If I could have my way, someone would just give me a workout plan every day, spend 30 min stretching me out and would cook my meals for me. How, after all, do you think the average Hollywood A-lister can look great all the time?
Clearly it would take a lot of time and money for any of us to have such luxury, but here's a small step in that direction. A roadmap to a 'perfect' 2000 cal / day diet. Why 2000 cal? Because that's the US RDA for an adult woman. Please beware! For most of us who sit all day, 2000 cal is probably more than you need unless you are working out like a madwoman. Remember, caloric need (to maintain weight) = basal metabolism (different for everybody) + activity calories burned. If you're trying to lose weight, you want the caloric need to be less than the basal + activity side of the equation.
So - what's listed here is for 2000 cal / day. If you're shooting for less, decrease proportionately to achieve the calorie level you are targeting.
Veggies and Fruit - 11 servings per day (1 serving = 1/2 cup veggies; 1 cup greens; 1 small piece of fruit)
Grains - 4 servings per day (1 serving = 1/2 cup pasta, rice, cereal; 1 piece of bread)
Low-fat Dairy - 2 servings per day (1 serving = 1 cup milk, yogurt; 1.5 oz cheese)
Legumes and Nuts - 2 servings per day (1 serving = 1/4 cup nuts; 1/2 cup beans)
Poultry, Fish and Meat - 1 serving per day (1 serving = 1/4 lb cooked)
Desserts and Sweets - 2 servings per day (1 serving = 1 small cookie; 1 tsp sugar)
Oils and Fats - 2 servings per day (1 serving = 1 tbs oil, margarine, mayo)
Wild Card - 1 serving Poultry/Fish/Meat, Oils and Fats or Grains
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
the challenge
The shoulder of the road was gravelly. It was dark and the stones were cold. My body lay still at first and the dogs were bewildered. The phone call was tearful and pointless. 'I've fallen and I can't get up' was not something that could be solved from afar. The feeling was helplessness, futility.
The spasms that felled me that day were ones I could not overcome at that moment. The universe threw a challenge and I could not rise to the occasion.
Since that day I have faced challenges - both self-imposed and external - that have similarly eluded my grasp. Others have been conquered. There is not however, always Rocky music in the background and inspiration in the face adversity.
When I looked up from the floor of Target I was unsure whether to laugh or cry. Holiday shoppers kindly offered a hand or calls for help. It took a minute to gather myself and return to standing, albeit with my head down a bit. It can be frustrating when similar challenges repeatedly get the best of you.
What was different in one fall from another was a significant realization - for me at least. Although I'm not getting much better at meeting the challenges, I continue to have the ability to try. Maybe, I thought, the handle - the coping strategy - is not to get better at overcoming, but to find a different resource for strength. Trying, I decided, could be a good yardstick. The ability to try, after all, can't ever be taken away.
There may or may not be a lesson in that for anyone but me. Either way it's my boxing day story for you. I hope the challenges inspire you. I hope the trying empowers you. And, of course, I also hope for your frequent success!
The spasms that felled me that day were ones I could not overcome at that moment. The universe threw a challenge and I could not rise to the occasion.
Since that day I have faced challenges - both self-imposed and external - that have similarly eluded my grasp. Others have been conquered. There is not however, always Rocky music in the background and inspiration in the face adversity.
When I looked up from the floor of Target I was unsure whether to laugh or cry. Holiday shoppers kindly offered a hand or calls for help. It took a minute to gather myself and return to standing, albeit with my head down a bit. It can be frustrating when similar challenges repeatedly get the best of you.
What was different in one fall from another was a significant realization - for me at least. Although I'm not getting much better at meeting the challenges, I continue to have the ability to try. Maybe, I thought, the handle - the coping strategy - is not to get better at overcoming, but to find a different resource for strength. Trying, I decided, could be a good yardstick. The ability to try, after all, can't ever be taken away.
There may or may not be a lesson in that for anyone but me. Either way it's my boxing day story for you. I hope the challenges inspire you. I hope the trying empowers you. And, of course, I also hope for your frequent success!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry - Happy
It's pretty early on 12/24 and I have finished the paper and some work. Now I have the computer in my lap and a second hot cup of coffee. A fresh batch of biscotti has just come out of the oven - a little reward for my staff who will be working this morning. And a pleasant treat for me.
As I dunk warm biscotti into strong coffee I realize how many little things bring me joy each day. I think I get out of bed solely for the yield of my gurgling coffee pot. It only fails me when I forget to fill it with water or set the timer. Most mornings I also get to harvest sweet, fresh fruit from our bowl as I make my way out the door for work. I have a fulfilling job and outstanding colleagues. My home is full of love, laughter and projects that are mostly gratifying :-)
The upshot of my entry today is that I have a bounty for which to feel blessed. For every day with frustration I have happiness to offset it. And mostly my life is rich with friends. Thanks to each of you for adding to the happy side of my balance!
Whatever your holiday and however you celebrate, I hope you have a joyous season and a peaceful new year!
As I dunk warm biscotti into strong coffee I realize how many little things bring me joy each day. I think I get out of bed solely for the yield of my gurgling coffee pot. It only fails me when I forget to fill it with water or set the timer. Most mornings I also get to harvest sweet, fresh fruit from our bowl as I make my way out the door for work. I have a fulfilling job and outstanding colleagues. My home is full of love, laughter and projects that are mostly gratifying :-)
The upshot of my entry today is that I have a bounty for which to feel blessed. For every day with frustration I have happiness to offset it. And mostly my life is rich with friends. Thanks to each of you for adding to the happy side of my balance!
Whatever your holiday and however you celebrate, I hope you have a joyous season and a peaceful new year!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Got 5 minutes?
Any guesses what the #1 excuse is for not exercising? I don't have any studies to prove it, but I'm going to bet it's "I don't have time." There's no question we are all busy! I have a counter-point for that excuse though...something is always better than nothing.
How long can you do sit ups before you have to rest? Try it. For most of us, 1 min straight of doing sit ups is probably a challenge. (I think I should drop and try it right now)
How long do you hold a stretch? Guessing...30 sec probably feels like a good long stretch for most of us.
So, let's go back to thinking about your busy day. Think of your busiest recent day. Did you wast 5 min at some point in that day? Sit down to read your mail? Watch part of the news? Chat with a friend? Daydream? Did you spend 5 minutes waiting for something? Water to boil? The water to get hot in the shower (OK - I hope that doesn't take 5 min)? You get the point right?
Now, imagine taking 5 of those 'wasted' minutes and exercising during them. That's 10 solid, 30-second stretches. 4-5 good sets of sit ups. A ton of push ups. Enough lunges or sit-to-stands (squats) to make your quads burn. Surely, enough exercise to be worth it.
Just 5 min....is always better than nothing!
How long can you do sit ups before you have to rest? Try it. For most of us, 1 min straight of doing sit ups is probably a challenge. (I think I should drop and try it right now)
How long do you hold a stretch? Guessing...30 sec probably feels like a good long stretch for most of us.
So, let's go back to thinking about your busy day. Think of your busiest recent day. Did you wast 5 min at some point in that day? Sit down to read your mail? Watch part of the news? Chat with a friend? Daydream? Did you spend 5 minutes waiting for something? Water to boil? The water to get hot in the shower (OK - I hope that doesn't take 5 min)? You get the point right?
Now, imagine taking 5 of those 'wasted' minutes and exercising during them. That's 10 solid, 30-second stretches. 4-5 good sets of sit ups. A ton of push ups. Enough lunges or sit-to-stands (squats) to make your quads burn. Surely, enough exercise to be worth it.
Just 5 min....is always better than nothing!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Inspiration for the blogger?
Well gang - fitness chatter has been scant lately. No questions. No stories of triumph (or tribulation for that matter). Has everyone fallen off the wagon? Ended up on a wagon stuck in the slow lane (or at the inspection station)? What's going on out there?
Here is a little new info for you that might be interesting...factoids to ponder.
Sources of DHA, EPA - salmon, trout, swordfish (watch the mercury), sardines, oysters...all fish has more if wild than if farmed!
Separating fact from fiction can be difficult about topics like these. Be thoughtful; careful; and never be afraid to ask a professional. Your health is worth it, eh?
Here is a little new info for you that might be interesting...factoids to ponder.
- A Creighton University study showed a significantly lower risk of cancer in women who took calcium and vitamin D supplements than in those who were given placebos. Research on vitamin D is not conclusive but it is suggestive of significant health (physical and mental) benefits especially in states with limited sun exposure. Vitamin D is believed to improve risks of heart disease, stroke, bone fracture and even diabetes. Research doses range from 400 - 1000 IU (international units) but > 700 IUs are most commonly recommended. May be worth talking to your doctor, huh?
- Omega 3 (fish oil) became a sensation seemingly over night. A few years has taught us much more about the benefits of these fatty acids. First of all, know there are 3 primary players: DHA, EPA and ALA. The first 2 are the allies - ALA is a shorter-chain omega 3, not associated with the benefits of the others. Omega 3 fortification is usually with ALA (doh!). There is no vegetarian source of DHA and EPA, so pills may be the only suitable answer for you veg-heads out there. Shoot for an average of 500 mg of DHA + EPA per day (1000 if you already have heart disease) and hope research showing decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, depression and improved memory are accurate.
- Most nutritional elements can be sufficiently obtained through a balanced diet. There are websites and calculators to help you determine if your usual diet is providing you with the nutrition you need (vitamin D is a common exception).
