So I've been put on exercise restriction of sorts, and I won't lie. It sucks for me. I literally get high off working out, and it's been like withdrawal this past week not to be allowed to start my day with mega-endorphins. Ive also been given a meal plan which also sucks but in a different way than many might think. But I have learned a few things I want to share with you all.
The main thing I've learned is that it is possible to overtrain. It is possible to stress your body out with too much exercise. My advice for this that I am taking for myself is to train smarter, not longer. Give a little bit less time to give more effort in a shorter session. You'll get a lot of calorie burn and endorphins, AND the bonus of some free time.
Even if you eat so healthy like I do, you have to make sure you're getting your macronutrients. Don't count calories! Count your proteins, carbs and fats if anything. But really just try to find a balance between eating right and eating enough to fuel yourself.
The last thing I'll share is something I learned while learning to calculate macronutrients. Um, nutrition facts labels are allowed to lie about calorie counts. It's true they are given a certain "percentage of error" but until I started these calculations, I had no idea how off some of them were! Something I've been eating that was 140 cal on the package was actually 207!!! I'm sorry but that's a huge difference! Enough to make me swear off ever counting calories again! Besides, you enjoy your meals more when they aren't math problems. Lol
So this is what I've learned and I really hope you guys find this as useful as I have. I'm not sure it's changed anything yet, but I'll keep you all updated :)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Focus on the finish line
I don't feel like working out today. That happens sometimes. It happens to all of us.
But I'm going to go to my workout class and do my cardio even though I don't feel like it. What is motivating me?
The feeling I know I'll have after finishing a great workout. It's a high that will carry me through the day and night ahead of me. If I focus on getting that feeling, I know I'll make it to and through my workout today.
Think about what is at your finish line? Is it a feeling? Is it a number on the scale? Is it a jean/pant size? Is it the pride of accomplishment?
Whatever it is, let that be your guide. Let that bring you to a gym or class even when you aren't really up to it. Let it bring you to the end of your finish line. :)
But I'm going to go to my workout class and do my cardio even though I don't feel like it. What is motivating me?
The feeling I know I'll have after finishing a great workout. It's a high that will carry me through the day and night ahead of me. If I focus on getting that feeling, I know I'll make it to and through my workout today.
Think about what is at your finish line? Is it a feeling? Is it a number on the scale? Is it a jean/pant size? Is it the pride of accomplishment?
Whatever it is, let that be your guide. Let that bring you to a gym or class even when you aren't really up to it. Let it bring you to the end of your finish line. :)
Friday, March 2, 2012
Gonna be a busy day!
We all get busy. Really busy. And getting a workout in isn't always a reality. Today, I have just about a thousand things to do that will take up most of the daylight and moonlight hours I've got, so I have t get creative with how I'm going to get my fitness time.
The thing is, many people think that when you work out, you have to do it all at once or it isn't affective. Now, I'll admit that you get much better cardio training when you run/ride/walk longer distances as it helps develop your cardiovascular stamina, but when it comes to the goal of burning calories, it is the same amount burned whether you do it all at once or 5 minute at a time spread out throughout the day.
So if you have 5 minutes here and there, do a small bit of a workout and it will all add up at the end of the day!
Want to get 30 minutes of fitness into your day? Try any combination of these 5 minute workout ideas that you can do at home, at work or almost anywhere!
-Walking/running the stairs. Find one or two flights of stairs, in your home or at the office or anywhere, and walk/run up and down them for a quick five minutes. This is amazing cardio exercise and it can build great calf muscles and quadriceps.
-Jumping jacks. I know they seem simple and even juvenile, but jumping jacks are hard-hitting cardio moves that burn crazy calories in short bursts. Doing these for five whole minutes can be tough, but the rewards of getting through those 5 minutes are incredible for your body, both inside and out.
-Lunges. You literally can do these anywhere there is a floor. Do these without taking breaks in between (remembering to switch legs intermittently of course) at a semi-swift pace and you'll be toning your legs and glutes as well as burning serious calories in a short 5 minute burst.
-Sit-ups/Crunches/Hover or Plank position. If you have any amount of clean, useable floor space, you can drop and give yourself 5 minutes of great ab work. Combine all of these moves (crunches, full sit-ups, bicycle/cross crunches, plank/hover) or do 5 minute sets of each, and you'll be well on your way to adding up some great ab workout time.
-Dance. Put on your iPod or mp3 player or radio and get down for just 5 minutes. That's pretty much two songs, give or take a few seconds. You will have a great time dancing to your favorite songs, and if you really start moving, you'll be able to burn some serious cals without even thinking about it. It's pretty much like doing zumba class 5 minutes at a time.
-Stretching. Reach down and touch your toes. Sit on the ground cross-legged and reach forward, draping your body over your legs. Sit in child's pose and reach your arms out in front of you. Standing with your feet 2 feet apart, stretch over to each side. Do these or any other stretches for 5 minutes and you will be gaining flexibility and creating long, lean lines with your muscles.
You can do all 6 of these in a row if you have 30 minutes, but really there is no need. You can do these 5 minutes at a time, hours apart, and you will still get the same results. Want a 60 minute workout? Do any combination of these 5 minute bursts 12 times to equal 60 minutes, throughout the day.
You don't need to do it all at once. It is so rare that people have 60 minutes to themselves nowadays. I know I'll be using these moves tonight as I head to dance competition with my studio. In between their dances, I'll find a corner to myself in the theatre hall and get to work. Just 5 short minutes here and there. This is really the workout plan that ANYONE can do. :)
The thing is, many people think that when you work out, you have to do it all at once or it isn't affective. Now, I'll admit that you get much better cardio training when you run/ride/walk longer distances as it helps develop your cardiovascular stamina, but when it comes to the goal of burning calories, it is the same amount burned whether you do it all at once or 5 minute at a time spread out throughout the day.
So if you have 5 minutes here and there, do a small bit of a workout and it will all add up at the end of the day!
Want to get 30 minutes of fitness into your day? Try any combination of these 5 minute workout ideas that you can do at home, at work or almost anywhere!
-Walking/running the stairs. Find one or two flights of stairs, in your home or at the office or anywhere, and walk/run up and down them for a quick five minutes. This is amazing cardio exercise and it can build great calf muscles and quadriceps.
-Jumping jacks. I know they seem simple and even juvenile, but jumping jacks are hard-hitting cardio moves that burn crazy calories in short bursts. Doing these for five whole minutes can be tough, but the rewards of getting through those 5 minutes are incredible for your body, both inside and out.
-Lunges. You literally can do these anywhere there is a floor. Do these without taking breaks in between (remembering to switch legs intermittently of course) at a semi-swift pace and you'll be toning your legs and glutes as well as burning serious calories in a short 5 minute burst.
-Sit-ups/Crunches/Hover or Plank position. If you have any amount of clean, useable floor space, you can drop and give yourself 5 minutes of great ab work. Combine all of these moves (crunches, full sit-ups, bicycle/cross crunches, plank/hover) or do 5 minute sets of each, and you'll be well on your way to adding up some great ab workout time.
-Dance. Put on your iPod or mp3 player or radio and get down for just 5 minutes. That's pretty much two songs, give or take a few seconds. You will have a great time dancing to your favorite songs, and if you really start moving, you'll be able to burn some serious cals without even thinking about it. It's pretty much like doing zumba class 5 minutes at a time.
-Stretching. Reach down and touch your toes. Sit on the ground cross-legged and reach forward, draping your body over your legs. Sit in child's pose and reach your arms out in front of you. Standing with your feet 2 feet apart, stretch over to each side. Do these or any other stretches for 5 minutes and you will be gaining flexibility and creating long, lean lines with your muscles.
You can do all 6 of these in a row if you have 30 minutes, but really there is no need. You can do these 5 minutes at a time, hours apart, and you will still get the same results. Want a 60 minute workout? Do any combination of these 5 minute bursts 12 times to equal 60 minutes, throughout the day.
You don't need to do it all at once. It is so rare that people have 60 minutes to themselves nowadays. I know I'll be using these moves tonight as I head to dance competition with my studio. In between their dances, I'll find a corner to myself in the theatre hall and get to work. Just 5 short minutes here and there. This is really the workout plan that ANYONE can do. :)
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Never give up
In dealing with the fact that my body sucks at what it's supposed to do, I wanted to remind everyone that giving up is never a true option.
