Resolution Solution

A new year and a new opportunity for change. Yes, of course, we can make healthy positive changes anytime we want. The New Year, however, is that wonderful opportunity to seize the potential. Positive change. Movement toward more healthful living...

Here are some tips to ensure success this year if you decide to take the leap of faith:

You must firmly believe that change is possible. Volumes of psychology research all suggest the same thing. Self efficacy is the root of real behavior change. It is one thing to want it, but it is vital that you believe you can. Read on for how to make it happen for you.

1. Only make one or two resolutions. No one is capable of making large volumes of change all at once.

2. Develop a detailed plan. Write down how, when, how much/little, where, why, and most importantly WHO is affected by the change.

3. Make sure your plan involves step by step processes and support systems. Who and what is going to assist you? Enlist in help of the people who want you to succeed, no one can do it all themselves.

4. Be honest on who and what will cause you to backslide. Remove as many obstacles as you can, and recognize that not everyone wants you to be successful. That's their problem, not yours.

5. Hire a professional. Invest in positive change. Whether it is a personal trainer, nutrition coach, counselor, golf/tennis pro. Take advantage of their knowledge and skill set.

6. Get moving! Procrastination never leads to positive anything! :)

Good luck everyone, and let me know what I can do to help!

Fitness Begins with your State of Mind!

I know people who look great, yet they are miserable. They exercise religiously, eat perfectly, they look amazing, yet never have anything nice to say about people or things. Their relationships are superficial and their soul is empty.

I also know people who drink like fish, smoke like chimneys, and laugh like Santa. They brighten every room they walk into. They love people and people love them. They will go to the ends of the earth for their friends and their life is full.

Who has a better quality of life, do you suppose??

Most of us fall somewhere in between. Our intentions are good to eat right, hit the gym, and honor our responsibilities, but we just aren't perfect.

I have never been more certain that fitness, health, and wellness begin with a state of mind.

If you like yourself, then you like other people, and other people like you. You are healthy.

If you allow yourself to skip the gym to meet up with a friend you haven't seen in a long time, eat food and drink a cocktail, and leave your meeting with a long hug and a promise not to let so much time pass. You are healthy.

If you have 100 things on your to do list, yet understand your priorities, you are healthy.

Life is about balance, and wellness is a reflection of your life. Take good care of yourself so you can be around to enjoy it.

Workout, eat healthy, be thankful, and be nice! The rest is gravy. The airbrushed models in the magazines aren't any more fit than you are upstairs... where it counts.

Be well!

Get moving!

On the days that you feel the least motivated to exercise are usually the days that you need it the most!

I have always said that the hardest part of any workout is getting started...

Think of it like this: A freight train moves very slowly at first, but as it begins to build momentum, it moves faster and more efficiently. If you are just getting started or restarted with exercise, you must start slow at first to avoid injury. Do not place pressure on yourself to do anything other than show up. So show up.

As you develop a consistent, healthy plan, you will begin to notice changes in every aspect of your life. You eat better, you sleep better, you manage stress better, you FEEL better. All because you got started and kept going.

Just go. Yep you are tired, so are we all. Yep, you could be doing other things and you don't have time. Join the club. An hour of your time most days of the week, however, pay dividends that increase exponentially over time.

You definitely don't have time for a heart attack or back surgery...last time I checked those things were preventable...just sayin...GET MOVING!!

What is for Breakfast?

PROTEIN!

If you do not ingest protein in the morning, you will set yourself up for a sugar cycle all day long.

Sugar cycle is the always kinda hungry, tired, crabby, need caffeine again, cycle.

Protein should be minimally present in quantities over 10 grams for each meal, but even more at breakfast.

For Breakfast, more is better.

In our house, smoothies rule the kitchen in the morning! (29 grams per scoop)

Other ideas include eggs or omlettes, cottage cheese, protein pancakes, and last night's leftovers.

EAT YOUR PROTEIN IN THE AM SO YOU AREN'T TIRED ALL DAY!!!

Fast, easy, healthy, and inexpensive food for a big family or teenagers...

Baked Rigatoni

Cook up a box of Rigatoni or other large firm pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water and drain well. Place in bottom of 81/2 x 11 pyrex dish. Whole grain preferable, of course.

