On a personal note, I completed my second half marathon yesterday! It went pretty well--I finished in 2:08, which was right around my goal. There's really nothing quite like training for and finishing a race. If you haven't done it or it's been awhile, I highly recommend it!! Whether you walk, run, bike or swim, it's a way to challenge yourself and stay accountable for your goals. Not only did I get to eat whatever I wanted yesterday (the reward for burning 1300 calories before 9 AM!), but it makes you realize how far your body can go if you have the right attitude and determination to push it there. It definitely is "mind over matter."
I will also say that while training took discipline, I had more mental hurdles while actually running the race. I started out kinda slow and had people passing me left and right. I had moments of discouragement (would I be the last to finish?!), but around mile 5 I got into the zone, started passing people and didn't get passed again. Lots of good lessons learned in that race! I was never a runner in high school or even college, so I fully believe ANYONE can do this. It takes commitment and patience, but it is so worth it!
I also signed up to take my personal trainer exam on July 14 (17 days!) so keep me in your prayers. :)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Gym/fitness equipment: What to use and how to use it
One of the keys to sticking with a health program is to mix it up. Once you've done the same routine or class several times a week for a month, not only will your body adjust to it and burn less calories, but chances are you'll get bored and start putting less and less effort forth. If you still love that class or elliptical workout, by all means continue to do it--just add in some new stuff once in awhile to keep your body working at its max capacity.
I've been practice training a friend of mine for the last month or so, and as I've planned the workouts it's occurred to me that there is almost an unlimited amount of exercise combinations you can do. Seriously, I'm pretty sure you can go your whole life not repeating the same routine. Therefore, there's no reason to get bored working out! Whether you have a gym membership or you like to work out at home, there are a lot pieces of equipment you can use to change up your workouts. Some you might be familiar with, and others might look intimidating. I've included a few below and why I think they're worth trying. If you are at the gym and see something you've never tried, don't be afraid to ask one of the staff to help you. You're paying to work out there, so you should be able to take advantage of everything they offer. Otherwise, you can usually find a youtube video to show you as well :)
At the gym:
1. Cable machines -- Unlike regular weight machines, the cables force you engage your core to stabilize you in order to execute the exercise. This burns more calories and engages more muscles (which is good!). Plus you can do many different exercises on this one machine-- there are cuffs you can attach to do leg work as well the arm exercise pictured below.
2. Assisted pull-up/dip machine -- I LOVE THIS MACHINE! It looks hard to use but it's not, and you won't find a better all around upper body workout. Regular pull-ups are pretty difficult, so this machine allows you to rest your lower legs on a platform attached to a weight column. The more weight you add, the easier the pull-up will be. Basically, the weight on the column is subtracting from the amount of weight you have to pull up(your body weight). For a beginner, start with 80-100 pounds. Follow the pictures on the machine to see technique- It should be somewhat difficult to pull yourself up but you should be able to complete 10-12 and really feel your arms and chest muscles. Plus you'll feel super tough! The part you don't see in the picture are the bars right next to her hips, which you can use to do tricep dips. Instead of pulling yourself up, you lower yourself down, letting your triceps do the work. Do in these a couple of sets of these two exercises and I guarantee you'll tone up your arms, shoulders and chest in no time.
Gym or home:
1. Bosu balance trainer -- Most likely your gym has these, but you can also buy one for home if you really like it (they are pricey though). This essentially adds a degree of difficulty to exercise you might already to. It forces you to balance yourself while doing that particular exercise, therefore engaging more muscles and burning more calories. Ball side down you can do push-ups or planks on it, or ball side up you can just sit on it and do some arm exercises. Click here for some other possibilities.
2. Body bar (or weighted bar) -- The next few are variations on the traditional dumb bell. The weighted bar comes in a variety of weights (I own a 12 pounder), and can be used instead of a set of dumb bells in most cases. Much like a bar you'd see on a bench press, the weighted bar is great for squats and lunges---you can just rest in on your shoulders and go. Here are a few more moves you can do with the body bar.