We all plateau in our Fitness progress. We all hit walls along the way. The important thing is to find either a different path around the wall or the tools to climb over it when it's there in front of you.
I have tried everything I could think of to get over or around my wall. Everything that is safe, anyway. And I refuse to put my life in danger to look a certain way, so I will stay with only safety in mind. While nothing has worked, I just keep getting back on the proverbial horse and trying again. Ooh! Maybe I should take up horseback riding again and that might do the trick?! Lol jk
The thing is that I refuse to give up in my body and my health and you all should never give up either. Even when it seems hopeless just know that you are stronger than anything that stands in your way. Always.
Change up your routine a little bit each time and you'll find your fitness formula eventually. Get back on your horses every time you fall off. The people who love you will be there to help you get back on the saddle if you need them :)
We all plateau in our Fitness progress. We all hit walls along the way. The important thing is to find either a different path around the wall or the tools to climb over it when it's there in front of you.
I have tried everything I could think of to get over or around my wall. Everything that is safe, anyway. And I refuse to put my life in danger to look a certain way, so I will stay with only safety in mind. While nothing has worked, I just keep getting back on the proverbial horse and trying again. Ooh! Maybe I should take up horseback riding again and that might do the trick?! Lol jk
The thing is that I refuse to give up in my body and my health and you all should never give up either. Even when it seems hopeless just know that you are stronger than anything that stands in your way. Always.
Change up your routine a little bit each time and you'll find your fitness formula eventually. Get back on your horses every time you fall off. The people who love you will be there to help you get back on the saddle if you need them :)
Monday, February 27, 2012
5 snack swaps that will really make a difference!
When it comes to snacks, just because it is conveniently wrapped and handy-sized does not mean it is in any way good for your body. While there are plenty of convenient but bad for you snack choices, there are also some foods that pull double duty by being convenient for on-the-go eating and packed full of good nutrition. Here is a list of the five worst snack foods tand some better foods to eat instead:
#5 Worst – Candy Bars
While it is true that a Snickers bar boasts high protein content in comparison to other candy bars, it also contains 30 grams of sugar, 14 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat. If people are going to eat candy bars, those that contain peanuts are the best options due to the amount of protein they can contain, but realistically, 4 grams of protein isn’t worth all of those negatives.
Instead of grabbing a candy bar, pack a protein or granola bar in your dancer’s bag. Bars like Luna, Clif, Larabar and Kind are all made with whole, natural ingredients and can contain between 4 and 12 grams of protein each without added refined sugars.
#4 Worst – Potato Chips and other snack chips
Conveniently packed into little take-along bags, chips are a popular snack for people on-the-go. However, they pretty much offer nothing of benefit to anyone from hard working athletes to full time office employees. In one snack-sized bag of Lays or Doritos, people will consume between 10-12 grams of fat, 200-300 grams of sodium, and between 150-250 calories. This seems pretty low and harmless, but the real problem is what is NOT in these bags. There are 15 grams of carbohydrates, but only 1 gram of fiber. There are 150-250 calories but only 1-2 grams of proteins. And the baked varieties aren’t much better, though they do have slightly less amounts of sodium and a significantly lower amount of fat. The lesser of two evils, but still not ideal.
Crackers and Pretzels can be better choices, especially if you find low-sodium varieties. Crackers that are multigrain, organic or whole wheat will provide more fiber and fewer preservatives than other varieties, and unsalted, whole grain pretzels will keep you full and energized better than any bag of chips.
#3 Worst – Fruit snacks
Don’t be fooled by the word “fruit” that has been cleverly placed upon the label of these snack foods. Most fruit snacks contain very little real fruit ingredients, if any at all. These foods have similar nutritional content to candies like gummy bears and taffy, so there isn’t much to fuel a dancer aside from a quick, short sugar rush.
The best substitute here is fruit, hands down. Easy to carry, on-the-go fruits are apples, bananas, pears, peaches and other fruits that are easy to peel, or eaten with the skin on. These have only natural sugars and are filled to the brim with vitamins and minerals making them nature’s perfect snack.
#2 Worst – Donuts and Pastries
Fried dough filled with sugary syrup-coated fruits and/or creams and cheeses, topped with frosting or powdered sugar and filled with tons of preservatives and not much else. This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Hardly any protein to speak of and often lacking in any dietary fiber, these foods may contain a miniscule amount of vitamins if they’re filled with fruit, but not nearly enough to make up any of anyone's Recommended Daily Intake (RDI).
Whole grain bagels with peanut butter and honey are a very sweet and filling snack that pack a huge protein and fiber punch. Go for organic and all natural peanut butters and bagels to add even more nutrition and reduce preservatives and refined sugars.
#1 Worst – Fast Food Meals
Sometimes our days can run pretty late, and it’s important to make sure we get to eat a good dinner, especially when we're working hard. However, a fast food burger and fries is one of the worst meals to consume for a number of reasons. These foods are heavy, greasy, very high in sodium and sugar (even a hamburger from a fast food restaurant can contain more than 10g of sugar!) and contain tons of fats, both unsaturated and saturated. In general, these foods can wreak havoc on someone’s health if eaten often. Also, eating salty foods can cause dehydration, which is never a good idea for busy people.
Just like we all remember from our days in school, the best way to ensure that a person gets a healthy meal is to brown bag it. Heading out of the house with a peanut butter sandwich and some fruit or some pita and hummus would be quite the healthy choice. If packing a dinner isn’t an option, grabbing a sub sandwich or a wrap can be much healthier as a meal, especially when it’s packed with both proteins and vegetables. Fast food isn’t the only easy meal option, and it certainly isn’t the best option when there are tons of sandwich shops around most areas.
Food is a truly important part of a person's day because it is what gives them to fuel to perform their best at whatever it is they need to do at any given time. Life demands a great deal from the body, so it’s important to give the body what it needs to rise to the challenge without wearing out too fast.
#5 Worst – Candy Bars
While it is true that a Snickers bar boasts high protein content in comparison to other candy bars, it also contains 30 grams of sugar, 14 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat. If people are going to eat candy bars, those that contain peanuts are the best options due to the amount of protein they can contain, but realistically, 4 grams of protein isn’t worth all of those negatives.
Instead of grabbing a candy bar, pack a protein or granola bar in your dancer’s bag. Bars like Luna, Clif, Larabar and Kind are all made with whole, natural ingredients and can contain between 4 and 12 grams of protein each without added refined sugars.
#4 Worst – Potato Chips and other snack chips
Conveniently packed into little take-along bags, chips are a popular snack for people on-the-go. However, they pretty much offer nothing of benefit to anyone from hard working athletes to full time office employees. In one snack-sized bag of Lays or Doritos, people will consume between 10-12 grams of fat, 200-300 grams of sodium, and between 150-250 calories. This seems pretty low and harmless, but the real problem is what is NOT in these bags. There are 15 grams of carbohydrates, but only 1 gram of fiber. There are 150-250 calories but only 1-2 grams of proteins. And the baked varieties aren’t much better, though they do have slightly less amounts of sodium and a significantly lower amount of fat. The lesser of two evils, but still not ideal.
Crackers and Pretzels can be better choices, especially if you find low-sodium varieties. Crackers that are multigrain, organic or whole wheat will provide more fiber and fewer preservatives than other varieties, and unsalted, whole grain pretzels will keep you full and energized better than any bag of chips.
#3 Worst – Fruit snacks
Don’t be fooled by the word “fruit” that has been cleverly placed upon the label of these snack foods. Most fruit snacks contain very little real fruit ingredients, if any at all. These foods have similar nutritional content to candies like gummy bears and taffy, so there isn’t much to fuel a dancer aside from a quick, short sugar rush.
The best substitute here is fruit, hands down. Easy to carry, on-the-go fruits are apples, bananas, pears, peaches and other fruits that are easy to peel, or eaten with the skin on. These have only natural sugars and are filled to the brim with vitamins and minerals making them nature’s perfect snack.
#2 Worst – Donuts and Pastries
Fried dough filled with sugary syrup-coated fruits and/or creams and cheeses, topped with frosting or powdered sugar and filled with tons of preservatives and not much else. This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Hardly any protein to speak of and often lacking in any dietary fiber, these foods may contain a miniscule amount of vitamins if they’re filled with fruit, but not nearly enough to make up any of anyone's Recommended Daily Intake (RDI).
