Running is life; life is running.

May 29th, 2012

Running as a metaphor for life (or business) — what do you think?

I’m working on a run-training program right now that has challenged me in ways that I thought I could not meet.  Surprise (most of all, to me)!  I have met those challenges head-on and tackled those sons of bitches.

While I’m running, I often think about my life and my work (and my life’s work:  family).  Facing that giant hill near the middle of my route, I forget about all that and fall prey to the screaming in my legs and lungs.  I almost always feel like stopping or at least slowing down.  That’s when I have to pull out all the cliche mantras:

  • One step at a time.  Just keep moving.
  • Yes, you can do this.  You can, you must, you will.
  • Go harder, faster, stronger.
  • Don’t give up now.  Never, never, never, never give up.
  • Quitting only cheats yourself.
  • If it was easy, everyone would do it.
  • Nothing worth doing was ever easy.

Once I’m back on level ground and have realized that I have not just survived that hill, but actually kicked its ass without slowing down, my  thoughts head back to work, life, family — and I realize that they’re the same as the hill.  The challenges in those areas may seem hard — they may seem insurmountable, but they’re not, so long as I keep moving.

Recently, the tables were turned on me.  I was working, feeling like giving up on this one particular project, when inside my head I heard the whisper, “You don’t give up.  This is just a hill and you will get over it.  Keep moving.”  I thought of the hill, and how many times I’ve been over it — and how every time was just a matter of one step after another.  I thought of the lessons I want my kids to learn from me — do I want them to learn that it’s ok to quit when something just gets a little tough?  And I thought of the message I want to send in my business — do I want to be known as someone who shies away from something difficult?

Since then, I’ve been looking for hills.  I’m actively seeking them out, even planning a new running route to include more of them.  I’ve come to believe firmly that getting over the hills is a practice.  Like any muscle, the more you work it, the stronger it gets.

So bring the hills.

I came to run and I’m not stopping.  You?

 

 

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Posted in Health and Fitness, Small business, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

It’s Your Vacation – Don’t Just Sit There!

May 15th, 2012

 

It’s almost officially vacation season!  Woohoo!

I know what you’re thinking.  “Aaahh….vacation…time to abandon all attempts at healthy living!  Time to lounge and indulge and forget about what happens after!”

The trouble with this thinking is clear:  you come back home with a “vacation hangover,” and I’m not even talking about anything you had to drink.

I’m talking about that feeling you have — the sinking feeling when you step back onto the scale or into the gym after a week of little more than sitting and eating.  It’s the same feeling that makes people wonder, “Why should I even bother working out — I blew it all on vacation.  I’m doomed.”

Here’s the good news:  you’re not doomed.  Even if you let it all go while you’re out, you rarely lose all the progress you’ve made.

The even-better news is this:  vacation can mean BOTH relaxing AND staying healthy.  You can even have fun doing it — promise!

First, let me put on my Captain Obvious cape and get a few tips out of the way:

1.  Plan to workout, and promise yourself you’ll do it at least once during your first 3 days on vacation.  Chances are, if you do it once at the beginning, you’ll feel so great afterward (and get such admiring adoration from your vacation-mates) that you’ll automatically want to repeat it.

2.  Bring your workout gear.  Pack the shoes, the space-saving and lightweight resistance bands, the iPod, and all the rest.

3.  Check out available resources.  Find out if the hotel has a gym; check maps to find a good place to run.  You know the deal — these are the basics.

Now, let’s kick it up a notch — it’s mind over matter, and it’s time to change your mind.

1.  Before you book your ticket, take a moment to think about WHY you work out in the first place.  It’s more than just vanity, right?  You feel strong afterward; you know that every workout adds quality and quantity to your life; you’re proud and grateful to be in ever-improving health.  Exercise is not torture.  If it feels that way to you, then you need to change it up anyway — exercise is a gift to yourself.  Say it with me:  “exercise is a gift to myself.” Working out is an indulgence, and when you think of it that way, every session feels like a special treat.  What better time for special treats than on vacation?

