you hate! You’ll never be able to stay motivated by doing things you hate. Before you begin your workout routine and start scheduling things for the week, decide what types of activities you really enjoy and do them! Maybe it’s hiking, biking, running, taking spin classes, kickboxing, etc. Try to incorporate other things you enjoy into exercise … do you have a dog? Take your dog for a walk/run and while you are out there, stop and do some push ups/crunches/squats/lunges. I have a dog and trust me, they won’t mind doing anything with you as long as they are outdoors! Do you have a baby or small child? Go for a walk/run with them in the stroller. Take advantage of the summer weather and get outdoors! The more you can incorporate things you actually like to do into your workout, the easier it will be to stick with it!
- Don’t beat yourself up over one workout that you missed. Let’s face … people get busy, last minute things come up, and life just happens. If you miss a workout, don’t get down on yourself about it. Just pick it back up the next day and keep going. Many times, people miss one workout and then think to themselves the next day “Oh well, it’s not a big deal if I skip tomorrow too”. Then it turns into taking a week off, then a month off and then you’re right back to where you started.
- Need some motivation to get started? Try signing up for something that you have to pay for. Whether it’s an outdoor 4 week session boot camp class, or a monthly pass to a yoga/Pilates studio or a trainer for a month. I know for me at least, if I pay for something like that, I want to get my money’s worth. Or maybe you know that you can do about 4 weeks on your own and that’s usually when you start to lose motivation. Then sign yourself up for something after those 4 weeks. Look at your own workout trends and figure out what will give you the motivation you need to make it an everyday routine!
Hope that helps to get you started and keep your motivation going strong! Feel free to share ideas. What motivates you? What types of workouts do you love doing?
The never-ending debate … Sugar vs. Sugar Substitutes July 5, 2011
So many people have such different opinions when it comes to this subject, that it is really hard to figure out what is right and what is wrong. I think the only answer is to arm yourself with the facts about sugar vs. sugar substitutes and do what you think is best for you. I definitely lean more on the natural sugar side of the debate but let’s take a look at both sides.
I found a couple of great articles that outlines the pros and cons of each side of the argument that can be found here:
Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073
Everydiet.org: http://www.everydiet.org/1001/sugar-and-artificial-sugar-facts
National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners
What I found to be really interesting from my research is that when sugar was first brought into this country in its rawest form it was produced by the sugar cane which was boiled down to cane juice and then once the juice evaporated the crystals were harvested. The crystals that were formed were calorie dense but contained essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It wasn’t until a few centuries later that the sugar was refined and stripped of its nutrients and became a profitable business. This process was done to remove all of the original plant fibers and form pure table sugar. So now, the sugar that we are used to even “sugar in the raw” is calorie dense but contains no essential nutrients which is why it has become such an epidemic in this country.
In 2009 26.7% of people in America self-reported that they are obese (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm59e0803a1.htm). Not only is that a major issue, but now cancer is the fastest growing cause of death as well. So, here is my take. Sugar itself is a major problem because people are eating too much of it. It is hidden in all kinds of foods and in all kinds of forms. I feel like every day a new name for “sugar” comes out. Now that there is such controversy over high fructose corn syrup, I have seen new names on ingredients lists such as “corn sugar” “high maltose corn syrup” and others that are really just another name for it. So many major food companies are doing whatever they can to disguise this major problem in this country just to make a profit. Makes me sick, actually. Now, in addition, I feel like there is a new kind of “sugar substitute” coming out every day. They always make them sound more “natural” and better than the last one, but really, they are mainly all derived from similar ways. Most are artificially synthesized compounds. For example, saccharin is made by putting together organic compounds in one of 2 ways. The Maumee Process is a method used to create saccharin and here is the process:
“This begins with phthalic anhydride, an industrial compound used in creating plastics, which is converted into anthranilic acid. This acid is synthesized with several compounds, including nitrous acid, sulfur dioxide, chlorine (which is why saccharin salt can be produced), and ammonia, which produces saccharin.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want anything in my food that is used to create plastics!
Bottom line … even though many of these substitutes have been approved by the FDA, they are not naturally occurring and have chemicals that are not meant to be in the human body. The body gets confused when trying to process things that it has never seen before and therefore, processes are off and problems arise. Yes, one could argue that even regular sugar can cause problems like diabetes, but if we could just learn to eat in moderation and mostly eat healthy, fresh, nutrient dense foods, then I truly believe we wouldn’t have this obesity epidemic going on and diabetes would be at a minimum. People need to be educated and understand what they are putting into their bodies and what it is doing to them in the process.
This is such a hot topic right now that I’m sure many of you have your own insights and opinions so let’s hear them!
