Friday’s Food for Thought
I just realized I often wrap up the work week writing about something related to food or drink. Maybe that’s because one of my favorite ways to unwind after a crazy week is to join family or friends for dinner and drinks. On this Friday, however, I thought I’d address one of the foods many of us struggle with treating ourselves to on any day of the week: candy.
As my fabulous friend Amy recently pointed out, there’s been lots of advertising lately about the low-cal candies made by Skinny Cow™. However, there isn’t a lot of information about how much “better” these yummy options are for our diets. So, thanks to Amy, this blog post was born!
First of all, let me say I am a huge Skinny Cow fan! You’ll always find a box of Skinny Cow Fudge Bars in my freezer. At 100 calories and one gram of fat, they’re the perfect no-guilt dessert, especially after a good workout! (The fact that they blend nicely for a low-cal mudslide option is an added bonus). The other reason I like them so much is that a single bar truly satisfies my ice-cream craving. That makes the box of fudge bars a safer dessert option than a gallon of reduced-fat or “light” ice cream. In all honesty, I could easily eat that whole gallon in one sitting.
That brings me to the crux of the problem with the Skinny Cow candies and most of the lower-calorie options out there: if you’re like me, and you know one serving isn’t going to satisfy your sweet tooth, then you may be sabotaging your diet by bringing boxes of these treats into your home. Again, as someone in complete awe of those who can eat one piece of candy on Halloween and call it a day, I would definitely be at risk of eating the entire box of Skinny Cow “Dreamy Clusters.” Here’s what the damage would look like: while one pouch contains 120 calories and six grams of fat, the whole box – six pouches total – brings you to 720 calories and 36 grams of fat. Yikes!
So, for me, the better option is to “give in” to my chocolate craving and go for a full-size “3 Musketeers” bar. It weighs in at 260 calories and 8 grams of fat, but I know I’ll have only one. This is the reason I stopped buying Weight Watchers® snack cakes years ago. I could easily polish off an entire box of brownies, cookies or chocolate creme cakes during one re-run of “The Golden Girls.” Instead, if I want to “splurge,” I will have a real cupcake from Crumbs and plan out the rest of my menu for the day accordingly. At the end of the day, the key to remember is that lo-cal options may not always be the best option for you and your eating habits.
Finally, as a relentless promoter of the everything-in-moderation lifestyle, if you do go overboard today and find you’ve devoured the whole box of Skinny Cow candies or half the chocolate cake in the break room, brush off the crumbs and remember this: tomorrow brings new opportunities to make better choices so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Tabata Tunes
We made it to another Workout Wednesday!
This week, I’d actually like to address something I’ve overlooked in my past posts about Tabata training. I’m grateful my friend and true fitness pro Amy for pointing out a very crucial component when it comes to this type of high intensity training.
The Rings: One of My Favorite Tabata Stations!
While you can do multiple sets of Tabatas to create killer 20-minute workouts, I forgot to mention that you need to rest for one minute between each four-minute Tabata round to allow for short recovery. (As a refresher, in a Tabata, you push out as many reps as possible of a certain exercise in 20 seconds, follow with 10 seconds of rest and continue until the four minutes are up.)
As Amy reminded me, taking a “big break” of one minute before moving from let’s say a squat-thrust Tabata to a push-up Tabata allows the heart rate to fluctuate between recovery and full exertion. Believe it or not, it’s also a way to make sure by the end of that fourth set, you almost feel like you can’t make that last 20-second work period and your muscles will be shaking and trembling. This is a surefire way to push your body hard, but not to failure!
If you have an iPhone or iPad , there’s a great fitness app that my UXF instructor Roberto introduced me to. It’s called Ultratimer. It does cost $1.99, but as I’ve become “addicted” to Tabatas lately, it’s great to have a tool that alerts me when to work and when to rest. Ultratimer features bells and buzzers and you can listen to your music and still hear all the signals. Click here to check it out.
So, what songs keep me motivated for these workouts? Here are some of my favorite Tabata tunes that come in just over or under the four-minute mark. (I think you’ll find they’re an interesting mix of music genres.)
- “Four Minutes,” Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake (How appropriate, right?)
- “Looks That Kill,” Motley Crue
- “Firestarter,” The Prodigy
- “The Fire,” The Roots featuring John Legend
- “This is How a Heart Breaks,” Rob Thomas
- “Where Have You Been?” Rihanna
- “You Walk Away (Edit),” TyDi featuring Audrey Gallagher
- “Points of Authority,” Linkin Park
- “Time of My Life,” 3 Doors Down
- “Get Better,” KMC featuring Sandy
- “Rebel Yell,” Billy Idol
- “Point of No Return,” DJ Encore
At the end of the day, whether it’s Tabatas, time on a treadmill or taking a Zumba class, finding the workout that works for you is the key to staying on track with all your efforts to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Attention Beautiful Women Everywhere!