2.  Following that line of thinking, there are lots of indulgences that don’t add to your waistline — a workout is just one example.  Forget about chocolate and wine — those aren’t really treats when they make you feel behind the 8-ball afterward.  How about indulging in a massage?  A facial or other beauty service?  A quiet sunset?  A date with your favorite person?  You can indulge in a leisurely walk instead of a run, or rent a cruiser bike to feel like a kid again.  Indulge in a hot bath or an extra hour of sleep.

3.  Try something new.  Novelty is more than just fun — it actually grows new connections in your brain, and can bring you closer to a spouse or partner who tries a new activity with you.  If your only vacation indulgence is a slice of chocolate cake, I guarantee you’ll have forgotten about it by this time next year.  But try something new instead, and it will become a favorite memory marking this vacation in your mind.  Try beginners’ surfing lessons in Costa Rica!  Sample real local flavor, like trippa in Italy – my friend Carmel will show you how!  See the tulips (or the Red Light District!) in Amsterdam!  The point is to do something completely new to you and unique to your particular vacation spot.

So, what gift will you offer yourself on this summer’s vacation?  How else can you change your mind to promote healthy R&R?

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2 Recipes Rich In Antioxidants, Whole Grains, & More For Better Health Today

May 9th, 2012

I’m not usually one to post recipes.  After all, I’m no chef and this isn’t the Good Housekeeping website (although I do love theirs — which is ironic because I remember being a teenager and swearing to my mother that I would “NEVER read such boring stuff”!  <<life laughs in my face>>

Today is an exception, because I’m so excited about these 2 dishes that I absolutely have to share them with you.  Mainly, I’m excited because they make really healthy ingredients taste yummy.  They’re also easy, fast, kid-friendly, and perfect for my favorite meal:  the poolside picnic.  Either can be used as a side or a main dish — try the quinoa with a fresh salad and the broccoli with a slice of crusty whole-grain bread.

Quinoa is a rare (and vegan!) form of complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids.  This stuff is a nutritional powerhouse:  besides the protein, there’s also fiber, manganese and magnesium (a possible remedy for certain migraines), lysine (great for rebuilding tissue after tough athletic training), and folate (critical for pregnancy).  It’s a whole grain that aids in blood sugar control — great for those with diabetic tendencies.   (See more.)

Broccoli and its cruciferous cousins are no slouches either.  Broccoli contains calcium, folic acid and iron; cauliflower holds potassium.  All these are good for bone, muscle and nervous system development.  The green flower even packs a protein punch:  2.82g per 100g serving.  With tons of vitamins and antioxidants for only a few calories per serving, these foods are a bargain.  Your mother was right:  eat your broccoli!

Disclaimer:  I don’t measure.  That’s why I don’t bake, people. Bear with me and set aside your understandable desire for precision — let creativity take control today!  Just put in what looks right — more of what you love, less of the other.

 

Big Bowl of Confetti

Big Bowl of Confetti

(adapted from this yumminess from my pal Lisa at Intuitive Body)

Fresh broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower

Dried cranberries

Sesame seeds

Lemon juice

Parsley

Olive oil (optional), salt and pepper to taste

Girard’s Light Champagne dressing (just a splash)

In a food processor, finely mince the parsley first.  I use about 2/3 of a bunch because I love the flavor.  Toss in the carrots — either “baby” ones or 1-inch chunks — and give them a pulse or two to get them coarsely chopped.  Toss in the florets of broccoli and cauliflower.  Give it a few more pulses so that everything comes down to about the size of orzo.  As Lisa says, this is critical because the tiny size really changes the texture and palatability of the veggies (especially for people unlike me, who don’t already love broccoli).   In your serving bowl, toss the mix with a bit of dressing and a squeeze of lemon; add another dash of oil plus the salt and pepper if you like.  Watch your family enjoy the new take on some of the best vitamins, fiber and antioxidants in the garden.

 

 

Keen on Quinoa

Keen on Quinoa

(inspired by a rice pilaf at Your Dekalb Farmers’ Market)

Cooked quinoa (I used red, but any will do)

Dried fruit of choice (mixed raisins and tropicals are yummy)

Sliced almonds

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar glaze

Minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste

 

Umm — see all those ingredients?  Just mix ‘em together, and serve.  How simple is that?  Yummy either warm or cold!

 

I love the creative adaptations people make in their own kitchens — how will you switch these up to suit your taste?

