Friday, January 28, 2011

Like a Bowl Full of Jelly!


We all have trouble spots....mine is my Santa belly. Yes I exaggerate somewhat, its more like Mrs. Claus' belly. Sadly no matter how many six pack programs you see on TV or magic ab machines on the market you can't spot train away body fat.

I refuse to embrace my jiggly bits so I work my ass off to burn the fat. That's right folks...lots of cardio. The other thing I've done that has helped dramatically with belly flab is to overhaul my diet. I'm sure some changes just reduce bloating but I'll take it.

My tricks to a flatter stomach:
No soda! (actually nothing carbonated)
Watch the salt (try to stay below the daily maximum of 3,000 mg)
Eat nothing white (simple carbs)
Eat every 3-4 hours
Raw veggies create gas so I warm up my veggies before I eat them
Drink lots of water
Skip the crunches and do planks
Add more core strengthening to your workout (stability ball, bosu, TRX)
Kick up the cardio, intervals burn a lot of calories in a short period of time

Here's another tip, if you dislike your belly as I do and are working your hardest to make it firmer and flatter, spend some time admiring the parts of your body you do like. Do you have strong muscular legs, broad strong shoulders, a perfect ass? There are many things about your body worth celebrating, focus on them and strut your stuff, but please no assless chaps.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

You've been a bad bad girl!!


When I exercise I sometimes turn into a bit of a pain in the ass. When I am with my Crossfit trainer (yes even trainers have trainers) I can sometimes get belligerent. He gets a kick out of it, he may have issues. Unfortunately though my bitching about burpees usually means I'm going to end up doing more burpees, you'd think I'd learn.

For those of you who don't know what a burpee is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxrFducMgYQ  give it a try, I did 50 of those in a row the other day until I thought my arms were going to fall off.

Don't get me wrong, I love to push myself to the point where I can't lift the barbell one more time, I can't keep going at the same pace and I just want to be done but when you feel completely spent and you have someone barking in your ear to lift that barbell one more time it sends a bit of rage through my veins. Thankfully it fuels me to lift it one more time.

Another thing I do to pump myself up for a workout is listen to very loud, very high energy music. I crank Godsmack, AC/DC,  Metallica, Eminem, Jay Z, Nickleback, Three Days Grace and Puddle of Mudd until I can't hear myself think and I focus on the task at hand. Sure I'll be deaf by the time I'm 50 but I'll be that much closer to a six-pack.

Unleash your inner Badass and push yourself! What do you need to do to get the most out of your time at the gym? Last time I checked the girl running sprints on the treadmill wasn't listening to Yanni.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Tick Tock...


Do you ever feel like you are running out of time? I don't mean in the "great question of life" kind of way but I mean running out of time to get ready for an event? I'm a big procrastinator in life... I procrastinate on everything...laundry, groceries, work, you name it. I procrastinate on everything, except exercise, yet for some reason I'm two and a half weeks away from our trip and I've been working my ass off and I feel like I'm playing catch up.

As I've mentioned I outlined a detailed exercise program for 20 weeks and I've stuck to it pretty religiously but somehow now I am driving myself crazy with the number of workouts left on the schedule. I missed the odd one here and there but added in other things and have now convinced myself that 20 weeks of hard work will amount to nothing if there is a single workout left undone. Competitive, maybe, neurotic, most likely.

So here was my plan...over 20 weeks (140 days):
51 hot yoga sessions
44 kickboxing classes
39 runs (5-10km each)
39 weight training sessions

Lets do the math, 140 days for 173 workouts. Let's add to that the other workouts I didn't plan for (9 spinning classes, a game of squash, 25km bike ride etc). 185 workouts. Good lord! I've calculated in the next 17 days I have to complete another 35 workouts to have everything marked off my schedule. There might be room on the flight to Hawaii yet folks because I'll be in the belly of the plane in a body bag.

Obviously I need to learn how to relax. Short of popping some anti-psychotic medication I haven't been able to make that mental switch of how much is too much. I can always hear that morbidly obese girl huffing and puffing behind me telling me to stop, it was so much easier when she was in control, think of not having to run, to not count calories, to lay on the couch and do nothing. My virtual workout buddy scares the bejesus out of me and she pushes me to workout even harder, sometimes too hard.

The funny thing is I have no problem counseling my personal training clients on rest days, over training etc but when it comes to my own fitness schedule I'm like a Whirling Dervish, spinning and spinning looking for that elusive enlightenment.

I'd love to say that I'll dial it back and be ok with a few workouts not highlighted on my schedule but that would be a lie. I know I'll bust my ass for the next 17 days and crawl onto that plane and be proud of myself for completing it. It's a sickness folks, don't judge me. But this I will promise to myself....when I create my post-Hawaii training schedule I will factor in two rest days a week! Can you imagine? I don't know what I'll do with all that free time.