Ultimate Bootcamp June 30, 2011
Looking for a killer workout in the Boston area. Try an Ultimate Bootcamp session which just happens to be on Buy With Me right now … http://www.buywithme.com/boston/deals/7905-ultimate-bootcamp. I’m not sure yet which location I will be training at for the upcoming sessions, but there are plenty of amazing, talented trainers in all the locations. Check it out!!!
Need a quick outdoor workout … June 18, 2011
I love it when it finally gets warm out and I’m able to do some workouts outdoors! Sometimes it just gets so stuffy in the gym and when the sun is shining, all I want to do is be outdoors! Using some bootcamp types of drills, here is an easy to follow workout that will get your heart rate up and give you a reason to get outside and get some fresh air. Bring your watch, some water, and some sunscreen and have fun!
5 minute jog to warm up
1 minute intervals of the following:
Jumping Jacks
Push Ups
Squat Thrusts
Squats
Moutain Climbers
Bicycle Crunches
Now do a 1 minute fast run and then a 1 minute jog
Repeat that circuit 2 more times (3 total)
1 minute intervals of the following:
Walking lunges alternating lead leg
Butt Kicks (running with kicking your heels to your butt)
Tricep Dips (find a bench or stone wall or something to put your hands on and dip down with your feet on the ground)
High Knee Skips (skipping with big jumps into the air (high knees))
Repeat this circuit 2 more times (3 total)
Plank – hold for 45 seconds in the center
Side Plank – hold for 15 seconds
Plank – hold for 15 seconds in center
Side Plank (other side) – hold for 15 seconds
Plank – hold for 15 seconds in the center
Stretch and you are DONE! How did it feel???
Salads … picking the right ingrediants June 13, 2011
When it comes to weight loss and eating healthy, many times the first thing that comes to people’s minds is “Salads”. It’s true, salads are a great way to eat clean and healthy with many options for nutrient dense foods, but it’s not the only way to get a good dose of your daily vegetables in. One of my favorite snacks is raw veggies such as carrots, zucchini, summer squash, celery, cherry tomatoes, or sugar snap peas with hummus. You can buy many different types of pre-packaged hummus with all natural ingredients at the grocery store, or try making your own. You can get creative with all kinds of different things, but if you need some ideas, here is a great site to look at: http://bit.ly/jn3rPw.
Salads, however, are still an excellent way to get many nutrient dense foods all in one dose, but be careful what you put in them. Just because it’s a salad, does not mean it is a healthy salad. Here are some tips when putting together a salad to
keep it rich it nutrients, lower in calories and fat, and filled with fiber and protein to keep you full and satisfied:
1) Choose darker leafy greens. The darker the better. My favorite is arugula and spinach, but you can also mix it up with romaine, mustard greens, collard greens, swiss chard, raddicchio, or kale. Try to stay away from iceberg lettuce as there really isn’t a whole lot of nutrients in it.
2) Get creative with your vegetables! Try tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, olives, artichoke hearts, green beans, bell peppers, fennel, beets, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, or avocado.
3) Add some fresh fruits such as sliced pears, apples, dried cranberries, raisins, strawberries, and orange slices.
4) Add some fiber filling nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, or pine nuts. Be careful how much you add because many of these nuts are also higher in fat content. Be sure to add just one serving.
5) Try to limit putting cheese in your salads as the calories and fat can add up quickly. However, if you really want to add some try adding crumbled feta as it is one of the healthier options. Or trya small amount of crumbled goat cheese or reduced fat mozzarella.
6) Add in some protein whether it is grilled chicken, shrimp, hard-boiled eggs ( I take out the yolk to reduce the fat content), or lean steak.
7) Now top it off with some healthy salad dressing. One of the things to watch out for with salad dressings is to generally stay away from anything that is “creamy” unless you make it yourself. Many ”creamy” dressings are very high in fat and calories. Try using olive oil and lemon and mix in some seasonings such as dill, parsley, chives and garlic. Or if you really like creamy dressing, try making your own with nonfat plain greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and that way you’ll get a good dose of protein too! Here are some great vinaigrette recipes you can try: http://bit.ly/jPvbVn.
Now put it all together. Here are some of my favorite salads:
Grilled Chicken Pear Pecan Salad: Poached pear slices with mixed greens, pecans, and goat cheese and grilled chicken with a lemon vinaigrette
Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad: Mixed greens, dried cranberries, diced apples, walnuts (which I am now allergic to, but they are really good in this salad), grilled chicken and a balsamic vinaigrette
Strawberry Spinach Salad: Spinach leaves, sliced strawberries, almond slices, cucumbers and a orange zest vinaigrette
Have any other good salad combinations? Please share!