Whole grain bagels with peanut butter and honey are a very sweet and filling snack that pack a huge protein and fiber punch. Go for organic and all natural peanut butters and bagels to add even more nutrition and reduce preservatives and refined sugars.
#1 Worst – Fast Food Meals
Sometimes our days can run pretty late, and it’s important to make sure we get to eat a good dinner, especially when we're working hard. However, a fast food burger and fries is one of the worst meals to consume for a number of reasons. These foods are heavy, greasy, very high in sodium and sugar (even a hamburger from a fast food restaurant can contain more than 10g of sugar!) and contain tons of fats, both unsaturated and saturated. In general, these foods can wreak havoc on someone’s health if eaten often. Also, eating salty foods can cause dehydration, which is never a good idea for busy people.
Just like we all remember from our days in school, the best way to ensure that a person gets a healthy meal is to brown bag it. Heading out of the house with a peanut butter sandwich and some fruit or some pita and hummus would be quite the healthy choice. If packing a dinner isn’t an option, grabbing a sub sandwich or a wrap can be much healthier as a meal, especially when it’s packed with both proteins and vegetables. Fast food isn’t the only easy meal option, and it certainly isn’t the best option when there are tons of sandwich shops around most areas.
Food is a truly important part of a person's day because it is what gives them to fuel to perform their best at whatever it is they need to do at any given time. Life demands a great deal from the body, so it’s important to give the body what it needs to rise to the challenge without wearing out too fast.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
I'm Back and Kicking
I haven't posted in a while, and I'm really sorry for that. I've missed writing as much as I've missed knowing that you all were reading. But I'll explain why.
I have been struggling with my body for almost a year now. I know it may not seem like it from pictures, or for anyone who sees me on a daily basis. But I am. My body is fighting my efforts to keep it healthy, fit and toned, despite my constant exercise and healthy diet. I won't get into why this is happening, just know that it is happening and that there is nothing I can do about it. I simply have to deal with it, and hope that it rights itself on its own someday soon.
I didn't want to write much while I was going through this because I honestly felt like a hypocrite. Like, if I can't keep my own body fit, how could I possibly inspire others to do the same?
But recently I've been trying to accept this and learn to love my body again, and I really want to write again. Not only to give everyone my fitness and diet advice that I just love writing about, but also to encourage all of you to love your bodies, NO MATTER WHAT! Whether it's model-fit or cushion-comfortable, our bodies are the only ones we have, and we have to respect and love them just like we would love anything else that carries us through life so strongly and wonderfully.
There is one thing I will say today, and I hope that you all can relate to this with whatever is your own passion in life. I will never stop dancing. I will never stop moving. That is my essence: movement. Even when I can't dance on stage anymore, I know that I will keep dancing in any way I can. I will continue to teach dance as much as possible. I will take every BodyJam, every Zumba and every Dance-fitness class I can find. And I will always dance around my house like a crazy teenager while listening to my favorite punk songs.
No matter what happens to my body, I know that nothing will take me away from dancing. And I hope that if I learn to love myself as I am right now, my body will right itself and get back to normal. That's how these things work, I think. You have to love yourself before you can see any results from all of your hard work. :)
I have been struggling with my body for almost a year now. I know it may not seem like it from pictures, or for anyone who sees me on a daily basis. But I am. My body is fighting my efforts to keep it healthy, fit and toned, despite my constant exercise and healthy diet. I won't get into why this is happening, just know that it is happening and that there is nothing I can do about it. I simply have to deal with it, and hope that it rights itself on its own someday soon.
I didn't want to write much while I was going through this because I honestly felt like a hypocrite. Like, if I can't keep my own body fit, how could I possibly inspire others to do the same?
But recently I've been trying to accept this and learn to love my body again, and I really want to write again. Not only to give everyone my fitness and diet advice that I just love writing about, but also to encourage all of you to love your bodies, NO MATTER WHAT! Whether it's model-fit or cushion-comfortable, our bodies are the only ones we have, and we have to respect and love them just like we would love anything else that carries us through life so strongly and wonderfully.
There is one thing I will say today, and I hope that you all can relate to this with whatever is your own passion in life. I will never stop dancing. I will never stop moving. That is my essence: movement. Even when I can't dance on stage anymore, I know that I will keep dancing in any way I can. I will continue to teach dance as much as possible. I will take every BodyJam, every Zumba and every Dance-fitness class I can find. And I will always dance around my house like a crazy teenager while listening to my favorite punk songs.
No matter what happens to my body, I know that nothing will take me away from dancing. And I hope that if I learn to love myself as I am right now, my body will right itself and get back to normal. That's how these things work, I think. You have to love yourself before you can see any results from all of your hard work. :)
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Trading West for East
This isn't a fitness entry, nor is it useful. I just wanted to declare that I am in hate with Western Medicine and giving up on it all together. It has done nothing but cost me almost as much as a semester of college and all to find out that either there's nothing wrong with me, or that there are medications I should be taking (even though I'm not taking them because they are dangerous and oversold).
These people don't have any idea what they are talking about anyway. They'd all just rather make a buck, like the rest of the 1% or whatever we're calling the capitalists in charge these days.
I've had enough. Until I can move to Okinawa, I'll be much happier trusting my body, mind and spirit to Eastern, holistic medicine. And my money, which they will surely take much less of and at least give me some results.
These people don't have any idea what they are talking about anyway. They'd all just rather make a buck, like the rest of the 1% or whatever we're calling the capitalists in charge these days.
I've had enough. Until I can move to Okinawa, I'll be much happier trusting my body, mind and spirit to Eastern, holistic medicine. And my money, which they will surely take much less of and at least give me some results.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Finding a balance
There has to be some balance between being pure and good and having a the time of our lives. This is what is on my mind as I think of Thanksgiving and the indulgences that I know everyone will be taking part in over the next few days. We don't really want to blow our hard work on one meal, but we also don't want to be the one at the party who passes every dish and says "No Thanks" while gnawing on celery all night. So how do we find a balance?
While my family doesn't actually celebrate this Holiday, I have been to many Thanksgiving celebrations over the years, and even I, the girl with the willpower of steel, have gone a little crazy at the dinner table (I bring you Exhibit A: My friend Jonnie's Baked Brie, which I ate almost half of by myself! and Exhibit B: My ex-boyfriend's mom's pumpkin cheesecake, of which I always had seconds whenever she made it). So even though I won't be celebrating in any traditional ways this year, I still have some ideas on how you all can have your cake, eat it and not undo all of your hard workouts:
1) Get some exercise in on the big day
-Yes I know you'll be slaving away in the kitchen for hours or parked on your couch for football all day on Thursday, but you can find some time to squeeze in some calorie burning in the morning before it all begins. Get up a bit early and get in some cardio or other exercise to jump start your day. Go for a brisk walk, ride a bike around your neighborhood with your kids or your dog, go to the gym (some are open on Thanksgiving, mine is!), or do a workout video. If your family is willing to forgo some football, you can even get them involved. Try organizing a family kickball game or do some races around the Neighborhood. You live in FL? Great! It's hot as heck right now, so get your family in the pool for a little while! Whatever you can do to get some exercise before you start cooking or loafing, do it! That way, you can stress and little less all that yummy food you're going to eat.
2) Use better-for-you ingredients in your cooking.
-Trade out the homemade fat-infused gravy for an organic, lower-fat option (Wholefoods and Trader Joes offer great options, both stored and fresh made)
-Use organic and/or dairy-free cream, milk and butter ingredients (Dairy free creams, milks and butters have much less fat, calories and cholesterol than regular dairy products)
-Swapping out ingredients from your recipes to include vegetables and fruits that are in season, organic and locally grown allows you to be certain that they are free of pesticides and additives
3) Graze, don't gobble
-Cut portion sizes when you serve the food by using a smaller spoon and smaller dishes. This way everyone can enjoy a little bit of everything, instead of going overboard on any one thing
4)Remember, the holidays are about family, friends and community, not stuffing your face.
-Center your holiday around activities and spending time with loved ones, friends and helping your community. The food will then be simply an added bonus.
