I Will Survive....

You knew it was coming. It’s almost Thanksgiving and either:
a) you still haven’t started your fitness and eating program and you’re afraid the holiday eating is going to completely destroy any chance of fitting into your dress for New Years Eve (or jeans or suit or Speedo…), or
b) you’ve been working really hard at the gym and sticking to a smart eating plan and you know the “saboteurs” are lurking everywhere to try and undo all of your efforts!
Well, you’re PROBABLY right. Getting together with family and friends, especially those we haven’t seen for a while, can wreak havoc with our motivation, self esteem, and will power. Couple that with a holiday devoted to eating and it would seem that you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
Well-meaning gyms, magazines, newspapers and TV stations offer ways to “Pre-burn the 5000 calories you’ll consume during Thanksgiving dinner” or “Recipes that eliminate carbs, fats and calories (but let’s be honest; what’s eliminated is “taste”) from Thanksgiving dishes”. While these are well-intentioned ideas, they aren’t realistic for most people. You’ll either feel that you deserve to eat the full 5000 calories you pre-burned, or eat the faux Thanksgiving meal and go home so starved that later and you’ll eat two full bags of potato chips and a gallon of ice cream before you go to bed!
So, what to do? First of all, approach it as you would any other meal, but realize that there will be a bigger variety of foods to choose from and many of the foods will have been prepared with more than high calorie ingredients; there’s also an added cup of guilt included.
"But I made it because I know it's your favorite",
"Just a little bit won't hurt" And so on.
OK… make them happy, but do it on your terms. Fill one plate with tastes of the dishes you love and take your time savoring each one. Wait about an hour and then SHARE a serving of dessert. Gorging yourself is NOT really satisfying in the long run. You’re uncomfortable (no one should have to unzip their pant or loosen a belt after a meal) and you’ve consumed so much food, that you really can’t even differentiate between the flavors.
Then, while everyone snoozes on the couch in a tryptophan coma watching football on TV, get out for a walk, take your cousins bowling, or run the bleachers or steps of a nearby school or building. You’ll be back before the game’s over and you’ll still be able to button your pants.
No matter where you spend your holiday, moderation and balance are the key!!!

Jump On It....

In my last posting, I suggested we all quit procrastinating and change things up. An easy change is the addition of a jump rope to your routine:
Back in the day; many, many, many years ago, I could happily hop my way through recess, jumping and twirling with the best of them. The pressures of elementary school were quickly forgotten during the 20 minute break. Jumping rope seemed effortless and fun back then but as I get older, I see that it isn’t kid stuff anymore. Jumping rope is an incredible cardiovascular conditioning tool that can burn fat, tone muscles, and even improve athletic performance.
Because your heart rate elevates rapidly, even just a few minutes of jumping can take your breath away. It’s different from a treadmill or bike because the act of jumping recruits muscle fibers from your entire body. Instead of simulating an activity on a machine, it orchestrates endurance and coordination in a real activity, using your own body weight to train.
Jumping also works your entire body, utilizing the large leg muscles (glutes, quads, hamstrings, & calves) and torso on both the “takeoff’ and “landing” phases. Along with these muscles, you train your upper body (back, shoulders, biceps, & triceps) by the constant movement as you turn the rope. You also use your lower back and abdominals to stabilize your movement, and jumping can help improve your timing, dexterity, and balance. If your not convinced yet, consider the following:
It’s inexpensive. Most ropes cost less than $10, while higher-quality ropes are around $20-$25. Even on Craigslist, you’d have trouble finding a treadmill at that price.
You can do it practically anywhere. A jumping surface like hardwood, rubberized flooring, or very thin carpet is preferred, but any hard surface works fine. Outside, inside, at the gym, your hotel room; they all work well.
It burns tons of calories in a short time. About 10 minutes of jumping rope (at 120 turns per minute) has the same benefit as jogging for 30 minutes. Those are great numbers when you’re pressed for time.
It’s compact. You can take it with you to the gym, pack it in your suitcase and store it in a drawer.
You’ll see improvements. Jumping rope helps build agility, speed, balance, and coordination, while improving your overall fitness level. The significant number of calories burned quickly contributes to a noticeable loss of body fat.
It improves your mental focus. Instead of mindlessly walking on the treadmill, you have to create an intense focus and not miss a beat while jumping. It forces you to really concentrate on your rhythm and types of movement.
Start by making sure your rope is the right length. When you stand at the center, the handles should reach to your armpits. Then, warm up for at least 5 minutes before jumping. (light jogging, walking).
Hold the rope handles with a firm grip, with elbows close to your sides.
Make small circles with your wrists while turning the rope.
Keep your shoulders and torso relaxed, head lifted, and gaze ahead for balance.
At the most, jump only high enough to clear the rope, with light ankle-knee motion, and always land softly on the balls of your feet.
Never sacrifice good jumping form for speed.
Make sure you stretch after jumping, especially your calves.
From a beginner’s basic bounce, you can add different types of footwork to your jumping. Start with about 5 minutes of jumping intervals and work your way up to longer periods of continuous jumps.
At this point, I’m lucky if I can get through the initial 5 minutes (this doesn’t include the time I spend tripping over the rope and hitting myself in the face with the handles), but I see the additional calorie burn on my heart rate monitor and I can feel my glutes and calves working. I don’t think I’m quite ready for the Boxer’s Shuffle, Side Straddles or Side to Side Skier’s jumps, but I’m getting close to matching my former playground conditioning