I’m not trying to alienate any of the guys who check in here at LauraLovesFitness (and are often kind enough to retweet or “like” my posts), but in honor of Mother’s Day, I thought I’d start off the week with a shout-out to all your fabulous females who somehow manage to do it all.
Love my mom!
I’m beyond proud of my mom who at 71-years-young has embraced a much healthier lifestyle during the past six months. Along with watching her diet, she’s moving more. In fact, we just got back from a lovely walk along the beach not far from my childhood home on Long Island. Her newfound focus on her health is an inspiration to me.
Then I think of my other friends who are moms who somehow fit fitness into their daily schedules. Whether it’s Lori Ann who’s on her elliptical before the sun comes up, Michele who makes a point of getting to one or two Zumba classes each week or Linda who toils away in the garden, they’re a constant reminder even to a fitness lover like me that if breaking a sweat is something that helps you keep an even keel to get through the craziness – it’s important to make that time for yourself.
So, I thought that was the perfect way to encourage women everywhere to take part in a really cool competition going on right now. Even though the official kick off happened a couple of weeks back, my contact tells me it’s not too late to get in the game.
As I’ve mentioned in past posts, Under Armour is my workout wear of choice. Now the brand has launched a social competition for female athletes called “What’s Beautiful.”
It’s a nine-week competition where women are asked to declare a goal and document their journey. As you’ll see at WhatsBeautiful.UA.com, that goal can be anything from running a 5K to helping kids get more involved in fitness. Document the journey and post anything that shows monumental effort.
At the end of three months, UA will pick 10 competitors that blew them away. Eventually, the finalists will be whittled down to three top winners who will win thousands of dollars in gear and be the new faces of the Under Armour brand.
Needless to say, this is something I’d love to be a part of. Unfortunately, based on my current full-time profession and other responsibilities, this will have to wait until the next go around. However, for those of you who think you can find the time to get in on the action, go for it! I’d love to say I know one of the winners and a new face of my favorite workout-wear brand.
Regardless of whether you enter the competition, always remember being active is one of the best ways to stay on track with your lifelong goals to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Just Say No!
What a difference a week makes!
It was only seven days ago I was heading home to New York after one of my more “relaxing” business trips in recent memory. Unfortunately, the professional and personal chaos that erupted since then has been simply exhausting. However, If you’re a repeat reader here at LauraLovesFitness, you know it’s not my style to harp on the negative – and I’m certainly not about to start today.
Instead, I want to focus on something I’ve been working on improving in my life – and that’s recognizing when the things that normally make you happy become a burden. I’m learning – albeit slowly – when that happens, it’s definitely time to take a step back and examine what’s on your plate.
It amazes me how willing we are to remove some high-caloric items from our diet in an effort to shed a few pounds, but we’re not so willing to remove the extras when it comes to shedding the stress. Unfortunately, not taking the time to remove one or two things from our never-ending to-do lists can eventually be harmful to our mental and emotional health.
In my case, exercise has always provided a steady boost of positive energy even when life pitches those inevitable curve balls. Since last July, writing this blog has also been a great outlet for some of my nervous energy. Then this week, I had a couple of days when the thought of working out or writing a post became overwhelming. So here’s what happened:
- I did NOT get to the gym Monday: I had to choose between a normal “hard-core” work out before getting to an evening appointment or burning a few calories on a less-intense walk home and prepping for a busy Tuesday so I could get home from my appointment and get to sleep at a reasonable hour. While I hated “bailing” on the high-intensity cardio burn, I knew my body needed rest and sleep in a big way. So, I opted for the walk and an earlier turn-in time.
- I CANCELLED on a personal training client Tuesday night: I woke up Tuesday morning feeling lousy with a sore throat and sniffles.Then my edit session at work turned into a more intense situation than planned, as did the follow ups I had to schedule with a couple of doctors. (Everything’s fine, by the way) You know what? My client, Kristen, thanked me for not wanting to get her sick, told me to feel better and rescheduled.
- I DID make plans to meet up with a gal pal for drinks after work Thursday night. Sometimes a glass of wine and a few laughs with friends is just what you need!
I think it’s important for all of us to realize saying no to something doesn’t make you weak. Instead, maybe one of the strongest decisions we can make is to figure out a way to focus on you for awhile – whether it’s for an hour or a whole evening.
