Archive for May, 2009

Motivation

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

We are now in the month of April.  Many of you had started New Years resolutions of losing pounds and getting back into shape.  You may have started off strong but are starting to slack.  If this is happening do you know the reason why?  Finding out why will help you identify your problem so that you can fix it.  You may be experiencing:

BOREDOM.  Ho-Hum.  Off to exercise again.  If you are experiencing boredom, I suspect you are not getting results quick enough.  If you are not getting results quick enough, then I suspect:

CHEATING!!!  Too many “oh, it’s just a little cookie” here and “it’s just a basket of chips” there until it’s “only ½ gallon ice cream.  After all, it was my birthday!”

Exercise and diet are joined together and you cannot separate them if you want the best results.  Yes, you will get results with diet or exercise alone but it will not be the best way, and that is what we are looking for.  You certainly will lose weight cutting calories without exercise.  But don’t you think it would be nicer to be able to take in more calories without getting fat?  In order to do this you must raise your metabolism by building muscle.  In order to build muscle you must exercise.  Oh, come on!  It’s not that bad.  Sitting around and doing nothing is what is bad for you.  That is what causes a lot of our aches and pains.  God gave us a body to use for the purpose of work and play.  If you don’t use your muscles, they turn to mush.  They atrophy..shrink down.  If you let that happen you better plan on giving up a lot of calories because your body simply no longer needs those extra calories.  If you choose not to give up those extra calories then they will store inside of you and you will get fatter and fatter.  Then you will get more aches and pains and then you will turn into a grump!

Exercise does not have to be boring and can be made fun and challenging.  I have been doing this a long time and have learned how to make it this way.  When exercise is approached with the mind set of “Here I am again.  Can’t wait for this to be over!” you can pretty much count on failure.   Getting into shape is something that you have to have a plan for.  Know your weaknesses and have a battle plan ready.  Example:  if you know you start having cravings for sugar at a certain part of the day, have something ready that is sweet and not full of calories.  Then CHOOSE that food item and not the item that you know is causing you problems.  Do this daily and in a few days you will have developed a new habit.  If you know that you cannot keep yourself motivated, then hire a trainer (that’s my job!) and let her keep you motivated!  It’s hard to call up your trainer with an excuse not to exercise cuz she knows what you’re thinking and she will find a way!  After canceling a few times and your trainer showing up at 10 at night or 4 in the morning to train with you, soon you will give up the excuses!  Knowing yourself and knowing that you will not continue a health program without someone to help you is wisdom, not weakness. 

 

Laurie Jones

Offering in home personal and group training

simplyfit@cncnet.com

370-8228

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No such thing as age stopping exercise!

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Some of my clients who are 50+ in age seem to be concerned that it has become “too late” for them to get back into shape.  Nonsense!  If you’re still moving and breathing, you still have muscle.  ( I know what I’m talking about since I myself am now 50 years old!)  It is never too late to get into shape and get your muscles back in working order.  After all, that is why you were given muscle!

  Exercise is stress that causes your body to become stronger.  If you decide to start a walking routine, your body will have to sit up and take notice.  After being a little sore maybe for a day or two, when you repeat the act, your body will be ready for the next time out.  This is called adaptation. ..Survival.  Your muscles have been stressed and must get prepared in case it happens again (and it better happen again!  There is nothing worse than exercising one day, getting sore, and never doing it again!)  It is not the age of our body, but condition, and the condition can be changed.  The way to condition your body is to use it.  Age has absolutely nothing to do with regaining strength.

 Other great benefits of exercise are the difference you will find in mind and emotions.  According to science, when exercising, the body releases what they call “endorphins”.  Endorphins give you a “well being” feeling.  I am not a doctor, but I can personally testify this is true!  Depression can rest on any of us at anytime.  There is something about exercise that actually minimizes or completely eliminates this aliment.  Remember this.  Your body will follow your mind.  When you determine in your mind to do this, your body will follow.  It is never too late; you are never too old to start making a positive change in your body. 

Laurie Jones, offering in home Personal Fitness Trainer.  530-370-8228

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Supplements

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Using supplements can be confusing.  There are so many products out there filled with promises.  Huge amounts of money are spent on these products in the hopes of better health.  I too become confused and personally stick with the basics that I know have worked for me.  I order my products from a company online who I have used for quite some time so I trust their products and service. They carry many different name brands and there prices are the best I have ever seen.  In their catalog they have a section called “Buyer’s Guide: The Best Products”.  These are some of their top sellers.

Best foundational products:

 Multi Vitamin:  This is a one a day vitamin giving a high potency of just about every vitamin and mineral.  I like the fact that this is just one pill. 

Whey Protein:  One serving of a typical whey protein concentrate gives 25 grams of protein with minimal carbohydrates and fat.  That’s equal to the protein in a 4 egg breakfast without the fat. 