Brown a package of ground turkey on the stove top, cooking thoroughly. Drain excess juice except for a little and pour over top of noodles. Spread evenly.

In the blender, pour in your favorite jar of spagetti sauce and 1/4 bag frozen spinach. (Do not let the kids see you do this!) Blend on low until consistent color. Pour over the top of pasta and protein.

Bake in the oven on 350 for 10 min. (I cover with tin foil at the 5 minute mark.) Turn off oven and sprinkle mixture with mozarella cheese and let sit in the oven until it is a melted mess of deliciousness!

Salsa chicken

Easy and yummy...

1 frozen boneless chicken breast per person

(I make extra for left overs and to make burritos with later)

lay them out in a pyrex baking dish and cover each one with 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa.

Bake in oven at 375 for about an hour or until bubbly. The water from the frozen chicken breasts and the salsa keeps everything moist.

Turn off oven. Sprinkle chicken with shredded cheddar/jack cheese and let sit in oven for a few minutes until cheese is melted.

I serve this with rice and beans.

Bonus: the whole house smells amazing as it's cooking and everyone will eat it.

Sunday prep

Each Sunday, carve out a little time to get meals organized for the week.

Wash and cut up fruits and veggies and store them in the fridge. I always have a veggie tray handy.

Pre-make sandwiches for lunches.

Fire up the bbq or oven and get meat cooked for salads and dinners.

Make super size salad that will last a few days.

Pack leftovers into single serving containers, and then bring them with you for lunch. Or throw them in the freezer for another day.

Get organized! Remember, last minute food choices are usually never good ones!

Prepare your food for the week: Dinner

Ok, seriously, does anyone not have to face the challenge of feeding selves and children healthy at the end of a long day? On a budget, and with crazy schedules, challenging is an understatement.

Being prepared is KEY!

Grill, bake, broil, etc all of your meat for the week. Throw chicken on salads and leftover steak on sandwiches or in stir fry later on. If you make a bunch at once and cook it correctly on Sunday, you should be able to skate until Thursday.

Chop up veggies and pre-make salads, so they are quick and easy for everyone to grab. Fruit prewashed and cut up. I am a huge fan of the veggie tray with Ranch and Hummus.

Investing family time into food prep on the weekend ensures a healthy selection when hunger strikes, because it is an easy grab! Dinner doesn't have to be dramatic, just quick and healthy! :)

Prepare your food for the week: lunch

Saturday and Sunday are my days to replenish the family food supply and organize meals for the week. It isn't a perfect science, but as you find out what works for your family, you can incorporate more and more good lifestyle choices into the mix.

Kids are a challenge. My kids will pack a lunch again this year and here are some typical favorites:

Clif bars: quick easy and no chocolate mess.

Yogurt: whatever is on sale

Trail Mix: Purchased in bulk at Sprouts and then we fill up snack bags.

PBJ's: standard

Bagel and PB, cream cheese, or lunchmeat

Fruit

We are really liking the Hanson's Natural Soda right now, and they always bring water!

Everything is set up for quick grab and go in the morning.

For adults: Last night's leftovers and salads can be packed up quickly in plastic containers. Invest in a small flexible cooler and throw in a cold pack if necessary. I use cold water bottles to keep things refrigerated.

Remember! Last minute food decisions are NEVER a good idea!

Feeding Your Family

Ok, so anyone else struggling to make healthy food choices for the family and going broke in the process???

Feeding the family with nutrient dense foods is tough enough. To be at optimal health, it's almost impossible not to have your grocery bill a significant chunk of your monthly budget. I am going to spend the next several blogs on helping you navigate the choices, and prioritize your shopping list, with affordability and resourcefulness in mind.

Today we discuss getting organized:

Start designing your shopping list in sections of where you will buy your food. I have 3 places that I go. If you have only one, you may want to consider another stop per week at a Farmer's Market or Trader Joe's for some items.

Here is my typical week:

TRADER JOES: soy milk, hummus, frozen fruit, frozen dinners (healthier here), and CLIF bars are staples. Party supplies and munchies are good here as well. Smokin' deals on wine. If you don't have one close by, plan a once a month trip and grab everything you will need.

SPROUTS: (Or farmers market/coop:) Fresh fruit and veggies, fresh meat and fish.

NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY: Weekly essentials, milk, eggs, bread/bagels, frozen meat.

