Blog Archives
We Could All Use More Motivation to….Rest!
On this Motivation Monday, I’m happy to report I feel physically stronger than I have in several weeks. Want to know my secret? I took a few days off.
Unfortunately, one of the rest days arrived as the result of a minor injury. Last Tuesday, I strained my left pectoral muscle from either not executing proper form during a push-up sprint or gripping the ballet bar and leaning back a bit too during a “waterski” sprint at Physique57. By Wednesday night’s “UFX Burn” class at New York Sports Club, every amped-up inhalation during our high intensity cardio drill and each rep of standing reverse flies were pretty painful. So after icing the area and popping a couple of ibuprofen before bed that night, I took Thursday off. I even stayed away from the elliptical because I knew using the arm handles would or gripping the side bars too tight would have put unnecessary stress on my tweaked muscle. By Friday afternoon’s Physique class, I felt 90% better. After enjoying another gal-pal catch-up day on Saturday, I decided to extend my rest time to cover the entire weekend. In the end, I tallied four workouts in a seven day period. While that’s less than my typical five to six, you know what? My body is much happier on this Monday morning thanks to the extra TLC.
If you’re prepping for a competition or if you’re a serious bodybuilder, I understand there’s a strict schedule to follow to make gains in a certain amount of time. However, if you’re on a new health and fitness kick or if you’re like me and you’ve been attacking your workouts at 125% to get through a rough patch in your life, it’s not a bad idea to pause for a moment and remember rest is a crucial component to improving your well-being. Whether you’re a runner, strength-training class or Zumba addict, it’s actually the rest days that allow those amazing muscles in your body to recover and grow.
The bottom line is by not taking at least one rest day each week, you can put yourself at risk for overtraining. When you overtrain, the body is more prone to injury and instead of enjoying the typical endorphin rush from a great workout, you could find yourself feeling more tired than usual. Here’s a checklist of overtraining symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Anemia
- Amenorrhea (when a woman stops getting her monthly period)
- Overuse or stress-related injuries (e.g. stress fractures, tennis elbow and runner’s knee)
- Increased resting heart rate
- Slower recovery of heart rate
- Decrease in strength performance
- Constant muscle pain or soreness when moving, bordering on pain
Remember, taking a rest day doesn’t mean you’re being lazy. It only means you’re giving your body the strength it needs to get back in the game so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Best Laid Plans…
The extent of my “heavy lifting” over a fun fall weekend!
As you loyal readers know, I’ve been posting new material for Motivation Mondays since this blog started back in July 2011. While I didn’t plan to push this week’s post to land on Tear-It-Up Tuesday, sometimes you just have to take a deep breath, realize there are only so many hours in a day and accept the way things work out. The bottom line is we can probably all do a better job at NOT beating ourselves up when we don’t cross out every single item on our to-do list every single day of the week.
That being said, I’ve finally “forgiven” myself for not getting to the fitness center during my business trip to Los Angeles. I did pack my workout wear, but when I factored in a five-hour flight, three-hour time difference and production call time of 3 am, I had to choose between getting the rest I needed to do my job well or sacrificing the few zzzz’s I could get for a workout. At the end of the day, the project went well, my boss and the clients were happy and by not running myself into the ground, I also warded off some serious cold germs provided by my fellow passengers during the flight home.
When I returned, it was just in time to enjoy a fun fall Saturday with a dear gal pal and her family and then round off the weekend spending quality time with Mom and Dad. Could I have banged out a post when I got back to the city on Sunday? Probably. Would it have been coherent? Probably not. Obviously if I had a work deadline, I would have sucked it up and got things done. However, when things that are supposed to be fun start stressing you out, it’s time to step back and ask yourself: “Is the world going to spin off its axis if this doesn’t get done for another 24 hours?”
So, instead of fretting over writing, I used the time to get organized, rest and recover. You know what? I had extra energy to kick off my Motivation Monday with a Physique57 class and then attack the computer. Now I’m ready to take on whatever the week ahead throws at me – physically and mentally.
