Blog Archives
I Got Myself to the Gym. Now What?
You took the plunge and signed up for a gym membership. You change into your workout wear, turn on the iPod…and find yourself completely overwhelmed surrounded by a sea of equipment. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. One of my best gal pals from Northwestern University, Molly, recently posed the following questions:
“My problem with getting/staying fit right now is not knowing exactly what to do with myself once I’m at the gym. Should I just focus on cardio? (I’d like to lose a few pounds.) If so, do I stick with one machine like the treadmill and work on building speed and endurance, or switch it up and try the elliptical sometimes? Should I start again with the weight machines, which I haven’t done in a while? (I’d also like to tone up and gain strength.) Take a class?”
Two important points to address right away:
1) They key to losing weight is burning more calories than you take in. That can be done through cardio and/or resistance training. Whether you’re an exercise novice or seasoned gym-goer, your body will benefit most from a combination of the two.
2) Find what you like to do at the gym, and you will stick with it. Then with some help from perseverance, self-discipline and motivation, you can get the results you’re looking for.
Reminding myself how good I feel after a workout fuels my perseverance and self-discipline. As for motivation, if you’re new to the gym, I strongly recommend meeting with a personal trainer at least once. Aside from helping you get familiarized with the gym, a personal trainer will also conduct fitness assessments to determine if you have any postural distortions that need correcting as part of your routine. In the simplest terms, you will learn what areas of your body need to be stretched and which need to be strengthened.
Many gyms welcome new members with a complimentary training session. If your gym doesn’t offer this service and a personal training session is not in your budget, then recruit a friend who does know his or her way around the gym to be your training partner.
Group exercise classes can also be a great source of motivation. With classes ranging from cardio kickboxing to Zumba, there is something out there for everyone. To avoid boredom at the gym, I’m a big fan of mixing up group exercise classes with your own program during the week.
Cardio is a topic that warrants its own blog post. For now, I recommend newcomers try the treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike for 10 minutes each. Determine which one you like best, then work on being able to run, stride or cycle for up to 30 minutes where you notice a moderate increase in your heart and respiratory rates. Doing this five to seven days each week with two days of resistance training is a good workout plan to strive for.
One final note: it takes six weeks before something becomes a habit. So, your first trip to the gym is the first big step in making exercise part of your routine to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Exercise & Grief
I don’t mean to start the week off on a “down” note, but an unexpected event happened over the weekend that triggered the idea behind this brief post. As I left my apartment Saturday morning for the short walk to the gym, I called my parents to say hello. My mom then broke the sad news that a very dear family friend in Florida had lost her battle to cancer.
Her name was Anne, and she was like a surrogate grandmother to me during all my years traveling to Florida. She was a fun, feisty Irish gal who always had a sparkle in her eye and a fun story to share. While I was relieved to know she was finally at peace and reunited with her husband Bill, I was also sad and found myself reduced to tears in the street. (Luckily in New York City, no one finds this odd.) I composed myself, said a prayer and continued on to the gym. I then unleashed my sorrow in an intense cardio workout that lasted just shy of 60 minutes.
I realize not everyone is going to run to the gym after receiving sad news to jump on an elliptical machine or start circuit training. Each of us must deal with grief in our own way. This experience, however, reminded me how exercise has helped me through some of life’s not-so-great moments and given me the strength to face the reality of those moments with a bit more clarity and energy. Whether I was dealing with the loss of a loved one, an illness in my family, the demise of a relationship or trouble at work, even something as simple as a good, long walk managed to help clear my mind and unburden my heart just the slightest bit.
No doubt life will throw challenges our way that make it difficult to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous. When that happens, sometimes having a good cry or breaking a major sweat can help you get back on the path to the place you really want to be.
Smart Snacking
Here’s to making it to the end of another work week! As I am just back from vacation and try to re-adjust to the daily grind, I thought it was the perfect time to continue what I started last week: a quick Friday hit list. This time, I offer some of my favorite snacks.