- Read labels to make sure you're getting what you want and as much of it as you need.
Sources of DHA, EPA - salmon, trout, swordfish (watch the mercury), sardines, oysters...all fish has more if wild than if farmed!
Separating fact from fiction can be difficult about topics like these. Be thoughtful; careful; and never be afraid to ask a professional. Your health is worth it, eh?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Revolutionary Resolution
What is a resolution, really? Well, you may immediately get a sinking feeling when you think of that word. Or, you may boldly declare that you don't make resolutions. Whatever your visceral reaction, a resolution is just a goal. Like the paddling and fitness goals we've been talking about for the past year now.
So, as we creep up on 12/31/09, are you thinking about a resolution? Let me contribute a crazy suggestion.
Scrap it. Don't make that champagne-invoked declaration!
New Year's resolutions fail for most people. I'm sure you'll see that quantified in some statistic within the next few weeks. Each of us can probably recount a resolution or two that we failed to deliver. Why is the New Year's resolution so ill-fated? Well, it's pretty basic...
Often the obligatory, pressure-packed, have-to-tell-everyone New Year's resolution is not realistic; not measurable; not temporal; not specific. Let's think - "I'm going to lose weight this year." Really? OK. What does that mean? "I'm going to exercise more." Than what? "I'm going to give more to others." Noble, but how?
Not to mention the fact that everyone and their sister asks you what your resolution is, so you're under the gun from day one. Some people may thrive under that expectation and pressure, but many don't. Then, we slip within the first few days, week or month and scrap the whole darn thing. Wasted!
What's my suggestion then, for the revolutionary resolution for 2010? Take the pressure off and stick with the goals you set today. Make your resolutions early. Write them down as SMART goals. Establish the habits to succeed now, so by 12/31 you'll already be in the groove. And when someone asks you what your New Year's resolution is, you can say "I'm going to achieve the goals I already set and have my first success before the end of January!"
So, as we creep up on 12/31/09, are you thinking about a resolution? Let me contribute a crazy suggestion.
Scrap it. Don't make that champagne-invoked declaration!
New Year's resolutions fail for most people. I'm sure you'll see that quantified in some statistic within the next few weeks. Each of us can probably recount a resolution or two that we failed to deliver. Why is the New Year's resolution so ill-fated? Well, it's pretty basic...
Often the obligatory, pressure-packed, have-to-tell-everyone New Year's resolution is not realistic; not measurable; not temporal; not specific. Let's think - "I'm going to lose weight this year." Really? OK. What does that mean? "I'm going to exercise more." Than what? "I'm going to give more to others." Noble, but how?
Not to mention the fact that everyone and their sister asks you what your resolution is, so you're under the gun from day one. Some people may thrive under that expectation and pressure, but many don't. Then, we slip within the first few days, week or month and scrap the whole darn thing. Wasted!
What's my suggestion then, for the revolutionary resolution for 2010? Take the pressure off and stick with the goals you set today. Make your resolutions early. Write them down as SMART goals. Establish the habits to succeed now, so by 12/31 you'll already be in the groove. And when someone asks you what your New Year's resolution is, you can say "I'm going to achieve the goals I already set and have my first success before the end of January!"
Monday, December 7, 2009
Merry Monday
Happy Winter Weather!
Man is it cold. Makes it tough to leave coziness for outdoor exercise - at least for me.
Of course, it's also holiday party season. Egg nog. Plates of baked goods. Fruitcake :-)
With all the temptations and opportunities for getting off track, early December is a good chance to remind yourself of your goals. Are your goals realistic enough that you will not cast them aside at the first slip or challenge? Are your goals measurable so that you can easily tell how you're doing? Are they meaningful to you? REALLY meaningful?
If you have set a meaningful goal, that you really are invested in reaching you are armed and ready for this season of debauchery. Write that goal (or all of them if you made several) down. Stick a copy on your bathroom mirror, your fridge, your dashboard or your computer monitor. Keep a copy of it in your wallet. Tell a friend / partner. By having that goal at the ready (and maybe even a note on it to remind you of its importance) you can remind yourself at critical times.
Is 5# more important than egg nog? Is getting to a party early more important than a workout? I bet for all of you amazing women the answers are No and No. Be merry and bright - but be true to yourself too!
Man is it cold. Makes it tough to leave coziness for outdoor exercise - at least for me.
Of course, it's also holiday party season. Egg nog. Plates of baked goods. Fruitcake :-)
With all the temptations and opportunities for getting off track, early December is a good chance to remind yourself of your goals. Are your goals realistic enough that you will not cast them aside at the first slip or challenge? Are your goals measurable so that you can easily tell how you're doing? Are they meaningful to you? REALLY meaningful?
If you have set a meaningful goal, that you really are invested in reaching you are armed and ready for this season of debauchery. Write that goal (or all of them if you made several) down. Stick a copy on your bathroom mirror, your fridge, your dashboard or your computer monitor. Keep a copy of it in your wallet. Tell a friend / partner. By having that goal at the ready (and maybe even a note on it to remind you of its importance) you can remind yourself at critical times.
Is 5# more important than egg nog? Is getting to a party early more important than a workout? I bet for all of you amazing women the answers are No and No. Be merry and bright - but be true to yourself too!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Shake it up
Good Morning my friends!
Well, we've been at this awhile now. The chatter on the blog seems to be dying down. Hopefully that's not indicative of the effort we're all putting in to staying fit and making healthy decisions!
For most of us there tends to be a pattern of 'boredom' as time goes by. Few people are good at maintaining a rote routine although there definitely are those creatures of habit. For the rest of us, and boy am I one of them, change is good and necessary to keep us engaged.
What have you done to mix things up lately? Have you tried a new recipe? Changed up the snacks you prepare for yourself? Have you tried a new exercise or worked out with a new buddy?
Not only can changes keep you interested and give you a reviving spark, when it comes to exercise, change improves results. I'm sure you've heard the term cross-training. The reason for cross-training is exactly that - improved results.
Just like your body harboring calories when you don't eat enough, you gain efficiency when you do the same exercises. Remember when you first started paddling? I bet for awhile you were sore after every practice. Eventually, though, your body figures out the movement and gains the strength and flexibility (efficiencies) it needs and you can do the same amount of work without the soreness. Call it efficiency, call it a plateau - it means your system has adapted and will 'cruise' at that level unless you push it do otherwise.
What's the point? Shake things up if you haven't already. Try a new type of cardio exercise - a boxing routine, a different machine, go snowshoeing. If you've been stretching regularly, choose a different position to stretch your target muscles. For the weightlifters out there, try dumbbells instead of the machines.
By changing up your routine you will stress your system in a new way and drive it to adapt. By changing up your diet, you can stay aware and excited about the food you're eating. A little change is good! Try it out.
Well, we've been at this awhile now. The chatter on the blog seems to be dying down. Hopefully that's not indicative of the effort we're all putting in to staying fit and making healthy decisions!
For most of us there tends to be a pattern of 'boredom' as time goes by. Few people are good at maintaining a rote routine although there definitely are those creatures of habit. For the rest of us, and boy am I one of them, change is good and necessary to keep us engaged.
What have you done to mix things up lately? Have you tried a new recipe? Changed up the snacks you prepare for yourself? Have you tried a new exercise or worked out with a new buddy?
Not only can changes keep you interested and give you a reviving spark, when it comes to exercise, change improves results. I'm sure you've heard the term cross-training. The reason for cross-training is exactly that - improved results.
Just like your body harboring calories when you don't eat enough, you gain efficiency when you do the same exercises. Remember when you first started paddling? I bet for awhile you were sore after every practice. Eventually, though, your body figures out the movement and gains the strength and flexibility (efficiencies) it needs and you can do the same amount of work without the soreness. Call it efficiency, call it a plateau - it means your system has adapted and will 'cruise' at that level unless you push it do otherwise.
What's the point? Shake things up if you haven't already. Try a new type of cardio exercise - a boxing routine, a different machine, go snowshoeing. If you've been stretching regularly, choose a different position to stretch your target muscles. For the weightlifters out there, try dumbbells instead of the machines.
By changing up your routine you will stress your system in a new way and drive it to adapt. By changing up your diet, you can stay aware and excited about the food you're eating. A little change is good! Try it out.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
!? Blue Balls ?!
Earlier posts have addressed snacks, wise food choices and cooking tips. Here's an easy recipe for a granola-bar-like snack that might help keep you away from the break room, vending machine or fast food traps.
Blueberry Hemp Balls
This recipe also includes walnuts, which are packed full of omega-3s, an essential fatty acid and protective fat that the body does not produce on it’s own. A quarter-cup provides about 91% of your daily requirements for omega fats, so pack a few of these Blueberry Hemp Drops with you when going to work, play, or the gym.
Though walnuts are high in fat, it’s the good, monounsaturated kind and helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, which is great for your cardiovascular health!
1 cup dried unsweetened blueberries
1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried shredded coconut, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
1/4 cup hemp protein powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup raw cacao powder (optional)
1/4 cup vegan grain-sweetened chocolate chips (optional)
Place dried fruit and nuts in a food processor and blend for about 1 minute. Pour in the rest of the ingredients, except chocolate chips if using, and process until no chunks remain, about 20 seconds. Toss in chocolate chips, if using, and pulse for 10 seconds to combine.
