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Finding your sweet spotYou can do anything you set your mind to, man" Eminem, Lose Yourself If you gotta run, gotta lift, gotta crunch, are you doing in a spot that is truly deserving of such an feat? Are you surrounding yourself with the motivation to kick those crunches to the curb or are you just laying down in the middle of your living room, pushing aside the morning paper and the toys that the kids didn't put away the night before? Are you running around the neighborhood, dodging trashcans and errant dogs? These places do serve a purpose; don't get me wrong. Everyone needs to start somewhere, and boy do I know that something is better than nothing. But when do you go to your sweet spot, the one place where you know that motivation runs high and finishing brings such sweet satisfaction? I recently discovered my sweet spot. At work, no less! Here I can have a Top Gun moment (in running shoes rather than a motorcycle, mind) while I listen to tunes that keep me going. There's nothing like it. Can you run on a wooded trail? (Keep it safe and run with a friend!) Along a riverfront? How about practicing yoga in a garden, surrounded by the smells of beautiful flowers? Find a sweet spot worthy of your activity, even if you can only go there once or twice a month. Make it a ritual!  In the newsThis is a scary trend: young girls with diabetes purposely skipping out on their insulin in order to lose weight. Parents, keep an eye on your kids and COMMUNICATE healthy living! 100 calorie packet prisons"I wonder if I take you home, would you still be in love, baby" Black Eyed Peas, Don't Phunk With My Heart When all of these different companies started coming out with 100 calorie packets of cookies, chips and crackers I was among the first to laden my shopping cart with them, eager to indulge in the sweets that I loved. At last! Guilt-free snacking! But after countless dollars have been spent and a little more common sense learned, I'm putting my foot down. It's not these 100 calorie packets that either help or hinder us. It's our own sense of willpower. What's the sense of tossing a few 100 calorie packets into your lunch bag if all you are going to do is end up eating 300 empty calories anyway? Want a better snack? Grab some baby carrots. Or celery sticks and a couple of tablespoons of reduced sodium peanut butter (hello, protein!). Open that 100 calorie bag and take a good look. How much food is really there? Just enough to leave you wanting more. And more. Call it a little tease. For those of you who have iron clad willpower: I salute you. But the rest of us mere mortals need a little extra help so we don't dive into another packet of cookies. And then another. Kick these 100 calorie packets to the curb. Nibble on fruit, nuts, granola (the healthy kind, not the "laden with sugar" kind), or fresh veggies...these types of foods not only have the ability to give you a boost over your mid-day slump but they are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling fuller, longer. See if you can't schedule your snacking: late morning and mid-day, and down to the hour if necessary. Knowing when you are going to get something to snack on may alleviate a sense of panic that can be brought on by new-found structure. I used to freak out if I didn't think I brought enough food to work with me. Now I allow myself two snacks and I space them out so I'm less inclined to hit the dreaded vending machine. Edamame, anyone? My official "pitch"On Mother's Day I, along with two other amazing women, will be participating in the Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization's 3-mile walk in Chicago. It's an honor for me to participate in this event, and it comes at a time when I've learned that a former co-worker has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm doing this walk for her as well as the other women (and their families) that I know who have been affected by this terrible disease. If you would like to support my efforts, please consider making a donation--and no amount is too small (or too big! *wink wink*). And if I could ask one more teensy favor...please give the women in your life a great big hug. Don't ever wait to show someone that you care. My thanks, Elizabeth Y-Not?"This is the dawning of the rest of our lives" Holiday, Green Day This is a big thing for me since I haven't been able to make any commitments since I began school. Life has been nuts. Don't believe me? Check out the date of my last blog entry. But back to the commitment. There is another commitment that I've been wanting to make to a friend, one that involves one helluva walk. When the time comes, I'll be highlighting that, as well. Stayed tuned.