Let’s face it, most of us have too much on our plates on any given day of the week. When crunch time gets extra crunchy, we sometimes have to make choices to make a whole laundry list of “stuff” a little easier to carry. Maybe your favorite group exercise class falls on the same night your child needs help studying for a spelling test or the only night you and your spouse or best friend have time to catch up on a long-overdue date or phone call. Make the choices that work for you in that moment and remember tomorrow’s coming…with a whole new set of opportunities to help us have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
My New Favorite “Fit” Food for the Fall
Since I’ve already offered some tips on how to adjust your fitness routine with the change of seasons, I thought I’d shift gears slightly on this Motivation Monday to tell you about a new staple in my fall diet: farro.
I’m sure many of my fellow Italians are thinking “are you kidding, Laura? Italians have been cooking with farro for nearly 2,000 years!” Well, I might be a little late discovering this wonderful whole grain alternative to rice and pasta, but you know what they say, better late than never!
Farro (FAH-row) is a whole grain, but has a richer, almost nutty flavor compared to the somewhat bland brown rice. While it isn’t a complete source of protein, like quinoa, a cup of farro has about eight grams of cholesterol-lowering fiber. It also contains minerals like magnesium, which is known to relieve tension and finally, it contains “smart carbs” that break down slowly and keep your energy levels stable.
For me, farro has become my go-to for adding a little “bulk” to dinner when that piece of grilled chicken or fish and a side of veggies just isn’t enough. This is especially true on my double-dose workout days of fasted cardio in the morning followed by a Physique57 or other group exercise class in the evening. A serving of farro satisfies my craving for “comfort food,” and the fiber content helps keep me feeling full for awhile.
No-fuss dinner: grilled chicken (with mustard), farro and broccoli
Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m definitely not a cook. So the other thing I love about farro is how easy it is to prepare. (At least using the 10-minute version I buy at Trader Joe’s.) All I have to do is boil water, throw in a bag of farro, let it cook for 10 minutes, strain it, add some seasoning and maybe a few sprays of “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” and that’s that. I put the leftovers in my fridge and nuke them throughout the week. (I usually get about 3-4 servings from out of one bag.) You can also add cold farro to salads for lunch and I’ve heard some people even like it hot for breakfast with some fruit as an alternative to oatmeal.
If you have any healthy farro recipes you’d like to share, I’d love to hear about them! It’s always fun finding a new zero-guilt item to add to the pantry or fridge so you can give your body the fuel it needs and stay on track with your plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Taking Some Stress out of a Monday
I know it’s nearly impossible for Monday NOT to cause some stress. Just hearing the word Monday can make even the calmest of people a bit tense. When a Monday happens to fall during an especially busy time in your already hectic life or after a whirlwind of a weekend, it can easily threaten to make the entire new week seem overwhelming.
While there’s nothing we can do to stop another Monday from coming, there are things we can do to minimize the stress levels in our lives. Along with getting more exercise, another great way to relieve stress is to get a better handle on your schedule, particularly when it comes to prioritizing items on that never-ending to-do list. I’m a big fan of lists, and I make them all the time. The one thing I’m training myself to get better at is accepting the fact that it IS okay to NOT get everything on my to-do list done in one day. That’s where the prioritizing comes in, and that’s the main reason why the bulk of this Monday’s blog post borrows motivational words from others.
After a few unexpected surprises at the end of the work week, I spent the weekend on Long Island for my Mom’s birthday. There were lots of laughs, a little shopping, some good food and good spirits and even one big Northwestern University football game to watch for added excitement. (I’m still crushed my ‘Cats lost, but they gave Ohio State a good fight!) On game day, I realized I hadn’t started a post for this Monday, and I started to stress about it. Then I reminded myself of two important things:
- Spending quality time with my family is your number one priority for this weekend (and beyond) and
- This blog is supposed to be a positive outlet for my energy – not a source of stress.
