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Give Me An “M”!

February 27, 2014
inBalance, Debra, Devices, Exercise, Fitness, Food, Health, Inspiration, Mood, Music
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How to Stay Motivated 

Day to day it becomes difficult to keep motivated toward your health and fitness goals. You are not alone. So, below is a list of suggestions that might just trigger that “ah-ha” factor. Remember, it’s an 80/20 rule. Keep on track 80% of the time and indulge a bit 20% of the time. Everything in moderation. It’s about a healthy lifestyle, not a diet.

  1. A friend of mine, and co-soccer coach, recently put his current weight and % body fat on the screen saver of his iPhotoddne. He realized it’s the thing he looks at most often every day. It’s his motivation to improve. FACT: People look at their phones, on average, 110 times a day.
  2. Schedule a regular workout routine…and don’t let anything get in the way. Often when you say “maybe I will do it later” without a committed time to exercise, it is very easy to get wrapped up in your day and run out of time. Schedule it on your calendar and make it happen.
  3. Set yourself a goal with a deadline. Whether it’s a wedding, an event or a reunion, set a goal on what you want to achieve by that date. It can be lose 10 pounds, go down a dress size or gain more definition in your arms. “The difference between a dream and a goal is a deadline.”
  4. Chart your progress. This can be lifting heavier weights week to week, longer mileage on the treadmill, extra workout or weight lost. Literally keep track of your accomplishments. Look at it as a daily reminder of how you are kicking ass.
  5. If weight loss is your goal…lift the weight you lost. Or want to lose. It’s a literal way to show yourself how much extra weight you were or are carrying.WW
  6. Put a motivational quote or picture on your mirror or desktop. Something that really resonates and keeps you on track. Note mine to the right ->
  7. Get a fitness device. Whether it’s the FuelBand, FitBit or a pedometer, set yourself a goal to hit and hit it every day. Then try to beat it. It’s like having a trainer in your pocket (or on your wrist). For more information on devices, check out our blog entry under “devices”.
  8. Only check the scale once a week (I think Fridays are a choice day). This keeps you in check throughout the week and gives you something to look forward to in seeing your progress.
  9. Think about how hard you pushed yourself in your workout – do you really want to give up all that hard work for a bag of chips? Don’t let the chips win.
  10. Track your monthly costs for your gym membership, trainers and classes you attend. Let the number be a reminder of how much you have put into your health. Seeing that investment is a really good motivator to not let that money go to waste.
  11. Make yourself accountable. Announce publically what your intentions are: I am going to run a 5K, I am going to fit into my skinny jeans by April, I am going to cut sugar out of my diet. If you participate in Lent – this is a great time to commit to something (starts March 5th). For me, it’s giving up the chips and night snacking. Damn. Now it’s out there.
  12. Think about how awesome it feels after a workout. Stress is relieved, you think more clearly, you feel accomplished, you feel strong and anything becomes possible.
  13. Momentum. It’s a scientific fact – something in motion tends to stay in motion. Momentum builds quickly and can lead to great results. Suddenly, you’re not only working for the goal, but also to keep your streak alive.
  14. The “wow” effect. Think how powerful you will feel when you run into someone you haven’t seen in a while and they gawk at how good you look. Or, hell, even a stranger.
  15. MUSIC. There is no doubt there is a song that will get you going. Or a playlist. Put it on…and let it psyche you up. Music changes everything.

Keep this list for reference and feel free to add more. We love to hear your thoughts.

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6 Essential Nutrients

February 20, 2014
inDebra, Food, Health, Nutrients, Nutrition, Vitamins
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There are 6 essential nutrients our bodies depend on for proper functioning:

Water, Carbohydrates, Protein, Fats, Vitamins and Minerals.

Water

Water is the largest single component of the body. Up to 60% of our bodies are made up of water. Muscle holds the highest concentration of water while fat tissue holds someHealthy food pyramide on the white background of the lowest amounts.

The amount of water a person has in their body varies based on their proportion of muscles to fat tissue. So, a person who exercises more will have a higher percentage of water.

Water has a variety of functions that are essential to life:

  • Regulates your body temperature
  • Transports nutrients in our bodies
  • Flushes out waste
  • Helps our immune system and brain
  • Helps your joints work

As little as a 5-10 % loss can cause dehydration. When you are thirsty, it’s a sign your body is already dehydrated.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide the energy we need for physical activity and organ function.

  • Our bodies break down carbohydrates in order to make glucose (the end result of carbohydrate digestion) for energy
  • Carbohydrates are necessary for the normal metabolism of fat

2 Types of Carbohydrates

  • Complex Carbohydrates / “Good Carbs” = starches like cereal, bread, beans, potatoes, and starchy vegetables.  Good carbs are fiber-rich carbohydrates, like those found in many complex carbohydrates. Good carbs are absorbed into our systems more slowly, which helps us avoid escalations in blood sugar and provide a lasting form of energy.
  • Simple Carbohydrates / “Bad Carbs” = milk, fruits and some vegetables are natural, simple carbs and are still healthy because they are rich in other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber. Bad carbs are foods that are refined or processed, such as white rice or white bread, and foods with added sugar such as desserts, candy, soda and sugary cereals. They should be avoided as they offer little to no nutritional value, while adding way too many calories to our diet; making them “empty” calories. Empty calories contribute to excessive weight gain and other associated health risks.