Thanks once again for reading the ramblings of an obviously deranged individual. ;)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Starting an Exercise Program

Quite a few people have mentioned the lack of motivation or direction to start an exercise program.  I've highlighted a few things that help keep me off the couch in hopes maybe they will help you as well.

#1 Make a Plan
I'm one of those people who likes a very regimented work-out program. I currently have a schedule on my fridge of all my daily workouts until I go to Hawaii in February. Each time I complete one I mark it off.  I find it very motivating to look at the list all complete.  If I miss a workout I have to make it up....but I also factor in at least one rest day per week.

#2 Variety is the Spice of Life
I used to focus on one activity like running and would inevitably end up at my physiotherapists every year with over-training injuries.  Now I mix it up! Each week I kickbox 2-3 times, run twice, weight train twice and practice hot yoga 2-3 times. And I'm always open to substitute in other things like spinning, squash, Crossfit.

#3 Set a Goal
Sometimes we can be very vague on what our goals are. If you want to get in better shape, what does that mean?  Does it mean losing weight, increasing muscle mass, decreasing fat, improving cardio, improving strength, becoming more flexible? Be specific!

What is the goal?  Run 5km, Lose 10 lbs, do a chin-up, bike 20km

What is the timeline? 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months etc  (A goal without a deadline is just wishful thinking)

Is it realistic?  Forget fad diets or exercising yourself into the ground, be smart .5-2lbs of weight loss a week is healthy, 10% increases in mileage a week and remember to give your muscles time to rest between workouts. 

What is your action plan? Meet with a trainer, join a running club, attend group fitness classes, log your daily calories, weigh yourself weekly. If you are going to join a gym what are you going to do there? Have a plan whether its to take fitness classes, meet with gym staff to set up a basic training program (free at all YW/YMCA), or meet with a personal trainer to set up a specific program for you to reach your goal.

Reward yourself!!  Celebrate your successes along the way, if you lost 1lb this week that's awesome!!! That is 3500 calories!!! Treat yourself to a long bubble bath, a new book, a new workout song on iTunes.

Most importantly have fun!!!


Note:  You should always have the ok from your doctor before starting any exercise program.  Be safe.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Guilty as Charged!

We all have guilty pleasures whether they be bad tv, junk food or romance novels. I find it so interesting to see what people secretly enjoy. I'd love to hear yours!

My Top 10 Guilty Pleasures

1. Anything and Everything Nickleback
2. Cheap grocery store vanilla slab cake...with icing flowers of course
3. Sex and the City (the show, the movies, everything)
4. Diet Coke
5. The Hills
6. Somewhat historically accurate novels about 10-14th Century England
7. GoFugYourself.com
8. VH1's Behind the Music....doesn't matter who it is
9. Hallmark Christmas movies
10. The Real Housewives of NewYork

Friday, January 21, 2011

It's about that time...


By the end of January in the Great White North we start to get a little excited, as the hours of daylight are getting longer and even though its in the -20C's into February, spring is starting to make its way into our thoughts. This is the time of year I start planning my race schedule...how many will I do, what distance, etc. I had to take most of 2010 off due to a knee injury but I'm feeling great so figure its time to make a plan.

What are your fitness plans for 2011? I like to take my focus off the scale every now and again and turn it to a fitness goal like running faster, a longer distance or signing up for a race I've never done before. To be honest I love developing a new running program for myself, I love going for a long run on Sunday mornings along the Ottawa River, I love pumping out sprint repeats until my quads feel like they are made of cement. I highly recommend mapping out a program whether its for a 5km, 10km, half or full marathon. Seeing it on paper takes the focus off the final distance and shows how you can properly build up to any distance.

My goals this year are to run a 5km in under 23 minutes, run a 10km in under 55 minutes, beat my half-marathon time (2:10)...and put my name in for the New York City Marathon again, and if I get in throw up. The New York City Marathon has an entry lottery (unless you are a celebrity you can only get in if you qualify at another marathon, as part of a running charity or entering the lottery), after entering four consecutive years you are automatically in, 2012 I'll be running it. Sorry I had to go throw up.

Time to do some race research. Happy running folks!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Carbs, Protein, Fat...what is the real deal?


We've all been on diets that cut carbs, are low fat, eliminate anything ending in the letter T...I'm kidding about the last one of course but the thing about all diets is that they are DIETS!! You can't sustain any of these for the rest of your life. You need to learn how to eat healthy, natural food and not refer to an abacus every time you put a morsel of food in your mouth.

Here's the truth about carbs vs protein vs fat. You need all three to have a complete diet. Unless you are a professional athlete these are the guidelines for a healthy diet.