On that note, I hope you’ll forgive me for borrowing some notable quotables for this week’s Motivation Monday boost. This allowed me to spend a little less time on the computer and more time with my family. I hope the following words will help give you what you need to kick off the new week with new energy to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein
“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” – Jim Rohn
“It is only in sorrow bad weather masters us; in joy we face the storm and defy it.”-Amelia Barr
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror, I can take the next thing that comes along.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and repeat to yourself, the most comforting words of all; this too, shall pass.” -Ann Landers
A Special Workout Wednesday Team Effort
One favorite you’ll always find in my fridge!
I hope everyone’s enjoying this first Workout Wednesday in October! With the mercury rising into the 80s today here in New York City today, I wish I was at the beach but I’ll gladly take the sunshine!
I returned from my morning cardio session to find a link ready to share to my guest appearance on another website today. Robin Plotkin is a registered dietitian, nutrition expert and creator of RobinsBite.com. She lives in Dallas, TX and after meeting in Cyberspace through the land of Twitter, she asked me to share my food buying and eating habits to be featured in her “Inside the Fridge” series. Click here to read my guest post.
I close with a big thank you to Robin for the opportunity to appear on her website and a wish for all of you to use the new month as a time to add some new healthy habits to your lifestyle so you can continue on your journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Beat Those Gym Germs!
I don’t know about where you live, but here in New York City it seems like everyone – including yours truly – has been fighting a cold bug since fall arrived. While exercise can help keep your immune system strong, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure that workout does your body good and not have you bringing home a boatload of bacteria that can make you sick.
Bacteria and viruses ranging from the common cold bug to the antibiotic-resistant MRSA love to lurk and grow in a moist, warm environment which is exactly what the gym provides. Instead of letting the fear of catching a cold (or worse) keep me out of the gym, I take a few simple measure to try and prevent bringing to the pesky germs home.
- Pre-workout prep: Cover cuts or scrapes with adhesive bandages. I have a bad habit of biting my cuticles and if I do more damage than usual, I’m sure to put some antibiotic cream on the open skin and cover it up before I hit the gym or park.
- At the gym: Almost all facilities provide paper towels and anti-bacterial spray or disinfectant wipes to clean off equipment. It only takes an extra minute or two before you start dripping your own sweat on a machines to remove what the person before you left behind. Wipe down handles, setting buttons, bars and pretty much anything you grip or press before you use it. Follow good gym etiquette wipe down the equipment when you’re done, too.
- Group classes: If you’re a regular at a class that requires a mat, why not bring your own from home. (With the holidays fast approaching, if you don’t have on, think about putting it on your wish list.) If you do use a studio mat, cover it with a clean towel.
- Post-workout: If you shower at the gym, invest in a cheap pair of flip-flops or water shoes and wear them not only in the shower itself, but as you walk around the locker room. It’s pretty disgusting to think about some of the things lurking on floor tiles that were brought in from the soles of sneakers and other street shoes.
- Avoid touching your face: Make a conscious effort to NOT rub your eyes with sweaty, dirty gym hands. Your tear ducts are an easy entry for germs to get into your system, so don’t make it any easier for them to get in. Before you leave the gym, be sure to wash your hands with warm water. If you’re in a huge rush, be sure to at least wipe them down with antibacterial gel.
One final note, if you’re sick and not sure whether to work out, the general rule of thumb is if your symptoms are above the shoulders, it’s probably okay, but don’t overdo it. If you have a fever, severe cough or chest congestion or a stomach bug, do everyone a favor and stay home! By listening to your body and using some common sense, we can all help each other get through the “germy” season and still have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Bring on a Strong Fall Season!
What’s Your Definition of Strength? Photo by Leslie Hassle
We made it to the first Motivation Monday of the fall of 2013! As you repeat readers know by now, this bona fide beach bunny is beyond ecstatic about leaving this particular summer behind and kicking off a whole new season filled with new opportunities and adventures.
If you’re still working on defining your health and fitness goals for the season, let me offer a little guidance that may help. The guidance comes in the form of a question. It’s an important one because there are so many answers, none of which is wrong and all of which are tailored for the individual who answers it. Here it is: what’s your definition of strength?