I realize this may seem like a pain to do 3 trips, but I save a ton of money and it actually doesn't take that much time for each trip, because I know exactly what I need, which brands I prefer and it never takes more than 15 minutes in and out the door.

Ok, more on this to come, including organizing your kitchen. Please comment with helpful suggestions with what works for you!

Supersize your drive

Getting fit and coming back from injury is difficult and time consuming. Worth the time and effort, of course, but very overwhelming.

In order to not psych yourself out of success, grab a spiral notebook and pen and do this:

Write down 3 specific and measurable health and fitness goals. Look carefully and ask someone you trust if they are realistic.

Write down a plan for each one. Nobody gets anywhere without a map. Get as detailed as possible...but again, keep it realistic.

Day by day and moment by moment, live out that plan. The only step you need to worry about is the next one...get started and be ready for change to come your way.

Enlist in help, experts and good people who have your best interests at heart can keep you focused when you start to drift...

Do it now, it is the perfect time, that's why they call it the present.

Dreamsicle smoothie

1 scoop of vanilla flavored protein per person

4 oz orange juice per person

2 ice cubes per person

Blend until smooth and creamy

Healthy, easy, refreshing, smart, YUMMY!

Macadamia Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened, organic, shredded coconut

1/2 cup raw, unsalted macadamia nuts, crushed

1 cup coconut milk

a pinch of unprocessed sea salt

2 lbs of chicken breasts

1 teaspoon of organic coconut oil

Directions:

Marinate chicken in coconut milk for 3-8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350

Coat glass baking dish with coconut oil

Mix crushed macadamia nuts and shredded coconut in bowl

Roll chicken breasts in mixture and place in baking dish

Bake 35-45 minutes

Remove and place in broiler for an additional 1-2 minutes

Serve with rice or quinoa, and a fresh, lightly steamed veggie mix.

Don't hate me because I am fit!

So I am standing in line at the grocery store and the lady behind me says, "Wow, you look great, whatever you are doing, it sure is working." Now first of all, it is very rare for me to receive a compliment from a complete stranger who is female, so I promptly replied "Thank you." We were waiting a bit, so the conversation continued...

She asked what I was "doing" to look this way, as though I had discovered some miracle. I smiled and said "It's not really so much what I am doing right now" (me picturing the pizza I just sucked down with the kids the night before) "It's 25 + years of consistent exercise and taking care of my health." Her face clouded over. It wasn't the answer she was looking for...

I am sorry to tell you that YOU ARE THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER DONE TO YOUR BODY!

While you were managing your stress with junk and alcohol all these years, I was managing mine with exercise. While you were eating like food was going to disappear the next day, I was educating myself and others on what your body actually needs...

Does that mean it is too late to begin to change your habits? Absolutely not! But if you expect to look like an Oxygen/Men's Fitness cover model by going on a short term fad diet, getting injections, or a cycle of P90X, I have bad news...

The formula for looking great, and more importantly feeling great (and comfortable in your own skin) is as follows:

Exercise+health care+clean diet (MULTIPLIED times TIME) = SUCCESS

Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell you something. So my message is this:

Next time you see someone who looks terrific, fight the urge to resent them because you don't. Instead, acknowledge their hard work by saying "Hey, you look great, I bet it's a lot of hard work to look that way." Because believe it or not, we rarely ever hear it.

DON'T WASTE ONE MORE DAY!

For information on how to get started looking and feeling better today, email me at mindyourbody@cox.net

Cardio Basics

We all agree that cardiovascular exercise is important. Although there are a few who would argue that cardio is necessary, they are the extreme minority and they are wrong.

The question most people have is how much, how hard, and what type. Let's review a few basic principles first...

Cardiovascular exercise is defined as anything that raises heart rate, respiration, and systolic blood pressure for any period of time. This could be running to chase a purse snatcher or completing an iron man.

Aerobic exercise that is defined as anything rythmic in nature that raises the heart rate, respiration, and systolic blood pressure, and can be maintained for over 10 minutes with no break. The word rythmic is important and denotes a repetition of movement.

Although the lay person will use these terms interchangeably, they are very different indeed!!

Aerobic endurance is the ability to use oxygen efficiently at moderate to heavy workloads over time. Anywhere from 10 minutes to all day long.