I hope these tips help you get through this fantastic weekend without as much guilt and with much more health and happiness. I'll be enjoying my Thursday at the gym in the morning, at a turkey sanctuary in the afternoon and talking philosophy on my porch at night. That sounds like awesome to me. Spending the day with people I love, doing things I love, and volunteering for one of the most intelligent and loving creatures on the planet.
What are your Thanksgiving plans? :)
While my family doesn't actually celebrate this Holiday, I have been to many Thanksgiving celebrations over the years, and even I, the girl with the willpower of steel, have gone a little crazy at the dinner table (I bring you Exhibit A: My friend Jonnie's Baked Brie, which I ate almost half of by myself! and Exhibit B: My ex-boyfriend's mom's pumpkin cheesecake, of which I always had seconds whenever she made it). So even though I won't be celebrating in any traditional ways this year, I still have some ideas on how you all can have your cake, eat it and not undo all of your hard workouts:
1) Get some exercise in on the big day
-Yes I know you'll be slaving away in the kitchen for hours or parked on your couch for football all day on Thursday, but you can find some time to squeeze in some calorie burning in the morning before it all begins. Get up a bit early and get in some cardio or other exercise to jump start your day. Go for a brisk walk, ride a bike around your neighborhood with your kids or your dog, go to the gym (some are open on Thanksgiving, mine is!), or do a workout video. If your family is willing to forgo some football, you can even get them involved. Try organizing a family kickball game or do some races around the Neighborhood. You live in FL? Great! It's hot as heck right now, so get your family in the pool for a little while! Whatever you can do to get some exercise before you start cooking or loafing, do it! That way, you can stress and little less all that yummy food you're going to eat.
2) Use better-for-you ingredients in your cooking.
-Trade out the homemade fat-infused gravy for an organic, lower-fat option (Wholefoods and Trader Joes offer great options, both stored and fresh made)
-Use organic and/or dairy-free cream, milk and butter ingredients (Dairy free creams, milks and butters have much less fat, calories and cholesterol than regular dairy products)
-Swapping out ingredients from your recipes to include vegetables and fruits that are in season, organic and locally grown allows you to be certain that they are free of pesticides and additives
3) Graze, don't gobble
-Cut portion sizes when you serve the food by using a smaller spoon and smaller dishes. This way everyone can enjoy a little bit of everything, instead of going overboard on any one thing
4)Remember, the holidays are about family, friends and community, not stuffing your face.
-Center your holiday around activities and spending time with loved ones, friends and helping your community. The food will then be simply an added bonus.
I hope these tips help you get through this fantastic weekend without as much guilt and with much more health and happiness. I'll be enjoying my Thursday at the gym in the morning, at a turkey sanctuary in the afternoon and talking philosophy on my porch at night. That sounds like awesome to me. Spending the day with people I love, doing things I love, and volunteering for one of the most intelligent and loving creatures on the planet.
What are your Thanksgiving plans? :)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Think you can't afford to eat healthy and exercise?
The holidays are upon us, and as if everyone in this country wasn't strapped for cash before, now we have to buy loads of Christmas and holiday gifts for our friends and family. However are we supposed to afford organic produce and groceries and gym memberships and equipment?
Your body cannot and should not take a back seat to your holiday responsibilities. Your body is the single most important thing you'll ever have in this life. I'm not saying that it needs to have washboard abs, but you need to take care of it as well as humanly possible at all times, and this does not have to cost a fortune for anyone.
Organic produce is often not that much more expensive than regular produce. Conventional baby carrots are typically $1.69 a bag while their organic counterparts are $1.99 a bag. Aside form the fact that organic carrots just taste better, I think NOT ingesting pesticides is worth the extra 30 cents. Organic apples work just like regular ones, in that certain varieties are cheaper at different times. The price difference is often no more than $1/lb and usually less than that. I get whatever organic apples are the lowest price and often find that they are only 20-40 cents per pound more than the regular apples down the next aisle.
The same goes for grocery items like soups, pastas, cereals and frozen foods. The difference in cost is hardly worth the risks you take of eating genetically engineered, synthetic, and dangerous chemically-infused and processed foods. Do yourself a favor, and don't skimp on your body. You can shave a few cents off in other areas of your life, like buy one less song on iTunes each month, or wash your dishes by hand once a week.
And don't even think about putting your gym membership on hold to save some holiday money. What will you spend that money on, cookies, mashed potatoes and pie? That all sounds good, but in January, you won't be thankful anymore. It is especially during the holidays that we need to keep up our fitness. Get to the gym and put in a little extra when you know you'll be having tons of great holiday eats later that night.
Yes this is the season for giving, but you can't give up on yourself in the process. It isn't about coming out of the holidays looking like a model. It's about being healthy and fit so you can enjoy the holidays that much more. It's about BEING WITH your family and friends, not how much you can buy them and how much you can eat.
And that's where I stand on this subject. :)
Your body cannot and should not take a back seat to your holiday responsibilities. Your body is the single most important thing you'll ever have in this life. I'm not saying that it needs to have washboard abs, but you need to take care of it as well as humanly possible at all times, and this does not have to cost a fortune for anyone.
Organic produce is often not that much more expensive than regular produce. Conventional baby carrots are typically $1.69 a bag while their organic counterparts are $1.99 a bag. Aside form the fact that organic carrots just taste better, I think NOT ingesting pesticides is worth the extra 30 cents. Organic apples work just like regular ones, in that certain varieties are cheaper at different times. The price difference is often no more than $1/lb and usually less than that. I get whatever organic apples are the lowest price and often find that they are only 20-40 cents per pound more than the regular apples down the next aisle.
The same goes for grocery items like soups, pastas, cereals and frozen foods. The difference in cost is hardly worth the risks you take of eating genetically engineered, synthetic, and dangerous chemically-infused and processed foods. Do yourself a favor, and don't skimp on your body. You can shave a few cents off in other areas of your life, like buy one less song on iTunes each month, or wash your dishes by hand once a week.
And don't even think about putting your gym membership on hold to save some holiday money. What will you spend that money on, cookies, mashed potatoes and pie? That all sounds good, but in January, you won't be thankful anymore. It is especially during the holidays that we need to keep up our fitness. Get to the gym and put in a little extra when you know you'll be having tons of great holiday eats later that night.
Yes this is the season for giving, but you can't give up on yourself in the process. It isn't about coming out of the holidays looking like a model. It's about being healthy and fit so you can enjoy the holidays that much more. It's about BEING WITH your family and friends, not how much you can buy them and how much you can eat.
And that's where I stand on this subject. :)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Dances with Laundry
We all know I'm a cardio freak, but let's face it, sometimes there just isn't a gym in sight! What's an ellitpical-junkie to do???
It's raining outside. There are no workout videos in the house and the computers are all located in places where there is no room to move. This is where there can be a dilemma. This is also where we have to go old-school with how to both get our workout in and entertain ourselves. You know, before the age of youtube...
There are plenty of ways to get some great cardio exercise without even leaving your house. Being home for a few days, I have come to find ways of exercising that are surprising and effective. And I learned them all from my mom!
My mom has a nickname in my house: "Dances with Laundry" and this is for a very good reason. In the morning, when she's doing the housework she puts her iPod on and dances around while she does it. She is totally grooving while she folds laundry, dancing around while she mops the tile and can't stop moving her feet while she does the dishes. It's awesome to watch because I know that even though she is sweating and burning TONS of calories, she is only thinking about how much fun she's having.
I've had to get a little creative myself while I was here. I've gone to the gym, but they just aren't as good here as they are in Jax, so I'm trying to supplement some weight-lifting workout at home. That, I've found, is what the kitchen is for.
I saw my mom lifting weights in the kitchen in between doing housework and getting ready for her day. she wasn't lifting traditional weights, though. She was lifting gallons of milk. It's a great weight for bicep curls and lateral raises. I tried it after she left for work, and I'm also using bottles of water for tricep kickbacks. My arms are getting a great workout and I only had to step five feet into my kitchen to do it! It's awesome!
Am I doing any cardio at home? Of course! This is taking me back to my childhood here, but if you have a carpeted floor and some plastic bags, you are good to go for this cardio-filled leg-blaster! Tie a plastic bag around each of your feet and step onto the carpet (put on some music so you have a beat to keep you energized and entertained) and "skate" around on the carpet! It's an amazing leg workout and you'll be huffing, puffing and sweating real good in no time. The best part is, no one is home to watch me look completely silly. But it's so much fun, I wouldn't care if they were!