So as we head into the weekend, I hope everyone – especially all you moms! – finds some time to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Help For Your Hip Flexors
We made it to another Workout Wednesday!
Photo by Leslie Hassler
For this week’s post, I wanted to concentrate on an area of training that should be a key component in everyone’s exercise regimen regardless of his or her fitness level. Unfortunately, it’s also an area that’s often tossed aside thanks to time constraints. I’m talking about flexibility training.
Whether you clock countless hours each week sitting at a desk, commuting or shuttling the kids around town, chances are you suffer from an all-too common problem for modern-day Americans: bad posture. This matched with an ever-increasing sedentary lifestyle make a recipe for disaster and makes flexibility training more important than ever. It’s one of the easiest ways to decrease muscle imbalances, joint dysfunction and overuse injuries.
While I can’t assess how your body moves via this post, I can tell you about one of my biggest “problem areas.” When I’m not “out in the field” producing shoots, I spend way too much time sitting in front of my computer. Since I’m almost always on deadline, I tend to lose track of just how long I sit there. These extended periods of sitting unfortunately cause tightening of my hip flexors, which are made up of five muscles including the psoas.
The good news is it’s not hard to find relief for those tight hip flexors. In my latest video (from the LauraDLovesFitness YouTube channel), I offer an easy stretching solution to this common problem area:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pygoAAbyQE8&feature=youtu.be
So what happens if I I don’t take the time to stretch my hip flexors and just get right into the “heart” of a workout? There are plenty of terms in exercise science to describe the problematic results, including altered reciprocal inhibition, synergistic dominance and arthrokinetic dysfunction. Here’s what those problems look like when it comes to performing one of the most popular exercises known to man: the squat. If I repeatedly perform squats with a tight psoas, the “wrong” muscles end up doing the work. The gluteus maximus should be the prime mover, but tight hips flexors inhibit the gluteus maximus from doing its job and getting strong. Instead, the workload gets picked up by the “B team:” the hamstrings and erector spinae. Not only does this make the butt-kicking exercise pretty much ineffective for actually toning my butt, but I’m also putting myself at risk for low back pain and potential injury.
The bottom line is this: if I had a time machine and could fix some of the fitness mistakes I made in my younger days, I’d try to make up for some of the lost time I didn’t spend on stretching. Making flexibility training a part of your daily routine is truly one of the best things you can do to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
A Change of Scenery
California skies from Ocean and Colorado in Santa Monica
I’m definitely going to lobby for more business trips on the West Coast!
While the shoot I worked on last week involved many hours of pre-production long before I ever boarded my JetBlue flight to Los Angeles and involved a detailed run-of-show, I somehow managed to feel more rested at the end of the three-day jaunt than I have in recent memory.
I think there were two things responsible for the energy boost:
- Thanks to the time change, I had to stay in California for a minimum of two nights. So, instead of rushing to the airport as soon as the shoot wrapped and hoping I’d make my flight, I had time to decompress after the work was done.
- The time change also worked to my advantage when it came to kicking off my day with a morning workout! I admit, early morning workouts here at home in New York really aren’t my thing. However, in California, I woke up without an alarm somewhere between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. So, I put that energy to good use in the hotel’s fitness center. Here are the down and dirty workouts that kept me energized on Pacific Time:
Happily started my mornings in the Shore Hotel’s fitness center
Day one – After the 5-hour flight:
- 30 minutes elliptical
- 15 minutes recumbent bike
- Squat Tabata (4 minutes)
- Push-up Tabata (4 minutes)
- Stretching: 7-8 minutes
- Total time: 60 minutes.
Day two – Pre-shoot jump-start:
- 30 minutes elliptical
- Four back-t0-back Tabatas: squats, planks, crunches & push-ups (16 minutes)
- Stretching: 5 minutes
- Total time: 51 minutes
Day three – Pre-flight
- 25 minutes recumbent bike (not my first choice, as I knew I’d be sitting on the plane for another 5 hours, but the ellipticals were taken)
- Plank Tabata (4 minutes)
- Push-up Tabata (4 minutes)
- “Crazy Eights” for shoulders: 8 reps of lateral raises, 8 reps of front raises and 8 reps of overhead presses. No rest between each exercise and no rest before moving on to next muscle group.
- Single-leg bicep curls: 12 reps each leg. No rest between switching legs or moving on to next exercise.
- Single-leg overhead triceps presses: 12 reps each leg.
- Repeated Crazy Eights through triceps overhead presses for three sets total.