Here’s the definition you’ll find in Webster’s dictionary:
- the quality or state of being physically strong
- the ability to resist being moved or broken by a force
- the quality that allows someone to deal with problems in a determined and effective way
Those three bullets are a great starting point for what the heart of the word means. Deciding if one or all of them is the driving factor behind why we want to be strong is crucial to finding our motivation to incorporate fitness into daily routine. Maybe you want stronger muscles to lift weights or your growing children. Maybe you want a stronger will to follow your dreams and not be distracted by fear and doubt. Maybe you want to grow tougher armor to not be hurt by the people and things that try to break you. Whatever your motivation, exercise is one of the best ways to gain the strength you desire to tackle each and every day of this sometimes crazy life.
When I look at my own life, adding Physique57 classes to my weekly training routine has helped me feel physically stronger than ever. The total body workouts have especially helped me conquer the lower back pain I’ve experienced on and off for years. My lower body is finally getting the strength training I admit I avoided for far too long. On the emotional front, that physical strength has actually helped my mind stay sharp and focused even when unexpected and sometimes unpleasant distractions are thrown at me. The discipline I follow with my workouts motivates me to stay on track with other areas that are part of an essential recipe for my overall health and well-being, namely fueling my body with healthy food every few hours and staying on a sleep schedule. Working to keep those ingredients steady in this ever-changing life help me stay strong and ready to overcome the obstacles that sometimes seem too much to bear when they first attack.
Remember, whether it’s a desire to put your strength to the test in a fitness competition or have more energy to play with your kids on the weekends, we can all rely on our strength to help us handle the toughest of challenges. Figuring out why you want that strength in your life will help you put some plans into action so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Fitness: It’s ALL About You
I’ve always found this to be a strange time of year. Many of us try to soak up what’s officially left of the easy-going summer season while desperately trying to adapt to the faster-paced back-to-the-grind time. Since my last post offered some tips on how to fit fitness into your fall schedule , I thought I’d follow-up with a Motivation Monday boost of encouragement if you’re struggling to make it happen. Remember, deciding to add exercise and healthy choices to your daily routine is about as personal of a decision as you can make. So make sure you’re doing it for yourself and no one else.
As my longtime readers already know, I’ve officially become addicted to the Physique57 workouts I started taking back in April. Aside from the fact that I always feel like I can conquer the world when the 57-total-body-sculpting workout is finished, I also love the positive affirmations offered by the instructors throughout class. While they push us to bang out just one more squeeze of the playground ball with our inner thighs while we squat hundreds of times at the ballet bar, they also bombard us with positive affirmations including:
- We’re stronger than we think
- We should not compare ourselves to what the person next to us is doing
- We should focus on ourselves and what our body is capable of during that workout at that time.
- We should be proud of ourselves for getting out of bed or out of the office for an early morning or lunch-time workout
- We need to remember with each rep and each pulse, we’re helping our bodies get stronger and healthier.
I find myself using some of that self-affirmation during other group exercise classes and even during my independent workouts. Whether I’m pushing through a high interval on the elliptical or combat rope Tabata, I remind myself that I am strong, and focus on how good it feels to expel any bad energy with every exhale and every bead of sweat. I block out the people on the machines around me. It doesn’t matter if they’re climbing a higher hill or lifting heavier free weights while doing the exact same exercise. I focus on maintaining good form and making each move count. I also remind myself how I’ll be able to face whatever awaits after the workout with new energy and a sharper focus.
So, if you’re struggling to get motivated to move more, try to think about how good you feel when you do. What’s the biggest benefit you get from that walk, run, Zumba class or park bootcamp workout? Focus on that feeling and you’ll be amazed how you can stay on track with your goals to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Twelve Years Later..
May We Never Forget
I like to believe there’s some truth in that old saying “time heals all wounds.” However, there’s simply no escaping a surge of emotions when you come face-to-face with a date on the calendar that changed your world forever. In the case of 9/11, so many worlds were changed that it’s amazing to think the world actually kept spinning. Yet it did.
Twelve years later, I can remember every detail of that unfathomable sunshine-filled day. While it’s impossible not to think about the loved ones we lost and the paralyzing fear we felt, I also remember how we banded together as a nation to help each other through. We prayed together. We cried together. We were kinder to each other. We all realized just how fragile life can be.