What can you do to get a workout at home?
It's raining outside. There are no workout videos in the house and the computers are all located in places where there is no room to move. This is where there can be a dilemma. This is also where we have to go old-school with how to both get our workout in and entertain ourselves. You know, before the age of youtube...
There are plenty of ways to get some great cardio exercise without even leaving your house. Being home for a few days, I have come to find ways of exercising that are surprising and effective. And I learned them all from my mom!
My mom has a nickname in my house: "Dances with Laundry" and this is for a very good reason. In the morning, when she's doing the housework she puts her iPod on and dances around while she does it. She is totally grooving while she folds laundry, dancing around while she mops the tile and can't stop moving her feet while she does the dishes. It's awesome to watch because I know that even though she is sweating and burning TONS of calories, she is only thinking about how much fun she's having.
I've had to get a little creative myself while I was here. I've gone to the gym, but they just aren't as good here as they are in Jax, so I'm trying to supplement some weight-lifting workout at home. That, I've found, is what the kitchen is for.
I saw my mom lifting weights in the kitchen in between doing housework and getting ready for her day. she wasn't lifting traditional weights, though. She was lifting gallons of milk. It's a great weight for bicep curls and lateral raises. I tried it after she left for work, and I'm also using bottles of water for tricep kickbacks. My arms are getting a great workout and I only had to step five feet into my kitchen to do it! It's awesome!
Am I doing any cardio at home? Of course! This is taking me back to my childhood here, but if you have a carpeted floor and some plastic bags, you are good to go for this cardio-filled leg-blaster! Tie a plastic bag around each of your feet and step onto the carpet (put on some music so you have a beat to keep you energized and entertained) and "skate" around on the carpet! It's an amazing leg workout and you'll be huffing, puffing and sweating real good in no time. The best part is, no one is home to watch me look completely silly. But it's so much fun, I wouldn't care if they were!
What can you do to get a workout at home?
Monday, September 12, 2011
I'm back!
Hey fellow fitness freaks!
I am so sorry I've been gone a while. I had actually attempted to merge my blog with another fitness site, but in the middle of the merge, their site went under! So I moved everything back over here, and it feels like home again. I'm just glad to be back and sharing my fitness flare with all of you again. I've missed writing, and I've missed my readers.
Today I want to talk about stretching. Stretching is the single most important exercise you can do every day. And I mean, EVERY day! Stretching before AND after working out does wonders to prevent injury and helps you get the most out of your strength training. By stretching before a workout, you warm up your muscles ad prepare them to work harder and more efficiently during your workout session, whether it's cardio or weight training. Stretching after a workout keeps your muscles from tensing and stiffening up after vigorous use and can help relieve some of the soreness you can experience after a good, hard workout. It also helps to elongate muscles, creating a longer, leaner shape.
A lot of times when I take Bodypump, my favorite weight training class, many of the students leave class before the stretch track at the end. This, in my opinion, is a huge mistake. They think they are saving themselves time by skipping something unimportant, but really they are only saving 3 minutes and costing themselves much more. If they would just stay and stretch for 3 minutes they would be less sore, more toned and stronger overall. To me, that is worth the three minutes. Plus, stretching after a rigorous workout can be extremely relaxing. What a reward after hard work!
My goal is to post a stretching video on YouTube as soon as I can find the space to record it. If you'd be interested in a stretching lesson or two, let me know and I'll try to get it done asap!
I am so sorry I've been gone a while. I had actually attempted to merge my blog with another fitness site, but in the middle of the merge, their site went under! So I moved everything back over here, and it feels like home again. I'm just glad to be back and sharing my fitness flare with all of you again. I've missed writing, and I've missed my readers.
Today I want to talk about stretching. Stretching is the single most important exercise you can do every day. And I mean, EVERY day! Stretching before AND after working out does wonders to prevent injury and helps you get the most out of your strength training. By stretching before a workout, you warm up your muscles ad prepare them to work harder and more efficiently during your workout session, whether it's cardio or weight training. Stretching after a workout keeps your muscles from tensing and stiffening up after vigorous use and can help relieve some of the soreness you can experience after a good, hard workout. It also helps to elongate muscles, creating a longer, leaner shape.
A lot of times when I take Bodypump, my favorite weight training class, many of the students leave class before the stretch track at the end. This, in my opinion, is a huge mistake. They think they are saving themselves time by skipping something unimportant, but really they are only saving 3 minutes and costing themselves much more. If they would just stay and stretch for 3 minutes they would be less sore, more toned and stronger overall. To me, that is worth the three minutes. Plus, stretching after a rigorous workout can be extremely relaxing. What a reward after hard work!
My goal is to post a stretching video on YouTube as soon as I can find the space to record it. If you'd be interested in a stretching lesson or two, let me know and I'll try to get it done asap!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Finding your foodstyle
When it comes to fitness, it’s not just about exercise. We all know we have to “eat right” in order to see the changes we want to make in ourselves. The question is, what does it mean to “eat right?” Is there really only one right way to eat?
The answer is no. There is no one set way to eat that is right and all others are wrong. There is, however, a right way to eat for your own personal body and lifestyle, and it’s up to you to figure out what works best for you.
For me, what works best for me to feel healthy and keep fit is being vegan (eating no animal products including meats, cheeses, eggs and other dairy products), avoiding high fat oils, sauces and additives, eating mostly fresh or frozen produce, and steaming or oven baking most of my foods. I also have some non-negotiables in my diet that I will not budge on: low calorie mini blueberry crumb pies, breads, and melon. They make me happy and they aren’t too horrible for me, so I will eat them.
I have found a balance and it works best for me, inside and out, but it certainly won’t work for everyone. You have to find what foods make you feel better on the inside and which foods to avoid in order to stay healthy and keep in shape. If eating only whole grains and avoiding sugar altogether works best for you, that’s great. There are plenty of natural no-calorie sweetener substitutes now that Stevia is on the mass market, and almost every food now has a whole grain version. If eating meals that consist of lean proteins and greens, avoiding many processed carbohydrates is what helps keep your weight at your desired level, then by all means eat this way. It’s all about finding out what your body needs to function at its best.
When you have your new nutrition lifestyle down, the next step is to balance it with the rest of your life. Do the foods that work best for you fit in your life? If you’re a mom or dad with a full house, can you find foods that are easy and fast to cook that are also nutritious a delicious enough to serve to the whole family? If you’re a busy college student or working professional, you may eat out and get take out all the time. Can you find the foods you need on the go? These are important things to consider, and the best way to figure this out is to ask questions, check menus, research recipes and try new things.
There is no book, no formula, no secret of the trade that will tell you what this is. You simply have to try new things, change things up a little at a time and figure out what combination your body responds best to. And once you have it, don’t forget to treat yourself every now and again. It’s not a failure, it’s not falling off the wagon and it’s not giving up completely if you have a slice of cake or a chocolate covered strawberry. It’s human. It’s delicious. And it’s okay! Just don’t do it all the time. ;)
The answer is no. There is no one set way to eat that is right and all others are wrong. There is, however, a right way to eat for your own personal body and lifestyle, and it’s up to you to figure out what works best for you.
For me, what works best for me to feel healthy and keep fit is being vegan (eating no animal products including meats, cheeses, eggs and other dairy products), avoiding high fat oils, sauces and additives, eating mostly fresh or frozen produce, and steaming or oven baking most of my foods. I also have some non-negotiables in my diet that I will not budge on: low calorie mini blueberry crumb pies, breads, and melon. They make me happy and they aren’t too horrible for me, so I will eat them.
I have found a balance and it works best for me, inside and out, but it certainly won’t work for everyone. You have to find what foods make you feel better on the inside and which foods to avoid in order to stay healthy and keep in shape. If eating only whole grains and avoiding sugar altogether works best for you, that’s great. There are plenty of natural no-calorie sweetener substitutes now that Stevia is on the mass market, and almost every food now has a whole grain version. If eating meals that consist of lean proteins and greens, avoiding many processed carbohydrates is what helps keep your weight at your desired level, then by all means eat this way. It’s all about finding out what your body needs to function at its best.