Anaerobic ability refers to the heart and lungs ability to withstand high intensity workloads without the presence of oxygen. The longest you can maintain a true anaerobic state is 3 minutes. Beginners are lucky to hold on 30 seconds!

So which one is more important??? Both! It is like choosing food or water as more important for survival. All good cardiovascular exercise programs include both, and intensity, duration, and mode are dependent on:

1. Current Fitness Level
2. Individual Goals
3. Time constraints
4. Medical History
5. Personal Preference

Review the "Exercise Principles" blog in order to familiarize yourself with how to organize a safe and effective exercise program. Long term studies of people who engage in regular cardio exercise have proven that:

1. It reduces or eliminates the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, etc)

2. Assists in the management of chronic and acute stress

3. Reduces and eliminates the risk of deadly metabolic diseases (diabetes, high cholesterol, etc)

4. Increases functionality throughout all phases of life

5. Improves mood and outlook

6. Assists in keeping body weight at appropriate and healthy levels

Please contact me if you have questions on how to best design an exercise program that is right for you!

mindyourbody@cox.net

Strength Training I What you need to know!

Strength training:

Everyone needs it. Period, don't argue.

If you don't believe me, then you probably consider Kathy Ireland a fitness expert in which case you don't need to read any further, you can pick up her DVD's pretty cheap.

WHY you need it is twofold:

1. To create a structurally and functionally strong frame on which to rely on until the day you die.

There is no reason for you to break a hip, slip a disc, or freeze your shoulders, becoming dependent on others to complete basic daily tasks...yikes.

2. Increase your lean body mass (LBM) and maintain it in order to keep the metabolism moving at an appropriate speed and have a little extra in case of emergency.

If you get into a car accident or need surgery, and you don't have enough muscle and bone to survive and recover without becoming frail, you bring your quality of life down many notches unnecessarily. Forget playing golf for a while.

So how much, how often, and what kinds of exercises???

The answer is as individual as you are. For me, I like to keep it basic and focus on what your greatest needs are. Women, increasing LBM and increasing functional strength usually. Men, increasing mobility around a joint and functional strength. Everyone is different and your workout is not your neighbor's workout.

Many people learn as they go and take classes. Others prefer to work with a trainer until they are comfortable with the concepts and considerations. Either way, if you are not lifting weights or doing some kind of conditioning work to fatigue, you need to get busy.... NOW!!!

My subsequent posts will describe the basic variables associated with traditional and functional strength training. Both of which are necessary and beneficial to you! See me for questions, it is never too early and it is never to late to get into a simple strength routine that pays major dividends down the road!

Discomfort

I think over the last 60 years American's have become increasingly resistant to discomfort. I blame this for a lot of the problems we are now facing. We are so accustomed to having our needs met immediately, that we have no patience.

We are a SOFT NATION!! Yuck.

Once upon a time in school, I loved learning about WW II. Particularly the part about rationing and doing without. Women left their kids and went to work, made food out for the family out of very little, grew vegetables in the back yard, while their husbands sat in trenches or slept in cots with scratchy blankets with many other snoring, dirty men. We were a tough country back then and we were admired for it.

Fast forward to 2000's......we have zero tolerance for heat (crank up that A/C baby) , cold (set that thermostat to the 80's), aches (pass the tylenol please), mild sickness (it's a cold, not cancer), and small things like traffic delays and irritating coworkers can raise our blood pressure.

Our perception of what is normal human living has been altered to the point that we are physical babies incapable of sucking up a little hardship. We wonder why the rest of the world disrespects us...hmmm.

Discomfort makes us strong, adversity makes us wise, exercise makes us healthy, junk food will never fix that coworker...

Next time you catch yourself whining about something, I highly recommend a conversation with a WWII Veteran and his wife.

CONTEST week of April 5

Write me an email at mindyourbody@cox.net and tell me what your 5 fitness principles currently are and what you think you need to do to change you body for the better.

This is for former/current clients and class participants only.

Win a free 30 minute PT or nutrition consult for best answer!!!

Fitness Principles I

Ok class, last week we learned about the 5 different principles of fitness:

Frequency

Intensity

Duration

Modality

Progression

I provided guidelines on frequency and duration in my blog last week, so let's start talking about intensity.

Intensity can me measured in a couple of ways.