3. Medicine/Toning Balls -- The inspiration for this post came from me getting kind of sick of dumb bells and planning a workout using a 10 lb. medicine ball instead. You can do some very different things with a ball than just the traditional dumb bells (of course the reverse is also true), and it can be just the trick to break through a plateau or just keep you interested in working out. My favorite aspect of the medicine ball is that you can pass it back and forth--either to a buddy or just to yourself from hand to hand. You can do this as a form of cardio (i.e. passing it from hand to hand while you hop from foot to foot) or as strength training (i.e. standing on one foot and slowly passing it back and forth, holding for a few seconds in each hand). Here are a few others to try. A toning ball is basically a small version of a medicine ball. It makes it easier to hold while doing pilates/yoga type moves, and if you have a smaller amount of weight you can hold two. Both are great in my opinion, but if you are more of a pilates or yoga fan you might want to opt for an 8 lb toning ball or a set of 4 or 5 lb ones. If you tend to like higher intensity workouts, go for the bigger medicine ball.
4. Resistance Tubes -- The lease expensive option for a home gym. Resistance tubes can be very useful when used correctly, but you have to choose the right one. The tubes come in different levels, from easy (extremely stretchy) to difficult (not very stretchy at all), that vary the difficulty to stretch it and therefore work your muscles more or less depending. The basis of the resistance tube is having something stable to serve as the center point, whether it's your legs or piece of furniture. There's really no limit to what you can do with a tube--just holding toward the center and pulling it in opposite directions will give you an arm workout. The tubes take up little space, so it's an easy way to get a workout in while you're watching TV. Here are a couple moves to try.
I've been practice training a friend of mine for the last month or so, and as I've planned the workouts it's occurred to me that there is almost an unlimited amount of exercise combinations you can do. Seriously, I'm pretty sure you can go your whole life not repeating the same routine. Therefore, there's no reason to get bored working out! Whether you have a gym membership or you like to work out at home, there are a lot pieces of equipment you can use to change up your workouts. Some you might be familiar with, and others might look intimidating. I've included a few below and why I think they're worth trying. If you are at the gym and see something you've never tried, don't be afraid to ask one of the staff to help you. You're paying to work out there, so you should be able to take advantage of everything they offer. Otherwise, you can usually find a youtube video to show you as well :)
At the gym:
1. Cable machines -- Unlike regular weight machines, the cables force you engage your core to stabilize you in order to execute the exercise. This burns more calories and engages more muscles (which is good!). Plus you can do many different exercises on this one machine-- there are cuffs you can attach to do leg work as well the arm exercise pictured below.
2. Assisted pull-up/dip machine -- I LOVE THIS MACHINE! It looks hard to use but it's not, and you won't find a better all around upper body workout. Regular pull-ups are pretty difficult, so this machine allows you to rest your lower legs on a platform attached to a weight column. The more weight you add, the easier the pull-up will be. Basically, the weight on the column is subtracting from the amount of weight you have to pull up(your body weight). For a beginner, start with 80-100 pounds. Follow the pictures on the machine to see technique- It should be somewhat difficult to pull yourself up but you should be able to complete 10-12 and really feel your arms and chest muscles. Plus you'll feel super tough! The part you don't see in the picture are the bars right next to her hips, which you can use to do tricep dips. Instead of pulling yourself up, you lower yourself down, letting your triceps do the work. Do in these a couple of sets of these two exercises and I guarantee you'll tone up your arms, shoulders and chest in no time.
Gym or home:
1. Bosu balance trainer -- Most likely your gym has these, but you can also buy one for home if you really like it (they are pricey though). This essentially adds a degree of difficulty to exercise you might already to. It forces you to balance yourself while doing that particular exercise, therefore engaging more muscles and burning more calories. Ball side down you can do push-ups or planks on it, or ball side up you can just sit on it and do some arm exercises. Click here for some other possibilities.
2. Body bar (or weighted bar) -- The next few are variations on the traditional dumb bell. The weighted bar comes in a variety of weights (I own a 12 pounder), and can be used instead of a set of dumb bells in most cases. Much like a bar you'd see on a bench press, the weighted bar is great for squats and lunges---you can just rest in on your shoulders and go. Here are a few more moves you can do with the body bar.