When you have your new nutrition lifestyle down, the next step is to balance it with the rest of your life. Do the foods that work best for you fit in your life? If you’re a mom or dad with a full house, can you find foods that are easy and fast to cook that are also nutritious a delicious enough to serve to the whole family? If you’re a busy college student or working professional, you may eat out and get take out all the time. Can you find the foods you need on the go? These are important things to consider, and the best way to figure this out is to ask questions, check menus, research recipes and try new things.
There is no book, no formula, no secret of the trade that will tell you what this is. You simply have to try new things, change things up a little at a time and figure out what combination your body responds best to. And once you have it, don’t forget to treat yourself every now and again. It’s not a failure, it’s not falling off the wagon and it’s not giving up completely if you have a slice of cake or a chocolate covered strawberry. It’s human. It’s delicious. And it’s okay! Just don’t do it all the time. ;)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Dance Floor Fitness
Burning calories I mean. This is gonna be a short entry because I just wanted to tell all my readers and fans out there something that should make you all smile.
On the dance floor at a club, whether you're a frequent at a night like Blue Monday or a top 40 dance party, you can be burning up to 1000 calories all night long! It's equivalent to taking zumba class! If you only take short breaks off the dance floor for water every song or so, you may burn between 300 and 600 calories per hour! (Actual amount of calories burned depends on individual weight and intensity of dancing).
So go out, enjoy yourselves and dance the night away! You'll sweat off some pounds without even realizing it!
On the dance floor at a club, whether you're a frequent at a night like Blue Monday or a top 40 dance party, you can be burning up to 1000 calories all night long! It's equivalent to taking zumba class! If you only take short breaks off the dance floor for water every song or so, you may burn between 300 and 600 calories per hour! (Actual amount of calories burned depends on individual weight and intensity of dancing).
So go out, enjoy yourselves and dance the night away! You'll sweat off some pounds without even realizing it!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Changes are greater than a number
I can feel my body change, get stronger. I can feel my body tighten up and I can see my muscles growing, my skin firming. I can see these changes right before my very eyes...
So why am I so concerned about how much the scale says I weigh?
Technically, I'm "putting on weight." SCARY!!!
But when I really think about it, it isn't scary at all. In fact its a really good sign that I'm gaining pounds because that means that I'm working out hard enough to build muscle!! I should be ecstatic to see the numbers climb!
But I still have that anxiety that we feel when we see our body "get larger" in any form. So today I want to share my feelings and resolutions with you all, whom I'm sure have felt this way at one time or another when you start working out and weight training. It feels like this:
"I'm working out so hard!! How am I still gaining weight??!?!?"
But it isn't like that. It's not that you're gaining weight. Your body is changing. It is morphing into a well oiled machine of muscle and strength. You are gaining power and losing weakness. You are building a core instead of letting it all hang loose. This weight, is good weight.
I have started to see these changes in the last two weeks, ever since I started taking weight training and other exercise classes at my gym. It's incredible, the changes I am seeing in the mirror. But what's more amazing is the change I can feel. I can lift things that used to be too heavy for me (like carrying a 25lb bag of cat litter up three flights of stairs at my apt), I can work through an hour of hardcore ballet training and go straight into my next class without my legs feeling weak, and I have more energy than I ever have.
It's the best thing I've ever done... short of marrying David, of course... >.> lol
Don't be afraid to gain weight if it's the right kind of gain. Gain strength. Gain muscle. Gain power. And lose your dependence on that number. It really is just a number and it really is what's inside that matters.
So why am I so concerned about how much the scale says I weigh?
Technically, I'm "putting on weight." SCARY!!!
But when I really think about it, it isn't scary at all. In fact its a really good sign that I'm gaining pounds because that means that I'm working out hard enough to build muscle!! I should be ecstatic to see the numbers climb!
But I still have that anxiety that we feel when we see our body "get larger" in any form. So today I want to share my feelings and resolutions with you all, whom I'm sure have felt this way at one time or another when you start working out and weight training. It feels like this:
"I'm working out so hard!! How am I still gaining weight??!?!?"
But it isn't like that. It's not that you're gaining weight. Your body is changing. It is morphing into a well oiled machine of muscle and strength. You are gaining power and losing weakness. You are building a core instead of letting it all hang loose. This weight, is good weight.
I have started to see these changes in the last two weeks, ever since I started taking weight training and other exercise classes at my gym. It's incredible, the changes I am seeing in the mirror. But what's more amazing is the change I can feel. I can lift things that used to be too heavy for me (like carrying a 25lb bag of cat litter up three flights of stairs at my apt), I can work through an hour of hardcore ballet training and go straight into my next class without my legs feeling weak, and I have more energy than I ever have.
It's the best thing I've ever done... short of marrying David, of course... >.> lol
Don't be afraid to gain weight if it's the right kind of gain. Gain strength. Gain muscle. Gain power. And lose your dependence on that number. It really is just a number and it really is what's inside that matters.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Revamped
My workouts have gotten quite a makeover in the last week. I discovered something awesome that, to be honest, I had only feared and avoided before:
Group Exercise Classes.
Yeah, I know that's weird for a person who is certified to TEACH group ex classes to be scared to take them. I just worried that I wouldn't last the whole class or that I'd look stupid trying to keep up with people who were stronger, faster, better, etc.
It's very similar to a fear that a lot of people have when first joining a gym. They are afraid to go because they don't want to look stupid or fat in front of the other members, who they envision as super buff and never sweating.
That simply is not the case. These classes and gyms are filled with people just like us. People that just want to be fit and healthy and enjoy the exhilaration and camaraderie of working out with others. I truly had nothing to worry about, and neither do you.
So I've been amping up my workouts in a new way. I had started to plateau a little with just doing the same workouts all the time, so I decided the only way to switch things up was to force myself to push harder. The best way of doing that is to have someone else do the pushing. I am now proudly and happily a group-ex junkie!
I take group weight training classes three times a week, core cross training three times a week, pilates on Tuesday and Spin class on Sundays. These are all classes I was so afraid to even try before, and now I can't get enough of them! I can feel the changes in muscles, even after just one week.
My dad suggested that part of the reason for my fatigue might be that I need to weight train. This seemed weird to me at first, but once I started adding weights into my workouts, I can feel such a difference. My body is undoubtedly getting older, and the older we get, the more important weight training and muscle building is! Now that my body is building more muscle, it actually has the energy to, you know, use them!
Whatever you need to do to revamp your workouts to get your body doing what you want it to, go ahead and do it! Don't be scared to "look silly" in front of anyone. They're all doing what you're doing, and they're feeling as silly a you are!
Group Exercise Classes.
Yeah, I know that's weird for a person who is certified to TEACH group ex classes to be scared to take them. I just worried that I wouldn't last the whole class or that I'd look stupid trying to keep up with people who were stronger, faster, better, etc.
It's very similar to a fear that a lot of people have when first joining a gym. They are afraid to go because they don't want to look stupid or fat in front of the other members, who they envision as super buff and never sweating.
That simply is not the case. These classes and gyms are filled with people just like us. People that just want to be fit and healthy and enjoy the exhilaration and camaraderie of working out with others. I truly had nothing to worry about, and neither do you.
So I've been amping up my workouts in a new way. I had started to plateau a little with just doing the same workouts all the time, so I decided the only way to switch things up was to force myself to push harder. The best way of doing that is to have someone else do the pushing. I am now proudly and happily a group-ex junkie!
I take group weight training classes three times a week, core cross training three times a week, pilates on Tuesday and Spin class on Sundays. These are all classes I was so afraid to even try before, and now I can't get enough of them! I can feel the changes in muscles, even after just one week.
My dad suggested that part of the reason for my fatigue might be that I need to weight train. This seemed weird to me at first, but once I started adding weights into my workouts, I can feel such a difference. My body is undoubtedly getting older, and the older we get, the more important weight training and muscle building is! Now that my body is building more muscle, it actually has the energy to, you know, use them!
Whatever you need to do to revamp your workouts to get your body doing what you want it to, go ahead and do it! Don't be scared to "look silly" in front of anyone. They're all doing what you're doing, and they're feeling as silly a you are!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Blame and Change
"It's because I live in a dorm"
"It's my kids food. I have to keep it in the house for them"
"I don't have any say in what my parents/wife/husband/family feeds me"
"There isn't a gym nearby"
"I just don't have time to diet and exercise"
"It's genetic"
Those might be pretty familiar words to a lot of us. We like to place blame when it comes to any shortcomings. It's human nature. And sometimes, there is something to blame for our unhappiness with our bodies. But for many of us, the only way to shed the pounds is to shed these excuses.