As I mentioned in my previous installment Food & Fitness, I generally try to eat every three to four hours to keep my blood sugar at an even keel and avoid getting so hungry that I eat too much or the wrong foods at my next official meal. That means I’m always on the lookout for smart snack options that keep me fueled whether I’m on a shoot, gearing up for a good workout or simply reading a book on the beach. Here are some of my go-to items:
- At work: I always have single serve mini bags of 94% fat-free microwavable popcorn in my desk drawer. (Yet another tip learned through Weight Watchers.) Not only are the popped kernels filling, it takes some time to get through a bag, which leaves you no choice but to snack slowly.
- Pre-workout: I usually head to the gym after work, so an hour before I start my workout, I will eat a protein / carb mix. Three of my mix-and-match favorites include: one Weight Watchers string cheese with an apple, peach or nectarine; non-fat plain Greek yogurt with a serving of almonds or reduced fat Wheat Thins with Laughing Cow cheese spread.
- Pre-“big time” workout: I absolutely love peanut butter, but I have a hard time restraining myself to the “normal” serving size. However, Jif makes portable single serve cups. They are definitely packed with more calories and fat than I’d normally like to snack on. However, on a day where I couldn’t eat a normal, well-balanced lunch and I’m taking my weekly Club Strength class, I’ll “splurge” on a snack of one single-size peanut butter cup on two slices of Weight Watchers toast. (For a boost to this snack or any on this list, I’ll add an apple.)
- On the run: I always have a Fiber One bar in my backpack or purse. I get a chocolate fix while kicking hunger to the curb.
- In a pinch: a hot cup of green tea or chewing gum helps keep my hunger when eating a healthy snack isn’t on the menu.
If you have some different snack ideas, please send them along! (While you’re at it, let me know if you have any good music to add to the Music That Makes Me Move playlist I posted last week.) The information we share can only help us all on our journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Make Time for Yourself
There is a phenomenon in fitness called the cumulative injury cycle. Basically, if you continue to exercise without correcting any postural distortions that lead to muscle imbalances, the compensations your body makes to allow you to follow through with the exercise will eventually lead to an injury. I am also a firm believer our mental fitness can take a serious hit if we don’t take time to rest and regroup.
As I sit here looking at the ocean in Montauk, I realize what a different person I am today than just two days ago. I attribute this mind-altered state to two factors: I am on vacation and I am doing things for myself I simply do not do enough of at home. That includes:
- Letting the sound of the ocean drown out my anxieties about work
- Not rushing through my workouts
- Sitting in the steam room after my workouts
- Getting a massage
- Eating dessert
- Not worrying about having less-than-optimal cell or WiFi service
To expand on that last point, I haven’t been able to upload any pictures taken on my iPhone to my Facebook page and I have only been able to update my status once. I have been able to open my work and personal email accounts, but I haven’t been able to send a reply. Forget about Twitter or LinkedIn. I finally decided to stop trying to open my apps and simply said: “You are on vacation!” If someone really needs to get a hold of me, I can still retrieve voice messages from a few spots in the parking lot.
Whether you run the household, run a business or have a job where you answer to a boss, everyone works hard. No doubt the state of the economy has shattered whatever our definition of financial security was in the past. Many of us still struggle from the aftershock of losing a job or may be trying to keep a business afloat. This makes it all the more important to take some time to be good to ourselves when we can.
Realistically, a vacation or trip to the spa may not be attainable at the moment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t shut out the world for an hour or two a week. Some escape plans include:
- Replace that Bluetooth in your ear with ear buds for 30 minutes a night and plug them into a sound machine tuned to the ocean surf or frogs in the forest.
- Add 10 minutes to your workout routine and stretch.
- For once, try yoga instead of that heart- and muscle-pounding cardio kickboxing class.
- Take a bath instead of a shower before going to bed.
- While summer is still here, take your dinner outside and have a picnic in your backyard, roof deck or nearby park.