3. Medicine/Toning Balls -- The inspiration for this post came from me getting kind of sick of dumb bells and planning a workout using a 10 lb. medicine ball instead. You can do some very different things with a ball than just the traditional dumb bells (of course the reverse is also true), and it can be just the trick to break through a plateau or just keep you interested in working out. My favorite aspect of the medicine ball is that you can pass it back and forth--either to a buddy or just to yourself from hand to hand. You can do this as a form of cardio (i.e. passing it from hand to hand while you hop from foot to foot) or as strength training (i.e. standing on one foot and slowly passing it back and forth, holding for a few seconds in each hand). Here are a few others to try. A toning ball is basically a small version of a medicine ball. It makes it easier to hold while doing pilates/yoga type moves, and if you have a smaller amount of weight you can hold two. Both are great in my opinion, but if you are more of a pilates or yoga fan you might want to opt for an 8 lb toning ball or a set of 4 or 5 lb ones. If you tend to like higher intensity workouts, go for the bigger medicine ball.
4. Resistance Tubes -- The lease expensive option for a home gym. Resistance tubes can be very useful when used correctly, but you have to choose the right one. The tubes come in different levels, from easy (extremely stretchy) to difficult (not very stretchy at all), that vary the difficulty to stretch it and therefore work your muscles more or less depending. The basis of the resistance tube is having something stable to serve as the center point, whether it's your legs or piece of furniture. There's really no limit to what you can do with a tube--just holding toward the center and pulling it in opposite directions will give you an arm workout. The tubes take up little space, so it's an easy way to get a workout in while you're watching TV. Here are a couple moves to try.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Reading list
If you've ever gone to the library or Barnes & Noble looking for a diet or health book, you know there are an infinite amount. Some are downright ridiculous (Lose 5 pounds in one day?) and some are actually pretty good. I've probably at least skimmed most of them out there, and here are a few that I like:
1. Jackie Warner "This is Why You're Fat" - It's a harsh title, but sometimes you need some tough love! If you're not familiar with Jackie WaIner, she's a personal trainer who has her own gym and has had a couple of shows on Bravo. She is in crazy, crazy good shape because her programs have a big emphasis on weights, which I to agree with to some extent. She explains how weight training can really impact weight loss, and she definitely has the results to back it up. I also like the focus on cutting out sugar. This modification is what I feel really jump started my own weight loss. I was a full on sugar addict, eating candy and other crap just because it fit into my daily calorie budget. Once I cut it out, I really got the momentum going. Another thing I enjoyed about Jackie's plan was the list of staple meals to eat everyday. It helped me tremendously to have a couple of specific "super meals" that I knew were good and that kept me from having to think about what I was going to eat every 2 hours.
2. Health Magazine "Carb Lovers Diet" - While I'm not in love with this book, it's still a good basic plan with tasty food that is essentially good for you. It's realistic in the real world, and that goes a long way with me. Basically, this plan calls for eating a "resistant starch" carb at every meal that will keep you fuller for a longer period of time. Luckily, potatoes are on that list so that's pretty exciting, especially since they are kind of a no-no on other diets. Anyway, it's a good starter plan but I'm not sure how effective it is if you only have a few more pounds to lose.
3. Bethenny Frankel "Naturally Thin" - I'm a huge fan of hers! She went to school to be a natural foods chef, so her plan is centered around clean eating. It's easy to read, funny, and easy to relate to as well. How could I not recommend someone who invented a line of reduced calorie cocktails?!?! (Side note: I also just finished her self-helpish book "A Place of Yes," and it was really, really good! It's especially helpful if you're thinking about making any changes in your life.)
4. David Zinczenko "Eat This, Not That" - This is more of a recipe book, but I highly recommend it! It's basically healthy versions of favorite restaurant and comfort foods. I personally modify the recipes even more, but it's pretty good as is, especially for beginners. He also has variations of this book for drinks, the grocery store, and an actual diet plan book. Needed have a male represent in this list :)
1. Jackie Warner "This is Why You're Fat" - It's a harsh title, but sometimes you need some tough love! If you're not familiar with Jackie WaIner, she's a personal trainer who has her own gym and has had a couple of shows on Bravo. She is in crazy, crazy good shape because her programs have a big emphasis on weights, which I to agree with to some extent. She explains how weight training can really impact weight loss, and she definitely has the results to back it up. I also like the focus on cutting out sugar. This modification is what I feel really jump started my own weight loss. I was a full on sugar addict, eating candy and other crap just because it fit into my daily calorie budget. Once I cut it out, I really got the momentum going. Another thing I enjoyed about Jackie's plan was the list of staple meals to eat everyday. It helped me tremendously to have a couple of specific "super meals" that I knew were good and that kept me from having to think about what I was going to eat every 2 hours.