Carbohydrates - fuel your muscles, brain and give you energy. Your diet should be 40-65% carbs. Choose complex carbs (whole grains, oats, brown rice etc). Your body can only process so many calories of carbohydrate a day any excess is stored as fat. I ate 80% of my calories in carbohydrates the other day and guess where those extra calories were stored? That's right, as fat on my body! There are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate.

Protein - helps with muscle repair and is a fuel source for the body. Eating a ton of protein does not give you large muscles, lifting heavy weight gives you large muscles. Your body can only process so much protein any excess is stored in the body as fat. Your diet should be 20-30% protein. There are 4 calories per gram of protein.

Fat - your body needs fat to process fat and it is also used as fuel. We all cut fat from our diet and look, we all got fat. Get rid of the "light" "low fat" "slim" foods and eat natural products. You want to consume more unsaturated fats (typically liquid at room temperature) than saturated (typically animal fat and solid at room temperature) and you want to avoid trans-fats at all times. Your body can only process so much fat and any excess is stored in the body as fat. Your diet should be 20-25% fat. There are 9 calories per gram of fat.

Did you see that carbohydrates and protein each have 4 calories per gram....so if I hear one more person say carbs are fattening I will literally lose it. Excess calories of any kind are what make us gain weight. By following the guidelines above you will ensure a complete diet and get all the nutrients your body requires. Spend a few days counting your carb, protein and fat intake, you may be surprised at what you see. I ate too many carbohydrates and too much fat. Being aware of what you put in your body is the first step in healthy weight loss.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Have a Glass of Water, seriously, NOW!


So here's a little fun fact, you are 75% water! I know a few people who can't be 75% water because they are 80% bullshit but that's another story.

We're all dehydrated, you know when you are thirsty and you are sitting at your desk but you are too busy to walk to the water cooler so you sit there for hours wishing you had a drink but working away like a Cub Scout, well you aren't doing yourself any favours.

The symptoms of dehydration are: dry mouth, inability to sweat, cramping, heart palpitations, nausea and lightheadedness. I'm not talking stranded in the middle of the desert dehydrated, I'm talking everyday run of the mill dehydration. If you exercise regularly you are even more likely to experience dehydration. If you ever weigh yourself before and after exercise what you are seeing on the scale is fluid loss, a weight-loss of even 2% (3lbs for a 150lb person) can elevate your resting heart rate, cause cramping and more. Studies have shown someone with a resting heart rate over 78 beats per minute is more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than someone with a heart rate under 58 beats per minute. Take your pulse in the morning before you get out of bed, over several days you should have an accurate resting heart rate, any variation in your heart rate should be investigated by a health care practitioner.

So drink up my friends. Your urine should be lightly tinted yellow and you need about half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of fluid per day (ie. 75oz of fluid for a 150lb person). There is a lot of debate about beverages with caffeine and alcohol being diuretics and therefore don't contribute as much to hydration.  So my rule is to make the majority if not all my beverages caffeine and alcohol free. If you exercise you need more fluid.

Resources on sport hydration:
http://www.medicdirectsport.com/sportsnutrition/default.asp?step=4&pid=60

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Quiet Your Mind

Today was a hell of a day, not only is it -25C (-13F) here, but its statistically the most depressing day of the year, Blue Monday. I spent all day staring at a computer screen until my eyes felt like two raisins and all day I just felt plain ol' tired. After walking the dog twice and walking to and from work I was down right chilled to the bone and wanted to do nothing more than climb into a warm bath and spend the evening reading a good book, workout be damned...so that is exactly what I did.

Sometimes you need to take a break from the gadgets and the boob-tube, the workouts, the hectic pace and quiet your mind.  Take sometime to relax, rejuvenate and just be quiet. I need to be better at scheduling time for nothing...just a big blank section in my calendar. So in light of that, tonight's post will be short and sweet because I plan on doing nothing for the next three blissful hours until I go to bed early and sleep a full restful eight hours. Ahhh

Go and be quiet readers....

Monday, January 17, 2011

How's Your New Year's Resolution Going?

Did you make a New Year's Resolution? We're only 17 days into 2011 and statistically speaking most people will have already fallen off the proverbial wagon. So how do you get back on track?

If the promise you made to yourself was to quit smoking and you woke up January first hungover, craving junk food, a nap and a Tylenol the size of your head then I'm sure before the end of the day you caved and had a cigarette...did you throw in the towel or try again the next day? If you promised to lose those last ten pounds and  binged on a cheesecake last week, did you throw in the towel or did you vow to try harder the next day?

