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Getting Back On The Exercise Wagon And Staying On It!

It has happened to all of us – and often before we even realize it.  One week you miss your workouts due to a busy schedule, and then the next week you skip because you don’t feel well.  Before you know it, a month has passed by and your laces haven’t seen any action. Months may even turn into years.  Once you stop fitting exercise into your life, it may seem hard to find time for it again. You may not remember how you ever found time for it in the first place.  But don’t throw in the towel!  You can start again and find the time.  Here are some tips to get you going again:

 1)         Stop beating yourself up for quitting – Just Start!  Forget about the lost days and months – you can’t get them back, but you can change the days to come.  And you are not as far gone as you think.  All that earlier work created a foundation that is waiting to be drawn out.  Muscles do have memory.

2)         Define and write down your WHY.  There will be days when you are tired and not in the mood, so it helps to have something powerful to remind you why you started in the first place.  It should be something motivating that stirs an emotional reaction, and probably needs to be more powerful than just fitting into those skinny jeans (although that can be part of the reason!).  Think of your life long wellness and how exercise can lead to a healthy and longer life.

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 3)         Write down your goals.  Studies have shown that people who write down their goals are much more likely to obtain them.  Just ensure that they are realistic and achievable. When you first set a goal, you’re full of energy and completely motivated, but over time those feelings can wane and your overzealousness can push you to do too much too soon. The fix is to define a progressive set of goals that build on one another to help propel you toward that big goal. Breaking a big goal into smaller, realistic goals can help you both mentally and physically. For example, start with weekly goals such as a certain number of visits to the gym or minutes of exercise a day, rather than a six month goal of losing 40 pounds.

4)         Try something new.  This is especially helpful if boredom was one of the reasons that you fell off the wagon in the first place.  Today’s fitness options are varied and almost limitless. In most areas, you can choose among boot camps, CrossFit, Zumba, kick boxing, Bar Method, spinning, yoga and running groups, as well as many other options.  If you want to start out at home, there is an excellent supply of home DVD videos.  If you really need to be accountable to someone, consider hiring a personal trainer.

5)         Join a challenge!  These are not hard to find.  Look for local 5K runs or short distance triathlons.  You can check out your gym for contests and even workplaces are getting into the game as they see the benefits of healthy employees.  These will require determination and hard work, but you will be surprised how much fun you have and how many people you meet.

6)         Look beyond the scale.  If weight loss is your main goal, don’t rely entirely on the numbers of the scale.  It is common for exercisers to lose fat and gain muscle without a change in body weight, so it is important to look beyond the scale. Notice how your clothes fit and how your body feels stronger.  You should also feel your increased energy level and overall better mood, as exercise has been proven to boost both of these.

Falling off the wagon happens to everyone.  Stop worrying about what happened in the past and look forward.  The first step back on is the hardest and requires motivation, but soon it will become habit and that will keep you going.

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Heels to Barbells

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The New Year has begun, and if you are already growing impatient waiting to see results from all that cardio, you may be leaving out an important piece of the puzzle – weight training!  Yes, weights!  And not those pretty, pink hand weights or those fancy machines, real barbells.  More and more women everywhere are seeing and feeling the positive results of weight training, yet many women still worry about bulking up and are afraid to give it a chance

It is a great feeling to be STRONG!  You will be able to lift those boxes all by yourself and not have to wait for some guy to do it.  As a single mom, my boys are getting bigger, but they still rely on me to lift or open anything difficult.  I want them to see how powerful women can be.  There is never a time in life when being weak comes in handy!

Some important facts to keep in mind:

  • You will not bulk up.  Our bodies are not made to get bulky – we do not have the testosterone to look like body builders. When you lift weights that are challenging, you actually create micro-tears in the muscle fibers. (This is the soreness you feel.)  As these tears are repaired by your body, the muscle becomes stronger.  Because muscle tissue is more dense than fat, adding more muscle to your body actually makes you look leaner—not bigger. To truly bulk up, you would have to train with that goal in mind. Bodybuilders spend hours and hours in the gym lifting extremely heavy weights, and eat a very strict diet to promote muscle gain. The average person’s workout and diet—especially a calorie-controlled diet—will not lead to the same effects.
  • Increased metabolism.  Another amazing benefit of weight training is what it does for your metabolism.  It allows you to take advantage of your body’s natural ability to maintain an “after-burn,” known as Excess Post-Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). The after-burn is the extra calories your body burns after you complete a weight lifting workout. Your metabolism will stay elevated for anywhere from 15 minutes to 48 hours, depending on the intensity and duration of your workout.  This means is that your metabolism operates at a faster level even while you’re sitting on the couch after a workout.  It takes extra calories just to keep muscle.
  • Heavy weights are key. Many women rely on lighter weights with higher reps in an attempt to get a more toned body.  However, to get truly toned, you need larger muscles and less fat. One recent study found that lifting 85% of your maximum ability for 8 reps burns about twice as many calories in the two hours post workout as compared with 15 reps at 45% of your maximum ability.  Don’t give up lighter weights entirely, as they do a great job of building endurance, but they do not build tight, dense, strong muscles.
  • Weight loss.  Some women worry that once they begin weight training, their weight will go up or they won’t lose the weight that had hoped.  Try not to focus on the scale and don’t get frustrated before you see results.  At first, your muscles may retain water as they react to the shock of the workouts and the recovery afterward.  But as you continue weight training, you will be building muscle and shedding fat.  This may still not translate to high weight loss, but a pound of muscle is much denser than a pound of fat, so your body may shrink even if your weight doesn’t change significantly.  Keep in mind that muscle is a metabolism booster – the more you have, the more calories and fat you will burn all day long!
  • Getting older.  As we age, maintaining muscle mass becomes more and more important.  Muscle may make the 40 something woman slightly heavier than in her college years, but the improved body composition and faster metabolism is the big payoff.  Many women find they’re able to attain a lower body fat percentage, fit into smaller sizes, and generally feel more vigorous by adding weight training.