With wet fingers, scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized amount of mixture, roll into a ball then roll around in shredded coconut. Place on a plate and continue until all the mixture is gone. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the drops. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Blueberry Hemp Balls
This recipe also includes walnuts, which are packed full of omega-3s, an essential fatty acid and protective fat that the body does not produce on it’s own. A quarter-cup provides about 91% of your daily requirements for omega fats, so pack a few of these Blueberry Hemp Drops with you when going to work, play, or the gym.
Though walnuts are high in fat, it’s the good, monounsaturated kind and helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, which is great for your cardiovascular health!
1 cup dried unsweetened blueberries
1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried shredded coconut, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
1/4 cup hemp protein powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup raw cacao powder (optional)
1/4 cup vegan grain-sweetened chocolate chips (optional)
Place dried fruit and nuts in a food processor and blend for about 1 minute. Pour in the rest of the ingredients, except chocolate chips if using, and process until no chunks remain, about 20 seconds. Toss in chocolate chips, if using, and pulse for 10 seconds to combine.
With wet fingers, scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized amount of mixture, roll into a ball then roll around in shredded coconut. Place on a plate and continue until all the mixture is gone. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the drops. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Crap!
Sometimes revelations are not enriching in the way one might hope...at least the one I had yesterday was not for me!
I think I was on my way to work - for some reason thinking about people drinking soda. I had a bad (32 oz at a time) pop habit in college, but it was really just a place-holder for coffee (for which I'd developed a 3-pot-per-day habit). When powering down comeback cups full of diet Coke from the Superette (anyone go to OSU?) I learned that diet soda does not really agree with my system very well.
After kicking the soda (and minimizing the coffee) habit, I learned to use Coca Cola as a controlled substance. If I drank a Coke starting at work at about 4 pm, I would get just enough of a sugar high and buzz to get me through a drive to Eugene for soccer, back to Corvallis and through a softball game. The buzz would wear off just in time for me to go to sleep as soon as I got home. Sweet!
Although I dig that effect of a classic Coke, I shy away from soda on a regular basis. I guess I perceive several evils - phosphoric acid that depletes calcium in your bones; all kinds of stuff that rots your teeth... But most of all what scares me about soda (since I only drink the leaded stuff) are the calories. 150 calories down the hatch at a time can add up quickly.
So - I don't drink soda very often, and now really only as a controlled substance. What's the revelation then, you ask? Well, I shy away from soda because (at least partly) the calories. What else do I drink, though? Ummm. Uhhhh. Well. Beer. Doh!
What kind of crazy, self-deceiving hypocrite am I? I won't sit at a restaurant and pound Coke because I'm shy of the 150 cal per pop but I'll down a couple pints of beer over conversation with a friend. Geez! Who am I kidding?
So this morning I type humbly about my weakness - give an example of my own transgression - recognize the tradeoff I'm clearly willing to make. Soda is easy for me to give up. Beer? Not so much! Guess I better go burn off some calories now :-)
Cheers!
I think I was on my way to work - for some reason thinking about people drinking soda. I had a bad (32 oz at a time) pop habit in college, but it was really just a place-holder for coffee (for which I'd developed a 3-pot-per-day habit). When powering down comeback cups full of diet Coke from the Superette (anyone go to OSU?) I learned that diet soda does not really agree with my system very well.
After kicking the soda (and minimizing the coffee) habit, I learned to use Coca Cola as a controlled substance. If I drank a Coke starting at work at about 4 pm, I would get just enough of a sugar high and buzz to get me through a drive to Eugene for soccer, back to Corvallis and through a softball game. The buzz would wear off just in time for me to go to sleep as soon as I got home. Sweet!
Although I dig that effect of a classic Coke, I shy away from soda on a regular basis. I guess I perceive several evils - phosphoric acid that depletes calcium in your bones; all kinds of stuff that rots your teeth... But most of all what scares me about soda (since I only drink the leaded stuff) are the calories. 150 calories down the hatch at a time can add up quickly.
So - I don't drink soda very often, and now really only as a controlled substance. What's the revelation then, you ask? Well, I shy away from soda because (at least partly) the calories. What else do I drink, though? Ummm. Uhhhh. Well. Beer. Doh!
What kind of crazy, self-deceiving hypocrite am I? I won't sit at a restaurant and pound Coke because I'm shy of the 150 cal per pop but I'll down a couple pints of beer over conversation with a friend. Geez! Who am I kidding?
So this morning I type humbly about my weakness - give an example of my own transgression - recognize the tradeoff I'm clearly willing to make. Soda is easy for me to give up. Beer? Not so much! Guess I better go burn off some calories now :-)
Cheers!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Repercussions
Well...despite my intentions, I still managed to eat more than I needed yesterday. It's funny how I am. Somehow I seem to get stuck between how good the food tastes (and wanting more) and some bizarre sense that it's a limited opportunity (as if I'll not eat again soon and/or there won't be leftovers for days).
Anyway - however it happened and however you quantify it, I overate. Mostly that left me with a gut bomb last night. I don't usually eat a whole lot at one time, so such a full (dare I say over-full) belly does not feel good to me. Hours later around the pool table, I still felt as if I'd just gotten up from the dinner. Ugh!
Mercifully, this morning that Shamoo feeling is waning and I can take control again. BUT I also try to caution myself about feeling any guilt. After all, I can't do anything about what I ate yesterday now. Or can I?
Certainly guilt, extra trips to the scale or more mirror analysis will not help. Running yourself into the ground mentally will not positively contribute to your resolve to get back on track. Depriving yourself of food in the days to come will also not help (see one of the really early posts on the blog about the starvation reaction). So then, what to do?
It's the same simple answer. Balance. Exercise. Good choices. Be good to yourself and your body. Re-assess. Re-affirm. Just take a minute to hit the reset button and make the best decision(s) you can today. My first one will be to put this computer down and lace up my running shoes. What will you decide?
Anyway - however it happened and however you quantify it, I overate. Mostly that left me with a gut bomb last night. I don't usually eat a whole lot at one time, so such a full (dare I say over-full) belly does not feel good to me. Hours later around the pool table, I still felt as if I'd just gotten up from the dinner. Ugh!
Mercifully, this morning that Shamoo feeling is waning and I can take control again. BUT I also try to caution myself about feeling any guilt. After all, I can't do anything about what I ate yesterday now. Or can I?
Certainly guilt, extra trips to the scale or more mirror analysis will not help. Running yourself into the ground mentally will not positively contribute to your resolve to get back on track. Depriving yourself of food in the days to come will also not help (see one of the really early posts on the blog about the starvation reaction). So then, what to do?
It's the same simple answer. Balance. Exercise. Good choices. Be good to yourself and your body. Re-assess. Re-affirm. Just take a minute to hit the reset button and make the best decision(s) you can today. My first one will be to put this computer down and lace up my running shoes. What will you decide?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving
Hey Women!
Happy happy holiday! I hope you all have the chance to spend time with loved ones - relaxing and enjoying some treats you might not usually get (football, stuffing, board games, family traditions).
Before you go for the full monty of the Thanksgiving banquet, try to raise that heart rate for a bit. Not only can you burn some pre-emptive calories, you can ramp up your metabolism for a bit of the day. Once you've settled in, remember you can do many productive stretches while sitting around the fire / TV / table. Take advantage of the 'idle' time to really give yourself a good long stretch.
Tomorrow is hopefully bonus time off for most of you. Take advantage of that to reset your fitness compass and start a good pattern to build up to the end of the year holidays and the New Year.
That's all I've got for now. Thanks to all of you for the inspiration and support you give to me!
Suz
Happy happy holiday! I hope you all have the chance to spend time with loved ones - relaxing and enjoying some treats you might not usually get (football, stuffing, board games, family traditions).
Before you go for the full monty of the Thanksgiving banquet, try to raise that heart rate for a bit. Not only can you burn some pre-emptive calories, you can ramp up your metabolism for a bit of the day. Once you've settled in, remember you can do many productive stretches while sitting around the fire / TV / table. Take advantage of the 'idle' time to really give yourself a good long stretch.
Tomorrow is hopefully bonus time off for most of you. Take advantage of that to reset your fitness compass and start a good pattern to build up to the end of the year holidays and the New Year.
That's all I've got for now. Thanks to all of you for the inspiration and support you give to me!
Suz
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
What to do? *sniff, sniff*
Been sick yet this season? I hope not and send good immune juju to all of you who have managed to avoid the colds, flu, H1N1 and sundry other cooties that are making the rounds.
A common question is what to do about exercise when you are sick. Does it help you get better? Make you feel worse? Will your symptoms last longer or go away sooner if you break a sweat while you're sputtering?
I'm sure you all have a closely held belief about this topic. Many of us had a Mom or Grandma telling us how 'best' to take care of a cold. At the very least you've heard 'feed a cold, starve a fever' (or whatever that saying is). Evidence may not be as catchy, but there's a lot out there.
In a healthy body exercise increases the immune response (actually a chemical reaction). When you exercise regularly you have more of the good cells that mediate immune reactions and your body is able to mobilize them faster. Largely that also hold true when you are ill, but...
If you are creating muscle damage (which is what has happened every time you get sore) you are spending some of your immunity on inflammation and reconstruction of muscle. This could then somewhat decrease your overall ability to resist cooties. Of course, it's not really so simple, but that's a fair nutshell.