I don't make New Year's Resolutions, I make resolutions throughout the year and I make a detailed plan on how I am going to reach that goal. On September 20th I created a new fitness plan for myself with the goal of completing every workout and to lose 16 pounds before our trip to Hawaii this February. I wanted to finally have vacation photos where I wasn't sucking anything in, worried that I was going to have to crop all the full body shots and really wanted to look and feel my best. On Saturday I started week 16 of my 20 week program and a package of bikinis from Victoria Secret had arrived, I didn't even wait until the next morning when I would feel my thinnest, I decided to try them on then and there, post dinner in all my puffy goodness. I tried those bikinis on and much to my surprise I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw in the mirror, I was down 14lbs, had increased my weight training and could really see the difference.  I was pumped! With four weeks to go I have no doubt I'll reach my goal, I'll lose 16lbs, complete all my workouts and look good doing it. 

I want you to feel this, its unbelievable. Set a goal now and make a plan on how you are going to get there. My Sept 20th Resolution will be complete on Feb 12 when I go to Hawaii, when I get back I will make another one and make a plan to achieve it, maybe it will be fitness related, maybe not, but I know now I can do it. 



Friday, January 14, 2011

Biggest Bang for Your Buck

No one likes spending hours at the gym. Here are five of my favorite compound exercises you can incorporate into your workout and hit multiple muscle groups and cut down your time exercising.

1. Shoulder Press in a Lunge Position 
Lower into a lunge until your front thigh is parallel to the floor, making sure the front knee does not pass the toes. Raise dumbbells overhead, palms facing forward, into a shoulder press, lowering until elbows are at 90 degrees, make sure to fully straighten arms at the top of the movement. Do one set and switch legs.
Works: quads, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, back and triceps.
Note: If you have any knee sensitivity you can also do this in a squat instead, make sure knees stay behind the toes.

2. Push-ups on a Ball with an Inverted Crunch
Laying face down, place feet on a stability ball, hands slightly wider than shoulder width and lower to a push up, as close to elbows bent to 90 degrees as possible. Raise up so arms are straight and roll the ball into your chest using your legs, as if you were doing a crunch.
Works: shoulders, triceps, back, chest, glutes, quads, hamstrings

3. Push-ups with a Row
Perform push-ups from toes while holding onto dumbbells. Lower into push-up until elbows are bent to 90 degrees, raise up until arms are straight, at the top of the push-up bring one dumbbell straight up to your body, palms facing in, keeping elbow tight to your body. Lower the weight, lower into push up, raise and lift the opposite hand with weight.
Works: core, shoulders, chest, back, triceps, biceps

4. Step-Ups with a Hammer Curl
Alternate stepping up onto a 24" box (a stair will also work) while curling dumbbells, palms facing in (as if you were pounding in a nail), keep elbows stationary in line with shoulders, do not pendulum swing your arms.
Works: quads, glutes, calves, biceps

5. Squat with Overhead Tricep Extensions
Lower into a squat, knees and feet together, thighs parallel to the floor, knees behind toes, back straight and upright, look straight ahead. With dumbbells in each hand raise overhead until biceps are next to ears, arms straight. Keep biceps and elbows stationary beside ears and lower weight behind your head, raise and repeat. Remain in a squat.
Works: quads, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, triceps

Have fun!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

And I'm not even Catholic!

Before you get all offended about the Catholic guilt trend in this blog, just know I went to Catholic school, and as a non-Catholic was therefore destined for hell, so I get the whole "guilt thing", in fact during nap time I'm pretty sure the nuns hovered over us and quietly whispered "I know what you've done." Anyway I digress.

Oprah says people can't make us feel anything, that we are in control of our own emotions. Well oh wise one, I beg to differ. Who hasn't felt guilt? That awful feeling of pressure weighing down on you. I don't mean that guilty feeling like you ran over the neighbor's dog and blamed it on the teenager down the street kind of guilt, I mean the feeling of trying to do everything and feeling like you aren't doing anything well. Trying to run a house, have a career, spend time with your family and somehow find time to take care of yourself, its exhausting! And at the end of the day don't you feel like you half-assed it at work, are stressed because the house is a mess, got to spend a whole hour with your family while you tried to simultaneously make dinner, do a load of laundry and help the kids with their homework and now you want to take an hour to go to the gym? Insanity! I swear I burn a few hundred calories a day carrying around my load of guilt. Trying to work two jobs, keep the house in order, walk the dog, exercise and see my husband more than an hour a week can be overwhelming.

So what to do? Are we just destined to feel guilty? Maybe. I know when I'm coming and going all week trying to fit everything in, feeling the stress and the guilt build its not much fun, on fact its feels pretty shitty. So what gives? I can't exactly quit my job(s), the dog needs to be walked, the housework, well I'm not as anal about that as I once was, so its time with my husband or time working out. If you are like me and your partner doesn't like to do the same type of workouts you do then you can't spend quality time together out for a run or at the gym. I know I feel much better about myself when I am working out regularly and its important to me not only as a trainer to set a good example but as someone who has struggled with obesity that I maintain a certain level of physical activity for fear I'll backtrack into old habits.