Motivation"Kick on the starter give it all you got" Start Me Up, Rolling Stones There is a woman, at least sixty years old, who comes to the pool regularly throughout the week. It takes her a while, but she makes it into the pool, leans back and just floats for a moment. Just for a moment, and then she's off. She's walking through the water as if she's plowing through 5 feet of snow. Shoulders forward, legs determined and brows set. She pushes herself, gently, mind, but she pushes herself. Many days you can tell that she's dreading this task, but she's bound and determined. She's also extremely overweight. Obese, even. When I started teaching classes in the pool a year ago, I had to move out of way so she could get by me on the pool deck...she was that big. She's now easily moving past me. I'd say that she's easily lost one hundred pounds, and probably has one hundred more to go. But she's determined. And she'll make it. Cheating? Perhaps.What do you do when you are in a pinch for an entry? Borrow your own work, of course! Below is the research paper I drafted for my exercise physiology class. I feel weird about posting it here, but...what the hell. I need an entry and I've been pressed for time. So here you go. If you're at all interested... I got an A on this paper. ;) Oh, and I can't find my works cited, so ignore all the superscripts throughout... Cheers! There is a general perception that weight training is strictly for men. After all, women don’t need to be stronger, do they? And who wants big, rippling, bulky muscles? Weight rooms are testosterone infested territories that no right-minded woman would dare venture into. That’s just for guys, right? Wrong. Here’s a newsflash: It is critical that this common misconception be changed. The sooner more women begin to lift weights, the healthier these women will become overall. Weight training just may be the single best thing a woman can do to improve her health—for both now and later in life. Women at any age can benefit from weight training. Younger women will enjoy the end results when their clothes fit more loosely (or better yet, when a new wardrobe is in order!) and their bodies are sleeker and tighter. Sexy muscles are in high demand thanks to well-toned celebrities. But while these stars can afford to effectively “buy” their bodies, the average woman can certainly get the same results from weight training at home or at a local gym with proper instruction. Starting a healthy trend that transcends into a lifestyle change can help women prevent the cold hard realities of aging: stiff joints, brittle bones and reduced mobility. Older women who are far less active now than they may have been thirty or forty years ago will benefit from weight training. While impaired muscle power is linked to disability and limited function in older people1, it is never too late to slow down Father Time. Weight training can stave off the effects of osteoporosis, a degenerative disease that targets more women than men. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends “weight bearing and resistance training exercises” to help prevent osteoporosis2 by increasing bone density. Improved functionality can be accomplished as simply as wearing a weighted vest. A study by the American Geriatric Society found that seniors with mobility problems gained strength in the lower body by wearing a weighted vest and stair climbing for up to a maximum of 45 minutes, three times a week for twelve weeks3. This improved mobility can only boost self esteem because the aging senior can rely on herself more than others. The average woman is likely unaware of how important muscle strength is in her day to day life. But whether it’s lifting groceries, opening jars of pickles, or repeatedly picking up children all day long…muscle strength is required to do all this and more. A woman who doesn’t possess great muscle strength will tire easily and spend more time desperately trying to get rested. Building muscles strength will improve this day to day functionality. In a study completed by the University of Massachusetts and appearing in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, both men and women participated in a resistance training program to assess the variability in muscle size and strength changes. After twelve weeks of training, researchers found that women made more considerable gains in relative strength than men4. And if there ever were a group of women who should benefit from gains in strength it would have to be the elderly. Thankfully, they can and do. “I started working with a 92 year-old woman after she fell and broke her ankle,” says Miriam Nelson, an exercise physiologist at Tufts University and author of Strong Women Stay Young. “She now lifts 12 lbs with each leg, and 8 to 10 lbs with each hand. Her balance has improved significantly, and she’s bowling again.”5 The most amusing misconception that women have is that weight training will make them bulk up (fortunately most women don’t have the necessary testosterone in their body to attain such a feat). But in actuality, the reverse is far more likely; the average woman will lose fat as she builds muscle. Indeed, researchers at the University of Minnesota conducted a two year study that found that women who strength trained one hour a day, twice a week lost almost 4% body fat while their non-exercising peers lost nothing6. And lifting weights can increase the body’s metabolism as much as 7%7. So while the typical woman rests comfortably on the couch enjoying the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy, her body will be hard at work repairing and building up the proteins in her muscles that she shredded when curling those fifteen pound dumbbells. What does that do in the long run? This results in a leaner, more sculpted body, that’s what! So if strength training is such a fabulous answer to a chiseled body, what is keeping women out of the weight room? Could it really be the fear of bulking up? “I’ve never had a female client who isn’t worried about that,” says Larry Krug, a personal trainer at Crunch Fitness in Los Angeles. “It’s the very first thing they’ll ask about.”8 And the idea of “de-feminization” of college athletes who strength train continues to be a major concern of coaches, athletes and parents.9 This antiquated perception of weight training for women is proven nonsense and especially disheartening considering that a weight training regimen can significantly improve the quality of life for women of all ages. You can call it whatever you want: weight training, strength training or even resistance training. The important thing is to Do It. The many proven benefits of lifting weights will only improve the quality of life for our mothers, sisters, best friends and wives. Creating a support system for women is a necessity for those who aren’t initially comfortable entering the “male dominated” weight rooms. This could be as simple as getting friends together to lift, spot and gossip. Ultimately women will discover that the gender gap is closing quickly in the weight room as more females discover the benefits of weight training. Does this entry make my butt look big?Ok, I know I have been SO lax in blogging. I'll fill up this entry soon enough. Bone Up"What comes around goes around" Britney Spears, Showdown Guess who 80% of the suffers of osteoporosis are? Anyone, anyone? Unfortunately, if you guessed women, you're right. That number is staggering. Guess what the Osteoporosis Foundation recommends as a preventative measure against osteoporsis? Anyone, anyone? If you guessed weight training, you're spot on! And that is fantastic. Get a headstart on that condition though by starting to weight training early enough in life so you don't have to worry about osteoporosis. But if that's not an option (late bloomers, you know who you are!) you can still increase the strength of your bones by increasing bone density. All is not lost! If you are a women concerned about otsteoporosis, pick up some weights. If you are a women concerned about her overall health, pick up some weights. If you are a women wanting to lose body fat....Iwell, 'm sure you get the idea. Here's one you may not be expecting: If there's a woman in your life who's health you care about...encourage HER to pick up weights. (Ok, men...you can be included in this one, too) Who have you encouraged today? In the newsOf Mice &
Men?