 

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5 Yoga Myths, Shattered

May 2nd, 2012

If you think only flexible people can practice yoga, or that every class involves chanting “om,” think again!  (Some gyms even offer yoga-inspired stretch classes that use your favorite current tunes!)

 

 

 

Don’t miss out on a great workout, terrific relaxation, and an essential part of your fitness program based on some serious misconceptions.

 

Myth 1:  Only flexible, skinny, young people can do yoga.

This is probably the single most popular and most FALSE misconception that exists about yoga.  One of yoga’s basic principles is finding your unique abilities and limits, and working within them.  A good yoga teacher will demonstrate and encourage variations, to accommodate various levels of flexibility.  Even your own body will vary in its elasticity from day to day and from left side to right.  Yoga teaches us to accept that this is true, and to avoid judging ourselves on this basis.

Flexibility and balance have been cited by experts as two components of healthy aging, and they are two cornerstones of yoga.  Without practice, our bodies stiffen and lose equilibrium over time, leading to many of the falls and injuries the elderly experience.  The good news is that practice is all it takes to keep these skills intact so that we can grow older gracefully.

The extra stress the body endures from carrying excess weight can also be lessened with a regimen of balance, strength and flexibility.  Yoga offers all three in styles that suit beginners to experts.  In yoga, it’s not that practice makes perfect; practice is perfect.

 

Myth 2:  I already stretch after my workouts, and that’s all I need.

Stretching after any workout is good, and flexibility is believed by many to be a crucial part of the “fitness triumvirate” that also includes aerobics and strength conditioning.  Yoga is a very specific, safe and concentrated form of stretching, and it goes even further.  When practicing, you tune in to your own body and mind so intensely that you can actually improve your mental focus and clarity in other areas of your life.  Professional athletes and others swear by yoga for its ability to help them fine-tune their mental and physical performance.

 

Myth 3:  Yoga conflicts with my religion.

Yoga is not a religion.  Say it with me:  “Yoga is not a religion.”  While it’s often associated with Hinduism and Buddhism because it originated in India, it is in no way a part of any religion.  Many original yogis used the enhanced focus mentioned above in order to deepen their forms of prayer, but modern yoga does not involve teaching any form of theology.  One of the most wonderful things about yoga is that once you begin to practice, it can serve your unique needs (no one else’s!).

 

Myth 4:  Yoga isn’t really a workout.

There are many forms of yoga that range from simply doing good deeds to a vigorous physical routine of asanas, or postures.  Hatha yoga – a style that blends deep, slow breathing with strength-building postures – usually elevates your heart rate slightly.  Using your own body weight and isometric strength, a typical session builds muscle evenly on all sides of your limbs and torso.  A well-rounded lesson covers all the major muscle groups and many smaller muscles that are important to your balance, athletic performance, and overall musculoskeletal health.  It also stimulates blood flow to connective tissues that keep our bodies functioning optimally.  Many say that yoga “massages” internal organs to aid in digestion, immunity and other vital processes.  Neuroscientists agree that even the simple act of breathing deeply and slowly, as we do in yoga, has a calming affect on the central nervous system.  So, while you may or may not sweat in a yoga practice, you can be assured you have helped your body stay healthy and resistant to stress.

 

Myth 5:  I’m not into all that “New Age” stuff.

At the grand old age of about 5,000 years, yoga is hardly “new age.”  Originally a way to gain spiritual growth through the mastery of mind over body, yoga (here, anyway) has evolved into a very modern, very American method of stretching both body and mind.  It encourages individuality and finding your own path; there is a freedom in yoga that is not found in disciplines like Pilates.  Part of finding your own path is discovering your own use of the practice – where some people might feel a spiritual attachment to yoga, others use it simply as a form of great exercise.  As with so many things in life, yoga is what you make of it.

 

So, you work hard and you play hard, right?  Give yourself a treat – try a yoga class!  Even better, do it at a discount by choosing one from the schedule at ClickAClass.   Join your friends in a relaxed, fun atmosphere and see what yoga can do for you!

 

Still hesitant?  What’s holding you back?  Tell us here, and see if we can help debunk the myth(s) you believe.

 

 

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Ditch the scale – new ways to measure your weight loss and fitness progress.