I wish I had all the answers, maybe Oprah does.  All I know is, it is a daily struggle to find balance between the things I have to do and the things I want to do. If someone could invent a way for me to workout while I'm asleep that would solve all my problems.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Mind Games

Sometimes we need to play little mind games with ourselves to get out the door to the gym, to finish a run, to finish one more set. Like a mad scientist I have a little arsenal of tricks I use when I'm losing my motivation.

Getting to the Gym: I list my workouts on a calendar on the fridge each month, as I complete them I mark them off like a convict counting down the days, if I miss a workout I have to make it up, no excuses, when I look at the calendar and see the days ticking down and the number of workouts left it gets me out the door because I do not want to finish the month with only half the workouts marked off. Make it a competition with yourself.

Picking Up the Pace: When I'm out for a run or in a race and I know I need to pick up the pace I start picking people off like a sniper. I'll zone in on someone ahead of me and work my hardest to pass them, then I pick another and another. Before you know it you look down at your Garmin and you've picked your pace up considerably.

Finishing a Run: If I'm struggling to finish a run I make myself run for one more song, I scroll through my playlist until I find my favorite song and run until its over, then I do it again.

Lifting that $*@+% Barbell One More Time: Find a workout buddy, my friend Karen is crazy fit and we do Crossfit together, my goal is to beat her on weight and time. I'll get there. If you don't have a buddy who is interested in weight lifting then go to the gym, stand in the weight room and feed off the energy of the guys in there moving some serious weight. Guys love seeing girls lift weights, no offense boys but you are still closer to cavemen then we are, so get in there and when you think you can't lift one more time, do it! Then flex and kiss your guns. (ok maybe leave that part out)

Get Pissed Off! When I'm doing a tough workout and I'm struggling I let myself get really pissed off. I swear, grunt, whatever I need to do to get my energy up. Now I don't take it into Crazy Town where other people are looking at me, but if I'm with my Crossfit trainer Kenny I will flip him the bird, he just laughs, which of course pisses me off even more and before you know it I'm finishing that last round of burpees or swinging that damn kettlebell until my arms fall off.

Buy a Celebrity: Somedays I just don't feel like doing my workout, I look at my program for the day and it might as well be written in sanskrit, I am not interested. On those days I throw in a workout DVD and let someone else tell me what to do for 30-45 minutes. My favorite celebrity trainers are Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper, Rodney Yee and Jackie Warner. Check out their DVD's, you can get them all on Amazon for around $15 each.

Step to the Front of the Class: I've mentioned before that I take kickboxing classes, they are high impact and a lot of fun. Somedays I show up to the dojo and I am lacking the energy to do 100 roundhouse kicks, so I go to the front of the class knowing I'll have people watching me so I better pick it up. Usually by the time we're ten minutes into class my energy is back.

No more excuses! Have a great workout.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Strangling my scale with my measuring tape!


If you are like me you are fixated on the scale, that damn little digital screen which dictates my mood every morning. Well how about another way to make yourself feel like you are getting closer to your goal? It's time to bust out the measuring tape!

Take your measurements now and take them again every 6-8 weeks. If the scale isn't moving the tape measure may show that you are in fact smaller than you were, or for our friends trying to gain muscle mass, bigger than they were. Use a fabric tape measure, make sure to pull it tight enough to get an accurate measurement but still lose enough that you can slide it around the body. In other words don't choke the fat trying to get smaller measurements!

Waist: Measure either the natural narrowest part of your abdomen or at your belly button, just make note of which you use so you can measure the same area next time. Also make note if you held your breath in, its ok just be consistent when measuring.

Hips: Stand with feet together and measure the widest part around hips and bum.

Bust/Chest: Measure either along the nipple line or with the tape under the underarms, again it doesn't matter which you chose just make note so you measure the same area next time.

Biceps: Measure the widest part of your upper arm, make note if you measured flexed and out to the side or unflexed and next to the body.

Thigh: Tuck the measuring tape up to the groin and pull it horizontally around the leg.

Calf: Measure the thickest part of the lower leg.

You will probably notice a slight difference from one side of your body to the other, this is completely normal.

There are guidelines for healthy waist circumferences as abdominal fat can be an indicator of increased risk of cardiac disease. Women should strive for a waist circumference of less than 35 inches, men should be less than 40 inches.

Have fun...and yes even though I am Canadian I measure in inches, blame my parents and their refusal to embrace the metric system. If you are an Imperialist there are 2.54 centimeters in an inch.