A great new healthy summer treat! June 7, 2011
I recently discovered an amazing new healthy treat for summer and wanted to share! Last week I ran the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge in Boston with my company. It’s a 3.5 mile race around the Boston Common and Back Bay area. After I finished, you have to walk down one side of the park before you can turn back in the other direction and they have water, and food tents lined up along the way. I grabbed a water and then was looking to see what I wanted to grab for food and I came upon this tent for “Yasso Greek Frozen Yogurt Popsicles” and I was in heaven! They had options of strawberry or blueberry and I went with the strawberry. It was SO good!
I decided the next day to check out the nutrition facts of these amazing treats online expecting to find out I just ate a ton of calories and fat, and low and behold I found out just the opposite … they are SO good for you. In one bar there is only 70 calories, 0 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein! That is unheard of. And to boot, they are pretty much all natural ingredients. These have now become my favorite new summer treat!
Check out their website and locations of where you can buy them: http://yassofrozenyogurt.com/. They also have a pretty cool story about how they were created and by who.
Summer Shock June 4, 2011
Image by http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1499
Although the official start of summer hasn’t actually happened yet, we, up here in Boston went from 60 degree rainy days to 90 degree hot and humid days in a matter of a week! So in my eyes, summer is here! It was a long, dreary, snowy winter so I was definitely all ready for summer … although was I? I continued with my workouts and ate fairly healthy most of the time, but I certainly wasn’t feeling like I was in “summer shape” and ready to wear a lot less clothes. Even just 5 pounds different from what your normal weight is can make you feel so much different! This moment is what I like to call “Summer Shock” and it hit me last weekend.
“Summer Shock” tends to happen to me every year and I’m sure some of you can relate. It starts getting warmer out and you clear your winter clothes out of your drawers and closets and start bringing in the summer stuff (well I have to do that at least since I only live in a 1 bed, 1 bath condo and we have NO space!). Then you take a look at it all and might even try a few things on and realize … wow, I don’t feel like I look as good in this as I did last year. Now it could be that my skin is now pasty white which always makes me feel less toned, or it could be that I have loosened up on the diet a little bit over the winter. And I always think to myself, what can I do differently to get my body back into “summer shape” quickly! I can say that I had this “summer shock” moment last weekend and I already feel SO much better after just a week of changing things up a little. Here are some tips to move yourself in the right direction to get out of that rut and start feeling better:
1) Assess what and how you have been eating. Are your portion sizes in check or have you been gradually adding on a little more without even realizing it? Being the cereal fanatic that I am, I had to take a look at my portion size and realized it definitely hasn’t been in check lately! Have you been loosening up on the food choices that you make and have maybe gotten in a routine of eating some kind of sweet after every meal, or an appetizer before every dinner? I got into a little routine for a while of eating a piece of dark chocolate after every meal, which normally I would say isn’t a big deal, but that piece turned into 2 or 3 or even 4 pieces on some nights and was turning into a bad habit!
2) Have your workouts become very routine and boring? Are you doing the same thing every day or the same schedule every week? Don’t be afraid to change it up and try different things. Muscle confusion is a great way to get yourself out of a rut and keep your body guessing. It basically forces your body to work different muscles and learn to adapt, and then just when it thinks it is in a routine, you change it up again and it is forced to work those muscle groups in different ways or use completely different muscles altogether. If you are used to running 3 days a week for cardio, try something different like doing sprints/suicides/track workouts, or running one day and taking a kickboxing and spin class on the other two days.
3) Are you eating late at night? Are you eating a lot of carbs for dinner? What is your ratio of protein/carbs/fats in each meal? The later you eat, the less time your body has to actively use the fuel you gave it before you are at rest and not burning many calories overnight. If you are someone who tends to eat a little on the later side, try eating a smaller dinner and just add a snack in late afternoon so that you will be satisfied. You can also just try to make your dinners consist of some sort of protein (fish, chicken, lean meat) and veggies with no whole grains. I tend to save the whole grains (cereals, bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta) for the morning and the middle of the day rather than at night.
4) Have you been cutting your workouts short or putting less effort into them? If you can’t find the time to do a 30-60 minute workout all at once, try breaking them into 2 or 3 shorter workouts. Take the dog for a walk/run in the morning, get to the gym or go for a short run/walk outside on your lunch break, switch on the TV to On Demand to the fitness category and do a quick 20 minute workout before you make dinner at night. Whatever you do, just make sure you are breaking a sweat and getting your heart rate elevated for a minimum of 20 minutes.
These are all little tips to get yourself out of a rut and back on the right track to feeling and looking your best! I tend to have these moments right around the end of spring/beginning of summer but these are great tips as well for anytime throughout the year when you just feel sluggish and you need to kick it into high gear. Once you get yourself moving in the right direction and assess your workouts and your diet, you will start to feel a difference even in a week’s time!