2. Health Magazine "Carb Lovers Diet" - While I'm not in love with this book, it's still a good basic plan with tasty food that is essentially good for you. It's realistic in the real world, and that goes a long way with me. Basically, this plan calls for eating a "resistant starch" carb at every meal that will keep you fuller for a longer period of time. Luckily, potatoes are on that list so that's pretty exciting, especially since they are kind of a no-no on other diets. Anyway, it's a good starter plan but I'm not sure how effective it is if you only have a few more pounds to lose.
3. Bethenny Frankel "Naturally Thin" - I'm a huge fan of hers! She went to school to be a natural foods chef, so her plan is centered around clean eating. It's easy to read, funny, and easy to relate to as well. How could I not recommend someone who invented a line of reduced calorie cocktails?!?! (Side note: I also just finished her self-helpish book "A Place of Yes," and it was really, really good! It's especially helpful if you're thinking about making any changes in your life.)
4. David Zinczenko "Eat This, Not That" - This is more of a recipe book, but I highly recommend it! It's basically healthy versions of favorite restaurant and comfort foods. I personally modify the recipes even more, but it's pretty good as is, especially for beginners. He also has variations of this book for drinks, the grocery store, and an actual diet plan book. Needed have a male represent in this list :)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Best choices for bread
As you may have surmised from the previous post, I'm definitely a carb lover. I've tried MANY different breads, and spent way to much time comparing labels in the grocery store. The first thing I look at is the ingredient list to see if "whole wheat" or "whole grain" is the first item listed. That's a must! If it says enriched, it's out (no matter what the large print on the front on the bread bag says). I then look to the nutrition label and check out calories, sugar, sodium--the fewer the better on all these items--and then the fiber content. The more fiber the better, and some breads will even have a decent amount of protein in them, which is a bonus. Be sure to check the serving size at the top, as some breads have one slice per serving and others have two.
For a long time, I went with Sara Lee 45 calorie multi-grain, which is a good choice according to the above criteria. However, most places it's almost $4 a loaf, which is kind of crazy for bread. So I recently switched over to Wonder Bread Smart Wheat. It's very similar to the Sara Lee 45 calorie breads (5 calories higher and a smidgen higher in sodium) and costs about half the price. Healthy eating has become a pretty hot button issue lately, and I really feel like some companies are taking advantage and charging way more than necessary for something that's only slightly better than it's less expensive counterparts. I don't mind spending some extra money if something is way better for me, but in this case it's just not crucial.
For a long time, I went with Sara Lee 45 calorie multi-grain, which is a good choice according to the above criteria. However, most places it's almost $4 a loaf, which is kind of crazy for bread. So I recently switched over to Wonder Bread Smart Wheat. It's very similar to the Sara Lee 45 calorie breads (5 calories higher and a smidgen higher in sodium) and costs about half the price. Healthy eating has become a pretty hot button issue lately, and I really feel like some companies are taking advantage and charging way more than necessary for something that's only slightly better than it's less expensive counterparts. I don't mind spending some extra money if something is way better for me, but in this case it's just not crucial.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Carbs: The good, the bad and the ugly
I've been meaning to write this post for like the last three weeks, and I finally think I have my thoughts together to do it. Carbohydrates are the one of the most misunderstood food groups (actually called a macronutrient) and because of that, people end up doing crazy things like eating a giant block of cheese in hopes of losing weight. Carbs are one of three macronutrients that the body needs to function, and the main purpose of the carb is energy. The other two macronutrients (fat and protein), can eventually be converted to energy, but carbs are the immediate source. If you think about your RMR (the amount of calories your body burns just keeping itself alive), you can see that you need well over 1,000 calories just to keep your heart beating and brain working, and a significant amount of that energy need should be met by carbs. If it's not, things just wont run as smoothly.
