Wednesday, June 13, 2012

"Everybody Got Their Something..."



I have always loved taking group fitness classes. Truthfully, that’s what first got me interested in exercise back in my 20s. Whether it was at a gym, rec center, or church basement, I didn’t really care as long as I was moving.

Along the way I’ve had some amazing instructors, too. From Wendy with her 80s sweatband and leg warmers to Sheila, who would even teach on Thanksgiving Day in the church parking lot since we weren’t allowed to go in on a holiday! Julie and Amy made it worth getting up for a 5:30 AM aerobics class, Millie and Karyn actually mad me enjoy spinning, and Chad made us all feel like professional hip hop dancers!

Even now, instructors like Kim, Abby, Lisa, Beth, and Karyn make going to class worth all the work and sweat. But like any of the wonderful teachers we’ve had in our lives, they move on, and we have new teachers. And, if you’re open to that new experience (keep in mind that ALL instructors have a learning curve), you might just find yourself another “Can’t miss her (his) class!” teacher.



The benefits of a taking a fitness class are numerous. First of all, just being able to keep up with the class is great motivation for pushing your personal boundaries and achieving goals, especially when the instructor is saying “just 5 more!”

Also,in a group fitness setting you have the opportunity to meet new people, and make new friends that you wouldn’t normally meet unless you were taking a class. Regularly scheduled classes are great for helping you stick to a routine, and, in most classes you work a variety of muscles throughout the class. You are more likely to complete a full body workout and challenge yourself if you are in a group setting.

If you find yourself in a class with a new instructor (either new to you or the gym), give it a few weeks. It might take a while to learn the routines and moves. Over that time, see if the instructor makes an attempt to learn who you are. Do you feel like the instructor really cares about your well-being? A good instructor will make an effort to build a relationship with regular and new students.



Also, a qualified instructor will be happy to explain moves you don’t understand. He or she should be eager to share health and fitness knowledge with you and provide advice on how you can improve your fitness level in class.

Most importantly, an instructor’s enthusiastic personality and manner should help you enjoy the class. Does he/she try to create a fun atmosphere in class? Because if you don’t have fun in class, you probably won’t stick with it for long. Sometimes the fun comes from the steps, sometimes from the music, and sometimes from the instructor’s sense of humor or warmth.

Fitness classes should push you, but a great class (and instructor) should not intimidate you, and you shouldn’t feel like you’re going to: die, throw up, keel over, cry, or run out! If you’re having fun working and sweating, the time should go by quickly. By the end of a great class, I feel good mentally and physically and eagerly look forward to the next one!





(And just a side note, I actually had a new teacher subbing in Zumba this morning. I know people were ready to complain about not having our regular teacher, but Carly just wowed us with a great class. I had so much fun that I can't wait to take another one of her classes!)


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Saturday, June 2, 2012

"Everybody's Got a Hungry Heart..."




The latest reports on diet and weight loss encourage us to eat only when we’re hungry, and then two weeks later, we’re told to eat on a specific schedule of planned meals. There’s so much conflicting information, that it’s no wonder we’re all confused. Truthfully, I think it’s a little bit of both, but it all depends on when and why you want to eat.

My dad was eternally thin; and not from eating vegetables, fish or lean meat. He ate when he was hungry and that could be at 10 in the morning or midnight. He subsisted on a steady diet of hamburgers, chili, diner specials, Mallomars and Hostess cupcakes. He wouldn’t think twice about ordering a triple carbohydrate breakfast of pancakes, hash browns and toast because that was what he felt like eating. All this and his nightly donut habit would have me waddling through the door, but he never once popped a button or split the seams on his clothes. (It probably helped that my mom wasn’t the greatest cook, but more about that later).


He never ate out of boredom or cravings; he just got food when he was hungry and did other things in between. And…. He ate only until he was full. If there was food left over, it stayed on the plate. It never occurred to him to finish it all.

I, on the other hand, have always eaten beyond hunger. I feel like I’m hungry all of the time. Not physically hungry, but my mind is in a constant state of food envy! I wake up contemplating what breakfast will make my taste buds happiest and the rest of the day is usually consumed with what flavors are next. The thought of eating only to fill my stomach is appalling to me. I have to mentally plan the flavors I let myself have so I can get the most taste from the fewest calories. I might be working, exercising or shopping, but my mind is always on food. I’ll plan my post-workout snack on the treadmill, then I’m planning lunch, and after that how long do I need to wait until my afternoon snack (but not too close to dinner), and then how long after dinner do I need to wait until I can have my 120 calorie ice cream cup? Sometimes I’m not even that hungry, but my body clock tells me it’s time and I don’t want to miss that treat!



When I see a plate of food that I love, my taste buds take over and my stomach no longer has a say in the matter! However, I’ve learned some tricks over the years that help me keep a handle on why I’m eating and how much I really want; like getting a doggie bag as soon as my meal comes and packing up half of it, splitting a full portion with a friend, ordering an appetizer as a meal, or even getting a variety of small bites by ordering the tasting menu. These can really help when we don’t have a true fullness gauge!



Below is a basic hunger/satiety scale from the book Eating Well, Living Well by Gaesser and Kratina:

0-Starving and beyond
1-You’re so hungry you want to order everything on the menu
2-Everything on the menu begins to look good. You may be preoccupied with your hunger
3-You’re hungry and the urge to eat is strong.
4-A little hungry. You can wait to eat, but you know you’ll be getting hungrier soon.
5-Neutral: not hungry, not full.
6-No longer hungry. You sense food in your belly, but you could definitely eat more.
7-Hunger is definitely gone. Stop here, and you may not feel hungry again for 3-4 hours.
8-Not uncomfortable, but you’ve definitely eaten a belly full.
9-Moving into uncomfortable.
10-“Thanksgiving full”. Very uncomfortable, maybe even painful.

Nutritionist Sheri Albert, MPH, RD recommends staying between 3 and 7 most of the time. In other words, try to eat before you’re so hungry that you think you can’t see straight, and stop eating when you feel satisfied and you’re no longer eating to satiate your hunger.

When my dad let his hunger be his guide, he remained thin and fit. We used to joke that my mom had been starving him since when he went into a nursing home and began eating meals every day at specific times, he gained 20 pounds. But I really think the forced feeding times eventually tricked his body into thinking he was always hungry at meal times.



So next time you’re craving something to eat, ask yourself what you’re really feeling: Physical hunger? Eat something. Boredom? Do something AWAY from the kitchen. Anger, anxiety, stress? Take a walk, run, go to the gym. Wait a few minutes, and then make your choice. Over time, you can train your body to respond to the right hunger cues!