April 24th, 2012

I have a new scale, and it’s a crazy-maker.

Deciding to go kinda fancy, I bought a model that measures (and tracks in memory) weight, BMI, percentages of both lean muscle and fat, hydration level, visceral fat, and body age.  It’s a pretty amazing piece of technology.

It’s a little TOO amazing.  Scales aren’t really even my cup of tea; I got it mostly for my husband and his weight-loss goals.  But I got hooked on it in just a few days’ time.  At first, I weighed once a day.  Then it was twice.  My record-high number of weigh-ins in a single day was 5.  My trigger was the “body age” reading — I started at body age 32 (even though I’m actually 41).  I felt pretty good about that, but the next day I was at 30.

Hell, who doesn’t want to age in reverse?

I decided to push the envelope, dropping weight to see that number tick down.  I got to body age 23, but I was miserable from eating nothing but celery for a week.  THAT is crazy.  (See, even fitness professionals can fall prey to the seduction of the scale.)

Weight can have completely normal fluctuations of several pounds over the course of a week and even within just one day!

It’s foolish to get hung up on it and pin your mood, behavior, and diet on a number — but I did it, for a couple of weeks, actually.  Finally, I got tired of feeling obligated to a bad mood just because the number went up a tick.

That’s when it hit me:  there is entirely too much emphasis on scales and measures in this world of fitness and weight loss.  I have known this in my head (and even counseled others on) for a while, but had not encountered the feeling first-hand until this wake-up.

I started thinking about different, saner, more meaningful ways to measure what we really want – methods of measuring the progress made while eating right and getting good exercise.  Here’s a start:

1.  Benchmark by your best clothes.  Find an outfit — any top and bottom that you love — and put them on.  Take photos, if you like.  Note where they’re tight or loose, and how that measures up with your overall loss or toning goals.  Get to your calendar, and schedule a time once a week (no more and no less) to try on the exact same outfit and note your results.

2.  Take the stairs.  If you have stairs at home or at work (or any place nearby and easily accessible), get on ‘em.  Run or walk them at top speed without skipping stairs — do it once if that’s what you can manage, or several times if you’re already a rockstar.  Go to your max and make a note of it.  How many flights did you run?  How long did it take you (a stopwatch or an app will be handy here)?  Most importantly, how do you feel?  (On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is lying in bed and 10 is at the brink of death, where do you rank?)  Repeat this exercise once every 2 weeks — weekly wouldn’t be bad, if you’re the type who’s patient with seeing results.  But don’t “practice” the drill in between measurements to better your results — focus on your other regular exercise and just observe how this benchmark changes over time.

3.  Sprint to the corner.  Similar to the stair method, you can do this on any measured distance.  Choose a running track or just the block you live on — it doesn’t matter as long as it’s consistently the same space.  If you’re dealing with a short distance, run (or walk) your top speed as many times as you can.  Track your time, repetitions, and perceived exertion on the 1-10 scale above — and avoid practice drills.  Another useful measure: the time it takes you to return to a feeling of rest.  Once you finish the sprint and you’re gasping for air, start the timer and let it run until you feel your breath is back to a normal pace and you no longer feel tired from the exertion.  (The logic here is that the faster your cardiorespiratory system recovers, the fitter you are.)

4.  The good old President’s Test.  Remember that semi-annual routine your PE teacher put you through in grade school?  Dig it out and try it again.  It may seem antiquated, but it’s actually a really solid indicator of overall fitness for kids and adults alike.  Their website explains it much better than I can – check it out.

When you’re tempted to hop on the scale for the 5th time this week (or heaven forbid, in one DAY), take a breath and think about what you’re really measuring.

Does your life really hang on a number?  Or are you in this fitness game to feel better, live longer, enjoy more while you’re here?

The 4 benchmarks above do a far better job of measuring these things than a scale ever will.

If you’re looking for a few ways to move the proverbial needle, though, even though you’re not testing with it, see some of my prior posts on interval training, including Tabata intervals, sneaking toning into a regular day, and starting your own walking group.  You can also find some great DVDs and books via Amazon.

Now, let’s hear it — what are YOUR ideas about different ways to measure health progress without stepping on a scale?