The long and short of it? If you can get some air through your passages and aren't completely strung out on medications, some moderate cardio probably will boost your immune system a bit. Choosing ill time to bust out a heavy weight workout probably is not the best choice though. Everything else is still up for grabs - little evidence for lots of beliefs (vitamin C, zinc, echinacea, etc). And of course, a hot bowl of chicken soup never hurts!
Be well, Women! Suz
A common question is what to do about exercise when you are sick. Does it help you get better? Make you feel worse? Will your symptoms last longer or go away sooner if you break a sweat while you're sputtering?
I'm sure you all have a closely held belief about this topic. Many of us had a Mom or Grandma telling us how 'best' to take care of a cold. At the very least you've heard 'feed a cold, starve a fever' (or whatever that saying is). Evidence may not be as catchy, but there's a lot out there.
In a healthy body exercise increases the immune response (actually a chemical reaction). When you exercise regularly you have more of the good cells that mediate immune reactions and your body is able to mobilize them faster. Largely that also hold true when you are ill, but...
If you are creating muscle damage (which is what has happened every time you get sore) you are spending some of your immunity on inflammation and reconstruction of muscle. This could then somewhat decrease your overall ability to resist cooties. Of course, it's not really so simple, but that's a fair nutshell.
The long and short of it? If you can get some air through your passages and aren't completely strung out on medications, some moderate cardio probably will boost your immune system a bit. Choosing ill time to bust out a heavy weight workout probably is not the best choice though. Everything else is still up for grabs - little evidence for lots of beliefs (vitamin C, zinc, echinacea, etc). And of course, a hot bowl of chicken soup never hurts!
Be well, Women! Suz
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tupperware and the Antagonist
Gee, aren't my titles catchy? :-)
Stretching is something that's generated many questions and frustrations. I know there are several of you who have asked for 'the best' stretch or how to make a big difference in your most problematic muscles. Well, here is a little more information that will hopefully help.
Muscles are made up of several types of tissue - some more elastic (stretchy) and some more plastic (not stretchy). Elastic and plastic, in this case, are physics terms (and finally explain why I had to take that godforsaken class in college). Elastic lengthens and then returns to its prior shape/length/tension. Plastic deforms minimally and temporarily and returns to its prior shape/length/tension.
When you stretch a muscle, you are trying to effect relaxation of the elastic tissues so after they are deformed by your stretch position they return to a longer shape/length/tension. This requires relaxing. No matter what you think about how laid back and relaxed you are - few of us are very good at actually turning off a muscle and relaxing into a stretch. If we don't, we are effectively playing tug-of-war with ourselves and likely getting nowhere. Groan! So....
That means, if you want those hamstrings to relax and lengthen you can help your body shut them off by purposefully firing the antagonist - the quads. Try it!
Get into your favorite hamstring stretch - gently! Establish the point of stretch and then moderately tighten your quads without changing your position. Hold the quad contraction for a count of 3 - 5. Relax and try to go a little further into the stretch. For most, when the quad contraction is released there will be more slack in the hamstrings to allow a deeper stretch. You just learned contract-relax stretching that uses the antagonist to improve the stretch!
Tupperware is plastic. Yes, there was a reason for the Tupperware reference. I'm sure you've all handled some Tupperware in your life. Lid doesn't fit? Bend it a little and snap the lid in place. Doesn't fit in the dishwasher? Bend it to get it stuck in the rack. Plastic is malleable, BUT...darn if it doesn't pop right back to its previous shape as soon as the restraining force goes away. Well, if those plastic fibers are in your hamstrings, what do you do about that?
Imagine that Tupperware again. Take it to your driveway. Get out a giant sledgehammer. Bash the tupperware. What shape is it? My experience - either broken (torn muscle) or exactly the same! Oh, bother!
Take another piece of Tupperware and jam it in a drawer between a bunch of other stuff. Leave it there for a couple weeks. Go back and retrieve the Tupperware. What shape is it? Probably the shape you jammed it into. Deformed. Permanently! (OK - semi-permanently) How did that happen? Surely the sledgehammer provided more force.
Plastic, by definition, is more difficult to deform permanently. But - its deformation is a byproduct of sustained force not magnitude of force. For your hamstrings, that means you need to sustain the stretch longer not harder to effect the desired lengthening change. Moral of the story? Stretch longer in each repetition. In that case, you clearly need to be gentle, balanced and comfortable or you don't stand a chance of staying in your stretch position long enough to change the plastic component of the muscles.
Whew! Hopefully that wasn't too detailed to be useful. Hopefully you're not too discouraged to keep trying. Identify those tight muscles and get to it. Remember Tupperware and the antagonist and see if you can't make a change.
Good Luck! Suz
Stretching is something that's generated many questions and frustrations. I know there are several of you who have asked for 'the best' stretch or how to make a big difference in your most problematic muscles. Well, here is a little more information that will hopefully help.
Muscles are made up of several types of tissue - some more elastic (stretchy) and some more plastic (not stretchy). Elastic and plastic, in this case, are physics terms (and finally explain why I had to take that godforsaken class in college). Elastic lengthens and then returns to its prior shape/length/tension. Plastic deforms minimally and temporarily and returns to its prior shape/length/tension.
When you stretch a muscle, you are trying to effect relaxation of the elastic tissues so after they are deformed by your stretch position they return to a longer shape/length/tension. This requires relaxing. No matter what you think about how laid back and relaxed you are - few of us are very good at actually turning off a muscle and relaxing into a stretch. If we don't, we are effectively playing tug-of-war with ourselves and likely getting nowhere. Groan! So....
- keep the stretch gentle so you don't get a pain response that prompts protective contraction
- isolate the muscle you are stretching so your brain can focus on one area and not be overstimulated
- fire the antagonist to capitalize on reciprocal inhibition - - - WHAT?
That means, if you want those hamstrings to relax and lengthen you can help your body shut them off by purposefully firing the antagonist - the quads. Try it!
Get into your favorite hamstring stretch - gently! Establish the point of stretch and then moderately tighten your quads without changing your position. Hold the quad contraction for a count of 3 - 5. Relax and try to go a little further into the stretch. For most, when the quad contraction is released there will be more slack in the hamstrings to allow a deeper stretch. You just learned contract-relax stretching that uses the antagonist to improve the stretch!
Tupperware is plastic. Yes, there was a reason for the Tupperware reference. I'm sure you've all handled some Tupperware in your life. Lid doesn't fit? Bend it a little and snap the lid in place. Doesn't fit in the dishwasher? Bend it to get it stuck in the rack. Plastic is malleable, BUT...darn if it doesn't pop right back to its previous shape as soon as the restraining force goes away. Well, if those plastic fibers are in your hamstrings, what do you do about that?
Imagine that Tupperware again. Take it to your driveway. Get out a giant sledgehammer. Bash the tupperware. What shape is it? My experience - either broken (torn muscle) or exactly the same! Oh, bother!
Take another piece of Tupperware and jam it in a drawer between a bunch of other stuff. Leave it there for a couple weeks. Go back and retrieve the Tupperware. What shape is it? Probably the shape you jammed it into. Deformed. Permanently! (OK - semi-permanently) How did that happen? Surely the sledgehammer provided more force.
Plastic, by definition, is more difficult to deform permanently. But - its deformation is a byproduct of sustained force not magnitude of force. For your hamstrings, that means you need to sustain the stretch longer not harder to effect the desired lengthening change. Moral of the story? Stretch longer in each repetition. In that case, you clearly need to be gentle, balanced and comfortable or you don't stand a chance of staying in your stretch position long enough to change the plastic component of the muscles.
Whew! Hopefully that wasn't too detailed to be useful. Hopefully you're not too discouraged to keep trying. Identify those tight muscles and get to it. Remember Tupperware and the antagonist and see if you can't make a change.
Good Luck! Suz
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, Monday...
It's cold and dark out this morning and it surely seems the weekend was short. Anybody else not ready to get back to work yet?
So - what do you make of a Monday? For me it is a chance to re-dedicate. The weekends can get me a little off track. By Sunday I feel like I deserve to chill, play, have dessert :-) Although nothing gets too much out of control, Monday morning is a good opportunity to regroup.
This morning I am looking ahead at the week. What are my opportunities to work out? Put those on the calendar. Which days will I be home with an easy opportunity to cook a good meal? What will I do for dinner the other nights? Which days are my potential pot holes, and what can I do to smooth them over?
Take a few minutes for yourself this morning. Look ahead. Plan ahead. Make notes for yourself on your calendar to keep the plan clear. Little things will make it easier and keep you from getting knocked astray by life's complications.
Have a great week, Women! Make it good for you.
Suz
So - what do you make of a Monday? For me it is a chance to re-dedicate. The weekends can get me a little off track. By Sunday I feel like I deserve to chill, play, have dessert :-) Although nothing gets too much out of control, Monday morning is a good opportunity to regroup.
This morning I am looking ahead at the week. What are my opportunities to work out? Put those on the calendar. Which days will I be home with an easy opportunity to cook a good meal? What will I do for dinner the other nights? Which days are my potential pot holes, and what can I do to smooth them over?
Take a few minutes for yourself this morning. Look ahead. Plan ahead. Make notes for yourself on your calendar to keep the plan clear. Little things will make it easier and keep you from getting knocked astray by life's complications.
Have a great week, Women! Make it good for you.
Suz
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Brrrrrrrr!
It's winter women - darkness and cold reign for the next few months. Does that change things for you?