Flax Seed and Fish Oil:  These oils supply omega 3 fatty acids which aid in the health of skin, joints, cell membrane structure, cardiovascular and nervous system.

Best Muscle Builders:

 Meal Replacement Powders: It’s just what it says, a meal replacement drink.  It contains protein, carbs for energy, vitamins and minerals. 

Creatine:  Prolongs the time you can train harder before your muscles reach failure, speeds muscle growth, burns fat indirectly as you add lean mass to you body and increases the amount of fluid retained inside your muscle cells to give them a harder more defined look.

L-Glutamine:  An amino acid that stimulates the metabolism, and helps with recovery after a hard workout.

Thermogenics:  These are commonly known as energizers or diet formulas. 

ZMA:  Studies have shown this to increase free testosterone levels and improve strength, endurance and muscle recovery in strength-training athletes.    

Best Diet Products:

Whey Protein Isolate or Concentrate:  Again, whey protein.

Diet Formulas with Green Tea:  It can boost energy levels, speed fat burning, and help with slow metabolism resulting from dieting.

Carb Blockers:  This product works by blocking the enzyme which converts carbs into glucose.

CLA:  This is a fatty acid that can help reduce body fat and increase muscle tone. 

Glucomannan:  This is a natural soluble fiber that carries moisture through your digestive system.  It also helps you feel full. 

 

Well, there they are!  The top sellers.   I do not use all of those, and I use other products that are not mentioned.  Experiment with the products of your choice and watch for results to see if they really work for you.

 

Laurie Jones

Personal fitness trainer offering in home training

simplyfit@cncnet.com   370-8228

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Breaking bad habits 2

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Breaking bad habits continued…

 

Our eating choices for the most part are developed out of habit.  Maybe it is your habit to have coffee in the morning, a salad or sandwich for lunch, (usually at the same lunch places) dinner, and then after dinner snacking.  There are times when you are NOT hungry, but you eat anyway, cuz it’s “time”.  If you are not getting the hunger single sent to your brain, there is a reason.  Your body is not in need of food. (I find on the days that I do not exercise, my appetite is way down.)   Nevertheless, lunch time rolls around and we eat, even if not hungry.  Why?  Because we have developed a habit of eating at the same time everyday.    The after dinner snacking has got to be the worse eating habit in controlling weight gain.  If you have this habit, weight control is not going to happen.  There is no way we are hungry after dinner and yet we cannot get the snacks out of our minds when sitting around watching TV.  And, as we watch T.V… oh my gosh!!  The commercials are filled with tempting food advertisements.   And, they certainly aren’t sending messages of carrots and broccoli…oh, no.  Its fast foods, frozen foods, calorie, sugar and fat filled foods.  It’s ridiculous, and tempting, so maybe you ought to break the habit of watching T.V. while you try to lose a few pounds!  I have a client who told me that come around evening, after dinner, she finds herself bored and that is when she starts thinking of snacking.  I suggested she get herself a few fitness magazines and read them.  That will certainly get your mind off of snacking, especially when you see the models in the magazines.  It should keep you motivated to stay away from unnecessary food intake. 

Portion size is another habit that is developed.   Do you truly know how large a portion size is on a food label?  Probably not, so weigh or measure it so you know for sure.  Sometimes, it is depressing.  First it’s depressing to see how small a portion of certain foods are.  Second, it’s depressing to see that you have probably been consuming at least 3 portions of your favorite food!  How I hate reading the portion size on my favorite ice cream.  I mean, come on.  The actual portion size is just a teaser.  Or how about eating everything on your plate?  Please don’t teach your kids that.  It teaches them to eat it all, even if they are full. 

It takes time and a strong will to change bad habits.  But, it can be done.

 

Laurie Jones

Offering in home training/nutrition guidance

simplyfit@cncnet.com

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How do we burn the most calories and avoid boredom?

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

HOW DO WE BURN THE MOST CALORIES AND AVOID BOREDOM DURING CARDIO WORKOUTS?

It’s time for our cardio workout, and here comes the mental fight.  One side of our brain is saying “Oh no.. not again.  I’m so bored with this!”  while the other side is saying “yes, but remember all those fries you ate?  Better get on with it…quit thinking.   Just do it”.  I have been doing this along time and this fight in the brain still comes to me.  My clients have said to me that I just “love” to exercise.  Truth be told?  I can think of LOTS of things I would rather be doing.  It’s not the exercise I love, but the results.  I feel good and my jeans fit.

So how do we combat this boredom thing and burn more calories during cardio?  This is done with interval training.  You can use steady paced cardio with interval change-ups.    What you are looking to accomplish is varying your heart rate throughout your workout which will burn more calories.  Remember the main objective of cardio workouts are calorie burn and strengthening your heart.  (And other stuff). 