While it’s important to focus on work, we owe it to ourselves to find our own unique ways to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Music That Makes Me Move
We made it to Friday! As I continue to navigate my way through this new blogging adventure, I’m toying with the idea of keeping Friday’s posts short and sweet with a quick hit list regarding some fitness-related topic. For the first of these installments, I offer some of my favorite workout tunes that keep me moving either on the elliptical machine or as I hit the floor for some resistance training and core work.
Laura’s Top 10 Favorite Cardio Jams:
“On the Floor” Jennifer Lopez (feat. Pitbull)
“Chemistry” Velvet
“Around You” Jes
“Blow” Ke$ha
“Shut It Down” Pitbull (feat. Akon)
“Inner Sanctum” Blue
“Alright” Red Carpet
“Sorry” Madonna
“Judas” Lady GaGa
“I’m Into You” Jennifer Lopez (feat. Lil Wayne)
Laura’s Top 10 Resistance Training Tunes:
“Wherever I May Roam” Metallica
“The Fire” The Roots & John Legend
“The Game” Disturbed
“Let It Rock” Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne
“Shake That” Eminem
“Four Minutes” Madonna (feat. Justin Timberlake)
“Do What’s Good For Me” 2 Unlimited
“Bumpy Flight Home” Oakenfold
“Stagefright” Def Leppard
“Crazy on You” Heart
Obviously, I like a wide variety of music. (Note: these are only a handful of songs featured in my “Workout Mix” playlist.) You may love or hate any or all of the songs listed above, but I figured you could at least give some unknown titles a search and a listen and decide if they’re worthy to be a part of your iTunes library.
On a low-energy day, sometimes just turning up the right heart-pounding beats can help kickstart your adrenaline and get you into the right mood to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Don’t Skimp When it Comes to Stretching!
An old friend, Shannon Palermo, posted the following comment on my LauraLovesFitness Facebook page:
“So, what is the recommendation when it comes to cardio and stretching? I walk/run on a treadmill at home. Do I warm up then stretch or stretch first or stretch after? Also any suggested stretches? I recently pulled a muscle in my hip causing me to be sidelined with major hip and knee pain. I believe this is due to my lack of stretching and my need for new sneakers. ”
These questions raise several important issues, but first and foremost is the subject of pain. Whether you’re a fitness novice or trained athlete, if you really listen to your body, you can tell the difference between muscle soreness from an intense workout and pain that indicates something is wrong. If you experience “major” pain in any area, you could be suffering from an acute or cumulative injury. I’ve been the victim of many cumulative injuries because of one simple reason: I’ve ignored the warning signs and simply pushed through the pain.
If you experience pain that causes significant discomfort and doesn’t subside with ice and/or over-the-counter pain killers for more than a day or two, you should see your doctor. When you let an injury linger, other parts of your body will compensate for the injury, throwing off your body’s proper mechanics and causing postural distortions. In the end, an injury to your foot will lead to compensations that create stress on other parts of your body’s kinetic chain – and you can easily end up with pain in your knees, hips or back. For my friend Shannon, if you’re simply guessing that you pulled a muscle and haven’t seen a doctor, please make an appointment soon.
As for stretching: the jury may still be out on when to stretch, but there is no debate about the fact that everyone needs to include flexibility training in their workout routine. As I learned through my NASM training, countless studies show a link between decreased flexibility and injury. For example, decreased flexibility in the hamstrings and quadriceps significantly contributes to tendonitis in the knee.
NASM’s training model includes stretching as part of a warm up and again during the cool down period of your workout. The stretching-before-cardio-or-strength-training idea is stretch the muscles that may be tight so that you perform an exercise as optimally as possible and reduce the risk for improper movement and injury. For a runner like Shannon, it’s optimal to stretch certain muscles like the hamstrings and hip flexors before a hitting the treadmill or the road. Here are two links I found helpful about stretching:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml
http://www.stretchingworld.com/staticstretching.html
We’ve only scratched the surface and I look forward to writing more about injury prevention and flexibility training , but I hope the information in this post is a good start to proving why stretching is a crucial part of our quest to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Benefits of Group Exercise
Boxing? Yoga? There's a Class Out There for You!