For many, the dark in the morning - dark after work days of winter can put a dent in motivation. I think it's pretty common to want to spend more time under covers and less out in the elements. Your circadian rhythm may also swing towards longer nights' sleep and shorter days' activity.
Here are some thoughts that may help you make the most of the season.
EASY
Go to the gym / take a class! Indoors it's always light and (hopefully) always warm. Also, the energy of others can help rev up your motivation...once you get there. If you have a gym membership but don't make it there as often as you want, here are some suggestions to encourage you:
Make a plan to meet someone there - few of us are likely to let someone else down
Put it on your calendar like an appointment - you wouldn't blow off your 5 pm haircut, would you?
Keep a running tally of cost per day on your fridge / dashboard / Facebook page :-) For some,
seeing the 'value' of your monthly dues divided by the number of days you go can help
INTERMEDIATE
Try a new, winter-oriented activity. This falls in the 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' category. Instead of trying to steel yourself to go for a long bike ride in the dark, wind and rain (yuk!), pick up a winter activity: curling (they even have a club at Lloyd Center), ice skating, snowshoeing, skiing, cyclocross.
Get it done early! If you are one who slows down with the darkness, stack the odds in your favor by exercising early in the day. Then, if you leave work to the downer of darkness, you can rest assured that your workout is already done.
ADVANCED
Gear up for winter and tough it out! A headlamp (and more good lights for biking) can illuminate the world enough to keep you safe. Headlamp soccer is pretty funny too - great for coordination (bad for heading the ball though). Reflective clothing helps others pick you out - look for Illumilite gear that is retroreflective. Proper gloves and hats can save a ton of body heat and are well worth the investment. Ear muff headphones - my favorite accessory. 180s is the brand I have and what an invention - I can run without a hat (makes me too hot too fast) but spare myself cold ears and the headache that comes with icy wind howling through my head. Smartwool socks - need I say more? And the list goes on. Just like in paddling - the gear makes a difference. If you know you can stay warm and comfortable it's much easier to fathom stepping out the door.
Finally - consider that you do burn a few more calories exercising in the cold. Your body will be fueling the activity but also the furnace that keeps you warm. A little more bang for your buck may be well worth it! Remember, you still need water, sunscreen (if it's light out) and lip balm too.
Now it's time for me to gear up. Running out of time for a run before work. Have a great day Amazons!
For many, the dark in the morning - dark after work days of winter can put a dent in motivation. I think it's pretty common to want to spend more time under covers and less out in the elements. Your circadian rhythm may also swing towards longer nights' sleep and shorter days' activity.
Here are some thoughts that may help you make the most of the season.
EASY
Go to the gym / take a class! Indoors it's always light and (hopefully) always warm. Also, the energy of others can help rev up your motivation...once you get there. If you have a gym membership but don't make it there as often as you want, here are some suggestions to encourage you:
Make a plan to meet someone there - few of us are likely to let someone else down
Put it on your calendar like an appointment - you wouldn't blow off your 5 pm haircut, would you?
Keep a running tally of cost per day on your fridge / dashboard / Facebook page :-) For some,
seeing the 'value' of your monthly dues divided by the number of days you go can help
INTERMEDIATE
Try a new, winter-oriented activity. This falls in the 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' category. Instead of trying to steel yourself to go for a long bike ride in the dark, wind and rain (yuk!), pick up a winter activity: curling (they even have a club at Lloyd Center), ice skating, snowshoeing, skiing, cyclocross.
Get it done early! If you are one who slows down with the darkness, stack the odds in your favor by exercising early in the day. Then, if you leave work to the downer of darkness, you can rest assured that your workout is already done.
ADVANCED
Gear up for winter and tough it out! A headlamp (and more good lights for biking) can illuminate the world enough to keep you safe. Headlamp soccer is pretty funny too - great for coordination (bad for heading the ball though). Reflective clothing helps others pick you out - look for Illumilite gear that is retroreflective. Proper gloves and hats can save a ton of body heat and are well worth the investment. Ear muff headphones - my favorite accessory. 180s is the brand I have and what an invention - I can run without a hat (makes me too hot too fast) but spare myself cold ears and the headache that comes with icy wind howling through my head. Smartwool socks - need I say more? And the list goes on. Just like in paddling - the gear makes a difference. If you know you can stay warm and comfortable it's much easier to fathom stepping out the door.
Finally - consider that you do burn a few more calories exercising in the cold. Your body will be fueling the activity but also the furnace that keeps you warm. A little more bang for your buck may be well worth it! Remember, you still need water, sunscreen (if it's light out) and lip balm too.
Now it's time for me to gear up. Running out of time for a run before work. Have a great day Amazons!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Back in Blog!
Mighty Women - so sorry for the hiatus!
Work took me out of town and brought to the fore how easy it is to disrupt a routine. Oy vey! I apologize for the long span of 'dead time' on the blog, and for not being more supportive of your ongoing efforts. Hopefully my stumble did not contribute to yours.
So - in the spirit of turning all things into a positive...
I've learned to be more proactive when my routine is going to be disrupted.
I've learned that priorities are vulnerable and should be reaffirmed often.
I've learned that it's never too late to get back on track!
What have you learned in the time the blog has fallen silent? Let's rev it back up with your thoughts and comments.
Be strong. Take charge. You can do it!
xo - Suz
Work took me out of town and brought to the fore how easy it is to disrupt a routine. Oy vey! I apologize for the long span of 'dead time' on the blog, and for not being more supportive of your ongoing efforts. Hopefully my stumble did not contribute to yours.
So - in the spirit of turning all things into a positive...
I've learned to be more proactive when my routine is going to be disrupted.
I've learned that priorities are vulnerable and should be reaffirmed often.
I've learned that it's never too late to get back on track!
What have you learned in the time the blog has fallen silent? Let's rev it back up with your thoughts and comments.
Be strong. Take charge. You can do it!
xo - Suz
Monday, November 2, 2009
Tiny bubbles....not so good!
Check it out...
Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.
Soft drinks are hard on your health
Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.
A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet
Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!
Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.
Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.
The health effects of diet soda
You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly.
Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.
Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.
Carbonation depletes calcium
Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.
Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.
Skip the soda and go for:
• Fresh water
Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system, click here.
On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.
• Fruit Juice
If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.
• Tea
Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.
Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.
If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks.
Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.
Soft drinks are hard on your health
Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.
A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet
Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!
Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.
Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.
The health effects of diet soda
You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly.
Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.
Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.
Carbonation depletes calcium
Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.
Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.
Skip the soda and go for:
• Fresh water
Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system, click here.
On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.
• Fruit Juice
If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.
• Tea
Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.
Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.
If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Be Good! Fall back :-)
Happy Halloween!
Just a brief reminder to be mindful and be good this weekend. Try to watch the empty calories - candy and alcohol. Work in a workout before festivities. Have a great time!
Clocks fall back Sat night. Maybe that extra hour will give you a chance to rededicate and plan after potential debauchery :-)
Be safe everyone!
Suz
Just a brief reminder to be mindful and be good this weekend. Try to watch the empty calories - candy and alcohol. Work in a workout before festivities. Have a great time!
Clocks fall back Sat night. Maybe that extra hour will give you a chance to rededicate and plan after potential debauchery :-)
Be safe everyone!
Suz
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Pump it up!
Good Morning Women!
It's into the 3rd week for many of us, and consistency should be starting to pay some dividends. In week 3-4 of a regular effort, improvements should be starting to reveal themselves...lifting more, better endurance, ever so slightly more flexibility. Hopefully you've all had a little A Ha! or breakthrough for your dedication so far.
Of course - an Amazon is not easily satisfied! So, where do you go next to keep those changes coming?
A few 'rules':
Following these simple rules will allow you to push yourself to new levels with little risk of injury, overtraining or exhaustion while allowing your body some resources to adapt to the new stresses.
Considering the variables, let me give you some examples:
resistance - with weights this clearly means more pounds, for cardio it means more 'tug' - hills if on
foot or a bike, pull buoys in the pool, etc
speed - with endurance activities it's easy to understand moving faster, for flexibility this may mean
active stretching and with strength training it can mean plyometrics (bound/rebound exercise)
environment - for flexibility this could include a Bikram (hot) yoga class; for strength training it may
mean decreasing your stability (exercise on a ball or trampoline) and in endurance activity it
includes a trail, sand or outdoors v. in
Without variation your body will quickly adapt and become more efficient at the activity you are doing. That means you'll burn fewer calories and make slower improvements (if any at all). Mix it up! Pump it up! Get your effort's worth...you deserve it!
It's into the 3rd week for many of us, and consistency should be starting to pay some dividends. In week 3-4 of a regular effort, improvements should be starting to reveal themselves...lifting more, better endurance, ever so slightly more flexibility. Hopefully you've all had a little A Ha! or breakthrough for your dedication so far.
Of course - an Amazon is not easily satisfied! So, where do you go next to keep those changes coming?
A few 'rules':
- only change one variable at a time - that way, whatever you experience can be attributed to that change (variables are: resistance, speed, duration / reps, environment) - if it's a positive change, keep it up; if it's a negative change, you'll know which element to correct
- limit increases to no more than 10% at a time - so if you're running 30 min, increase your duration by 3 min; lifting 20#, increase by 2#
- increase only one aspect of your fitness per week (strength, flexibility OR endurance - not AND)
Following these simple rules will allow you to push yourself to new levels with little risk of injury, overtraining or exhaustion while allowing your body some resources to adapt to the new stresses.