A Change is Gonna Come...

Some of us are born procrastinators. I realize this every time I see a load of laundry still sitting in the basket, a pile of receipts to enter in my checkbook and half-written articles that I’ll “get to” tomorrow. It’s November 4th and my last post was written on September 30th. Have I been really busy? Well, kind of. But too busy to sit down for an hour and post an entry? I don’t think so! We procrastinators tell lies to ourselves like, "I'll feel more like doing this tomorrow." We avoid failure or even success by simply NOT doing something. We procrastinators would rather have others think we lack effort than ability. It sounds less malignant.

I can see how my procrastination is affecting all areas of my life, even (Omigod, say it isn’t so!), my workouts! So I’m starting to see what’s behind the excuses people make to dodge working out. Talking about exercising, but not making a decision to actually do it absolves the procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events. Exercise takes commitment and procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don't take a lot of dedication on their part.
Sometimes, we need to just get ourselves motivated enough to simply start working out. Sometimes we need to shake up a complacent attitude toward our current workouts.
Whatever the case, there are a few things you can do to set in motion what you’ve been avoiding:
Change The Environment- If you normally work out at home, join a gym (or vice versa). If you’ve been logging miles on cardio machines, get outside and burn some calories in a different way. Take a fitness class or classes that you’ve never tried before (I normally love a fast pace, but ended up loving a Pilates class I took on a whim). If you always walk the same sidewalk route in your neighborhood, walk a different way or drive to a park and hike the trails for new terrain and view.

Change The Routine- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “There is always a new exercise to try!” It may be a variation of something you’ve done before, but it can challenge your muscles in a unique way. Only doing cardio can burn some calories, but adding weight training shapes your body and works you in different ways. If you’ve done the same bicep and tricep routine religiously for the past 12 months, changing the angle of a curl or using dumbbells or cables instead of a Nautilus machine can produce dramatic results. Plus, it gets you motivated to work at something new and interesting. If you don’t have a notebook full of exercises, consult a trainer or flip through some fitness magazines for a new routine. (I recommend Oxygen, Muscle and Fitness, Muscle and Fitness for Women, Fitness Rx and Men’s Health/Women’s Health for monthly ideas.

Change Your Look- Some people wear the same oversized t-shirt and shorts (leggings, sweat pants, you fill in the blank) day after day to work out, and keep their workout shoes until there’s no tread left on the bottom. They rationalize their attire by saying “I don’t care how I look; I’m just here to sweat” which is fine, but it gets boring. A new workout shirt that actually fits can help you see what you need to work on, and best of all, your progress!!! The new materials used in workout clothes keep the sweat away from your body so you’re not alternately sweating and freezing in the gym. Adding some new workout gloves, an armband for your IPOD, or even better socks can make even the toughest workouts a little more effortless.