So why on earth are there low/no carb diets? Because truthfully, cutting all carbs will cause a drop in weight--in the short term. The reason for this is that it carb storage requires water. Therefore cutting carbs will let you drop the "water weight" which can be a significant amount. However, as soon as you start eating them again, that same water weight will come right back on.
So we know we need to eat carbs, but that doesn't mean any and all. This is where we get into good carbs/bad carbs. Overweight people who go on Atkins do lose real weight--but this is at least partially attributed to the fact that they are cutting out bad carbs-- doughnuts, white pasta, white bread, etc. These are carbs that are stripped of their nutrients in order to "enrich" them. Basically, taking a whole grain and getting rid of the good stuff (fiber for example) in order to make it white. You'll notice that all the white stuff has a whole grain or brown counterpart, whether it's rice, flour, etc. That is what the product was meant to be---what is was before it got processed. There's a lot of talk out there about processed foods, and I am definitely in favor eliminating as many as possible. When you take away the nutrients, the body digests food more quickly, which then affects blood sugar and hunger levels. I don't know about you, but eating one Kripsy Kreme doesn't even put a dent in my hunger.
So that's a rundown on carbs. I always feel like if I know how things work, it will help me make better decisions. If I have to choose between white bread and whole wheat, the fact that I'll be fuller for longer always sways me to the whole wheat. In some cases, the whole grain versions may be more calories, but overall it's worth it. More later on how many carbs you should be eating...
So why on earth are there low/no carb diets? Because truthfully, cutting all carbs will cause a drop in weight--in the short term. The reason for this is that it carb storage requires water. Therefore cutting carbs will let you drop the "water weight" which can be a significant amount. However, as soon as you start eating them again, that same water weight will come right back on.
So we know we need to eat carbs, but that doesn't mean any and all. This is where we get into good carbs/bad carbs. Overweight people who go on Atkins do lose real weight--but this is at least partially attributed to the fact that they are cutting out bad carbs-- doughnuts, white pasta, white bread, etc. These are carbs that are stripped of their nutrients in order to "enrich" them. Basically, taking a whole grain and getting rid of the good stuff (fiber for example) in order to make it white. You'll notice that all the white stuff has a whole grain or brown counterpart, whether it's rice, flour, etc. That is what the product was meant to be---what is was before it got processed. There's a lot of talk out there about processed foods, and I am definitely in favor eliminating as many as possible. When you take away the nutrients, the body digests food more quickly, which then affects blood sugar and hunger levels. I don't know about you, but eating one Kripsy Kreme doesn't even put a dent in my hunger.
So that's a rundown on carbs. I always feel like if I know how things work, it will help me make better decisions. If I have to choose between white bread and whole wheat, the fact that I'll be fuller for longer always sways me to the whole wheat. In some cases, the whole grain versions may be more calories, but overall it's worth it. More later on how many carbs you should be eating...
Friday, May 27, 2011
Buying organic: Where to save, where to splurge
Eating organic is a huge trend and is only getting bigger--even store brands are getting in on the action with generic organic products. But do you really need to buy EVERYTHING organic? Probably not. There are plenty of non-organic products you can safely eat. One rule of thumb is that if you're going to peel off the skin (avocados, bananas) you don't really need to worry about buying the organic version (unless it's the same price...if it is, why not?). If it's something that's coming straight from the farm to your mouth (lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries) then it's wise to spend a little more and go organic. Here's the "dirty dozen" list of produce that's worth the splurge and the 12 least contaminated.
12 Most Contaminated
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Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Resting Metabolic Rate: How many calories do you actually need?
It's been awhile since I posted! Studying is taking up a lot of time and I just back from a short (but very fun) vacation. But it's time to get back at it. I've had a lot of conversations lately about how many calories to eat, and one number that I hear is 1200 per day. That is actually the very, very lowest a female is supposed to go in terms of calories. At 1200, you are flirting with the "starvation mode" line your body identifies when it decides to hold on to fat even harder to keep you from starving. If you are a very small person, 1200 might be OK for weight loss. But for most of us, ideally we'd stay in the 1400-1600 range--only a few hundred above that 1200 line, but enough for our body to know it's OK to burn off the fat!