Monday, January 10, 2011

How much is too much?


Most of you know by now that I love to exercise, and before you get all full of hatred you should know that I wasn't always like this, in fact I HATED to workout, which is why from 1994 through 2002 the only time I broke a sweat was when I realized I'd run out of peanut butter cups. mmmmmmm

Yet I digress, so yes I workout a lot, six days a week, sometimes twice a day, so when does it become too much? My husband would say "now"...but we will ignore him. xox  There are some key things to watch for if you are working out frequently:

- fatigue
- aches and pains in muscles and joints
- elevated resting heart rate
- lack of motivation to exercise
- inability to complete a workout
- loss of appetite
- headaches
- increased susceptibility to colds, sore throat, illness

I don't suffer from these, and pray daily for a loss of appetite, sometimes I do get fatigued but I listen to my body, I can tell when I've been pushing it too hard and I take a day or two off. Here are some tips to avoid over training:

- never weight train the same muscles on consecutive days
- mix up your workout routine to reduce muscle fatigue
- take at least one complete rest day a week
- be sure to fuel your body adequately before and after exercise
- get 8 hours of sleep each night

Here is a typical week of exercise for me...keeping in mind this is not a beginner program.

Monday - 6-10km run and 60 min hot yoga
Tuesday - kickboxing
Wednesday - 6-10km run and kickboxing
Thursday - kickboxing and weight training
Friday - 60 min hot yoga
Saturday - Crossfit and kickboxing
Sunday - rest or yoga

I'll mix this up and add another weight training session instead of yoga or do a longer run instead of kickboxing, I try to listen to how my body is feeling and go from there.  

Have fun, do what you enjoy and hey if you've given it your all at the gym all week and you want to spend all day Sunday on the couch watching movies, then do it!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

What are you listening to?

I've mentioned a few times that music is a huge motivator for me. Whether its a great upbeat song during kickboxing or a heavy angry rap song during Crossfit, there is something about music pushing you to keep going that I love. Here are a few of my favorite songs I've been listening to lately:

Back in Black - AC/DC
Stronger - Kanye West
O.P.P. - Naughty By Nature (an oldie but a goodie)
Jump Around - House of Pain
Get Over It - OK Go
Dragula - Rob Zombie
Only Girl - Rihanna
Raise Your Glass - Pink
Firework - Katy Perry
Burn It to the Ground - Nickleback (don't judge I love them)
Party People - Nelly
I'm in the House - Steve Aoki

What are you listening to? If you prefer to have someone else create playlists for you visit www.cadencerevolution.com  they also offer playlists with a coaching track that motivate you through a workout, pretty cool.

Enjoy your workout today!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Pushing Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone

I love a tough workout, a dripping in sweat, struggling to breath, can't quite piece together a sentence kind of workout. This was not always the case. Believe me when I was 208 pounds I convinced myself that I was so unfit that I was going to have a heart attack if I broke a sweat, I feared my knees were going to buckle underneath me and I'd be forever strapped to a wheelchair. Well my friends none of those things happened. I certainly recommend you get your doctor's approval before starting any fitness program and I'm sure 99% of you will hear you are good to go. No more excuses!

You have to learn how to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. At first walking into a gym is enough to elevate your heart rate, a walk on the treadmill will get the blood pumping...a run? Forget about it! I love a challenge and had no idea I had such a competitive spirit. It's like watching The Biggest Loser and seeing morbidly obese people push themselves to run a marathon, to give it everything to win a competition and I always wondered, if they are so competitive how did they ever get to be 300, 400, 500 pounds? I bet they were like me, they didn't know they had it in them until they took that step to change their lives.

I want you to find that desire to change your life when you are working out. Don't focus on the pain, focus on how good you are going to feel when its done. When I am out for a run and my mind is starting to wander into the "I can't" zone I focus on how great its going to feel to get home and tell my husband I ran 10km faster than I had before. The look of pride I see on his face is one I still struggle to see on my own when I look in the mirror. Embrace vanity, I post on facebook and twitter my workouts and how hard they are. I do this not only to motivate other people but the feedback I get pumps me up to push even harder the next time. People love to cheer you on, brag about the 15 minutes you completed on the treadmill, the extra mile you clocked on the bike, yell it from the rooftops!

If you are finding it hard to get that fire burning in your belly to push yourself beyond your comfort zone I'd like you to consider a few things:

1. Hire a personal trainer. Even if for only a few sessions they can push you to try new things and show you how strong and capable you are.

2. Try some fitness DVDs. There are some great DVDs on the market which require little to no equipment. Having someone else tell you what to do can give you the kick-start you need.