Whatever you decide, just get out there and do it. If your plan is working for you, keep at it. If not, quit procrastinating and make some changes. Whether it’s big bucks for personal training or $5.99 for a fitness magazine, don’t wait!

"Like My Sugar with Coffee and Cream..."

For years my motto has been “Who needs sleep when you’ve got coffee?” People warned me of the perils of caffeine. They told me my moods, my heart and my outlook on life would suffer from drinking the wicked brew. Guess what? Now doctors are saying that coffee is actually BENEFICIAL to our health! So “nyah na nyah” to all the naysayers over the years; If you wait long enough, some study will prove true what you’ve known all along!
Stanley Segall, Ph.D., professor emeritus of nutrition and food sciences at Drexel University in Philadelphia has revealed that caffeine provides “a number of beneficial effects on a laundry list of conditions”. Caffeine can increase both mental focus and alertness, and improve memory. It can cure a headache, and even help guard against diseases that cause cognitive decline.
The researchers have even found that a blast of caffeine can temporarily enhance athletic performance, especially when it comes to stamina and endurance by keeping muscle and heart rate-stimulating compounds active longer. Along with all of this, a 2007 University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) study reported that caffeine can also reduce muscle pain.
Of course this doesn’t mean you can buzz through 2 or 3 pots on a daily basis. Stick with a limit of 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. An 8-ounce serving of coffee contains about 150 mg of caffeine, while the same size serving of tea has 40 to 120 mg. Cola has about 50 mg, and a 1 and 1/2-ounce serving of dark chocolate has 31 mg.
And while we’re discussing foods that were initially thought to be detrimental to our health, let’s talk about wine. Red wine, specifically. Studies supporting the benefits of red wine suggest antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. Red wine has higher levels of these flavonoids and nonflavonoids and the antioxidants found in red wine appear to help prevent arteries from becoming clogged with fatty blockages.
The nonflavonoid that has received the most attention from researchers is Resveratol. The resveratrol in red wine comes from the skin of grapes used to make wine and because red wine is fermented with grape skins longer than is white wine, red wine contains more resveratrol.
In these studies they have also found that moderate amounts of alcohol raise HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol), reduce the formation of blood clots, and help prevent artery damage caused by high levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol). So, do as my friend Alan does; drink the Merlot for “medicinal purposes”!
Guess what else is good for us? All women who have ever had PMS, rejoice; it’s chocolate!! In support of chocolate’s health benefits, a study published in the March 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the women who consumed the most flavonoid-rich foods, (with chocolate being ranked as one of the top flavonoid-rich foods) had a 22 per cent lower risk of developing coronary heart disease.
In the July 4, 2007 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that a little bit of dark chocolate helps lower blood pressure. Researchers followed two groups of people with untreated high blood pressure for 18 weeks. Half got a bit of dark chocolate every day while the other half received white chocolate. In the end, those eating the dark chocolate saw a drop in their blood pressure with no change for group that ate white chocolate.
So, Hershey Bars and Hershey's Kisses won’t cut it for health benefits, but a daily dark chocolate Dove candy might just help us live longer.
As researchers continue to discover the value of foods like nuts, olive oils, dairy and eggs, previously thought to be “bad” for us, we can only hope that the benefits of French Fries and donuts will soon be discovered.
So, down that Starbuck’s before your workout tomorrow and enjoy your favorite vintage with dinner. Toast to your good health and stash the chocolate in your dresser drawer for the additional benefits.

Good Vibrations...