HR: Heart rate monitoring (with metabolic data that is accurate and up to date)

RPE: Rate of Perceived Exertion (subjective feeling rated on a 1-10 scale)

When you are first starting out with exercise, an RPE scale is a valuable tool that a trainer can use to make sure you are working hard enough for benefit, but not so stressful that there is a diminished return situation.

As you grow and evolve with your fitness, a heart rate monitor and exercise testing become much more valuable and necessary in order to continue to improve performance.

How hard you are working during a given workout is directly tied to duration and frequency, progression and modality. If you are not sure how hard to work, my suggestion is err on the side of caution and progress accordingly...remember...

Your body responds to consistency over time, not one single super hard workout.

Confused? Good, start asking questions, I am here to help!

How much is enough?

Ok, I know some of you don't actually LIKE to exercise...it seems like too much work and takes too much time. But as previously discussed, regular exercise pays significant dividends in the short and long term! Do I really need to list them all??? You know you will sleep better, eat better, feel better, and look better...

Soooo...How much exercise is enough?

Honestly? There is no magic number of hours per day or days per week. I wish there were because it would clear up a lot of confusion.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is: What is my main goal? Weight loss requires more exercise than cardiovascular health. Training for a specific sport requires more time than weight loss. This is where a knowledgeable fitness pro comes in handy.

The variables of exercise are set in stone as follows:

1. Frequency: 3 days per week for cardiovascular health, 4 days per week for improved performance/fitness, 5 - 6 days for weight loss and sports specific training.

2. Intensity: This should vary based on the above. I never recommend more than 2-3 super high intensity days per week. Especially for those over the age of 35.

3. Duration: 60 minutes minimum...don't argue, deal with it.

4. Modality: Cardio, strength, core, flexibility, and performance should all factor in based on goals.

5. Progression: This is the most overlooked aspect of fitness. Start slow and easy. Progress each week and be prepared for back slides. Just keep banging away at it and for goodness sake...

Get professional advice if you aren't sure of what you are doing!

ps. there is such thing as too much training...if you exercise more than 2 hours a day 6-7 days a week, there is a point of diminished return and significant risk of overuse injury, overtraining, and burnout, which will all lead to lower levels of fitness and performance. The exception to this is Ironman preparation...which a whole new level of crazy.

Have a great day! Quiz tomorrow...

What is sedentary?

One of my favorite questions to pose to new staff and people training to be fitness professionals is this...

John is 40 something. He gets up, walks the dog for 15 minutes in the morning. He commutes 30 minutes each way to his desk job, regularly working right through lunch. After work, 3 days per week, he hits the gym for an hour before heading home. He eats dinner, walks the dog for another 15 minutes, and then crashes on the couch in front of the TV until bedtime.

Is John sedentary or active?

Yes or no, and why?

Reality

Well, for my first fitness blog post, the first thing you should know is that you probably won't like a lot of what you read.

I have spent the last 27 years fascinated with the human body. Fitness and performance are a science that has no end in sight. I am still learning, and growing so it cracks me up when I meet someone who thinks they are an expert. I know who the experts are. Just saw a couple of them this past weekend. (Douglas Brooks still rocks, btw.)

Anyway, you all are out there still looking for the quick fix. The easy answer. You are setting the bar to high, too low. You are inconsistent in your training and your effort. You refuse to consult people who know more than you, and I can't for the LIFE of me figure out why!!!

When I got a clog in my bathtub recently. We tried to do it ourselves and then called someone who knew more than us to fix it. (Thanks, Brent) Your health and well-being are no different.

It costs money, you say? Damn right it does! We are just as educated as any other type of profession that you spend your money on. You pay for haircuts, make up and clothing, doctors visits, massage therapists...

Where do you spend your money, now that we are on that subject?

For every dollar you invest in your health and well-being, is 10 times saved down the road. You want to cry about the health care crisis?

If you are not actively working out and eating clean, you have no business complaining about the state of health care in this country. If you feed you kids crap that was processed God knows where and how, they are the ones who will pay dearly. More on kids later....

Anyway, I have a lot to say. It's not what you want to hear, but it is what you need to know!

I am offering free advice on this blog...see? Doesn't cost a thing to educate yourself. Getting healthy is a process. A process that starts with EDUCATION...

You just have to be willing to hear what I have to say.