It's not about blame. It's about taking responsibility for your own body and how you treat it, regardless of who or what is "at fault" for what is making you unsatisfied with yourself. The only way to make a change is to admit that there is something that NEEDS to change.
Weight gain, muscle reduction and fat storage are natural parts of aging, something everyone on this planet is going through at all times. I'm not asking you to cheat time, but there are ways of finding a balance as time progresses. You have to change your actions in order for your body to change. And even if you're in a good place with your body at the moment, you can't just stay with what has worked before or even what is working now. You body learns to adapt, and before you know it, what was working is no longer producing any results.
Switching up your diet can be dangerous, so make sure you consult a medical professional before you do anything drastically different with diet. Easy changes you can make are:
-Nix the soda
-Drink more water, overall
-Switch to whole grains (avoid white, processed grains
-Lower your portion sizes and eat more often
-Try going organic
Switching up your exercise routine is just as easy. If you're an elliptical junkie like me, try to throw in a spinning class or some zumba for a change in cardio style. Your body will respond to the difference, I promise. If you're a weight training connoisseur and never really go for cardio, try doing fast paced circuit training in super sets to keep the heartrate up instead of your regular workout. If you can get a good rhythm, you'll be killing both the weight training and the cardio fitness birds with one stone.
The most important thing to realize is that something, or a lot of things, needs to change in order for your body to change the way you want it to. It might be physical change. It might be mental or emotional change. Whatever you think you need to modify in your life to get the results you want, give it a try. Trial and error is definitely an okay way of figuring your body out. Just make sure you do it safely.
"It's my kids food. I have to keep it in the house for them"
"I don't have any say in what my parents/wife/husband/family feeds me"
"There isn't a gym nearby"
"I just don't have time to diet and exercise"
"It's genetic"
Those might be pretty familiar words to a lot of us. We like to place blame when it comes to any shortcomings. It's human nature. And sometimes, there is something to blame for our unhappiness with our bodies. But for many of us, the only way to shed the pounds is to shed these excuses.
It's not about blame. It's about taking responsibility for your own body and how you treat it, regardless of who or what is "at fault" for what is making you unsatisfied with yourself. The only way to make a change is to admit that there is something that NEEDS to change.
Weight gain, muscle reduction and fat storage are natural parts of aging, something everyone on this planet is going through at all times. I'm not asking you to cheat time, but there are ways of finding a balance as time progresses. You have to change your actions in order for your body to change. And even if you're in a good place with your body at the moment, you can't just stay with what has worked before or even what is working now. You body learns to adapt, and before you know it, what was working is no longer producing any results.
Switching up your diet can be dangerous, so make sure you consult a medical professional before you do anything drastically different with diet. Easy changes you can make are:
-Nix the soda
-Drink more water, overall
-Switch to whole grains (avoid white, processed grains
-Lower your portion sizes and eat more often
-Try going organic
Switching up your exercise routine is just as easy. If you're an elliptical junkie like me, try to throw in a spinning class or some zumba for a change in cardio style. Your body will respond to the difference, I promise. If you're a weight training connoisseur and never really go for cardio, try doing fast paced circuit training in super sets to keep the heartrate up instead of your regular workout. If you can get a good rhythm, you'll be killing both the weight training and the cardio fitness birds with one stone.
The most important thing to realize is that something, or a lot of things, needs to change in order for your body to change the way you want it to. It might be physical change. It might be mental or emotional change. Whatever you think you need to modify in your life to get the results you want, give it a try. Trial and error is definitely an okay way of figuring your body out. Just make sure you do it safely.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Small Start = Big Results!
If you're just starting out with a workout plan, don't expect to start at an hour. If you're not used to doing cardio exercise, you have to start small. You also should appreciate, every little amount of exercise that you do, even if you just run for five minutes, that's five minutes more than your used to doing right now, and that's a big deal.
Don't think that just because you only worked out for 5 minutes at a time that it doesn't have any effect. It can all add up to huge calorie burns if you keep up with it. If you can only run for 5 minutes on your first day, that's fine! It's 5 minutes of cardio you didn't get the day before, and that's a big step. If you want to go a bit further, but you cant handle more than 5 minutes before you get out of breath, do it in intervals. Do 5 minutes, then rest. Then get back on for another 5 minutes before resting again. Repeat until you feel that you've met your workout goal for the day. It doesn't have to be all in one sitting. Just add it all up at the end. Now that's making math work for you, lol!
Example:
A 150lb person burns about 50 calories in just 5 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Do just 4 sets of 5 minute runs on this machine and you've burned 200 calories. Not bad, huh?
That same 150lb person can burn 25 calories doing low-resistance cycling, 40 calories speedwalking on a treadmill, or 35-55 calories swimming (35 for laps, 55 for treading water). All these seemingly little numbers can really add up if you do a little at a time.
Believe it or not, when I started working out, I could only run for three minutes before getting too tired (interestingly enough, most songs are only three minutes long, so that's how long I would dance at a time in class and on stage lol). I knew that it wasn't a very long time to run, but I had to be proud of myself for those three minutes. And I was even prouder when I pushed it to five. I felt so good about myself when I could do ten minutes without stopping. It took me months to get to twenty minutes, and when I did, I stayed there for a while. It became my twenty minute morning run for almost a year, until I was ready to push myself even further.
You gotta do what your body can, and know when to push yourself and when not to.
Do what works for you, and you WILL see results. It has taken me years to get to the workout load I take on now, and some days, I still have to break my workouts into little bits just to get through it. It's okay to take small steps, and even the smallest step can lead to big results. <3
Don't think that just because you only worked out for 5 minutes at a time that it doesn't have any effect. It can all add up to huge calorie burns if you keep up with it. If you can only run for 5 minutes on your first day, that's fine! It's 5 minutes of cardio you didn't get the day before, and that's a big step. If you want to go a bit further, but you cant handle more than 5 minutes before you get out of breath, do it in intervals. Do 5 minutes, then rest. Then get back on for another 5 minutes before resting again. Repeat until you feel that you've met your workout goal for the day. It doesn't have to be all in one sitting. Just add it all up at the end. Now that's making math work for you, lol!
Example:
A 150lb person burns about 50 calories in just 5 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Do just 4 sets of 5 minute runs on this machine and you've burned 200 calories. Not bad, huh?
That same 150lb person can burn 25 calories doing low-resistance cycling, 40 calories speedwalking on a treadmill, or 35-55 calories swimming (35 for laps, 55 for treading water). All these seemingly little numbers can really add up if you do a little at a time.
Believe it or not, when I started working out, I could only run for three minutes before getting too tired (interestingly enough, most songs are only three minutes long, so that's how long I would dance at a time in class and on stage lol). I knew that it wasn't a very long time to run, but I had to be proud of myself for those three minutes. And I was even prouder when I pushed it to five. I felt so good about myself when I could do ten minutes without stopping. It took me months to get to twenty minutes, and when I did, I stayed there for a while. It became my twenty minute morning run for almost a year, until I was ready to push myself even further.
You gotta do what your body can, and know when to push yourself and when not to.
Do what works for you, and you WILL see results. It has taken me years to get to the workout load I take on now, and some days, I still have to break my workouts into little bits just to get through it. It's okay to take small steps, and even the smallest step can lead to big results. <3
Friday, June 3, 2011
Support systems
Been a while. Sorry about that. Can't begin to explain why, but let's just move on to the real good stuff: workouts! :)
Earlier this morning I mentioned teamwork and peer pressure as a great means of motivation for working out and getting fit, and I cannot stress this enough. Finding a gym partner, a workout group, a class or anything that brings you into a group dynamic for working out is the BEST way of making sure you stick to your workouts.
It's really hard to motivate yourself. It is, I promise. Even the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts need outside motivation sometimes to stay at the gym, get through a whole class or even get up in the morning in time for a workout. We need the support of our friends sometimes to drive us through to our fitness goals.
Sometimes finding a gym partner or a class can be hard, I know. I wish my friend Raven lived near me so we could be gym rats together. It's hard for me to find anyone who wants to go to the gym super early like I do. But I'm kind of hoping that I can be that friend for some of you and you guys can be that friend for me through this blog.