- In an effort to feel as loose as possible before the flight, I spent a full 10 minutes stretching to wrap things up.
- Total time: 55 minutes
Post-work fun with Molly & Jessica at The Lobster in Santa Monica
In the end, probably the best part of the trip was being able to find a balance between work and play by catching up with my dear Northwestern gal pals Molly and Jessica. We had a fabulous dinner catching up over Prosecco and seafood after my shoot was finished. Making new friends with my videographer Jake and his crew was the final bonus.
So, what did I learn from this LA experience? Even when you’re working, it’s important to find some time for yourself. Whether you’re making new friends, catching up with old ones or breaking a sweat and taking in some new scenery, no matter where you are in the world, it’s important to take some time for yourself so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Frosty Friday
TGIF!
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Nothing low-cal about this drink on vacation, but you can make some adjustments at home!
Margaritas: Now that Crystal Light makes a margarita-flavored mix, why not celebrate Cinco de Mayo by putting some in a blender with a shot of tequila and saving some calories for the chips and guacamole!
- Mudslides: Oh, they are delicious, but boy, do they pack a punch when it comes to calories! According to CaloreKing.com, one Kahlua ready-to-drink Mudlslide has 2,364 calories. I tend to like Bailey’s in my mudslides, so my recipe replaces the Bailey’s with a Weight Watchers latte flavored ice pop. (Minus the stick, of course!) Put the frozen “ice cream” into a blender, and add crushed ice, 4-6 ounces of skim milk and a shot of vodka. Blend and enjoy! (You can also add a shot of Kahlua with the vodka, but that will up the calories a bit , but the final number won’t be anywhere near the 2,364 I mentioned above.)
- Calorie-Conscious Creamsicle: I learned about this one at a Weight Watchers meeting and still have to try it, but it sounds really good! Put one packet of a Weight Watchers vanilla smoothie mix into a blender, and add WW orange-flavored fat-free yogurt, crushed ice and one shot of vodka. Blend and enjoy!
- Speaking of Weight Watchers smoothie mixes, if you can get a hold of them, they’re really good and come in several flavors including vanilla, chocolate, caramel latte and even a berry blend. Mix one packet in the blender with fresh strawberries, blueberries or banana, along with crushed ice, skim milk (or water) and a shot of vodka or rum. (These taste just as good without the alcohol.)
So, whether you’re planning to raise a frosty glass in honor of Cinco de Mayo this weekend or are just looking forward to the longer, warmer days ahead, remember to enjoy yourself responsibly. Moderation and common sense are two key players in our lifelong journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Speedy Workout Wednesday
As you read this post, I’m either prepping for, in the midst of or winding down after a full-day shoot in Beverly Hills, California. I look forward to writing about my first visit to the area and how I hopefully find a way to squeeze some fitness time into a hectic schedule. For now, I didn’t want to let a Workout Wednesday go by without letting you in on my current go-to routine for when I have only an hour and very little brain power to get “creative” at the gym.
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Nothing Like a Solid Plank Tabata! Photo by Lauren Bachner
5 minutes of self-myofascial release (SMR) with the foam roller and stretching for my three chronic problem areas: calves, TFL and lats.
- 20-minute full-body weight circuit: As a member of New York Sports Clubs, I’m a big fan of their “Xpress Line.” The machines take you through each major muscle group. I do two to three sets of 12-20 reps with minimal rest in between. If you don’t belong to NYSC, you can still do a quick full-body circuit. Click here for a reminder of the machines to look for in your own gym.
- 30 minutes elliptical training with a mix of moderate / high intensity.
- Tabata time: I have become a Tabata addict! As a refresher, a Tabata interval involves four minutes of work with 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off for a total of eight sets. As the full-body weight circuit at NYSC doesn’t include any kind of ab work, I tend to do planks or crunches if I only have time for one Tabata interval.
- 5 minutes of same SMR and stretches I performed at the start of the workout. (So, this pushes my workout to about 65 minutes, but the SMR in particular has helped me find some serious relief for my overactive muscles since I started making the foam roller a part of my regular routine six months ago.)
Some mix-and-match ideas: if you want to focus solely on cardio, skip the weight circuit and add 20 minutes on the treadmill, stationary bike or rowing machine to the elliptical training. Or simply add more Tabatas to the mix! One of the toughest workouts Roberto had us perform in our UFX class was a 20-minute “Tabata Derby.” He set up five stations of different exercises and we would spend four minutes (or one Tabata interval) at each one. Click here for a refresher on what that class looked like for my small group training class.