This time of year can be particularly stressful for all of us in one way or another. Transitioning into a new school year wreaks havoc on even the most laid back child or parent. As the summer drifts away, we realize we’ve got a lot ahead in the coming months; be it work, school, holiday gatherings or end of year quotas to meet. With the precarious economy and unknowns in the workplace, we could spend our entire day worrying about what’s to come. Being a professional worrier, it’s particularly hard on me. Over the years I’ve looked for ways to calm the anxiety from meditation to medication, but I’ve found my best results through exercise.
As I was growing up, my mom believed that exercise was the key to life; even back in the 1960s. If something was bothering you, just go for a walk. According to her, it solved everything. Even when my dad became ill she still took him on a long walk daily. He was able to overcome some symptoms for a time, but more than anything, I think the walks help my mother cope with his illness.
It took me a while to follow her example, but I coped with the stress of my first teaching jobs by taking aerobic dance classes, and even went into labor with my first child during a class. The anxiety of being a new mom was lessened as I walked for miles, pushing my children in the stroller, and pumping up my heart rate.
According to The American Council on Exercise, exercise provides an outlet for negative emotions such as frustration, anger and irritability, and promotes a more positive mood and outlook. Our mood is improved by the production of positive biochemical changes in the body and brain. Regular exercise also reduces the amount of adrenal hormones your body releases in response to stress, decreasing the stress hormones such as cortisol and increasing endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural feel good chemicals, and when they are released through exercise, your mood is boosted naturally.
Over the years, spending time lifting weights or on a cardio machine at the gym, going on a walk, or taking a fitness class has helped me cope with the stress of moving to a new city, job changes, and trying to be a “supermom” (Sorry, there’s no such creature!!). In a way, working out has been a selfish act. It’s MY time to focus on my reps, my miles, my heart rate, my progress and forget about whatever is gnawing away at my nerves. It’s still there when I’m done, but I’ve had some time to clear my head and it never seems as difficult to deal with after I’ve exercised.
And unlike the weight loss, body shaping and physical health benefits of exercise, it doesn’t take long to reap the emotional benefits. Even 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise can kick up your mood. A leisurely walk may activate a couple endorphins and let you forget your worries for a bit, but an intense run or aerobics or spinning class could make your day.
I’ll admit it. Mom was right. Exercise is the best medicine for coping with stress. So make and take the time to get your heart rate and your mood elevated. The payoff will be worth it!

ABsolutely Perfect

Whether we’re sporting a 6-pack on our belly or more of a keg, we’re always looking for the elusive perfect abs. Ask 10 trainers what the best exercise is for abdominals and you’ll get 10 different answers. It seems research on “core” training and abdominal work changes daily, but the key to working your abdominal muscles is really knowing where they are and actually working those muscles; not assisting with your hip flexors, arms, back or neck. Going too high on a crunch can be counterproductive because the abdominals are MOST involved up to the point that your shoulder blades come up off the floor or bench.
As always, quality over quantity is a must to effectively train your abs. Speed is not the key to perfection. Exercises performed too fast will end up recruiting the wrong muscles. I’ve seen people trying to rush through their obligatory 100 sit-ups, hurting their neck and back, while completely missing the muscles they thought they were working.
Personally, I like to work my abs every day, but I only do 3-4 sets of one type of exercise per day, varying it throughout the week. That way I focus more on the specific exercise than “getting my abs done”. Since I change my workout about every 6-8 weeks, I usually pick and choose from the following abs exercises. I’m open to new and different routines, but here are a few that work for me:
Exercise Ball Pass with Leg Lift
Lie face up on the floor with your legs extended, holding an exercise ball overhead with your shoulder blades just off the floor.
Lift your legs and place the ball between your lower legs. Return to the floor; your torso remains still thru the movement.
Reverse the motion to return to the start. Repeat for about 10-12 reps.
If your back starts to arch, don’t lower your legs as far or you’ll lose the contraction in your abs. The contraction is more important than how high or low your legs go. You can also slightly bend your knees.





Decline Bench Sit-Up
Set a decline bench to appropriate angle for your level. (Lower is easier, higher is more challenging). Secure your feet underneath the rollers.
Lie back with your torso, shoulders and head just off the bench.
Inhale and contract your abs to lift your lower body.
Curl your shoulders up to raise your torso, stopping short of a 90⁰ bend at your hips.
Exhale as your lower your torso halfway back down. Repeat 10-12 reps



Seated Leg Lift
Sit crosswise on a bench with your glutes slightly off the bench and your hands gripping it just outside your hips.
Lean back and raise your legs off the floor, knees slightly bent.
Lean torso forward while bringing your legs slightly toward the chest.
Exhale and tighten abs, then return to start. Repeat 10-12 times.