I plan on posting some video blog entries soon featuring yoga poses, stretches, exercises and dance moves. Any thoughts on that? Would you guys like to see some of that? If so, do you want me to do anything specific? I'm completely open to anything fitness related that my readers want to see and learn. I am here for you, and your support is absolutely amazing to me. Thank you. :)
Earlier this morning I mentioned teamwork and peer pressure as a great means of motivation for working out and getting fit, and I cannot stress this enough. Finding a gym partner, a workout group, a class or anything that brings you into a group dynamic for working out is the BEST way of making sure you stick to your workouts.
It's really hard to motivate yourself. It is, I promise. Even the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts need outside motivation sometimes to stay at the gym, get through a whole class or even get up in the morning in time for a workout. We need the support of our friends sometimes to drive us through to our fitness goals.
Sometimes finding a gym partner or a class can be hard, I know. I wish my friend Raven lived near me so we could be gym rats together. It's hard for me to find anyone who wants to go to the gym super early like I do. But I'm kind of hoping that I can be that friend for some of you and you guys can be that friend for me through this blog.
I plan on posting some video blog entries soon featuring yoga poses, stretches, exercises and dance moves. Any thoughts on that? Would you guys like to see some of that? If so, do you want me to do anything specific? I'm completely open to anything fitness related that my readers want to see and learn. I am here for you, and your support is absolutely amazing to me. Thank you. :)
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Fitness on a budget
Times are hard, and we're all feeling it. I'm, as I type this, thinking about all the ways that me and my husband can cut back on some things to save a little money now that performance season is coming up. I'm a saver, so I like to start early making a small nest egg, and this unfortunately might mean cutting back on....my gym membership.
Saving $50 a month sounds pretty good, but when I weigh it with losing all that gym equipment, tons of classes and free/open rehearsal space, it's hard for me to give it up. Still, I think it might be worth it to put a little money away so Dave has some financial cushioning while I'm off doing my thing. So I've started to think of more ways I can exercise without a gym.
First of all, my apartment complex has a small gym. The only problem is that the ellipticals in that gym are AWFUL.But, I can use mine at home then go to the apt gym for weights and other machines. It's doable.
But many people don't have apartment given fitness centers and I may not always have that luxury, so I definitely had some creative thinking to do.
Fitness doesn't have to cost $50/month or $99 per week or whatever gyms and trainers cost these days. You can get fit in the beautiful outdoors or the comfort of your own home for next to nothing, especially if you have someone like me giving you tips, tricks and training sessions online! lol Glad I can help!
Here are a few ideas for exercising at home or outside:
-Take your own stairs. Walk up and down the stairs while listening to your iPod. It's like having your own stair master, complete with interval training! Doing this for 30 minutes will easily burn 300 calories (based on calorie chart for a 150 pound person). Trust me a half hour or even an hour will go by fast when you're listening to your favorite playlist.
-Play some tag or sports in your lawn or at the park. Join a pick up game of football or ultimate frisbee if you see people playing at the park. Get your friends together for a game of basketball. Got kids in your life? Great! Nothing can motivate you to get up and move more than getting your butt kicked at tag by a 10 year old. :)
-Yoga/pilates/zumba/etc on tv. here are actually fitness channels now on Comcast or other cable/satellite provider listings that have easy to follow workouts that you can do right in your own home! Give it a click!
-Take the dog, or your Significant Other, for a walk!
Go fast or go slow; it doesn't matter. Just go! Spend an hour just walking around or to the store and back. Those calories will burn away and you'll actually get to connect a bit more with your furry friend, your beau or yourself.
I have plenty of ideas along these lines and as I try them myself, I'll keep sharing them with all of you and let you know what seems to work the best :)
Saving $50 a month sounds pretty good, but when I weigh it with losing all that gym equipment, tons of classes and free/open rehearsal space, it's hard for me to give it up. Still, I think it might be worth it to put a little money away so Dave has some financial cushioning while I'm off doing my thing. So I've started to think of more ways I can exercise without a gym.
First of all, my apartment complex has a small gym. The only problem is that the ellipticals in that gym are AWFUL.But, I can use mine at home then go to the apt gym for weights and other machines. It's doable.
But many people don't have apartment given fitness centers and I may not always have that luxury, so I definitely had some creative thinking to do.
Fitness doesn't have to cost $50/month or $99 per week or whatever gyms and trainers cost these days. You can get fit in the beautiful outdoors or the comfort of your own home for next to nothing, especially if you have someone like me giving you tips, tricks and training sessions online! lol Glad I can help!
Here are a few ideas for exercising at home or outside:
-Take your own stairs. Walk up and down the stairs while listening to your iPod. It's like having your own stair master, complete with interval training! Doing this for 30 minutes will easily burn 300 calories (based on calorie chart for a 150 pound person). Trust me a half hour or even an hour will go by fast when you're listening to your favorite playlist.
-Play some tag or sports in your lawn or at the park. Join a pick up game of football or ultimate frisbee if you see people playing at the park. Get your friends together for a game of basketball. Got kids in your life? Great! Nothing can motivate you to get up and move more than getting your butt kicked at tag by a 10 year old. :)
-Yoga/pilates/zumba/etc on tv. here are actually fitness channels now on Comcast or other cable/satellite provider listings that have easy to follow workouts that you can do right in your own home! Give it a click!
-Take the dog, or your Significant Other, for a walk!
Go fast or go slow; it doesn't matter. Just go! Spend an hour just walking around or to the store and back. Those calories will burn away and you'll actually get to connect a bit more with your furry friend, your beau or yourself.
I have plenty of ideas along these lines and as I try them myself, I'll keep sharing them with all of you and let you know what seems to work the best :)
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Changes
Sometimes we all have to make changes and sacrifices in order for our bodies to do what we want them to.
I know as a dancer that I must demand a lot from my body, and my diet has to work for me. The problem is finding a diet that works for both my lifestyle and my body. This has proven very difficult. If I don't get enough protein, I can't work out as hard. if I don't eat enough carbs, I barely have a kickstart for my workouts and practices. If I don't get enough fruits and vegetables, I get dehydrated. It's really hard to find a balance.
And not just for dancers. Everyone has to find that perfect balance between what they eat, what they do with their bodies, and what they want their bodies to be like. This is so much harder than even I expected, but it's also super important.
It really is all about balance. If there is something you want to eat, you have to balance that desire with how badly you want to shape your body and really think about what effect that food will have on your goal.
I know how I want to eat, but recently I found out that it simply doesn't work for my body and my needs. It's really unfortunate, but it's something I have to deal with because right now, being a dancer is more important to me than eating certain foods. I need to make my nutrition a priority above all else, or my dance career might come to a screeching halt. Lack of proper nutrition can lead to illness, injury or worse, and I just cannot afford that right now. I don't know anyone who can.
We all have to find the nutritional balance that works best for ourselves. No two people are alike and no one diet will work for everyone. Do what's best for you, and most importantly, figure out what is important to you and feed that desire. :)
I know as a dancer that I must demand a lot from my body, and my diet has to work for me. The problem is finding a diet that works for both my lifestyle and my body. This has proven very difficult. If I don't get enough protein, I can't work out as hard. if I don't eat enough carbs, I barely have a kickstart for my workouts and practices. If I don't get enough fruits and vegetables, I get dehydrated. It's really hard to find a balance.
And not just for dancers. Everyone has to find that perfect balance between what they eat, what they do with their bodies, and what they want their bodies to be like. This is so much harder than even I expected, but it's also super important.
It really is all about balance. If there is something you want to eat, you have to balance that desire with how badly you want to shape your body and really think about what effect that food will have on your goal.
I know how I want to eat, but recently I found out that it simply doesn't work for my body and my needs. It's really unfortunate, but it's something I have to deal with because right now, being a dancer is more important to me than eating certain foods. I need to make my nutrition a priority above all else, or my dance career might come to a screeching halt. Lack of proper nutrition can lead to illness, injury or worse, and I just cannot afford that right now. I don't know anyone who can.
We all have to find the nutritional balance that works best for ourselves. No two people are alike and no one diet will work for everyone. Do what's best for you, and most importantly, figure out what is important to you and feed that desire. :)
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