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How to Start Your Own Moms’ Walking Group — and What To Do While You’re Out

April 18th, 2012

So, let me guess:  you have young kids and the springtime weather is inspiring you to get out and reclaim your pre-baby body but you’re not sure how to do it.  Am I close?

I’m cheering for you – and for your whole family!  The good things you do for your health will benefit your kids and spouse, too.  So, step 1 is giving yourself a generous pat on the back for feeling the inspiration to get moving.

One of the easier ways to begin your journey is to join a group that’s already established.  Stroller Strides  has locations in several states, and their M.O. is to walk with stroller-bound kids and do some toning along the way.  Oh Baby Fitness  (my Atlanta-area favorite, hands-down) offers lots of different kinds of classes, including stroller walks plus water aerobics, yoga and more – many of which include babies.  They have the advantage of providing experienced instructors as well, who are specially trained in perinatal fitness.

But what if you don’t have one of these near you – or you can’t get to the class times offered?  You might know my motto – it’s how I founded ClickAClass.com and its parent company:  if you don’t see what you want, make it yourself!  Here are three easy steps to creating your own walking workout for moms and kids (with a bonus sample workout!).

First, gather your team.  Meet them on the playground, at the grocery store or anywhere you frequent.  “How old is yours?” is the new “Come here often?” in this crowd.  Carry “mommy cards” – business cards with just your personal information on them – for when you meet someone and feel enough “click” to exchange information.  If you don’t already know some others, start a Facebook [www.facebook.com] group or a MeetUp  – social media makes it so easy to spread the word and meet real-world people.  (And of course, put your online group information on the mommy cards!)

Next, set up a few walks.  Start with one a week for three weeks.  Aim for 45 minutes on each walk.  I’ve found that’s about the level of commitment that new moms can handle, and veteran moms will be okay with it, too.  Announce it in whatever communication mode you choose.  Start and end at a local park, unless all the participants live very close to each other.  To map out your path, use Map My Run,  which can also help you find other walkers and track your activity.  Another idea is to find a park with a nice paved trail.

Have a plan in place.  If you’re in the city, plan to stop every 3-4 blocks for toning; in parks and more suburban spots, gauge it by your path.  Aim for a toning stop about every 10 minutes or so after a quick warmup.  Your plan will depend on the age of the kids involved.  Very young ones will stay in the stroller, of course, but toddlers and preschoolers will want to get involved!  Consider this another cheer for healthy moms, because kids are always watching and emulating what we do .  If yours wants to hop down and move around, you’re doing something right.

On your toning stops, be sure to include a few exercises each for upper and lower body parts.  Resistance bands are a fun, portable, inexpensive way to use resistance training; you could also use light handweights, but you don’t necessarily need any equipment.  Follow the childrens’ lead sometimes – watch how they move around and try to imitate them.  They love it, and it’s a much harder full-body workout than you’d ever imagine!  (A research study once pitted a professional athlete against a 9-month old baby; after about an hour of trying to copy the baby’s every move, the athlete was toast!)

With that in mind, here’s a sample workout for the hopping-down crowd – kiddos can get down and copy Mommy at each toning stop:

Minutes                     Activity

0-5                              Brisk walking warmup

5-10                            Light dynamic stretching:  arm swings (open wide and cross over chest), torso rotations (feet planted, swing arms to left side, then right; alternate and repeat), jumping jacks, high-knee marches/runs alternating front kicks (kick left leg straight out front, reaching to it with right hand; alternate and repeat).

10-20                          Fast walking – just short of a run.  Focus on keeping abs tight and hips tucked under.

20-25                          Upper body:  wall or bench pushups, kiss-lifts (mom holds child by armpits with mom’s elbows glued to her sides, lifting child slowly in a bicep curl for a little kiss)

25-35                          Brisk walking and isometric toning:  grip stroller handles on the sides, with palms facing each other and pull outward while still walking forward.  Hold for a count of 10, release for 10 and repeat twice.  Then place hands with right palm up and left down; pull up with right while resisting with left (the stroller wheels stay on the ground, moving forward).  Hold 10, release 10 and repeat; switch sides.