Every Tuesday night for the past six years, unless I was sick, on vacation or on the road for work, you’d find me in the front right corner of the group exercise studio in the New York Sports Club near my office sweating it out in my favorite class of the week. “Club Strength” utilizes free weights and weight plates for a total body workout of resistance training. Add the kick-butt choreography and music selections from fitness instructor Wayne Sims, and you have all the makings for a class that gets the heart rate going and brings on the burn in all your muscle groups. I absolutely love how I feel when I leave this class.
Of course, even Wayne has to take a vacation or sick day now and then and a substitute instructor fills in. Unfortunately, the sub who filled in tonight just didn’t do it for me. I’m not here to name names or bad-mouth anyone, as everyone has their own teaching style and technique. Maybe some of the other class regulars enjoyed tonight’s workout. For me, it was simply disappointing to leave the gym without my normal Tuesday night rush.
While this let-down won’t prevent me from going back to the gym tomorrow, I realize one not-so-hot class experience can wreak havoc on your fitness goals if you’re just getting started on a workout routine. You decide to take the plunge and join a gym, you try a class and then you simply hate it. Well, here’s what I say about that predicament: don’t despair and don’t give up!
There are so many different classes available today that it would be hard not to find something you like. Whether it’s “old school” aerobics, spinning, boxing, core conditioning, Pilates or yoga, there really is something for everyone at every skill level. Group classes can be intense, but between the heart-pounding music and the contagious energy of your instructor and classmates, it’s a fun way to get a great workout – sometimes in less than an hour. Enjoying all these benefits for so many years and wanting to spread the fun to others is what led me to study and become a Certified Group Exercise Instructor with the Aerobics & Fitness Assocation of America (AFAA).
Like many other activities in life, when it comes to exercise, you need to find something you like doing so you can stick with it. Participating in group exercise classes can be a great way to find your own groove on how to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Skinny on Walking
My friend Paula, the List Producer, offered up the following question for a blog topic: what IS the deal with walking anyway? To address this, I offer my personal experience along with input from Brent Brookbush, fitness guru and President of B2C Fitness, LLC; and throw in a link to an article I found particularly helpful about the subject.
These Streets Were Made for Walking!
Since moving to New York City four years ago, I can honestly say I have taken every opportunity to walk wherever and whenever I can: from home to work; work to the gym; the gym to someone else’s home – you get the picture. I have always thought walking is better than no activity at all and it turns out, Brent agrees with me. However, he also stresses that while it can be a good starting point for beginners or those who fell off the fitness wagon and are slowly working back into a routine, it’s not going to do anything to improve actual performance. Why? Well, you’d have to walk ridiculously fast to get your heart rate up to just the first of three training zones – and how many of us can say that’s what we’re doing even as we try to pick up the pace on a walk to work?
To get some actual data to discuss the difference between running and walking, I searched the Internet and found this article by Rick Morris particularly helpful and hope you will, too. (It even includes a 1000 calorie fat-burning workout.)
http://www.runningplanet.com/training/running-versus-walking.html
So put this information together and what does it mean? While walking to work may not give you the same cardiovascular or calorie-burning benefits of a 30-minute bout on the elliptical machine or treadmill or a high-intensity 45-minute spin class, it’s still better than no movement at all. Since I’m a big proponent of taking care of your body and your mind, if that walk to work helps you clear your head and makes you want to kick things up a notch with a run in the park or a bike ride over the weekend, then more power to you!
Remember, in the end, we all have to walk, run, ride or skip along our own path to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Power of Positive Thinking
With Fun & Fabulous Fitness Friend, Amy G.
Last week my friend Amy, personal trainer and group exercise instructor extraordinaire, responded to my request for blog topics with a very important aspect for all of us to remember as we continuously strive to be healthy and reach our fitness goals: maintaining a positive self-image.