Considering the variables, let me give you some examples:
resistance - with weights this clearly means more pounds, for cardio it means more 'tug' - hills if on
foot or a bike, pull buoys in the pool, etc
speed - with endurance activities it's easy to understand moving faster, for flexibility this may mean
active stretching and with strength training it can mean plyometrics (bound/rebound exercise)
environment - for flexibility this could include a Bikram (hot) yoga class; for strength training it may
mean decreasing your stability (exercise on a ball or trampoline) and in endurance activity it
includes a trail, sand or outdoors v. in
Without variation your body will quickly adapt and become more efficient at the activity you are doing. That means you'll burn fewer calories and make slower improvements (if any at all). Mix it up! Pump it up! Get your effort's worth...you deserve it!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Comments, Followers and the Poll
Just a couple reminders, women...
The comments are a great place for you to help each other, ask questions and share successes. In the right margin you'll see a summary of comments. If you click on the prompt at the end you'll see the post that was commented on and the entirety of all the comments linked to it. From there you can add a comment in reply, support, etc.
Further down in the right margin is the follower section. If you add yourself to that list, you'll get an e-mail when the blog has been updated. This might make it easier for you to follow along and know when logging in will get you something new. (I don't think the e-mails get triggered by new comments though)
Finally - I will try to change the poll each week. For these first few weeks I am keeping it a points register. The answers are anonymous but give each of us a little accountability and a comparison. In future weeks the poll may change. If you have anything you want to poll about, let me know.
Hope it's helping each of you in some way or another. Thanks for all the feedback so far! Keep it coming and I will do my best to keep the blog fresh and helpful!
The comments are a great place for you to help each other, ask questions and share successes. In the right margin you'll see a summary of comments. If you click on the
Further down in the right margin is the follower section. If you add yourself to that list, you'll get an e-mail when the blog has been updated. This might make it easier for you to follow along and know when logging in will get you something new. (I don't think the e-mails get triggered by new comments though)
Finally - I will try to change the poll each week. For these first few weeks I am keeping it a points register. The answers are anonymous but give each of us a little accountability and a comparison. In future weeks the poll may change. If you have anything you want to poll about, let me know.
Hope it's helping each of you in some way or another. Thanks for all the feedback so far! Keep it coming and I will do my best to keep the blog fresh and helpful!
Haunted Week
Hey Amazons
Well - it was a rough week for me! Anyone else? Somehow I let all my other stuff get in the way of logging many points. With that I think there were a few too many beers too. Now my parents are here and my routine is really out of whack.
Well shoot! I bet I'm not the only one with that kind of story right? Stuff complicates our best laid plans. Occasions present us with temptations or knock us off our intended course. It happens. Life happens!
So, here I sit on a Monday morning. One day of my point-scoring week is already gone. One day of my nutrition plan gone too. Do NOT despair! Today I can control and try to do better. Tomorrow I can plan for and build a plan for success. Yes I can! Yes you can!
One last thought...it's Halloween week. For most of us that means 'fun size' candy all around and parties on the weekend. PLAN AHEAD. There is nothing any more fun about the calories in a fun-sized candy bar than in a full-sized candy bar. Try to arm yourself with healthy snacks, eat your meals as planned, and if you do cave to the candy - be moderate and log it! As for the parties...plan to exercise in the mornings so it's done right off the top and eat before you go out. The better you do at filling up on planed meals the less likely you'll have your hands in the snacks. Finally, remember those alcohol calories - go for straight shots and spare yourself the mixer! :-) (only kind of kidding there)
Have a great week everyone - I'm going to make sure I do!
Well - it was a rough week for me! Anyone else? Somehow I let all my other stuff get in the way of logging many points. With that I think there were a few too many beers too. Now my parents are here and my routine is really out of whack.
Well shoot! I bet I'm not the only one with that kind of story right? Stuff complicates our best laid plans. Occasions present us with temptations or knock us off our intended course. It happens. Life happens!
So, here I sit on a Monday morning. One day of my point-scoring week is already gone. One day of my nutrition plan gone too. Do NOT despair! Today I can control and try to do better. Tomorrow I can plan for and build a plan for success. Yes I can! Yes you can!
One last thought...it's Halloween week. For most of us that means 'fun size' candy all around and parties on the weekend. PLAN AHEAD. There is nothing any more fun about the calories in a fun-sized candy bar than in a full-sized candy bar. Try to arm yourself with healthy snacks, eat your meals as planned, and if you do cave to the candy - be moderate and log it! As for the parties...plan to exercise in the mornings so it's done right off the top and eat before you go out. The better you do at filling up on planed meals the less likely you'll have your hands in the snacks. Finally, remember those alcohol calories - go for straight shots and spare yourself the mixer! :-) (only kind of kidding there)
Have a great week everyone - I'm going to make sure I do!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Snacking and the Evil Bagel
Hey Women!
It sounds like our fitness system is working out for people. The points system provides a simple framework and you are all doing a nice job of filling it in with your favorite workouts and new activities. Gooch and Jenn, great job getting the pilates class going!
Most of the feedback and questions I've gotten have been oriented to the nutrition aspect of staying fit and getting lean. I wrote a post early on in the blog about some basic nutrition concepts, but lately the questions have been more oriented to identifying bad habits and healthy snack ideas.
Contrary to common sense, skipping meals is not an effective way to lose weight. Although skipping a meal may decrease your overall calorie intake for the day, it also slows your metabolism (calorie conservation) and often stimulates poor eating later.
I am a case in point. Often, on a busy work day, I can power right through lunch time without realizing that I'm missing a meal. True - that's probably 300-500 calories I has planned to eat that I didn't. But! When I get home, hours later and famished, I start my progressive graze through the kitchen. That grazing may just be a vegetable, a handful of nuts, a pickle...but those calories add up, and pile on top of what's coming for dinner.
What to do? Plan ahead. Yes, the solutions are often redundant from one post to the next. Identify your weakness (grazing for me) and plan ahead for it. Tempted by the treats in the break room at work? Keep a stash of healthier snacks st your desk. Graze when you get home? Save a piece of fruit or a vegetable to eat just before you leave work or on the drive home so you are more full when you get there.
What's a healthy snack? First and foremost - a small portion. A bag of chips does not count! Usually the bag of chips is too much, and obviously not god nutrition for the calories. Instead, try a multigrain cracker or a cup of plain popcorn. Have a sweet tooth? Try a small handful each of raisins and raw almonds &/or walnuts. Have a way to bring fresh food? Prepare a bowl each of cut fruit and vegetables at home each week so you can grab a handful in a baggie to take with you. Low fat string cheese is about 80 calories - a really sensible amount for a snack. You get the idea.
Often we snack on (or eat) what's convenient. This is the 'evil bagel' part of the story. Foods that are in units or pre-packaged are quick, easy and self-limiting. That all seems great. Geez - that bagel could even be whole grain (definitely better than white)! The problem is that the bagel is more than one serving. It's loaded with carbs, and not much else unless you add another topping (and more calories). The average size bagel usually packs 300+ calories - 500-ish if it's got fruit or cheese in/on it. Add some cream cheese or hummus to it and you're probably pushing 600 calories. If you aim for a 1500-1800 calorie day, that could be a third of your intake! Tough to stay on track that way, unless lunch and dinner are going to be really light.
Does all that mean no break room snacks and never another bagel? Of course not. It means, be aware! Plan ahead. Have the bagel on a day you got a morning work out and are planning to remain active. Better yet, cut the bagel in half and enjoy it on two different days or share it with your workout partner. :-)
Keep your thoughts and questions coming. Most of all - keep up the good work. We're putting up some points and that means there are a lot of dedicated and healthy Amazons out there!
Have a great weekend - Suz
It sounds like our fitness system is working out for people. The points system provides a simple framework and you are all doing a nice job of filling it in with your favorite workouts and new activities. Gooch and Jenn, great job getting the pilates class going!
Most of the feedback and questions I've gotten have been oriented to the nutrition aspect of staying fit and getting lean. I wrote a post early on in the blog about some basic nutrition concepts, but lately the questions have been more oriented to identifying bad habits and healthy snack ideas.
Contrary to common sense, skipping meals is not an effective way to lose weight. Although skipping a meal may decrease your overall calorie intake for the day, it also slows your metabolism (calorie conservation) and often stimulates poor eating later.
I am a case in point. Often, on a busy work day, I can power right through lunch time without realizing that I'm missing a meal. True - that's probably 300-500 calories I has planned to eat that I didn't. But! When I get home, hours later and famished, I start my progressive graze through the kitchen. That grazing may just be a vegetable, a handful of nuts, a pickle...but those calories add up, and pile on top of what's coming for dinner.
What to do? Plan ahead. Yes, the solutions are often redundant from one post to the next. Identify your weakness (grazing for me) and plan ahead for it. Tempted by the treats in the break room at work? Keep a stash of healthier snacks st your desk. Graze when you get home? Save a piece of fruit or a vegetable to eat just before you leave work or on the drive home so you are more full when you get there.
What's a healthy snack? First and foremost - a small portion. A bag of chips does not count! Usually the bag of chips is too much, and obviously not god nutrition for the calories. Instead, try a multigrain cracker or a cup of plain popcorn. Have a sweet tooth? Try a small handful each of raisins and raw almonds &/or walnuts. Have a way to bring fresh food? Prepare a bowl each of cut fruit and vegetables at home each week so you can grab a handful in a baggie to take with you. Low fat string cheese is about 80 calories - a really sensible amount for a snack. You get the idea.