35-40                          Lower body:  chair squats (feet hip-width apart, push hips back as if to sit; arms reach high overhead).  Do 15 at a moderate pace, then 5 that are held for 10 counts each.  Then try frog jumps (keeping chest up, bend knees to touch fingertips to the ground; leap up, reaching for the sky and jumping as high as possible; land in starting position and repeat 10 times).  If frog jumps are too much, simply jump from the chair position instead.

40-45                          Moderate walk 2-3 minutes, 2-3 minutes repeating easy version of warmup exercises.

 

That’s it!  Now you have the initial tools to start your own group of family fitness enthusiasts, and there’s no better time to do it than now.

Note:  as with any new exercise routine, participants (especially pregnant and postpartum) should get a doctor’s clearance first. Women who’ve given birth in the last 6 weeks or who are pregnant should avoid twisting motions of the torso and certain other strenuous movements.

 

 

 

Article first appeared at www.myfamilyexercise.com.

Copyright 2012, Jessica Covington and FIT-ology Wellness.  All rights reserved, use with permission only.

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The Ups and Downs of Dropping Baby Weight: Interval Training for New Moms

April 11th, 2012

Most of us can’t quite jump back into our old workout routine after a baby arrives.  In fact, many of us don’t even have “an old workout,” but everyone wants to lose the weight that pregnancy adds.

 

To ease back into a good routine or to begin a new one, the first step is always to consult with your health care provider.  Once you have her go-ahead, you can get started with a quick interval series that is challenging but achievable even when you’re still measuring Baby’s age in weeks.

 

The idea behind interval training is twofold:  first, alternating periods of hard work with a more moderate pace helps you keep going.  Second, the up-and-down rhythm created trains your heart to recover quickly from its overdrive mode, leading to greater overall cardiovascular health.

 

Training with a heart rate monitor is an easy way to track your exercise, but it’s easier and lower-tech to simply gauge your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).  On a scale of 1-10, 1 marks the effort you’d expend to lounge on the sofa and 10 equals running up Everest at your top speed.

 

First Step:  Up and Down Intervals

If you have a steep hill nearby, you have an automatic interval tool at your disposal and you won’t even need a timer!  Warm up first by walking uphill at an RPE of about 3-4 and downhill at the same rate; repeat for a total warm-up time of 5 minutes.  To begin your interval workout, walk uphill at a moderate pace (at least a 5-6 on your RPE scale) and walk quickly or jog downhill (around a 7-8 RPE).  Repeat as your energy and schedule allow, and be sure to cool down at the end by walking at least 3 minutes at about a 3-4 RPE.  Going uphill, maintain good form by keeping your hips tucked under your ribs; think about leading from the hips, keeping the shoulders back, and rolling through the entire foot to propel yourself up the hill.  Heading down, the tendency – especially when jogging – is to lean back, but to avoid knee strain, aim instead to be upright as you coast down.

 

Using a flat outdoor area, a stopwatch comes in handy.  Warming up, walk at a steady pace of 3-4 for at least 5 minutes.  Then, begin your intervals by using a 1:1 ratio.  Walk very quickly or jog (7-8 RPE) for 1 minute, then walk or jog at a 4-5 RPE for 1 minute.  Alternate your 1-minute intervals for as long as your workout schedule allows, and follow with a cool down by walking at a 3-4 pace for 3 minutes or more.

 

If you are Supermom and can actually make it to the gym, you can use a treadmill to simulate either the hills or the timed examples.

 

Second Step:  Turn on the Turbo

The example of Up and Down Intervals shows a walking workout; once you’re ready to progress, add jogging intervals as indicated.  In the flat-surface example, you could also change the ratio of your workout from 1:1 to 2:1 (2 minutes of hard work and 1 minute of recovery), advancing later to 3:2, then 3:1 and so on.

 

Pyramid Intervals

The pyramids weren’t built in a day, and it will likely take some time to build enough strength for this format as well.  When the Up and Down Intervals have become less challenging, try the Pyramid.  In this format, the challenging intervals become longer in the span of one workout.  Warm up for at least 5 minutes (a 3-4 pace).  Your first work interval, at about a 6, lasts 1 minute; follow with a 1-minute recovery at a 4-5 RPE.  For the second interval, work for 2 minutes and recover for 1.  Next, work for 3 minutes and recover for 1.  Continue lengthening the hard-work phase until you feel exhaustion coming on, then do a 5-minute recovery cycle.  Gauge how you feel at the end of that long recovery, and begin again if you feel up to it.