An ingrediant
in red wine doubled the physical endurance of mice. Too bad that drinking
a glass of wine won't have the same effect on us! Fake it 'till you make it"You know it all by heart | Why are you standing in one place?" Gwen Stefani, What You Waiting For? Sometimes it's impossible for me to wring out an ounce of motivation. Really impossible. Cause then I don't want to work out. If I'm at the gym I'll find myself doing things half-assed and that's not doing me any good--or the folks in the pool if I happen to be teaching a class. Are you feeling this yet? Going to the dogs"Those who run seem to have all the fun" Madonna, Hung Up Burn, Baby Burn"Gonna hang around, wanna get a reaction" Jet, Cold Hard Bitch
One of the benefits of me getting smarter by going back to school is that I get to pass on what I've learned to you. Granted, I'm by no means an expert, but I've got my textbook with me so damnit, I've got some credibility.
If you want to burn fat through exercise then you will primarily do that aerobically. Your best bets are endurance exercises at low to moderate intensities. The reason for this is both simple and complex. Your body needs energy to do everything. Go ahead, blink you eyes. Bam! You just burned energy. But where that energy comes from is key.
When we perform endurance type exercises (long distance running, walking, swimming) our body taps fats, carbs and protein as energy sources to keep us moving. Initially, when we start exercising, our body taps our anaerobic system to rapidly produce energy for power (think weightlifting, sprinting, basketball). The drawback here is that our anaerobic system is designed to only hold out for very short periods of time (20-30 seconds to 2-3 minutes, tops).
Consider for a moment these two photographs:
  The women on the top are distance runners. Marion Jones, Olympic Sprinter, is competing in the picture on the bottom. Notice the two very different body types of the runners. The distance runners have very lean bodies because they are burning energy from fat, proteins and carbs. Not so for the sprinters. They are pulling their energy anaerobically from ATP-PC (adenosine triphosphate-phosphocreatine...which is probably WAY more than you wanted to know) and glycogen.
So what does all this mean for you? If you want to get leaner, quicker, it's best to aim for endurance training. Get on the treadmill for 30 minutes to an hour, go take a walk around your neighborhood, or swim laps for 45 minutes. Keep that up and you'll be a fat burning machine. (Never forget the weights, though! Weight training is still very important.)
If you want to bulk up, warm up on the treadmill with a slow walk for 5 minutes and then jump off and then hit the weights. Or knock out some sprint training.
Of course, I would be doing you a huge disservice if I didn't mention that we are all fundamentally designed differently. There are certain people who, try as they might, will never be huge bodybuilders or super lean runners. But you can still get healthy with some dedication. Making Time"Something better than nothing" White Stripes, Blue Orchid
With the onset of school I have GOT to find a way to get a quality workout in during the week. The way I figuire it, the only way THAT'S gonig to happen is by exercising in the morning. Early in the morning, at that.
And while my dreams won't last as long, I can take comfort in the fact there there are many benefits of working out in the morning:
I'm cool with that In the newsI love it when someone debunks weight loss myths. It's almost like debunking an internet hoax. Don't forward those, btw. If you're gonna talk the talk you better walk the walk"Buddy you're a young man, hard man | Shoutin in the street, gonna take on the world some day" Queen, We Will Rock You
Yesterday I embarked on the journey to "know my shit". While I can truly be enthusiastic about getting folks up and moving that can hardly count for anything if I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. Well... I do know some stuff. But my personal knowlege hardly stands up to cold hard data and rock solid research. Ergo, College.
What I discovered in one class is that part of my hour will be spent working out. Not "let's discuss the proper alignment for a bicep curl" but Working Out. Sweating. Lifting. Running. Crunching. Getting sweaty. I'm going to be partly graded on my workouts.
I am SO acing that class.
Will lifting books be as effective as lifting weights?"Take a chance you stupid ho" Gwen Stefani, What You Waitng For?
I love that line of that song. Perhaps that's why it shows up as frequently as it does. And right now I'm really taking a chance so it's use is apt.
Today I signed up for a handful of classes. I'm going back to school. And I'm not spending a buttload of money so that I can experience all the joys of college strife, er, life that I missed out on in my younger days. I am showing up with a purpose: God willing, I'll have an Associate's in exercise science in the not so distant future.
And then I'll have to edit my disclaimer. |
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