Roman Chair Knee Raise
Although I really prefer to do a hanging knee raise holding straps from a high bar, most gyms either don’t have the straps or make them hard to locate. The roman chair is usually more accessible.
Rest your forearms on the pads so they are parallel with the floor.
Inhale and bring your knees up in front of you at a 90⁰ angle and hold in the raised position for 1-2 seconds as you exhale.
Keep your elbows stationary and use your low abdominal muscles to lift; not the momentum of your hips or shoulders. Return to the start position.
You can also work your obliques by raising your knees to one side of your body, then down, then raise to the other side. Repeat for about 12-15 reps.




(The women demonstrating this exercise are my college roomates. When we got together last fall, we learned a lot from one another during our group workout)
These are my “go to “ ab exercises, but I will add more in future posts. Again, even though I know you don’t want to hear this, abdominal training strengthens the abdominal muscles, but it does NOT decrease the size of the adipose cells, skin fold thickness or abdominal circumference- You need to reduce your total body fat through both exercise and NUTRITION.

Blame it on the ca-a-a-a-a-alories!

Summer seems to bring out the exerciser in all of us. Nice weather, fewer clothes, and for many, more time. Without the burden of the school year and extra activities, we can devote more time to working out. The gym floor is busier and the aerobics and spinning classes are crowded. People are sweating, turning red, and spending extra time training. But, the chief complaint I hear from people is, “I’m exercising like crazy, but I haven’t lost any weight!”
If you've increased your exercise time, but aren't getting the weight loss results you expected, it could be that you've also increased the number of calories you consume. It doesn't take much food to cancel out the calories burned through exercise. And while it's true that exercise burns calories and that you must burn calories to lose weight, exercise has another effect: it can stimulate hunger. Then it causes us to eat more, which in turn can negate the weight-loss benefits we just accrued, and on and on and on.
You might be eating more without even realizing it. Maybe you feel that because you've had a good workout, you deserve a reward or maybe you feel hungry due to the increased calories your body burns post exercise. Whatever the reason, you need to plan your food as carefully as you plan your exercise. Remember that water hydrates better than any sports drink and doesn’t add calories. If you eat before you exercise, choose a glass of skim milk, a small container of low or non-fat yogurt, or a piece of fruit ( around 100 calories each) and skip the sports drinks and energy bars which can add anywhere from 200-350 calories before you even start.
After you’ve sweated up a storm, what do you do? During a study of two weight loss groups (both were given a list of foods to include or leave out of their diet, but only one group exercised) conducted by Dr. Timothy Church of LSU, he discovered that the group who exercised felt they deserved “compensation” after a hard trip at the gym. Consequently, they either ate more or moved less throughout the day. Do you swing by Starbucks for muffins and coffee or hit Panera for a bagel? Even the “healthy” smoothie at your gym can pack about 400-500 calories. If you’ve worn your heart rate monitor (and that’s how you’ll really know what you’ve burned. Remember, the machine calorie counters are LIARS!!) , you’ll see that you’ve likely only burned 200 or 400 calories, which you're going to neutralize with that first sip or big bite!
The bottom line to weight loss is burning more calories than you eat. Calories in vs. calories out. If you eat 2,500 calories a day and only burn 2,000, you gain weight; if you eat 1,500 calories and burn 2,000, you lose weight; if you eat 2,000 and burn 2,000, maintain weight. Duh!!! Exercise alone has little impact on the scale because it's far too easy to eat back all the calories you burn exercising. Walking very briskly for 30 minutes burns about 150-200 calories—the equivalent of a bowl of oatmeal. Even if you run 7 miles in an hour burning about 800 calories, you can wipe it out with a plate of pasta and caesar salad.
So make all of your hard work count for something! Diet and exercise work together, so write down what you eat and write down the results of your workouts. Keep exercising, but don’t use it as a free pass to gluttony!!