 

Intervals are a great way to ease into a challenging workout when time is limited.  Using our own perceptions of work and exhaustion keeps even those of us with Type-A tendencies within a safe range while building up cardiovascular endurance.  And if you need another reason to give intervals a try, here’s one of the best:  you can bring that fabulous little one along in the stroller, and begin teaching great health habits by example from the very beginning.

 

(This article first appeared at www.DivineCaroline.com.  Copyright 2012, Jessica Covington and FIT-ology.  All rights reserved; use with permission only.)

 

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6 Real-World Tips for Good Health

March 28th, 2012

Let’s just get right to business, shall we?  Here are 6 of my the best ways to improve your health — starting TODAY.

 

1.  Move more.  Look for and create opportunities for incremental exercise.  When carrying groceries, lift them 5 times when you load and 5 times when you unload.  Use a rake instead of a leaf blower.  Walk extra fast when outdoors.  Little bits of activity add up to big results.

 

2.  Cut portions.  Remember that a healthy portion for most foods is about the size of your fist.  Try leaving 3 bites on your plate at each meal; once you’re comfortable with that, consider leaving 6 bites each time.

 

3.  Know your fats and sugars, and try to limit them.  Processed foods and restaurant meals are some of the worst offenders.  Read the labels on packaged foods; avoid anything with “high fructose corn syrup” within the first 5 ingredients.

 

4.  Understand the food-stress cycle and make your meals work for you, not against you.  Foods that are high in fats, refined sugars and sodium can actually exaggerate the stress response (including elevated cortisol, high blood pressure, increased abdominal fat and other factors).  Choose healthfully instead.

 

5.  Add 3 servings of fruits and/or vegetables to your weekly menu; buy foods that are in season and experiment.  In-season produce is likely to have fewer preservatives and pesticides.  Choose organic when you can, especially if it’s something you eat more than twice a week.

 

6.  Choose whole foods rather than processed products.  Whole foods have more fiber and retain more of their original nutrients than those that are processed.  Look for items that are as close as possible to their original form, for example, an apple instead of applesauce or apple juice.  In the words of Michael Pollan, bestselling author of In Defense of Food, “Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.”

 

 

Now it’s your turn — what are some of your favorite ways to bring more good health into everyday life?

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No Time — or No Claim?

March 27th, 2012

I had another epiphany in the shower this morning.  More of my epiphanies than I care to count come to me when I’m doing something mindless like showering — but I digress.

In the midst of reflecting on ClickAClass.com and its reasons for being (actually, I was honing my sales pitch for Shark Tank, but that’s our secret, okay?), I realized that it wasn’t a lack of time but a dwindling identity that helped me create the site.

You see, in the early, hazy days of motherhood, I thought that what I really needed was more time.  I was time-starved:  no time to relax; no time to work out; no time to just be alone; no time for an extra cup of coffee; no time for dance or yoga class; no time to cuddle up and watch a movie with my husband.

Maybe that was all true, at least on some days.  But it wasn’t really about time, was it?  I could have made it work — after all, I’m given the same 24-hour trip that everyone else gets each day and I’m usually pretty good at managing it.

It was more about identity than time.  I didn’t know that these things were so critical to answering the big WHO – AM – I questions that, as a spring chicken, I thought were ridiculous.  I had no clue that I had to claim these stakes, like pioneers in the wild west, in order to feel like myself.  And I certainly didn’t feel entitled to claim them.  After all, I had not DONE anything all day (or so went my thinking).  If only I had read this post from my friend Kelle Sparta back then.

So the opportunities to hit the gym, to take a dance class, to practice yoga — these were all things that helped me feel like ME, only I didn’t know it until after the fact.  I thought I created ClickAClass.com because I didn’t have enough time anymore.  But, really, it was about reconnecting with lost parts of my Self.

How many other moms are losing themselves without even knowing it?

And how can I help them grab a flag, shove it in the dirt, and stake that claim?

 

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Wellness Week – 7 Favorite Tips

March 21st, 2012

It’s smack-dab in the middle of Wellness Week, y’all!  Time to check in and see how you’re treating yourself — body and mind.  Are you putting good, clean fuel into your body?  Are you speaking kindly to yourself in the hallowed halls of your own head?