There is no “Recommended Daily Allowance” for sugar like there is for carbohydrates, because we get our glucose needs from good carbohydrates.

Protein

After water, proteins are the most abundant substances in most cells.  It is what our body’s tissues are made up of…our muscles, organs, immune system and, our hair, nails and skin. Protein builds strong muscles and repairs your body.

What foods have protein?

  • Protein is made up of amino acids…there are 20 amino acids, of which 9 are essential, which means the body can’t produce them on its own so you have to get them from food.
  • Protein is found in milk, eggs, peanut butter, chicken, fish, meat, yogurt, cheese, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains

Fats

Fats are necessary for our body to survive – they transport fat-soluble vitamins and form cell membranes. Fat is also the coating under our skin and in our organs to insulate and protect our bodies. Fats are the major stored form of energy in the body.  Some fats are really good for us and some are not so good:

  • Good Fats (Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated – the healthiest): olive oil, nuts, milk, olives, avocado
  • Bad Fats (Saturated): butter, beef, pork, fried foods, mayo
  • Trans fatty acids (the most unhealthy): manufactured during food processing (ie. hydrogenated fats) 

Here’s an interesting fact…For energy, our body uses carbohydrates first, then fats and then protein as a last resort.

Vitamins

Vitamins are non-caloric, organic compounds that help our bodies grow, maintain and repair. There are two types of vitamins:

  • Fat-soluble: Vitamins A, D, E and K – can be stored in the liver. Therefore, an overdose on these vitamins can lead to toxic levels in the body.
  • Water-soluble: not able to be stored – they are excreted by the kidneys.

Minerals

Minerals are inorganic compounds that assist processes and are part of the structures of the body (iron in blood and calcium in teeth and bones).

The body best absorbs vitamins and minerals when provided through natural sources than pill form.  Eating food triggers satiety, which prevents consuming toxic levels of nutrients, something pills can’t do.

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The Power of Your Heart

February 13, 2014
inDebra, Exercise, Fitness, Health, Inspiration, Strength, Weight Training, Workouts
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There are many well-known health benefits associated with regular participation in physical activity including:

healthy-heart

  • Lower risk of heart disease
  • Weight gain prevention
  • Lower risk of type 2 diabetes
  • Lower risk of cancer
  • Reduced level of depression
  • Weight loss
  • Lower risk of high blood pressure
  • Lower risk of stroke

What you might not know is the remarkable capacity of the body to adapt to exercise.  Exercise creates physiological adaptations to the heart, helping it pump blood more efficiently therefore; allowing it to accomplish more, with less exertion. The more you exercise, the more efficient your heart becomes. This is called “adaptation”.

Facts about the heart:

  • At an average resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute, the heart can comfortably (average fitness level and no heart disease) perform at twice its resting value. The average adult can train between 122-181 beats per minute.
  • The amount of blood pumped by the heart can increase as much as 50-60% above resting values to meet the demands of exercise.
  • The average adult pumps about 5 liters of blood per minute. When exercising, the amount of blood your heart pumps can increase to almost eight times its resting value. A sedentary person will give a cardiac output of 20-22 liters per minute while an elite athlete will exhibit an output of 35-40 liters per minute.

Stroke Volume

Increased stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped through the heart) is a training effect of aerobic exercise and allows a fit individual to pump more blood per beat, resulting in a lower heart rate during a workout.

You may have experienced this when starting a training program. In the beginning, you might have been gasping for breath and not able to keep up with the intensity. As your program progresses, your breathing and stroke volume becomes more efficient, allowing you to breathe easier, hence maximize your performance.

This is why less fit individuals may have a harder time making it up a flight of stairs or walking across a parking lot while for a fit person – it’s just a way of life. For inactive people, their lungs and heart cannot handle the oxygen demands required for performing the exercise. They can’t get it to their organs fast enough.

CO2 Output

When you increase maximum blood flow to pump blood more efficiently it saturates your blood with oxygen and removes CO2 efficiently. Removing CO2 at a higher rate increases your performance and gives you greater aerobic power. As your body becomes more efficient with exercise, it is able to extract oxygen from the blood more quickly.

As much as 88% of your blood flow during exercise is directed to the muscles (active tissues)! The more you exercise, the higher the number of capillaries you build in your muscle fiber, which means more oxygen in your muscles (faster!) and increased fuel storage.

So what does this mean?

As your fitness level improves and your rate of breathing becomes more efficient, you are able to deliver more oxygen throughout your body more quickly. You can accomplish more, with less exertion, at a higher level of performance.

Be good to your heart and it will show you the love in return.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

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