3. Join a group fitness class and stand at the front. Nothing motivates me more in a kickboxing class than having an amazing instructor, wicked music and standing right up front knowing I better give it my all because there are people behind me watching.

4. Write down what your fitness goals are and what you are going to do everyday to bring yourself closer to those goals. Carry it with you always.

Now get out there and kick some ass!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

What to eat and when for the best workout!

People always ask me what I eat before I go for a long run, and what do I eat after? Well I have tested dozens of options over the years and the best thing for me to eat before a run over 10km is a slice of whole wheat toast, a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a banana, if I'm running over 15km I'll eat two slices of toast. Some people prefer oatmeal, pancakes etc. we're all different. But this is what works for me and I don't stray. I also eat on a run over 15km, usually a gel, sport beans or a cliff bar usually at the 10km mark and then every 5km after that. I used to worry about the calories, cause I am like that, but to be honest a gel pak has 100 cals, on a 20+km run I'll burn over 1800 calories..if I don't eat I won't be able to run that far.

When I first started running I'd never eat during and when I started training for distances over 10km my performance suffered. I had to make a decision, focus on my manic calorie counting or improve my running, I chose to improve my running speed and endurance by fueling myself during a run. Eating while running takes a bit of practice, according to my husband I have the stomach of a newborn and can't tolerate anything, but I have gotten better. You only need to have a few runs (no pun intended) where you are breaking into the shakes and cold sweats looking for a bathroom or a leafy bush. I can't drink sports drinks, ugh too sugary, but I can manage to keep down a few gels (chocolate is my favorite) and sport beans and cliff bars are pretty easy to digest, and of course lots of water.

After an intense workout its also important to refuel your body. A combination of carbohydrates and protein is best. I like a protein shake with chocolate almond milk, trail mix, or fruit smoothie etc. Just make sure you aren't eating all the calories you just burned if weight loss is your goal. After a workout like Crossfit I usually can't eat for an hour or more because my body is so fatigued I'm unable to digest food, so I'll hydrate and wait for the nausea to pass, I also experience this after doing sprint intervals. We're all different so figure out what works best for you.    

Remember your body requires fuel to perform, if you are trying to lose weight you still need to consume adequate calories to perform properly.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Don't fear the Carbohydrate

If I hear one more person tell me they don't eat carbs because they are trying to lose weight I am going to blow a gasket.  Seriously folks, carbs are good for you.  You need carbohydrates for proper brain function and your body uses carbohydrates for fuel.  You can certainly eat too many carbohydrates just as you can eat too much protein and fat. Ideally a healthy diet should be made up of 40-45% carbohydrates, 25-35% protein and 20-25% fat.

What is a healthy carbohydrate? You want to eat complex carbohydrates which break down slowly in the body.  Whole grains!  Flax, quinoa, bulgar, hemp, wild or brown rice...so many options and all available at your local grocery store. The point is to eat ingredients as they appear in nature, whole! Anytime you see "enriched whole wheat" on a label it is no longer a whole grain, it has been processed and should be avoided.

5 simple ways to add complex carbs to your diet:

1. Start the day with whole grains. Try a hot cereal, like old-fashioned oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list.

2. Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks. Confused about how to find a whole-grain bread? Read "Separating the Whole Grain from the Chaff" to learn how to spot whole grains in the supermarket. Or try this recipe for hearty whole grain bread.

3. Bag the potatoes. Instead, try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner. Read "Health Gains from Whole Grains" for a list of whole grains and their health benefits, or check out these whole grain recipes

4. Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice. Looking for juice alternatives? See six ideas for low-sugar drinks, a recipe for a low-sugar fruit cooler, and a recipe for sugar-free sparkling iced tea.

5. Bring on the beans. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a great source of protein.


ref: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates/

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Shopping as a Big Girl

I've talked about dating as a big girl and buying support garments as a big girl but lets discuss the never ending frustration of shopping for everyday clothes as someone who doesn't fit into the standard 0-12 sizes most stores offer. I don't use the term Big Girl in a derogatory manor, in fact I say it with a great deal of affection. I was a big girl for a very long time, I was in denial about my size for years, but there was always one occasion when I couldn't pretend my ass hadn't exploded into its own zip code, when I went shopping.

I had the joy of falling into two categories, petite and plus-sized. Oh the irony. We wee minions of the world (I couldn't resist sneaking wee wee into a post) who fall under 5'3" get to shop in a section called "petite" where the arms have been hacked off and hems shortened. The fun thing about being 5'1" and over 200 pounds is your waist circumference and your height in inches get a little too close for comfort. You stop buying clothing and instead buy tubes of fabric and most likely in black, black tubes of fabric are slimming.