In honor of Wellness Week, I’ve put together a smattering of a few favorite tips, resources, and tools for being your best, healthiest self every day.  Enjoy!

 

My #1 All-Time Favorite:  Get moving!

There are so many ways to add more activity to your life.   There are trainers out there for every conceivable need, schedule, and preference.  Karen Schrier teaches super-intense Pilates-style workouts.  At Pinnacle Fitness, certain classes offer childcare!  MODO Fitness is an adaptable bootcamp that has a class AFTER work, instead of at the crack of dawn.  Or you can get the whole family in on the action by signing up for a fun and casual race like Beat the Street for Little Feet, aka the Pete The Cat 5k.  Remember that ANY activity counts — even a walk around the block in the longer daytime hours after dinner.

 

Check out my new mascot: Queen Couch Potato, designed by the amazing and talented Diane Friling.

 

Choose organic — sometimes, and wisely.

There are pages I could write about the merits of organic food versus conventionally-grown.  I’ll spare you the soapbox for now.  I realize it’s not always practical or even possible to buy organic.  Here’s my personal rule of thumb:  if it’s an animal product or by-product, if it’s one of the so-called Dirty Dozen, or if it’s something we eat more than twice a week, it’s worth some extra effort and expense to get organic.  Otherwise, I weigh the option like this:  if only conventional is available, would I rather avoid this food completely OR eat it, figuring that the nutrients in this case outweigh the risks?  (This generally means I’ll say yes to a vegetable and no to meats and/or junk food.)

 

Get sneaky.

Yes, it’s another reminder to work exercise in to every possible opportunity, every day.  Stop taking the easy way out — don’t give in to the culture of convenience.  You’ve surely heard the tip about parking far from the door, but there may be a few you haven’t yet considered.

 

Journal it.

You’ve heard the advice before, but have you actually TRIED it?  The difference it makes is surprising.  Even if you’re the only one who will ever see the journal, the simple act of recording what you eat and what exercise you get is eye-opening and motivating.  There are tons of free resources online — FitDay, SparkPeople, and MyFitnessPal are just a few.  Google “free online food exercise journal” and you’ll turn up plenty.  Same goes for wearing a pedometer — even the most basic-basic model will truly get you moving more every day, just to see the numbers jump.  Promise.

 

Take water breaks like your life depends on it — because, apparently, it does.

Oh, wait — this one is about exercise again.  Imagine that.  Are you picking up on a theme here?  Yup, that’s how important it is to move your body.  The American Cancer Society says that in a recent study, women who sat consistently for six hours or more daily were 34% more likely to die in the 11-year study period than those who took tiny walking breaks — regardless of the other activity in their daily lives.  The antidote to early death:  get up and walk around for a few minutes every half-hour.  Simple, effective, life-saving.  [There will be a lengthier analysis of this study in upcoming blog posts -- stay tuned.]

 

Make a fist.

That’s not a typo.  Clench your fists when you need willpower.  Staring down a box of doughnuts at your morning meeting?  Make a fist and focus on how great it feels to put clean fuel in your body.  Recent research shows that simply clenching your fist for a few seconds while gathering your resolve makes you more likely to stick to it.  Go figure!

 

My #2 All-Time Favorite:  Take care of yourself.

That goes without saying, right?  But what I mean is to take extra care.  Get a massage.  Heal what’s hurting you.  Get your head together.  Find your happy place.  There are so many wonderful resources available nowadays — kind and caring professionals to help you get the life you really want to live.  From wellness provacateur Grace Quantock to holistic kicker Lindsey Tibesar; from nutrition, supplementation & lifestyle expert Carmel D’Arenzio to body image expert Kimberly Riggins; from rolfer Erin Herdina to root worker Bri Saussy; from yogi Tracy Matthews to healing expert Pamela LaBelle – you can find someone to address any need.  Ask your friends.  Ask me — I’m so grateful to know a ton of wonderful people who’d love nothing more than to help you.

 

These are just a few of the many, many ideas out there.  Rest assured — more are coming your way soon!  Happy Springtime — now get off your chair and go DO something!

 

How will you celebrate Wellness Week?

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