Where does this number come from? Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the amount of calories your body burns just sitting on the couch all day not moving a muscle. Basically, what it takes to keep your heart pumping and your organs functioning for the body weight you currently have. The rate varies with gender, age, weight, height and activity level. The activity level is the one thing you have the most control over. There are levels 1-5 of activity levels, and the difference between being "inactive" (level 1) to "extremely active" (level 5) can be up to 1,000 calories per day! That means that someone who is at level 5 will lose 2 pounds more per week than an inactive person before you even count the exercise calories burned.
Here's an example of RMR and how you can use it to figure out calorie needs. Put your information into an RMR calculator such as this one: http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-metabolism-calculator
Just to see how much activity factors into metabolism, check your rate for all 5 activity levels. Here are my numbers:
inactive: 1655
lightly active: 1896
moderately active: 2138
very active: 2379
extremely active: 2620
I consider myself "moderately active" right now. So if I eat around 1500 calories, I have a 638 calorie deficit every day through eating. In 5 or 6 days, this will translate to a 1 pound weight loss. Since this is only what your body burns (hence "resting" rate), I get to add in how many calories I burned through exercise to determine my total weight loss. Very soon, I will start training for race and at that point I will be "very active" and my body will be burning an extra 240 calories per day just because I increased that level. This translates to an extra 1/2 pound in a week not even counting my exercise calories! So you can see how important it is to be active--it truly makes an impact on your health in measurable ways. This formula also explains why it gets harder to lose weight as you get smaller. As your weight goes down, so does your RMR making it harder to get to that same calorie deficit.
One other thing I use my RMR for is to help me deal with the little fluctuations on the scale. As we all know, weight can vary by up to 5 pounds on simple things like how much water you've had or what time of the month it is. Since we know the RMR is the number it takes to MAINTAIN your weight, we also know that if you eat that number of calories you won't gain any weight. So if you use your RMR as your max calories per day (no matter what!), you know you havent gained weight no matter what the scale says. It puts a little more logic and a little less emotion into weighing in, which will hopefully keep you motivated as you continue.
Where does this number come from? Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the amount of calories your body burns just sitting on the couch all day not moving a muscle. Basically, what it takes to keep your heart pumping and your organs functioning for the body weight you currently have. The rate varies with gender, age, weight, height and activity level. The activity level is the one thing you have the most control over. There are levels 1-5 of activity levels, and the difference between being "inactive" (level 1) to "extremely active" (level 5) can be up to 1,000 calories per day! That means that someone who is at level 5 will lose 2 pounds more per week than an inactive person before you even count the exercise calories burned.
Here's an example of RMR and how you can use it to figure out calorie needs. Put your information into an RMR calculator such as this one: http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-metabolism-calculator
Just to see how much activity factors into metabolism, check your rate for all 5 activity levels. Here are my numbers:
inactive: 1655
lightly active: 1896
moderately active: 2138
very active: 2379
extremely active: 2620
I consider myself "moderately active" right now. So if I eat around 1500 calories, I have a 638 calorie deficit every day through eating. In 5 or 6 days, this will translate to a 1 pound weight loss. Since this is only what your body burns (hence "resting" rate), I get to add in how many calories I burned through exercise to determine my total weight loss. Very soon, I will start training for race and at that point I will be "very active" and my body will be burning an extra 240 calories per day just because I increased that level. This translates to an extra 1/2 pound in a week not even counting my exercise calories! So you can see how important it is to be active--it truly makes an impact on your health in measurable ways. This formula also explains why it gets harder to lose weight as you get smaller. As your weight goes down, so does your RMR making it harder to get to that same calorie deficit.
One other thing I use my RMR for is to help me deal with the little fluctuations on the scale. As we all know, weight can vary by up to 5 pounds on simple things like how much water you've had or what time of the month it is. Since we know the RMR is the number it takes to MAINTAIN your weight, we also know that if you eat that number of calories you won't gain any weight. So if you use your RMR as your max calories per day (no matter what!), you know you havent gained weight no matter what the scale says. It puts a little more logic and a little less emotion into weighing in, which will hopefully keep you motivated as you continue.
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