Often we snack on (or eat) what's convenient. This is the 'evil bagel' part of the story. Foods that are in units or pre-packaged are quick, easy and self-limiting. That all seems great. Geez - that bagel could even be whole grain (definitely better than white)! The problem is that the bagel is more than one serving. It's loaded with carbs, and not much else unless you add another topping (and more calories). The average size bagel usually packs 300+ calories - 500-ish if it's got fruit or cheese in/on it. Add some cream cheese or hummus to it and you're probably pushing 600 calories. If you aim for a 1500-1800 calorie day, that could be a third of your intake! Tough to stay on track that way, unless lunch and dinner are going to be really light.
Does all that mean no break room snacks and never another bagel? Of course not. It means, be aware! Plan ahead. Have the bagel on a day you got a morning work out and are planning to remain active. Better yet, cut the bagel in half and enjoy it on two different days or share it with your workout partner. :-)
Keep your thoughts and questions coming. Most of all - keep up the good work. We're putting up some points and that means there are a lot of dedicated and healthy Amazons out there!
Have a great weekend - Suz
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
What's up Amazons?
It looks like a few of you are really making some great changes and efforts for your health and fitness so far. What's happening with the rest of you Amazons? How's it?
Community can really help sustain motivation, so those of you toiling out there...join us! Make a comment. Answer a poll. Check out the links. You and your teammates will get a little push from exchanging thoughts.
Accountability is also a benefit of the blog. Goals are more likely met when you share your accountability to them with others. Gooch and EB are showing the way. Great job, women!
The rain is falling. Mornings and evenings are dark. The holidays are around the corner (WHAT? already?). Now is the time to get the good habits grooved to help get us through all those challenges.
Another possible use for the blog is to post Q & A. If you have a fitness or nutrition question you'd like an answer to, send it on. If I can't answer with good info, I'll check my reliable sources and find the answer. Let's see what we can come up with!
It looks like a few of you are really making some great changes and efforts for your health and fitness so far. What's happening with the rest of you Amazons? How's it?
Community can really help sustain motivation, so those of you toiling out there...join us! Make a comment. Answer a poll. Check out the links. You and your teammates will get a little push from exchanging thoughts.
Accountability is also a benefit of the blog. Goals are more likely met when you share your accountability to them with others. Gooch and EB are showing the way. Great job, women!
The rain is falling. Mornings and evenings are dark. The holidays are around the corner (WHAT? already?). Now is the time to get the good habits grooved to help get us through all those challenges.
Another possible use for the blog is to post Q & A. If you have a fitness or nutrition question you'd like an answer to, send it on. If I can't answer with good info, I'll check my reliable sources and find the answer. Let's see what we can come up with!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Let's Review
Hey Women
Week one has come and gone already. Check out the new poll and (anonymously) log how many points you tallied this week. No judgement here, just a chance to see how many Amazons are keeping their new leaves turned.
As the enthusiasm of newness wears off, let's take a little of this Monday to remember what we're working for. Did you set any goals for yourself? Maybe to gain enough flexibility to reach your toes without uprooting your hamstrings? Maybe to strengthen your biceps to a shapely bulge? Or maybe you are planning to prevent any winter weight gain?
Whatever your goals are, there are one or two things to keep in mind that will help you reach your goals, whatever they may be.
1. Be consistent - that doesn't mean you have to do anything 100% of the time, it means the more consistently you stick to your exercise / stretching / diet routine, the more likely you will see results. Slow and steady and all that...it really is true.
2. Cardio is your friend - whether you are trying to maintain weight, improve overall fitness or optimize your strength and endurance, cardio is the foundation. Remember the guideline of at least 6 cardio points per week.
3. Be sure you're working on something meaningful to you! When you like the activities you do, it is fun and rewarding to do them. When the goals you set are important to you, the motivation to achieve them is almost automatic. But to know what is truly important to you, you need to be honest with yourself. My example - I would love to be a few pounds lighter, but is it really important to me? Apparently not, because it's never enough to inspire me to turn down a second beer or a taste of dessert. Might be nice, yes, but something I'm truly willing to work for, no. Other goals are more realistic and motivating for me.
So, here we are on another Monday. The perfect day to re-dedicate. Set a small goal for the week this morning. Recognize your achievements of last week. Make a plan for the coming week that will move you forward and still allow you some space for everything else in your life. Touch base with your friends, work out buddies, teammates...Today is a day you can change. Make it something good!
Week one has come and gone already. Check out the new poll and (anonymously) log how many points you tallied this week. No judgement here, just a chance to see how many Amazons are keeping their new leaves turned.
As the enthusiasm of newness wears off, let's take a little of this Monday to remember what we're working for. Did you set any goals for yourself? Maybe to gain enough flexibility to reach your toes without uprooting your hamstrings? Maybe to strengthen your biceps to a shapely bulge? Or maybe you are planning to prevent any winter weight gain?
Whatever your goals are, there are one or two things to keep in mind that will help you reach your goals, whatever they may be.
1. Be consistent - that doesn't mean you have to do anything 100% of the time, it means the more consistently you stick to your exercise / stretching / diet routine, the more likely you will see results. Slow and steady and all that...it really is true.
2. Cardio is your friend - whether you are trying to maintain weight, improve overall fitness or optimize your strength and endurance, cardio is the foundation. Remember the guideline of at least 6 cardio points per week.
3. Be sure you're working on something meaningful to you! When you like the activities you do, it is fun and rewarding to do them. When the goals you set are important to you, the motivation to achieve them is almost automatic. But to know what is truly important to you, you need to be honest with yourself. My example - I would love to be a few pounds lighter, but is it really important to me? Apparently not, because it's never enough to inspire me to turn down a second beer or a taste of dessert. Might be nice, yes, but something I'm truly willing to work for, no. Other goals are more realistic and motivating for me.
So, here we are on another Monday. The perfect day to re-dedicate. Set a small goal for the week this morning. Recognize your achievements of last week. Make a plan for the coming week that will move you forward and still allow you some space for everything else in your life. Touch base with your friends, work out buddies, teammates...Today is a day you can change. Make it something good!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Give me an M; give me an O...
...TIVATION
Ah, finally it is Friday. Weeks feel long for most of us - especially when the mornings are dark, the evenings short and the temperatures dropping. Factors conspire against us and our commitment to healthy decisions and fitness. Geez - who wouldn't rather grab a 5 pm cocktail with friends than wiggle into the gym with all the other worker-bees after a long week?
Rather than deny yourself the social time and release of happy hour - rather than suffer the guilt of trading your workout for a 16 oz curl - rather than kicking your self esteem for not meeting your lofty "I'm going to the gym every day" goal...PLAN AHEAD. Bag your workout early in the day or at lunch. Consider planning Fri as your day of rest. Know that you deserve to relax and enjoy a reward as much as you deserve to reap the benefits of your new routine.
Rewards are important to keep us going! You know what yours are - be it happy hour, ice cream after dinner or a day to just lay on the couch. Don't steal those moments from yourself. You'll end up resentful, bitter and often, rewarding yourself anyway. The mental hit of those struggles can undermine even the best laid plans.
Realistic goals are also important to helping you feel successful and accomplished. Getting to the gym every day of the week doesn't leave you any room for life's unexpected events. One small bump in the road can make you miss your gym date and then you're left short even if you go every other day. Since when should that equal failure? Instead, try to keep the targets easily reachable and then enjoy the feeling of meeting, or even exceeding the goal you set.
Finally, remember that changing a habit takes re-dedication for everyone. Take a step back if you need to. Hit the reset button. Call it 'starting over'. It's all OK because all you can do is make the best decision you can at the moment. Have a great Friday and healthy, happy weekend!
Suz
Ah, finally it is Friday. Weeks feel long for most of us - especially when the mornings are dark, the evenings short and the temperatures dropping. Factors conspire against us and our commitment to healthy decisions and fitness. Geez - who wouldn't rather grab a 5 pm cocktail with friends than wiggle into the gym with all the other worker-bees after a long week?
Rather than deny yourself the social time and release of happy hour - rather than suffer the guilt of trading your workout for a 16 oz curl - rather than kicking your self esteem for not meeting your lofty "I'm going to the gym every day" goal...PLAN AHEAD. Bag your workout early in the day or at lunch. Consider planning Fri as your day of rest. Know that you deserve to relax and enjoy a reward as much as you deserve to reap the benefits of your new routine.
Rewards are important to keep us going! You know what yours are - be it happy hour, ice cream after dinner or a day to just lay on the couch. Don't steal those moments from yourself. You'll end up resentful, bitter and often, rewarding yourself anyway. The mental hit of those struggles can undermine even the best laid plans.
Realistic goals are also important to helping you feel successful and accomplished. Getting to the gym every day of the week doesn't leave you any room for life's unexpected events. One small bump in the road can make you miss your gym date and then you're left short even if you go every other day. Since when should that equal failure? Instead, try to keep the targets easily reachable and then enjoy the feeling of meeting, or even exceeding the goal you set.
Finally, remember that changing a habit takes re-dedication for everyone. Take a step back if you need to. Hit the reset button. Call it 'starting over'. It's all OK because all you can do is make the best decision you can at the moment. Have a great Friday and healthy, happy weekend!
Suz
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
YES - you can!