Ok, so how do you do this workout?  First of all, you do not have to do it every day, but you certainly could if you want to.  If you don’t, then try to do it every other workout.  Let’s say your cardio is out door running.  Go your regular route and run at your regular pace.  Pick a starting place and then run faster than your regular pace.  You can either count (like 1-60) or pick a designation, like a tree you see up the road.  Run to the tree or the number you picked, and then bring it down to your regular pace.  Repeat what you just did using a regular pace, and then do it again with a run.  This can be done on all cardio workouts and machines.  What this does is raises your heart rate, and then lowers it instead of having a steady rate the whole workout.  It also strengthens your muscles up, and you will get done much faster.  Since it is hard work for short times, it does not over whelm you.  And, you will feel proud of yourself thinking you are one strong ox of a person! 

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Breaking Bad Habits

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Breaking bad habits.  Oh, if we could only break those bad habits, how much more free our lives would be.  Since this is a fitness column, ofcourse, I must write about the bad habits of eating that sabotauses our fitness goals.  But first, let’s look at other bad habits we can relate to.  

What would we consider a bad habit?  I believe it is anything that gets in our way of living a complete and happy life.  Biting your nails may bring you comfort of some kind.  It’s not killing you, and it calms you down.  But, if it gets to the point that you start hiding your hands, and are embarrassed about it, then it’s a bad habit interfering with your happiness.  So then you must consider the pros and cons of biting your nails.  Does this habit bring me temporary relief?  Yes it does.  But, what about afterwards when I have to hide my hands from others?  Even from myself?  What about all the beautiful polishes out now that I could paint my nails with?  Bad habits at first bring fast and temporary relief, but then we pay later.

Now we will apply this to our eating habits, and yes,  I would say what we eat, how much, and when we eat is out of habit.  How many times do you go to the frig simply out of habit?  How many desserts do you eat out of habit?  I know, because I also struggle with these issues. 

I have found that when consciously breaking a habit, at least for me, it takes just a few days.  I love Mochas, extra hot.  And, I still get them.  But, I could easily fall into the habit of having them everyday.  I noticed I develop a craving for them.  So, the first day I decide to break that Mocha habit is hard for me.  2nd day a little easier, and by the end of the week, I am back in control.  (Funny thought…are we ever really in control?  What an illusion!)  Now, here’s the other side.  I believe I’m back in control, so, I decided to have one on Monday.  Tuesday I don’t really desire another, but my best friend (D.C) texes me and says “coffee?”  And, ofcourse, I cannot resist sitting at the coffee shop chitter chattering with her, so I now have my 2nd Mocha in two days. Here comes Wednesday, and now I’m “Jones’s” for one!  My mind and body is trying to get me back in the Mocha habit…

…article to continue next week

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Emotional Eating

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Something happens to upset us.  All of a sudden we feel uneasy, unsure and    insecure.  The feeling is uncomfortable, but, there is no escape.  It is not major, but enough to feel something’s just not right.   The thought runs through our minds “What will make me feel better?”  Something to eat is the answer that comes back.  We are not hungry but for some reason eating brings comfort, and that is what we are seeking.  So we find a comforting snack, and we eat it.  Temporarily we feel relief.  We finish and realize that the “uneasiness” has not gone away.  So maybe we eat some more.  The feeling is still there.  But now we have compounded the uncomfortable feeling with frustration.  We realize we just ate when we were not hungry.  Now not only are we battling with the “uneasy” feeling, but also the feeling   I feel fat and failed once again at my diet. 

Emotional eating has got to be one of the reasons that so many are over weight.  It is a habit that needs to be broken.  If not broken and weight starts to climb, it will lead to further depression.  

Where did we develop this habit?  My thinking is that it started when we were babies.  We would cry and our mothers would pick us up, hold, cuddle and feed us.  Maybe we just needed to be held, but we also got something to eat, and it brought us comfort.  The problem is that some of us did not out grow this!

Every one of us experiences the feelings I just described above but eating is not the answer.  Take some time and think about what you can do to help get your mind in a better place.  And yes, even though this is a fitness article, I am NOT going to say that exercise is always the answer.  However let me tell you, Sunny Jim, it works for me!  There has been many times that I have had to drag myself to the gym in a negative emotional state of mind cuz of something that had happened and by the time I was finished, the problem did not seem as bad.  Maybe pushing myself through an exercise training period strengthened me for the problem ahead, or at least strengthened me in my mind.  Maybe it was the endorphin release that gave me a sense of well being.  Whatever it was changed my mood set, and I felt better.   If I would have given into emotional eating, I know what would have happened to me…not a pretty sight!

Remember, it’s just a habit.  All habits can be broken.  Set your mind to change.

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