So today, while I know I’ll be stopping in Church to pray for my friend Glen Pettit and all those who were taken from us far too soon, I will also reflect on what I need to let go of in my life..and what I should hold on to with a stronger grip. Whatever you need to do to get through this difficult day, whether it’s a visit to your Church, spending some quiet time with your thoughts at home, or spending an extra ten minutes on your daily walk, don’t forget the little things that can have a big impact. Hug your child a few extra times today. Don’t be afraid to tell your parents, your siblings, your significant other or your best friend that you love them. Think about making amends with someone you can’t remember why you every had a falling out with in the first place.
I hope you’ll forgive this shift from the focus of my normal posts. As many of you already know, fitness has always been an outlet for me to sort things out when life gets a little overwhelming. Second to that is writing. If you’d like to read more about my memories from September 11th, 2001, here’s a link to what I posted on the 10-year anniversary. Whether you read the old post or stop here, I wish you and yours as much peace and comfort as possible today.
God Bless America.
Back to the Grind!
Happily Saying Good Bye to the Summer of 2013 – and Ready for a New Season!
I won’t lie. I’m beyond ecstatic that this summer is unofficially over and done with!
While I always do my best to stay upbeat no matter what’s going on, to be blunt, this summer was a big test for my psyche. (New readers, click here to see what I’m talking about.) Still, I passed the test and now that September is here, it means a new month and new beginnings. If you dealt with your own challenges these past few months, now’s the time to wipe the slate clean and start over.
Parents are dealing with the responsibilities of getting the kids back on track at school. That means new teachers, new schedules and perhaps new after-school activities. If you’re like me and you don’t have kids, there’s still an uptick in the overall pace of life with the end of summer Fridays and the beginning of new projects and deadlines. Whatever new items are on your agenda, it’s the perfect time to get your health and fitness goals in serious shape. As you focus on getting a daily routine established for you and maybe the whole family, don’t forget to fit some fitness into your September routine. Sound impossible? Think again!
Here are some tips to make things a little less overwhelming:
- Put it in writing: If you drive your kids to school or drop your spouse at the train station, figure out if there’s time immediately following a drop-off or right before a pick-up for a workout. This could mean hitting the gym for a group exercise class, driving a few more blocks to the park for a run or meeting a fitness friend for brisk walk or game of tennis. Typing it into your smart phone calendar or putting it in your planner will also give you a visual boost to make it happen at the allotted hour.
- Ten minutes of something is better than zero minutes of nothing: With our time-crunched lives, there are more and more workouts geared toward maximum results in less time. Click here for a link to a previous post where I offer a 10-minute circuit I like to call the “one-minute-wonder.” If you only have 15 minutes, add a few stretches before and after and you’ll feel like you worked. If you have up to 30 minutes, you can repeat the circuit two or three times and really get your sweat on! (Another plus: you can do this circuit anywhere.)
- “Fall” into healthy eating habits: If you pack lunch for the kiddies, why not add a few minutes to the prep time and make some healthy snacks or meals for yourself. I spend about 30 minutes every Sunday slicing and dicing veggies including peppers, celery sticks and carrots and then pack them in reusable containers or individual plastic bags. Now, they’re ready to grab as a side to a turkey sandwich or healthy snack. Some of my other favorite snack ideas include almonds, apples and non-fat plan Greek yogurt.
- Wardrobe Prep: If you plan to exercise first thing in the morning, put your workout wear in the bathroom the night before. It’s usually the first room we visit when we wake up, so if your clothes are staring you in the face, it may be harder to skip the workout. If you’re exercising after work, pack your gym bag the night before and leave it by the door to grab on your way out.
Finally, it’s important to remember Rome wasn’t built in a day. Getting fitness on your schedule and healthy foods into your fridge are two big steps toward a healthier and happier you. If you indulged in more ice cream or margaritas than you planned over the summer, don’t sweat it. It’s a new month, a new season is coming and there will be plenty of chances to get your butt in gear so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
lauralovesfitness 