A 100 year old shot putter competing in the 2009 World Senior Games
THAT is badass! :-)
Nutrition Link
I just added a link to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. This site is a great resource for unbiased, factual information about nutrition. The Nutrition Action Newsletter is one of my favorite pieces of mail. It's always a good, easy read; filled with great information. If you check it out, be sure to look at the Food porn section. Priceless! They also do great features comparing foods, brands and restaurants. Enjoy
Nutrition & Metabolism - some basics
I don't know about all of you, but this bloggy fitness thing has got me pretty excited! Check out the comments on the blog posts to read about the enthusiasm and successes several of you have had already. Awesome job! Create that momentum and keep it going.
Several of the women who have sent me updates or questions are paring weight-loss goals with their fitness resolutions. That's great - the two go hand in hand. To help maximize your benefits, here are some of my best nutrition tips and myth-busters.
1. Metabolism - generally, your metabolism is what it is. It slows when you rest and races when you exercise. Two important things to realize: no pill, powder, herb or supplement is going to change your metabolic function! As you gain muscle, your basal metabolism may rise a bit, but the only other way to fire it up is to move. There's a cool feature of metabolism though, that plays in your favor - when you start moving your metabolism spikes almost instantly (think the slope of Mt Hood) but when you stop, it returns to baseline gradually. What does that mean for you? Basically, for some time after you exercise (how long depends on how long and intensely you exercised) you burn more calories than you would normally at rest! Now we're talkin' :-)
2. Breakfast - really IS the most important meal of the day. Your body quickly adapts to lack of food and starts conserving calories to protect against starvation. It may sound silly, but it's true. By offering your system calories you 'stoke' the burner and stimulate 'normal' operations. This physiology is the science behind the common advice to eat 5 small meals per day (or 3 and 2 snacks) rather than 3 larger meals.
3. Don't drink your calories! This is every dietician's first recommendation to someone trying to lose weight. Liquids do not contribute to fullness or satisfaction like food, and studies prove time and time again that liquid calories do not aid in decreasing intake of eaten calories. So, your protein shake, sports drink or daily soda are probably just extra calories you could avoid and feel just as good. Try to stick to water (flavored with a little citrus or herbs if you need) or teas - even calorie-free sodas can be evil (for other reasons).
4. Over-supplementation - advertising is an amazing thing and has convinced millions of us that there are many products we need to perform our best and/or recover from our performance. Hogwash! For most of us (average size, weight and exercise intensity) we're going to burn a max of 200-300 calories per hour doing cardio. Just guessin' - most of us are not counting our weekday cardio time in hours! So, if you drink a Gatorade and part of an energy bar to 'supplement' that effort, you've just replaced more calories than you burned. Ouch! Try to break the mindset that you need to supplement or that you get a reward after your effort. Fuel the effort with good nutrition through the day (and energy from stored fat) and reward yourself with the righteous feeling you get to have when you are done.
Whew - sorry! That turned into a little tear. I'm going to get some plyometrics in by jumping off my soapbox now. Have a great day everyone!
Several of the women who have sent me updates or questions are paring weight-loss goals with their fitness resolutions. That's great - the two go hand in hand. To help maximize your benefits, here are some of my best nutrition tips and myth-busters.
1. Metabolism - generally, your metabolism is what it is. It slows when you rest and races when you exercise. Two important things to realize: no pill, powder, herb or supplement is going to change your metabolic function! As you gain muscle, your basal metabolism may rise a bit, but the only other way to fire it up is to move. There's a cool feature of metabolism though, that plays in your favor - when you start moving your metabolism spikes almost instantly (think the slope of Mt Hood) but when you stop, it returns to baseline gradually. What does that mean for you? Basically, for some time after you exercise (how long depends on how long and intensely you exercised) you burn more calories than you would normally at rest! Now we're talkin' :-)
2. Breakfast - really IS the most important meal of the day. Your body quickly adapts to lack of food and starts conserving calories to protect against starvation. It may sound silly, but it's true. By offering your system calories you 'stoke' the burner and stimulate 'normal' operations. This physiology is the science behind the common advice to eat 5 small meals per day (or 3 and 2 snacks) rather than 3 larger meals.
3. Don't drink your calories! This is every dietician's first recommendation to someone trying to lose weight. Liquids do not contribute to fullness or satisfaction like food, and studies prove time and time again that liquid calories do not aid in decreasing intake of eaten calories. So, your protein shake, sports drink or daily soda are probably just extra calories you could avoid and feel just as good. Try to stick to water (flavored with a little citrus or herbs if you need) or teas - even calorie-free sodas can be evil (for other reasons).
4. Over-supplementation - advertising is an amazing thing and has convinced millions of us that there are many products we need to perform our best and/or recover from our performance. Hogwash! For most of us (average size, weight and exercise intensity) we're going to burn a max of 200-300 calories per hour doing cardio. Just guessin' - most of us are not counting our weekday cardio time in hours! So, if you drink a Gatorade and part of an energy bar to 'supplement' that effort, you've just replaced more calories than you burned. Ouch! Try to break the mindset that you need to supplement or that you get a reward after your effort. Fuel the effort with good nutrition through the day (and energy from stored fat) and reward yourself with the righteous feeling you get to have when you are done.
Whew - sorry! That turned into a little tear. I'm going to get some plyometrics in by jumping off my soapbox now. Have a great day everyone!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Good morning!
Amazons!!
Women are off to a roaring start. Gyms all over portland were full of Amazons yesterday as new goals were set and great habits were being established. Hopefully many of the tracking logs have points already recorded.
One note about this blog...
Comments can be made on each post. They don't show unless you click on the little 'comment' button at the bottom of the post. The comment area is a great place to cheer accomplishments, ask questions and make offers. Matter of fact - I think there's a workout buddy offer already on the board (see the comment on the Links posting).
I've got a workout to get to, but wanted to be sure you all knew about that comment feature.
Remember...you can only control what you do today. Resolve to make it a great day, be good to yourself and GO FOR IT!
Women are off to a roaring start. Gyms all over portland were full of Amazons yesterday as new goals were set and great habits were being established. Hopefully many of the tracking logs have points already recorded.
One note about this blog...
Comments can be made on each post. They don't show unless you click on the little 'comment' button at the bottom of the post. The comment area is a great place to cheer accomplishments, ask questions and make offers. Matter of fact - I think there's a workout buddy offer already on the board (see the comment on the Links posting).
I've got a workout to get to, but wanted to be sure you all knew about that comment feature.
Remember...you can only control what you do today. Resolve to make it a great day, be good to yourself and GO FOR IT!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Hit the Links
No - not golf. God knows you don't want me having anything to do with your golf game.
Resource links, though - that I can help with. Check out the right margin list, creatively called 'Links'.
I will put website links there that I think offer great services or resources.
The first distinguished member of the Link list is FitDay.
On the FitDay site you can create a free online account where you can track your exercise and calorie activity each day. It's a great way to keep yourself aware of what you're asking of your body and can help you stay on track with your realistic, measurable and time-sensitive goals :-)
Enjoy it - I think it is a great resource!
Resource links, though - that I can help with. Check out the right margin list, creatively called 'Links'.
I will put website links there that I think offer great services or resources.
The first distinguished member of the Link list is FitDay.
On the FitDay site you can create a free online account where you can track your exercise and calorie activity each day. It's a great way to keep yourself aware of what you're asking of your body and can help you stay on track with your realistic, measurable and time-sensitive goals :-)
Enjoy it - I think it is a great resource!
WELCOME!
Hey Mighty Women
Who knows what I'm getting you into now...or myself for that matter.
As I was working out this morning and reflecting back on our great end-of-season banquet Sat night, I started thinking. Oh jeez! That could mean anything.
So, I thought - my fitness thoughts and ideas usually pop into my head randomly through the day. Sometimes from something I do or see - from a patient or a person I notice on the street - sometimes in response to some cockamamie thing I hear or read. Anyway, the only way I can capture those thoughts and ideas is to jot them down soon after they happen. Waiting for once a week or once a month is more than my aging memory can handle.
The result of those musings and revelations in today's dawn is this - an Amazon fitness blog to which I can add on the fly. Better yet, you can come anytime you like and see if there's something new, but not have to wade through posting reminders from our website.
AND - you can post or comment too. Don't be shy!
Here we go - I'll try to keep posts concise, relevant and occasionally funny. Mostly I hope they will be helpful. Let me know if there's something you'd especially like me to blog about or if you have a fitness triumph to share.
Woo hoo! So far, it's fun :-)
Cheers - Suz
Who knows what I'm getting you into now...or myself for that matter.
As I was working out this morning and reflecting back on our great end-of-season banquet Sat night, I started thinking. Oh jeez! That could mean anything.
So, I thought - my fitness thoughts and ideas usually pop into my head randomly through the day. Sometimes from something I do or see - from a patient or a person I notice on the street - sometimes in response to some cockamamie thing I hear or read. Anyway, the only way I can capture those thoughts and ideas is to jot them down soon after they happen. Waiting for once a week or once a month is more than my aging memory can handle.
The result of those musings and revelations in today's dawn is this - an Amazon fitness blog to which I can add on the fly. Better yet, you can come anytime you like and see if there's something new, but not have to wade through posting reminders from our website.
AND - you can post or comment too. Don't be shy!
Here we go - I'll try to keep posts concise, relevant and occasionally funny. Mostly I hope they will be helpful. Let me know if there's something you'd especially like me to blog about or if you have a fitness triumph to share.
Woo hoo! So far, it's fun :-)
Cheers - Suz
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