As luck would have it, during my lazy Sunday morning routine, I picked up this week’s People and one of the cover stories jumped out at me: “How to Get Beyonce’s Rockin’ Body!!” I immediately turned to the article, only to be bombarded with images of five rockin’ bodies belonging to today’s top female music stars. As I looked at their “perfect” legs, glutes, abs and arms, my self-esteem took a nose dive as I started feeling less-than-positive about all of my own above mentioned assets. Of course, I then read the blurb next to each hot body and noticed they all ended with the same few words “says her trainer (insert name here).”
I have always said that if I won the lottery, after settling any debts and contributing to my favorite charities, I’d hire a personal trainer to kick my butt five days a week and also pay a chef to take the guesswork out of eating meals that taste good and are actually good for you. Until that happens, I have to remind myself on a daily basis that in my reality, I am doing the best I can to take care of myself and feel good. So, while I may never have legs like Beyonce, I do have a strong heart, strong spirit and strong desire to get my workouts in because I know the endorphins I get from exercising will make me feel like I’m on top of the world, even if it’s just for a little while.
So, as you start a new week filled with new opportunities, give yourself a mental pat on the back when you kick up your cardio for an extra 15 minutes, try that group exercise class you’ve been curious about, play soccer with your kids in the park or get in a run on your next business trip.
The bottom line is we all have to embrace who we are and really understand our goals. For me, around my 30th birthday I realized I would never weigh 115 pounds again and I could not survive on lettuce, water and vodka. Now at 37, thanks to my daily responsibilities, I can’t spend three hours working out. However, I am healthier than I was in my 20s when I could exercise for hours at a time but consistently ate and drank alot of “bad” things.
I can’t lie. I wouldn’t mind winning the lottery. Until then, I’ll continue taking deep breaths when I read People and remind myself that looking like (insert name of celeb here) isn’t what’s needed to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous.
A Healthy Business Trip
L-R: Tom Brown, Wheelchair Games Co-Founder; Trish LaBar, U.S. Army Veteran; Doug Beckley, U.S. Navy Veteran
I just wrapped up one of the best business trips I’ve been on in quite a while. I had the privilege of producing a satellite media tour for the Paralyzed Veterans of America and helped them promote the 31st National Veterans Wheelchair Games going on this week in Pittsburgh. It is the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world and is co-presented by PVA and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
This year, there are more than 600 American veteran heroes with physical disabilities participating in 17 medal events including archery, power soccer, quad rugby, basketball and swimming. Each participant competes with athleticism and a true strength of spirit many of us will never achieve. I was proud to be a part of today’s media outreach efforts for the Games as I believe there will never be enough we can do for those who have sacrificed so much for the rest of us.
While the trip to Pittsburgh proved good for my spirits, it wasn’t too bad for my physical well-being either. Airports aren’t known for their healthy food options, but luckily, the JetBlue terminal at JFK offers more than burgers and pizza. I was able to find salad and even fresh strawberries for lunch. Last night, our Pittsburgh studio liaison treated me to a fabulous dinner, where I was enjoyed sea bass with fresh spinach. (I did have one glass of Pinot Noir.) I even managed to squeeze in 30 minutes on the elliptical, three sets of push ups (20 reps) and some core work on a yoga ball at the hotel’s fitness center.
So, for my fellow business travelers, here’s what I do to try to stay healthy on the road:
- Pack healthy snacks. Even on overnight trips, I keep raw almonds and a couple of Fiber One bars in my bag. If I can’t eat for a while because I’m wrapped up in the project, or if the food options aren’t optimal, at least I have a satisfying snack to hold me over for a bit.
- Pack workout gear. If I find 30 minutes to spare, there’s no excuse not to go for a run, walk or quick workout in the hotel’s fitness center. (Breaking a good sweat feels especially good after sitting on a plane or train.)
- Monitor portions. If meals are brought in for meetings or you’re going out for dinner, watch your portion sizes and perhaps choose to have a drink, but skip dessert or skip an appetizer and a drink but indulge in something sweet after your meal.
Pittsburgh Skyline
The key is to find what works for you. If you’re lucky enough to get a “natural high” from being involved in a project as rewarding as what I was a part of today, you’ll get the extra bonus of knowing you can be working and still have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
lauralovesfitness 