I remember the first time I had to venture beyond the doors of a regular store into the plus-size section. I was mortified. All of the clothes had flowery patters, flowing fabric, tapered legs! It's as though the world was conspiring against us plus-sized girls to look like giant pastel ice cream cones. Unacceptable! So I turned around and left. Then I discovered Old Navy...and their generous sizing strategy. They carry sizes up to 16 in jeans which I could squeeze into on a good day, but they also sold all of their regular clothes up to extra large, a roomy extra large if you compared it to other stores. So I draped myself in inexpensive finds, replaced my too small jeans every few months as I burned through the inseams with the chaffing of my thighs and ignored the fact that I had gotten to a size where I refused to be seen in a plus-size store (holding onto vanity with a death grip) and had limited my shopping to one store and yet refused to acknowledge I might need to lose some weight.

Short of Wile E. Coyote dropping an anvil on my head I was in serious denial. It wasn't until I needed a dress for a special occasion that I had to bite the proverbial bullet and venture beyond Old Navy into a store that sold more than cotton sun dresses. I headed over to Addition Elle, the worst name ever, and perused the racks of dresses for women of my girth. Oh the selection was appalling, muumuus, caftans, I think I even saw a satin bathrobe trying to pawn itself off as a cocktail dress. With teary eyes I bought a black flowing dress which hide all the bumps and bulges and vowed never to put myself in that position again. I hated that dress, I hated everything it represented, the hours upon hours spent laying on the couch eating, the thousands of times I promised myself I'd lose weight to only give up a few hours later, the lies I told to get out of social events because I didn't have anything to wear. That cheap black polyester dress was the embodiment of how I felt everyday when I looked in the mirror and quickly choked down. Failure.

I wore that dress once, I don't even remember what I did with it after. I do know that buying that dress was a turning point for me. I felt a mind shift like I hadn't before, its wasn't about the clothing and feeling vain it was about feeling like I wasn't included in general society, that I wasn't good enough, that I got less than everyone else, the cast offs because I was obese. Exclusion is a lonely feeling.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Bucket List

Its the start of another year, time to reflect on the year that's passed, and look forward to the possibilities for the year ahead. Most people make resolutions for the new year which typically get discarded by February first. So how about instead of beating yourself up about another failed attempt to lose weight, quit smoking, organize your closets, you look at the big picture. I'm taking the end of 2010 as the time to write my bucket list, the list of things I want to accomplish before I die. It seems morbid at first but really I think it puts things into perspective. Maybe looking at the things you want to accomplish over the next 20, 30, 50 years it will put the goals you want to achieve now in a new light. If one of your bucket list items is to navigate the Amazon River than quitting smoking will make that adventure much more accessible physically. Give it a try, think big, you might be surprised to see what dreams you've always had but suppressed over the years.

My Bucket List
- run a marathon
- visit Italy
- visit Greece
- live in France
- make my own schedule
- climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
- take my husband on a tour of Newfoundland
- master crow pose
- write a book
- spend a month in Paris

What does your list look like?

Saturday, January 1, 2011

How long will weight loss take?

Happy New Year!

I'm sure a lot of people made New Year's resolutions to lose weight, and after they shake off the hangover will start the journey so many of us have begun before. So how long will it take to lose the weight? I wish there was a magic formula but there isn't, we are all very different and lose weight at very different rates. It took me three years to lose 80 pounds. I'd lose 20 pounds, lose my motivation, gain a few pounds back, get back on track lose another 20 etc. I hit a plateau when I was 150 pounds and stayed there for six months, gee that wasn't frustrating! I had to stop thinking about an end date and take one day at a time.

I didn't use any tricks or fad diets, I lost 80 pounds the old fashioned way, bitching and moaning. I did follow the Weight Watchers plan in the middle of my weight loss journey, it helped me get on track with portion sizes but after a while I felt like I was in a cult, food became points and I lost interest. I'd love to say we can all lose 1-2 pounds a week and there aren't any hiccups along the way. Some weeks you won't lose, some weeks you'll lose 4 pounds, some weeks you'll gain, it's annoying. The key is to stay focused.

Could I have lost 80 pounds faster? Sure! I'm an all or nothing kind of person so I'd be all gung-ho and hit the gym, count my calories, and as soon as the scale stopped moving I'd slide back into old habits. My middle name is "backslide". The one thing that really changed for me over this time period was I learned to love exercise, that was my constant. You can't exercise enough to reverse the effects of a poor diet but eventually your mind shifts, a little, so after a 10km run you don't want to stuff your face with a hamburger. When you become more focused on overall health things to seem to progress as they should.

So don't panic if on January 15 you haven't lost 10 pounds.  It takes time, and yes I know you've heard it before, but its true, the slower you lose it the more likely you are to keep it off long term.