The bottom line is weight training can lead to fat loss, stronger leaner muscles, better fitting clothes and a general better feeling of wellness and strength.  What are your waiting for – let’s get lifting!!

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Take Dinner to a New Level!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of cooking with my teenage daughter, Lexi.  She just came home from 2-months in Hawaii where she worked and lived on an organic farm.  Lexi had so much information to share and couldn’t wait to cook dinner for our family.  She cooked with some unique ingredients that I had not used before and made a delicious and healthy meal.  If you are like many cooks and feel like you could use some new recipes and tips – read on…

Our meal was stir-fry vegetables with sticky rice and tofu.  Yes, tofu!  Don’t let it scare you.  It was truly delicious.  Even my two young boys loved it (until I told them what it was)!  Of course, if you choose, you can skip the tofu or use chicken instead.  I have made stir-fry many times and it is often just ‘ho-hum’, but with some new healthy ingredients, we had a super tasty dish that was loaded with vitamins and minerals.

We started with coconut oil to sauté our vegetables.  I knew that this oil had a bad rap because of it high content of saturated fats, but I learned that the fats in coconut oil are Medium Chain Triglycerides, which are healthy fats.  Because of the way these fatty acids are metabolized in the body, they provide unique benefits such as increased energy expenditure, which has shown to increase weight loss.  In addition, it has been shown to improve cholesterol ratios, fight off yeast and fungus in our bodies and improve thyroid function.

We added the basics – carrots, broccoli, kale, mushrooms and red onions – but you could use any vegetables that you like.  These five ingredients together are full of vitamins such as Vitamins A, C, D and K, as well as calcium, copper, potassium and fiber and many others.

We flavored the dish with brown rice miso.  Many of us know miso from the soup that is served in Thai restaurants of which I have never been a fan.  But the small amount that we used added an amazing complex flavor to the dish, as well as more nutrition.  Brown rice miso is made from soybeans and brown rice.  It is high in fiber and complex proteins.  It also has a dense concentration of nutrients and antioxident properties. And, it is high in polyunsaturated fats, which are known to reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

Coconut milk. This ingredient is filled with benefits.  To name just a few:  High levels of manganese which helps to metabolize glucose, which in turn helps the body’s metabolism work at a better level. It also contains lauric acid, which has antiviral and antibacterial properties. It also contains high amounts of Vitamin C, E & B, as well as phosphorus which can help strengthen bones.

We added raw sunflower seeds, which I originally thought were just for a little crunch, but I discovered that these little seeds pack an amazing punch of nutrition.  One-quarter cup of these little seeds contains over half the daily recommended value of Vitamin E, as well as high amounts of Vitamin B1, manganese, copper, tryptophan, magnesium, selenium, Vitamin B6, phosphorus and folate.

Then we added lemongrass – it is a perennial plant grown is Hawaii and much of Asia. It is know to have anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and antioxidant properties.  The list of its health benefits really makes me wonder why we don’t all eat it every morning. It has been shown to provide relief from all types of pain, aid in digestion, as well as have anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic abilities.  It adds a delicious lemon flavor to foods.  If you can’t find it fresh, you can get a jarred or dried version.

We also flavored the dish with fresh cilantro, which is rich in Vitamins A, C & K. It is a good source of folates and many minerals, such as potassium, calcium, manganese, iron and magnesium.

Lastly, tofu!  Its benefits are numerous and too long to list, but include: high in protein, lower risk of cancer, help lower bad cholesterol, alleviate symptoms of menopause and great source of calcium and Vitamin E.

The amounts below are approximates.  Taste as you go!

Vegetable Stir Fry

stir fry photo

Ingredients:

Coconut oil (1 – 2 tablespoons)

½ Red Onion finely chopped

1 large head of Broccoli chopped

3 – 4 large Carrots chopped

8oz package of Mushrooms (any kind)

½ bunch of Kale chopped

1 – 2 cups Coconut Milk (you can also use Lite Coconut milk )

1 Tbsp Brown Rice Miso

½ cup Sunflower Seeds

1 tsp jarred Lemongrass

1 Tblp fresh Cilantro diced

½ Tbsp Curry

Salt

To prepare:

Heat coconut oil in bottom of pan

Start adding vegetables – Onions first, then broccoli and carrots, then mushrooms, then kale.  Cook until veggies just begin to soften.

Combine Miso and coconut milk and then add to pan.

Add curry, sunflower seeds, lemongrass, cilantro and salt.

Cook for about 5 more minutes.

Sticky Rice:

Ingredients:

1 cup of coconut milk
1 tsp of honey

Sprinkle of curry powder

3 cups water

1 tsp Lemongrass

2 cups of sushi rice rinsed till water runs clear

To Prepare:

Add all ingredients except honey and bring to boil, then cover and simmer till water absorbs. Add honey, mix and serve.

Tofu:

1 package firm Tofu drained

So that tofu absorbs flavors better, do the following to force out the water:

Lay down dishtowel with paper towels on top of it, then place single layer of tofu

Cover tofu with more paper towels on top

Lay something heavy on top to aid in release of water. (cookbooks work well)

Let sit for 30 minutes at least

To Prepare: 

Combine and warm up in sauté pan:

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 Tbsp Honey

½ Tbsp Miso

Sprinkle Curry

Sprinkle Lemongrass

Once heated, gently add tofu and stir until coated. Let tofu cook till brown on one side and then gently turn over.  Keep the heat on stovetop high so it browns nicely.  Remember you are not making scrambled eggs!! Be delicate.

Dig in and Enjoy!

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