Remember, no matter how pressed you are for time, make a conscious effort NOT to skimp on the flexibility portion of the workout. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: to keep your body in balance, stretching the muscles that are tight is just as important as strengthening the ones that are weak as part of your overall plan to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Exercise & Rosacea
With fellow Rosacea patient Cynthia Nixon, Dr. Doris Day and floor manager Iris Comune at the Rosacea Awareness satellite media tour
I have no idea where April went, but I’m getting this post up just in the nick of time as it’s the last day of Rosacea Awareness month.
According to the National Rosacea Society, more than 16 million Americans struggle with this common yet often undiagnosed skin condition. I’m one of them, and I recently learned award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon – who’s probably best known for her work as “Miranda” on my all-time favorite show, “Sex & the City” – is, too!
I was thrilled to work with Cynthia last week, along with Dr. Doris Day, as the producer for their satellite media tour aimed at helping people recognize the red flags for Rosacea. (The two-hour tour and other outreach efforts were sponsored by Galderma Laboratories, L.P.)
So, what’s Rosacea? It’s a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that affects more women than men, often after the age of 30. Some signs and symptoms include:
- Redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead.
- Small visible blood vessels on the face.
- Bumps or pimples on the face.
- Watery or irritated eyes.
I started noticing many of the above-mentioned signs after my 35th birthday. Suffering from acne in my teens and 20s, I was convinced I was dealing with it yet again. So, I used my harsh scrubs, drying masks and strong topical creams to try to clear things up, only to find the redness and bumps getting worse. I finally got things under control once I saw a dermatologist who gave me a correct diagnosis and started me on a better skincare routine which includes gentle, irritant-free products and topical prescription creams.
Two lifesavers for my face have been Cetaphil’s gentle skin cleanser and facial lotion with SPF 15. I’m also constantly on the lookout for triggers. Unfortunately, they’re pretty much all the things I love – red wine, sun exposure, spicy foods, hot showers (or baths) and here’s the kicker: EXERCISE!
Does this mean you shouldn’t exercise if you have Rosacea? Of course not! It just means you need to be hyper-aware of other triggers and work with a dermatologist to manage the condition. Here are some of Dr. Day’s fitness-friendly tips for Rosacea patients (they work for me!):
- Warm up and cool down: These pre- and post-workout components will help avoid a sudden change in body temperature which can trigger a flare-up.
- Avoid extreme temperatures: On super hot or cold days, consider running or exercising indoors to prevent flare-ups triggered by the sun, wind or cold.
- Mix things up: On the days I focus solely on cardio, my Rosacea flare-ups tend to be worse than the days I take my Club Strength class, where I focus on resistance training moves for the whole body. If I know I have plans after my workout, I may save the hardcore cardio for a day when I’m not trying to literally put my best face forward.
- Don’t skimp on your skin care: Don’t put off washing your face with a gentle cleanser after a workout. Use the mild products recommended by your dermatologist and don’t skip doses of topical prescription treatments if that’s what you’re using to keep the condition under control.
Exercise has so many benefits for the body including your skin. If you suffer from Rosacea, or think you do, don’t waste another minute: get to a dermatologist and start getting things under control so you can continue your journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Friday Fun
Happy Friday!
It seems everyone I’ve spoken to regardless of their age or profession has had one hell of a week! So, to help kick off what I hope will be an enjoyable weekend, I thought I’d share my newest favorite cocktail alternative that serves up some fun without all that sugary, calorie-filled guilt!
Crystal Light now offers mocktail mixes in Margarita, Mojito and Appletini. I’ve tried the Mojito and Margarita mixes and I have to say, I’m a fan! Like the other flavors, these drinks sans alcohol register at a mere five calories per glass. Add a shot of rum to the mojito or tequila to the margarita and you have another 100 calories. That’s a LOT better than a “normal” margarita where the mix alone can range from 200-300 calories per drink and a “regular” mojito comes in at around 175 calories. Want to skip the alcohol altogether? Add some club soda to these cocktails and serve over a tall glass of ice, and you’ll still have a refreshing way to end the day or make an afternoon more interesting!
Here are a few of my other staple “recipes” for low-cal cocktails:
- When mixing a Cape Codder (vodka & cranberry), replace high-sugar cranberry juice with light or reduced-calorie cranberry juice. For an even “slimmer” version of this summertime classic, mix one shot of raspberry or blueberry vodka with Diet Sprite, Diet 7Up, Sprite Zero or Fresca. You get the berry flavor without all the sugar.
- Use diet tonic water when mixing with vodka or gin.
- For the taste of cream soda with a kick, add a shot of vanilla vodka to a tall glass of Diet Coke.
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